A Chocolate A air set to make Olde Town Arvada return after snowy last running
Popular fundraising event for Ralston House eyes comeback after weather put a damper on last year’s festivities
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A year after harsh winter conditions made A Chocolate A air a chilly one, the event is set to return for a sweet — and hopefully warmer — running in February. is year’s event, set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until samples run out) Feb. 1, will see a host of businesses o er chocolate samples to folks in Olde Town for a good cause: the event supports the Ralston House, a local nonpro t that supports children and teenagers who are victims of abuse.
Each sample costs just $1, though Ralston House’s Development O cer Jennifer Kemps said she recommends folks purchase a 10-pack for $10 “to get a good variety.”
A Chocolate A air has been the nonpro t’s agship fundraiser for years, earning it an enthusiastic following. Longtime small business supporters of the event include Rheinlander Bakery, Enstrom Candies, School House Kitchen and Libations, Bread Winners and Carly’s Boutique — all of which have participated in the event for a decade and will be returning this year.
“Ralston House is so thankful to all the businesses in Olde Town Arvada that support this event year over year,” Kemps said. is year’s event will feature event staples, such as the Lamp Post Hearts, Cookie and Brownie Baking Contest and the usual chocolate samples, which rotate every year.
Kemps said the event is a great way to enjoy some sweet treats in Olde Town and support a good cause.
Arvada reaches $2 million settlement with family of pregnant woman killed by APD
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
ree-and-a-half years after a group of Arvada Police o cers mistook Destinee Derara- ompson for the suspect in a nearby robbery and shot at her eight times, the City of Arvada and the ompson family have settled a civil lawsuit that will see Arvada pay the ompsons $2 million.
Delara- ompson was killed on Aug. 17, 2021 outside the American Motel in Wheat Ridge.
e ompson family led a civil suit against the Arvada Police Department on Aug. 16, 2023, which named ve o cers involved in the shooting, including O cer Anthony Benallo, who shot at ompson eight times and was cleared of legal wrongdoing by First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King on April 22, 2022.
e settlement appears to have been reached on July 24, 2024, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by the Arvada Press. As per the settlement’s terms, the City of Arvada and the Arvada Police Department will not have to admit to any wrongdoing in the case.
“ e ( ompson) Estate acknowledges the City and all Released Parties deny any liability on their part and this Agreement and the settlement payment are not to be construed, in any way, as an admission of liability,” the settlement reads. “ e Estate acknowledges the City, its employees and all Released Parties strenuously and unequivocally deny any liability on their respective parts.”
e Arvada Police Department released a statement regarding the settlement, which states that it did not publicize the agreement because of “complexities” with the ompson estate.
“ is matter was settled some time ago, but due to complexities related to Ms. ompson’s estate, no media releases were made,” the APD statement reads. “District Attorney Alexis King’s o ce thoroughly reviewed this situation and determined that an Arvada police o cer justi ably used deadly force during this incident; her o ce also determined that no criminal charges should be led.
The popular Lamp Post Hearts tradition will fill Olde Town with
FESTIVITIES
“A Chocolate A air directly supports Ralston House’s work in providing a safe space for children to share their stories and receive the care they need,” Kemps said. “ e event also raises aware-
ness about child abuse prevention and the importance of community involvement in creating a safer future for all children.
“Whether you’re a chocolate enthusiast or a dedicated advocate for children, A Chocolate A air is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a delightful Saturday afternoon while making a meaningful impact,” Kemps continued. “Join us for a day of sweetness that changes lives.”
SETTLEMENT
“No one admitted liability in this matter,” the statement continued. “Since this matter has been settled, the City will have no further statements relating to this case.”
Delara- ompson was pregnant at the time of her death. She was a mother of two young children, both of whom are listed as the bene ciaries of the settlement
On Aug. 17, 2021, Arvada Police were looking for the suspect of an armed robbery at a Target on Kipling Street. e suspect was described as a “white or Hispanic (woman), wearing a black tank top and dark pants, with a tattoo on her chest,” according to the O cer Involved Shooting decision letter.
O cers believed that Delara- ompson matched this description and questioned her at the American Motel. Delara- ompson denied being the suspect and ran to her minivan, which was parked in the American Motel parking lot. A number of APD o cers — both in uniform and in plainclothes — surrounded Delara- ompson’s minivan.
Delara- ompson declined to speak with the ofcers, who then proceeded to break her passenger side window to try and communicate with her. Delara- ompson put the car in drive and attempted to ee, but o cers began ring rounds into her car.
According to the OIC let-
ter, O cer Benallo thought Delara- ompson had hit an APD o cer, which she did not, and red his handgun at her.
“From O cer Benallo’s perspective, the woman had run into the plain-clothed o cer, possibly crushing him, or he was caught under the minivan and would be dragged if the minivan moved forward,” the OIC letter reads. “O cer Benallo red his handgun through the smashed passenger side window, towards her torso, ring ve rounds.” Benallo then red three more shots into Delaraompson’s car, causing it to go into a ditch, where it rolled and came to a rest on the driver’s side. Delara- ompson was declared dead at the scene.
Benallo is still employed by the Arvada Police, a public information o cer for the department said on Jan. 13. e suspect in the Target robbery was eventually located and pleaded guilty to the crime.
e settlement is the third high pro le civil settlement involving Arvada Police in recent years. In 2023, the city settled a lawsuit with the family of Johnny Hurley for $2.775 million over the 2021 Olde Town Arvada shooting, while in 2021, a police brutality suit was settled for $100,000.
Colorado Community Media also reached out to the City of Arvada, the Arvada City Attorney’s O ce and Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC, the law rm representing the ompson family, and did not hear back from them before publication.
The family of Destinee Delara-Thompson was awarded a $2 million settlement after Delara-Thompson was killed outside the American Motel by Arvada Police o cers.
PHOTO
Many Olde Town small businesses will get in on the fun on Feb. 1.
Enstrom’s Candies will return for their 10th Chocolate A air this year.
FILE PHOTOS
Expect a Lot of Talk About Making Homes Fire-Resistant. Here’s
The whole world has watched in horror as wind-driven fires have ravaged Southern California, According to available data, approximately one-third of the U.S. population lives within two miles of the WildlandUrban Interface (WUI), meaning roughly 100 million Americans are situated in areas at risk of wildfires due to their proximity to wildlands. That’s 45 million residences that could be destroyed quickly, given the “perfect storm” of high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.
It was that combination that destroyed over 1,000 homes in Boulder County three years ago.
sealed is essential when fire breaks out. The windows should be closed, of course, but keep in mind that if the windows have vinyl framing, it could melt, allowing the window to fall out. Aluminum framing melts at 1100º F, so metal or fire-rated wood framing is best. You could even install fire shutters or roll-down steel shutters, allowing you to keep your current vinyl windows.
My Contribution.
My Previous Columns on This Topic (posted at
Sept. 14, 2023 — I Found Only One Marshall Fire Home Being Rebuilt With Fire Resistance in Mind
Just like then, we are beginning to see pictures of homes that didn’t burn in the middle of neighborhoods where every other house was burned to the ground. Below is one such picture taken by the architect who built it, Greg Chasen. There was even a car parked on the property line that burned so hot that the aluminum from the car melted, flowing in a stream toward the sidewalk. A video link with this article on our blog, http://RealEstateToday.substack.com, includes Chasen explaining how he designed the home to survive just such a fire.
Embers will land on your roof, so a metal roof is best. There are some attractive stone-coated steel roofs that resemble wood shakes or composition shingles.
If you have a vented attic, you can install screens with 1/16-inch mesh that will keep 99% of embers out of your home.
