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Arvada City Council passes 3.5% increase to trash hauling fees
Council also hears suggestions for new park name
BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Arvada City Council has voted to increase trash hauling fees by 3.5%. e increase —which takes e ect July 1 — applies to all fees, including the minimum service fee.
In a meeting on June 17, the increase passed 5-2, with John Marriott and Sharon Davis voting no. e increase was met with some criticism from council members, who were concerned with the increase to the minimum service fee — a fee that is charged to residents who choose to opt-out of the program and choose their own trash hauler.
is is the second increase to trash hauling fees since council approved a single-hauler trash service contract with Republic Services in June of 2020. e City’s contract with Republic states that Republic has the ability to request a price increase annually, if it is able to demonstrate that market prices have raised. Per the contract, that increase is capped at 3.5%, and applies to all fees.
HAULING
that matters here.”
“ e principle of the matter here is that it costs Republic more to service customers,” Marriott continued. “ ey should pay more. It doesn’t cost Republic anything to ignore people. ey shouldn’t have to pay more.”
Davis also voiced support for the amendment, saying that she had heard from residents who were displeased with the cost of the minimum service fee.
“ ey’re paying for something they’re not getting,” Davis said. “I’m listening to what residents are saying.”
According to Arvada City Attorney Jessica Morales, the amendment could have been in violation of city ordinances, due to the fee increase being larger than 3.5%.
e amendment failed 5-2, with Marriott and Davis voting yes. ey both later voted against the fee increase.
Park naming Council later held a workshop to hear name suggestions for the permanent name of Holistic Health and Wellness Park.
“At the end of years 2-6 of this Agreement, Contractor (Republic) shall have the ability to increase the charges for residential collection service,” the contract states. “During the option periods, the City will consider an adjustment to the pricing structure…Any price adjustments shall not exceed the amount being passed on and shall also not exceed 3.5% annually… subject to approval by City Council Resolution.” is year, the fee increase included an increase to the City Fees, which have not changed since the program began in 2021.
During the discussion of the increase, Marriott proposed an amendment to the resolution.
Instead of a 3.5% increase to the minimum service fee — amounting to 15 cents —Marriott proposed that that cost be redistributed, so that it was shared among Arvadans who used Republic’s waste-hauling services. is would have amounted to about eight cents each month per household who used Republic’s services.
“I realize we’re talking about pennies per month here,” said Marriott. “ is almost becomes a silly discussion when we start talking about eight cents here or 15 cents there. But I think it’s the principle
e park — which will open later this summer — is a collaboration between the City and Red Rocks Community College. Geared towards outdoor exercise, the park features spaces for yoga, a re exology path and labyrinth.
e Arvada Park Advisory Committee collected name suggestions from the community through a survey, where participants could suggest names—or upvote previously suggested names they liked. During the workshop, the APAC naming subcommittee presented name options to council.
APAC recommended the name Serenity Ridge Park — which received 18 upvotes. Another name, Scenic Serenity, received 11 upvotes — making a combined 29 upvotes for using the word “serenity” in the park name.
“I think ‘serenity’ is perfect because it is a place of calming and tranquil energy,” said Jordan Bateson, who suggested the name. “Ridge is also perfect because it is on a large ridge overlooking Arvada.”
Other name options included Wellness Circle Park — which references the circular elements in the park — or Snow Peaks Overlook Park.
City Council will vote on July 1 to choose the name of the park.
On June 17, Arvada City Council voted to increase trash-hauling fees by 3.5% — an increase that will take e ect on July 1.
PHOTO BY LILLIAN FUGLEI
FROM PAGE 1
It’s Time for Listing Agents to Get on the Narrated Video Walk-Through Bandwagon
For 15 years Golden Real Estate has been almost the only brokerage which does live-action video tours of its listings. Other brokerages make use of the “virtual tour” field in the MLS for videos that are nothing more than slideshows with music or Matterport tours which are interactive but miss the vital ingredient of a live action video tour — narration such as you’d get if you were walking through the house with the listing agent.
Our video tours are designed to simulate a live showing. As such, the video starts on the street, with me (or a broker associate) introducing the listing and perhaps showing the street scene. “Now let’s go inside and check out this home.”
What makes this the right time for listing agents from other brokerages begin producing narrated video tours is the NAR settlement, which is likely to reduce the number of in-person showings at listed properties. If every listing had a narrated video tour, the number of showings would be reduced, because only those who watched the video tour and knew this listing might be a contender for them would go to the trouble of calling the listing agent or engaging a buyer agent to show them the listing.
agents think that’s sufficient. But there’s no narration of those videos, because the videographer would not know what to say. He only knows how to press “record” and “stop.”
The Matterport interactive tours are very popular, and we include those on our listings too, but only because they are included in the enhanced package which we purchase that includes floor plans,
which are done by the Matterport software. The Matterport tours are cool because they are shot with 360-degree lenses, allowing the viewer to rotate the view and even look up at the ceiling, then click on the next marker to go from room to room. But, again, no narration about what you are seeing. To call it a “video” is deceptive. It’s just a link that is inserted in one of the three “virtual tour” fields.
Reader Suggests the Pooling of Insured Homes as a Way to Reduce the Risks Causing Higher Insurance Premiums
Cut to the foyer and a walk through of the home, speaking as we go. “Notice the hardwood floors…. That’s a woodburning fireplace…. See the skylight in the vaulted ceiling…. These are Corian countertops…. The high efficiency washer and dryer are included…. Notice the mountain view out the kitchen window….” You get the idea.
No slideshow with music can compete with a narrated walk-through with the listing agent pointing out the selling points of each room. To get a feel for this kind of video tour, go online to GRElistings.com and click on any one of our listings to watch the narrated video tour.
By the way, narrated video tours are essential for attracting out-of-town buyers. More than once, an out-of-town buyer has gone under contract for one of our listings based solely on the narrated video tour, because they feel as if they have toured the home. The buyers still have the opportunity to terminate when they fly in for the inspection. None of those buyers terminated, however. So, in this video age, what is keeping the majority — the vast majority — of listing agents from creating narrated video tours of their listings? I can only speculate, but here is my speculation.
Listing agents like to farm out as many tasks as they can. They hire photographers (as we do) to shoot magazine quality photographs of their listings. Those vendors offer “videos” of the interior and drone videos of the exterior, and the listing
I Foresee a Surge in Buyer Activity This Summer
The primary outcome of the muchdiscussed NAR settlement announced in March is that buyers will now have to compensate agents representing them in the purchase of homes.
That change is scheduled to take effect on August 17th, so it makes sense that home buyers who have been “on the fence” are getting serious now about buying a home while they can still count on the seller, not them, paying their agent’s commission.
It doesn’t matter that their fear is unfounded. I fully expect sellers to keep offering to pay a “co-op” commission to the agents who bring them a buyer, even though that commission cannot be mentioned anywhere on the MLS.
Just this month, REcolorado, the Denver MLS, quietly introduced a new field for all listings. It’s a field to list another website, such as the websites we already create for every listing, and that website is allowed to mention the co-op commission for buyer agents since it does not derive its data from the MLS. If you want to see what that looks like, go to the website for my new listing, www.ArvadaHome.info There on the home page of the website you will see the 2.8% co-op commission my seller is offering to buyer agents under
the headline, “Buyer Agent Commission Details.”
Nevertheless, the fear is very real among buyers that they will have to pony some serious money on top of their purchase price and loan expenses to pay for professional representation.
Another development in this regard is the introduction of new mobile software called LivePad, which facilitates the process of showing homes to buyers when the showing agent doesn’t yet have a signed compensation agreement. In addition to some fine features for setting up a tour of listings, the tablet-based software allows the showing agent to create that requisite agreement on the tablet where the buyer can sign it digitally before the first listing. If the compensation agreement is for just that one day, the buyer can avoid paying the specified fee to their showing agent by waiting until the next day to make an offer under a new agreement.
There may also be a surge in sellers putting their homes on the market prior to the August 17 deadline. Broker associate Chuck Brown had a seller get “off the fence” this month and sell his home, because he feared reduced buyer interest once buyers face the prospect of paying for their own agents.
One reader, Andrew Burt, recently responded to my request for creative solutions to the home insurance crisis caused primarily by the multiple natural and manmade disasters resulting in profit-crushing insurance claims.
