Fox shot by bow and arrow in Arvada in stable condition after surgery
Rocky Mountain Wildlife Alliance shares tips for how to peacefully coexist with foxes
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A young red fox is on the mend after she was shot near Quay Court in Arvada by someone with a bow and arrow. e culprit of the shooting has not been identi ed yet, but Arvada Animal Management is investigating the incident.
e red fox was shot on June 19 and was found by a Good Samaritan shortly afterward. She was found with an arrow that penetrated through her left shoulder and exited out of the right side of her neck.
She was transported to the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Alliance, which performed a successful surgery to remove the arrow from the fox.
Emily Davenport, a certi ed wildlife rehabilitator with the RMWA, said the initial surgery went well, and the organization is monitoring the fox to see what other steps will need to be taken to ensure her full recovery.
Red fox recovering after being shot with an arrow.
COURTESY ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE ALLIANCE
“We were able to remove the arrow with no issue,” Davenport said. “( e arrow) was pretty mobile in the wound channel so it was an easy procedure that day. Recovery is to be determined. e fox may need additional surgeries to close up that wound and keep it clean.
“For the rst couple of days, she was in a lot of pain, but now she’s much more mobile, she’s eating well, she’s taking meds well,” Davenport continued. “We are monitoring the wound for infections, anything like that.”
e fox does not have a name, Davenport said, “because she is a wild animal.” Instead, she is referred to as “442,” as all RMWA animals are referred to by the order they are taken in by the organization; the fox is the 442nd animal to come to the organization this year.
By law, the organization has to release the fox within 10 miles of where she was found, but Davenport said RMWA has asked for special permission to relocate the fox outside of that radius so that she is not targeted again.
“Injured mammals don’t travel far,” Davenport said. “Whoever did this is probably in that neighborhood or a few streets or houses away.”
Davenport added that the fox could stay with RMWA for as long as she needs to recover, which could be between one and six months.
Coexisting with foxes
Davenport also noted that folks should handle foxes — even, what she calls “problem foxes” that are consistent nuisances to livestock and pets — far di erently than the person who encountered this fox did.
“Whoever did this was either being cruel or was misguided in their attempt to manage wildlife in their neighborhood,” Davenport said. “We highly recommend coexisting with foxes. ere’s lots of things you can do to get a problem fox out of your neighborhood.”
Davenport gave the following tips to people who nd foxes in their neighborhood about how to cor-
rectly manage them:
• Keep cats indoors; keep an eye on dogs in the yard
• If you have repeated run-ins with a problem fox, keep ammoniasoaked rags in the yard, or have motion-sensing sprinklers on
• Keep a radio playing in your backyard so the noise detracts foxes
• Make sure you’re not giving chickens free range; keep them in at night
• Make sure chickens are in an enclosed area to protect from predators
“ e big message with this story is that we don’t have to kill wildlife; we can coexist with them,” Davenport said. “ ere are lots of options.”
The fox shortly after being found with an arrow through it. COURTESY ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE ALLIANCE
New England’s MLS Goes Its Own Way, Challenging DOJ Regarding NAR Settlement
On June 20, MLS Property Information Network (MLS PIN) informed its 44,600 New England subscribers that, effective immediately, they could submit listings with no offer of buyer agent compensation. That MLS field isn’t being removed, but will now designate the seller’s offer of compensation, not the broker’s
The article about this development in Inman news service got me thinking about the rationale behind the litigation against co-op commissions and the 1st Amendment implications of prohibiting the display of a seller’s offer of an incentive for other agents to bring a buyer for their listing.
But let’s rethink that concept. Now, the listing commission in the above scenario would be 2.8%, not 5.6%, and the listing agreement would specify that the seller offers 2.8% to the buyer’s agent who represents the buyer for his home. The MLS would then have a field for displaying the seller’s offer of compensation, not the listing broker’s offer. This is where freedom of speech comes into play.
The practice has, until now, been for the seller to agree to a listing commission which was high enough for the listing broker to share it with the agent who produced the buyer. For example, a listing commission might be 5.6%, specifying that 2.8% would be offered to a cooperating buyer’s agent.
Many, but not all, listing agents would insert in the contract a provision that the listing commission would be reduced by, say, 1%, if there was no buyer’s agent to compensate. This is our policy at Golden Real Estate — a win/ win policy, under which we earn more for handling both sides of the transaction, and the seller pays less overall.
Price Reduced on 5-BR Arvada Home Built for Entertaining
The price on the home at 6714 Field St. in Arvada’s Scenic Heights neighborhood, featured in last week’s column, has just been reduced to $840,000, which is under $190 per finished square foot. I’ll hold it open again this Saturday if it’s not already under contract by then. The home was built in 1985 by the seller himself. Take a narrated video tour at www.ArvadaHome.info, where you can also see floor plans and a drone video. The open house will be Saturday, 11am to 1pm
It would be stated in the listing agreement that sellers are free to offer zero compensation to brokers who produce the buyer for their home. Because offers of compensation by sellers would be published for buyers and their agents to see when searching for listings, sellers would be incentivized to offer such compensation. It’s okay for the seller to offer zero compensation, but if that results in few showings and no offers, the seller might change his mind later on. Listings suffer when the “days on market” number grows. I suspect most sellers will agree to offer something in order to increase showings and offers.
It has always made sense to me that agents for buyers be compensated by the sellers. The builders of new homes will continue to offer compensation to buyer agents, with or without that offer being displayed on the MLS, knowing that failure to do so would only drive buyers to their competitors. The failure of any home seller to do the same would have the same effect or driving away buyers.
Let’s remember who has the resources to pay agents representing buyers. Unless buyers are paying cash, they’re already hard pressed to come up with the down payment and the fees charged by their loan officers. Those fees, except for the appraisal, are simply added to the principal amount of the mortgage loan, so they’re not out of pocket for buyers, but you better believe
Coming: Inviting Townhome in North Golden
that a 4- or 5-figure agent compensation amount will be hard felt by buyers.
On the other hand, any compensation paid to a buyer’s agent by the seller is not paid upfront, but is taken from the seller’s proceeds, which makes it much less painful. But it needs to be a conscious decision of the seller to make that offer, just like any other incentive — for example, providing money to buy down the buyer’s interest rate. The shock of seeing the buyer’s agent’s commission on the seller’s settlement statement instead of the single commission payment to the listing agent is no doubt what triggered that class action lawsuits from sellers complaining, “Why am I paying my buyer’s broker?” With the decision to incentivize buyer agents being more conscious for sellers, that shock will not be as great.
The many class action lawsuits regarding co-op commissions have echoed the same assertion, alleging that the sharing of commissions between listing and buyer brokers inflates seller costs and is a conspiracy in restraint of trade, a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The change suggested in this column would, I think, invalidate that claim.
MLS PIN made the following points in its June 20th email to subscribers:
“Offers of compensation, if any, will be made by the seller. Listing brokers and cooperating brokers will no longer split commissions.
“Listing agreements must disclose that the seller is neither required to offer compensation nor required to accede to any cooperating broker’s request for compensation. The listing broker must disclose this to the seller before the seller signs the listing agreement.
“If a seller elects to offer compensation, the listing agreement must also say that the cooperating broker will be an intended thirdparty beneficiary of the agreement with the right to enforce the same.