The most important factor in keeping a fire out of a house is eliminating wind-driven embers from entering the attic. Most homes have ventilated attics, with soffit vents to let air in and roof vents to let the air out. In the above house, there is no attic and therefore no vents.
In my Oct. 13, 2022, column (see box above right), I wrote about two homes in Superior that didn’t burn because they had “conditioned” attics with no openings for ventilation. Instead of blown-in insulation resting on the attic floor, the ceilings of the attics (the underside of the roof) in both homes were insulated with closed-cell foam — in other words, attics were conditioned (heated and cooled) like the rest of the house. Because most fires spread through windblown embers, keeping a home completely
Some building codes now require fire sprinklers, but sprinklers probably wouldn’t be in your unconditioned attic. If a fire enters your attic, the PVC pipes in the attic for delivering water to your top floor sprinkler heads would likely melt before the sprinklers activate, which would be too late anyway.
If you have flammable roofing, you might install sprinkler heads on your roof ridges to keep the roof wet during an ember storm, but don’t bother doing that if you haven’t made your attic ember-proof!
Wood decks, wood fences and vegetation that touches your house will receive windblown embers and, after burning next to your house for a while, will ignite your home, so consider replacing or eliminating the deck, installing steel fencing, and eliminating all vegetation within five feet of your home, especially juniper bushes, which make great kindling for starting a house fire.
If you’ll be replacing your windows, having the outer pane be tempered glass makes it much more resistant to breakage from heat, and pay attention to the window frames, as I mentioned above.
If building a new home, adobe walls are best, because “dirt doesn’t burn.” In my Sept. 14, 2023, column I reported on a Marshall
Jan. 5, 2023 — Revisiting Lessons Learned from the Marshall Fire a Year Later Oct. 13, 2022 — Homes That Survived the Marshall Fire Were More Airtight and Had Conditioned Attics
Jan. 20, 2022 — Here Are More Examples of Concrete Construction and Fire-Resistant Roofing
Jan. 13, 2022 — Homes Built of Concrete Garner Increased Interest in Wake of Marshall Fire
Jan. 6, 2022 — Last Week’s Fire Disaster Is a Wake-up Call for Building More FireResistant Homes
Fire rebuild made from “Ecoblox,” a product of Lisa Morey’s startup, Colorado Earth
Here is a picture of homeowners Matteo Rebeschini and Melanie Glover at the factory where the Ecoblox for their home were being manufactured. Ecoblox also have a smaller carbon footprint than traditional bricks, because they are not fired, but merely compressed.
Building with dirt has a long and proven track record dating back 10,000 years, and is clearly the most proven material for building a fire-resistant home. Learn more at www.ColoradoEarth.com Their factory is near Brighton. Lisa built 25 homes in New Zealand before returning to the United States and co-authoring a book on the subject, Adobe Homes for All Climates
China and New Zealand are leaders, it appears, in the resurgence of this building technique. Read more at www.earthhomes.co.nz.
The reason for using bricks instead of its predecessor technology, rammed earth, is that it can be reinforced with steel rods and concrete to make the structure earthquake resistant, not just fireresistant.
Of necessity, this article only begins to deal with hardening an existing home or building a fire-resistant home. In researching this topic, I discovered a website www.WildfirePrepared.org, which has an amazingly thorough checklist of actions to take which result in the awarding of a “Wildfire Prepared Home” or “Wildfire Prepared Home Plus” certificate which is recognized by insurers in Oregon and California, but not yet in other states. Nevertheless, it is a terrific menu of actions you could take to make your Colorado home fire-resistant. I have put a link to it with this article at http:// RealEstateToday.substack.com
PBS Show to Feature Local Net Zero Home
This coming Saturday, January 25th, Rocky Mountain PBS will broadcast another episode of “Heart of a Building,” this time featuring John Avenson’s amazing net zero home in Westminster. It will air at 5:00, between “This Old House” and “Weekend NewsHour.”
neer, has continued to enhance the home’s performance as each new technology, such as coldweather heat pumps, was introduced.
John’s home was built by SERI (Solar Energy Research Institute), the former name of NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) as a demonstration project of passive solar design, with the limited active solar technology available at that time.
Since, then, John, a re-tired Bell Labs engi-
You’ll be impressed at how far John has gone to have his home be an educational installation which he keeps open to the public. It has been on multiple green home tours. Look for the half-hour program at 5:00 pm this coming Saturday on both Channel 6 and Channel 12. The series is a production of Rocky Mountain PBS, but it will air nationally on all PBS stations at a later date.
Three finalists for Arvada City Manager named; selection coming shortly
City team has narrowed list of 45 applicants down to a final three that will vie for the lead role at the Arvada city team
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After about six months without a permanent city manager, the City of Arvada is narrowing in on its next city team leader. e city announced that three nalists have been named from the applicant pool of about 45 candidates.
e nalists advanced to a series ofnal interviews and were available for the public to meet at an open house scheduled on Jan. 21 at Arvada City Hall.
e three nalists are Michael Lamar, the current Regional Transit and Development Manager for the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization in Prescott Arizona; Brandy Reitter, currently the Executive Director of the Colorado Broadband O ce; and Jason Slowinski, the Associate Vice President overseeing Infrastructure and Operations at the Colorado School of Mines.
Former Wichita Falls, Texas city manager Darron Leiker was also named a nalist but has since dropped out of the proceedings.
Lamar was also a nalist in 2022 when Arvada was looking for a replacement for longtime city manager Mark Deven, who
had recently retired. e city instead hired Lorie Gillis, who had previously
Shrine of St. Anne’s to hold 87th Annual Spaghetti Dinner
Join the Shrine of St. Anne parish in Arvada for the church’s 87th annual spaghetti dinner from noon to 6 p.m. Feb. 2 in the Shrine of St. Anne’s Parish Center. Everyone is welcome. Dinner includes homemade spaghetti and meatballs or a meatball sandwich with salad, bread, dessert, wine and other drinks. e dinner is $12 per adult and $7 for children under 9. Payment will be accepted in the form of cash or a check.
worked as deputy city manager under Deven.
Gillis resigned in July 2024, after less than two years on the job. She was given a $320,000 severance package from the city.
Since Gillis’ resignation, Deputy City Manager Linda Haley has been serving as interim city manager.
Following the Jan. 21 open house, city council planned to hold a nal round of interviews on Jan. 22 following the Jan. 21 open house. Mayor Lauren Simpson said a nal decision could be made as soon as that evening.
Visit arvadapress.com for the latest coverage on the city manager decision.
Arvada Winterfest cultural celebration set for Feb. 22 return in new location
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Arvada’s festival season is just around the corner, as the annual Winterfest cultural celebration is set to kick o in Olde Town Square in a few weeks. is year marks the rst time the event will be held in the heart of Olde Town — in the past, it’s been held at McIlvoy Park. is year’s Winterfest — which has been held since 2018 and is free to the public — will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
Feb. 22. Alongside the usual cultural performances, there will be live ice sculpting and a beer garden sponsored by the Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District. e pet parade, ugly sweater contest and carriage rides will not return this year. Last year’s event featured a live mariachi performance by Sangre Mexicana Denver, followed by dragon and lion dances performed by the Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center.
The event will move to Olde Town Square to accommodate more cultural performers. PHOTO BY LILLIAN FUGLEI
Three finalists have been named in the search for Arvada’s next city manager. COURTESY CITY OF ARVADA
Je co educators highlight challenges and wins in school board report
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Je erson County Education Association delivered its annual State of Jeffco presentation to the school board on Jan. 9, focusing on the challenges and achievements experienced by educators in the district.
e presentation, described by JCEA representatives as a blend of “glows and grows,” highlighted the pressures of increasing workloads, insu cient resources and the critical need for continued mental health support. It also celebrated gains in teacher compensation and legislative victories that bene t public education, underscoring that more work is needed.
