Schools step up fight against vaping
BY NICKY QUINBY
Elizabeth School District’s new vaping prevention education coordinator, Maegan Winegar, has been holding a series of parent meetings to help inform about the risks and prevalence of vaping. e rst parent meeting was held on Jan. 27 at Elizabeth Middle School.
E-cigarettes, or vapes, typically contain water, chemical
avoring, nicotine or cannabis, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin and can’t be legally purchased or used by people who haven’t reached adulthood. In nicotine vapes, though the amount of nicotine in products varies, they’re extremely addictive because the vapor is quickly absorbed through blood vessels and nicotine can reach the brain in as few as 10 seconds.
Vaping is a problem within the Elizabeth School District, as it is with young people across the country. In 2019, agencies declared vaping an epidemic among youth. Between
2017 and 2018, e-cigarette use among youth skyrocketed at a rate of epidemic proportions.
Elizabeth High School student Camden Ross was present at the Jan. 27 meeting to help Winegar and lend a student perspective. Ross is part of SWAT, Students Working Against Tobacco. She said despite teachers monitoring bathrooms, groups of students still sometimes pile into school bathrooms to vape. Ross feels like it’s not fair to other students who just want to use the restroom.
EHS Principal Bret McClendon said, “While we don’t have
any statistics, vaping is prevalent in the building. Students seem to think they [vapes] are safe, and because they don’t have a distinct odor like cigarettes, they are di cult to detect.” ough EHS has made strides to discourage vaping, Winegar hopes that through education and policy changes, she can make even greater progress.
Across the nation, vaping is not just a high school problem — students all the way down to the elementary school level are being exposed to vaping and ex-
Elizabeth district fights suit from ACLU
BY NICKY QUINBY
e Elizabeth School District has led its formal response to a recent federal lawsuit and request for preliminary injunction from the ACLU of Colorado, concerning the district’s suspension of 19 books from school libraries. e injunction, led Dec. 20, asks that the removed books be returned to ESD libraries and would stop the school board from continuing to remove books.
e school district’s response, “Defendant’s Opposition to the Preliminary Injunction,” was led on Jan. 27 in U.S. District Court in Denver.
e district’s ling gives an explanation of its rationale in the Library Protocols and Book Lists and argues that the plainti s who sued in December do not make a convincing argument for granting the injunction.
e document explains that in the fall of 2023, Elizabeth School Board director Mike Calahan reported that his daughter, a middle school student in ESD, checked out a book from her school library recommended for readers aged 14 and over which contained profanity and sexual content. Because of this incident, the board identi ed a “signi cant disconnect” between curricular goals and library materials.
e board asked the district’s Curriculum Review Committee to review the library collection and form a policy to “address student access to potentially controversial library content.” is resulted in the new Library Protocols, Sensitive Topics List, and a list of 19 suspended books, which was approved by the board on Aug. 12, 2024. e district subsequently asked the community to review the suspended titles by visiting district o ces
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Maegan Winegar, left, the Elizabeth School District’s new vaping prevention education coordinator, stands with Camden Ross, a member of SWAT, for Students Working Against Tobacco.
PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY
Maegan Winegar heads prevention education
AdventHealth Parker fights human tra cking
Facility trains nurses in ways to spot victims
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As the FBI continues to monitor the rise of human tra cking in Colorado, particularly cases involving youth, various agencies and organizations across the state are working to combat the crime.
But one sector is on the front lines.
“I think healthcare workers come across human tra cking victims more than any of us,” said Janelle Goodrich, founder and executive director of From Silenced to Saved, a nonpro t organization that supports victims of sexual exploitation.
Research, including studies published in the National Institute of Health, shows that more than 60% of those being trafcked had visited an emergency room while being exploited. at reality was brought to Mary Marnell’s attention during the COVID-19 pandemic while working in the emergency department at the Medical Center of Aurora.
While working outside alongside a coworker, two young girls approached them. After they walked away, Marnell’s coworker told her that those two girls were likely being tra cked — sparking Marnell to want to learn more about human tra cking in the area.
When Marnell began working as an emergency room nurse at AdventHealth Parker shortly after, she wanted to bring more awareness to human tra cking, but noticed there weren’t a lot of resources that were easily accessible.
“ e sheer number of people that are seen by healthcare sta members — and that’s including registration, EMTs, not just nursing — aren’t o ered resources,” Marnell said. rough training with Goodrich with From Silenced to Saved in Castle Rock, Marnell learned that the amount of knowledge that her sta didn’t know about human tra cking was huge.
Whether it’s the dentist, an OBGYN or an emergency room nurse, the average victim is seen in a healthcare setting about nine times before they are discovered or disclosed, said Goodrich, adding that sometimes the emergency room or an urgent care serves as their primary care.
To further train emergency room nurses on how to identify and support potential victims, AdventHealth Parker has teamed up with From Silenced to Saved.
From Silenced to Saved
For about a decade, Goodrich, a certied family trauma professional, has focused on victims and survivors of human tra cking, sexual exploitation and other related violent sex crimes. Six years ago, she founded From Silenced to Saved. e nonpro t is a third-party case management organization that provides assistance to government agencies in domestic sex-tra cking investigations. Additionally, it’s the only non-governmental agency currently approved to respond on scene alongside local, state and federal law enforcement in Colorado.
“We are referred and brought in by law enforcement only,” said Goodrich. “(We) start from recovery all the way through the case with the named victim, and help them kind of weave through the court
process and make sure that they’re getting all their needs met.”
Goodrich, who also serves on the Colorado Human Tra cking Council, works with community partners to help bridge the gap with law enforcement to provide needed services to victims.
“A majority of victims are not disclosed, they are discovered,” said Goodrich. “You show up to what’s happening to them.”
Disclosed means to make information known while discovered means to nd something previously unknown.
Having helped nearly 300 victims and survivors since its inception, From Silenced to Saved provides trauma informed mentorship, and helps fund housing, food and transportation for victims. Goodrich also attends court appearances and trial preparation sessions. e organization also partners with FBI Denver’s Child Exploitation and Human Tra cking Task Force, which includes sheri ’s o ces across the metro area. Since the task force formed in 2012, it has recovered nearly 700 minors.
Recognizing human tra cking
Human tra cking is not blurred by gender or any type of sexual identi cation, and is a crime that hides in plain sight, Goodrich said.
“Any type of vulnerability that’s compounding, such as poverty, homelessness … just adds to that vulnerability for them to be tra cked,” Goodrich said.
She said if nurses could learn only one thing from the training, it would be that the movies aren’t reality — that human tra cking victims might look like every other person who walks into the hospital.
And, if it’s a minor, it’s a mandatory child abuse report.
Nurses learn about what needs to be reported, as well as how and when. e nurses are given tools to help identify youth who are at high risk for commercial sexual exploitation and what necessities emergency departments should have.
Another important topic is what to say versus what not to say to potential victims, Goodrich said. One example of what not to say is “why don’t you just leave?,” she added.
ere are many situations, often complicated, for which those being tra cked stay. It could be because of a concern for their safety, manipulation and more, Goodrich said.
Understanding that not every victim is ready to make a report during a visit to a healthcare professional, Goodrich emphasized the importance for nurses to take detailed notes, photographs, encourage the preservation of evidence and provide them with useful resources.
“ ose types of pieces of evidence that can be preserved for minor and adult cases to make sure that a case can move forward and that law enforcement ocers and district attorneys can do their job,” Goodrich said.
During the training with AdventHealth Parker, one nurse brought up the fact that there is a blurred line between what nurses can and cannot do, and felt that they were not properly trained on human tra cking before meeting Goodrich.
“In nursing school and hospital onboarding education, they give you just the tip of the iceberg with ‘this is what mandatory reporting is, this is not necessarily mandatory reporting,’” Marnell said.
To learn more about From Silenced to Save, visit fsts.org.
e FBI de nes human tra cking as the illegal exploitation of people. ere are three main kinds of human tra cking listed on the FBI’s website. ey are:
• Sex tra cking, which is when a person is compelled by force, fraud or coercion to engage in commercial sex acts.
• Labor tra cking, which is when a person is compelled by force, threats or fraud to perform labor or service.
• Domestic servitude is when a person within a household appears to be a nanny, housekeeper or other type of domestic worker, but they are being controlled and exploited.
For cases involving minors, it is not necessary to prove force, fraud or coercion, states the FBI’s website.
In the U.S., both residents and foreign nationals are bought and sold in cities, suburbs and rural areas.
