News
Elbert 6-20-13
Elbert County
June 20, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourelbertcountynews.com
Elbert County, Colorado • Volume 118, Issue 21
Elbert County on alert for fires Burning rules tightened to prevent catastrophes Staff and wire report
A horse bolts from its trailer after a long ride from El Paso County. Dozens of horses arrived at the Elbert County Fairgrounds as Black Forest residents were forced from their homes by fire. The fairgrounds provided a large animal evacuation site for more than 150 animals including horses, cattle, goats, llamas and even turkeys. Photos by Deborah Grigsby
Fairgrounds hosts displaced animals Black Forest evacuations create need for shelter By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com The Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa became a temporary home for hundreds of animals evacuated from the Black Forest fire. Trucks pulling trailers filled with farm animals and livestock lined up along the dusty road into the fairgrounds June 12, where they were initially directed to holding pens so the animals could be inventoried. Some animals were brought by their owners, and some by friends of friends who just wanted to help. “I don’t really know the lady that owns this horse,” said Jacob Weiss of Colorado Springs, who was in line to drop off the animal. “But a friend of mine does, and asked me to help her out because she didn’t have a truck big enough to pull the trailer.” High winds and hot temperatures expanded evacuation areas in and around the Black Forest area, pushing ash and embers closer to Elbert County. Hazy skies also made breathing difficult. More than 1,000 Boy Scouts and 100 adults were voluntarily evacuated from the Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch in Elbert. The move was precautionary and more out of a concern for the health and well-
As high winds and extreme temperatures pushed ash and smoke from the Black Forest Fire northward toward Elbert County, more than 1,000 campers and adult leaders left the Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch near Elbert. Many of them were bused to the Elbert County Fairgrounds where they were reunited with family members.
being of the Scouts, particularly those with asthma and other breathing problems, said Elizabeth Fire and Rescue spokesperson Kara Gerczynski. Additionally, 250 campers and staff from the nearby Jewish Community Center Ranch were evacuated to the JCC in Denver. Horses, cows, cats and dogs from the ranch were sheltered at the fairgrounds. A statement from the Elbert Count Sheriff’s Office estimated more than 400 ani-
mals, including 216 horses, 27 alpacas and a yak, are on site and more were expected. Gerczynski said eight evacuated families were also staying at the fairgrounds. “We still have space,” she said. “We are not full, so if you have animals, right now there’s plenty of room. Residents needing information or assistance on moving livestock should contact the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office at 303805-6141 or 303-805-6134.
As a major wildfire threatened from the south, Elbert County residents were issued stricter burning rules last week. Sheriff Shayne Heap elevated the restrictions from Stage 1 to Stage 3 on June 12, a day after the Black Forest Fire ignited and ultimately prompted the evacuation of residents and livestock in portions of southern Elbert County. By the afternoon of June 16, the blaze north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County was 65 percent contained after having scorched more than 14,000 acres. Two people were killed and nearly 500 homes were burned in the state’s most destructive wildfire on record. All mandatory and pre-evacuation orders had been lifted in Elbert County by 8 a.m. June 15. But residents are being told to take precautions to help prevent wildfires within their home county. Elbert County’s heightened burn restrictions will remain in effect until further notice by the sheriff. Among other things, the rules ban open burning of any kind; outdoor smoking, except in certain areas clear of flammable materials; and the sale or use of fireworks. A complete rundown of the restrictions can be found at www.elbertcountysheriff.com. While Elbert County had avoided the worst of it, hundreds of residents in the Black Forest region were still waiting to return home June 15. Even though the fire was no longer active enough to produce a large smoke plume, El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said it wasn’t safe for people to return home until roads and downed power lines were repaired. Additionally, the deaths of two unidentified people trying to flee the fire were still being investigated. Maketa said he was in no rush to have people return to an area that, at least for now, was still being considered a crime scene. Fire continues on Page 7
Ride with the Ranchers set to raise money Local livestock association offers scholarships, activities By Rhonda Moore
rmoore@ourcoloradonews.com The Elbert-Douglas County Livestock Association is hosting the fourth Ride with the Ranchers, raising money for the association’s scholarship programs and community activities.
The ride is at 10 a.m. June 29 at association member Tom Conley’s J Open A working ranch. The J Open A Ranch is east on Highway 86, six miles past Kiowa, off of Freese Road. Directional signs will be posted on Highway 86 east of Kiowa and along Freese Road to the J Open A Ranch. “The Conley Ranch provides a relaxed setting for a spacious ride with scenic views overlooking the expansive Bijou Basin,” said Bear Kay, Ride co-chair. “We’re excited to once again host a ride that provides a fun
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saddle up with the RancheRs What: Ride with the Ranchers poker ride and steak luncheon When: 10 a.m. June 29; registration begins at 9 a.m. Who: The Elbert-Douglas County Livestock Association Where: The J Open A Ranch in Elbert County More information: www.EDCLA.net and relaxed experience for both horse and rider.” The ride is expected to last three hours, with an optional hour and a half ride for riders who want less time in the saddle, Kay said. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with carrots and apples for the riders’ horses and the first of three sealed envelopes that contain cards for the poker hand part of the ride. The poker ride awards prizes for the best, second best and worst hands. The ride begins at 10 a.m., followed by a picnic luncheon at 1 p.m. The cost for the ride is $45 for adults, $20 for riders younger
Jim Beaver, left, and Bear Kay are the co-chairs of Ride with the Ranchers. Courtesy photo than 12 years and $30 for association members. Visitors can join for a steak lunch by Ranchers continues on Page 7
2-Color
2 Elbert County News
June 20, 2013
Ethics panel rules against Gessler Republican plans to file appeal of commission’s finding By Ivan Moreno Associated Press
Colorado’s Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler, a potential gubernatorial contender, was admonished June 13 by an ethics panel over spending office funds to attend political events, a black eye to his candidacy before it’s officially launched. The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission ruled it was inappropriate for Gessler, the state’s elections chief, to use his office’s discretionary account for travel last summer to a GOP elections law conference in Florida. While in the state, he also attended the party’s national convention there. Gessler faces a $1,514 fine. In ruling against Gessler, the commissioners said he “breached the public trust for private gain.” He insists he did nothing wrong and that the conference was educational and qualified for reimbursement from his office’s discretionary fund. He used campaign funds for expenses related to the RNC, but the ethics com-
plaint noted the state paid for airfare that facilitated his attendance to both events. He plans an appeal, which would go before Denver District Court. The left-leaning Colorado Ethics Watch filed the complaint. The group said discretionary funds are meant for state business, not for partisan events or personal benefit. Attorneys for Ethics Watch said in written closing arguments that the elections conference was clearly political. “A secretary of state may not ethically spend public dollars to participate in such an event,” the group said. Gessler’s attorneys said in their written closing arguments that the ethics complaint was “partisan, baseless, and costly.” The ethics panel also ruled that Gessler violated rules when he took $117.99 from his discretionary fund at the end of last fiscal year without providing any receipts. Past secretaries have used their discretionary fund for income, office parties, or family trips that included state business. “There is clearly confusion among past and current elected officials about the use of their discretionary accounts,” Gessler said
in a statement after the ruling. Last month, Gessler repaid the state $1,278 for travel expenses to Florida — a move seen by some as trying to rectify a potentially politically damaging case while he weighs a gubernatorial run. Gessler said he repaid the money to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Gessler did not pay back the state for cutting his Florida trip short to return to Colorado because of death threats against his family. The ethics panel found that the cost to change his plane ticket did not violate rules. The rulings came on the same day that a Quinnipiac University poll suggested a tight race in the 2014 gubernatorial contest between Gessler and current Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper. The poll of 1,065 registered voters, conducted from June 5-11, showed Hickenlooper leading Gessler 42-40. Gessler accused some on the commission of being biased against him because they had donated money to Hickenlooper. Before the panel’s decision, Gessler’s attorneys unsuccessfully tried to get those commissioners, Rosemary Marshall and Dan Grossman, removed from the proceedings.
Celtic fest taps home brewers
The parade starts at 11 a.m. at the police station, 425 S. Main St. Participants may register the morning of the parade. Prizes will be awarded in two categories. For more information, call Nora at 303-646-4672 or Connie at 303646-1400.
Makers of beers, ales, meads and ciders get ready put your taste to the test at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival’s home-brewing competition slated for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 21. Prizes include a Judge’s Choice award and a People’s Choice award, plus a Most Entries award will be given to the local home brewers club with the most entries. For more information, visit www.ElizabethCelticFestival. com. Entry is free.
Library hosts computer lab
The Elizabeth Branch Library will host an open computer lab at 10 a.m. June 20. Bring a laptop or use one of the library’s desktop systems. A local computer expert will be on hand to answer questions and provide assistance. For more information on the class or to sign up, email Fran Turner at fturner@elbertcountylibrary.org or call her 303-6463416. The library is located at 651 W. Beverly St. in Elizabeth.
Patriotic celebration set
Enjoy a patriotic day on Elizabeth’s historic Main Street on July 6. There will be a free hot dog lunch, homemade pie, live music, circus performances and a patriotic pet and doll parade. Pets may be up to 30 inches tall.
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4 Elbert County News elbert county news
(USPS 171-100) Office: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PhOne: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTeR: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DeADLineS:
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June 20, 2013
Summer days are built for reading School’s out for summer, which means the library is a busy place. Have you signed up for the Summer Reading Program yet? We have programs for all ages: a pre-reader program for newborns through age 5; a children’s program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade; a teen program for middle school and high school age; and an adult program for all the grown-ups out there. Let me tell you, there is a lot of reading going on in Elbert County! We already have over 300 preschool and school-age children signed up; 135 teens; and 195 adults — and the registrations keep coming in! In fact, by the time this column goes to press, those numbers will already be out of date. Staff have been busy validating people who registered for the program online — you can register on our website — and handing out
reading logs and bookmarks. I’ve witnessed a couple long lines at the desk when a whole family comes in together to register. That’s a line worth waiting in, if you ask me! One of my friends said she has been too busy reading to sign up for the program. I encouraged her to make the time, but I also think she’s already doing the most important part of the program: enjoying a good book! As I write this column, we are enjoying our first musical performance at the library. Steve Weeks
entertained crowds at the Simla, Elizabeth, and Kiowa branches. I can hear the music and the children’s laughter from my office. It makes me want to dance in my chair. One of the questions we frequently hear at the desk is what are the prizes for participating in the program this year. The answer is, it depends on the program. Children and teens both get a prize halfway through the program and a book when they’ve completed all of their reading activities at the end of the summer. In addition, children who have completed the program are entered into a special drawing to win Digger the Bear — a cuddly bear that I wouldn’t mind taking home myself. Too bad I’m too old to participate in that prize drawing! For the adults who complete the program — by reading four books over the eight weeks of the
program — we have a special book light so they can read into the night, or in their tent while they’re camping. We are also asking that they write two reviews of the books they’ve read — we will post the reviews in our library catalog. So, yes, parents, there is a small homework assignment for you! As you might imagine, one of the occupational hazards of working at a library is that we read. A lot. I don’t think it will take me much time at all to complete the program, but, like my friend I mentioned earlier, that won’t keep me from continuing to read! Kari May lives in Elizabeth and is the director of the Elbert County Library District. She can be contacted through the library at director@ elbertcountylibrary.org. Visit the library at www.elbertcountylibrary. org.
What's happening this Week? Want to know what clubs, art exhibits, meetings and cultural events are happening in your area and the areas around you? Visit our website at www. ourcoloradonews.com/calendar.