“We’re here tonight to share some of our work, keep you informed, and answer any questions you may have,” JCEA representative Michelle Moehillis said. “We’ve collaborated with the district on many improvements, but there’s still much to be done.”
At the heart of the presentation were ndings from the union’s most recent teacher survey, revealing widespread dissatisfaction and concern among teachers:
• 79% of respondents reported struggling with workload, with many working an additional 10 hours weekly.
• 58% said recent raises allowed them to meet basic needs, but 40% still live paycheck to paycheck.
• 97% of teachers called for limits on the number of new initiatives introduced in a single year.
• 64% of special education teachers said they were considering leaving special education.
Workload continues to be an issue, according to the survey results.
“It feels that more and more things are added to the plate every year,” Moehills said. “We need to acknowledge that when we have so many di erent priorities, none of them can truly be a priority. I can’t focus 100% of my attention on 37 di erent things.”
Special Education teacher Ashlee Hoppe echoed these concerns, emphasizing the unique challenges faced by her colleagues.
“Time, time, time — it’s always about time. Compensation is important, but the lack of time can make or break you,” she said.
Hoppe also described systemic challenges in securing resources and addressing sta shortages.
“Many special education teachers are spending time just ghting for the resources they need, often covering for un lled positions, with false promises about when those positions will be lled,” Hoppe said.
While recent raises have helped, JCEA argued that Je co teachers remain in the middle of the pack compared to neighboring districts.
“Fifty percent of our respondents reported that with all these new raises, the good news was they could pay their bills,” Moehills said. “But that didn’t mean
REVERSE MORTGAGES
they had anything extra at the end of the month or for their unexpected expenses. And that’s concerning for us.
“I’m proud of the progress we’ve made,” she continued. “But we’re not done yet. We still have work to do.”
Erosion of mental health program
JCEA also highlighted concerns about the erosion of the district’s Employee Assistance Program, a free counseling service sta ed by district employees.
“ is is a lifeline for so many of us,” Moehillis said. “Without it, many educators wouldn’t be able to a ord the mental health support they need.”
JCEA President Brooke Williams said the EAP went from four full-time counselors to three, two working 20 hours a week and one working 30. She worries that the district is trying to outsource these mental health services to employees’ medical bene ts rather than maintaining the convenient in-house program.
“Eighty-nine percent of our members told us they want to retain EAP as a bene t,” Moehillis said. “It’s something that’s truly helped educators manage the emotional toll of their work.”
Richard Sanchez, a teacher and JCEA member, shared a deeply personal account of how EAP counseling services helped him overcome addiction and repair his personal and professional life.
“If it wasn’t for EAP, the two things I absolutely love in my life — being an educator and my wife — I would not have either one of those,” he said.
JCEA representatives deliver their annual state of Je co report to the school board. COURTESY PHOTO
Golden Walks group helping Je co residents stay physically, socially active
BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Wednesdays are for walking.
Every week, a group of Je erson County residents meet at Clear Creek Canyon Park’s Gateway Trailhead and spend about 90 minutes walking along the creek — either up the canyon past Tunnel 1 or down into Golden.
As they walk, they chat about all sorts of things, stopping occasionally to admire the area’s ora, fauna and views. Each person walks at their own pace and goes as far as they want to, but the group overall tries to get in about 2 miles.
As Lakewood’s Linda Schmidt summarized, the group is centered on “community, outdoors, exercise.”
is is the informal Golden Walks group, formerly Walk2Connect, which was started by Golden’s Betty and Harold Payte several years ago.
Arvada’s Carolyn Rowe took over the group from the Paytes in 2020, keeping Golden Walks going through word-ofmouth and a group text thread.
e group meets at 9 a.m. every Wednesday unless there’s inclement weather or the path is icy, Rowe said.
It used to meet at the Golden Welcome Center, but parking downtown became too complicated this summer with the new paid-parking restrictions, she said. So, the group has started meeting at the
‘Community, outdoors, exercise’
On Jan. 15, the Golden Walks group heads down from the Gateway Trailhead to the main
old Payte started the informal walking group almost 10 years ago.
Gateway Trailhead on the southwest corner of Highway 58 and U.S. Highway 6.
Participation is free and open to everyone. Rowe said people are welcome to join every week or only on occasion.
As of its Jan. 15 outing, Golden Walks regular members are mostly women and mostly retirees. However, they hail from all over Je co, not just Golden. e group also has at least one member who treks in from Denver County.
Sarah Schott, who lives in Denver’s
the mountains frequently. However, as she’s not able to hike at the level she used to, she said the Golden Walks group has been a good middle ground — almost literally — between the mountains and walking around Denver.
Even though the group meets in the same spot every week, between the time of year, the weather and other factors, Schott said “every day is di erent.”
Rowe said one highlight about walking
through Clear Creek Canyon is the abundance of ora and fauna. On its weekly walks, the group has seen bighorn sheep, a marmot and all sorts of birds. On Jan. 15, the eagle-eyed members spotted two separate herds of deer high up on the hills. Plus, Rowe continued, several members have expertise in birds and botany and are always willing to share their knowledge with the group.
trail in Clear Creek Canyon Park. Golden’s Betty and Har-
PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
SEE GOLDEN WALKS, P7
GOLDEN WALKS
Golden’s Marcia Hodges, 81, said daily walks are an excellent way to stay healthy. Along with two other exercise groups, Hodges loves the weekly walks with her friends, saying it helps her stay active and social.
“I’m bound and determined to stay healthy,” she said. “ … I wouldn’t miss (Golden Walks) unless I had to.”
Schmidt and Sylvia McGee, who’s also from Lakewood, each joined when the Pay-
EDUCATORS
Spending on consultants and new initiatives
JCEA also expressed concern about the district’s reliance on external consulting rms, such as TNTP, an education consulting company, which received over $500,000 for implementing teaching strategies.
“As we know, nothing can replace the knowledge and the pedagogy that an educator learns throughout their college career, and TNTP takes that away from educators by narrowing our curriculum and teaching practices,” JCEA representative Whitney Newman said. “It’s an organization that comes into our schools and reforms the schools that are aren’t doing well.”
Newman said she’s heard a lot of frustration from teachers that there’s no “why” behind the company’s strategies and the pur-
WINTERFEST
is year’s Winterfest will feature even more cultural festivities, highlighted by the return of the dragon and lion dances, and a performance by the Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce, who will be doing a land acknowledgment ceremony at the beginning of the day and a performance later on.
“So that’ll be a really great change this year we’re able to have a few more vendors,” Arvada’s Special Events Coordinator Adelle Bur-
tes were still leading the group. ey said the group mostly did loops along the Clear Creek trail between U.S. Highway 6 and Washington Avenue, occasionally going a little farther east or west depending on the day.
It was a good outlet to have during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the group still met occasionally, Schmidt and McGee said. Overall, they described how much they appreciated a chance to exercise, be outdoors, and build community.
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Anyone who’s interested in joining a future Golden Walks outing can meet the group at 9 a.m. Wednesdays at the Gateway Trailhead.
pose of implementing them.
Williams also said she’s concerned that no one is researching the money or special interests behind some of these consulting rms.
“Our concern with programs like TNTP is that the people behind them are reformers with special interests. ese are the same people who continue to move the goalpost anytime we start meeting our goals or succeeding. ey’ll come out with a new test to say public schools are failing, so we have to keep buying their services,” she said.