“Before posting a listing, the listing broker must certify, in a checkbox designated for this purpose in Pinergy [the MLS app], that the listing broker has notified the seller of the seller’s rights not to offer compensation and not to accede to a cooperating broker’s request for compensation.”
Further Price Reduction on 2-BR Condo Listed by Jim Swanson
The condo at 5725 Atlantic Place #101 is in the Sunpointe condos of southeast Lakewood. Originally listed at $300,000, it’s now a steal at $249,000. The subdivision is west of Sheridan Blvd. and just south of Jewell. All furniture in the unit is included if the buyer wants it, otherwise it will be removed. Take a narrated video tour at www.LakewoodCondo,online, then call Jim Swanson at 303-929-2727 to set a showing.
Just Listed: 4-BR Home in North Arvada
$695,000
This 1967 brick ranch at 10840 W. 71st Pl. has a fully finished walk-out basement. Both the front and back yards are fenced and sprinklered. There are two bedrooms and one full bathroom and one 3/4 bathroom on the main floor and two more bedrooms sharing a 3/4 bath in the basement. With its own entrance and kitchenette, the basement could serve as a mother-in-law apartment. Both levels have wood-burning fireplaces. There’s a large covered deck on the main level and a sunroom which the seller uses as her dining room. With its ramped entrance, the main floor of this home is handicapped accessible. The kitchen was recently renovated. The location is a quiet subdivision that is nevertheless convenient to Old Towne Arvada, parks and bike paths, and the Apex Rec Center on 72nd Avenue. You can view a narrated video walk-through at www.GRElistings.com, then call Jim Smith at 303525-1851 to request a private showing.
Nestled in a cul-de-sac of the neighborly Canyon Point Villas community, this home at 533 High Point Drive provides its owner with relaxing views from every window of the foothills, including the famous "M" on Lookout Mountain. Its fullwidth cedar deck in back, shown here, is perfect for relaxing and entertaining. Relax inside, too, including the living room with its 20-foot cathedral windows. Enjoy the refinished hardwood floors throughout and new carpeting in the lower-level living area. The updated, contemporary kitchen with slab granite countertops includes cutouts to let in twice as much natural light. The brightly painted 2-car garage includes wall cabinets and other convenient storage. You will be able to view a narrated video tour next week at www.NorthGoldenHome.com, then come to our open house on Saturday, July 13th, 11 to 1. Or call 303-525-1851 for a private showing. $695,000
Jim Smith
Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851
Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com
KRAFT, 720-353-1922
AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071
KATHY JONKE, 303-990-7428
In-house Lender: WENDY RENEE, 303-868-1903
“Concentrate on giving and the getting will take care of itself.” —Anonymous
Loved ones of Johnny Hurley gather in Olde Town Square to commemorate third anniversary of his passing
June 21 marked three years since the shooting that claimed the lives of Hurley and APD O cer Gordon Beesley
BY RYLEE DUNN
On a somber occasion, family and friends of Johnny Hurley gathered in Olde Town Square to commemorate three years since his passing with music, speeches and community.
Hurley was killed in the June 21, 2021 Olde Town Arvada shooting that claimed his life and
the life of Arvada Police O cer Gordon Beesley after a lone gunman opened re from the town
Folks gathered in the square on June 21 this year to hear performances from two of Hurley’s favorite bands; the Copper Children and Andy Babb and the Big Beautiful Band. People shared memories and community as tributes to Hurley and Beesley were etched into the ground with chalk.
“We love to gather to celebrate,” Hurley’s friend and event organizer Brent Kaufman said. “I mean, it’s a sad thing, of course, but to celebrate Johnny’s life in the best way we can, you know, to just keep his name alive, kind of thing, honor him, because He gave his life to honor us. We’ll have some music, good fellowship, just a way for the community to come together.”
Friends, family members and others from the community wrote memorials of Hurley with chalk.
At 1:37 p.m. — the time at which the shooting took place — St. Anne’s Church rang its bells to commemorate the lives of Hurley and Beesley. Other artists besides the two bands shared songs, poems and speeches.
Kaufman said that although the circumstances of the gathering are certainly not ideal, the pull to honor his life is strong within his community.
“It’d be better if Johnny was able to tell his own story, but since he’s not, I think this is the least we can do,” Kaufman said. “I’d be remiss to not mention Johnny was exercising his right to protect everyone. We have a responsibility to share his story, because any one of us could be Johnny Hurley, and we all kind of are, you know, we’re all civilians. …It’s just a point that we’re able to keep in mind that learning how the community can come together and heal in a good way.”
Folks came together on June 21 to commemorate three years since the passing of Johnny Hurley in the 2021 Olde Town Arvada shooting. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRENT KAUFMAN
Hurley’s mother addresses the crowd.
Community Meeting on WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Proposed for 60th and McIntyre
Monday, July 8, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Storyline Church Sanctuary 14605 W 64th Ave, Arvada, CO
Please Come for Latest News And Action
• New - Efforts to Attain Compatible Development
• New - Regional Traffic Impacts and Road Damage
• New - Potential Legal Actions
• Community Discussion: What are your concerns and what would a compatible development look like to you?
If you live in northern JeffCo, Arvada, Candelas, or Golden, heavy trucks, delivery vehicles, and additional commuter traffic WILL IMPACT quality of life here!
• 300 Truck Trips/Day damage roads
• 144 semi-truck bays on site
• 24-hour operations
• 3 Warehouses, 44’ high, the size of JeffCo’s “Taj Mahal”
• No public hearings or community input
• Air, Noise, and Light Pollution
Hope House gears up for Early Learning Center’s grand opening
New childcare center will open on Aug. 15
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Just over four years after Hope House Colorado opened the doors of its Arvada headquarters, the nonpro t is set to open its 11,000 square foot Early Learning Center, which will provide childcare to 104 kids of Hope House moms and sta members when it reaches full capacity.
e Early Learning Center is set to have its grand opening on Aug. 15. e project saw a quick construction cycle. Although a groundbreaking ceremony was held last April, ground actually broke last June, and now the childcare center will open just over a year after construction began.
e facility cost $5.4 million — $1 million of which was provided by the Ackerman Trust after the trustee, Bill Ackerman passed away.
In its rst year, the Early Learning Center will have spots for 50 youngsters aged six weeks to Pre-K. After that, it will grow to its full capacity.
Hope House mothers — most of whom are teenage or young mothers — and Hope House sta members will be eligible to have their children enrolled in the daycare.
Lisa Steven, Hope House Colorado’s founder and executive director, said there is a massive shortage of childcare spots in Colorado.
“In the state of Colorado, we’re actually short 90,000 spots, according to EPIC (Executives Partnering in Childcare),” Steven said. “ e center will have spots for both our sta and the children of our teen moms. We’re really excited about being able to have spots for our sta because that’s so critical for hiring and retention.
“For our teen moms, this is super exciting for us, because we have so much trouble nding CCAP (Colorado Childcare Assistance Program) eligible spots,” Steven continued. “I mean, we are about 3,000 spots short in the city of Arvada. And it’s so, so hard to nd CCAP eligible spots because so many centers don’t take CCAP, and all of our moms are CCAP eligible.”
e two-story center will operate a summer camp starting in 2026 which will be available to kids from
kindergarten to age 12.
Since some of the kids who are likely to attend the Early Learning Center’s daycare need occupational therapy, behavioral therapy and physical therapy, the building will have two speci c spaces for early intervention.