According to the latest Common Sense Institute Colorado report, Colorado had the 10th highest overall number of human tra cking incidents nationwide in
2023.
While some might think that human tra cking primarily results from being kidnapped or the use of physical force, many tra cking situations result from psychological means and threats. For example, tra ckers may convince their victims that they are in love with them, or make them dependent on their trafcker for basic needs.
Human tra cking di ers from human smuggling as tra cking does not require any movement and victims can be tra cked within their town. e average entry age into human tra cking is 12-14 years old, according to the National Human Tra cking Hotline’s 2021 polaris review. is entry age is why local law enforcement encourages parents to monitor their children’s phones and social media, as sextortion and child exploitation can lead to human tra cking.
You can report tips to the Colorado Human Tra cking Hotline to 1-866455-5075.
Janelle Goodrich, founder and executive director of the nonprofit From Silenced to Saved, speaks with emergency room nurses with AdventHealth Parker to learn how to identify and support potential human tra cking victims that come into the hospital.
A presentation for emergency room nurses with AdventHealth Parker trained them in gathering information and using tools and resources to help identify and support potential human tra cking victims.
PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA
Colorado Environmental Film Festival Returns to Golden on February 21-23
There’s excitement building about the possibility of the Sundance Film Festival coming to Boulder, but we already have a nationally renowned environmental film festival that takes place every February right here in Golden.
The Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF) is a juried film festival that lives up to its name, bringing all kinds of film — long-form, shorts, children’s films, and animated films — for a weekend run that includes awards, filmmaker Q&As, and more.
I recommend the All Access pass for $99, because it not only includes entry to all screenings but also includes streaming access for most of the films for seven days after the festival. Buy it at https://ceff.net/tickets. There are three screening rooms at the Green Center on the Colorado School of Mines campus, so that’s the only way to see your favorite films which might be scheduled simultaneously. Go to https://ceff2025.eventive.org/films for a complete list of the films.
Denver which manufactured the plutonium triggers for thousands of nuclear weapons.
As an aside, one of our broker associates, Kathy Jonke, was an environmental geophysicist for the contractor working onsite at Rocky Flats during the cleanup. She recommended this film before I saw it was on CEFF’s schedule. Ask her sometime about her work.
are family-friendly and free. Bring the kids!
Opening night is Friday the 21st at 7:00 in the Green Center’s auditorium, featuring an 86-minute feature film, “Bring Them Home” about a small group of Blackfoot people who established the first wild buffalo herd on their ancestral lands. It is followed by a discussion with Executive Producer Melissa Grumhaus.
My choice of screenings at 10 a.m. on Saturday is the one which includes “Our Movement Starts Here,” a documentary about the fight against a toxic landfill in North Carolina.
At Sunday's 12:15 p.m. Lunch & Learn session, hear from members of the Denver Electric Vehicle Council and get the inside scoop on a variety of electric vehicles. Talk to the owners about their real life experiences driving an EV in Colorado and check out several models in the Electric Vehicle Roundup outside the Green Center from 9:15 to 3:30.
For the 1 p.m. screenings on Sunday, I have chosen the set which has five films focusing on sustainable home construction. This includes the “Heart of a Building” PBS program about John Avenson’s net-zero home in Westminster which was aired in January on Channels 6 and 12.
The closing set of screenings starting at 3:30 on Sunday includes the “Half-Life of Memory” mentioned above, plus two other films: one about lead poisoning of birds and
animals who feed on the carcasses of animals killed with bullets containing lead; plus one about the large amount of water consumed in the manufacture of computer ships.
A big part of CEFF’s mission is to educate, with a yearly focus on young filmmakers and films aimed at school age children from grade 4 through high school. These programs are always free, too. So, starting at 10 a.m. on Friday the 21st, prior to the festival’s opening, there is a “CEFF 4 Classrooms Field Trip” in the Bunker auditorium at the Green Center. It is for schools, youth organizations, home schools and more, designed to share a variety of youth-friendly environmental films. In addition to showing nine short films, two of them by young filmmakers, it includes a Q&A session with filmmakers and other field experts related to the film topics. Register at info@ceff.net,
Attendees will have plenty to choose from at this year’s CEFF, including 9 films with ties to Colorado, 60+ feature-length and short films from 17 countries, and ten world premiere screenings. The weekend also promises thoughtful discussions with filmmakers, panels, and a vibrant Eco-Expo in which to connect with environmentally conscious brands and organizations.
Golden Real Estate has been a sponsor of CEFF for most of its 16 years, so you’ll see our ad in the program inviting you to visit our nearby office in downtown Golden. We’ll also have a booth at the Eco-Expo in the lobby of the Green Center where we’ll have an up-to-the-minute display of all the active solar powered homes in the Denver MLS. We’d be happy to take you to see any of them!
It makes sense that we’re the only real estate brokerage sponsoring CEFF, because we are experts in all aspects of “green” building, and half of us drive electric cars. We have also become experts in “hardening” homes to resist wildfires, so please ask us questions or read some of my previous columns on those topics at www.JimSmithColumns.com
CEFF groups films by several categories, including Activism & Environmental Justice; Adventure; Consumption & Waste; Energy & Climate Chaos & Fossil Fuels; Health & Food; Land Use & Conservation; Wildlife; and Water, Rivers & Oceans
Among the films at this year’s festival, I’m personally looking forward to a few particular films. First on that list is “Half-Life of Memory: America’s Forgotten Atomic Bomb Factory,” a 55minute documentary about the sloppy operation and incomplete cleanup of Rocky Flats, the government’s plant between Boulder and
My choice of screenings at 1 p.m. is the one with three films about forests in Canada, Tasmania and on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.
Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. screening of four different films includes “Way the Wind Blows,” a short documentary about one family’s journey of recovery from the 2022 Marshall Fire in Boulder County, which destroyed 1,000 homes. That set also includes two interesting films about glaciers.
Between the 3:30 screenings and the 7:15 screenings on Saturday will be an “Evening Soiree,” a party with drinks and plant-based foods. Tickets for either of those screenings (or the All Access pass) includes an invitation to this party. This is when the awards for the best films will be presented in the Green Auditorium, along with the world premiere screening of “The Snake and the Whale,” a 90-minute investigative documentary that uncovers antiquated dams on the Lower Snake River that are driving the extinction of fish and killer whales.
I’m going to attend the 7:15 set of three films, one of which is “Responsible,” about the interplay of capitalism and environmentalism. The subtitle of the film is “There Is No Business to Be Done on a Broken Planet.”
On Sunday morning, I have chosen the screenings which include an animated short about invasive fauna and flora in Hawaii, a bird oasis on an abandoned golf course, overgrazing versus regenerative grazing in Nevada, a Tibetan nomad with a camera, and a threatened wetland between the banks of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Both of the Sunday morning film screenings
ADU Law Enables
Homeowners to Invest on Their Own Lot
Beginning in July, homeowners in Colorado will be able to create an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) within their home (preferably a walk-out basement), over their detached garage, or by building a tiny home or casita in their backyard.
The enabling law was HB24-1152. Until this law was passed, local zoning regulations made it difficult to get approval to build an ADU; but now local governments can not block ADU development using zoning regulations, although other local laws, such as building codes, still apply.
Many homes, such as single-story homes with no basement on a small lot with no detached garage, will not be able to take advantage of this law, but many others can, and that’s the purpose of the law — namely, to increase the housing supply through increased density. Before this new law, there wasn’t much that Colorado homeowners could do to increase the housing supply. Now they can, and increase their wealth in the process.
In September Colorado Biz had an article that described how the law works: “ADUs add housing units with minimal impacts to infrastructure and with increased compact infill development. They provide intergenerational living options and enable child or eldercare and aging in place. Because they’re small, ADU rents are typically low.”
The financial information for a specific ADU varies greatly, dependent on the particular ADU and site costs. That makes the numbers used in the article only rough estimates. The cost of an ADU is dependent on choices made by the homeowner who is installing the unit. It can be very expensive, but there are ways to keep it reasonable. Regardless, the article is a helpful summary.
One of the many reasons cited for expanding the use of ADUs is to increase the availability of affordable housing, although this rationale has been questioned. There are many things that can make ADUs costeffective, thus increasing affordability (both for purchase and rent).
Two of the factors that contribute to affordability are the size of the units and the cost of the land. ADUs are small but not uncomfortably small, and day-to-day life is unchanged. They tap into a trend of smaller living spaces.