Teachers also expressed frustration with the rollout of new initiatives and the lack of consistent application across schools and articulation areas.
“Ninety-two percent of our survey respondents said they want their voices included when implementing new programs, and 97% said there needs to be a limit to the number in a given time frame,” Moehillis said.
Williams added that no one is against implementing best practices, but there needs to
ton said of the new location. “You know, it’s a safer area, just given that it’s already set for pasturing and walking. And we’ll kind of mock the layout that the BID does for a lot of their events.”
Burton said that with the added space, there will be additional performers this year, including some drummers and Irish step dancing. e city is also collaborating with the library to activate that space for youngsters.
“We’re just really trying to lean into celebrating di erent cultures,” Burton said. “We’re also going to be collaborating with the library quite a bit this year. ey’ll be hosting some story times. ey’ll have some educational activities for the kids there as well.”
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be room for teacher input and creativity.
“I think anytime we start putting new initiatives out there, we also need to re ect on what’s on our educators and administrators plates already. So before we go ahead and add something, see what we can take away rst,” Williams said.
Superintendent Tracey Dorland acknowledged these challenges.
“We want principals and sta to work collaboratively,” Dorland said. “ ese practices are intended to support teaching, but we need to ensure they’re implemented at a pace and in a way that’s realistic and supportive.”
Board members echoed these sentiments.
“I appreciate hearing from you,” board member Mary Parker said. “We need to think carefully about how to balance new initiatives and the workloads our educators face.”
e union is set to begin bargaining discussions with the board in late January.
MEET GLADYS!
Gladys (304315) is an 8-year-old female cat. She is quite overwhelmed at the Shelter and needs a patient adopter who will allow her to build trust and explore on her own terms and timeline. Gladys had a doggie pal in her former life and may appreciate a calm, friendly canine. She is recommended for homes without kids or with kids aged 10 and older.
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On Jan. 15, the Golden Walks group heads west through Clear Creek Canyon Park. The informal walking group used to meet in downtown Golden, but now meets every Wednesday morning at the park’s Gateway Trailhead. PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
Golden Walks members Sylvia McGee, left, and Linda Schmidt watch a herd of deer grazing along the Goltra Fire burn scar while walking through Clear Creek Canyon Park Jan. 15. The Golden Walks members enjoy spotting all sorts of flora and fauna on their weekly walks.
Golden Walks members group stop for a photo along the Grant Terry Bridge Jan. 15 in Clear Creek Canyon Park. Barring inclement weather, the group meets at 9 a.m. every Wednesday at the park’s Gateway Trailhead.
Los Angeles fires a wake-up call for the West
After erce winds whipped re out of brush-covered hills on Jan. 7, entire Los Angeles neighborhoods burned down. Within a few days, over 12,000 homes and businesses had been destroyed as ames ringed the city. And it’s not over yet.
e photos of smoldering neighborhoods and distraught residents are horri c and shocking. Could they also presage the kind of wild re that might overtake Durango, a town of about 20,000 in southwestern Colorado?
It’s a question worth asking. Local re experts say Los Angeles and Durango are similar in topography. Durango doesn’t experience the hurricane-force Santa Ana winds that pushed the LA res, but it does often have sustained winds of 30 mph and gusts over 40 mph, which can vault burning embers great distances. Perhaps more importantly, the big city and the town share the same pattern of development.
Angelenos have long coveted proximity to wooded canyons for their homes. Durango residents crave the same access to nature, pushing housing into canyons. In both places, million-dollar homes have been built among ammable trees.
Other similarities include lax regulations that fail to dissuade wildland builders. en there’s the question of storing enough water and having su cient water pressure to ght blazes. Los Angeles ran
WRITERS ON THE RANGE
out of water fast because attacks on simultaneous res quickly drew down supplies.
Durango uses around four million gallons daily and has two weeks of storage in its Terminal Reservoir. But if the city ran a dozen or more high- ow hydrants, water pressure would plummet in days. Here’s a suggestion: Prioritize building the $11-million-dollar, 36-inch proposed water line from Lake Nighthorse, a nearby reservoir, to the city system, boosting raw water storage to four months.
Durango has a history of large wild res. In 2002, the 73,000-acre Missionary Ridge Fire torched 46 structures. e town suffered another blow in 2018 when wild re ringed the town, burning 54,130 acres. Randy Black, Durango Fire Protection District Fire Chief, is quick to point out that not one structure was lost in 2018, thanks to a coordinated e ort by local and state crews. “We got lucky,” he said.
“If the June 2018 re happened later in the season, resources wouldn’t have been available.” Also key were carefully forged relationships among regional reghting resources, Black said, along with extensive planning.
Born for this
Several years ago we purchased an Alexa and I discovered the joy of creating playlists. I know I am a bit behind the times when it comes to this, but I have fun making di erent lists. One of my music playlists is called “Re ection.” It consists of songs that remind me to consider the incredible choices I have in my life. I have become a strong believer in the idea that what plays in our heads — be it music, conversation, or television shows — sets the tone for how we perceive the world. It was with this idea in mind that I created the Re ection playlist; I wanted a way to ll my mind with encouragement, possibility, and joy. is playlist serves as one of my best reminders of that goal.
One of the songs on the list is “Born for is” by e Score. is song is an anthem for the band, expressing their belief that they were destined to write music and share it with others. I included this song in my playlist because it reminds me to focus on what I see as my life’s purpose, my “Born for is.”
Understanding our purpose in life is incredibly important, especially during di cult times. When we grasp our purpose and shift our focus to recognizing our in uence on the world and striving to make a di erence, our struggles tend to fade into the background. De ning our world is essential, but whether our world consists of ve, 50, 500 or even 5 million people, the size doesn’t matter; what truly counts is our focus on purpose.
I am currently working to re ne my understanding of my “Born for is.” Here is what I have so far:
I nd purpose in creating space for shared experiences, life’s stories, encouraging and learning from one another. Walking this path and opening the eyes of others to the joy of collective learning is my “Born for is.”
One hundred eighty employees and volunteers sta the Durango Fire District, which covers both the city and a 325-square-mile swath of the county. Black said they focus on what he calls the most important aspect of re ghting— mitigation meant to keep wildland res from starting in the rst place. at means working to create re breaks between wildlands and urban areas and removing fuels within the urban core. e town participates by thinning wooded areas on its perimeter, and federal agencies manage both thinning and controlled burns.
“If you don’t do the re mitigation, you run the risk of whole neighborhoods catching on re,” Black said.
Another similarity between Los Angeles and Durango is that both share di culty in getting re insurance. Some insurers have pulled out of California entirely, and when the Durango Fire District built its new in-town rehouse last year, Black said, no one would insure the structure at rst. Colorado insurance companies had just weathered 10 years of property losses to wildland re, and they were loath to take chances.
Colorado’s new, state-backed Fair Plan o ers a last resort for home insurance, but it’s bare-bones coverage of homes worth up to $750,000. With building costs in Durango now estimated to be $500 to $700 per square foot, losing
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Arvada Needs a Housing Navigation Center with 24/7 shelter
a 2,000-square-foot home to wild re means rebuilding a much smaller house.
I’ve talked to many wildland re experts about how towns can ght these multiple, destructive blazes. eir suggestions boil down to three basics:
First, make building requirements stringent for any home proposed in wildlands.
Second, get residents involved. e Durango Fire District o ers homeowners free assessments of re risk, and it also advises the creation of three zones around a house: Remove anything ammable within ve feet, include a turnaround big enough for re vehicles, and allow only widely spaced trees and mown grass out to 100 feet.
