The Lost Creek Guide March 1, 2023

“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light” George Washington

“If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed” Thomas Jefferson

Dream Golf Coming to Weld County Rodeo

Dunes Pairs Top Golf Designers, Sandy Soil and

a Worldwide Audience

Reported by the Lost Creek Guide

Southeast Weld Chamber of Commerce 2023 Annual Banquet Held at the Wild Animal Sanctuary Facilities in Keenesburg

Pictures by Sharon Eberhard & the Lost Creek Guide

Michael and Chris Keiser, like many ranchers on the plains of Colorado, first learned their craft from their father. Their father, Mike Keiser, happens to be one of the most influential golf course and resort developers in modern times. His Bandon Dunes resort in Oregon is among the most highly rated golf destinations in the world. Sons Michael and Chris followed those footsteps with their own acclaimed Sand Valley in the dunes of central Wisconsin.

The formula is simple – find rugged, rolling sand dunes, bring in the game’s top course designers and open the resulting world-class layouts to a voracious audience of golfers who crave a throwback version of the game. Bandon Dunes features five 18hole courses. Sand Valley boasts three 18-hole courses, with another on the way. All are ranked among the best in the world, and both resorts are booked well into 2024.

The Keisers have acquired more than 2,000 acres of heaving sand dunes – some topping out at 85 feet high – just northwest of I-76, less than an hour from downtown Denver and only 42 miles from Denver International Airport.

“The first time I laid eyes on this property,” says Michael Keiser, “I immediately knew that this was the one. “The site is just perfect for links golf – without the mountain views, you might think you were on the Southwest coast of Ireland. This land is that good.”

Over 170 folks attended the 203 SE Weld Chamber of Commerce banquet held at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg. It was a full house! Chamber President Maggie Munoz was the Master of Ceremonies. Weld County Commissioners Perry Buck, Kevin Ross and Lori Saine wee in attendance as well as Gillian Smith, President of Women of Weld, representing our Colorado State Senator for District 1, Byron Pelton. Mayor Joe Hommock of Hudson & Town Hudson Town Manager Bryce Lange and a strong contingent of town officials & employees enjoyed the night. Lochbuie was represented by town administrator Brian McBroom and also with a strong contingent. Aims Community College was represented by Leah Bornstein, President of the college and members of the staff. The new GM for Roggen Telephone, Will Young was in attendance. Also attending were representatives of Weld County Employment Services and the East Colorado SBDC. New to the area was Josh Evenson, Director of Membership for the coming Rodeo Dunes 36 hole golf club up in Roggen.

President Munoz recognized retiring Board members Perry Bell, Rachel Munoz and Faith Hutson. Darryl Myers, a retired Chamber Board member gave the invocation. She also announced this year’s who significantly contribute to the Chambers efforts. Business of the Year was awarded to the Lost Creek Guide, Citizen of the Year was awarded to Brian Blehm, and Non Profit of the Year was Awarded to Life Stories.

There were lots of silent and live auction items. Auctioneer John Bowen did his usual great job. Over $2,800 was raised for the scholarship fund and the another $1,200 was raised for the Wild Animal Sanctuary. President Maggie Munoz stated that the SE Chamber is committed to being a positive contributing force in making our business community more successful. She thanked all the folks who attended and supported the event.

The award-winning design duo Coore and Crenshaw, who made their name with Sand Hills Golf Club in the remote sandhills of Nebraska, have routed one course, and in true ranching tradition, their longtime associate and apprentice Jimmy Craig has fashioned a second routing through the property’s humps and hollows.

“True sandy sites are rare,” says Bill Coore. “This one is exceptionally interesting and full of character. We have loved it since the first walk.”

Golf construction is slated to commence in summer of 2023, with vertical construction expected to follow in the next few years.

The Keiser family is well-known in their native Chicago area and throughout the country as avid supporters of youth caddying programs and benefactors of the Western Golf Association’s Evans Scholars Program, which provides full tuition, books and room and board scholarships to deserving caddies. Though no plans have been announced, sources say that Rodeo Dunes looks forward to being part of the plains communities and expects to provide youth caddying and other employment opportunities.