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Elbert County News 5
June 20, 2013
g Disaster drill helps hospital prepare
ook
Parker Adventist takes part in large-scale exercise
y’re at ooks By Chris Michlewicz re- cmichlewicz@ ourcoloradonews.com yes, work Preparing for a mass-casualty disaster can be something of a science. of Parker Adventist Hospital was among 20 ork- organizations that took part in a large-scale A lot.drill in which 150 mock patients were transch ported to metro-area medical centers June 5. The Federal Coordinating Center Denver Reception exercise was meant to test 11 me hospitals on their ability to handle multiple patients at one time. The drill brought together some of the is local, regional and federal authorities and y Li- agencies charged with caring for victims of cted a disaster. Among the top priorities for of@ ficials was the testing of communications e systems and procedures. rary. Parker Adventist’s emergency department was filled with the sound of tones and calmly spoken alerts over hand-held radios, as well as discussions about the duties of hospital staff members when a “code gray” is issued. It announces the implementation of the disaster plan. The scenario acted out June 5 was a frightening one: It was based on an EF-5 tornado striking Wyoming’s two primary medical centers, leaving them unable to care for current patients or take in new patients. Patient transports went through Denver International Airport, and volunteer victims were taken by eight ambulances and 10 helicopters to various hospitals. The hospitals were notified about the number of patients en route and the severity of their injuries. Parker Adventist received about 15 mock patients. Molly Duffy, safety and emergency preparedness specialist for Parker Adventist, spent six weeks planning for the drill with department heads. It was one of two disaster drills that take place each year, and the objective is to identify and fix any flaws in the system before the hospital is faced with a real mass-casualty event. It was tested last July after the Aurora theater shooting. Duffy’s own 3-year-daughter, Lyndy, was among the mock patients treated at Children’s Hospital Colorado at Parker Adventist Hospital as part of an exercise that helps doctors and nurses work on their communication skills with children. At the urging of her mother, Lyndy, shares the well-rehearsed line she is supposed to say to the medical staff: “Ow, my shoulder hurts.” The most seriously injured patients are
Molly Duffy, a safety and emergency preparedness specialist at Parker Adventist Hospital, listens to an update on a full-scale disaster drill meant to test the hospital’s response procedures. Parker Adventist was one of 11 hospitals around the Denver metro area taking part in the drill. Photos by Chris Michlewicz instructed to scream and pretend to writhe in pain to make things realistic and to test the medical teams’ ability to identify injuries and operate in a stressful environment. “If we don’t make it as real as possible, we’re not going to learn anything,” said Lisa Woltering, the emergency department’s charge nurse and disaster preparedness specialist. A unified response is perhaps the most critical component of successfully processing a large number of patients. Roger Rewerts, the FCC Denver coordinator, said the goals include “enhancing capacity, building sustainment and creating surge for receiving medical facilities.” A follow-up debriefing enables hospital staff to give feedback on what went well and what did not, and a team of evaluators observes the action and takes notes. A 30- to
Three-year-old Lyndy Duffy, a volunteer patient for a disaster drill June 5 at Parker Adventist Hospital, is assessed by emergency room manager Kathy Whitus.
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40-page “after-action report” is generated and disseminated to hospital leaders, who can then make any necessary changes. Training sessions are a regular occurrence at Parker Adventist. In addition to the two disaster exercises, the hospital conducts 12 fire drills and two infant abduction drills, as well as security assists and lockdowns. While the departments often get notice for major exercises, there are some that go unannounced.
Lyndy Duffy is already a veteran volunteer. She has been the subject of surprise abduction drills in which the staff is tested on their response. With her mother in sight, Lyndy is kidnapped by an actor and screams to get the attention of staff. Watching the reaction of the staff members is gripping, Molly Duffy said. “She’s never made it off the floor,” she says.
6-Color
6 Elbert County News
June 20, 2013
Author explores ghostly goings-on Westerberg has longtime interest in supernatural By Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe@ourcoloradonews.com The book “Colorado Ghost Tours” was just published, but the idea has been with the author for many years. Ann Westerberg of Littleton said she sold a house to a woman friend in 1979, who spoke of a house on Josephine Street that was haunted. A former camp counselor had lived there and regaled her charges with spooky stories. Several years later, by then interested in haunted research, Westerberg found a newspaper article relating the author’s experience in a very “spirited” house with a similar address. She was able to locate the family who had owned the house from 1939 until 1948. The book relates a series of incidents reported by the Hendee family and the Rosenbergs who followed them. The 1979 residents, in apartments in the house, had no experiences of paranormal activity. Then recently, Westerberg’s musician friend Mike Johnson (leader of Your Father’s Moustache) told her of a house on Josephine where he and other band members had lived in the 1970s — and some, but not all, had stories of resident ghosts … “I felt like I had stuck my finger in a plug,” she said, when different sources came together. Then Westerberg and her daughter Terry
joined a ghost-hunting group for a weekend in Manitou Springs — “Manitou” means spirit, she said, and the location is said to be a vortex for spirits. After a fruitless evening at another supposedly haunted house, she and her daughter retired in the upstairs room at an old cottage. Her daughter was certain someone, or something, visited them there. She heard feet dragging on the carpet, but was not able to awaken Ann. The new book reads like a chat with the enthusiastic author, who has lived in Littleton for 24 years. It gives history of the buildings (“the meat and potatoes,” she said) as well as reported accounts of otherworldly residents. It is divided into sections: “The Denver Group — self-guided tours”; “Cemeteries, Past and Present”; “Haunted Inns and Restaurants” (including Littleton’s Melting Pot); “Those Creepy, Crenulated Castles” (Westerberg’s previous book on Colorado castles is also in print); “Not Available to Tour (But Too Much Fun to Ignore)”; “Ghost Tours Outside of Denver” and “Ghost Hunting.” Available at the Tattered Cover in paperback ($16.95), it will presented at a Littleton Museum talk and signing event — probably in July. The last chapter includes information about needed equipment and ghost hunting organizations that allow participationusually for a price. Westerberg also discusses some spots that are labeled “NLGF,” No Longer Ghost Friendly, where for various reasons owners
don’t wish to talk about it. “But is it Science?” is an introductory discussion she wants the reader to absorb. “While relatively modern thought has relegated belief in the spirit world to a box labeled `corny hoax,’” there are interesting explanations out there. Joshua Warren, a paranormal investigator, asks: If all matter breaks down into cells and molecules, atoms and finally electric particles, is our body is one giant electromagnetic, three-dimensional energy field? “Could it be possible even if our physical being is destroyed, our electromagnetic self is not?” Russian scientist Semyon Kirlian developed a way of photographing energy given off by a person or even an object in the 1940s — auras. Special cameras capture auras at times and the electromagnetic detector is the most popular tool for a ghost hunter. Other tools — from elemental to fancy: • A flashlight, note pad, still camera with flash and EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) recorder. • Infrared camera, EMF (electromagnetic field) detector and video camera. • Expensive toys like a thermo-camera and heat translator. And then there’s protocol: 1) Never investigate alone; 2) Always ask permission if you’re intruding on property — although many groups are invited in; 3) Absolutely no use of drugs, smoking or drinking; 4) No perfume or aftershave as fragrances are
What’s on the horizon. Lone Tree, Colorado
Ann Westerberg of Littleton has just published “Colorado Ghost Tours.” Courtesy photo by Johnson Publishing sometimes signs of paranormal activity; 5) Always be respectful of the spirits; 6) Be sure you record all readings and weather conditions. Above all, be skeptical, Westerberg suggests. Look for rational explanations. “Bon Voyage,” she says as she lists contact information for ghost hunting groups.
JUST 10 MINUTES SOUTH OF DENVER
GUN & KNIFE SHOW Self-Reliance, Food, Water & Survival Gear
JUNE 30TH & JULY 1ST DOUGLAS COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS - CASTLE ROCK, CO 1-25 & EXIT 181 - PLUM CREEK EAST
Lone Tree, Colorado
SAT 9-5 & SUN 9-4 - 800-519-0307 - WWW.PESHOWS.COM
Put us on your summer calendar. The RidgeGate community is thriving this season, with many fun, free events that will inspire you and your family to reconnect with nature, move your body, and hear great music. Plan now to join us. RidgeGate Presents Tunes on the Terrace: Barron’s Little BIG Band - Saturday, June 22
community via new trail extensions completed in
Tropical Coyotes - Saturday, June 29
flanking the southern end of the community. Register at
Location: Lone Tree Arts Center
Enjoy live music in a beautiful outdoor setting at the state-of-the-art Lone Tree Arts Center. This month, see Barron’s Little BIG Band perform the music of Frank
Self-Reliance, Food, Water & Survival Gear
Affordable Fun for Everyone!
2012. We’ll wind through the natural bluffs formations ridgegate.com for this free hike. (Not recommended for younger children.)
Saturday, June 29, 12:30 – 4pm
Sinatra and Michael Buble, or dance to the island-
The Wildlife Experience: GPS Navigation 101
inspired sounds of Tropical Coyotes. $15 lawn, $20
Location: The Wildlife Experience and Schweiger Ranch
reserved seats. Tickets at www.lonetreeartscenter.org.
Interested in learning how to use a global positioning
Open Now thru August 4 Weekends Only ~ 10:00am- 6:30pm
system (GPS) to navigate the great outdoors? We’ll
Tuesday, June 25, 6:30 –7:30pm
begin at The Wildlife Experience with a classroom
Free Sunset Yoga in the Park
session, then head off-site to the nearby historical
Location: Belvedere Park (between RidgeGate Parkway and
Schweiger Ranch to practice our navigation skills in a
RidgeGate Circle on Belvedere Lane)
treasure hunt! Visit www.thewildlifeexperience.org for
Join RidgeGate, South Suburban Parks and Recreation and the Lone Tree Recreation Center for a free yoga class in Belvedere Park. Bring your own yoga mat, or
more information and to register.
Wednesday, July 3, 11:30am–1pm
one will be provided for you. In case of heavy rain or
The RidgeGate Walk Concerts: Nacho Men
lightning, class will be cancelled. No yoga experience
Location: Outside the Lone Tree Rec Center
is necessary. No need to register - just drop in!
Enjoy a summertime lunch break with live music
Ju Royal Ale Festival & This nd 22 &ne ke e e W Military Appreciation Weekend! 23 Buy 1 adult ticket get 1 Free ($19.95) & Military Kids Free (12&Under) Military I.D. Required at Festival Box Office
Medieval Amusement Park • Music & Comedy NEW Endangered Cat Show Jousting, Delicious Food & Drink, Games, Rides and More! Over 200 Master Artisans
in beautiful Prairie Sky Park, courtesy of the South
Saturday, June 29, 8 –11am
Suburban Parks and Recreation District. This month,
Free Nature Hike Series: Explore the East-West Regional Trail
featuring vocal harmonies and your favorite songs from
This 4-mile hike will explore a segment of the East-West Regional Trail, now accessible from the RidgeGate
dance to the music of the Nacho Men, a local favorite
Open Rain or Shine • No Pets Please FREE Parking & Shuttle • Larkspur, CO
the 50s, 60s and 70s. Take a walk on the paved path around the park, bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the music.
Discount Tickets Available At:
PEPSI_H1_4C
www.ColoradoRenaissance.com Information 303-688-6010
Scan to like CCM on Facebook
7-Color
Elbert County News 7
June 20, 2013
WANTED: 5 HOMES
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Smoke and flames from the Black Forest Fire can be seen from Highway 83, just north of Northgate Road in El Paso County, on June 12. Photo by Rob Carrigan
Fire Continued from Page 1
“I’m not going to compromise the evidence by allowing people in too soon,” he said. The fire broke out June 11 amid hot and windy conditions. It’s unknown what sparked the blaze, but investigators believe it was human-caused and have asked for help from the state and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as they sift through the ash.