A third step is “hardening” existing structures with reproof building materials. Black, who built his own house, said he chose cement siding and a metal roof. If homeowners take these steps, say insurers, they stand a better chance of keeping their insurance policies. 24 people have lost their lives in the Los Angeles res as of January 12. eir deaths are a wakeup call to everyone living in the West — especially Durango.
Dave Marston is the publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonpro t dedicated to lively discussion about the West. He lives in Durango, Colorado.
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
When my focus is rmly on this purpose, my struggles with multiple sclerosis fade into the background. I don’t see walking or using my right arm as a struggle; on the contrary, I perceive incredible opportunities and absolute joy in doing things for others.
I hope that this week, you take time to re ect on how you make the world a better place and nd the opportunity to articulate your own “Born for is.” Moreover, I encourage you to focus on that purpose and take steps toward achieving your goals. By doing so, you will witness your struggles diminish behind the bright light of your purpose.
Know your purpose and your struggles will fade into the background.
I hope my words inspire you, and that you will share them with those who need encouragement. ank you to everyone who has shared their stories with me so far; I truly enjoy hearing how you nd valuable insights in these columns and use them to uplift those around you. is week, I would especially love to hear about what you see as your life’s purpose. You can contact me at jim.roome@ gmail.com.
Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences.
I’m a volunteer helping signup clients for overnight shelter at Mission Arvada during this ongoing frigid winter, and again am reminded why our city needs to step up to do more. While some Arvada residents are champions helping with food, check-ins and staying overnight, most are from the three churches — Spirit of Christ, Storyline and Arvada Vineyard. e facility is desperate for enough volunteers. is all-volunteer church-based shelter and navigation system, trying to keep people alive in an old church building, is inadequate. e navigation center (one stop for critical documents, case management for employment, housing, etc), only has enough volunteer capacity to be open 5-6 hours a day, and the shelter (only open during extreme weather nights) must close at 7 a.m. is means unhoused residents have no place to go or safely store their belongings most nights
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and weekends – these include the “visible homeless” we often hear complaints about, who must carry around everything they own.
In comparison, the city of Lakewood has supported the nonpro t RecoveryWorks – buying a building, which will be remodeled this year to provide 24/7 shelter along with the navigation center, and the city has been providing contracts to allow paid sta to run the overnight severe weather shelter.
Out of curiousity I asked my friend who for years has lived less than two streets away from the Boulder shelter on North Broadway whether she or her neighbors have problems with it. She said she always feels safe, does not see increased police presence, and their property values have absolutely not dropped. A lesson from two neighboring cities for our Arvada community.
Mindy Mohr, Arvada
SEE LETTERS, P9
• 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.
• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.
Jim Roome
DJFF Returns for 29th Year of entertainment and edification
The importance of cultural understanding and communication has rarely been as important as it is in our current world climate. And lm has proven itself time and time again as a perfect medium to create empathy for other people.
All this makes the 29th annual Denver Jewish Film Festival (DJFF) not just an opportunity for entertainment, but one for education.
FLYNN
January 23, 1963 - January 4, 2025
COMING ATTRACTIONS
“Films shown during the festival tell human stories, and in a time when there is more and more worldly tension, it is important to remind us that we are all human,” said Tim Campbell, program director of the Mizel Arts and Culture Center at the JCC. “DJFF celebrates the human experience and tells compelling stories that bring thoughtfulness and joy to festival-goers.”
e festival kicks o on ursday, Jan. 23 and runs through Sunday, Feb. 2 at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St. in Denver. is year’s event features more than 20 documentaries, comedies, narratives and shorts, and presents an exciting sampling of Israeli and Jewish cinema, actors and producers.
Some highlights from this year’s lineup include Running on Sand, We Will Dance Again and Centered: Joe Lieberman. We interviewed Campbell about the festival, how to approach it and more e interview was edited for brevity and clarity.
What makes this festival unique? e festival brings the community together to experience stories that are brought to life in our 380-seat theatre. We are able to tell compelling stories through a media type that allows the viewer to escape from the outside world for a moment and experience thoughtfulness, joy, intrigue and fun. Our experience is unique because the lms we show may not always be shown in a traditional theatre setting. Our space crosses many
LETTERS
Let’s add passenger rail possibilities to all areas of our state
If you haven’t heard, the State of Colorado has come to a passenger rail trafc agreement to use the Mo at Tunnel along with freight rail tra c uses into the Colorado mountains from Denver. is e ort has gone so far that a public meeting was recently held for community input on a passenger rail station in Arvada. While I think this is all a good move for people who need or want to travel to and from our mountains to Denver since I-70 for years has been a major bottleneck and tra c blockage for all Coloradan’s travels.
For myself, these railroad tracks have run less than a block from my home for my last 20 years here. All my family are constantly traversing this rail line that cuts across Arvada. is major rail line bisects the City of Arvada and along with the three major canals or ditches in my neighborhood both have cut o close Arvada neighborhoods from each other along with much of the city’s businesses and infrastructure resources. While I understand that multiple trains aren’t like the constant road tra c ows that major
di erent genres to celebrate humanities and the stories we tell. If someone has never attended a lm festival, what should they
Clarke Reader
DJFF has so many different opportunities to enjoy lm and is open to all. e schedule is varied to allow for viewings throughout most days during the festival. We o er family-friendly events, comedies, dramas, documentaries and more. Plus, we’ve planned many di erent supplemental programs that include talkbacks with lmmakers, specialty food o erings, and even a game night. e best way to take advantage of all of these options is by purchasing our DJFF All Access Pass.
What do you hope audiences come away from the festival with? rough the lms we have selected and the programming we have coordinated, we are able to share amazing stories with the greater Denver community. ere is a story for everyone. We want people to leave with a deeper and more empathetic understanding of the world around them. We hope the festival will inspire people and help create community.
Find the full schedule and ticket options at www.jccdenver.org/macc/dj /.
Find Some Summertime at the Arvada Center
As we work our way through the winter, sometimes you need a blast of summer. at’s just what the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra is bringing to the Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., with Summertime in Winter: e Music of Gershwin and more with Tatiana LadyMay May eld.
SEE READER, P23
thoroughfares have. I do think that all federal and state laws and rules that apply to 100 plus year-old transportation systems need to be changed or to be evolved for allowing better movements and uses of all kinds of transportation means to traversing these local transportation barriers.
“Trespassing on railroad property is illegal and is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States.” For almost a decade now the City of Arvada has been in negotiations with UP just for an underpass at this one Arvada railroad crossing at 72nd Avenue. Ralston Valley High School is located just across these tracks from many of its’ student’s homes and at the Schaaf Open Space trestling over the Croke Canal is often necessary for both walkers and horseback riders who are presently using the canal roads illegally. Just to use the canal road behind the Stanely Lake Library was several years of negotiations and carried a hefty price tag.
Let’s add passenger rail possibilities to all areas of our state while making access and people crossing a friendly reality for all forms of people’s transportation needs across the state and particularly here in Arvada where every crossing need improvement becomes more important and necessary on this soon to be busier major multi-model transportation railroad corridor.
Gary Sco eld, Arvada
Michael D. Flynn, 64, of Albuquerque, passed away peacefully on January 4, 2025. Born in Eureka, California, to Genevieve and Jerry, Michael lived a life de ned by faith, leadership, service, and love. A memorial service to celebrate Michael’s life will be held
on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 1:00 PM at Faith Lutheran Church, 10000 Spain Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM. In lieu of owers, the family requests that donations be made in Michael’s honor to Lyme Disease research at https://www.lymedisease.org/donate/.
February 8, 1984 - December 7, 2024
It is with heavy hearts that I am now surpassing of my precious son, Troy Alexander Marcotte MR1 US Navy on 12/7/2024.