His suggestion: the pooling of multiple homes so that the loss sustained by any one home is spread across the pool.
My first reaction was that this is how insurance works already. Insurance companies have thousands or millions of insured properties in the expectation that only a small percentage will file catastrophic claims.
Nevertheless, here is Andrew’s proposal, which he supported with some serious mathematical formulae not for publication in this lay publication.
“If I'm in a pool with, say, nine other properties, and one of them gets damaged, the insurer pays a claim but then distributes the cost of that claim over all 10 properties in next year's premium calculation — instead of raising just mine to cover all of it. (Or I cover all of it over an amortized number of years, which is what they seem to do rather than lumping their cost all into year one. It doesn't change the math of the
idea. Spread the new premium costs over multiple people instead of just me.)”
Mike Nelson was one of six featured speakers at the annual fundraiser for New Energy Colorado, held on June 20th at The Retreat at Sol-terra in Lakewood. Viewers of Mike’s weather forecasts on Channel 7 know that he is passionate about climate change. In addition to addressing the topic, he gave away free copies of his 2020 booklet, “The World’s Littlest Book on Climate: 10 Facts in 10 Minutes About CO2.”
Also speaking at the well-attended event was U.S. Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, State Sen. Lisa Cutter, Jeffco Commissioner Andy Kerr, State Rep. Brianna Titone, and Will Toor, director of the Colorado Energy Office.
New Energy Colorado is best known for its annual Metro Denver Green Homes Tour on the first Saturday in October. This year it is on Oct. 5.
Golden Real Estate is one of the tour’s sponsors and provides video tours of the homes on each year’s tour.
This 1957 brick ranch-style home at 3600 Miller Court has 4 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, 3 fireplaces and an oversized 2-car attached garage. The front yard is newly xeriscaped and the large backyard has mature trees. The interior is freshly painted throughout with new lighting, ceiling fans, and new oak laminate flooring. One of the bedrooms and full bathrooms is in the spacious and welllighted finished basement. You’ll find open house information and a narrated video walk-through at www.WheatRidgeHome.info. Call Jim at 303-929-2727 to see it.
Jim Smith
Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851
Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com 1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401
Broker Associates: JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727
CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855
DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835
GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922
AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071
KATHY JONKE, 303-990-7428
“Concentrate on giving and the getting will take care of itself.” —Anonymous
Wheat Ridge Ranch Just Listed by Jim Swanson
Channel 7’s Mike Nelson Speaks at ‘Summer Solstice’ Fundraiser
Arvada Center to host 9th Annual Afrik Impact Community Cultural Celebration featuring Baaba Maal concert
Acclaimed Senegalese musician returns to Arvada for cultural celebration
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Arvada Center is set to host the 9th Annual Afrik Impact Community Cultural Celebration again this year, which will feature a cultural celebration including performances from the Ethiopian Youth Dancers of Colorado and headliner Baaba Maal, an internationally acclaimed Senegalese musician.
e festivities will take place on Aug. 10, with the celebration kicking o around 3 p.m. It will be the Arvada Center’s third time hosting the Afrik Impact Community Cultural Celebration, a partnership that began when Arvada Center CEO Phillip Sneed met African Leadership Group Founder Papa Dia at an event. e ALG is partnering with the Arvada Center to put on the event.
“I’ve always been a big believer in international cultural exchange because I think it’s a wonderful way to build bridges between different cultures, di erent people, di erent languages and di erent parts of the world,” Sneed said. “ e African immigrant community in Colorado is quite large, it’s been estimated that it’s around 200,000 people.
“So, it’s another community within the state,” Sneed continued. “We want to try to connect with as many di erent communities as possible.”
is year’s event will be kickstarted by a free community celebration from 3 to 5:30 p.m. featuring cultural booths, poets, food trucks and fashion exhibitions. e ticketed part of the evening — which begins at 7:30 p.m. and features Baaba Maal and the Ethiopian youth Dancers of Colorado — will take place in the Outdoor Amphitheatre. Tickets can be purchased online and start at $28. Maal is an internationally renowned musician who has worked
with the likes of Brian Eno and Ludwig Goransson, the latter of whom Maal worked with on the ‘Black Panther’ soundtrack. Sneed said Maal is an integral part of the community celebration and added that the artist places a large emphasis on building community when he comes to town.
“Baaba Maal himself is a big community builder,” Sneed said.
“Most of our acts just come to town, do the show and leave to go to the next town. He spends time here. He spends time in the immigrant community. He spends time in other communities. And he’s interested in much more than just coming into town, doing a concert and collecting a fee.
“He really attracts he attracts community to him, which I think is really exciting,” Sneed continued. e event will have a di erent energy than typical Arvada Center concerts — it is commonplace for members of the crowd to join Maal on stage to throw money at him, a practice that originates from the Griot Tribe, who were known to be storytellers, Sneed said.
“Historically (members of the Griot Tribe) would wander around and tell stories of people’s ancestors, and then people would pay them for telling those stories,” Sneed said. “And that’s how the Griot made their money, but this tradition has extended to other tribes, and so you’ll see members of the immigrant community who will get up on stage.
“Some of them will stand next to (Maal), and, you know, put money at his feet,” Sneed continued. “Last year, our ATM machine ran out of cash.”
Maal donates all of the money o ered to him in this way to charity, according to Sneed.
“It’s just a great community,” Sneed said. “It will perhaps be a louder, more raucous, up on their feet, dancing in the aisles crowd than patrons may be used to, and that can be a little overwhelming (to some people). But once you just relax and realize it’s all safe and everybody’s there to have a good time, it’s just a really joyous experience.”
Senegalese musician Baaba Maal will headline the Arvada Center’s Afrik Impact Community Cultural Celebration and Concert.
The day’s festivities will kick o with a Community Cultural Celebration that will feature vendors, poets and fashion exhibits. PHOTOS
Tips to help keep your pets safe during Fourth of July celebrations
Plan ahead to create a calm space for pets as
begin across Colorado
BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
While there’s a lot of Fourth of July food and festivities to be enjoyed, the day can be stressful, or even scary, for our furry friends. e sounds of reworks exploding, summer heat and hazardous materials are among concerns and why local veterinarians agree that it’s a good time to keep your pets safe at home.
e Fourth of July is one of the most dangerous days for pets, especially dogs. Shelters and veterinary clinics across the Denver area, including VRCC Veterinary Speciality and Emergency Hospital in Englewood, tend to take in more animals than usual during the week of the holiday.
“We do get a lot of toxicity ingestion,” said Lexy Santos, veterinarian technician. “Heat exhaustion, that’s a really big one.”
Extreme heat and hazardous materials
Although it’s fun and entertaining to have your pet join the celebrations, veterinarians encourage owners to watch their pets breathing and never leave them unattended in a car.
“Animals feel twice, if not three times the amount of heat that we do,” said Santos. “So, if we’re hot, they’re de nitely exhausted from the heat.”
Dogs that have thick coats, such as Saint Bernards and Chow Chows are even more susceptible to hot weather, as are dogs with shorter snouts like Boston Terriers, Bulldogs and Pugs, to name a few.
Whether it’s a dog sneaking around and picking up food scraps or deciding to give them a fun treat, festive foods can be hazardous.
It’s well known to experienced dog owners that chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, is one of the most toxic foods for dogs to ingest as it attacks their hearts and nervous systems. Other foods that might be at Fourth of July picnics that are harmful are raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, walnuts and fatty foods such
as french fries.
While it is okay for dogs to eat some plain, cooked meat, the seasoning and marinating of onions, garlic and mushrooms are toxic for them, leading to possible anemia and damage to their nervous systems. It’s also important to not leave alcoholic beverages, ca eine, soft drinks and milk unattended.
If owners have more questions about what their pets can eat and cannot eat, the ASPCA, a national animal rescue and protection organization, has a list of foods that are toxic to pets. It can be found at tinyurl.com/yee46bjn.
Dogs are naturally curious, which means they aren’t just putting food in their mouths. Loose or used reworks should be closely monitored so pets don’t accidentally ingest the reworks or hurt themselves or others with them.
If you think your pet ingested a potential toxic food or plant, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 or take them to the nearest vet.