It is only a few miles away from the state’s second most destructive wildfire, the Waldo Canyon Fire, which burned last summer. The lessons from that fire spurred a quicker response, officials said. When the wildfire began in thickly wooded Black Forest, authorities swiftly evacuated tens of thousands of people from a region larger than the Denver metro area. Elbert County residents living between the El Paso County line and County Road 86, and west of Elbert Road, were given mandatory evacuation orders. Meanwhile, officials
mobilized strike teams to defend the southern line of the county, a sheriff’s office news release stated. Fire spotters also were placed throughout the southern end of the county to monitor the fire’s progress. The sheriff’s office is encouraging Elbert County residents to register for Code Red. To do this, go to the county website at www.elbertcounty-co.gov and follow the instructions. Editor Chris Rotar, staff writer Deborah Grigsby and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
How to help wildfire victims in Colorado Staff report
As wildfires force widespread evacuations in Colorado and leave many families homeless, there are ways you can help: • American Red Cross The American Red Cross is offering disaster relief, including emergency shelters. To donate, go to www.redcross.org/ co/denver or call 1-800-REDCROSS
Ranchers Continued from Page 1
calling Peggy Roos at 303-646-2656. The cost for lunch, without a ride, is
(1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross currently has enough volunteers to meet its needs, but will update if circumstances change. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, go to www.redcross.org/co/ denver/volunteer to apply. • Pikes Peak Community Foundation The Pikes Peak Community Foundation has launched the Emergency Relief Fund for the Pikes Peak Region
to benefit nonprofits, first responders and other agencies providing local disaster relief. To donate, go to www. ppcf.org/products/emergency-relief. • Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region’s emergency support fund helps families and their animals during disasters. To donate, go to www.hsppr.org/ disasterdonation.
$25 for adults and $12 for children younger than 12. The association also offers a $50 “Ride Special” which includes a $25 paid association annual membership, along with the $45 poker ride, steak lunch and door prizes. The Elbert-Douglas County Live-
stock Association membership includes a free hamburger fry July 10, a 5 percent discount at the Elizabeth and Kiowa Country Corner Feed Stores and dinner at the annual meeting. For a registration form or for more information, visit www.EDCLA.net.
Extra! Extra! Have a news or business story idea? We'd love to read all about it. To send us your news and business press releases, please visit ourcoloradonews.com, click on the Press Releases tab and follow easy instructions to make submissions.
8-Opinion-Color
8 Elbert County News
June 20, 2013
opinions/yours and ours
Lure of the sizzle unlikely to fizzle This one goes out to the ones I love. This one goes out to the ones I grill out back. An 80-20 to occupy my time. This one goes out to the ones I love. There sure are a lot of new television programs dedicated to hamburgers. Each one makes my mouth water. The variety of hamburgers in America is benumbing. Harry and Shirley Smith always made what amounted to the Little Hamburgers of the Poor. We didn’t even have caramelized red onions back then. It was just a disk of brown meat on a fundamental bun with a swipe of mustard. Take it or leave it. I took it. But since then I have discovered there’s much, much more out there. Each of these programs gives a little history, where the name “hamburger” came from, and where and when the sandwich was introduced in the United States. None of that makes my mouth water, but it is informative. You can find out where and when the first cheeseburger came along. Likewise, the first double-decker. There are some franchises that will give you three, four or five patties, and the phone number of a good cardiologist.
My hamburger awakening happened in 1965 in Westwood, Calif., at a restaurant called Hamburger Hamlet. There’s still a bunch of them around the country. They were started by an actor (therefore Hamlet) named Harry Lewis, who died in 2013 at 93. Rest in peace, Harry. You changed my hamburger life. The Hamlet burgers were ahead of their time. They were lavished with toppings that were unusual then, and common today. My favorite was the Number 11, which came with cheese, and get this, bacon. You can get the same thing almost anywhere now, but 48 years ago that was a big deal. Harry’s most familiar role was in the
question of the week
Is it ‘Tebow Time’ in New England? Visitors at the Outlets at Castle Rock recently told Colorado Community Media what they thought about former Denver Bronco Tim Tebow’s opportunity with the New England Patriots.
“I’m happy for him. He’s just a good guy who deserves another crack at the NFL.” — Steve Soper, Littleton
“I think it’s a good idea. He can help the team. He’s a good athlete. They should find some good use for him on the team.” — Richard Scalese, Aurora
“I was surprised. ... He’s got a lot of bad rap, negative publicity. I think he’s a heck of a good athlete. I think he’s maligned because of his religious stance.” — Wes Banta, Rawlins, Wyo.
“I think he’s going to be a dangerous threat. He’s going to be a very good tight end, if they use him that way.” — Chad Hellman, Colorado Springs
Military must fight sex crimes The United States military is the most capable and most professional fighting force the world has ever seen. At its core are our men and women in uniform, whose selfless service and sacrifice for the cause of freedom is the main reason Americans have held the military in such high regard. Time and again, they rise to the occasion to defeat and deter America’s enemies. Yet while this fine institution is adept at meeting external threats, I am troubled by its inability to defeat and deter a grave threat from within: the epidemic of sexual assaults and sexual misconduct in our military. In January, at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on sexual misconduct, I challenged several senior military leaders on this problem. I voiced my concern that we need to change the culture that allows this misconduct to take place; that leaders must hold their subordinates accountable; that we must face these incidents with moral outrage so this behavior stops. This is why the House Armed Services Committee, on which I proudly serve, is supporting tough measures in this year’s annual National Defense Authorization Act to fight sexual assault in the military by holding perpetrators accountable and better protecting the victims. The measures proposed in this year’s defense bill will move us toward our goal. Some of the measures I support include: • Removing a commander’s ability to change or dismiss a court-martial conviction; • Limiting a commander’s discretion to modify or lessen a sentence; • Increasing transparency by requiring the commander to provide a detailed written explanation for any decision
disapproving, commuting, or suspending a court-martial conviction or sentence; • Allowing greater victim participation in post-trial matters involving the accused; • Establishing mandatory minimum sentencing — mandatory discharge or dismissal — for certain sex-related offenses; • Eliminating the five-year statute of limitations for trial by court-martial so that perpetrators of such misconduct will face justice regardless of when the incident occurred; • Affirming commanders’ authority to reassign or remove a service member who is accused of committing sexual assault or other sex-related offense from a position of authority; • Increasing victims’ access to legal assistance; and • Requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit to report a Congress on sentencing guidelines and mandatory minimum sentencing and the role of commanders in the military justice system. I am also a co-sponsor of legislation that would promote victims’ rights by expanding whistle-blower protections to a wider class of communications involving sexual misconduct. Specifically, it would Coffman continues on Page 9
Bogart-Bacall film “Key Largo.” He played one of Edward G. Robinson’s thugs, Edward “Toots” Bass. He and his wife Marilyn opened their first Hamlet in 1950 with their savings, $3,500; they sold the franchise in 1997 for $33 million. I didn’t go to the restaurant very often. I couldn’t afford to. The hamburgers were about five times more expensive than what I was used to. But whenever my father was in town that’s where we went first. He paid. If you watch one of these new programs, like “Burger Land,” you will see a menu of head-shaking combinations. There are burgers that come with fries, right on top of the meat. There’s one restaurant that doesn’t grill their burgers. They are deep-fried in 100-year-old grease. They are fished out of the grease and placed on a bun that acts like a sponge. Even so, most customers get a side order of mops. There’s a cheeseburger that is made with the cheese in the middle, so when you bite into it the cheese appears for the first time. Louis’ Lunch in New Haven, Conn., claims to be the birthplace of the ham-
excha
Ih you. nam for 1 stude burger. They use the same vertical castIa iron gas stoves that they used in 1898. The neve burgers are unique because they are served lief w on slices of toasted white bread. And the port. owners won’t allow mustard, ketchup, or days mayonnaise. The place is always on top 10 and s lists of America’s best hamburgers. over In-N-Out burgers make a few of the I me lists, and I don’t know why. I wasn’t imtatio pressed. Unde But a member of Denver’s City Council year. was, and he has started a campaign to get I beli the California-based franchise to open up sprin to Colorado. Albus Brooks is councilman have for District 8. Have you ever had a White Castle? It’s 180 degrees from my Number 11, but when I was in high school, you could buy 10 (10) for a dollar. If you’re confused by “an 80-20,” it refers to the best beef-to-fat ratio for a great hamburger, and it’s time for one right now. You too? Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast. net
Summer doldrums may affect markets Most asset managers have been wishing for the stock market to experience a downturn and give the momentum from the first four months of the year a breather. This sounds strange, since usually you would want the stock market to soar and help make portfolio returns look better. But stock prices have been climbing and there has been no decent correction of 5 percent or more. Cyclical corrections are necessary to help build a better foundation for future growth. Investors buying in on dips in the market have had good results. And these dips usually happen in the summer months. Earnings have been positive for the last 11 quarters now, giving strong support to the double-digit equities returns of the first quarter. Unfortunately, the nice returns on the stock market are not mirrored in the bond market. In fact, bonds have started to erode on worries the Federal Reserve Board may start to reduce their current bond buying program, hence purposely shrinking the money supply. The anticipation of this gradual end to Quantitative Easing Three has added significant volatility to every asset class in the last few weeks. Some analysts have observed that investors are buying “bond-like” equities or dividend paying stocks to help boost
Elbert County News 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
gerard healey President and Publisher Chris rotar Editor sCott gilBert Assistant Editor erin addenBrooke Advertising Director audrey Brooks Business Manager sCott andrews Creative Services Manager sandra arellano Circulation Director ron ‘MitCh’ MitChell Sales Executive
income potential as bonds lose value. It did not pay to be a conservative or a defensive investor so far in 2013. Conservative investors usually like fixed-income assets such as government and corporate bonds. In a very long period of record low interest rates, some bond buyers started taking on more risk than normal just to get a consistent return. This may include buying high-yield bonds, which carry more risk due to the low credit rating of these bonds that are often called “junk.” Defensive investors who fell in love with gold last year have experienced more volatility in precious metals than the stock market in the last year. No wonder investors are confused. There seems to be no place to go. After a Kummer continues on Page 9
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Columnists and guest commentaries The Elbert County News features a limited number of regular columnists, found on these pages and elsewhere in the paper, depending on the typical subject the columnist covers. Their opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News. Want your own chance to bring an issue to our readers’ attention, to highlight something great in our community, or just to make people laugh? Why not write a letter of 300 words or fewer. Include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
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9-Color
Elbert County News 9
June 20, 2013
OBITUARIES
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Exchange student wraps up visit
I have a story I would like to share with you. I am a 17-year-old Finnish girl, my name is Miia. I have lived in the U.S.A. for 10 months. I am a foreign exchange student. I arrived on Aug. 9, 2012; the day I will never forget; my nervousness and then relief when I found my host mom at the airport. My exchange year got a kick-off, four days after my arrival I went to high school, and soon I met my wonderful friends. I got over Christmas, not without tears though. I met other exchange students at orientations that my organization, Youth for Understanding, has three times over the year. We have supported each other and I believe we will be lifelong friends. The spring has gone by really fast, and now I have only a week left in the U.S.A., and I
Coffman Continued from Page 8
require an Inspector General to investigate all allegations of retaliatory actions taken in response to making protected communications regarding rape, sexual assault, or other sexual misconduct. The important legislation discussed above has broad, bipartisan support, and it takes a more aggressive approach to addressing sexual assault and sexual misconduct in the military than we have seen in previous defense bills. Some members of Congress argue that these measures do not go far enough — that the disposition of all serious criminal cases should be handled outside the chain of command. While I understand their concern, I believe they go too far — we should not throw out the baby with the bathwater. What makes our military justice system unique is that it entrusts commanders with the duty to
Kummer Continued from Page 8
stellar first quarter, which was similar to the previous three years, stocks and bonds alike are starting to fall asleep in the summer heat. The lull between earnings season in April and back to school in September has set in. Without much economic data during this time along with a possibility of most of the air leaking out of the Federal Reserve life raft, investors may have to wait and see how their holdings will perform when summer is over. These types of cycles are normal and healthy. You don’t want a stock market that only goes up or you would never find new opportunities. You don’t want interest
am desperately trying to fit all my belongings into suitcases. This year has changed me as a person. I know what I want from my future, I appreciate my family and my heritage a lot more, and I have learned to say “I love you.” Next year, my family will host an exchange student from Germany to give the same amazing experience for her that my host families have given to me. Thank you for making my year unforgettable! And here is my final word for American families: Make the world your home. Miia Aho Oulu, Finland Editor’s note: Miia spent her exchange year living with a host family in Castle Rock and attended Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch. enforce “good order and discipline.” Surely lawmakers can work with military leaders to devise a system that meets Congress’ intent to hold perpetrators accountable, protect victims, and maintain good order and discipline. To accomplish their missions and defend this country, our men and women in uniform must be able to depend on one another. They must be able to trust that their command will protect them from sexual predators within the ranks. Not only do these crimes inflict lasting damage on individuals, they compromise the effectiveness of our military as a whole. It is why I am committed to solving this terrible problem once and for all.