Troy was stationed in Guam at the time of his death. He was 40 years old. Troy was born in Florisssant, Missouri, Feb. 8, 1984. At age 12, his family moved to Arvada, Colorado where he graduated from Arvada High School in 2002.
After graduation, he was employed by Planet Honda and then by Mountain States Toyota until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2012. Troy served on the aircraft carriers USS George Washington CVN 73 and USS Ronald Reagan CVN 76. Troy served as a navy recruiter In Lubbock, Texas from 2017 to 2020. After that, he was on the USS Germantown out of San Diego, California. In 2023, he joined the US Naval Construction Battalion, known as Sea Bees and that was out of Gulf Port, Mississippi.
At the time of his passing, his unit was deployed in the US territory of Guam. Troy leaves behind his mother Sharon Marcotte, of Broom eld, Colorado; brother Destry J. Marcotte, of St. Charles, Missouri; brother Ryan J. Marcotte of Weatherford, Texas; sister RoxAnne M. Broadbent and her husband John Broadbent of Breckenridge, Colorado. One
niece Alex Driscoll of Boulder, Colorado; a brother Mark Bertagna of Phoenix, Arizona; and sister La Gina Teuteberg of Couer D Alene, Idaho.
Troy also leaves behind his chosen family Mom, Beckie Johnson, her sons, Tony, Brian and Brad and Brad’s wife Leah and daughter Willow, along with many friends too numerous to mention. He was preceded in death by his father Don Teuteberg and his maternal and fraternal grandparents.
In life, Troy was a giving, loving, caring son, brother and friend. During his time in the Navy, Troy was presented with many awards and has been acknowledged as an exceptional shipmate, leader and friend. His impact on many lives would last forever. Troy’s light in the world will continue to shine.
His celebration of life will be February 8 at the Elks Lodge in Arvada, Colorado, 5700 Yukon Street, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Everyone is invited. Donations may be made in honor of Troy to his friend recruit and shipmates foundation at www.nathangageingram.org. Donations will work to assist Hold Star families, active duty and veteran members of US military. May Troy rest in peace knowing the di erence he made in life.
In Loving Memory
MARCOTTE
Troy Alexander Marcotte
PL8 POPULARITY
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMUNITYMEDIA.COM
If you feel like you’ve noticed more license plates with custom messages while driving on Colorado’s roads, you’re probably not alone. Numbers from state o cials reveal that those personalized plates are indeed becoming more popular.
Requests for custom plates in 2024 nearly tripled the number of requests from just six years earlier, with particu-
larly big gains in the past two years.
When asked whether the state Division of Motor Vehicles has any theories as to why personalized plates have become more common, spokesperson Jennifer Giambi said: “ e DMV cannot speculate why these have become more popular over the years.”
But while the reasons may not be clear, the trend appears strong. And the large jump in requests for custom plates since 2023 coincided with the introduction of Colorado’s retro black, blue and red
plates, three designs you’ve also probably seen out and about.
If you’re looking to customize your own plates with a word or message, it’s not necessarily as simple as walking into a county o ce and requesting the funny reference you joked about with your friends.
For one thing, the application is seven pages long. What’s more, messages that are deemed “o ensive to the general public” can be denied, according to Colorado’s application document.
You also must explain the meaning of the custom message you request — and if your explanation is too vague, the request will be rejected, the document says.
Here’s a look at the rise in popularity of custom plates, some messages that the state has rejected and how to apply if you’re thinking of personalizing your ride.
Personalized plate numbers up
Here’s the yearly number of personalized license plate requests — and how many o cials approved or rejected — in Colorado for each year going back to 2018, according to the state DMV.
( e state DMV was only able to provide information from 2018 onward because of a systems upgrade implemented that year, Giambi said.)
What about that asterisk in 2023? It’s to point out that it was the rst year of Colorado o ering its retro black, blue and red plates, according to the state DMV. ose plates have roots in the past,
and the once-discontinued designs raise money for people with disabilities.
“ e rst blue-and-white plate was issued in 1914,” the state DMV said in a statement, adding: “ e rst year the allred background with white letters was issued was 1925.”
Colorado’s popular new black plate is modeled after a 1945 design, predating the state’s rst plate design with mountains by about 15 years, according to the state DMV.
For more information on the red, blue and black plates and the disability support funding, see Colorado Community Media’s previous story at tinyurl.com/ ColoradoPlates.
Rejected proposals
While many requests gain approval each year, plenty get rejected for being “foul, lewd or rude,” the state DMV said in a news release.
O cials may refuse to issue any combination of letters or numbers that “carry connotations o ensive to good taste and decency” or duplicate any other license plate, the application document says, citing state law.
“ e DMV also follows the guidance laid out by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, which states that unacceptable license plates include: profanity, derogatory reference
to a group based on age, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, or religion; reference to illegal substances or criminal acts; sexual terms, intimate body parts, and bodily functions or uids; and references to acts of violence,” Giambi said.
Some rejected requests for license plate con gurations include “GYATTT,” “GTJIGGY” and “OMGWTF,” which appear on the o ensive-omit list, which the DMV uses to automatically reject most “foul, lewd or rude” requests, the division said in the 2024 news release.
See that list at tinyurl.com/LicensePlateReject.
How to get personalized license plates
If you’re looking to get a personalized plate of your own, get ready to explain your choice.
“Every entry requires an explanation,” Giambi said. “An entry can be rejected if no meaning is supplied.”
Here’s a look at some other criteria for custom plates:
• Only seven characters are allowed — six for motorcycles — including blank spaces, dashes and periods.
• e minimum amounts of characters allowed are ve for plates with numbers only and two for any other plate (all letters or combinations of letters and numbers).
• Spaces, dashes and periods count as a character. However, they do not change the con guration. For example, if “ABC” is taken, then “A B C,” “A-B-C,” and “A.B.C.” are also taken.
• Special symbols like !, #, $, %, * and so on are not allowed.
To be approved, requested customizations in Colorado don’t necessarily have to be original, according to the state DMV.
“A con guration can generally be reissued to either the same or a di erent individual as long as it has expired for more than 13 months,” Giambi said. It usually takes three days or less for a request for custom license plates to be rejected or approved in Colorado, but on occasion, it can take up to a week, Giambi said. e state makes the calls on which requests get approved.
“Personalized plates are a state-run program, and other than processing the transaction itself, the counties are not involved in the decision-making process,” Giambi said.
Custom plates carry a one-time personalization fee of $60 upon their initial registration and are an additional $25 upon renewal each year after, and other taxes and fees may apply, Giambi said.
For more information on custom license plates, see dmv.colorado.gov/ license-plates or call 303-205-5600.
Librarian uses murder mysteries to teach research skills
Arvada school employee receives prestigious award
BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT
Tobye Ertelt wants people to know that, contrary to popular opinion, being a school librarian is about a lot more than shelving books and reading.
At the school where she works, Oberon Middle School in Arvada, she co-teaches history and language arts lessons, helps students learn research skills, and oversees a dozen student teaching assistants.
“I believe the library and the librarian are the heart and backbone of the school,” said Ertelt.
A former high school English teacher who is now a “digital teacher librarian,” Ertelt won the 2024 Distinction in School Library Services Award from the Colorado Association of Libraries.
She talked to Chalkbeat about how her murder mystery obsession inspired a lesson on research skills, how she handles library book challenges, and what she’s noticed about middle schoolers’ reading habits in recent years.
is interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Was there a moment when you decided to become a teacher librarian?