“We have a therapy room and then also a large multi-purpose room where we can do occupational therapy, and it will also double as a large play area during summer months for the summer camp,” Steven said. “But it’s pretty unusual to have therapy spaces in an early learning center.
“We’ve also designed all the furnishings and or chosen all the fur-
niture, furnishings and playground equipment to work for kiddos who may have delays or need earlier intervention,” Steven continued.
Steven said the last step for the nonpro t is to nish hiring teachers. ere are 20 positions open for the 2024-2025 school year, 10 of which are lled.
She said she was thankful for the city’s place in the Arvada community throughout this project’s process.
“We just always try to say how blessed we feel and just how amazing it is to be a part of the community in Arvada,” Steven said. “Arvada is such a strong community and is so welcoming and encouraging of our nonpro t.”
Last year’s groundbreaking for Hope House’s Early Learning Center, which is set to open this August.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOPE HOUSE
This young construction worker may be one of the first attendees of the Early Learning Center.
Je co Commissioner candidates advance through primaries uncontested
Democrats, Republicans from Districts 1 and 2 will face o in November
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Few watching the Je erson County Commissioner primaries had to hold their breath, as Democrat and Republican candidates in Districts 1 and 2
advanced by virtue of having no challenger in the primary.
Election day in November will be a di erent story, as Democrat Rachel Zenzinger will face Republican Charlie Johnson in District 1, while Democrat Andy Kerr will face Republican Charlie Sturdivant in District 2. Primaries were held on June 25, while election day is set for Nov. 5.
Zenzinger and Johnson are vying to ll Tracy Kraft- arpe’s seat in District 1, while Kerr — who was originally elected in 2020 — Is hoping to earn a second term.
Prior to this race, Zenzinger was the Colorado State Senator for District 19, a role she is now term-limited from. Johnson is a longtime Je co resident and a former law enforcement ocer who is seeking his rst o ce as an elected o cial.
Kerr’s political career has seen him represent District 26 in the Colorado House of Representatives and District 22 in the Colorado State Senate prior to his term on the county commission. Sturdivant is seeking his rst elected o ce.
After the Colorado primaries, a look at the ballot’s journey through the Je co election processing system
BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e June 25 Colorado primaries are over and ballots are in the custody of Jefferson County election workers for the next steps. e ballots will go through an intricate process for the next three weeks before they are “certi ed.” At that point, the ballot’s job is over. e process in between is one that most county residents have yet to see. Here are 12 fun facts about what happens to the ballot after it’s dropped into the ballot box.
1. Bipartisan teams of election workers establish a chain of custody at the ballot drop box for those ballots until they reach the Election Center.
According to Sarah McAfee, the chief communications and engagement ocer for the Je erson County Clerk and Recorder, a bipartisan team of transport election judges collects the ballots at each drop box. is begins the chain of custody for the ballots, McAfee said. e box is unlocked, and the ballots are put into secure bags that are large and gray. e bags are also tagged and sealed with what McAfee called a “high-tech zip tie.” en, the ballots are transported to the center.
2. At the center, the first task is removing anything that is not a ballot from the bag. At the center, “they will break those
Bipartisan teams of election workers in the casting room are the first to open ballots. They remove the ballot from the envelope at this stage. The next stage is counting.
seals, open the bag, and the rst thing we have to do is remove everything that’s not a ballot,” McAfee said. She explained that in every election, things that are not ballots are dropped into the ballot box. “In addition to the things
lots for other counties, we also get children’s drawings, grocery lists, keys, and
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3. Hal is the most cutting-edge sorting machine in the state, according to McAfee.
“Hal” is the Je co Elections Center’s high-speed ballot sorting machine. e machine’s name comes from the lm “2001: A Space Odyssey.” “ is sorting machine can process 50,000 ballots an hour,” McAfee said. She described the process as sorting only. Every ballot goes through twice and is checked to ensure it has what’s needed to be an eligible ballot. No counting is done, and the ballots are sealed in their envelopes at this stage.
“On the rst pass, (the sorting machine) is going to take a picture of the signature that is on that envelope, and it’s going to scan the barcode, which is attached to your voter ID, and it’s going to attempt to make a match,” McAfee said.
McAfee said Hal will generate the rst noti cation to BallotTrax when this is done. e message that your ballot was received.
4. If the signature on the ballot does not match the one on file, the ballots are cured. If the voter does not cure their ballot, the voter’s name is sent to the District Attorney for further investigation.
If the signature on the ballot and the one on le for the voter do not match, the ballot is cured. is is a process by which a voter veri es their identity. When a voter fails to respond, another o cial steps in. “We will send your name to the district attorney for investigation because we have to assume that if you sign something and the signatures don’t match, that you
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might have been trying to do something,” McAfee explained. e DA will only investigate the names. e ballots stay at the ballot processing center.
McAfee wants to ensure voters 99.999% of the time, the DA nds that the voter has a reason for the signature match issue. “It is something like, ‘I didn’t see the letter.’ ‘ e results were already posted, so I didn’t think (the signature) was important.’
‘I didn’t understand,’ for whatever reason,” McAfee said. “Sometimes we get, ‘my spouse forgot to sign, so I signed for them,’ that kind of thing.” McAfee added that the last scenario is not legal.
5. There have been no cases of signature fraud in Je erson County in recent years.
“We have had no cases in the recent past of anyone actually attempting to do something signi cant, but we are always watching for it,” McAfee said.
6. A bipartisan team of election judges separates the ballots and their envelopes in the casting room.
“Some counties call it ballot removal. We call it casting,” McAfee said. “ is is where we’re going to pull the ballot out of the envelope. Another way of thinking about this is we’re going to separate the vote from the voter.” e “vote” is the ballot, and the “voter” is the envelope with the voter’s signature, ID, name and address.
“ ere’s nothing on the ballot to identify you,” McAfee said.
7. Food-stained, sticky, dog-chewed, co ee-stained, yellow marker-completed ballots go through “duplication.”
According to McAfee, such ballots will be pushed out of counting machines. Before those votes can go back through the counting machine successfully, the ballots must undergo “duplication.”
“ ose votes will still be counted, but they will not go through on this rst pass,” McAfee said. “ ey go through a process called duplication. is is where we’re going to duplicate those ballots again. A bipartisan team will do this so that they are on a clean ballot that can be counted with the rest of them.”
machine. It is solely for uploading results, not used for anything else in there, and those results go directly to the Secretary of State,” McAfee said.
“Also, we have to stop counting to be able to upload that batch of results,” added Je erson County Election Director Geneice Murphy. “And so especially with a big election, and we have a lot of ballots to get through. Having to stop (to update the count numbers) is going to slow things down signi cantly. So, here in Je co, we do it about every two hours.”
10. A risk-limiting audit requires the head of the Republican Party, the head of the Democrat Party, and the Clerk to compare ballot records with the record of how votes were counted.
After the count, the ballots are stored in speci c containers to await the risk-limiting audit.
“We’re going to audit the election after every election,” Amanda Gonzalez, Je erson County’s Clerk and Recorder explained. She said the process starts two weeks after election night.
“We invite the head of the Je erson County Republicans and the head of the Je erson County Democrats to come in and audit,” Gonzalez said.
McAfee said the Secretary of State sends a random list of ballots to pull.
“We will have all of these bins spread out,” McAfee said.
eyes and how they were voted on the voting record. And hopefully, they match.”