Keeping your pets calm amid fireworks
As loud sounds can trigger pets to run away from home or wiggle out of their collars, there’s a danger of them getting lost or run into tra c. at’s why the Missing Mutt Detectives, a volunteer group in Parker, say microchipping their pets increases the chance of reuniting with owners.
Additionally, the American Veterinary Medical Association encourages owners to take current photos of their pets and ensure that they have identi cation tags with up to date information in the instance they do run away.
e loud noises can also cause both dogs and cats to have anxiety, however, cats tend to hide better when frightened. is is why it’s important to keep them in an interior room, preferably with no windows, to give them a space where they can feel comfortable.
Turning on soft music and giving them a chew toy to help them keep busy is also recommended. ere are anti-anxiety medica-
tions available, however, it’s important to speak with your pets primary veterinarian about the possibility of medications. If medication is not available or a possibility, another way to help keep your pets calm are anti-anxiety vests and shirts. ese can be purchased at places like PetSmart and Amazon.
“ ey feel like that secure hug makes them feel a little bit more comfortable,” said Santos.
Other safety concerns to consider
• If putting sunscreen on your dog, there are pet friendly sunscreen options as well as insect repellent. Do not apply ordinary sunscreen or insect repellent on your pets as they contain harmful chemicals.
• When cooking – inside or outside – keep the matches and lighter uid out of reach. ese could cause physical injury but also lead to respiratory issues.
• Citronella candles and insect coils should also be kept out of reach.
• Avoid putting glow sticks on pets.
Veterinarians encourage pet owners to create a safe space for their pets on the Fourth of July to help keep them safe and calm during fireworks.
PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD
Is a sandwich battle royale coming to the Arvada Marketplace?
In-N-Out, but that a formal plan has not been submitted yet.
Smetana said an approved tra c mitigation plan would be needed before the store can host its grand opening.
BY
Some big players in the sandwich game are getting ready to open up shop in the Arvada Marketplace at 52nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard, as California burger chain In-N-Out Burger moves closer to its opening day and Colorado-based sub shop Snarf’s Sandwiches has submitted a business license to the city and is moving into the former Newk’s Eatery. ough no o cial opening date for In-N-Out has been set, the burger spot is now hiring for its Arvada location. Arvada’s Manager of City Planning and Development Rob Smetana said that the city’s tra c team has discussed an informal tra c mitigation plan with
Tra c from the In-N-Out has been a major concern since the Arvada location was announced, as the intersection of 52nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard is the second-busiest in the state, according to Arvada Planning Commission Chair Michael Gri th and CDOT data. e intersection lies just north of the I-70 and I-76 interchange.
“CDOT will want insurance that the queue of vehicles for this restaurant during grand opening and through regular service will not back cars onto Wadsworth Blvd,” Steve Loe er, a permits unit supervisor with CDOT said in an email to project stakeholders. Loefer also asked for “insurance” (sic) that the queuing for the restaurant would not back up onto Wadsworth.
In the same shopping center, Snarf’s
is set to open its second Arvada location (though its rst, located at 88th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard, technically has a Westminster address, despite being listed by the sub shop as being in Arvada) at 7450 West 52nd Avenue #110, which used to be a Newk’s Eatery until that establishment closed recently.
Executive Director of the Arvada Economic Development Association Iza Petrykowska said the city has received a business license from Snarf’s, and Snarf’s spokesperson Helen Wood said that although the opening date is not set in stone, the restaurant is eyeing early July.
“Arvada is an area that continues to grow,” Wood said. “It has a great mix of both commercial and residential properties which creates a perfect environment for us. We’re excited to serve up some hot toasted sandwiches to our new neighbors!”
e Snarf’s at 52nd and Wadsworth will be the 40th location for the sub shop, which was founded in Boulder.
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Site plans for the Arvada In-N-Out Burger location.
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Je erson Center opens youth recovery facility
BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Je erson Center recently opened the doors of its Youth Residential Recovery Program. e center is a self-contained center located within one of the Je erson Center’s inpatient facilities and is only available by referral to a limited number of patients.
e program is the rst in Colorado to o er both mental health and substance abuse care to youth in a residential capacity, according to Andrea Turk, director of recovery services at the Je erson Center and program manager for the Youth Residential Recovery Program.
Turk worked for the state probation o ce before taking on the role of pulling together the new youth program.
“ ere is currently, across the state, not another facility like us that serves youth,” Turk said. Before this program, Turk said nonpro t agencies and children’s homes served youth who needed substance use care.
“Back in the day, when I worked in probation like 20 years ago … we had other agencies where they served adolescents who struggled with substance use, and those agencies no longer provided that level of care throughout the years,” Turk said.
Turk said the reason for the decrease in services for youth substance use care included the in-
creased cost of housing and treating the youth. “It’s an incredibly expensive type of treatment. Any type of residential treatment facility actually can have a fairly high cost. It’s also an extremely challenging population to engage in treatment.”
She explained that although the need is very high, the cost and needs of the population were higher.
According to Turk, the state recently came in December 2023 with “Medically Monitored Inpatient Withdrawal Management (ASAM Level 3.7-WM) Services” legislation. Turk said the legislation started the process for building the youth residential recovery program.
“It began with legislation, as the state allocated funds for the expensive facility,” Turk recalled. e bill led to the program.
Turk credited Gov. Jared Polis and his o ce, Signal, Colorado Behavioral Health Administration and others. According to Turk, Signal oversees the nancials for the program and more.
“You have the involvement of Signal, which currently oversees the substance use dollars for any agency that provides substance use treatment,” Turk said.
e Youth Residential Recovery Program is an ACM 3.5-level facility, Turk said.
“We don’t accept those youth who have really signi cant medical issues. at distinguishes us from a 3.7 (level facility) so it truly is an inpatient for substance use.”
e Je erson Center Youth Residential Recovery Program is trauma-informed. According to Turk, this is an important component of the program.
Turk said the trauma-informed approach to the program is “coming at the issues from a very human perspective, recognizing that each individual that comes onto the unit all have a background. ey all have a story. Most, if not all, are going to have some type of trauma background.”
Turk explained the approach is applied in a few ways.
“We’re setting healthy boundaries,” Turk said. “We’re still holding them accountable to their behaviors, but when they’re on the unit, we’re providing an environment for them that helps them feel safe, that helps them feel human.
“A lot of kids are coming to us after they’ve gone through withdrawal. ey’re experiencing sobriety, maybe for the rst time. So, they are learning in a safe environment,” Turk continued. “We are helping teach them other ways to cope so that when they leave the facility, they don’t automatically go back to the substance use. ey’re leaving with skills to do other things other than what they know, which is using fentanyl or using meth or alcohol or whatever it might be.”
Turk and her sta work with the patients’ families and other outpatient services to ensure that the patients recover successfully once
The Youth Residential Recovery Program was made possible through legislation passed by the state. That legislation was created after the death of 17-year-old Andy Campos-Padilla in February 2022. COURTESY THE JEFFERSON CENTER
they leave the program. e center needs sta in order to open more beds. Turk said the program currently accommodates ve patients. us the program is actively recruiting sta .
To get help for someone, apply for a position or for more information on the Je erson Center Youth Residential Recovery Program, go to JCMH.org.
Six LGBTQ+ Pride flags stolen in Arvada; police search for culprit
“We would do the same for the American flag if that many had been stolen,” an Arvada Police spokesperson said
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Six Pride ags have been stolen from residences across Arvada, and Arvada Police have announced the department is searching for the culprit. June is Pride Month, an annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. e theft of Pride ags began on June 6, according to APD Spokesperson Dave Snelling,
who said that two residences have had their ags taken twice. Snelling said police believe the suspects are younger males driving a newer, gray sedan.
In some cases, derogatory slurs have been uttered while the ag theft was in progress, APD Spokesperson Chase Amos told CPR. e thefts are being investigated as bias-related crimes, Amos told the news outlet.
When Arvada Police posted
about the ag thefts on social media — a practice the department employs often with highpro le crimes to gather tips — the department received a “tremendous amount of negative commentary” from community members, Snelling said.
“Nah, rip ‘em (sic) all down. We’re beyond sick of it,” one commenter on X (formerly Twitter) wrote in response to APD’s post. “Find the guy and give him a medal. Let him do his job,” wrote another user.
Graphic showing security camera footage of suspect and suspect vehicle in Pride flag thefts.