I was teaching high school English, and I was in year ve of teaching. I had several administrators and other teachers suggest that I start a master’s program in curriculum development or administration. But as I was thinking about where
my passion was, I realized I absolutely loved collaborating with our school librarian. I applied for a master’s program in educational technology with an emphasis on library science that December.
How did your own experience in school influence your approach to teaching?
I was a rule-follower and overachiever who took failure very hard. When I was
in fth grade, I was called to complete the math problem on the board and did it wrong. A boy in the class started laughing and making fun of me. I ran o crying. My math teacher found me a little later and told me failure wasn’t a bad thing. Failure helps us nd the right path. She also told me to be con dent — con dent when I succeeded, and to fail con dently also. I later found out that she had the boy in class go up to the board and asked him how he would like it if she started laughing and mocking him. at was when I started realizing that being perfect wasn’t the goal. Learning and growing was the goal. When I started teaching, I always had high standards for my students, but also made sure they understood that learning is the goal, and failure is completely OK.
Tell us about a favorite lesson to teach. Where did the idea come from?
My favorite lesson is the “Murder Mystery Research Project.” It focuses on research skills, which is hard to teach because it can be a dry subject for middle schoolers. We introduce research skills in sixth grade and dive deeper in seventh grade. We cover four main areas of information, including whether it’s from a credible and trustworthy authority, whether it contains various types of bias, what the purpose of the content is, and the date it was published. en, we stage a “murder” in the library with three sources of evidence: the crime scene, eyewitness statements, and suspect statements. e students use their research skills to “investigate” the crime. At the end, they make accusations and give their evidence. e students are always so en-
gaged, and it really helps bring home the importance of authority, bias, content, and date and helps them understand the importance of evaluating what they read, listen to, see, watch.
e idea came from me being a true crime junkie. I was trying to revamp my research unit, and one day while watching a true crime show, I thought, “Why can’t I use a mystery to teach research?”
School library book challenges are becoming more common. How do you approach this issue?
I’m extremely passionate about intellectual and academic freedom. Being a librarian means wanting students to love reading and have access to materials. When a book is challenged, it feels like a personal attack, but I constantly remind myself that it isn’t. at really helps me keep perspective and stay calm.
If a book is challenged, the parent or community member comes to the teacher lIbrarian rst. I always explain how we vet our books according to district policy. I’ll show them there are at least two positive reviews for middle school — from publications like the School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Publisher’s Weekly, or Booklist. at is what the district requires for it to be in the library.
If the challenger questions the book’s appropriateness because it goes against their values or beliefs, I listen to their objections. en I explain that I understand their position, however, I have other families and students whose values and beliefs are different, and my role is to ensure that all values and beliefs are present in this space.
Tobye Ertelt is a teacher librarian in Colorado’s Je co school district. COURTESY PHOTO
Thu 1/30
Antonia Bennett @ 6:30pm
Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th Street, Den‐ver
Fri 1/31
Live @ The Rose - Forever Danger‐ous: Tribute to Michael Jackson @ 7pm / $25
Steve Wozniak @ 7:30pm Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St, Denver
Small Houses @ 7pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver
Tue 2/04
Dave Hill @ 7pm
Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Den‐ver
Alt Bloom @ 8pm
Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Den‐ver
Friends of Chamber Music Denver: Dinner with the Danish String Quartet - late performance @ 8:15pm Nocturne, 1330 27th St, Denver
Casual Commander @ 9pm
Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Den‐ver
Ice racing returns to Georgetown Lake
Frigid temperatures in the mountains mean the ice on Georgetown Lake is thick enough for ice racing
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
On a recent Saturday morning in Clear Creek County, I-70 west ski tra c again inched its way forward to the slopes. Along the way, frustrated and impatient drivers and passengers passed Georgetown Lake where — for at least a while — there was a show to listen to and watch.
e whine and roar of high-performance engines taking life could be heard from the interstate and snow and ice ew high in the air as a frozen Georgetown Lake became a race track.
“Driving on I-70, you see these cars on the ice driving laterally and you start hearing the revs and stu , it’s pretty sick, so we wanted to check it out ourselves,” omas Clingner of orton said, standing on the frozen lake with friends.
e weekend racing events are scheduled through the start of March this year.
e events are organized by local group Our Gang, which has an agreement with Georgetown to hold the races on the lake and well over a dozen sponsors to support the non-pro t group, according to the group.
Our Gang members track individual and group racing records by the day, year and generation, according to records. is is the club’s 48th year of racing vehicles on the icy lake, and as always, the cold wind whipping the air didn’t deter competitors, families and spectators from showing up early to unload cars and equipment for a day of competition on Jan. 11.
e course is outlined by orange cones which complete at least two full circles on the east end of the lake and exit from the course into a “parking” area for drivers on deck.
One brave soul stands between the two competitive vehicles and drops a black
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ag to set drivers free to step on the accelerator and unleash the power of their one-of-a-kind machines.
Once underway, some of the fastest vehicles roostertail ice from the lake as steel studded tires grip, crawl and tear from the lake surface making tight 360-degree turns without wavering from the course. e track is outlined in a way that the two vehicles are never side-by-side so any risk of collision is minimalized from the look of live races, according to organizers. As far as why these racers commit such time, training, e ort and money into their vehicles to perform expertly on ice, there was one common answer: “Because it’s fun!”
“When you tell someone, ‘Well I drive a car on the ice,’ a lot of people don’t really understand or they think it’s dangerous and once you get into the details, you know how thick the ice is and all that then you realize it’s all organized and safe,” ice
racer Donny Cryer said.
What starts with an interest sparks an idea. An idea turns into a reality, and that realization will keep driving you forward to be faster and sharper year after year, summarized ice racer Josh Tenge, who was entering his 12th year racing with Our Gang.
“It snowballed into what it’s become, it (the car) was a daily driver at one point and year after year you add more stu and take more stu out and you end up crossing a line you can’t go back over,” Tenge said behind the wheel with shoulder harnesses locking him to the driver’s seat. “Once we put a roll cage in there was kind of no turning back.”
e ice races are held on Georgetown Lake starting at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday through March 2. People are welcome to watch for free. Organizers just ask that spectators respect a few rules and don’t park on the lake.
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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.
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To advertise your place of worship in this section, call Erin at 303-566-4074 or email eaddenbrooke@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
Ice racing returns to Georgetown Lake as ‘Our Gang’ club continues decades of competition on Georgetown Lake Jan. 11.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KOEBERL
Arvada West girls basketball ends 10-game losing streak to Columbine
BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
LITTLETON — Arvada West’s girls basketball team recently ended a 10game losing streak to Columbine. e Wildcats had lost 10 straight to the Rebels before grabbing a 50-43 victory at Columbine to open up Class 6A Je co League play.
“ is is the rst time I’ve ever beat Columbine,” A-West senior Saylor Swanson said of the Wildcats ending the losing streak on the hardwood to the Rebels dating back to the 2017-18 season.
Swanson led the Wildcats (10-1 record, 1-0 in league) with 20 points. Fellow senior Sara Walker added 9 points to grab the big win over the Rebels (8-3, 0-1). It was the 8th-straight victory for A-West.
e win didn’t come easy. e Wildcats had a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but Columbine went on an 11-0 run to cut A-West’s lead to 4741.
“We haven’t really had a tight game in a while,” A-West coach Brady Meeks said of A-West turning the ball over when trying to protect its lead in the fourth quarter. “We knew this was going to be a heck of a battle. Columbine is a really good team.”
Columbine struggled o ensively with just three made eld goals in the rst half, but stayed in the game going 13for-20 from the free-throw line and relying on Kortny Brock. e junior had a team-high 20 points.