Private Party
Contact: Viola Ortega 303-566-4089 obituaries@ourcoloradonews.com
Funeral Homes
Visit: www.memoriams.com
Mike Coffman is the U.S. Representative for Colorado’s 6th District. He is a Marine Corps combat veteran and has a combined 21 years of military experience between the Army, the Army Reserve, the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Reserve. rates to stay at zero indefinitely or you’ll never earn anything on short-term savings. Therefore it is best to go off and enjoy your summer months with other activities and let the markets take a breather. Patricia Kummer has been an independent Certified Financial Planner for 26 years and is President of Kummer Financial Strategies Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor in Highlands Ranch. She welcomes your questions at www.kummerfinancial.com or call the economic hotline at 303-683-5800. Any material discussed is meant for informational purposes only and not a substitute for individual advice. Investing is subject to risks including loss of principal invested. Investors cannot purchase an index directly; these are used as a benchmark only.
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10-Color
10 Elbert County News
June 20, 2013
Governor names new prison director Raemisch replaces chief who was slain at home Associated Press
Located on the grounds of Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, and overlooking the majestic Rocky Mountains, The Memorial Garden accepts cremated remains in niches or a common urn. Cherry Hills is committed to serving our community by offering peace of mind through a loving and integrated approach to end of life care. Please contact at 303.325.8306 for more information or to schedule a tour. chcc.org/MemorialGarden
The former head of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections has been named to replace slain Colorado Corrections Director Tom Clements. Gov. John Hickenlooper said on June 14 that Rick Raemisch has experience as a deputy sheriff, prosecutor, elected sheriff and head of a state corrections department, where he was responsible for more than 22,000 inmates, more than 73,000 probationers or parolees and approximately 1,000 juveniles in institutions or on supervision. Raemisch replaces Clements, who was fatally shot in March at his home. The lone suspect in Clements’ killing, Evan Ebel, 28, had been released from prison in January, four years earlier than authorities intended, because of a paperwork error. Ebel was killed in a shootout in Texas days after Clements was killed. Roger Werholtz, who was named Colorado’s interim prisons director, immediately began a review of all early prisoner releases, the death penalty and other issues. Raemisch joined the Wisconsin Department of Corrections in 2003 and for the next four years worked as division administrator of community corrections, in which he had oversight of 68,000 probationers and parolees. He then worked as deputy secretary and later as head of the department. Since 2011, Raemisch has worked as dean of the School of Human and Protective Services at Madison College in Madison, overseeing programs in emergency medical services, criminal justice, fire, human services and early child-care education. Hickenlooper said he is relying on Raemisch’s background as an expert in correc-
tions and his diverse background. “He has a great understanding of crime and the criminal mind from his work as a sheriff and prosecutor. He also understands that most people who are incarcerated will return to our communities and need job skills and treatment. Rick is committed to implementing the strategic plan that Tom Clements established for the Department of Corrections, and we are pleased he is coming to Colorado,” Hickenlooper said in a statement. Raemisch agreed that prisoners can be rehabilitated. “I consider myself a strong law-and-order individual, but I also believe that people can change,” Raemisch said. “More than 90 percent of all inmates return to where they came from. They will go back in one of two ways: They will either go back angry and, likely, re-offend; or they will go back prepared to re-enter the community and be law-abiding citizens.” Last week, state officials said Colorado judges have corrected the sentences of 124 inmates or parolees after Ebel was inadvertently released early. Hickenlooper ordered the audit of the files of all inmates whose sentencing records might contain errors similar to the one in Ebel’s case. The Department of Corrections said that it had identified 1,211 with possibly confusing or erroneous sentencing orders. Ebel was supposed to serve eight- and four-year sentences consecutively after accepting a plea deal for assaulting a prison officer. But the judge who approved the plea deal failed to say that the terms were consecutive, so a court clerk recorded that they were to be served concurrently, or at the same time, officials said. That was the information that went to the state prisons, officials said, so Ebel was freed in January without serving the additional four years.
Luxury home project begins The Highlands at Parker will have 221 houses By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com Preparations are underway for a new housing community at one of the highest elevations in Parker. Stunning views of the Front Range are a top selling point for the luxury homes going in near the Idyllwilde subdivision. Utility work has already begun on The Highlands at Parker and the first model home is expected to be built by the end of the year. Toll Brothers, an award-winning builder that developed the Pine Bluffs neighborhood northeast of South Parker Road and Hess Road, is behind the 221-home project. Presales began May 18 and it generally takes 14 months from the time the contract is signed until homeowners can move in. Mary Jane Anderson, sales manager for The Highlands at Parker, says the square footage on the homes will range from 3,600 to more than 4,100 square feet and prices begin in the low $500,000s. Toll Brothers has owned the land just blocks from Cimarron Middle School for six years. Many builders steered away from larger homes during the economic downturn because of the lack of demand, Anderson said, leaving a “hole in the market” for the estate-sized homes. Toll Brothers was busy wrapping up other projects and is now focused on The Highlands at Parker, which has attracted tremendous interest in recent weeks. “With the uptick in the market and the
directions to the sales office To visit the sales office for The Highlands at Parker, head south on South Parker Road to Hess Road. Turn east on Hess Road and travel 1.5 miles to Canterberry Parkway. Turn left onto Canterberry Parkway and go .4 miles to Idyllwilde Drive. Turn left onto Idyllwilde Drive and travel .2 miles to Stroll Avenue. Turn left onto Stroll Avenue and the sales center will be immediately on the right at 11984 Ramble Lane.
The living room of the Valmont model in The Highlands at Parker features vaulted ceilings and plenty of natural light. Courtesy photo by William Taylor current indications, I think this is the right time to move into (the upscale home market),” Anderson said. Much of the interest thus far has come from those already living in Parker who want to upgrade. Walkout basements will be a common feature on many of the five home models. Lots range in size from 7,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet, with the average being around 10,000 square feet. The homes will be a short distance from walking trails, parks, open space and wildlife habitats, as well as a community center with a pool. The Highlands at Parker will be in the feeder area for Frontier Valley Elementary School, Cimarron Middle School and Legend High School. Asphalt work is tentatively scheduled for later this summer. Anderson said she expects the neighborhood to be fully built-out within four years. This fall, Toll Brothers is also planning to start work on The Hills at Parker, a 120home subdivision that will be built just down the street.
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Elbert County News 11 June 20, 2013
Fall under sway of island music
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The Tropical Coyotes band, which includes keyboard whiz Donna Debreceni among its members, will play music ranging from calypso to Jimmy Buffett to other Latin rhythms on the terrace at Lone Tree Arts Center at 8 p.m. June 29. Tickets: $20 (chair), $15 (lawn). 720-509-1000. Lonetreeartscenter.org.
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Elitch Gardens Theatre history
“Denver’s Historic Elitch Gardens Theatre” will be Tom Borrillo’s subject when he speaks at 2 p.m. June 24 at Bemis Library, 6014 S. Datura St., Littleton. The oldest summer stock theater in America, it hosted Colorado’s first motion picture screening in 1905. Many famous actors performed on its stage before it closed in 1987. Restoration efforts are underway again after a lull. For more information, phone 303-795-3961.
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ThunderRidge Thespians in Nebraska Clare Mahoney tucks her head as low as she can in order to reduce drag as she makes her way down the track at the Seventh Annual Sertoma Mile High Soap Box Derby. Racers compete for the opportunity to advance toward the national finals in Akron, Ohio.
nt to l was addi-
Racers s definitely on a roll
‘Architecture: The First Art’
Curtis Arts and Humanities Center, 2349 E. Orchard Road, Greenwood Village, opened a show, “Architecture: the First Art” on June 15, running to July 12. • In conjunction, a panel will discuss architecture as art, facilitated by Hugh Brown of Davis Partnership at 6:30 p.m. July 10. • From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 27, a program for kids: “The Great City: Aerial View of Greenwood Village” will be facilitated by Sarah Yoon. • Rocky Mountain Brassworks will play a free concert from 6 to 8 p.m. June 22 at Curtis Park, adjoining the center. For more information, phone 303-797-1779.
PhotoS by DEborAh grIgSby With the wind pushing and gravity pulling, local youths put their racing skills to the test at the 2013 Sertoma Mile High Soap Box Derby, held June 7-9 at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. The derby is a youth racing program for boys and girls ages 8 to 17, challenging them to build their own gravity-powered car, suitable to compete in four different divisions. This is the first year the derby has been held at the fairgrounds, and many who attended, as well as raced, welcomed the wide-open space and less traffic.
nds ural
Thespians from ThunderRidge High School have won a place on the stage at the 2013 International Thespian Convention on June 25 in Lincoln, Neb., where they are invited to present their award-winning production of “Lend Me a Tenor” by Ken Ludwig. The actors will present a performance at 7 p.m. June 21 in the school theater, 1991 Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch. Donations will be accepted at the door.
Boulder Ballet in Highlands Ranch
Sara Stander, foreground, and A.J. Sippers are neck-and-neck as they race toward the finish line at the Seventh Annual Sertoma Mile High Soap Box Derby June 9 at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds.
Boulder Ballet brings a family summer program to Civic Green Amphitheater in Civic Green Park, Highlands Ranch, 9370 Ridgeline Blvd., at 7:30 p.m. June 21. Stay after the show to meet the dancers and let the kids dance on the stage. Free.
‘No Plateaus’
Dancers bring ‘Sacred Spaces II’ to PACE
right mar-
ome who
Program samples ancient moncultures around world
dels. et toBy Sonya Ellingboe beingsellingboe@ourcoloradonews.com
from Zikr Dance Ensemble’s performances wild-range “from Ancient Ritual to Contempoenterrary Ballet,” according to the ensemble’s willwebsite. y El- “The ensemble offers a spectrum of hoolworks that are based on transcendent dance rituals from many different ancient d forworld cultures throughout history along e ex-with original and contemporary dance/ t-outtheater realizations,” said Artistic Director David Taylor. ning He has had a strong interest in sacred 120-dances from around the world for many justyears. Spiritual tolerance and multi-cultural understanding are hoped-for outcomes.