For a homeowner considering putting in an ADU, it’s one real estate investment that includes no cost for land. ADUs use space that is, at best, underutilized, and already owned. This is a big plus where the value of land is high.
As part of the new law, the legislature appropriated money and tasked the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) to develop programs to enable homeowners with moderate means to afford construction of an ADU. The idea is to jump-start ADU finance in the private sector.
Finally, units assembled off-site (referred to as manufactured, modular, or prefab) can reduce cost significantly, and have other advantages such as shorter lead times, far less on-site construction, environmental benefits, etc. A Colorado company that specializes in manufactured detached ADUs is Verdant Living (www.verdantliving.us). The owner of that company, John Phillips, is happy to discuss ADU options with you. Because of the huge variety of situations where ADUs are possible, he tries to recommend options that might work, often not involving his company. He can be reached at 303-717-1962 (voice or text).
His is a Denver business. Another player in the field of manufactured housing on the national level is Boxabl (www.boxabl.com), which specializes in factory-made homes that literally unfold after being delivered on a standard width flatbed trailer. Its “Casita” is a 361-square-foot modular home, offering a stylish, efficient living space with a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. It’s delivered with all-electric appliances (including laundry) and 100-amp electric service. It is currently priced at $60,000. It must be installed on a foundation prepared with electrical and plumbing hookups. It is built to meet building codes.
Recently, the company introduced the “Baby Box,” a 120-square-foot living space built to RV standards. Easy setup, no special equipment or foundation needed. The MSRP of Baby Box is $30,000 with introductory pricing of $19,999. It comes, like a mobile home, on a frame with permanent wheels. It too has a bathroom and kitchen, but with water tank and waste tank like any RV. It is intended for delivery to mobile home parks.
Parents: New tax credit could net you thousands
Find out what you need to know under state provision
BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT
A new state tax credit worth thousands of dollars is now available to many Colorado families with children under 17.
It’s called the family a ordability tax credit and is expected to help hundreds of thousands of cash-strapped families across the state. Lawmakers and advocates who championed the credit during last year’s legislative session see it as a chance to address Colorado’s high cost of living and pick up where the federal government left o when its expanded child tax credit expired in 2021. at expanded tax credit helped cut child poverty in America nearly in half to a historic low of 5.2% in 2021. By 2023, child poverty rates jumped to 13.7%.
Since then, several states have expanded or created their own child tax credits. Colorado, which already had a child tax credit for families with young children, created the family a ordability credit to provide more nancial help to families already getting the child tax credit and give new aid to lower income families with older children.
Here’s what you need to know about the new credit.
What is the family a ordability tax credit?
It’s a new state tax credit for lower income Colorado families with children under 17. It was created during the 2024
legislative session and is now available for the rst time to families ling their 2024 tax returns.
Eligible families can get a tax credit of up to $3,200 for each child who was 5 or younger as of Dec. 31, 2024, and up to $2,400 for each child who was 6-16 years old as of Dec. 31, 2024. e size of the credit goes down as family income goes
SEE YOURSELF ON STAGE
up, eventually phasing out when single tax lers hit an adjusted gross income of more than $85,000 a year and joint tax lers hit an adjusted gross income of more than $95,000 a year.
How is it di erent from Colorado’s child tax credit?
e family a ordability tax credit is much bigger than the state’s child tax credit and includes families with older children. For example, a single mother who earned $30,000 in tax year 2024 and has a 4-year-old and 7-year-old would receive a family a ordability tax credit of $4,445 and a state child tax credit of $600. ( e state child tax credit is only available to lower income families with children under 6.)
It’s also worth noting that, unlike the state child tax credit, the family a ordability credit may not be available every year. at’s because lawmakers decided to o er it only in good economic times when the state collects enough surplus tax revenue to fund it. During bad years when the state collects too little surplus tax revenue, the state will reduce the amount of the credit or refrain from o ering it at all.
How do I know if I’m eligible for family a ordability credit?
Use the tax credit calculator from Get Ahead Colorado, which is run by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. e online tool asks a few questions about your income and the number of kids you have and spits out a list of state and federal tax credits you may be eligible for, including the family a ordability credit.
e tax credit calculator is available in dozens of languages by clicking on the “Select Language” button in the top right corner.
I don’t make enough to pay income taxes. Am I still eligible?
Yes, the family a ordability tax credit is refundable. at means that even if eligible families owe nothing in taxes, the state will pay them the amount of the credit as long as they le a state tax return.
Families who earn enough to pay income taxes may still get money back if their family a ordability credit exceeds
the amount they owe the state.
I don’t have a Social Security number. Am I still eligible?
Possibly. Parents who don’t have a Social Security number may be eligible for Colorado’s family a ordability tax credit if they have an Individual Taxpayer Identi cation number — or ITIN — and their eligible children have a Social Security number.
ITIN numbers are available from the Internal Revenue Service to certain individuals who are categorized as resident aliens or nonresident aliens, regardless of immigration status.
Will getting the family a ordability tax credit reduce my SNAP benefits?
No. Tax credits are not considered income and will not negatively a ect most bene ts, including SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid.
Are there other tax credits for Colorado families with children?
Yes. Both the federal government and the state have earned income tax credits, which are available to lower income families with or without children. Both also offer child tax credits, with the federal version available to qualifying families with children under 17 and the Colorado version available to qualifying families with children under 6.
How can I get help filling out my tax returns?
You can use myfreetaxes.com, an online program o ered through United Way. It’s also available in Spanish.
Another free option is getyourrefund. org/en, which allows lers earning under $67,000 a year to get online assistance from certi ed volunteers. It’s also available in Spanish.
For free in-person help from certi ed volunteers, consider the Colorado Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, also known as VITA. Check this list for VITA sites, hours, and other details. Finally, Get Ahead Colorado has a variety of other tax ling resources available.
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.
Dispose of pet waste
Pet waste pollutes our local creeks and waterways. Dispose of pet waste in the trash. Harmful bacteria can end up in the water where we swim, fish and play.
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Parker cheer squad earns bid to Prep Grand Nationals in Orlando
Youth all-star team raising funds for travel expenses
BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A youth cheerleading team from Parker is riding a dominant season across the country to Orlando, Florida, to compete against some of the best squads in the nation.
Team Shock, an all-star team from the Momentum Athletic Center, received a bid in the Prep and Rec Grand Nationals competition on April 26-27. e group comprises girls ages 7-13. After a strong year of winning the division and earning “Grand Champion” status at several competitions, the team is asking for your help to reach their goal.
It’s a long way to Orlando, so a GoFundMe has been set up to help with travel expenses. Consider donating at www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-team-shocksgrand-nationals-journey.
“At one of our competitions, we entered to get a bid, just to see if we could get it,” said Head Coach Leah Church. “And they did get it. So it’s a really cool opportunity that they get to travel this season, and it’s not something that our prep teams have ever done before. So that’s why we’re just trying to raise a little bit of funds for them.”
Team Shock isn’t a travel team, at least not outside of Colorado. is season, the girls have competed at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and in venues in downtown Denver. ere are generally ve or six competitions in a sea-
But this is another level entirely; the best sort of eld trip, Church said.
“It was very loud screams,” she said, referring to the team’s reaction. “We took a video announcing to them that we got a bid, and they were very, very excited. It was something that the parents all had to agree on because it’s an extra addition to our season with all the extra costs that come with that. But when they all said
yes, they were very, very excited.”
After placing second in the season’s rst competition, the team settled in and rattled o three straight rst-place nishes.
To earn “Grand Champion” status, a team must post the highest score at its level.
Team Shock has done so twice.
But what goes into the scoring?
“ ere’s a lot that goes into that, just in terms of the skills that they compete,” Church said. “How di cult are they? How
good do they look? (Are they) in sync with the rest of the team? at sort of thing. But we’ve been working on this routine since August. So, they’ve had a lot of time to really perfect it and practice and just learn to trust each other more.”
With repetition comes con dence. Church has been with Momentum for almost three years and is in her second season as an all-star coach. She said many of the girls competed together on previous teams, which has only strengthened their bond and improved their chemistry as teammates.
A few of them had a tougher season last year, not placing as high as they’d like, Church said. But they are overcoming it and it just makes the wins this season that much sweeter. But now, the level of diculty (and competition) is about to hit the stratosphere.
Hundreds of cheer teams will descend on Orlando for the Prep and Rec Grand Nationals. Church said she anticipates Team Shock will be competing against 3050 teams in the same division, but numbers will be clearer in March.