McAfee has yet to see an election where the audit did not match. When all Colorado counties report a successful audit, the next step occurs.
11. Je co’s elections require two of three signatures for certification.
“And the nal step in the process is called Canvas with two S’s,” explained Gonzalez. “ at is where we certify. Again, we bring in the heads of the political parties. ey’ll come in, and we’re going to go through every number that we have for this election.”
McAfee explained those numbers include statistics on number of ballots, the number of in-person voters, the number of empty ballots, swapped signatures between spouses, etc. “We’re going to sit down and go through those together, and if everything matches up and they feel good about it, then we ask the clerk and both party chairs to sign o ,” McAfee said. “You need two out of three (to sign o ) to certify.”
12. It takes three weeks to certify the election.
9. Only one computer is connected to the internet and its only connection is the Secretary of State’s o ce. That’s also why the results are not updated in real time.
“ ere is one internet-connected
“We have to go nd exactly the right bin and nd exactly the right ballot. And all of those ballots will get pulled. en, we will go through them with the party chairs to audit and compare how they appear to us with our
“We’re keeping all of those election records for 25 months, just like we’re keeping all of the camera and everything else at 7 p.m. on election night,” Gonzalez said.
Tours of the Je co Election Center are open to the public. For more information, go to VoteJe co.com. e general election is Nov. 5.
The Je erson County Election Center is the first stop for the ballots after they are transported from the drop boxes, U.S. mail and voting centers. The gray bags in the photo are used by election judges to transport ballots from ballot boxes. PHOTO BY JO DAVIS
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Preliminary report into Arvada plane crash released
The pilot radioed that he was having engine oil pressure problems shortly before colliding with a tree in an attempted emergency landing, according to the report
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board on the small plane that crashed into an Arvada front yard on June 7 has been released, con rming early eyewitness testimony that the plane collided with a nearby spruce tree before going down.
According to the report, the plane — a Beechcraft V35A airplane — was destroyed around 9:30 a.m. with one pilot and three passengers on board.
One of the passengers was identi ed as mother of three Melissa Brinkmann, who was pronounced dead on June 8 after succumbing to injuries incurred in the accident. Federal Aviation Administration registration logs show that the plane was registered to Tom Searls Sawyer, who was Brinkmann’s romantic partner, according to Facebook posts.
e other three people on board sustained major injuries, according to NTSB’s report.
e plane departed the Centenni-
7. e intended destination was the Northern Colorado Regional Airport in Fort Collins, but about 10 minutes into the ight, the pilot radioed that he was having engine oil pressure problems and wanted to divert to the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broom eld. While en route to that airport, the pilot attempted to force a landing on a residential street in Arvada.
Witnesses say the plane was seen ying very low and reported that the engine did “not sound normal” according to the report. White smoke was seen coming o the plane, according to reports.
Examination of the accident site show that the plane’s left wingtip made contact with a 30-foot-tall tree adjacent to the roadway. After colliding with the tree, the plane skidded down the roadway, landing gear up, before coming to a stop by crashing into a vehicle parked in the driveway of a house.
e plane then rested on the house’s front yard, where a post-impact re broke out and signi cantly destroyed most of the plane’s structures and components. e wreckage has been retained by the NTSB for further examination. A nal report is expected to come out in the next weeks or months.
The scene of the plane crash near Oberon and Carr on June 7. COURTESY OF ARVADA POLICE
‘Don’t get bit’:
Je co Public Health warns against West Nile Virus and Rabies after rabid bat found in Lakewood
BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A bat recently found in Lakewood tested positive for rabies, according to Je erson County Public Health.
Rachel Reichardt, a JCPH environmental health specialist, said West Nile Virus is also a concern. She reminds country residents that the best way to prevent both conditions is, “don’t get bit.”
“One of the most important things we can do to prevent the spread of disease is to not touch and keep distance from wildlife,” she said. “If you’ve been bitten by a stray or wild animal, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Contact your healthcare provider or local animal control right away.”
Fortunately, this bite is highly preventable, according to Reichardt. She also added that rabies is also extremely rare.
“Only a small percent of bats carry
it,” Reichardt said. She explained that rabies is rare in the U.S. due to domestic animal vaccines.
After humans are bitten, it takes the virus a little time to reach the brain and spinal cord. It is then fatal, and there is no cure.
“Rabies is extremely rare in the U.S., but it is deadly so we must take it seriously,” Reichardt said.
Reichardt said there hasn’t been a human rabies death in Je co, and that’s because of the post-bite vaccination series and other precautions. She added that preventing rabies also means preventing human bites in the following ways:
• Leash pets when out on trails, in open spaces and at parks where the pets can come in contact with wildlife.
• Stay away from wild animals. Injured and abandoned animals can carry rabies.
• Vaccinate pets.
• Call animal control to handle
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
AUCTION
any wild animals, including bats, in the home.
Reichardt said that the recently documented rabies case was from a bat found in a Kendrick Lake Neighborhood home. A family’s cat caught and killed the bat. e bat later tested positive for rabies.
“Before we got the tests back, the pet was given a rabies booster,” Reichardt said. “ e family had done a good job of keeping up with the pet’s vaccinations.”
She went on to say that the family was also immediately put on a medication series of pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis as well.
ese measures are taken each time a potential rabies case is suspected, Reichardt said. By the time the results of the infected animal’s tests are back, humans and pets are already being treated.
Killing bats is not a valid solution, according to Reichardt.
“Bats are mosquito mitigation in Je co,” she said.
Reichardt explained that when people see a bat ying toward their head, it’s going after the mosquitoes, not the humans.
Colorado needs the bats. In 2023, the state had the highest number of West Nile Virus cases in the country at 386 hospitalizations and 51 deaths, according to Reichardt. She said Je co saw 64 hospitalizations and four deaths in 2023.
“About 80% of West Nile Cases have no symptoms,” Reichardt said. “ ere is no way to know if it will cause symptoms or not.”
For this reason, she said everyone needs to avoid getting bit by mosquitoes. She suggested “the four D’s” for prevention:
1. Defense with a mosquito repellant. Reichardt said DEET is the most e ective but is not the only prevention method available. She also recommended lemon eucalyptus products and brands like Skin So Soft.
2. Dusk and dawn are the times when mosquitoes are most prevalent, Reichardt said. She recommended avoiding the outdoors at these times of the day.
3. Dress is loose clothing that covers the skin, Reichart said. “Mosquitos can bite through tight clothes, so we recommend loose- tting clothing,” she explained.
4. Drain any standing water around the home or treat it. Reichardt said ponds, rain barrels, lawn fountains and other areas of standing water can be treated with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. “Bti is for mosquito prevention. It is effective on mosquitos, fungus gnats and black ies. It can be found as a solid, often called Mosquito Dunks,” Reichardt said. is prevention method and more resources are on the Je erson County Public Health webpage.
Rachel Reichardt, an environmental health specialist for Je co Public Health, o ered tips to avoid encountering rabies and West Nile Virus after a bat recently tested positive for rabies in Lakewood.
DMNS Explores ‘The Power of Poison’
Ever since most of us were young, we’ve been exposed to stories that include poisoning of some kind — think about classics like Snow White and Greek mythology. And poisoning still features in murder mysteries and true crime sagas that enthrall adults.
e Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s newest exhibit, “ e Power of Poison,” explores the natural history of poisons, how and why they were developed by plants and animals, and the role poison has played in human society for centuries.