If you go “Sacred Spaces II” will be at the PACE Center in Parker at 7:30 p.m. June 28 and 29. The center is at 20000 Pikes Peak Ave. in downtown Parker. Tickets: $13.50 to $27.50, 303-805-6800, parkeronline.org. Zikr Dance Ensemble, which participated in the opening of Parker’s PACE Center in 2012, will bring “Sacred Spaces II” to the stage in Parker on June 28 and 29. Taylor fears there is some misunderstanding due to the similarity to last year’s title — “Sacred Spaces.” This is a new show, he said, and includes a world premiere of “Field of Fire,” which he choreographed. Also new will be two Gurdjieff sacred movements, which will be staged by nationally acclaimed Gurdjieff movement teacher Deborah Longo, who flew here to set the pieces on the Zikr dancers. They are “Shouting Dervish” and “Dance of the Brother-
hood of Olbogmek.” Gurdjieff traveled through central Asia and in Africa, learning about sacred dances, and then returned to teach the moves to his students, who carry on the tradition today. Also on the program: David Taylor’s ballets “In Your Eyes,” “Time’s Up” and “Guides,” and a new duet and solo entitled “Psalms.” Among the professional dancers who will appear are five from the Colorado Ballet. Projections and lighting will weave magic on the back and floor of the stage, while music plays and dancers perform ancient and modern works in a multi-media production. Taylor, in addition to directing the Zikr Ensemble, is school director and on the faculty of Denver Ballet School and on the faculty of Colorado State University’s dance department. He was founder of the David Taylor Dance Theatre.
The “No Plateaus Art Show” presents work by students from Shirley Lamb’s weekly art classes at the Rocky Mountain Stroke Center. The show is at Bemis Library, lower level, 6014 S. Datura St, Littleton. Each cluster of paintings includes a photo and short bio of the artist, and the colors are bright and upbeat. The show runs through June during library hours. For more information, phone 303-795-3961.
Celebrate Denver’s arts community
The Denver Artists Ball invites artists from across the metro area to celebrate the Arts from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Mercury Café, 2199 California St., Denver. Visitors will make artist trading cards, and Andy Rising, of Centennial, will project electronically generated visual imagery through the night. Bands and spoken word performances are planned and food and drink will be available. Organizers are Madeleine Dodge, Evan Siegel and Andy Rising of Spark Gallery (Santa Fe Arts District) and musician Reed Weimar and Mercury Café owner Marylin Megenity. Tickets cost $10. Contact: evansiegel@earthlink.net, or for more information, phone 303-506-6926.
12
12 Elbert County News
June 20, 2013
Randle P. McMurphy takes over at The Edge Summertime gives us a reason to
smile!
We wish to extend a warm welcome to our old friends and current patients! George W. Krieger, DDS Krieger Family Dentistry Elizabeth Tree Board 2010 Prestigious Tree Award Winner
Let Us Put a Smile on Your Face!
303-646-4678 www.kriegerdentistry.com
‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ shows struggle over control By Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe@ourcoloradonews.com “Wire, briar, limber, lock “Three geese in a flock “One flew east “One flew west “And one flew over the cuckoo’s nest.” At some point mid-play, Chief Bromden (Sam Gilstrap) and Randle P. McMurphy (Scott Bellot) lock pinkies and repeat this nonsense rhyme that gives the play its name. Based on a novel by Ken Kesey, adapted for the stage by Dale Wasserman, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” premiered on Broadway in 1964. It has had two revivals and a film version based on the novel. The Edge Theatre Company stages a well-thought-out revival of this enduring play through June 30, with a
IF YOU GO “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” plays through June 30 at the Edge Theatre, in its new home at 1560 Teller St., Suite 200, Lakewood. Performances: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 6 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $22/$18, 303-232-0363, theedgetheater.com. starring turn by Scott Bellot as the high-strung Randle P. McMurphy, who thought commitment as a psychopath might be easier to tolerate than the prison farm — so he convinced the powers that be that he was insane. “Which of you is the Bull Goose Looney?” he demands. “I’m next in line for the job. Take me to your leader,” he tells an astonished, stuttering Billy Bibbit (Joe Von Bokern). That would be the scholarly Harding (Ken Street), who heads the patient council and explains that “we are the curables. Over there are the chronics.” McMurphy proceeds to organize card games, basketball, TV watching and more, and becomes especially
close with the Chief, who has been pretending to be deaf and dumb. Director Rick Yaconis has worked well with a fairly large cast for the space available, although some of the guys on the ward overact a bit. Each is an individual with a distinct ailment. And then, there is the evil Nurse Ratched, played chillingly by Jada Roberts. A clash is inevitable. Her eyes glitter. “For me, it is a timeless story about a struggle for power and control that rings true in any year,” Yaconis writes. “It’s also a deeply moving and hilarious play with a sensitive core topic of mental disorders and inadequacies that the people who suffer from them feel.” This is an appropriate choice in a time of increased public conversation about treatment of mental illnesses — and the lack thereof. McMurphy gives new life to the patients who are living in fear of the controlling nurse. Bellot’s performance alone is well worth the ticket price.
187 East Kiowa Avenue · Elizabeth We are located in a 1920s house next to State Farm Insurance
Serving Elbert County’s General Dental Needs (Including Cosmetic)
for 30 years - and counting ...
WHAT'S HAPPENING NEAR YOU? Want to know what news is happening in your area and the areas around you? Visit our website at www.ourcoloradonews.com.
Business After Hours at the Marriott beats the heat
Despite the early summer heat, or perhaps because of it, the Chamber’s June Business After Hours was enjoyed by 140 Chamber Investors and guests at the newly renovated Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows. The hotel completed a $3.8 Million renovation last October and is continuing to showcase the new look including the update to its in-house restaurant, Sonoma’z Wine Bar & Grill. The hotel’s well-known hospitality was enjoyed by all (especially the air conditioning) in their Park Ridge Ballroom. The Marriott’s culinary staff demonstrated their skills as beautifully set appetizers and desserts were continually replenished along with the ice cold beverages. Conversations and laughter among the crowd filled the room with a congenial atmosphere as old friends connected and new friendships were created. Alex Benko of Trout Mobile was one such guest: “The great group of SMDC investors and guests always makes these events a success. Denver Marriott South - Park Meadows was an exceptional venue for tonight’s event.” Chamber board member and this year’s Community Leader of the Year Jeff Wasden of PROformance Apparel quieted the group long enough to introduce the hotel’s Director of Operations, David DiFalco. “Thank you all for coming to help us spread the word about our beautiful new hotel. We are eager to invite your family, friends and business associates to enjoy what we have to offer here at the Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows. The renovation has brought new life and color to every one of the 279 guest rooms, our restaurant - Sonoma’z with its three private dining rooms, our outdoor patios, and our lobby and we look forward to sharing it with Denver,” said DiFalco. A business card drawing was held with Amanda Doubet of the American Cancer Society winning a $100 gift certificate to Sonoma’z and Karen Doebelin of Pots Tea winning an overnight stay at the hotel. The event was a great way to celebrate a longtime Chamber Investor as well as continue to build Remarkable Relationships. Director of Operations Dave DiFalco welcomes Chamber guests as Chamber Board member Jeff Wasden looks on.
Calendar of Events
For a complete calendar of South Metro Denver Chamber events and for more information, visit our web site at www.bestchamber.com or call 303-795-0142. Thursday, June 20th Building Momentum: 18th Annual EDG Real Estate Breakfast Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows, 10345 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree Southwest Metro Business Alliance Board of Advisors – Location TBD Friday, June 21st Social Marketing for Business: Using Video in Social Media Marketing The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial Energy & Sustainable Infrastructure Council: Houston Trade Mission, CleanTech Open, Denver Water The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial Monday, June 24th Chamber Connectors Meeting The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial Tuesday, June 25th Business Bible Study The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial Centennial Business Coalition: Lunch with Mayor Kathy Noon The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial Speed Raceway is Back! Come eat, drink and be speedy! – 8532 Concord Center Drive, Englewood Wednesday, June 26th You Need to Let an Employee Go... Now What? The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial Thursday, June 27th South Suburban Parks Foundation presents Bike to Work Day The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial
The rule “Presentation is everything” was obvious by the staff’s attention to detail at the appetizer table.
Littleton Business Coalition: Jerry Healey of Colorado Community Media Arapahoe Community College, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital-Littleton Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting 1001 W. Mineral Ave., Littleton Friday, June 28th President’s Leadership Forum The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial
The room was filled with connecting and camaraderie as Chamber Investors and guests mingled during the Business After Hours.
Chamber Unplugged hosted by Spa4ThePink The Chamber Center, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342, Centennial
13
Elbert County News 13
June 20, 2013
THINGS TO DO IN YOUR AREA
e
beenJUNE 20
sons on the consequence of drinking and driving. Check http:// www.elbertcountysheriff.com/ for details and information.
rkedCHAMBER LUNCHEON. Elizabeth Area Chamber of Comr themerce presents the chamber luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 f thep.m. June 20 at the Western Trails Steakhouse on Colorado ch is86 between Elizabeth and Kiowa. The public is welcome. ent. Learn all about identity theft from the Colorado Bureau of NurseInvestigation. Enjoy meeting other area business people and Jadanetworking. RSVP to Beverly at 303-646-4287 or director@ eyeselizabethchamber.org.
JUNE 29 KIOWA STREET Fair. Come see the treasures within Elbert County and enjoy a family fun filled day at the Kiowa Street Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 29 at AF Nordman Park. Food, live music, vendors, activities and more. Visit www.townofkiowa. com. Then head on over to the Elbert County Fairgrounds for the Cowboy Up Rodeo in Kiowa. Starts at 6 p.m. and will give you an evening of excitement and rodeo adventure. www.cowboyupinkiowa.org. The evening ends with Fireworks, weather permitting, provided by the Kiowa Fire Protection District.
JUNE 21, JULY 19 bout thatLEGAL CLINIC. A free clinic for parties who have no attorney rites.and who are going through divorce, legal separation, custody, ilari-post-decree cases or protection order cases is offered from pic of9 a.m. to noon the third Friday of each month at the Elbert aciesCounty Justice Center, 751 Ute St., in Kiowa. All walk-ins are hemwelcome, and everyone will be assisted on a first-come, firstserved basis. Upcoming dates are March 15; April 19; May 17; in aJune 21; July 19; Aug. 16; Sept. 20; Oct. 18; Nov. 15; Dec. 20.
JULY 4 PIONEER FOURTH celebration is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July
ationTHROUGH JUNE 21; JULY 19-20 es — QUILT ENTRIES. Firehouse Quilts is looking for quilt entries for e pa- its eighth annual quilt show to support its mission of helpcon-ing children in crisis in Colorado. Early bird entries submitted by anceMay 17 are taken at a discounted entry fee ($15). Otherwise, the fee is $18 per item, and the final deadline is June 21. This e. year’s show has a special theme, Patriotic, along with 13 other categories. The show is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 19-20 at the Douglas County Events Center in Castle Rock. All forms and instructions are available at www.firehousequilts.org; click on the Quilt Show link at the top.
JUNE 22 SAFETY FAIR. Join the Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office and many of the wonderful response agencies in the community for their annual safety fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 22 in the Walmart parking lot in Elizabeth. The whole family can gain valuable knowledge on everything from bike safety, cyber safety, to les-
Castle Rock
4 at the Elbert County Museum in Kiowa. Good old-fashioned fun with free tours of the Elbert County Museum, pie eating contest, silent auction, music, food and more. Go to www. elbertcountymuseum.org for all the details.