“It’s hard to get to rst place. It’s harder to stay at rst place,” Church said. “So I think they still work really hard, and they still want to get better. I could not be more grateful to have a team of kids who just really love the sport, love each other and just want to keep getting better every day. It’s really awesome.”
Visit gofundme.com/f/donate-to-teamshocks-grand-nationals-journey to help Team Shock get to Orlando. To learn more about Momentum and its cheer, tumbling, gymnastics and other programs, visit www.momentumathleticcenter.com.
Team Shock is comprised of girls ages 7-13. The squad has won most of its regular season competitions this year and is now headed to the Prep and Rec Grand Nationals competition in Orlando, Florida, this April.
COURTESY PHOTO
and providing written feedback. e district shared that the “overwhelming number of community members who reviewed the books on the Suspended List favored permanent removal” and that the “books in question had no clear connection to the curriculum and contained little to no educational value or rigor.” ey also stated the removal a ected less than 0.05% of the district’s catalog, the school libraries still contain a diverse collection of books and several of the suspended titles had low circulation numbers.
On Sept. 9, 2024, the board voted to permanently remove 18 titles; the nineteenth was never returned and is presumed lost. e district says the board considered many factors, “including the problematic nature of the content, which included, without limitation, graphic violence, graphic sexual content, extreme drug and alcohol use, and suicidal ideation.”
On Jan. 27, after the initial lawsuit and request for injunction were led, the district decided to return the 19 disputed titles back to the libraries they were taken from, for the “purpose of allowing the plainti s in this litigation to browse, read, or check out those books in the school district’s libraries.” e district argues that since the books have been returned and are accessible to the plainti s, the plainti s cannot “identify any harm” from the books’ previous removal.
e response asserts that the plainti s’ First Amendment claims “cannot get o the ground” because a school library’s curating decisions, what to purchase or to remove, are protected government speech, immune to First Amendment scrutiny. Further, they argue that the plainti s’ First Amendment “right to access information” has not been violated since the books have since been returned and are available to the plainti s.
e ACLU points to the precedent set by the Supreme Court’s 1982 “Pico” decision, that students have a right to read, or to receive information in their school library even when that information is available elsewhere. e school district points to precedent in a later Supreme Court case, the 1988 “Hazelwood” decision, in arguing that “school boards have maximum deference over curricular and school-sponsored speech.”
e district argues that books held within school libraries are an extension of school curriculum. It states that reevaluating and removing the books fell under e orts to standardize the district’s curriculum, which meant removing select books with “sexually explicit content, including base vulgarity, that were not age appropriate for the respective school library, or that promoted discourse or indoctrination on sensitive and controversial topics best left to parents as the primary educators of their children.”
e district also maintains that the board’s actions were not unconstitutional, partisan or politically motivated, nor were the categories used to de ne sensitive topics. “ ese are commonsense identi ers to guide the decision to remove select books with explicit, ageinappropriate, or overly controversial content from the District’s libraries,” the response states.
e school board’s Aug. 26 work session discussing the suspended books can be viewed in its entirety on YouTube at youtube.com/live/lALFn6EY9-8, along with other board meetings.
e ACLU request for preliminary injunction can be read at tinyurl.com/esdinjunction.
ESD’s full response and legal rationale can be read in its entirety at tinyurl.com/ esd-reply.
e ACLU of Colorado press release and and a link to the lawsuit against ESD can be found at tinyurl.com/aclu-book-suit.
For more information about the Elizabeth School District in general, visit elizabethschooldistrict.org.
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Into the Woods JR. features all your favorite characters - Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (and his beanstalk) and the Witch - in this lyrically rich retelling of classic Brothers Grimm fables. The musical centers on a baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King’s festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a witch’s curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse, and wind up changed forever. Complete details and audition link: parkerarts.org/auditions.
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classic characters
here… mermaids, princesses, lost boys
King Soopers takes steps to handle strike
Grocer hires temp workers to keep supermarkets open
BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN
As day one of a planned two-week walkout began, about a dozen King Soopers employees were up before dawn on Feb. 6, pacing in front of their store in Centennial. Some walked the perimeter on the sidewalks as cars passed by. All carried white signs with red lettering asking customers to not patronize their employer. eir union representative with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 forbade them to speak to a reporter, even as one employee questioned why not? Why aren’t they allowed to tell the people why they are outside the store instead of inside?
At a Safeway parking lot across from a King Soopers on Feb. 6, union o cials held a news conference and said the workers at the two Pueblo stores would join the strike starting Feb. 7. Local 7 President Kim Cordova said she spoke for the workers, who feared repercussions by the employer. Intimidation is part of the union’s multiple unfair labor practice claims against the Kroger-owned chain. “King Soopers has some big problems. I mean when you have 96 to 100% of the workers vote to strike, there’s real issues,” Cordova said. “And here we are for the second time in back-to-back bargaining cycles. Here we are with another unfair labor practice dispute against King Soopers.”
More than 10,000 King Soopers employ-
ees in the Front Range are involved, which is a few thousand more than three years ago when King Soopers walked out in January 2022. More contracts have expired. ey’re protesting unfair labor practices, which allege surveilling and disrupting discussions between workers and union reps. A “last best and nal o er” from the company was rejected in mid-January.
Not all union members walked out on day one. Workers in Colorado Springs voted last Friday to authorize a strike. But some of their contracts have not yet expired so they could join in the coming days, union o cials said.
Find an updated list of a ected locations at public. ourish.studio/visualisation/21490216.
Grocer preps for strike ere are 77 Denver-area stores involved in ursday’s work stoppage. Because of that, King Soopers hired temporary workers to keep the stores open, spokesperson Jessica Trowbridge said Wednesday.
“We have an obligation to the community to make sure they have access to fresh and a ordable food and pharmacy services, so we’ve gone ahead and hired temporary sta to come and help us serve the community at this time,” Trowbridge said.
All stores will remain open, though locations impacted by the strike will operate on limited hours. Stores will open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m, with pharmacies open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week. On Saturdays, pharmacy hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closing from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. for lunch. Pharmacies will be closed on Sundays.
All other stores in the state, including City Markets, will stick with their normal hours.
Other King Soopers stores remain open
Not all King Soopers in metro Denver are unionized. ere are nonunion stores in Brighton, Castle Rock, Erie and Firestone. ere are also two ornton locations — at 13700 Colorado Blvd. and 13525 Quebec St. — that aren’t part of the strike. Other nonunion stores farther out include Bennett, Conifer and Windsor.
Union stores outside of Denver remain open, though they could join the strike at a later date. Besides Colorado Springs workers who are ready to join the strike, others could take a strike vote soon. Labor contracts in Fort Collins, Greeley, Longmont and Loveland expire Feb. 15.
Also, many locations only have some of the sta in a union, such as the meat departments in Boulder and Parker. But those stores are still impacted by the strike and limited hours.
Local 7 also represents workers at four Western Slope City Markets, including two in Grand Junction, one in Fruita and one in Clifton. No strike vote has been announced yet.
Unproductive negotiations, heated accusations
Negotiations began in October on the new contract, which expired Jan. 5, and stopped inde nitely on Jan. 16. No further meetings were scheduled.
In unfair labor practice claims led with the National Labor Relations Board, the
union said King Soopers was “illegally threatening members with discipline” for wearing union clothing or union buttons, surveilling workers in discussions with union sta and “gutting $8 million in retiree health bene ts for wage increases for active workers.”
To get the union back to the bargaining table, Cordova said, “We need the company to engage in good and fair bargaining, and they need to resolve the unfair labor practices. ey have to provide information that we need around sales.”
King Soopers pushed back on all the allegations. In a statement, the company said it responded to all the union’s requests, and even “dedicated six hours to answering every question raised,” during a one negotiation session. e company has “acted in full compliance with both the law and collective bargaining agreement obligations.”
It led its own unfair labor practice claims against the union for causing disruptions, such as mentioning a strike on Dec. 17, and rejecting company o ers without providing their own proposal for the workers. ( e union said it has made proposals.)
e company had hoped to avoid a strike, like the one three years ago. Earlier this week, King Soopers President Joe Kelley asked Local 7 to “reconsider their approach and prioritize the best interests of our associates, their members and the communities they serve.”