SEE CULPRIT, P13
During our study of American Romantic and Transcendental literature, I would challenge my juniors to choose between two high-risk ventures: Either walk alone late at night down a dark alley in a rough part of town or through the wilds of Alaska, the home of grizzlies and wolves. at led to some raucous exchanges as they debated among themselves. During the followup, large-group debrie ng discussion, two outcomes struck me as particularly telling. e rst was how many spoke about going back and forth as they deciphered what their choice said about them. e second was the number that opted for which scenario.
Since then, I posed that challenge to numerous adults. Most landed where my sixteen- and seventeenyear-old students did: the dark alley.
Having a strong nature boy archetype, initially I found that surprising. But upon re ection, I realized there was a lesson to be learned from it: People, by and large, have a fear of nature.
As foreboding and forbidding a dark alley might be, it, nevertheless, symbolizes civilization, and within civilization — “where the peoples is,” as Del Jue de nes it in “Jeremiah Johnson” — lies safety. But therein lies the root of our national angst. Since we Homo sapiens enclosed
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Feeling awe-full
— barricaded — ourselves behind protective walls, we’ve become riskaverse in its pure sense. For many today, risk-taking involves nancial investments, highstakes gambling, and rush-hour tra c.
Other than occasional strolls through a park, rides along a bike path, or weekend jaunts out to the countryside, ofttimes clutching their wireless umbilical cord, Americans rarely if ever venture into their natural home. And when they do, they do it in a relatively risk-free manner. ough those outings can be bene cial and even crucial for one’s physical, mental and emotional health, they rarely put people in a place where they can experience something soul-ful lling. In a word, awe. Because it is in nature where a person experiences awe authentically. Where one becomes awe lled.
ink of a time when you experienced an awe- lled moment, one that made you gasp in wonder because of its power, magni cence, or grandeur. Describe it. Was it in or of a manmade structure or an interaction you had or witnessed? Or was it something beyond human cre-
ation?
I often think of the time when a friend and I were descending Wilson Peak in the San Juans and a erce storm rolled in. We were at about 13,000 feet when lightning started dancing not only above us but also below. Safety protocol called for me to crouch low to avoid being a target, but some soulful power kept me hiking down the trail. As I did, John Denver’s line in “Rocky Mountain High” about raining re in the sky sang in my mind. Far from freaking out, I was so captivated by what I was more than witnessing. I became, as Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, part and parcel of it. “Awful” is a strange word in that it seems to contradict itself. Rather than meaning full of awe, it means “not good” or “crappy,” or when used as an adverb, it can denote something positive as in, “She’s awfully good at soccer.” We also bandy “awe “around lightly when we say we’re in awe of something mundane. When used in those contexts, we trivialize the depth and power of the word. To remind ourselves of the true meaning of “awe,” it’s helpful to consider the word’s etymology.
Awe is a derivative of “ahe,” an Old English word, which was taken from the Old Norse “agi” that meant terror as well as deep reverence. at might seem like a double usage or meaning, but it’s not. Terror,
in this case, is not the kind of terror we generally think of, like an act of terrorism. Rather, it means being completely overwhelmed by an event, presence, or force so beyond human comprehension it causes a shift in consciousness. We’re moved beyond being super impressed into a higher dimension of awareness and profundity.
In the end, an authentic sense of awe is a spiritual experience. Of course, it’s not within most peoples’ ability or means to climb a mountain or sidestep behind a roaring waterfall. But transcendent moments can happen simply by re ecting on a rainbow, sitting on your porch during a hellacious thunderstorm, or, if brazen enough, chasing or getting chased by a tornado.
To become whole, it’s essential to encounter and touch the sublime from time to time. It not only reminds you of your fragility and vulnerability in the face of the power and mystery of nature and universe, its e ects can help you put the strife and tension of human a airs into perspective. Because feeling awefull reminds us that relative to nature we’re not invincible and as tough as we often delude ourselves into believing.
Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.
Help support completion of the Rocky Mountain Greenway e Westminster City Council is under pressure to back out of its commitments to the Rocky Mountain Greenway connections to the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. e Greenway will eventually link Denver with Rocky Mountain National Park.
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A “study session” of the City Council, scheduled for 6 p.m. July 15 in the Westminster City Hall, already has a panel of 6 anti-nuclear, anti-Refuge spokesmen. e groups they represent wish not only to block completion of the Greenway, but also to close the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge to the public. e session agen-
da, when available, will be at https:// www.westminsterco.gov/agendas. You can step up and express your support for the Greenway and the science behind Refuge safety. More a thttps://rocky atsneighbors.org/ events/list/, which includes links to a review of the what the anti-nuclear people will probably claim, rebuttal
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(quite easy), and some of the actual science about Refuge safety. If you are a Refuge user (and potential Greenway user) PLEASE ll out the brief survey athttps://forms. gle/v3QVw8jzEg73Afnf8. It is meant to represent people who actually live around and use the Refuge. David Wood, Arvada
should not be submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
JERRY FABYANIC Columnist
We all deserve the
luxury of aging a ordably
We’ve all seen the recent headlines: “Boomers aren’t moving” or “Empty nesters holding on to McMansions.” e cost of moving or owning a home is making it very di cult for everyone. Not making the headlines, however, is just how expensive it is to simply age in this country.
As we age, we want the resources, economic freedom and peace of mind to live where we feel most comfortable — whether that means at home or in our community. At least 77% of adults 50 and older want to age in a place where they are comfortable, according to AARP, yet 70% of older adults will need nancial and health care support to do so. In 2021, an all-time high of nearly 11.2 million older adults were “cost burdened,” meaning they spent more than 30% of their income on housing, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies.
GUEST
COLUMN
Colorado is the third most expensive state for home health care to support aging in place. Only 14% of single people over 75 can a ord a daily visit from a paid caregiver, and just 13% can a ord to move to assisted living, according to MarketWatch.
e median monthly cost of assisted living in the U.S. is $4,500 — while the average monthly social security check is just $1,700.
e evidence is clear — we need more a ordable support services and systems that allow all of us to maintain autonomy and connections to our community as we age. Speci cally, we need more a ordable housing or homelessness prevention programs, creative solutions for in-home wrap-around services, and policies that support caregiver or direct care workforce support and services.
OBITUARIES
In response to the barrage of negativity, Snelling maintained that the department would treat any similar inci-
Peter Kaldes
ankfully, our state and community have some real leaders working hard to make aging less expensive. Colorado is using federal funds to substantially raise base wages for thousands of direct care workers providing a range of services to older adults.
Locally, Bell Policy Center in Denver designed and conducted a cost study of Colorado’s direct care ecosystem for older adults that examined the economic conditions for older adults, their families, and paid and unpaid caregivers. is study identi ed state-level data gaps on direct care, as well as provided tools for advocates looking to make systems and policy changes to bene t older adults.
And Housing Resources of Western Colorado in Grand Junction addresses the housing shortage in Mesa County that is impacting young people and older adults by developing an intergenerational village that will provide homes for older adults at risk of homelessness and for youth transitioning out of the foster care system.
Creative collaborative solutions are what we all need to help make living here less expensive. But we should all do a better job of advocating for ourselves as we age so that future generations have the luxury of aging a ordably.
Peter Kaldes, Esq., is the president and CEO of Next50, a national foundation based in Denver. Learn more at next50foundation.org.
dents in the same manner.
“We would do the same for the American ag — or any other ag — if that many had been stolen in a oneblock area,” Snelling said.
Snelling said the department was still investigating the thefts as of June 18 but did not have any suspects at the time.
CONRAD
January 28, 1952 - May 30, 2024
William F Conrad transitioned to his heavenly home on May 30, 2024 in Aurora, CO. Born on Long Island, NY, he migrated with his family to Arvada, CO many years ago where he worked as an Operating Engineer under Local 138, and raised his two children, David and John with his wife Ellen.
He will be greatly missed. He is predeceased by his son, David Conrad, parents Lloyd and Lucille, as well as brother Robert Conrad and sister Sandra Hedbawny. He is survived by his wife Ellen Conrad, son John Conrad, granddaughter Gabriela Conrad, and sister Jacqueline Wilson.