For Colorado’s golf enthusiasts – and for the communities of the eastern plains it looks like a thrilling ride ahead!

To learn more about Rodeo Dunes, visit www.rodeodunes.com.

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE

Page 2: Way of the World

Page 3: Immigration Affects Us All by Jodi Walker

Page 3: Weld RE3J Recognized for Graduation & Enrollment Rates

Page 4: Aims Community College CARE Team

Page 5: Teacher Apprenticeships as a Solution to Shortages

Page 6: March 2023 Happenings at Aims CC

Page 6: Weldon Valley Basketball

Page 8 & 16: SE Weld Chamber of Commerce 2023 Banquet Pictures

Page 11: Liberal Media Bias Tanks Public Trust in Journalism

Page 13: Leadership in Agriculture: Meet Amy McFarland

Our thoughts and prayers are with you both.

Krista Gibson, Vice President of the SE Weld Chamber presenting the Business of the Year award to Bob Grand, Publisher of the Lost Creek Guide

Krista Gibson, Vice President of the SE Weld Chamber presenting Non Profit of the Year to Sharon Eberhard, of Life Stories

Krista Gibson, Vice resident of the SE Weld Chamber presenting Citizen of the Year to Brian Blehm

Southeast Weld Chamber of Commerce 2023 Annual Banquet Photos continued on page 8...

Way of the World

by Bob Grand

Vladimir Putin’s excursion into Ukraine has now passed the one-year mark. Unthinkable a short time ago the Russian Army military superiority myth has been exposed as a fraud. The number of Russian army deaths, including the Wagner mercenaries and the Chechen forces is approaching 150,000 not counting the wounded. Vladimir Putin’s World War I tactics of massive charges against fixed defenses has produced little in terms of gain in positions but astronomic casualties. The Russian casualty rates, in a year in Ukraine, are over ten times the losses the Russian Army experienced in their entire failed effort in Afghanistan. The Russian people are beginning to realize that sons, fathers, and family are not responding because they are lost forever. That is not sustainable.

The cost to the NATO allies to support the Ukraine defense effort is high. It will continue to be high the longer this action continues. Will the commitment to the effort continue? I believe Putin thinks it will not as he can wear down the Ukrainians and their supporters by continuing to order his troops to be nothing more than cannon fodder. I think he believes this will ultimately wear out the Ukrainians and, ultimately, tire out their supporters. A very expensive game of chicken. But where is the legal system in all of this? No question a good case can be made that Putin is a war criminal. Crimes against humanity are not something to be taken lightly, Putin’s efforts to attack civilians is clear and not defensible. So, who is doing something about it?

The death toll from the Turkey/Syrian earthquake is now exceeding 44,000. These are not war casualties, but rather the result of the forces of nature. You have to consider the magnitude of the forces that can be at work in the earth. Not something we give much thought to, but the threat of which is very real. No one really knows what has happened over time, I mean geologic time, as opposed to thinking in terms of human lifetimes. There are reports of two ancient underwater sites of previous advanced civilizations off the Azores and Cuba which indicate existence of civilizations beyond anything we have considered to date. We, as humans, are guilty of the highest of hubris, in terms of thinking how important we are. In terms of the Earth’s history we are but the fly on the back of the elephant and the sooner our academics and politicians realize that, the better off we will all be.

Speaking of politicians we are beginning to see the wheels of politics turning to the 2024 elections. The problem is that it is beginning to sound and look like the same old same old. Numbers do not lie. In Colorado a Republican will have a tough time winning any statewide seat unless they are willing and able to make an effort to attract the unaffiliated voter. Yet what are we hearing? Let us close the primary so only real Republicans can vote in them. But guess what? If you got every Republican to vote for the true Republican you do not have enough votes to win statewide races without unaffiliated support. Please wake up. Unfortunately, I am not sure they can.