“ is is the second time we’ve hosted this exhibit. e rst was in 2015 and we heard from audiences that they loved it so much, we decided to bring it back,” said Jenna Chervin, program coordinator for DMNS. “What’s really cool about the exhibit is there’s so much to it, we couldn’t t it all last time. So, this time around, we’re able to include some new features.”
“ e Power of Poison,” organized by the American Museum of Natural History, will be on display at the museum, 2001 Colorado Blvd. in Denver, through January 5. Access to the exhibit is part of a general admission ticket to DMNS.
e exhibition takes a multi-faceted and multi-media approach to poison, beginning with which kinds of plants and animals developed toxicity and how they use it for protection. Guests will walk through the Colombian jungle as they learn about the poisonous creatures that inhabit the
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
In regards to Mr. Don Ytterberg’s editorial on America’s political divide e Rev. Reinhold Niebuhr had this comment in his work “An Interpretation of Christian Ethics” in 1935. is was a tough time throughout the world and leading to World War II.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
environment. From there, “ e Power of Poison” delves into mankind’s history with poisons, including stories from Greece and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” is portion also features real people who were connected to poison (like Egypt’s Cleopatra) and whether the stories about them are based in fact. ere is even a performance hosted every half hour that involves the true story of a dairy farmer and his family who died under mysterious circumstances in the 1830s.
e nal piece of the exhibit is focused on the bene ts of poison and the way science is harnessing these substances to make medicines and cure diseases. According to provided information, it uncovers how “scientists are studying poison’s e ects on human cells to protect, repair and heal our own bodies and improve our health.”
ere’s always been a sense of mystery and danger around poisons, but this fascinating exhibit peels back the layers to let visitors see how important these toxic substances are.
“ e exhibit is visually stunning. is one really is for everyone,” Chervin said. “Whether you want to read every panel or talk to volunteers and experience a show, there’s so
much to learn and so many ways to learn it.”
More information is available at www.dmns.org/visit/exhibitions/ the-power-of-poison/.
Hyland Hills Park Hosts Country Concert Under the Stars
For those looking for a more intimate outdoor musical performance, head out to Clear Creek Valley Park, 3700 W. 58th Place in Arvada, for Hyland Hills Parks & Recreation’s free Summer Concert Series. According to provided information, each concert features food trucks, beer and non-alcoholic beverages for sale, and face painting and balloon art for children.
e show at 7 p.m. on ursday, July 11 will see Ryan Chrys & e Rough Cuts take to the stage. e group is four-piece touring band that shares male and female leads in a mix of old school country and rock and roll.
Find details at www.hylandhills. org.
Take
an
Artistic Walk Down South Pearl Street
South Pearl Street, stretching from Buchtel to Jewell Avenues in Denver, is one of the city’s most delightful gems, and this summer it’s getting more fun with First Friday Art Walks, which will run through November.
e walk on Friday, July 5, goes from 5 to 8 p.m. and will feature about 50 local artists o ering live demos on
the sidewalks, as well as live music for visitors to enjoy. Many merchants will also be participating with extended hours and special events, like tarot card readings. ose looking for a bite or drink can participate in wine tastings and special menus at the street’s restaurants.
More information is available at https://www.southpearlstreet.com/ rst-friday/.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — The Summer Camp with Trucks Tour at Fiddler’s Green
You might not believe me if you weren’t around at the time, but Hootie & e Blow sh had heaters, man. e South Carolina group became a punchline for a while, but that’s what happens when you make songs like “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Time” and “Let Her Cry,” all of which are undeniable.
e group took a long time o , but they’re back with the Summer Camp with Trucks Tour, which is stopping at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. in Englewood, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10. ey’ll be joined by Collective Soul(another timeless favorite for yours truly) and Edwin McCain, making the event a true 90’s night of the highest order. It’ll be a blast. Get tickets at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.
“Since the anarchy of human life is something more than the anarchy of animal existence, it cannot be checked by the forces inherent in a rational culture. e vitality, and the resulting anarchy of human existence, is the vitality of children of God. Nothing short of the knowledge
of the true God will save them from the impiety of making themselves God and the cruelty of seeing their fellow men as devils because they are involved in the same pretension.”
Ladies and gentlemen, I present for your consideration the political parties of the United States of America.
I also enclose a portion of James Fenimore Cooper’s chapter “On Party” from his work “ e American Democrat” 1838: “Party, by feeding the passions and exciting personal interests, overshadows truth, justice, patriotism, and every other publick virtue,
completely reversing the order of a democracy, by putting unworthy motives in place of reason.”
John Hawkinson, Arvada
Dan Ytterberg’s piece on 6/20/2024
Mr. Ytterberg provides a long list of things he thinks Conservatives believe in. Conservatives, he says, believe in liberty, the ability to make one’s own choices with limited government interference, that they believe that core values must be maintained, they believe in adhering to the rule of law, and they want to x the immigration issue.
Today, Republicans are working tirelessly to stop people from marrying the spouse of their choice, deciding how big their families are, and what they want to read. Clarence omas’ opinions clearly show that gay marriage, inter-racial marriage and birth control have no more standing than Roe v. Wade. Republicans have taken women’s bodily autonomy. Moms for Liberty want to stop you from reading books they don’t approve of. is isn’t freedom to choose.
Clarke Reader
LETTERS
As to the rule of law, we see that Republicans are rallying behind a convicted felon who, if elected, says he’ll free the criminals who attacked our Capital on Jan. 6. When he was in o ce previously, he hired dozens of people who ended up confessing to crimes.
As to core Conservative values, I can’t believe I have to point this out, but the Republican candidate is an admitted sexual predator, has had multiple failed marriages, and a airs with porn stars.
All but four Republicans voted against a bipartisan immigration bill in February at the behest of Trump, solely because if it passed, Republicans would lose a campaign issue. Republicans have no desire to x immigration because if they do, they fear they will lose power.
If Mr. Ytterberg is correct when he lays out what Conservatives value, I can only wonder why there are so few Conservatives in the Republican Party.
Mr. Ytterberg ends his piece with a call to be wise when selecting our representatives. is is the one thing he said that I heartily concur with. Mr. Trump has said he wants to be a dictator from day one, and I recommend people read about Project 2025, his plan for his second term. But the rot isn’t just at the top — it’s through the entire Republican power structure. We have Lauren Boebert, who thinks
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:
• Email your letter to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.
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• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.
• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative in-
it’s okay to play grabby pants in the theatre and then lie about what she did. We have Richard Holtorf, who says abortion is wrong except when it’s for his mistress.
It looks to me like the biggest Conservative value is hypocrisy.
David Hill, Arvada
RE: plutonium found in filters along Indiana street
If ever I have had a chance to say “I told you so,” it is after reading your article about plutonium in the soil around Rocky Flats.
I and several other Arvada citizens tried to dissuade Arvada from building Candelas. We testi ed at City Council meetings, wrote letters, and showed results of soil samples from scientists involved in the superfund cleanup, which, by the way, President Bush stopped the cleanup prior to completion. e City and members of the council put money over the health of citizens and built Candelas. Now Arvada is planning even more development near that site! en they proceeded to open a wildlife refuge adjacent to Rocky Flats. Next was the highway to nowhere, which would have necessitated digging down several feet into contaminated soil to lay a roadbed. Broom led nally withdrew funding for that.