William Frederick “Billy” Conrad
SUMMER SPLASH
Waters to chill in across the Denver metro area
BY HALEY LENA
Whether it’s dipping your toes in at the local pool or swimming at an open lake, a good way to beat the heat is getting in the water, and there are many water activities to choose from in the Denver metro area.
For some, summertime is a time to relax, but for others, it’s a time to be adventurous and create memories with family.
Here is a guide to some of the best places to swim in the metro area as well as enjoy fresh water.
The Splash at Fossil Trace
Enjoy the twists and turns of the water slides at e Splash Aquatic Park while taking in the green scenery of the Front Range.
“It de nitely has the more foothills-feel as opposed to the urban feel of Elitches or Water World,” said Betsy Sweet, aquatic supervisor for the city. “It’s less crowded.”
Across the park, guests have views of Lookout Mountain and Mount Zion, which is the mountain decorated with the “M” for the Colorado School of Mines.
As part of Golden’s Parks and Recreation Department, e
3051 Illinois St., Golden, Colorado 80401 | 303-277-8700 | splash@ cityofgolden.net | splashingolden. com/ | Park Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Sunday, Pool Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Splash goes beyond the standard recreational swimming pool. From those learning how to walk to the community’s seniors, the waterpark has amenities for all ages and swimming abilities.
“Not only is it fun for kids, but the adults in the world have fun as well,” Sweet said.
Popular among children is the leisure beach-entry pool that includes a large play structure, small water slides, spray fountains and “Tipper,” the 500-gallon dump bucket. But for the little ones who want to be in the water but aren’t con dent in swimming just yet, there is a gentle splash pad.
One of the most popular attractions for those 48 inches and taller are the two water slides, the green
body slide and the blue tube slide. If those under the height requirement want to ride the blue slide, they must ride with an adult. e park also has a 25-meter lap pool with eight lanes for the more experienced swimmers as well as an open swim area and diving boards.
With interactive structures around the park, Sweet said e Splash is home to the biggest sandbox in Je erson County, which also has dinosaur fossils to dig up.
Admission fees for Golden residents range from $8-11 based on age, $9-12 for Je erson County residents and $10-13 for non-residents.
SPLASH
Paradice Island Pool
5951 Monaco St., Commerce City, Colorado 80022 | 303-289-3769 | c3gov.com/paradice | facebook.com/ paradiceisland/ | Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Aug.11
Commerce City is a fast-growing and diverse community with over 1,000 businesses, a golf course and soccer complex, 25 miles of trials and a swimming pool.
Opened in 2015 on the east end of Pioneer Park, Paradice Island Pool was a rst-of-its-kind in Commerce City.
e park ranges from a toddler pool with interactive water features for young ones to a leisure pool to a lap pool for the more advanced swimmers. Guests can have a relaxing time on the lazy river or feel the adrenaline when going down one of three slides.
Other non-water features at the park include play structures, volleyball, shaded areas and cabanas for rent. It’s a place to gather with friends and family. Coolers, chairs, pop-up tents, party decorations and food are allowed, but not alcohol and glass.
Admission rates for residents with a valid city recreation play pass range from free to $4 based on age. For nonresidents who don’t have a play pass, the fee ranges from free to $10.
Adventure West
423 10th St. (rear), Golden, Colorado 80401 | 720-722-1645 | adventurewestco@gmail.com|adventurewestco. com/
2920 Brewery Lane, Littleton, Colorado, 80120
One of the most popular and thrilling activities in the City of Golden is Whitewater River Tubing on Clear Creek. Daily tube rentals are open every day and include commercialgrade river tubes with complimentary life jackets and helmets. Shoes, not ip- ops, are required.
Adventure West owner Beth Battilla said when the Golden location rst opens for the season, it’s for adults and strong swimmers only. It is then gradually opened to others as the ow rate drops.
“Golden is best for most people mid-to-late July onwards,” Battilla said. “Unless you are really comfortable swimming in swift water, then by all means, come earlier.”
Although online reservations aren’t required at this location, reservations guarantee a tube and speed up the check-in process. Battilla added that reservations are highly recommended on weekends as tubes tend to sell out.
ose under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
While the location in Golden is an “exciting” oat, Adventure West’s location in Littleton is more of a “mellow” and “picturesque” oat, and online reservations are required.
Here, guests can drift along the South Platte River for upwards of two hours and take in the sights of the Carson Nature Center.
Children must be ve years of age or older and parking is available at Breckenridge Brewery.
“( ey) are out tted with a commercial grade river tube, life jacket, given our tubing tips and a safety talk,” Battilla said.
Cherry Creek and Chatfield Reservoirs
4201 South Parker Road, Aurora, Colorado 80014 | 303.690.1166 | cpw. state.co.us
11500 N. Roxborough Park Road, Littleton, Colorado 80125 | 303.791.7275 | cpw.state.co.us
From swimming to jet skiing, local reservoirs o er a variety of water activities and programs.
Colorado is known for its mountain range, but there are sandy beaches families and friends can visit as well.
Cherry Creek Reservoir has a ropedo swimming area for people to cool o . It’s important to note that Colorado State Park swim beaches don’t have lifeguards on duty, so children must be supervised by an adult at all times.
In addition to sailboarding and boating, the reservoir also o ers a youth rowing program called Mile High Rowing Club and an adaptive sailing program called Community Sailing of Colorado.
Another sandy beach sits on the west side of the Chat eld Reservoir and is open from sunrise to sunset through Sept. 2. e beach is complete with showers, restrooms and picnic areas with small grills.
e reservoir is divided into multiple zones. One is the main body of the reservoir, known as the “Power Zone” and is for general boating, water skiing and sailing and moves in a counterclockwise direction.
ere are two large “No Wake
Zones” at the southwest and southeast ends of the reservoir, which are more ideal for shing and canoeing. Paddle Boarding is allowed in all bodies of water except for the swim area.
River Run Park
2101 W Oxford Ave., Englewood, CO, 80110 | endlesswaveco@gmail. com|endlesswaves.net/waves/riverrun-park/
It may not be a common sight in Colorado, but there are places to surf. River Run Park on the South Platte River is one of many and has been expanding over the years to allow transplanted surfers from the ocean to hit the waves.
“ e waves get sort of more powerful and more challenging to ride as you go upstream,” said Jacob Vos, a director of the Colorado River Sur ng Association.
e most beginner-friendly wave in the park is “Chiclets” while the other two waves, “Benihanas” and “Six” are more high-speed and dynamic as they have hydraulic plates that are in the river to help shape the waves and attune them to the ow of the river.
“ at adjustability doesn’t mean the waves work for all conditions all the time, but it certainly widens the range of ows,” Vos said.
Since river sur ng di ers from ocean sur ng, Vos stresses that ankle leashes can be deadly in an “insidious” way because the force of the river makes it challenging to reach the ankle to release the leash.
Other features in the park are conducive for whitewater kayaking and
tubing, but Vos encourages users to check the South Platte River Union water gauges — which show how much water is in the river — and recommends wearing a helmet.
If the gauges show 100 CFS cubic feet per square, it’s more mellow, Vos said, but when it gets up to 1,000 cubic feet per square, the water is more violent.
“If people are just oating or just hanging out, they can have rude surprises if they don’t pay attention to those ows,” Vos said.
Parking is available at the Broken Tree Golf Course, however, the gates close in the evening. Parking is also available on the west side of the river. If there are additional questions, like where to get equipment, the Colorado Rivers Facebook group serves as a message board for the river sur ng community.
Honorable mentions
• South Suburban Holly Pool, 6651 S. Krameria Way, Centennial, CO 80111
• Snorkeling lessons at Eastridge Recreation Center, 9568 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
• Rocky Mountain Beach, 3301 W 46th Ave., Denver, CO 80211
• Rocky Mountain Paddleboard at Big Soda Beach, 15600 Morrison Road, Lakewood, CO 80465
• Bow Mar Beach, 5395 Lakeshore Drive, Littleton, CO 80123
• Rueter-Hess Recreation, 9343 Double Angel Road, Parker, CO 80134
• e Bay Aquatic Park, 250 Spader Way, Broom eld, CO 80020
Tubers relax in the middle of Clear Creek. FILE PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
Je co departments working to update county’s major plans
Together Je co is a two-year plan that will end with a fresh take on zoning, wildfire management and coordination, transportation and land use
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Je erson County is planning for the future in a big way, updating ve plans at once in a process called Together Je co. e two-year project, which kicked o in October 2023, aims to re ect changing needs and
population shifts and simplify some county processes.