King Soopers has publicly shared its
A King Soopers employee has a snack while on strike at a King Soopers store in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood on Feb. 6. PHOTO BY NINA JOSS
SEE STRIKE, P9
o er to workers and urged employees to look and vote on the proposed contract, instead of voting on unfair labor practices.
King Soopers o ered raises to boost store clerks’ hourly wage by $4.50 over four years, with top clerks earning above $27 an hour by 2028. Adding in health care and pension bene ts, that would be $29.48 an hour. e current wage is $22.68, the company said.
The union’s sticking points
While making sure grocery workers can make a livable wage is a big concern, Cordova said the top concern is inadequate sta ng, and that impacts consumers.
“Our ght over understa ng is real. Every customer sees that they’re waiting in long lines. ey’re seeing empty shelves. And there’s not a supply chain issue here. All the product is in the back room. ere’s just nobody there (to restock),” Cordova said. “ ey don’t have enough sta in the stores to properly change the price tags or prices in the system. So many customers’ experience (is) the price they’re paying is higher than what’s advertised. And that’s a big issue when people around the country are already upset about the high cost
of groceries.”
Reyna Carpenter, the seafood manager at a King Soopers in Pueblo, said she joined the company a decade ago when there were four people working a shift in her department at a time. Now, there’s two. And sometimes she gets pulled over to the meat department to help.
If one of the shift workers is tagging items or restocking, that means there’s only one employee helping customers. And that’s what’s happening storewide, she said. When check out lines get longer, cashiers abandon the other chores. at means store shelves aren’t getting restocked or properly tagged with the new pricing for the week. Or there’s no shopping carts, so another sta er has to run out and gather them up in the parking lot.
“On ad days, it’s ridiculous,” said Carpenter, who is also on the union’s bargaining committee. “You have to rearrange everything. … at takes time. We used to have people that came in and worked with us. We had more sta ng in the morning and throughout the afternoon.”
Kroger owns 118 King Soopers and 32 City Market stores in Colorado. Not all are unionized.
is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.
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On the pursuit of beautiful plain roads
One of my earliest childhood memories is walking down Federal Boulevard in Denver with my parents, older brother and a group of people as they all chanted “¡Sí se puede!” (“Yes we can!”)
It was a hot summer day, and I remember my feet hurting and feeling fatigued from the scorching sun. As a little girl, I didn’t understand why my parents had brought me and my brother to this marcha that led all the way to Civic Center Park. I kept telling my parents to just get in the car and drive alongside the people, but I was clearly missing the
I would ask my parents “Why are we marching?” “What is this for?” and they would explain, but in my mind I couldn’t grasp the concept. I couldn’t understand that people from a di erent country were considered “bad people” or “criminals” because they immigrated to the U.S. for a better life. I didn’t see the problem. To me it was as simple as moving from state to state here in the U.S.; to me they were my parents, my brother and my friends. However, as I tried to grasp the idea, to this day I remember hearing my mother’s voice as clear as day telling me, “Just say it with us: Sí se puede.”
ose words have stayed with me since then. As my dad hoisted me up to his shoulders, I remember waving a little Mexican ag and chanting with everyone, and after that, the road seemed better. e burning sun didn’t feel so bad anymore.
Over the years, I began to understand the concept more and more as I saw how it a ected the lives of my parents and my
In the competition of life, whether at home, work, or in the pursuit of personal dreams, there’s one adversary we often fail to recognize: ourselves. Too often, we unknowingly become our own most signi cant competitor. is isn’t because of a lack of ambition or e ort but because we allow self-doubt, fear, and negativity, what many refer to as “head trash,” to cloud our judgment, blocking our progress. Recognizing this tendency is the rst step to getting out of our own way and unlocking our full potential.
e voices in our heads are powerful, and when those voices are negative, they can be debilitating. oughts like “I’m not good enough,” “I’ll never measure up,” or “Why even bother?” can sabotage even our best e orts before we start. In addition to our internal critics, we’re often surrounded by external negativity,
VOICES
brother.
I saw it when my parents had to work every night, come home to get me and my brother ready for school and then go back to work with no hours of sleep. I would wonder why they couldn’t get di erent jobs with better work hours. en, when my dad was working in a toxic environment, I wondered why he couldn’t get a job that didn’t mistreat him.
As an undocumented person, the options were and are very limited. Even if you are trying to do the “right thing.”
And by the “right thing,” I mean living the American Dream of working until you have nothing left to o er, providing a good life to your children and yourself, and simply just working to the success and family values that this country preaches.
I saw it when my brother was in high
school, as he was approaching graduation. He had a job o er that he was more than quali ed for. He went to the interview, and they thought he was the perfect t, but then the di cult question came: “Are you a U.S. citizen?”
e answer was no.
Despite the challenges, that didn’t stop my brother or my parents from moving down the road. During a time like today, where I hear attacks on my immigrant brothers and sisters, friends and family members, I nd myself more worried than they are. ese days, I am often comforted by my immigrant parents who say, “Don’t worry. We can’t let fear rule our lives. We have to keep moving forward.”
It’s a bit ironic to say that I, a U.S.-born citizen, am more scared of what’s to come than they are, but I think that’s a true testimony
of how resilient they have become. It shows that no matter what, their spirit will never be crushed. I’m not thanking this system for making them resilient; I think they have always been resilient, and these are just the kind of people they are. Who wouldn’t want a kind, resilient and brave person on their team?
But I guess that doesn’t matter.
“It just feels like it’s never enough,” said State Rep. Elizabeth Velasco during an immigrant voices press conference at the state Capitol on Jan. 22.
Velasco mentioned that she is co-chair of the Democratic Latino Caucus, vice chair of the Energy and Environment Committee and has been a re ghter.
“And I have still been told to go back to my
SEE RAMIREZ, P23
Finding healthy self-image and unstoppable growth
voices of doubt, cynicism, and criticism from people around us. is negative “surround sound” can reinforce the belief that we’re destined to fail. is is why developing and maintaining a healthy self-image is crucial. How others see us pales in comparison to how we see ourselves. If we don’t believe in our abilities, how can we expect others to? A healthy self-image isn’t about arrogance or blind con dence; it’s about seeing ourselves honestly, embracing our unique strengths while acknowledging and working on our areas for growth. To build and sustain this healthy selfimage, it’s essential to surround our-
selves with people who lift us up rather than pull us down. Seek mentors, coaches, and peers who provide advice, encouragement, and hope. ese individuals don’t just cheer us on; they challenge us to think bigger, push harder, and strive for our goals, reminding us of what’s possible when tempted to settle for less. Equally important is eliminating the sources of negativity in our lives. Whether it’s a toxic colleague, a critical family member, or an unproductive habit like doom-scrolling social media, these inuences can drain our energy and erode our con dence. It’s not always easy to set boundaries or let go of relationships, but doing so can be transformative. e less time we spend defending ourselves against negativity, the more energy we have to invest in growth and success. In life, competition is inevitable. We face it in sports, business, and even our
personal goals. When approached with the right mindset, competition can be a powerful motivator. It pushes us to go beyond our perceived limits, stretch our capabilities, and achieve what we once thought impossible. is is the essence of a healthy competitive spirit; it thrives on abundance, where we believe there’s enough success and opportunity for everyone. However, competition can become harmful when viewed through a lens of scarcity. A scarcity mindset whispers that someone else’s success diminishes our chances. It convinces us that the e ort isn’t worth it, that the climb isn’t worth the view. is mindset doesn’t just hold us back; it gives power to our insecurities, further feeding the cycle of self-sabotage.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Fear for my country
I awoke in the middle of the night last week, fearful for our country. What was the source of my fear? Pete Hegseth had just been con rmed to head the largest, most powerful military machine in the world. So why is that a source for fear? It was less his personal, egregious history that disturbs me. Nor his nonpro t managerial failures. We have all make mistakes and, provided we learn from them, should be given a second and even a third chanced.
It is rather his philosophy toward the use of military might that is the source of my fears. It is the tattoo on his body that represents his vision. In his speeches and writing, he lauds the valor of the medieval military campaign that he sees as a model for today: the Crusades, in which Christian warriors from Western Europe embarked on ruthless missions to drive the in dels out of the Holy Land, ignoring the destruction it caused.
So, here we stand. Will he marshal his military to drive out the invading, asylum seekers and hard-working undocumented immigrants as requested by his boss? Will he be marshaling them to start a civil war to drive their supporters out those northern, sanctuary cities that have been taken over by those liberal heretics, a view expressed by his boss in his volcanic explosion of vitriol in response to the deacon’s speech at the National Cathedral? at is the source of my fears? I can only hope and pray that they are paranoias.