JULY 20-21 CELTIC FESTIVAL. The Elizabeth Celtic Festival is July 20-21 at Casey Jones Park in Elizabeth. Take yourself back in time and enjoy traditional Scottish Highland Games with a Medieval and Renaissance Fest, a British Dog Show, and a community fair to create a great weekend of fun for the entire family. www. elizabethcelticfestival.com. AUG. 17 MUSIC FESTIVAL. The Elizabeth Music & Arts Festival is from
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 17 at Casey Jones Park in Elizabeth. Enjoy a day of live music, arts and crafts vendors, food and more. Activities all day long. Visit www.elizabethfestival.com
AUG. 23-25 CAMPDRAFT EVENT. A campdrafting clinic and competition is Aug. 23-25 at Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa. Be sure to be in Elbert County for the first ever in the United States
Highlands Ranch
SEPT. 13 GOLF TOURNAMENT. The Elizabeth Area Chamber of Commerce presents the chamber golf tournament on Sept. 13 at Spring Valley Golf Club. Enjoy a morning of golf, fun, and meeting other business people. Shotgun starts at 8 a.m. with lunch and awards following all the fun. Visit www.elizabethchamber.org. OCT. 26 HARVEST FESTIVAL. The Elizabeth Area Chamber of Commerce presents the Harvest Festival from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 26 on Main Street in Elizabeth. Food, music, games and more. Spend an afternoon in Elizabeth for a safe Halloween by coming for trick-or-treat street throughout the town and enjoying games, vendors, food, and more on Main Street. Visit www. elizabethchamber.org. THE OUTBACK Express is a public transit service provided through the East Central Council of Local Governments is open and available to all residents of Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson and Lincoln counties and provides an economical and efficient means of travel for the four-county region. Call Kay Campbell, Kiowa, at 719- 541-4275. You may also call the ECCOG office at 1-800-825-0208 to make reservations for any of the trips. You may also visit http://outbackexpress.tripod.com. DIVORCE AND Post-Decree Clinic. Elbert and Lincoln County Pro Se Divorce Clinic is offered from 9 a.m. to noon the third Friday of each month at the Elbert County Justice Center, 751 Ute St., in Kiowa. For information, call 303-520-6088 or email morgan@hayday.org. The clinic is free for parties who have no attorney and who are going through dissolution of marriage, legal separation, or post-decree cases. All walk-ins are welcome,
Littleton
Parker
and will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis.
THE ELBERT County Sheriffs Posse is a nonprofit volunteer organization that is part of the Elbert County Sheriffs Office. As volunteers we support the Elbert County Sheriffs Office, all law enforcement in our county, and the community at large. Membership is open to anyone without a criminal record. It meets the last Monday of the month at the Elbert County Sheriffs Office at 7 p.m. For more information or a membership application, go to http://www.elbertcountysheriff.com/posse. html, or contact Dave Peontek at 303-646-5456. THE ELIZABETH Food Bank, 381 S. Banner in Elizabeth (next door to Elizabeth Presbyterian Church) needs to let the public know that we are available to help anyone who needs food. The hours are Friday 12:30-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 9-11:30 a.m. Other times by appointment. ELIZABETH GUITAR Group. Elizabeth guitar circle will meet on the first and second Wednesday of each month at the Elizabeth Library. Traditional protocol/courtesy. Country, pop, bluegrass, cowboy, Beatles, 50s, 60s, 70s, blues, jazz and more. We who play for pleasure would love to meet more of same. Acoustic or power down. Come prepared to share a few songs, perform, play along, sing along with others. Enjoy new guitar friends to jam with. Gerry Vinson hosts on the first Wednesday from 6:30-9 p.m., and Laurie Smith hosts on the second Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. Uncertain? Drop by and observe. Banjo, ukelele, mandolin welcome. Call Laurie at 720-3633531. LAWYERS AT the Library, a free legal clinic for parties who have no attorney, will be offered from 6-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Elizabeth Library, 651 W. Beverly St. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain the process and procedure for the areas of family law, civil litigation, criminal defense, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law and civil protection orders. Walk-ins are welcome. Everyone will be helped on a first-come, first-served basis.
Parker
Parker
First United Methodist Church 1200 South Street Castle Rock, CO 80104 303.688.3047 www.fumccr.org
Services:
Saturday 5:30pm Sunday 8am, 9:15am, 10:30am Sunday School 9:15am Little Blessings Day Care www.littleblessingspdo.com
Open and Welcoming
Sunday Worship 8:00 am Chapel Service 9:00 & 10:30 am
Sunday School 9:00 & 10:30 am
www.st-andrew-umc.com
Welcome Home!
Weaving Truth and Relevance into Relationships and Life
worship Time 10:30AM sundays
Affiliated with United Church of Religious Science
303-794-2683 Preschool: 303-794-0510
Castle Rock Recreation Center 2301 Woodlands Blvd, Castle Rock
9203 S. University Blvd. Highlands Ranch, 80126
303 798 6387
CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING Sunday Services 10 a.m.
www.OurCenterforSpiritualLiving.org 720-851-0265
4391 E Mainstreet, Parker, Colorado 80134 Church Office – (303) 841-3836
www.parkerbiblechurch.org
303-791-3315
pastor@awlc.org www.awlc.org
A place for you
Lutheran Church & School
GRACE PRESBYTERIAN Alongside One Another On Life’s Journey
You are invited to worship with us:
Sundays at 10:00 am
Sunday Worship 8:00 & 10:45 a.m.
Grace is on the NE Corner of Santa Fe Dr. & Highlands Ranch Pkwy. (Across from Murdochs)
Trinity Lutheran School & ELC (Ages 3-5, Grades K-8)
303-798-8485
303-841-4660 www.tlcas.org
8:45 am & 10:30 am
Sunday
8:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
1609 W. Littleton Blvd. (303) 798-1389 • www.fpcl.org
Sunday 9:30am
Joyful Mission Preschool 303-841-3770 7051 East Parker Hills Ct. • Parker, CO 303-841-3739 www.joylutheran-parker.org
Parker
Parker, CO 10am Worship Service www.hilltopucc.org 303-841-2808
Sunday services held in the historic Ruth Memorial Chapel at the Parker Mainstreet Center
...19650 E. Mainstreet, Parker 80138
Fellowship & Worship: 9:00 am Sunday School: 10:45 am 5755 Valley Hi Drive Parker, CO 303-941-0668
www.SpiritofHopeLCMC.org
New Thought...Ancient Wisdom Sunday Service
& Children’s Church 10:00 a.m.
Visit our website for details of classes & upcoming events.
303.805.9890
www.P a r k er C C R S.org P.O. Box 2945—Parker CO 80134-2945
www.gracecolorado.com
Trinity
Sunday Worship
Community Church of Religious Science Hilltop United Church Of Christ 10926 E. Democrat Rd.
Connect – Grow – Serve – Love
SErviCES:
Saturday 5:30pm
Pastor David Fisher
of Littleton
Worship Services Sundays at 9:00am
“Loving God - Making A Difference”
Franktown
Parker evangelical Presbyterian church
9030 Miller road Parker, Co 80138 303-841-2125 www.pepc.org
www.gracepointcc.us
LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA
Abiding Word Lutheran Church First Presbyterian Church 8391 S. Burnley Ct., Highlands Ranch
Sunday Worship 10:30 4825 North Crowfoot Valley Rd. Castle Rock • canyonscc.org 303-663-5751
Sunday Worship: 10:45AM & 6PM Bible Study: 9:30AM Children, Young People & Adults
(Next to RTD lot @470 & University)
An Evangelical Presbyterian Church
Joy
Where people are excited about God’s Word.
Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.
9:00am Spiritual Formation Classes for all Ages 90 east orchard road littleton, co
Campdrafting event. Learn how to do this Australian sport at the clinic (champions coming from Australia to show you how it is done) and then test your skills at the first competition in the US. Don’t miss this unique opportunity. Contact Mary Harris at kiowacountryc@earthlink.net or 303-621-5836. Visit http:// campdraft.us.
Greewood Village Saint Peter Lutheran Church and Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp
Day Camp 2013 August 5 – 8 9300 E. Belleview Ave. Greenwood Village Colorado 80111 303-770-9301 or www.stplc.org
*ages 3 yrs to those entering 6th grade
To advertise your place of worship in this section, call 303-566-4091 or email kearhart@ourcoloradonews.com.
ElbertSPORTS 14-Sports-Color
14 Elbert County News June 20, 2013
Named best small rodeo in the country for two consecutive years, the Elizabeth Stampede rodeo attracts some of the best talent on the circuit, including a growing number of international professionals like bull rider Rocky McDonald from Chihuahua, Mexico. Photo by Deborah Grigsby
Stampede notches another successful year Elizabeth event racks up decades of tradition By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ ourcoloradonews.com The sounds of excited whoops from the crowd, the sight a 5-year-old clinging for dear life to a sheep, and the presence of myriad livestock can only mean one thing: The Elizabeth Stampede is in town. If the record crowds, including a sell-out on the night of June 8, were any indication, the 49th annual Stampede June 7-9 was a rousing success.
For those who have attended, it’s little wonder that the Stampede was named “small rodeo of the year” in 2011 and 2012 by the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association. The action at Casey Jones Park is such a draw that international travelers with no ties to the area visit each year to soak up a bit of the Western hometown experience. This year, spectators came from France, Germany, England, Australia and Italy, and Stampede organizers are always ready with a packet of information to guide them to restaurants and other activities, said Traci Swisher, community relations chair for the Eliz-
abeth Stampede. “It’s different than the Greeley Stampede or Cheyenne Frontier Days,” she said, referring to the rural charm of the Elizabeth Stampede. The reason for all of the attention is clear: from the entertaining spectacle of mutton bustin’ and the excitement of Xtreme bull riding to the fast-paced thrill of barrel racing and beloved tradition of the Saturday-morning parade, there is plenty for the family to see and do. The parade had 72 entries, including equestrian organizations, antique cars, marching bands, fire trucks, floats and members of the military.
At the rodeo, three former world champions, including this year’s firstplace barrel racer Brittany Pozzi, were on hand to delight the crowd, not to mention “all-around cowboy” Jesse Jolly, who had an impressive showing in the saddle bronc riding and team roping events. As always, some Stampede attendees got an inside look with the “Behind the Chutes” tours. More than 1,000 people signed up for the guided tour this year. “You get to see the bulls and horses and meet the cowboys,” Swisher said. “You get up close and personal. Our fans, they love that.”