“Circumstances change over time, especially with land use,” said county planning supervisor Heather Gutherless. “Our population is growing; we get new developments in new places that may change the character of an area. With these new developments, we may need to look at our road network, but not just our road network, also bicycle, pedestrian and transit networks as well.
“We also have a changing demographics and an aging population. For that population, are there di erent housing types we need to be looking at? And we need to address issues like
the lack of a ordable housing in the county.”
Je erson County revamps its plans about every 10 years, and all of them were due for an update, Gutherless said. On top of that, the county was awarded American Rescue Plan Act funding to update its community wild re protection plan. It made sense to use that as a springboard for updating the others — including the comprehensive plan, transportation & mobility plan, and uni ed land use code, Gutherless said. It’s also creating the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Evacuation Annex, which will be added to the comp plan. at’s a lot of plans! What do they all mean? Here’s a snapshot: Community Wild re Protection Plan: Strategies for how to mitigate wild re and educational opportunities Comprehensive Plan: In uences
land uses and densities Transportation & Mobility Plan: Evaluates all types of connections between residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, employment and parks. Uni ed Land Use Code: Zoning –housing, commercial, downtowns Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Evacuation Annex: Outlines emergency procedures/coordination of key agencies
While the comp, transportation and land use plan apply only to unincorporated Je erson County, the wild re protection and evacuation plans are countywide.
e wild re protection plan, for example, is expanding its focus with this update to include large, open grasslands areas near housing developments. Having a plan for that
Thu 7/04
TV Star @ 7pm
Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
Gold Star @ 9pm
Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
Fri 7/05
Tania Elizabeth @ 7pm
Pushloop @ 9pm
The Black Box, 314 E 13th Ave, Denver
Sat 7/06
Eric Martinez Band @ 2pm
Cactus Jack's Saloon, 4651 County Hwy 73, Evergreen
Zenith @ 7pm / $20
Moon Room at Summit, Denver
JoFoKe: City Park Jazz 2024 @ 6pm
City Park Jazz, 1600 City Park Es‐planade, Denver
Mon 7/08
standards @ 7pm / $18
Moon Room at Summit, Denver
Wed 7/10
this broken beat @ 5pm
Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park (formerly Lakewood Heritage Center), 801 S Yarrow St, Lakewood
Brett Hendrix: The Stillery @ 6pm
The Stillery, 10633 Westminster Blvd #900, Westminster
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison
Wendy Clark Band, The Josh
Walker Band, Lauren Michaels, Josh Bierman
@ 7pm / $15
Mercury Cafe, Denver
Picture @ 8pm
Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver
Sun 7/07
Austin @ 5pm
Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver
Film On The Rocks: The Wizard of Oz @ 7pm
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
Ellen's Last Stand... Up @ 8pm / $65-$105 Paramount Theatre, Denver
Tue 7/09
rosecoloredworld @ 6pm
Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Den‐ver Standards @ 7pm
Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St, Denver
The Dangerous Summer @ 8pm
Bluebird Theatre, Denver
Raudiver @ 8pm
Squirm Gallery, 3553 Brighton Blvd, Denver
Haiti babii: Back 2 DA 9 @ 9pm
Your Mom's House, 608 E 13th Ave., Den‐ver
PLANS
kind of land is critical because re can spread quickly from grasslands to homes, a scenario that occurred during the 2021 Marshall Fire. “In the last 10 years, 40% of wild res in Je erson County were in the plains areas,” Gutherless said. “We feel we need to address those.”
While all the plans may have crossover, each addresses a speci c need. e evacuation annex isn’t speci c to wild re, but any hazard that could occur, including ooding or a hazardous material spill.
“For this, they’re looking at big-picture coordination,” she said. “How do all the agencies coordinate, how do we determine when to evacuate people, how to notify people. Meanwhile, our community wild re protection plan will identify roadways we need to prioritize for wild re mitigation work.
If there needs to be thinning along those roadways to make them safer in a wild re situation.”
County Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper said the process includes several recommendations from the Je erson County Wild re Risk Reduction Task Force, which has evolved into the Je co Wild re Commission. at includes rede ning the wildland urban interface.
“Updating the county’s wild re protection plan is a huge need, and that too came out of the task force,” she said. “And it’s so important that plan doesn’t work in isolation, that we have similar de nitions across those plans.” e work will also greatly simplify land use planning.
“Because the county is so diverse in geography and character, we have eight area plans,” Gutherless said, divided into speci c documents to cover Evergreen, the Conifer/285 corridor, the Central Mountains, South Plains and others. “We’re going to keep those area plans, but we want to
make the land use recommendations consistent across the county.”
Right now, the county has 144 unique land use categories. Working with a consultant hired for Together Je co, that’s been narrowed to 20, including categories like urban residential, light industrial, mountain rural, large lot suburban and open space. e end result won’t entail major land use changes.
“We’re just putting them into categories that are consistent across the county,” Gutherless said.
Je erson County isn’t doing this alone but with the help of hired consultants and attorneys that specialize in land use, transportation, regulations, engineering and infrastructure.
“It’s a big project and an incredible opportunity for the county to be doing all these plans at the same time,” Gutherless said. “We are getting people involved in plans they may not have been involved with before, and we’ll be able to make sure our policies are more consistent between the plans.”
Based on an initial round of community meetings, the county is drafting plans. Gutherless anticipates setting another round of meetings for draft feedback from late August to mid-September. e goal is to adopt all ve plans in December.
While community involvement has been strong so far, Dahlkemper urges more people to get involved in upcoming meetings.
“People might ask, what does this plan mean for me as an Evergreen or Conifer resident?” she said. “It means the Je erson County Commissioners are making land use decisions based on issues confronted by those foothills communities, like wild re risk, water availability, wildlife migration and more. We’re being thoughtful about land use in high wild re risk areas and nimble in reacting to the impact of climate change.”
To get a peek at the drafts and register for project updates, visit Together Je co at togetherje co.com.
REVERSE MORTGAGES MADE EASY
Sun Jr., a ‘psych mountain rock’ experience at the Mile High Hoedown
BY JO ANN M. COLTON
If you yearn to fly back to the sounds of yesteryear, you will love soaring to new heights with Boulder’s own Sun Jr, appearing at the MILE HIGH HOEDOWN later this month! The band’s sound is a blend of psychedelia, cosmic cowboy and Americana with indie-folk influences.
Friends Nod Norkus (drums), Jim Heekin (guitar/singer), Matt Kubis (banjo/singer), Jon Schimek (pedal steel guitar), and Jeremiah Streets (keys/ bass/organ) launched the band in 2013. They practiced in the evenings in Jim’s basement (“The Bottoms”), where they have become a “band of brothers.”
Sun Jr. hit the stage with a style all their own and immediately made an impression. From a spot on the “Gentleman of the Road” tour in Salida with Mumford & Sons, Dawes and the Flaming Lips in 2015, they’ve grinded their way into a stellar act that you cannot miss.
During the 2020 COVID pandemic, the band leaned heavily into long basement jams, taking notes from the likes of Pink Floyd and late ’60s bands that played for art’s sake. They branched into livestreaming to reach out to more folks and have continued to do so.
“In February 2024, (Heekin) posted a TikTok video of our song ‘Buttercorn’ from a live performance at Dharma Farm
— and it went viral,” Norkus said. “The post garnered 2.3 million views and about 40,000 new fans.”
The post was the mega break that has opened more doors to some of Colorado’s best venues and a “second media wave” of the post expanded their reach even farther, he said.
“We started receiving invitations to play in California, Texas, and points beyond the U.S.,” Norkus said.
The band’s current goal is
mostly to ignore national invites and build an ardent local fan base. To stay connected, they are partnering with Chris Wright of Violet Recording to capture their Colorado live shows to share more broadly. Wright will also engineer a series of in-studio live recordings, possibly capturing two albums from this dual recording process.
Visit sunjrband.com for the latest band information (recordings, play dates — and more)! Then, “go down” to the MILE HIGH HOEDOWN and enjoy Sun Jr.’s “Psych Mountain Rock” ex-
perience LIVE at the Stampede, 2431 S. Havana Street, in Aurora.