“(Columbine) is a team that you can’t focus on one or two kids,” Meeks said of the Rebels’ o ensive attack. “ eir four main kids can all do it. We had to focus on doing our personal job on who they had defensively.”
A-West was able to overcome making just four trips to the free-throw line (2-for-4 for the game) by making eight 3-pointers. Swanson led the way with three 3-pointers. Junior Santana Pena and sophomore Macie Ferguson had a pair of 3-pointers each, while senior Avery Harrison contributed one from long distance.
“We have not shot the ball well this year,” Meeks admitted. “We have more than just Saylor that can shoot it. It was nice to see some other kids knock down some shots. ey were timely shots too.”
“ is was an important one,” Swanson said. “I’m really glad we got the win. It’s a good way to kicko league. Hopefully we can keep it rolling.”
Valor Christian (9-2, 1-0) and Ralston Valley (7-4, 1-0) both grabbed opening conference wins to share the early lead in the 6A Je co League standings with A-West.
“It is a grind in our league,” Meeks said. “I know people talk about the Centennial and Continental, but I think Jeffco night in and night out is tough. We have to be ready to go every night.”
Dennis Pleuss is the sports information director for Je co Public Schools. For the latest Je co sports coverage, go to ColoradoPreps.com and CHSAANow.com.
Arvada West sophomore Macie Ferguson (3) drives to the basket with Columbine junior Mason Abraham (22) closing in during the Class 6A Je co League opener Monday, Jan. 13, at Columbine High School. A-West took a 50-43 victory to end a 10-game losing streak to the Rebels.
Arvada West senior Avery Harrison (44) attempts to drive past Columbine sophomore Maddie McGraw (20) during the second half Monday, Jan. 13, at Columbine High School. The Wildcats took a 50-43 victory in the Class 6A Je co League opener. PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS FOR JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Dr Je is alive
Rumors of the Conifer veterinarian and Animal Planet star’s demise are greatly exaggerated
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A year ago, an international website published a story saying veterinarian Dr. Je Young had died. at single false story still resonates at Conifer’s Planned Pethood, the animal hospital owned by the former star of Animal Planet’s long-running “Rocky Mountain Vet.”
Young is now on his fourth round with cancer, but very much alive and with a still very intact sense of humor.
“People send us sympathy cards with checks, so I’ll call them and say, ‘I’m still alive,’” he said. “And I’ll o er to send the check back.”
No one has taken him up on that o er. “ ey’re so happy and relieved he’s OK; they don’t care about the money they sent,” said Steve LuKanic, Planned Pethood’s marketing and communications director.
Young, 69, was rst diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013, and had a portion of his lung removed, eliminating the cancer. In 2016, during a routine exam, doctors discovered he had nonHodgkin’s lymphoma, a diagnosis he revealed on an episode of “Rocky Mountain Vet.” It went into remission after treatment. But in early 2023, he was diagnosed with lung cancer again. It is now in remission.
“ is is my fourth cancer,” he said. “It’s stage 4 lung cancer, and I will die. My goal is to have this facility be nancially soluble so it can go on long after I’m gone.”
Young is not taking time to think much about his diagnosis but is instead planning future renovations and expansions of Planned Pethood. During a recent tour of the facility, he barely paused to address his condition but admitted the cancer is causing him pain.
“My back hurts all the time,” he said, adding, “from the cancer but also from standing doing so many surgeries.”
e rumors of his death have taken a toll on the veterinary clinic. People who once supported it with donations and thought he had died stopped doing so.
“It does hurt us nancially; people think I’m not around and it’s going to go defunct,” he said.
But that’s not going to happen, he said. His wife, fellow veterinarian Petra Mickova, who runs the nonpro t organization with him, will ensure it.
“My wife is far smarter than me,” Young said. “She’s going to run an even tighter ship than I do.”
“Rocky Mountain Vet” launched in 2015. During its 8-year -run on Animal Planet, it was the network’s mostwatched program, drawing 1.7 million viewers each week.
Dr. Je Young in his surgery room at Planned Pethood. Young is planning an addition and other renovations to the Conifer facility.
PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
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I also try to emphasize that we tell students that they and their families can choose what is appropriate for them to read, but that every person is di erent, and we don’t choose for others.
If the issue isn’t resolved, the challenger meets with the teacher librarian and school principal. If the challenge continues, the principal contacts the community superintendent and there is a district book challenge form that needs to be completed. e district then sends it to the appropriate Book Review Committee for review, and their recommendation is sent to the superintendent.
What is the biggest misconception about the role of school librarians?
e biggest misconception is that school librarians just shelve books and read. School librarians are a robust part of school ecology. We do so much more than read books. We co-teach lessons about research, literacy, and history. Most of the time, we are also digital experts, which means we are teaching or creating lessons focused on good citizenship online.
In our district, we participate in the “Battle of the Books” competition, which encourages students to team up and read to become district champions. Many librarians run homework and tutoring programs, and help students with technology and college readiness.
How have middle schoolers’ reading habits changed over the years, especially with the growth of social media?
Interestingly, I’ve seen a growth in student reading since COVID, even with the growth of social media. I have more students who want to check out books,
or who are grabbing our ebooks and audiobooks online. I’m not sure what the nationwide trend looks like, but I’ve been surprised at how many of my students check books out.
Tell us about a memorable time — good or bad — when contact with a student’s family changed your perspective or approach.
I had a student with extreme social anxiety who the counselors originally put in my class as a study hall. I soon realized she thought she was going to be one of my teacher assistants. So, I asked her to do
at www.coloradojazz.org/concerts.
New John Fielder Exhibition Comes to History Colorado
some training with my other TAs and we transitioned her to my actual TA. I didn’t think much of it, but at parent conferences, her mother came to see me and told me that her daughter loved being a TA and that I was her favorite teacher. She told me that sometimes my class was the only reason her daughter came to school. at was an earth-moving moment for me.
All educators try to build relationships with students, but sometimes we don’t realize how small the gesture needs to be to build that connection. After this experience, I make sure to ask my TAs every day about
selves in the expanse of the Great Plains,” according to provided information.
their days, I learn their outside-of-school interests and keep up on their events. I always ask how those events went. I want students to see the library as a safe space and doing the little things is important.
What are you reading for enjoyment?
”Drop Dead Sisters” by Amelia Diane Coombs and ”Even If We Break” by Marieke Nijkamp.
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
e concert will be at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 and will feature the immortal music of Gershwin, as well as other classics like “Summertime.” All the vocals will be handled by May eld, a rising star in the jazz world. A frequent performer with the orchestra, May eld has been recognized by publications like “Downbeat.”
Details and tickets can be found
e John Fielder Mezzanine Gallery in the History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway in Denver, is getting an update with Horizon: On the Plains with John Fielder.
Opening on Friday, Jan. 24, this new exhibition features a selection of “iconic large-format Fielder prints that evoke the photographer’s emotional connection to these sublime and diverse landscapes of Colorado, and invites viewers to lose them-
Information and tickets are available at www.historycolorado.org/john- elders-colorado-collection.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Billy Strings at Ball Arena
You don’t often hear about breakout stars coming from the world of bluegrass and folk music, but that’s just what’s happened over the last few years with Billy Strings.
Hailing from Michigan, Strings’ topnotch guitar and banjo playing, coupled
with his warm vocals and songwriting has made him a favorite in the music industry and with listeners. Last year he released a stellar live and solo album, and who knows what 2025 will hold for him.
One thing we do know is Strings will be performing at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26 at Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle in Denver. Buy your tickets at www.ticketmaster.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
Tobye Ertelt, a digital teacher librarian at Oberon Middle School in Arvada, Colorado, won a statewide award for her work in 2024.