Next came the Greenway. Please leave the area around, near and over the former Rocky Flats weapons plant undisturbed. Try again in 10,000 years and it might be OK.
Kathleen Flynn, Arvada
formation about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.
• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.
• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) for letters at our discretion.
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BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With one simple swish of his bug net, University of Colorado entomologist Adrian Carper deftly caught three di erent species of bees that had been buzzing around the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Carper identi ed them to his tour group as an American bumblebee, a sweat bee and a leafcutter bee — just a few of the more than 1,000 species of bees native to the state.
“ ere are so many things that sometimes we don’t see at rst glance but are there,” he said.
As part of the Denver Botanic Gardens’ Big Day of Bugs, Carper and others shared their expertise on pollinators with hundreds of
visitors, celebrating the important role the bugs and birds play.
Colorado’s colorful biodiversity is in large part thanks to the thousands of species of pollinators, including bees, butter ies, hummingbirds, beetles and moths, that call it home. Worldwide, more than 80% of owering plants rely on pollinators and pollination is crucial for producing fruit and other foods.
Pollinators play such a crucial role in the environment that Colorado named June as pollinator month in an e ort to educate about them and raise awareness of the issues leading to population decline, including habitat loss, climate change and pesticides.
June also kicked o the prime time for pollinators, according to John Murgel, a horticulture and natural resources specialist for the Douglas County Colorado State University Extension O ce.
“If you were going to pick one time to look for pollinators and see a diversity, this is it,” Murgel said.
For those interested in helping build up pollinator populations, there are a number of ways to help.
Murgel said anyone with an outdoor space can help combat habitat loss by planting owers, shrubs or trees that have pollen or nectar, particularly native wild owers like the aptly named beebalm.
“One thing folks can consider do-
ing is build habitat back into their landscapes,” he said. “It’s an ‘if you build it, they will come’ model for pollinators. If you have oral resources, you’re going to see pollinators.”
Murgel said it’s ideal to try and plant a variety of owers and shrubs that ower throughout the year. He added that local CSU extension o ces can recommend speci c plants depending on the area and resources available.
Another local resource is the People and Pollinators Action Network, which also o ers grants to support building new habitats.
Colorado is home to more than 1,000 species of bees, as well as thousands of other pollinators, like butterflies, beetles, moths and hummingbirds.
PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD
POLLINATORS
In addition to owers, Murgel said an ideal pollinator habitat has access to soil, nesting sites, like rocks, mulch or sticks, and a water source. He also encouraged people to avoid weed fabric.
“ e more diverse habitat you can build, the more pollinators you stand to see and to help,” Murgel said.
Another big way to combat pollinator declines is to stop using pesticides, Murgel said.
In order to keep track of pollina-
tor populations, there are also volunteer networks that survey areas for di erent species. CSU extension o ces have the native bee watch program, which trains volunteers to identify species and then submit reports.
“You can do it in your yard or your local park, any place there are owers,” Murgel said. “ en you submit your observations so we can track how many native bees we’re seeing in habitat fragments.”
Similarly, the Butter y Pavillion, an invertebrate museum in Westminster, o ers the Colorado Butter-
y Monitoring Network to train volunteers to track butter y species.
A number of educational events also focus on pollinators, including the Big Day of Bugs and the Butter y Pavillion’s Pollinator Palooza. ornton residents Hailey, Shannon and Melissa Castillo, who took one of Carper’s bug tours, said they would be implementing several things they learned about at the Big Day of Bug in their new garden to support bees and hummingbirds.
“Now we know it’s not just about the owers, but also the environment,” Hailey Castillo said.
Hannah Craft, associate director of learning engagement and inter-
pretation with the Denver Botanic Gardens, said awareness and education is a key rst step to helping pollinators. She said surveys found that some visitors reduced their water consumption, planted di erent species or talked to a friend about conservation after learning about plants and pollinators.
“I think it’s exciting to move the needle on that and get people thinking,” Craft said. “ ings like climate change can seem really overwhelming but facilitating these conversations is a great place to start.”
Murgel agreed.
“For tiny creatures, tiny actions can be a really big deal,” he said.
Butterflies and moths fly freely inside the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster.
PHOTO BY KRISTEN FIORE
BOTTOM LEFT: Thornton residents Melissa Castillo, Shannon Castillo and Hailey Castillo examine a bumblebee caught in a tube.
Castillos
Arvada Crime briefs: missing children found, large fi ght leads to arrest, Walgreens robbed
Three children found day after they were reported missing
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
ree children — a 7-year-old, 10-year-old and 13-year-old — went missing from the Park Terrace Apartments but were found a day later, according to Arvada Police.
At around 2:45 p.m. on June 20, ofcers were dispatched to the apartment building after the children’s babysitter — who is a caregiver for a client who lives in the building — reported that they had vanished from the playground they were playing at.
When o cers arrived at the apartments, they searched the playground and surrounding area to no avail. APD requested that the Colorado Bureau of Investigations issue an endangered missing persons alert for the children.
e next morning, at around 8 a.m. June 21, APD received word that the children had been dropped
o at the Denver Police Department District 4 station by a grandparent.
e children were picked up by Arvada Police O cers and were found to be safe and in good health.
e children were later released to a guardian. Arvada Police is investigating the situation.
Large fight broken up; man with gun arrested
Around 30 people were involved in a large fracas near Miller Street and 64th Avenue at 9:45 p.m. on June 21Arvada Police received a tip about the ght and received a report that someone involved in the altercation was wielding a gun.
O cers responded on scene and began breaking up several ghts.
e suspect with a gun was identied and taken into custody — when his car was searched, o cers found three handguns, a short barrel assault ri e and high capacity magazines.
e suspect was jailed at Je erson County Jail on multiple charges including felony menacing, possession of an illegal weapon, possession of high-capacity magazines, resisting arrest, obstruction and disorderly conduct.
before the next power
Walgreens robbed e Walgreens located at 6395
Sheridan Bldv. was robbed by a woman who told the cashier she had a gun around 12:20 p.m. June 20. e woman demanded cash out of the register and ed on foot before o cers arrived on the scene.
Arvada and Westminster police searched for the suspect in the area but were unable to nd her. She was described as being a ve-foottall white female wearing all black — including a black face mask and hoodie. e case is still under investigation.
Arvada crime statistics from the week of June 17 to June 23.
COURTESY ARVADA POLICE
Thu 7/11
Whethan @ 8pm
Bluebird Theatre, Denver
Old Gods of Appalachia @ 8pm Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St, Boulder
Fri 7/12
Los Rieleros del Norte @ 7pm
National Western Complex, 4655 Hum‐boldt St, Denver
Braxton Keith
@ 8pm / $18
JoFoKe: Black Arts Festival 2024 @ 5pm
Colorado Black Arts Festival, City Park, Denver
Mon 7/15
Mark Oblinger: Evenings al Fresco Artist Series @ 4:30pm
Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St, Denver
Nicole Atkins @ 7:30pm
Grizzly Rose, Denver
Sat 7/13
Big Sky Mind: A Silent Guided Meditation Retreat in Evergreen @ 9am / $45
Sunday Worship 10:00AM “Find Connection…Discover Faith” All Are Welcome
Green Mountain Presbyterian Church
12900 W Alameda Pkwy Lakewood, CO 80228 303-985-8733 www.gmpc.net
BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Holly Arnold Kinney owns e Fort Restaurant and is the executive director of the Tesoro Cultural Center’s board. Today, the restaurant and cultural center are known as a hub for Western history and for preserving the art of Native American artisans through its annual Powwow and Indian Market.