MILE HIGH HOEDOWN attendees can enjoy food truck food and beverages, learn new line dances with instructor/choreographer Laurie Burkardt, “creative cut” or screen print their own T-shirt with Ink & Drink, purchase a custom hat from hat shaper Parker Thomas, get a “flash” tattoo from Ace of MR. ACE Art & Tattoos; and visit Little People Face Painting for cool, but not permanent, body/ face/hair art — you’ll be sure to sparkle during Sun Jr.’s LIVE, never-to-be-duplicated hoedown performance!
Get the “low down” on the MILE HIGH HOEDOWN, which is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, June 29, by heading to coloradocommunitymedia.com/ mile-high-hoedown. And GET A MOVE ON, partners! We’re running a limited-time buy-oneget-one promotion. Entry ONLY tickets are $20/each ($25 at the door). Don’t miss out and BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY!
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RALSTON VALLEY PARENTS, SCHOOL OFFICIALS FACE OFF OVER HOCKEY COACH ALLEGATIONS
BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Several parents of players on Ralston Valley High School’s hockey team are calling for the ring of the head coach following allegations that he (and an assistant coach) perpetuated a toxic environment for players.
e allegations against Head Coach Nick Spinder and Assistant Coach Nick Kuhn include verbal abuse, favoritism, neglect for player safety and others at the Arvada school.
Colorado Amateur Hockey Association SafeSport and Arvada Hockey SafeSport has upheld some
allegations against the coaches in an investigation, though it is unclear which of the coaches was found to have engaged in improper conduct, and which allegations were sustained.
e local organizations determined that “by a preponderance of evidence, some allegations were founded.” e report the organization made available to parents did not indicate which of the allegations were upheld. e organization would not share more details with Colorado Community Media when asked.
e ndings contrast with those of administrators for Je co Public Schools, who conducted their own
investigation, nding no fault with the coaches or any toxic environment among the players.
“Parents uplifted concerns, and we obviously always take very seriously any feedback from our families,” said Kimberly Mahugh, the associate chief of communications and strategy at Je co Public Schools. “As the athletic director at Ralston Valley, as well as our executive director of athletics and activities, looked into people’s concerns, they could not nd anything that could preclude the coach from remaining in his role.”
e district declined to make Spinder or Kuhn available for an interview, but Spinder sent the following statement in an email to Colorado
Community Media.
“I am deeply disappointed some have resorted to take their baseless claims against me and the Ralston Valley hockey program to the media,” Spinder said in the email. “I fully and voluntarily cooperated with the investigation conducted by Mr. Pergola and Je co School System as well as Safesport and will let the ndings of that detailed e ort speak for itself.”
Ralston Valley Athletic Director Tony Pergola led the Je co Public Schools’ investigation into parents’ allegations. e result is that there will be no changes in team leadership.
FACE OFF
Pergola shared his ndings with parents in an email, as well as steps the school would take to improve the situation next season, such as mentorship for Spinder. However, parents question why such steps would be needed to improve the team if there are no issues.
Mahugh explained why the school district proposed the steps. “ ey did, however, feel like there were some learning opportunities for the younger coach, and the athletic director felt he could work with him on those pieces,” Mahugh said. “Our executive director of athletics and activities for the district o ered to meet with the parents toward the end of May, but the group of parents who have concerns … my understanding is that short of having him tell them they’d re the coach, they weren’t very interested in sitting down and having a meeting.” e situation has frustrated some parents of players on the hockey team. ey questioned the process and methodology of the school district’s investigation, calling it spotty. ey praised the local hockey investigation as more thorough but were disappointed they were denied more detailed ndings, said retired Je co Public Schools teacher and parent Beth Etter-Olsen.
“How can two investigations involving this coach with the same concerns around players’ physical, emotional and psychological well-being come to two drastically di erent outcomes?” asked EtterOlsen in an email.
Etter-Olsen is a parent of one of the players alleging misconduct by Spinder and is in one of three families that approached Colorado Community Media with concerns for the welfare of the team. e coaches and players not only play as a team in the public school system but also in a club system called the Colorado Prep Hockey League.
e former is overseen by the school district while the latter is overseen by local league o cials. ose separate, but overlapping, situations have left parents with concerns about the accountability of coaches during the club season.
SafeSport investigation
e high school team consists pri-
marily of Ralston Valley students, but also includes players from Arvada West, Golden, Evergreen and other high schools, and is overseen by the Colorado High School Activities Association.
Two families complained about Spinder in late January and early February. Weeks later, they got a response.
According to an email on April 26 from Larry Oletski, a member of the Colorado Amateur Hockey Association, “Arvada Hockey SafeSport and CAHA SafeSport have concluded their investigation into alleged behavior by Coach Nick Spinder and Assistant Coach Nick Kuhn. By a preponderance of the evidence, certain allegations presented of SafeSport violations are founded. is matter is closed and referred to CAHA Discipline for consideration of disciplinary action.”
e CAHA disciplinary committee consists of four members appointed by the vice president and approved by the executive committee. Parents await potential disciplinary action for the coaches, which could include suspensions, games missed or in extreme cases, banishment from USA Hockey and its a liates.
Oletski could not be reached for comment. According to cases submitted by Etter-Olsen and Ryan and Megan Gilhooly, the coach(es) are accused of breaking the following SafeSport rules:
• Emotional misconduct and bullying - verbal acts
• Emotional misconduct - acts that deny attention or support
• Harassment
• Misconduct - willful tolerance and retaliation
• Electronic communications policy
• Injury neglect and/or lack of seriousness in addressing injuries
• Practice issues that resulted in physical/emotional sickness
Etter-Olsen and the Gilhoolys claim this behavior resulted in physical and emotional damage to their children, who are former players on the team.
“ e detailed account provided in this report, along with the attached timeline of events, illustrates a pervasive culture of fear, humiliation and discrimination that has adversely a ected the players,” the Gilhoolys said in their report to local hockey o cials. “It is imperative that the allegations presented in this report be taken seriously,
and appropriate measures be implemented to address the reported misconduct, ensure the well-being of the players, and foster a positive and inclusive culture within the Ralston Valley varsity hockey program.”
Etter-Olsen said her son su ered a broken collarbone in a pre-camp drill directed by Spinder, and alleges that Spinder didn’t take the injury seriously, o er her son a ride home or tell the parents of the incident. Colorado Community Media sought to have Spinder respond to this speci c allegation, but he did not wish to comment.
Etter-Olsen also claims her son dealt with severe anxiety that resulted in physical symptoms that Spinder ignored during practice, like throwing up due to exhaustion. Eventually, her son wanted to quit hockey and was treated for intense anxiety by a therapist.
“Setting aside how I feel as a parent about the events that have trau-
matized my son, but as an educator of 36+ years (27.5 in Je co, 14 of those high school in a CHSAA activity) who advocates for children of all ages … I do not feel Mr. Spinder is the appropriate t for coaching teenagers and high school hockey,” said Etter-Olsen in an email to Pergola she also shared with Colorado Community Media. “It is of great concern [that] his interactions with players and the team is hurting the physical, mental and emotional well-being of teenagers in your high school and other high schools.”
Administration investigation
Je co administrators did not treat the Arvada Hockey SafeSport and CAHA SafeSport investigation as the nal word. Pergola conducted a separate investigation after multiple families met with him to raise their concerns about the hockey coaches.
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FACE OFF
“From speaking directly with players, they felt that the other players on this team treated each other with respect and held each other to a higher standard,” said Pergola in an email to parents. “When asked directly if there was a culture of bullying within the program, the answer was a consistent ‘No.’ is was echoed when athletes were asked the same question in regard to coach-player interactions. While I understand that you feel this is not consistent with information provided to you by others, it is the consistent answer provided through this process and by our student athletes.”
A group of concerned parents requested that the matter be taken to o cials in the school district to review Pergola’s investigation.
According to an email from Beth Elmgreen, the community superintendent for Standley Lake and Ralston Valley areas for the Je co school district, Pergola’s investigation checked out.
“Upon thorough review of the investigation conducted by Tony Pergola, Executive Director of Athletics Patrick Simpson and I found that the process adhered to our standard protocol for addressing athletic complaints. Our responsibility was to examine the information gathered during the investigation and ensure the integrity of the process, which we found to be maintained throughout,” Elmgreen said in the email.