Ernst
Popke, Highlands Ranch
Labels create division
Behavior and choice don’t make you more or less of an American, and anyone who attempts to de ne “American” under any personal standard will fail before they even begin. Names and labels are used because it makes it easier to divide people (borders do the same). It’s a false security blanket. ere are compassionate “conservatives” and there are conservative “liberals.”
I want leaders who at a minimum are intelligent, creative, have conviction, practice compassion and have the ability to unify toward actual solutions. I don’t want people in public o ces who are mean, petty, blatantly corruptible, prone to divisiveness, and unintelligent about the di erence between a solution and a diversion.
Part of the fascist playbook is creating a de nition of what is acceptable and right, and vilifying and blaming those who do not meet that ideal. e only thing that makes us “American” is citizenship, a legal de nition. After that, there are 340 million di erent types of Americans, the majority of whom are so just because they happened to be born here.
NORTON
e key to breaking free is to stop competing with ourselves. Instead of listening to the inner critic, we must focus on what’s possible. Imagine what could happen if we stopped seeing obstacles and started seeing opportunities. When we get out of our own way, we remove the self-imposed limits that keep us stuck in our comfort zones. What I am suggesting here is embracing growth. Each challenge becomes a steppingstone, each setback a lesson, and each success a reminder of what we’re capable of. With a healthy selfimage rooted in abundance, we become unstoppable, ready to face every challenge, achieve every dream, and free
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 subject line.
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I encourage all of us Americans to practice more acceptance of the “other” while keeping a high standard, whatever that means for you, toward our leaders, policy makers and holders of public o ce.
Paul White, Highlands Ranch
Stick up for journalism
Control of the media is being pursued. I never thought I’d see the day in the United States, let alone in my little city of Lone Tree. Rep. Brandi Bradley (R) represents District 39 (including Lone Tree), suggested Kyle Clark from 9NEWS be “arrested on mis and dis information!!!!” without any proof or facts of what “mis and dis information” she believes has been presented. She then said “to all the liberal media and all of the leftish politicians who think or thought they were above the law … it’s about to rain on your parade and we are going to sit back and eat popcorn …”
I still struggle with how non-“leftish” politicians say they are the law and order party, yet they continue to lie and encourage violence.
We must continue to stand up for independent journalism; otherwise, welcome to the new China/Russia/Iran, etc.
Carol Sorensen, Lone Tree
ourselves from self-limiting beliefs.
e only thing standing between you and your potential is you. Recognize the power of your thoughts, surround yourself with the right people, and embrace a mindset of abundance. When you do, you’ll not only stop being your own worst enemy; you’ll become your greatest ally.
I would love to hear your story about how you will let the best version of yourself take center stage at gotonorton@ gmail.com. When we realize that the climb is always worth the view, it really will be a better-than-good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
the following week’s newspaper.
• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.
• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
LEHMAN
Carolyn
Lehman
January 8, 1942 - January 25, 2025
Carolyn Lehman passed away Saturday morning January 25th surrounded by family in Cleveland TX. Carol was born in Denver on January 8th, 1942, the third of four children born to Earl and Dorothy McCloskey. She attended school in Lakewood Co. Carol was a member of the Westernaires riding club drill team. After graduating from the Westernairs red team, Carol taught riding with the club for several years. Her rst marriage was to Darwin Harper. ey had two children, then moved to Elbert in 1972. Her second marriage was to Dave Lehman.
ey lived on the Triple L Ranch east of Elbert. Both Dave and Carol drove the school bus for Elbert school district and Elizabeth school district. After Dave passed away, Carol moved to Texas to be near her daughter and grandchildren where she remained for the rest of her life. She is survived by her younger sister, Cindy McCloskey Hay; her son, Sam McCloskey; her daughter, Jody Wright; her stepson, Mark Lehman; stepdaughter, Jennifer Lehman, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.
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VAPING
perimenting with vapes. Winegar said there have been reports in other school districts of kindergartners bringing vapes to school and kids as young as third grade vaping.
Part of the issue is that companies market to children, and social media in uencers make vaping look fun. Kids are bombarded with vaping videos and encouraged to try various challenges and do tricks with vapes.
Most teens also think that vaping is harmless. Data is still being gathered on the long-term negative health impacts, but it is widely accepted that vaping does have serious health consequences, is highly addictive, and is largely unregulated.
e National Institutes for Health (NIH) said vaping can lead to impaired blood vessel function and increased risk for heart disease. e American Heart Association said vaping has been associated with an increased risk for respiratory diseases as well as a condition speci cally related to e-cigarette use, called EVALI — short for e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury, which can lead to hospitalization or even death. Diacetyl, the chemical that causes popcorn lung, is found in many e-cigarette avors.
Winegar says the Food and Drug Administration isn’t able to keep up with new vape manufacturing regulations and companies, which creates a lack of consistency. Companies are basically able to label and sell whatever they want unchecked, she said. e FDA has denied permission to market some e-cigarette products and has ramped up enforcement e orts, but many of the most popular e-cigarettes among youth remain on the market.
Winegar’s future goals include having students create an online resource hub, letting SWAT lead Red Ribbon Week initiatives, and researching options for a podcast. She’s also working on working with EMS and EHS health teachers on adding preventative content, developing programming for fourth and fth grade and developing partnerships with the community.
Winegar, an Elbert resident, has a master’s degree in professional counseling and is working toward her Ph.D. in professional organizational psychology. Her position was funded as a result of a settlement between Colorado and e-cigarette manufacturer JUUL, alleging that it targeted youth with deceptive marketing and played down the health risks of vaping.
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.
Winegar recently sent out a parent survey about vaping which received 224 responses. e survey results are accessible at tinyurl.com/esdvape.
ESD Public Information Ocer Je Maher spoke with Winegar last fall. e interview is available on YouTube at youtube.com/ watch?v=35X-w6CoSqk.
Upcoming vape education meetings are scheduled for March 4 at 6 p.m. in Elizabeth High School and April 3 at 6 p.m. in Singing Hills Elementary.
e CDC has a helpful Vaping Products Visual Dictionary available online at tinyurl.com/5897jy7r.
A parent vape education flyer.
IMAGE COURTESY OF ELIZABETH SCHOOL DISTRICT
A slide from Maegan Winegar’s informational presentation at the first meeting to help inform parents about vaping in Elizabeth School District. This slide shows how
Dr. Je is alive
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.
“ is is my fourth cancer,” he said. “It’s 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.
Douglas, Je erson among the top counties for speeders
El Paso County tops list for the most speeding citations, Colorado State Patrol says
BY MONTE WHALEY
e Colorado State Patrol has, once again, pinpointed the state’s ve counties that attracted the most speeding citations in 2024 and two are right here in the Denver-metro area.
Troopers say drivers in El Paso County got the most speeding tickers last year with 2,161. Douglas and Je erson counties are ranked number two and three respectively, with Douglas collecting 862 citations followed by Je erson with 831. Rounding out the top ve is Fremont County with 727 and Mesa County with 684, according to a CSP news release.
El Paso, Douglas and Je erson counties have remained the top ve counties for speeding citations for the past four years, the CSP states. is is the third consecutive time in four years that Fremont County has entered the top ve and this is the rst time in four years for Mesa County. e top ve roadways in 2024 for speeding charges by highest speeding intervals
issued by the CSP were: I-70, I-25 followed by state highways 50, 24 and 285. e top four roadways have held their respective top positions for six consecutive years, the CSP states. Highway 285 broke into the top ve in 2022 and has held that spot for the last two years. Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the CSP, said drivers in 2025 need to lighten up on the accelerator and be more aware of their speeding habits in the new year.
“ e temptation to speed may be all around you, but you won’t get out of a ticket if you violate the law and get pulled over, “ Packard said in a press release. “Our goal isn’t to go out and ticket everyone; we want drivers to do the right thing and drive like a trooper is a passenger in their vehicle. Citations are meant to correct poor driving choices, and you are literally in the driver’s seat to determine the likelihood of a tra c stop.”
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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
Tra c travels between Frisco and Breckenridge on Colorado Highway 9. FILE PHOTO
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Sarah Cooprider was born with an intellectual disability, autism, a severe speech/language disability, and a naturally happy disposition. Her mother noticed during elementary school that Sarah was most happy when she was busy and social.