Speaking of waking up, when will the folks in Washington begin to crack down on the bloated bureaucracy that has been allowed to develop. Article I Section 8 of the United States Constitution is very specific on what the duties and responsibilities of the United States federal government are supposed be. We have allowed, both parties by the way, this monster to grow unabated. It has a life unto itself. Who will have the courage to say enough is enough? We elect people to govern. What does it take to get them to do that? The American people are getting tired of life long politicians, many of whom should retire, who just keep feathering their nest at the expense of future generations, our generations, who will pay for it forever. We should wake up!

Today in higher education the focus seems more on the continuation of maintaining and growing the bureaucracy of the system as opposed to generating students who are groomed to think. There are a growing number of people who are reaching the conclusion that higher education, as we know it, will either reform or wither on the vine. Their endowments will not last forever. Do not know if you have been following, but several families are suing to get the monies their family donated to Universities back, with interest, as they claim the schools have violated the donation agreements. The Williams family is asking the University of Richmond to give back fifty-one million dollars, including interest, for claiming that the original donor had personally owned slaves. The family has asked for proof of the allegations but to date has received none. It is unfortunate. Many people do not believe in having to go to court, but in today’s society that is sometimes the only way to address bullies, even bullies who wear ties. Has anybody attempted to calculate how much we spend on addressing the homeless issue? Has anybody looked at what the cost would be to provide Uber service to everyone who rides the RTD systems. I am afraid in our woke driven society of today, asking those kind of questions, and there are many, many more of that nature, is frowned upon. Well, I am tired of getting frowned upon. How about you?

As always, your thoughts and comments are appreciated: publisher@lostcreekguide. com

Letter To Editor

United Power Member-Owners

My name is Ginny Buczek. I am the incumbent director for the West District of United Power. It is an honor to represent the members of United Power. I have been a committed member of the United Power community for 32 years and remain focused on the families and businesses of our community. Quality of life, successful businesses and strong, prosperous communities depend on reliable, safe, affordable power.

As a United Power Board Member my continued long-term commitment to our communities and civic groups connects me to the members of United Power. As a not-for-profit United Power Co-op can focus on our members’ priorities. When I am talking to members I hear two phrases, “Keep my lights on” and “Keep my rates low”. Reliability and affordability continue to be the top concerns of United Power members.

United Power was among the most reliable Distribution systems in the country in 2022, as measured by industry standards. Not all power outages can be prevented. Equipment fails, cars seem to find power poles, and weather will always be a factor, but investing in continuous maintenance, system upgrades, technology and our dedicated employees will support reliability.

United Power has not had a rate increase in three years despite inflation and supply issues pushing material costs dramatically higher. One measure taken by the Board to address price increases was approving the 2023 Capital Construction in the Fall so materials could be purchased in the most cost effective and timely manner.

Your co-op advocates for your interests as a member/owner at the Local, State, and National level. I was elected by the Board as United Powers’ Director on the Colorado Rural Electric Association Board. CREA represents 23 Co-ops providing electric service to over 1,000,000 Colorado residents. I am the current President of the CREA, having been elected by the other 22 Co-op Directors. Being President of Colorado Co-op’s Statewide organization allows me to advocate in the interest of United Power members.

My experience serving in every officer position on both the United Power and CREA Boards, hundreds of hours of Elective Cooperative education, and listening to you, the member, has provided the experience, knowledge, and community connection to serve the best interest of the members. I would be honored to serve you, the members, for another term.

Thank you for your continued support and interest in Your Co-Op.

Virginia “Ginny” A. Buczek

Letters to the Editor are encouraged. Letters may be edited for length, libelous, or inappropriate content. All letter submissions should include name, address, & phone number for verification purposes. Letters are published at the editor or publisher’s discretion. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Lost Creek Guide or staff.

Letter To Editor

Dear Editor,

My name is Katherine (Kathy} Mills. I am running for the United Power Board because I am concerned about increasing costs and maintaining connection to our power supply. These factors affect not just my household, but all of our community. With sweeping blackouts reported in our nation it is imperative that we continue to upgrade and maintain our power supply system to keep up with demand. We need honest and ethical people who understand the needs of the cooperative members and the community.