Elmgreen proposed several steps the district would take to improve
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next season. ese are the same steps Pergola proposed when wrapping up his investigation.
ese included Spinder undergoing mentorship from a veteran hockey coach “to support his ongoing development” and more time “dedicated to working within the systems book during practices and lm sessions to enhance player understanding and execution.”
Other recommendations included making locker rooms an area to foster a “sense of unity” among players, reducing rosters so that players are more likely to get game time and promoting junior varsity players to align with standard practices. It also cited creating a stronger di erence between CHSAA and CPHL seasons, including di erent tryouts for each team.
But several parents don’t think such recommendations are enough.
Parent Mike McGlone felt that the response was inadequate.
“I am extremely disappointed that Ms. Elmgreen and Mr. Simpson felt they could adequately assess Ralston Valley’s investigation without seeking further information from the families who observed both investigations,” McGlone said.
CPHL/CHSAA oversight
Another point of frustration for parents is the confusing overlaps in hockey between the high school system and the Colorado Prep Hockey League. e parents expressed concerns about the oversight protocols for the CPHL season, which is a club-level organization many of the students participate in to gear up for the CHSAA (regular high school hockey) season.
e CPHL season runs from August to November, whereas the CHSAA league season runs from November through February or March.
In the case of Ralston Valley, that means that hockey players – and coaches – pass from club season to high school season almost seamlessly, though oversight and accolade structures di er.
Parents feel there is a void in accountability in that structure when there are issues or claims against coaches.
oversight over the same coaches at CPHL activities. But, if something occurs during the CPHL season, CAHA has a disciplinary committee to deal with reported issues.
Ralph Bammert is a USA Hockey risk manager, vice president of high schools for the CAHA and president of the CPHL.
“ e way we work it is the high school coaches for the CHSAA teams, it (the CPHL) is kind of their (the high school coach’s) program,” Bammert said. “Either they run it or their designee runs it. Occasionally, their assistant coach runs it or something to that e ect, but it is under the purview of the CHSAA coach.”
On the other hand, he added, USA Hockey has programs in place for oversight.
“ e Colorado Amateur Hockey Association has a disciplinary committee,” Bammert said.
But just because CHSAA athletic directors don’t have oversight over CPHL seasons, it doesn’t make those coaches or teams “wild cards,” according to Bammert.
As a USA Hockey registrar, Bammert said the organization registers approximately 30 teams up and down the Front Range. He said he used to register Ralston Valley’s club team until “they decided to go their own route.” If teams have issues, they can bring them to the association that registered them.
“At one point, I did register Ralston Valley’s team. Nick (Spinder) was the coach. I did not have any problems with Nick,” Bammert said. “I’ve not noticed anything that, as a parent, I would have been upset about. Now, again, I’m not in that locker room. I don’t know what he says to his players, I am just not in that proximity to Nick that I could comment. When I registered Nick with the club I’m involved with, we did not have any complaints against him.”
But is it true the CPHL coach runs the team without oversight, and if so, is that a problem?
guys are all hired, they deal regularly with their athletic directors and most of these coaches run their club like it’s the CHSAA season. A lot of this is policed by itself. CAHA does have a discipline committee. I serve on that committee, and to be honest with you, the CPHL has fewer issues than a lot of these other programs or leagues do.”
What’s next?
Colorado Community Media reached out to Pergola about his investigation to try to speak with him. He was not able to be reached for comment. Instead, we talked through the case with Mahugh.
“In terms of (Arvada Hockey SafeSport and CAHA SafeSport), we don’t have any context or details around that because it doesn’t involve the schools,” Mahugh said. “(Simpson, Je co’s executive director of athletics and activities) had reached out to his contacts at (Arvada Hockey SafeSport and CAHA SafeSport) to understand if there were any open or pending issues with Je co Public Schools or any of our schools, and (Arvada Hockey SafeSport and CAHA SafeSport) said ‘No’ and they didn’t have anything to share with us. So, that’s all we know on our end.” e concerned parents await potential disciplinary action for the coaches by the CAHA disciplinary committee, and say they won’t let their children play on a team Spinder is coaching.
But per CHSAA rules, players must play for the designated school in their area and can not play for a di erent program.
“When coaching issues occur (in the CPHL), it’s up to the coach to discipline himself,” Gilhooly said.
So, public school athletic directors have oversight of coaches for CHSAA events but don’t have
“We’ve had coaches let go for behavior outside the season,” he said. “I don’t know who makes those decisions for Je erson County Public Schools. But let’s face it: if something’s going on, it doesn’t stop on November 1, when CHSAA starts. at’s just a copout in my mind … So do I think it’s an issue? Not really, no, because this is the rst time this has come up in 15 years. ese
“I would like to request that from the top, Je co Schools do an independent and neutral investigation, with more than one Je co representative investigating before the end of the school year, all students that were on the Ralston Valley varsity ice hockey team, including my son who started out on the varsity team,” Etter-Olsen said. “ eir experiences over the last one-to-two years need to be heard and taken into serious, non-biased consideration, along with the ndings of (Arvada Hockey SafeSport and CAHA SafeSport) with con rmed violations before a de nite response is given publicly to all players and families on who will be the head varsity hockey coach at Ralston Valley High School, and how all of the hockey teams will be moving forward next year.”
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‘Man up’ can lead to man down
Growing up, independence and self-su ciency were always synonymous with masculinity for me. e idea that I could do it on my own, that I would be “less than” if I asked for a helping hand, was an ideal I not only believed in, but strived to live up to. I asked for as little help as possible. Facing the di cult task of processing my emotions as I entered adolescence, I was overwhelmed and underequipped. Seeking support never crossed my mind. e more pain I endured, the more resolute I became to conquer it on my own. I found a magic solution — the illusion of control via drugs and alcohol.
e immediate oblivion brought on by substances allowed me to trick myself into believing I had taken control. However, the escape I found in substances lessened over time, leaving me without the relief I so desperately needed. For years my stubborn worship of self-su ciency kept me in the living hell of addiction. When I was nally beaten down enough to ask for help, I was morti ed, disgusted by my weakness, and convinced of my failure as a man.
is is the unfortunate reality for many men grappling with addiction. “Man up” far too frequently becomes the mantra for many tragic stories of demise into alcoholic in-
GUEST COLUMN
sanity and death. at story nearly became my reality. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, mental illness is less prevalent in men than women, but it often goes untreated in men. Men are two to three times more likely to misuse drugs than women, and according to Mental Health America, men die by suicide at a rate four times higher than women.
To become a healthy man, I had to learn to accept that I needed help, and then practice asking for it. e rst time was excruciating, then it became less so over time. It’s become the foundation on which my recovery from addiction has been built, the gateway to nding a level of peace and serenity I never thought possible. I’m thankful for the opportunity to become an example to other men and help lift the stigma around asking for help. is is a process. Six years into my recovery I still have di culty asking for help and fall into old patterns of arrogance and independence. e more I ask for help, the easier it is to keep asking. Practicing reaching out for small pieces of advice on a
regular basis helps me seek support when I’m dealing with a deeper and heavier problem. Building relationships over time makes me feel safe and comfortable.
ankfully, we live in a di erent world than I experienced in my childhood, where I learned to worship the false belief of self-su cient masculinity through our culture. I now embrace masculinity and femininity not as opposing forces, but as two sides of the same coin of humanity. While change continues in our culture, there is still a long way to go. Awareness still needs to be raised. Recovery stories such as mine need to be heard.
One way I strive to do this is through Colorado’s Recovery Cards Project (recoverycardsproject.com).
I had the privilege of designing two greeting cards that can be sent to loved ones struggling in the early stages of recovery. rough this pro-
gram, I have shared my story and helped others open up about theirs. e free cards are an easy and accessible way for friends and family to show support and encourage our loved ones on a path to vulnerability and recovery.
June is Men’s Health Month, an opportunity to continue these discussions. It’s not a responsibility to be passed onto others or to place the burden of change at men’s feet. It’s a collective e ort we can all take part in, to love and support each other so that we may feel safe and comfortable reaching out for help.
A Colorado professional artist, David Swartz works with various water-based paints to create bright and energetic artwork with a humorous twist. He believes connection enriches the world and creates a sense of unity and compassion throughout humanity.