Annette Cooprider, who lives in Golden with her husband and Sarah, tried several metro area programs for people with special needs. None gave Sarah the level of activity she needed to thrive. en Annette found INSPIRE, a program run through the Evergreen Park & Recreation District.
“My daughter can have behaviors, but she’s an angel when she’s in INSPIRE,” Annette said. “It prevents her from being isolated, which can be common with kids like mine. She gets to go horseback riding, learn archery, play basketball, go bowling and all these things that are available to typical young people. She’s busy and moving. It gives her a much more well-rounded lifestyle.”
Sarah is now 20 years old and a student atJe co Transition Services, a post-secondary program for young adults with special needs, during the school year. While she has limited time to participate in INSPIRE now, her summers are all about the program.
“I get nervous about getting her signed up because it’s so important for both of us — for her to have the experience and for me to have some time,” said Annette, who works full time. “I cherish the time in the summer when she is busy and I know she’s safe.”
INSPIRE stands for incorporating opportunities for social, physical and inclusive recreational experiences for individuals with disabilities. e 31-year-old program was developed and is led by its supervisor, Maren Schreiber, a beloved and well-known member of the Evergreen community.
e program’s weekly events include swimming, bowling and climbing. INSPIRE also partners with other programs for regular skiing and therapeutic horseback riding, and hosts golf, track events, theater outings, Rockies games and a wide range of other physical and social outings.
e program today has 137 participants, who have varying disabilities, from ages 5 to 53. Some of them have been with Schreiber for the entirety of the program.
“You would be surprised how much people with disabilities know and can do,” Schreiber said. “People just don’t really give them a chance. ey are amazing.
“ ey’re de nitely better skiers than me. I would never want to race them.”
Filling a need
In 1995, Schreiber was working as an Evergreen Park
and Recreation Department (EPRD) swim coach and personal trainer when the mother of a young boy with Down syndrome approached her.
“She said there’s nothing for people with disabilities up here,” Schreiber said. “My boss at the time was you can try (creating a program), but she wasn’t sure if we had enough people. en people came from Stapleton, Morrison, Bailey, Pine, all over.”
Today’s participants come from throughout the metro area, including Aurora, Arvada, Lakewood, Littleton and Golden. One former participant who now lives in Illinois returns regularly to go on INSPIRE outings.
“ ey make the trip because of how special it is and the connections they make,” EPRD Executive Director Cory Vander Veen said. “It changes their world.”
INSPIRE is funded partly through EPRD and supplemented by the New Year’s Day Evergreen Lake Plunge, the Evergreen Ice Melt contest and other fundraisers and individual donations.
e bene ts for Schreiber, her sta and volunteers, the participants and their families are priceless.
For Evergreen physician Todd Wisser and his physician wife, Kate, INSPIRE has been a gift for the family. Fifteen-year-old Cambria has cerebral palsy, autism and epilepsy, and had previously been in special needs programs in Michigan. When the family moved to Evergreen in 2017, they were astounded to discover INSPIRE.
“We didn’t know the high level of service we’d be getting here,” Todd said. “INSPIRE’s service to the special needs population is unsurpassed. ey have been immensely wonderful and supportive and thorough, just o ering tons of opportunity.
“Cambria’s done whitewater rafting, ziplining, skiing, gold mine tours, the Georgetown Loop railroad. It’s a profound, wonderful connection she has with that group.”
INSPIRE and Schreiber also provide needed respite for the family, which includes two other children.
“Cambria can be a challenge at times with those diagnoses,” Wisser said. “She can be emotional. And she’s
a teenager. So that brings with it a lot of e ort and energy that needs to go into her. Having the opportunities for respite that Maren and her team provide has been amazing. Not only is it valuable for Cambria, it’s hugely valuable for our other two children, and my wife and I.” Further extending the bene ts, Wisser’s other two children have volunteered with INSPIRE.
Lakewood resident Lisa Arnold’s now 24-year-old daughter, Grace, who has Down syndrome, discovered the program 16 years ago. It’s been part of their lives since.
“Services vary between states, and we had moved from Ohio,” Lisa said. “It was really terri c to move to a small community and nd this absolutely amazing program that has such a variety. We’ve moved down the hill since, and we drive back for INSPIRE.”
Grace recently graduated from college with a science certi cate and is applying for a job with the Denver Zoo, but INSPIRE remains part of their lives.
“All these kids grew up together,” Lisa said. “And I’ve made some really great connections with other families. e disability world is kind of its own thing with Medicaid and all the processes and procedures. It’s nice to talk with other people that have some tips, and we’ve been able to share in our kids’ frustrations and successes.”
Rebecca Sobolevsky, a single parent who lives in Aurora, was desperate to nd a program for her now 20-year-old son, Ethan, when they moved from Chicago to Colorado in 2017.
“He’s tried a few other programs; Evergreen is always his favorite,” she said. “Some programs, it feels like it’s just a job for the sta . But the INSPIRE sta are super respectful, positive and fun. And I know they enjoy him, too. We drive some distance to get there, but it’s worth it.”
INSPIRE
Communitywide benefits INSPIRE and similar programs have improved the quality of life for participants.
And positive e ects of programs like INSPIRE radiate far beyond those who are directly impacted. Spending time or just being around people with disabilities helps others, giving them a fresh perspective on life and a sense of compassion and appreciation for others, according to information compiled by ALSO, an Oregon nonpro t that advocates for people with disabilities.
“I very rarely see kids like mine in the community,”
Annette Cooprider said. “I think that can be isolating for families.
“For those people who are not part of this community, I think INSPIRE helps them to see these people are capable. ey are able to ride horses, zipline, climb a climbing wall, and all of those things.”
Community inclusion of people with disabilities evenimproves the economy. Research published by Nature.com shows employees with disabilities have high employer loyalty and motivation to work, and they remain at their jobs much longer than the general population with higher levels of job satisfaction.
INSPIRE’s participants are proof of what people with disabilities can accomplish.
“I have one young man who has autism who’s since graduated from Rutgers and is a lawyer,” Schreiber said.
“I have four girls who’ve gone on to college, one with Down syndrome. We have people who work at King Soopers. We have the whole gamut.”
Keeping the program nancially a oat is an ongoing challenge, Schreiber said. e average cost for each disabled person to participate is $20,000 a year, and the adaptive equipment required for some activities is expensive. It’s the only EPRD program that hosts fundraisers to o set its costs.
Finding funding is a necessary part of the job, but it’s not Schreiber’s overriding concern. What she cares about most are the individuals INSPIRE serves and the experiences it provides them.
“ ey get to have a quality of life doing all these different activities,” she said. “I always like to nd the next craziest thing to do. I’m all about pushing the envelope.”
INSPIRE volunteer Gerry Dewil hangs out in the Buchanan Recreation Center pool with Will McCarthy during one of INSPIRE’s weekly outings.
INSPIRE supervisor Maren Schreiber assists Travis Ewen during a January 2025 bowling session at The Wild Game.
Bowler and INSPIRE participant Alex Teleaga focuses as he gets ready to bowl during an INSPIRE outing at Evergreen’s The Wild Game.
PHOTOS
Meow Wolf Denver o ers a 2025 refresher for ‘travelers’ with new quests
BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Meow Wolf Denver, the immersive art experience known for its blend of interactive installations and storytelling, is introducing new features in 2025.
e Denver location at 1338 1st St. o ers visitors a chance to engage with new creative concepts and technologies.
“One thing I always tell people about Meow Wolf is that Meow Wolf itself is almost like a sentient being that lives o in the hillside, and it comes down from the hillside and attaches itself to parts of your soul and then follows you around wherever you go,” said Ru Johnson, Meow Wolf Denver’s public relations manager.
Johnson explained that when people visit Meow Wolf Denver, there is always something new to see as it’s a vast immersive experience exploring four di erent worlds.
“You can never really see the whole thing,” Johnson said. “I get lost here … But feature-wise, what we have done is we have created multiple opportunities for visitors, we call them travelers, to immerse themselves deeper into the narrative.”
Johnson explained those opportunities include quests which can be accessed by QR codes placed throughout the exhibits and allow people to go down di erent rabbit holes within the exhibit.
e most recent quest o ered is Plotzo’s Heist, which takes place in a secret Pizza Vault in the alley on C Street and Plotzo.
“So it’s like the quest takes you to newer parts of the exhibit, but not everybody nds the quest, and that makes sense,” Johnson said. “It really connects to the
deeper divers in that way.”