I am a wife and mother of 3 boys. I have my CNA license and have been a caregiver for over 20 years. Being actively involved in the community is important to me. I have assisted with campaigns for members of the Brighton City Council and the school board. I also enjoy working on community service projects. I am ready to step up and serve on the United Power Board. I know I have much to learn but with your help, we can make our community a better place. Feel free to reach out to me at Facebook.com/Mills4UnitedPower, Mills4UnitedPower@gmail.com or come meet me in person at the United Power forums or the annual meeting at Riverdale Regional Park on April 12th at 4:30. I look forward to representing you and would love your vote!

Kathy Mills

Caldara: One-Party Rulers Bully Public Who Come To Testify

by Jon Caldara, Complete Colorado Page 2 Hubris. Condescension. Arrogance. Self-importance. Haughtiness.

I would like to put up just one small, recent vignette as an example of the sheer imperiousness that the ruling party of Colorado displays toward its subjects. Oh, no doubt Republicans can be sore losers in their super-super-minority status as they’ve continually lost more and more power over the last two decades.

Example? When the majority party chooses a Speaker of the House, that person always gets a ceremonial unanimous vote from the entire chamber; been done for over a century. This year eight of the woeful 19 Republican state representatives withheld their vote from Democratic Speaker Julie McCluskie.

Stay classy Republicans.

But Democrats have never held such raw, unadulterated power in Colorado history. One might think that since their boot is on the neck of their political opponents and they have free rein to implement all desires at will, they might, if just for a false public display of graciousness, act professional. But nay.

In the NFL the referee throws the flag on “excessive celebration.” Sadly, in the State Capitol, there is no referee to throw a flag on “defecating on your opponent’s grave.”

Take the State Affairs Committee, known as the kill committee, because that’s where bills are sent to die. Two Republican pro-gun bills were being heard before their swift and certain murders. The chair, Democrat Steve Woodrow, still found it necessary to Tweet insults of the bills and Republican colleagues WHILE chairing the proceedings. The bills died as they were going to, 8 to 2, no gratuitous insulting needed.

Do the Kansas City Chiefs tweet insults about junior high school teams?

But berating constituents hits a new, truly deviant level of Democrats being sore winners.

Using my best Rod Serling, let me take you to a place where under flickering fluorescent lights a handful of swaggering officials pretend to listen to the pleas of parents who want their children’s brains returned to their bodies after stolen without the parent’s permission or knowledge.

Okay. Not quite. It was the House Public and Behavioral Health Services Committee hearing over House Bill 1003 which would let sixth-graders and up go get “mental assessments” administered by the state without the permission of their parents and, as introduced, without even parental notification.

Well-intentioned I’m sure, but also the origin story of great dystopian science fiction stories for decades. I mean really, what could go wrong?

So, the committee room is packed with concerned parents; many I assume have read sci-fi. One lady didn’t have to. She lived it. Victoria Chen testified against the bill. Being in America for only seven years, her English was broken and her personality a bit meek. She explained systems like the one proposed encourages kids to keep secrets from their parents. It’s what they have where she escaped, communist China. She said parents must know and approve medical and psychological testing of their children.

The nerve! One representative on the committee, Iman Jodeh, puffed up on victimhood, scolded this Chinese immigrant, “What you said offends me!”

Put in her place by those in power, Chen humbly said, “I apologize.”

A citizen testifies. A legislator berates her into an apology. The chair doesn’t intervene. Is this the new democracy in Colorado? Intimidating witnesses?

Another mom, Dee Dee Vicino, testified against the bill then added this needed observation to Jodeh, “You felt insulted by Victoria Chen. Well, I and almost everyone in this room felt insulted by you. I think you owe her an apology.”

The room erupted in cheers. Mary Young, chairing the committee, instead of seeing the clear validity of the issue, defended the bullying and censorship of her colleague by saying to Vicino, “We will discuss the issue of the bill and we will not attack representatives.”