Micky Downare, of Hartsel, Colo., competes in the June 8 bareback-riding competition at the Elizabeth Stampede. Photo by Chris Rotar
Stampede reSultS and eventS The Elizabeth Stampede reported the following results for 2013: Xtreme Bulls • Total number of contestants: 50 • Total payout: $14,100 • Injuries: One bull rider had a separated shoulder; it was put back into place and he expected to be off for a week or two. Rodeo • (Single go-round, three performances): • Total number of contestants: 330 • Total payout: $45,013 • Injuries: One bareback rider injured an ankle and is expected to be out for eight weeks of recovery. Results: • All-around cowboy: Jesse Jolly, $1,202, saddle bronc riding and team roping • Bareback riding: 1. Jessy Davis, 84 points on Burns Rodeo Co.’s Jake Spoon, $1,949; 2. (tie) Casey Colletti and Brian Bain, 81, $1,300 each • Steer wrestling: 1. Beau Clark, 4.7 seconds, $1,543; 2. Wyatt Johnson, 4.8, $1,277; 3. Seth Brockman, 4.9, $1,011 • Team roping: 1. Tyson Holden/Ryan Zurcher, 5.2 seconds, $1,736 each; 2. Ty Blasingame/Lance Allen, 5.3, $1,436; 3. Brian Dunning/Jesse Jolly, 5.5, $1,137 • Saddle bronc riding: 1. Morgan Forbes, 80 points on Burns Rodeo Co.’s Bullfrog, $1,285; 2. Zachariah Phillips, 79, $974; 3. Steven Dent, 78, $701 • Tie-down roping: 1. Josh Peek, 8.5 seconds, $1,233; 2. Jeremiah Peek, 9.5, $1,020; 3. Trevor Thiel, 9.6, $808 • Barrel racing: 1. Brittany Pozzi, 16.21 seconds, $1,639; 2. Shada Brazile, 16.32, $1,405; 3. C.J. Vondette, 16.33, $1,171 • Bull riding: 1. Patrick Geipel, 85 points on Burns Rodeo Co.’s Smoke
Signal, $1,384 Notable Items: • Kody Lostroh won Xtreme Bulls with a 90-point ride on Ty Rinaldo’s Slim Chickens, paid $4,230 to win. • Three events were won by NFR Champions Jessy Davis in bareback riding, Josh Peek in tie-down roping and Britney Pozzi in barrel racing. • Jessy Davis won the bareback riding for the second time in three years. • There were record barrel racing entries at 91. Local success: • Randi Timmons, of Elizabeth, placed ninth in barrel racing. • Patrick Geipel, from Elbert, won the bull riding. • Jesse Jolly, of Agate, won the All Around title with a sixth in saddle broncs and third place in team roping. • Brothers Josh and Jeremiah Peek came in first and second in tie-down roping riding Jeremiah’s new horse. It was the first time Josh ever competed on the horse and he won tiedown roping by a full second. Special presentations: Elizabeth Stampede Pioneers: Tom and Kathy Knowles; Royalty Coronation: Outgoing 2013 Queen Caroline Ginn and Attendant Kayla Schwartz. Incoming 2014 Queen Bailey Volock and Attendant Maddie Russell; veterans honored: Dan Johnson, Jack Plylar and Gerry Graham; empty saddle: Lee Ann Morgan, Seth Stoeber Parade: The 72 entries included VFW, American Legion, Young Marines, local businesses, horses, miniature horses, fire trucks and Stampede to Read floats Volunteers: The total number of volunteers was about 225 active.
15-Color
Elbert County News 15
June 20, 2013
Black dominates in all-state volleyball CLASSIFIEDS .com ourcolorado
Landscaping/Nurseries
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Team sweeps contest against White in championship By Scott Stocker
Special to Colorado Community Media It was a blackout when it came to the championship volleyball contest June 8 at the All-State games in Alamosa. Why? Well, one might say the term could be brought about by the black uniforms worn by the winners. Of course, it was more than that. But the Black team, coached by Rene Aafedt and Michelle Chacon, was able to come away with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-14) victory in the championship game with the White team, coached by Melissa Sweeney and Chris Sweeney. Valley’s Brynn Eckhardt certainly proved to be one tough player as she accounted for 12 kills to help lead the way for the winners. Yet her Valley teammate Patty Esch, Fleming’s Taylor King, Liberty’s Tori Gaherty and Amy Trujillo of Hi-Plains also came through with fine contributions. “All the girls on our team this week were wonderful,” said Eckhardt, who will head up to Black Hills State in the fall. “To be here is such an honor in the first place. It felt good and I think we were really able to click. But everyone, even the girls on the other team, played well.” Simla’s Jessica George, Evergreen’s Kira Nielander and Rye’s Taylor Mansfield, with seven kills, were among those who were able to shine for the White team. “It certainly was fun to be out there, but it would certainly have been nice to come away with at least one game win,” said George, who is bound for Regis University in the fall. “We played together, but that was a good team we were up against, too. I’m not going
to play at Regis, so this pretty much ends it for me.” Nielander was certainly pleased with her selection, but she, too, wished the results could have been a bit better. Yet she was more than pleased to be around the fine players on the four teams that held players from each of the state’s five classifications. “I was really excited to be chosen to be here,” said Nielander, who is headed south and will attend the University of Georgia. “It was great to participate at school, but I don’t think I’ll be playing at Georgia. We had 12 girls come together and that made for some great new friendships. “There were great hits, digs and plays from all the girls,” Nielander said. “Everyone should be pleased they were able to have this kind of experience.” The first game was tied 8-8 before the Black started to pull away. An 8-2 run put the game into the hands of the winners and had the White team reeling. Eckhardt and Amy Trujillo of Hi-Plains combined for seven kills and blocks in the run to pace the winners. However, the White team made a stronger run in game two, trailing 22-20 near the end. Mansfield was up front in this one as she slammed down six early kills, but they wouldn’t prove to be enough. When it came to those crucial final points, Eckhardt and Liberty’s Tori Gaherty were there to answer the call for the Black team. Game three was pretty much out of hand for the White team. They fell behind 10-2 and could never recover. On the other side of the net, Gaherty and King were proving to be among those who were hard to handle for the White team. And they also had some fine net play in the middle from Sterling’s Tyler Chrisman.
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All items listed on the proposal specification sheet must be included in the proposal. Failure of the Offeror to provide any information requested in the proposal specification sheet may result in disqualification of the proposal. Elbert County Government is requesting proposals on Services and Resources, with no authorization to quote offered.
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Proposals will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. MST, Thursday the 18th of July, 2013. Late proposals and proposals received by telephone, fax, or electronic means will not be accepted or considered for award. Proposals will be opened at 2:00 p.m., or as soon as possible thereafter, Monday the 22nd of July, 2013, in the BOCC Meeting Room, Elbert County Courthouse, 215 Monster Energy Drink Sale Comanche Street, Kiowa, Colorado case for not, $32be and receive an entry for a 80117. OfferorsBuy may,abut need present at the proposal opening. Offeror Electric Monster Guitar to be given that day names and the number of responders will be the only information announced at the proposal opening. The proposal opening Concessions Available on Site is open to the public.
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1. What resources do you have available to help us manage our benefits and outline a benefits strategy consistent with current and future business plans? 2. How will you help us with the competitfind community online atof our plans, ive your marketing and placement including development of marketing specifications, identification of market conditions, evaluation of proposals, negotiations and placement of insurance contracts for annual renewals? 3. How will you help with the management of insurance, including: monthly (or quarterly) supervision and/or preparation of claims activity reports from carriers; executive summary reports; underwriting analysis for annual renewals; annual financial projections for budgeting purposes; and alternative funding analyses? 4. How is the “rebidding” process handled? 5. How are plan design changes handled? 6. Furnish a list of insurance companies, third party administrators, and other providers for which the consultant is an authorized agent or broker. 7. How will you work with us to ensure we are keeping costs minimized? 8. How will you demonstrate the cost savings? 9. How do you review PPO discounts and what is your criteria for recommending changes in network affiliations? 10. How would your firm help us decide whether we should offer a cafeteria plan or a modified flexible program? 11. What sort of benchmarking data can you provide?
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Elbert County Government reserves the right, as its interest may require, to reject any and all proposals, to waive formalities and informalities contained in-said proposal and furthermore to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of Elbert County to do so. Additionally, Elbert County reserves the right to negotiate optional items and or services with the successful Offeror.
Misc. Private Legals Public Notice NOTICE TO SUBCONTRACTORS - FCI Constructors is now accepting BIDS for Bid Package C for the NEW ELBERT SCHOOL. This bid package includes the following trades: Asphalt Paving, Concrete Paving, Sidewalks, Curb & Gutter, Chain Link Fence, Site Furnishings, Landscape & Irrigation, Playground Equipment, Building Slabs, Manufactured Stone Veneer, Metal Fabrications, Glue Laminated Framing, Casework, Cabinets & Countertops, Cement Board Siding, Roofing, Sheet Metal, Building Insulation, Joint Sealant, Doors & Windows, Skylights, Drywall & Metal Framing, Flooring, Acoustical Ceilings & Wall Treatments, Painting, Specialties, Residential Appliances, Food Service Equipment, Window Treatments, Bleachers, and Elevator. Bids will be received from pre-qualified firms only for Fire Suppression, Mechanical and Electrical trades. A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held Tuesday, June 18th at 10:00am. The address of the School is 24489 Main Street Elbert CO. 80106. We will meet on site at the FCI jobsite trailer. Bids are due June 25th before 3 PM to FCI Constructors, 4001 N Valley Dr., Longmont, CO 80504. Attention: Terry Hutton, by email: thutton@fciol.com, or by fax: 970-5354867. Please email Terry with any questions. Bid documents will be available June 11th online: www.fciol.com, in the Upcoming Bids section. Legal Notice No.: 927670 First Publication: June 13, 2013 Last Publication: June 20, 2013 Publisher: The Elbert County News
Government Legals
Public Notice
Public Notice
INVITATION TO BID
Request for Proposal
Elbert County Public Works Department, State of Colorado, is hereby accepting sealed bids for the purchase and installation of approximately 680’ of 6’ chain link fence to be installed at the Elbert County Fairgrounds. Project must be completed no later than July 24, 2013.
Elbert County Government, State of Colorado, issues this Request for Proposal for th e p u r p o s e o f r e s t r uc t ur ing t he County’s benefit services and plans offered to County Employees. All items listed on the proposal specification sheet must be included in the proposal. Failure of the Offeror to provide any information requested in the proposal specification sheet may result in disqualification of the proposal. Elbert County Government is requesting proposals on Services and Resources, with no authorization to quote offered.
Government Legals
Bids will be accepted until 9:00 a.m., Thursday, June 27, 2013. Three (3) copies of said bid shall be submitted. Bids will not be considered which are received after the time stated and any bids received will be returned unopened. Faxed bids will not be accepted. Bids will be opened at 10:00 a.m., or as soon as possible thereafter, Thursday, June 27, 2013, in the Commissioner Meeting Room, Elbert County Courthouse, 215 Comanche Street, Kiowa, Colorado 80117. The bid opening is open to the public. Please mail bids to: Elbert County Public Works Department, Attn: Lynne Eschbach, P.O. Box 116, Kiowa, Co 80117 or deliver to: Elbert County Public Works Department, 218 Cheyenne Street, Kiowa, Colorado 80117. Please mark outside of envelope “FAIRGROUNDS FENCING”. Elbert County Government reserves the right, as its interest may require, to reject any and all bids, to waive formalities and informalities contained in-said bid and furthermore to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of Elbert County to do so. Additionally, Elbert County reserves the right to negotiate optional items and or services with the successful bidder. Please contact Lynne Eschbach for a complete set of specifications or any questions regarding this bid at 303-6213157, Elbert County Public Works Department, from 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, excluding holidays. ELBERT COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Ed Ehmann, Director Legal Notice No.: 927673 First Publication: June 20, 2013 Last Publication: June 20, 2013 Publisher: The Elbert County News
Public Notice
Public Notice
INVITATION TO BID
Request for Proposal
Elbert County Public Works Department, State of Colorado, is hereby accepting sealed bids for the purchase and installation of approximately 680’ of 6’ chain link fence to be installed at the Elbert County Fairgrounds. Project must be completed no later than July 24, 2013.