Along with the quests, Meow Wolf Denver General Manager Hans Vollrath said there will be new bar services, a summerlong celebration among the converged worlds and the yearly Cosmic Howl during Halloween.
“We are excited to build on the successes of 2024 through enhanced guest experience o erings, new seasonal programming, world-class special events and concerts, and the continued popularity of
our annual Portal Pass,” Vollrath said. is year, Meow Wolf Denver will continue its “deep engagement and support of local artists and the arts community through various activations.”
Vollrath said these activities include the Meow Wolf Makers workshops, the inexhibit Galleri Gallery and the Absolute Rubbish Trashion Shows, which celebrate local fashion designers using upcycled materials.
Johnson said the next featured artist of
REVERSE MORTGAGES
Galleri Gallery will be Denver-based photographer Shadows Gather, which will be on view beginning in February through April.
“It’s an ode in homage to the club,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be sound, it’s going to be conversation, it’s going to be photographs, and it’s going to be photos of people that Shadows has captured throughout their time of being here in Colorado.”
Meow Wolf Denver is also partnering with Shadows Gather for an event during Denver’s Month of Photography, a biennial festival in March that celebrates the art of photography with exhibits and events throughout the region.
The Shadows Gather Month of Photography event at Meow Wolf is AdultiVerse Shutter Up and Smile: A Shadows Gather Takeover! It takes place at 5 p.m. March 5. Meow Wolf’s Adulti-Verse events are 21+ only and a valid ID must be presented.
For more information on Meow Wolf Denver, visit meowwolf.com/visit/denver.
The cathedral in one of the four worlds that make up Meow Wolf Denver’s Convergence Station. There are many new quests people may embark on this year while exploring the vast immersive exhibits of Meow Wolf.
PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY
Another world and position of the vast immersive exhibits at Meow Wolf Denver.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MEOW WOLF DENVER
Thu 2/20
Forty Feet Tall
@ 7pm
Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
The Warrior Poet
@ 8pm
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, 1624 Market St, Den‐ver
Zoe Stroupe
@ 8pm
Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Duncan Coker: The Black Buzzard
@ 8pm
The Black Buzzard, 1624 Market St, Denver
PhaseOne: Sounds Of Mayhem
Takeover
@ 10pm
The Church Nightclub, 1160 Lincoln St, Denver
Fri 2/21
Rodney Carrington
@ 7pm
Sat 2/22
Caffeine and Chrome – Classic Cars and Coffee at Gateway Classic Cars of Denver @ 9am
Gateway Classic Cars of Denver, 14150 Grasslands Drive, Englewood. market ing@gatewayclassiccars.com, 618271-3000
Escape the Fate - 16+ @ 7pm Bluebird Theatre, Denver
The Takes @ 7pm
Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
Mon 2/24
Beyond Laser Light Experience @ 12pm Denver
Modern Swing Mondays 2025 @ 6:30pm / $16.51 Stampede, Aurora
DJ Rockstar Aaron @ 7pm
The Angry Clover, 15350 E Smoky Hill Rd, Au‐rora Knolls
Christopher Morse: Nashville Night @ 7pm
The Playmakers @ 12pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
the Buzz @ 8pm
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, 1624 Market St, Den‐ver
Sunstoney @ 9pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
Machinedrum @ 10pm Club Vinyl, 1082 N Broadway, Denver
Paramount Theatre, Denver
Ren Q. Dawe: Knotty Show
@ 7:30pm
Studio Friction, 740 Lipan St, Denver
Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts: Johnny Cash Birthday Bash
@ 8pm
The Owl Saloon, 5026 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Last Ditch
@ 8pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver
Party Iconic
@ 8pm Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver
Lost Kings
@ 10pm
Temple Denver, 1136 Broadway, Denver
Sun 2/23
Adam Bodine @ 12:30pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Tue 2/25
Psyclon Nine @ 7pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver
Escuela Grind: Dreams On America Tour @ 7pm Marquis, Denver
Opera Colorado - La Boheme @ 7:30pm
The Highlands Ranch Concert Band presents: Sound Tracks @ 3pm Aspen Academy, 5859 South University Boulevard, Greenwood Village. media@ hrconcertband.org, 303-870-3662
The Broken View @ 6pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver
Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Speer Boulevard and Arapahoe Street, Den‐ver
Daniel Villarreal: Dazzle Denver @ 8pm Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Denver
Wed 2/26
Ladies Night @ 6pm / $16.51 Stampede, Aurora
IPECAC @ 7pm
Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver
Hinder (16 & Over)
@ 7:30pm Gothic Theatre, Englewood
Studio@Mainstreet, 19604 Mainstreet, Parker
Marco Luka @ 8pm Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St, Denver
DJ Rockstar Aaron @ 8pm
Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan
Thu 2/27
Beyond Laser Light Experience @ 4pm Denver
Origami Summer Album release @ 7pm
Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
Alexa Wildish: Jayme Stone's Folklife @ 7pm Savoy Denver, 2700 Arapahoe St, Denver
Fox N’ Vead supporting Gavin Adcock @ 7pm
Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St, Denver
Opera Colorado - La Boheme @ 7:30pm
Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Speer Boulevard and Arapahoe Street, Denver
Liz Longley @ 8pm Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver
1. GEOGRAPHY: What is the highest mountain in Canada?
2. TELEVISION: Who is the host of the long-running reality series “Survivor”?
3. LITERATURE: Which animals represent the Communist Party in “Animal Farm”?
4. U.S. STATES: Which state is the birthplace of the singer Elvis?
5. ASTRONOMY: How long does it take the moon to orbit the Earth?
6. MOVIES: What is the score Elle receives on her law school admission test in “Legally Blonde”?
7. AD SLOGANS: Which product’s slogan is “Is It In You?”?
8. LANGUAGE: What is an eraser called in the United Kingdom?
9. SCIENCE: What are the four primary precious metals?
TrIVIa
10. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Valentine’s Day arose from which Roman ritual?
Answers
1. Mount Logan.
2. Je Probst.
3. Pigs.
4. Mississippi.
5. 27.3 days.
6. 179.
7. Gatorade.
8. A rubber.
9. Gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
10. Lupercalia.
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Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
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Facilitator/Aide
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• Flexible scheduling with the opportunity to complete some work from home.
• To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE
East Central BOCES is seeking a facilitator/aide to assist with the provision of special education services to students. Travel is required to multiple schools. Duties include picking up students from class, monitoring students during virtual instruction, and returning them to class. Training will be provided. Great Opportunity for someone who wants to work while your children are in school or someone who is taking online college classes. The salary range is $16 - $18 per hour, depending on experience. 24 hours per week. Mileage reimbursed for travel between schools. Location of schools: Arickaree, Bennett, Limon, Burlington, Deer Trail, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Strasburg, & Byers. Questions, please contact Tracy at 719-775-2342 ext. 101 or tracyg@ecboces.org. To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the green button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE
country,” she said at the event. “ is is the reality for many of us, that we are told again and again that we don’t belong when we are making our nation better, when we are working in Colorado to make everyone’s lives better.”
We are not just a workforce; we are people who are trying to do the “right thing.” Perhaps people can say, “You are trying to do the right thing through the wrong way,” but that’s not true. Even if you try to do everything the right way, it’s not possible for everyone, because the system presented to us is not for us, sometimes.
I recently attended a community information session where people came seeking answers for their immigration cases and status adjustment cases. At the end of the day, as someone who has been there and done that, I saw people simply asking, “How can I have a better life, without hurting any-
one, without bothering anyone? A life where I can work, study and live in peace without being afraid?”
While it may feel like the future is bleak and that this feeling of dread will never leave until we get an answer to those questions, I have hope, thanks to the protests that have happened and are still going.
“May they not fall on the descent nor on the ascent of the path, may they nd no obstacles behind or ahead of them. Nor anything that strikes them. Grant them good roads, beautiful plain roads.”
I saw this quote from the Mayan text Popol Vuh at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. It’s a poetic but powerful way to describe the hope that perhaps things can change.
Perhaps we can nd some answers, but until then, I hope that one day we can eventually come across beautiful plain roads, and that we don’t lose hope amid the uncertain roads ahead.
Jackie Ramirez is editor of the bilingual newsletter La Ciudad.
Jackie Ramirez (furthest right) and her family pose for a photo on top of the Pyramid of the Sun in San Juan Teotihuacán, Mexico, in 2004.
COURTESY OF JACKIE RAMIREZ
Check out the calendar of events!