Vicino had the state of mind to speak the truth to power, “And representatives will not attack their constituents, correct?”

Not correct. In the new one-party domination, all decorum, all respect, all tradition of letting witness speak unmolested is a relic of the past.

Rep Young’s response to this plea for equal treatment to constituents from their public servants was, “I will ask you to leave.”

Like Chen, Vicino obeyed.

Our rulers live by one set of rules. We by another.

We have had one-party rule in Colorado many times before, but never on this megascale.

The corrupting power is beginning to fall in on itself.

Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Denver.

Immigration Affects Us All

by Jodi Walker

Immigration is a hot topic everywhere but I think everyone can agree that we need comprehensive immigration reform. We need to protect our borders while giving a path to citizenship for those hard working immigrants who do the work in our economy that many people aren’t interested in.

In my job I am blessed to work with kids from a myriad of countries. Each child has a different story and a different path but the one thing they have in common is that they were all brought here as children, with little choice but to follow the adults in their world. With the introduction of the Dream Act 2023 by

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) there is sure to be lots of discussion surrounding the reality of immigration in the upcoming months, especially when it comes to those young adults who were brought here as children.

Over the course of the next few weeks I want to share some stories of local kids and their journeys, just like the story we shared in the last issue. We will be hearing the lived experiences of immigrant youth from all over the world including South America, Mexico, Russia, Africa and Europe. Our hope is that by being able to relate immigration to real people we will help others better understand why people are immigrating and what they hope to achieve in America. We will give real life examples of how the system has and hasn’t worked for our kids and the challenges faced by those living in our current immigration limbo.

America is a nation of immigrants, and has been since before the revolution. Young immigrants are always shocked when I share the story of how my grandparents came to America, escaping the economic downfall in Denmark to seek a new life in the great west. No one talks about the long sea voyage or the risk of disease or illness. We now look back on this time in history as the way that many of our grandparents and great grandparents established families in America.

The first time I discussed Ellis Island in one of my programs, kids were fascinated. The idea that immigrants who were healthy and willing to work hard had a clear path to citizenship amazed them.

Although many of our kids see Ellis Island as a welcoming station, I must remind them that immigration has always been controversial. Discrimination against Irish and Chinese immigrants was a very real thing as were fears of those who were not homogeneous. I also share with them that during that time, the late 1800’s, America needed able bodied people to build a new county. I happily show them pictures of my great grandparents harvesting sugar beets with horses and plow, ones of them working in the fields and more of wheat harvest. Many of our kids can relate as both they and their parents have worked in the fields, harvesting, weeding and helping our agricultural economy thrive.

My hope is that by sharing these stories it will help everyone understand the importance of immigration, the importance of reforming our laws and how immigrants are a key component to the American Economy, especially in rural America.

Aims Community College CARE Team Advocates for Student Wellness

GREELEY, CO

February 20, 2023 – The need for additional mental health counseling and resources in schools is an issue that is becoming ever more critical. Since 2019, the rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm have been rising at an alarming rate among children and adults.

More and more, people are becoming active in improving the mental wellbeing of students across the country. President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union Address spoke about a program through the U.S. Department of Education to establish a $280 million grant program to increase the number of mental health care professionals in K through 12 schools. This work is already happening on a large scale in higher education, and at Aims Community College efforts continue to grow.

In the last several years, many colleges and universities, including Aims, have implemented systems to recognize and support students who are struggling to manage barriers to their success and wellbeing. For college students, there are often obstacles to a successful school experience. Some of these difficulties can be mental health-related, stem from social anxiety, and can be tied to grief and loss or struggles with racial, gender, or sexual identity. Other situations can be financial stressors and lack of proper housing or food. These struggles aren’t limited to just learners transitioning from high school to college but also non-traditional students returning to academic routines.

According to the American College Health Association National Assessment, approximately 78 percent of college students reported either high or moderate stress within the last 30 days. That same report found that more than 60 percent of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem. The study found that 36 percent of college students are food insecure.