Elbert County Government, State of Colorado, issues this Request for Proposal for th e p u r p o s e o f r e s t r uc t ur ing t he County’s benefit services and plans offered to County Employees. All items listed on the proposal specification sheet must be included in the proposal. Failure of the Offeror to provide any information requested in the proposal specification sheet may result in disqualification of the proposal. Elbert County Government is requesting proposals on Services and Resources, with no authorization to quote
Bids will be accepted until 9:00 a.m., Thursday, June 27, 2013. Three (3) copies of said bid shall be submitted. Bids will not be considered which are received
Government Legals
Proposals will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. MST, Thursday the 18th of July, 2013. Late proposals and proposals received by telephone, fax, or electronic means will not be accepted or considered for award. Proposals will be opened at 2:00 p.m., or as soon as possible thereafter, Monday the 22nd of July, 2013, in the BOCC Meeting Room, Elbert County Courthouse, 215 Comanche Street, Kiowa, Colorado 80117. Offerors may, but need not, be present at the proposal opening. Offeror names and the number of responders will be the only information announced at the proposal opening. The proposal opening is open to the public. Please mail proposals to: Elbert County Government, HR Department ATTN: Candace Meece P.O. Box 7, Kiowa Colorado 80117 or deliver to: Elbert County Government, HR Department 215 Comanche St., (2nd Floor), Kiowa, Colorado 80117. Please mark outside of envelope: Benefits Proposal Elbert County Government reserves the right, as its interest may require, to reject any and all proposals, to waive formalities and informalities contained in-said proposal and furthermore to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of Elbert County to do so. Additionally, Elbert County reserves the right to negotiate optional items and or services with the successful Offeror. Proposal Specifications General Information 1. Provide a description of your firm including state(s) of licensure; size, financials, and a brief history. 2. How many employees are there in your company? What National, State, and Local resources and support are available? 3. Who would be working directly with our administrative issues, questions or problem solving? Please provide the roles and qualifications of each person. Also, include the number of clients each person is expected to handle. 4. Describe the form of professional liability or errors and omissions insurance carried by your company and the amount of
Proposal Specifications General Information 1. Provide a description of your firm including state(s) of licensure; size, financials, and a brief history. 2. How many employees are there in your company? What National, State, and Local resources and support are available? 3. Who would be working directly with our administrative issues, questions or problem solving? Please provide the roles and qualifications of each person. Also, include the number of clients each person is expected to handle. 4. Describe the form of professional liability or errors and omissions insurance carried by your company and the amount of coverage.
Government Legals
Account Services 1. Describe your account services department and customer service philosophy. 2. What is your process for ensuring customer satisfaction? 3. What kind of training (industry, internal, computer, other) does your staff receive? 4. Do you provide employee communication services for your clients’ employees? If so, please provide a general description of your capabilities. Please provide a sample of employee communication materials that you have distributed to other clients. 5. How can you assist in facilitating employee meetings? 6. Do you help facilitate annual open enrollments? Strategic Planning/Vendor Selection 1. What resources do you have available to help us manage our benefits and outline a benefits strategy consistent with current and future business plans? 2. How will you help us with the competitive marketing and placement of our plans, including development of marketing specifications, identification of market conditions, evaluation of proposals, negotiations and placement of insurance contracts for annual renewals? 3. How will you help with the management of insurance, including: monthly (or quarterly) supervision and/or preparation of claims activity reports from carriers; executive summary reports; underwriting analysis for annual renewals; annual financial projections for budgeting purposes; and alternative funding analyses? 4. How is the “rebidding” process handled? 5. How are plan design changes handled? 6. Furnish a list of insurance companies, third party administrators, and other providers for which the consultant is an authorized agent or broker. 7. How will you work with us to ensure we are keeping costs minimized? 8. How will you demonstrate the cost savings? 9. How do you review PPO discounts and what is your criteria for recommending changes in network affiliations? 10. How would your firm help us decide whether we should offer a cafeteria plan or a modified flexible program? 11. What sort of benchmarking data can you provide? Plan Administration and Legislative
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Please mail proposals to: Elbert County Government, HR Department ATTN: Candace Meece P.O. Box 7, Kiowa Colorado 80117 or deliver to: Elbert County Government, HR Department ForSt., local news any time of day, 215 Comanche (2nd Floor), Kiowa, Colorado 80117.
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Government Legals
Plan Administration and Legislative Compliance 1. Do you have an in-house benefits attorney? If yes, please provide his or her credentials and the number of years he or she has provided counsel on benefits issues. If no, do you use an external benefits attorney? Which firm do you use? 2. Will your firm notify us of changes in federal and/or local laws that would affect us? 3. Explain the steps you have taken to facilitate compliance for your clients around Healthcare Reform. 4. Describe your capabilities for modeling scenarios under Healthcare Reform. Wellness Programs 1. What tools can you provide us to help implement/continue our wellness program? 2. Can you provide examples of low-cost wellness tools? 3. How can you help evaluate and refine our wellness program over time? 4. What is your process for measuring the success or failure of a wellness program? HR Tools 1. Describe how you keep your clients abreast of employment laws in a timely manner. 2. What resources do you provide to help remain compliant? 3. What types of materials can you provide to communicate pertinent information to employees? 4. Do you have any Internet-based employee communication tools? Fees 1. Describe your proposed form of compensation (i.e., commission, annual retainer, fee-for-service). If you are proposing a fee, please include your fee schedule/hourly rates. 2. If you charge fees for consulting and employee communication, please indicate the basis of your charges (hourly, by project, etc.) and what typical charges might be. 3. Does your agency accept overrides and/or contingencies from carriers? References/Other 1. Please provide references that include name, address, phone number and length of time associated with your organization. Indicate whether your firm’s role was as a broker, consultant or both. Please provide a minimum of four references, including at least one that is a previous client.
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1. Describe how you keep your clients abreast of employment laws in a timely manner. 2. What resources do you provide to help remain compliant? 3. What types of materials can you provide to communicate pertinent information to employees? 4. Do you have any Internet-based employee communication tools? Fees 1. Describe your proposed form of compensation (i.e., commission, annual retainer, fee-for-service). If you are proposing a fee, please include your fee schedule/hourly rates. 2. If you charge fees for consulting and employee communication, please indicate the basis of your charges (hourly, by project, etc.) and what typical charges might be. 3. Does your agency accept overrides and/or contingencies from carriers?
Government Legals
References/Other 1. Please provide references that include name, address, phone number and length of time associated with your organization. Indicate whether your firm’s role was as a broker, consultant or both. Please provide a minimum of four references, including at least one that is a previous client. 2. Describe any other facets of your organization and your firm’s experience that are relevant to this proposal which have not been previously described and that you feel warrant consideration. (e.g. local government experience). Legal Notice No.: 927674 First Publication: June 20, 2013 Last Publication: June 27, 2013 Publisher: The Elbert County News
Public Notice NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT PROJECT #FBR 0704-227 PROJECT ID #18610 In accordance with the notice provisions contained in 38 26 107 C.R.S. 1973 as amended, the DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, STATE OF COLORADO has established July 4, 2013 as the date of final settlement date with Lawrence Construction Company for Project #FBR 0704-227, Project ID #18610, in Elbert County. Work consists of I-70 frontage road replacement of structure, guardrail, asphalt paving, embankment, and seeding. Claims containing a verified statement of the amounts due and unpaid must be in the form of a written affidavit and must be received by the CONTROLLER, Department of Transportation at 4201 E. Arkansas Avenue, Denver, Colorado, 80222, on or before 5:00 p.m. of the final settlement date above. Timothy J. Harris, P.E., Chief Engineer, Department of Transportation Effective July 1, 2013, Colorado Department of Transportation will no longer advertise Notice of Final Settlements in newspapers and will only post Notice of Final Settlement advertisements on CDOT’s website (http://www.coloradodot.info/business). Legal Notice No.: 927966 First Publication: June 13, 2013 Last Publication: June 20, 2013 Publisher: The Elbert County News
16-Color
16 Elbert County News
June 20, 2013
Treys drive victory at All-State Pagosa Springs player provides insurmountable margin for White team By Scott Stocker
Special to Colorado Community Media Kain Lucero of Pagosa Springs certainly had his “Lucky Seven” in the June 8 Colorado Coaches All-State basketball game played in Alamosa. That seven just happened to be the number of three-point baskets the 5-foot-8-inch point guard was able to score as he helped lead the White team to a 97-71 victory over the Blue in the main gym at Adams State University’s Plachy Hall. He finished with
a game-high 21 points, tacking on four free throws in the process. Three of the seven treys by Lucero were recorded in the first period, as the White team jumped out to a 27-17 lead. It proved to be a margin the Blue team would not be able to overcome. The White led 49-40 at the half and was able to stretch the margin to 71-50 after three quarters. The third quarter proved to be the ultimate back-breaker for the Blue team as the White led by four of Lucero’s three-point baskets. In the meantime, the White defense held the Blues to just 10 third-quarter points. Denver Christian’s Alex Terpstra, at 6-5, was a force in the middle for the White team. He was able to score 21 points and was able to hit for a trio of three-pointers.
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Only two players were able to reach double figures for the Blue team, one being Elbert’s Blake Nicholas with 10. The other was Austin Johnson of Colorado Springs Christian with 15. “It was a lot of fun being out there with this caliber of players and I was certainly proud to play with them,” Nicholas said. “It was all about working hard to get here. I think I’ll be doing track at the School of Mines, but hopefully maybe get in some basketball and football.” The White team also received a trio of 10-point games from Zachariah Griego of Pagosa Springs, Nick Hamlin of Durango and Trae Moxley of Roaring Fork. The White was coached by Randy Sorensen of Pagosa Springs, who has been able to guide the Pirates to a 63-11 record
over the past three seasons. The Blue was coached by Limon’s Dirk Petersen and Rick Carothers of Calhan. Mike Boss of Elizabeth and Joe Brown of Roosevelt coached the Black team in last week’s All-State Games, but their team did not make the championship game. Nevertheless, it was a fine season for Boss, who was selected as the Colorado 7 League coach of the year. “I was very excited to get a chance to coach in the games, just an honor,” Boss said. “There are just a lot of great coaches and great kids out here and that certainly includes our Cody Steinke. It’s certainly a different coaching situation when you get so many from the various schools. They all make you feel proud.”
Elbert players differ in All-State memories Girls hoops contest ends with lopsided 71-34 score By Scott Stocker
Special to Colorado Community Media Elbert’s Logan Franek and Simla’s Kenzi Mitchell were somewhat split on their reactions to the June 8 Colorado High School Coaches girls All-State basketball game. Yet, both were extremely happy to be included on their respective rosters. Franek played for the Black team, which came through for a much easier than expected 71-34 victory over the White. Mitchell, in this case, played for the White. “It was just a lot of fun and I was able to play on a great team,” said Franek, who only scored six points, but was an effective force in rebounding. “The key for me definitely was rebounding. I just wanted to get the ball and go from there. We just had a lot of talent and there certainly were a lot of girls here this week with all their variety of talents. It was just a fine week.” The Black, coached by Frank Haist and Larry Blondin of Vanguard School in Colorado Springs, was able to establish a 15-10 first-quarter lead. Then their squad really answered the defensive bell, holding the White, coached by Denver Christian’s Beck Mudd, to a single three-point basket in the second quarter. That particular basket, by the way, was scored by Ifti Dunne of Mesa Ridge, who would also be the only player in double figures for the White team with 10 points. It was a basket that left the White trailing 30-13 at the half. Mitchell was the second-leading scorer for the White team with seven. And it certainly wasn’t her night, unlike the many fine games she had this season for Simla. “Just being able to play with all these different players was great and we had a lot of fun,” Mitchell said. “I’m just excited to be able to play sports and excited to be here. The key today, though, is that I don’t think we really had one. We just couldn’t get going when we needed to. But credit the other team. They were able to move the ball and that’s about it.” Vanguard’s Bailey Haist was able to have a fine night, not only for herself, but for her coaches. She scored a gamehigh 16 points, which included a trio of three-point baskets. Sierra’s Selina Barnes contributed 15 points for the winners. “Just a good night for all of us and nice to help coach win it, too,” Haist said. “You can’t be sure what will happen in special games such as these, but to play well is all that any of us could ask for.” Skyview’s Laura Malacarne was also a strong player for the White on the boards, but certainly wished she could have had more points. “It was an exciting experience and something I will never forget, not at all,” said Malacarne, who will enroll at Otero Junior College this season. “I played the best I could and I feel that for the past four years I’ve been able to put in a strong effort. Being here says that I’ve been able to do that. They had a good shooting team and we just couldn’t overcome them.”
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