According to Kinney, e Fort is a replica of the original Bent’s Fort, which was was an adobe castle on the plains in 1833. It was operational from 1833 to 1849, she said.
However, 62 years ago, the property was a spot of dirt with a marker and a story that intrigued Elizabeth “Bay” Arnold, Holly’s mother.
tory bu s. Her mother researched the property and learned about Bent’s Fort and its importance to the Indian, Spanish and settler communities.
According to Kinney, Bent’s Fort was only a marker in the dirt when her mother started researching it. Fortunately, the Daughters of the American Revolution had located the fort on the Santa Fe Trail. e DAR’s research aided the young Arnolds in discovering Bent’s Fort’s history.
“ en, my mother was doing research in the Denver Public Library and saw a drawing of a castle made of adobe called Bent’s Fort,” Kinney said. “She said to my dad, ‘Well, build me a castle, not just a home.’”
Kinney said Sam slept on the idea and then decided to do it.
According to Kinney, the couple intended to build a living history museum. eir goal was to teach Coloradans and other visitors about the space’s history.
Kinney said her father, Sam, was an advertising executive and a Yale graduate who had a successful early career. Bay, Kinney’s mom, was a young graphic designer from Georgia. e couple eloped and moved West.
Advertise Your Place of Worship
We meet in person with extraordinary live music on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month from 10:30a.m. to noon at: Activity Options, 7401 W. 59th Ave., Arvada, 80003.
All other Sunday meetings are on zoom from 10:30a.m. to noon.
Please phone: 720-576-9193, or email: livingwaterspiritualcommunity@gmail.com
Our website is: www.livingwaterunity.org
To advertise your place of worship in this section, call Erin at 303-566-4074 or email eaddenbrooke@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
“It’s serendipitous because my parents eloped, and they were married in Santa Fe in 1948,” Kinney said. “ ey fell in love with the culture, the Indian culture. My mother actually started dressing like a Navajo and put us children on her back in cradle boards.”
Kinney said the couple owned a toy store in Santa Fe.
“My mother, who had grown up on a farm, wanted to raise me and my brother in the country, away from the city, where there’s clean air and it’s healthier,” Kinney said. “ ey found this beautiful property and decided to build an adobe home on it.”
Kinney said her parents were his-
e couple used their own money for the project. Kinney said it took 10 months to build e Fort. at was due to the young couple’s insistence on using handmade adobe bricks made from the red rocks on the property.
Kinney said the architect was William Lumpkin.
“ ey hired a contractor from New Mexico to bring 27 workers up to make handmade adobe bricks right on the soil of our property,” Kinney said. “It was our red rock there, and just as they had done, sold for it in the 1830s down on the Arkansas River.”
According to Kinney, the “adobe castle” quickly became a money pit.
Pictured here is Sam Arnold, founder of The Fort Restaurant and father of current owner Holly Arnold Kinney. Arnold ran a successful advertising and marketing business before creating The Fort. He used those skills to grow the restaurant’s reputation over the years. COURTESY OF THE FORT
BIZBEAT
“It was very expensive because they had a lot of issues with the contractor and other things,” Kinney said. ey nished building but ran out of money. “ ey went to the Small Business Administration, and the SBA said, ‘Well, why don’t you put a viable business in the building like a restaurant, not just this extravagant home and museum you want to build.’”
Kinney said her parents took a minute to consider it. “My dad turned to my mother and said, ‘You can cook.’ She said, ‘No, you can cook.’ And so we moved upstairs to the second level and nished the building and recon gured the main level as a restaurant.”
ey searched the Denver Library and DAR les for information on the cuisine. ere was more than enough
asked, ‘What do they eat?’ Well, they ate bu alo, elk, quail and American Indian foods. So that became the basis of our cuisine.”
at’s how e Fort Restaurant was born.
e story does take a few more turns before the Tesoro Cultural Center is conceived. Kinney said Sam and Bay divorced in 1967.
“ ey had no restaurant experience,” Kinney said. “And, of course, it was hard because we were way outside of Denver at that time. It was an hour’s drive. e pressures of the restaurant business eventually caused them to get divorced.”
Bay moved away, but Sam stayed to run the place. He eventually remarried in 1972. Sam later tried to retire, Kinney said. He sold e Fort Restaurant to new management just in time for the economic downturn in the mid-1980s. Kinney said e Fort went into foreclosure.
information to get things started.
“And what do you serve in a rep-
lica of an 1830s fort?” Kinney asked. “ ey researched the diaries and
Colorado Community Media to Hold its First 5K Run
BY JO ANN M. COLTON
There is no better way to appreciate the beauty of Colorado than by witnessing all the sights and sounds of the great outdoors.
from walking and/or running along our state’s many wonderful paths and scenic nature trails.
Join Colorado Community Media as we host our first-ever 5K run on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Clement Park, 7306 W. Bowles Ave. in Littleton.
And, before the run, we want you to submit your own “Trail Tales,” including photos, to your local newspaper (events@coloradocommunitymedia. com). Tell us where you most enjoy going for a walk or a run in your commuor elsewhere in Colorado.
In turn, we will share many of those adventurous tales with the readers of our two dozen community newspapers in the weeks ahead of the run. About the 5k: It is scheduled to loop around Johnston Reservoir from 9:30 a.m. to noon. It will start and end on the bike path near Shelter P. The event is different from most 5k runs in many ways. For starters, the sole purpose of this event is to simply provide an opportunity for people across Colorado to come together, interact, and share their personal experiences gained
There are no prizes associated with the event and participants will not receive a “standard” T-shirt. Instead, registered participants will receive a pair of custom running socks. The Share Your Trail Tales 5k Run is open to people of all ages. Participants have the option of making it a fun-filled day for the entire family. Registration fees are $35 for adults (ages 17 & up), $15 (ages 5 to 16), and free for children (ages 4 and under ). Parking for run participants and event attendees is available in the west parking lot, which can be reached as you enter Clement Park through the Library entrance on W. Bowles Avenue.
Park is currently being firmed up to feature other activities throughout the day including food and beverage purchase options offered by local food trucks, vendor booths, and live music entertainment.
“Your support of this event as a race participant and/or as an attendee is paramount to the success of our first Share Your Trail Tales 5k Run and it will help us sustain our ability to support local news,” Scott said. “We encourage the engagement of our readers and future readers to be part of this and future events at Colorado Community Media.”
Colorado Community Media publications span eight counties along Colorado’s majestic Front Range — Weld, Adams, Jeffco, Clear Creek, Douglas, Elbert, Arapahoe and Denver. As a nonprofit organization, community is important to us and we are eager to reach out and meet members of the communities our news organization serves.
Carlie Scott, Colorado Community Media’s events director, stated that the program for the Aug. 24 run in Clement
Colorado Community Media could not put on events like this 5k run without the help of its dedicated supporters and sponsors. Sponsorship provides an ideal marketing prospect for your business and positive brand recognition. The organization offers many levels of sponsorship and opportunities for involvement. As a sponsor, you can be part of a fun community event that promotes health and wellness.