CARE at Aims Community College

Aims saw this need and began providing more resources to improve students’ overall wellness. One example of the college’s dedication to this effort is the Aims Coordinated Assistance and Resource Education (CARE) team. Since 2019, the program has been in place as a formal program to report and address student needs through a reporting and case management system. CARE includes outreach connecting a student to faculty or other campus partners, educating students about appropriate campus or community resources, or simply checking in with a student to offer guidance and support.

Aims instituted the CARE team to fill a campus need for its students. The program has assisted students, and its importance has become increasingly relevant through the pandemic and beyond. There is a definite need for the program, as the CARE team at Aims has seen a 68 percent increase in CARE reports since the program started.

“We help students identify barriers to their academic success and then we support them in problem-solving those barriers, usually by helping them find the right resource to decrease current barriers and stressors.” Said Erica Jones, Director of Student Counseling and CARE at Aims. “The CARE team is really invested in student success and well-being.”

The CARE Reporting Process

The Aims CARE team program provides a place to address concerns empathetically. Anyone on campus, faculty, staff and peers, can make an online CARE report about a student they are concerned about if they notice a change in behavior or signs of distress. Other causes for alarm could be writings or social media posts that convey clear intentions to harm oneself. It is important to note that the CARE team is not an emergency response system, so anyone concerned about the immediate safety of a student should reach out to emergency services, either by calling 911 or 988. Once the emergency is addressed, the CARE team can follow up with support, resources, and kindness.

Many times, faculty and staff are on the front lines, hearing student stories, seeing the tears, knowing the struggle for basic needs and resources, and sharing the anxiety of these moments. When faculty and staff on campus become worried about a student, deciding when and how to intervene can be confusing. CARE is here to bridge that gap.

Jody Kugler, a case manager on the CARE team, is proud of the contributions of the entire Aims community. “We can’t do our work without the awesome faculty and staff. We have amazing advisors that share resources with students. We have faculty and staff that encourage and advocate for students. When everybody’s willing to help a student, and when the student is engaged, that’s when we have the best outcomes.”

Staff in areas like financial aid and advising often work with students that need additional help. “If they express something about finances, family or child care, my vision is that people make CARE reports early so that we can help students out right away so that their semester is more successful,” Kugler said.

Students can also make a report about themselves if they need help. A student can complete an online CARE report or visit a case manager in the Counseling and CARE office on the second floor of the Student Commons building on the Greeley Campus. The requests range from asking for help with basic needs to stress management or problem solving difficulties with social and relationship skills. Students can ask for help with “any barrier that is interfering with their academic goals success, and wellbeing.” Jones said.

Case Managers Support and Advocate for Students

Once a person completes a CARE report, the information is reviewed with a team of Aims staff, and the team takes appropriate action as necessary. One of these directions is assigning a case manager. “What we do is we meet with them,” Jones said. “We identify the different barriers and the different struggles or concerns, and then we problem-solve those, usually by helping them find the right resource. And then doing a warm handoff to that resource. They may be campus resources, or they may be a community resource.”

A case manager advocates for students and can serve as a sounding board just to talk. They adapt to each student and their needs.

Kugler finds this personalized approach the best way to address students’ issues. “We approach each individual from a holistic lens by engaging the student in identifying their strengths, needs and goals.”

Aims has access to help from connections and programs on and off campus. “I think students don’t know how many services are available at Aims and in our community.”.” Said Samuel Long, a case manager who just joined the Aims team in January. “A big part of our job is ensuring they are aware of those services.”

In addition to the effort focused on student wellness, it also increases the likelihood that students will stay enrolled in classes. It isn’t always the academics that are a barrier to completing an academic program because external issues often make staying in school a challenge.

A Community of Care

The CARE program is proud of its achievements and the relationships it has built with students. “The best success stories are demonstrated in students showing up the next semester to our office just to say they’re back and they’re doing well,” Jones said. “It happens all the time. Our case managers are amazing at developing relationships, cheering students on, and supporting them.”