To register for the Share Your Trail Tales 5k please visit our website www.coloradocommunitymedia.com and click on EVENTS/CONTEST tab.
SEE BIZBEAT, P31
The Fort Restaurant has fed many celebrity guests, including presidents, prime ministers and world-renowned chefs like Julia Child (right), who is here with Sam Arnold (center).
COURTESY OF THE FORT RESTAURANT
SPORTS
22nd annual Slacker Half-Marathon in Clear Creek County draws more than 2,500 runners
The Slacker Half-Marathon from Loveland Ski Area to downtown Georgetown is the highest-elevation halfmarathon start in the U.S.
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e 22nd annual Slacker HalfMarathon drew more than 2,500 runners to the start line at Loveland Ski Area at 10,630 feet in elevation. Participants nished the race at City Park in Georgetown at 8,400 feet in elevation.
It’s no surprise organizers call it the Slacker Half-Marathon, because the entire run across dirt and paved roads is downhill.
“Runners can take as long as they want to nish… we’ll stay here until the ultimate Slackers, as we call them, come through,” Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District Special Events Director Jenn Jordan-Truesdale said.
City Park in Georgetown was packed with hundreds of runners and supporters on June 22. It’s the rst time in race history that the Slacker Half-Marathon ended at City Park instead of downtown, according to organizers.
Sam Laird and his mother Carmen traveled from Colorado Springs to Loveland for the race. Carmen said Sam had been training for the run for weeks with the goal of getting stronger and healthier.
“He’s very independent and… just wants to do things, he wants to keep busy, he wants to keep active and this was just a fun summer activity for him to do,” Laird said.
Sam described the run as “hard work but an awesome opportunity.”
Race sponsors CCRMD, Tom-
myknocker Brewery & Pub, Loveland Ski Area, Mighty Argo and Beau Jo’s, among many more, lled the park with food and drink for all.
Race volunteer Mark Reynolds was busy with his crew throughout the morning cooking and serving more than 1,500 free Nathan’s hotdogs and buns to a hungry crowd.
Clear Creek County emergency medical teams were also prevalent in the crowd, treating minor injuries.
“Minor orthopedic injuries, twisted ankles, sprains, cramping things of that nature, sometimes we’ll run into dehydration,” Clear Creek EMS Capitan Paul MacFarland said, listing some of the common medical needs at the Slacker Half-Marathon. “So we have a full complement of medical equipment here and then the ambulance right there in case we require a transport out of here.”
In addition to treating simple injuries, the county EMS was also teaching anyone who would listen about the latest in CPR and chest compression techniques, which MacFarland said have changed over time but can continue life until EMS arrives.
When asked when and if an individual should start chest compressions on a person suspected to be in cardiac arrest, MacFarland answered simply, “Start the hand compressions to the chest. If they look at you and say, ‘Stop,’ you stop.”
Finisher Kayla Cooley of Arvada said she loved the race, especially the slacker part.
“It’s all downhill which is really nice,” Cooley said. “It’s better than a 5k for sure, you just let the momentum carry you, it’s really nice.”
Cooley said she plans on returning to this very unique run in the mountains.
“ e scenery, hearing the trains, it’s just all such a beautiful race and the people are so nice,” she said. “Overall just a great race.”
Sam Laird and his mother Carmen traveled from Colorado Springs to Loveland for the Slacker Run June 22.
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“My father took e Fort back under foreclosure in 1986,” Kinney said. “ en, meanwhile, I started my own international public relations rm in 1981.”
Holly Kinney went on to follow in her father’s footsteps in marketing. Kinney said she opened her own rm and was successful. According to Kinney, Sam hired her to help promote e Fort, which led to international acclaim.
“ e big, amazing thing that happened in e Fort’s history 1997 was the summit of eight held in Denver with President Clinton and the world’s leaders,” Kinney said. “Boris Yeltsin from Russia, Ryutaro Hashimoto from Japan, Romano Prodi from Italy, Jacques Chirac from France and Tony Blair from England.” e other leaders were Canada Prime Minister Jean Chré-
NOMINATION
Ezeadi is also a small business owner and entrepreneur and started an investment company focused on acquiring alternative assets and
tien and Germany Prime Minister Helmut Kohl.
Not long after the summit of the eight, Kinney had to join her father to keep e Fort from falling into the hands of developers. Kinney said her husband, Jeremy, pushed for the partnership after Sam’s second wife, Carrie, got sick. At that time, Sam needed to sell to take care of Carrie.
“So I became his business partner and put money into it, and we and I started running it in and then I said, let’s get back to the original vision of the fort and bring our American Indian communities back because in the 60s, we had a lot of merit,” Kinney said. She took over in 1999.
Tesoro Cultural Center also opened in 1999. Kinney reconnected with the descendants of the original Bent’s Fort owners, William Bent and Owl Woman.
A year later, the Powwow and Indian Market were born.
“And I said, let’s create Tesoro Cultural Center,” Kinney explained.
investing in small businesses, according to his biography.
Ezeadi said he would have worked to restore e ective governance: collaboration, civility, and problem-solving if elected, according to his statement to Colorado Politics.
“ ey (voters) should choose
“We got a lawyer, and we created a nonpro t foundation. Indian friends of mine said, ‘You should create a high-end art show.’ And then another Indian friend said, ‘We should have a powwow.’ We had our rst Indian Market and Powwow in 2000. at became kind of our signature event.”
Sam Arnold came up with the name Tesoro.
“My father had that name because Tesoro is Spanish, meaning treasures,” Kinney said. “ ese are the treasures of our community that we want to promote and tell the public about. To have them come to our art market and meet these tesoros, these treasures.”
Sam Kinney said he was referring to the artists and artisans, powwow dancers and Indian history keepers who are now part of the Tesoro community.
Today, Sam Kinney and his rst love, Bay, are both buried on e Fort Restaurant property. Holly Kinney has been running the place
me to bring my working-class perspective to a government often detached from everyday struggles,” Ezeadi said. “With proven leadership in housing the poor, supporting seniors, and educating youth, plus extensive experience in housing healthcare, and technology, I am uniquely equipped to end gov-
First Publication: July 4, 2024
Last Publication: July 4, 2024
Publisher: Jeffco Transcript
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for 25 years and counting. Her husband, Jeremy, is chairman of the Tesoro Cultural Center board.
For more information and to make your reservation at e Fort and the Tesoro Cultural Center, visit eFort.com.
ernment dysfunction.”
Ezeadi said he also favors expanding reproductive rights, eliminating medical debt, lowering drug costs and expanding mental health care. He is a proponent of free community college and the funding of public schools and vocationaltechnical programs.
meeting of the Arvada City Council to be held on MONDAY, July 15, 2024, at 6:15 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 8101 Ralston Road, Arvada CO, City Council will hold a public hearing on the following proposed ordinances and thereafter will consider them for final passage and adoption. For the full text version in electronic form go to www.arvada.org/legal-notices, and click on Current and recent Legal Notices to access legal notices. The full text version is also available in printed form in the City Clerk’s office. Contact 720.898.7550 if you have questions. The full text version is
Within The City Of Arvada, Lot 1 And Lot 2, Block 2, Candelas Commercial Filing
Today, The Fort Restuarant is still an homage to Indian culture and William Bent’s original, which was built circa 1833. TRUBLU IMAGES