Long agrees. “It’s beautiful because you make relationships and connections with people, then they will continue to return for additional support and encouragement.”.” He continued, “ one thing that I’ve noticed about Jody is that she has so many students that come back to her to visit or ask a quick question.“

The staff involved with the program doesn’t take full credit for students overcoming these struggles. The students’ determination and willingness to advocate for themselves are essential pieces to the success of CARE. Jones says, “the most rewarding part of being on the care team is seeing that moment when students realize that they are capable and worthy of success.”

“I just get so excited when students start seeing the results of their own hard work and effort,” Kugler said. “It’s an honor when students allow us to be part of their journey and their success.”

A student sang the praises of the CARE team through a text to the case manager who worked with her. “I want to thank you for all the support and help you’ve provided me from the first day you called, even though I was close-minded to the help at first. I appreciate the help you provided me and those I care about.”

Learn more about Aims CARE and Counseling Services at aims.edu/departments/ counseling-services.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health concern, please call 988 or visit 998 Lifeline for immediate support.

Changing of the Guard at South Platte Valley Historical Society

By Jackie Smith

The month of February is a month to celebrate love, but for SPVHS members it is time for the Annual Membership Meeting. The members gather together and enjoy an evening with other fellow members to relax, eat a meal, and watch the entertainment. The color presentation was by the remarkable, historical Buffalo Soldiers. The main entertainment was provided by the Legendary Ladies. These ladies portray women of the west and wow, they did do a fantastic job! The Society then finds out the result of elections and the proposed changes to the bylaws.

This year a new president, secretary and three board members were elected. As we are excited for what this year will bring; it is also a sad time for the board, for we must say goodbye to Lavon Watson now former president as she steps back into the general membership. Lavon took the Presidency 3 years ago and worked tirelessly as a volunteer to fulfill the Society’s Mission to preserve South Platte Valley history and sustain the society’ park with the reconstructed Fort Lancaster (Historic Fort Lupton). Ginny White current treasure described Lavon as being a hands-on President who was instrumental in raising the new barn and will be missed.

The board will also say goodbye to Jan Brown long time board member and Joe Lamos former secretary as they will also go back to general membership. Thank you all for a job well done.

The new board members are Secretary, Jessica Holbrook, Carlinda Espinosa, and Ron Martin. Marlene Stieber was also reelected and retained her director seat. To find out who the new President is, and who the other board members are, you must go to www.spvhs.org website.

While you’re there check out the calendar for events. Make sure you save the date, May 6; it is the opening day for the park and for Heritage Fair. Come and see us we will be hosting an ole timey baseball game and along with a variety of historical reenactment groups and some visiting Vikings. We are still working on the details and adding other events for the day. Also, the 1875 Independence Schoolhouse has two summer school sessions in June. It is one way to give your child a unique experience and a cherished memory.

Take the time to follow us on Facebook and watch the website for more details for events at South Platte Valley Historical Society Park. The Society would also like to invite you to the membership meeting Monday April 3, at 6 pm in the Rendezvous Room at the Fort. We do a potluck and will provide a historical presentation. We are located at 2001 Historic Parkway, Fort Lupton. Hope to see you all very soon!

Teacher

Apprenticeships Among Solutions Lawmakers Consider For Educator Shortages

By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado,

like other states, is facing

teacher shortages. Lawmakers

hope apprenticeship programs and more support for educators help fix the problem.

Nic Antaya for Chalkbeat

A teacher apprenticeship program, stipends and loan forgiveness for student teachers, and the ability for out-of-state teachers to more easily qualify to work in Colorado.

Those are the ideas Colorado lawmakers have proposed this year to address staffing shortages across the state. So far, each proposal has received favorable support from Colorado legislators.

Every year, legislators put forward new programs and tweak old ones in an effort to get more teachers into the classroom and fix a problem that has plagued districts nationwide. Last year Colorado created a new loan forgiveness program and made it easier for retired teachers to get back into the classroom.

On Tuesday, Senate Bill 87 became the latest proposal to move forward in the General Assembly. The bill would create an alternative pathway to help those earning a bachelor’s degree in a subject they plan to teach — such as math, science, or a world language — get the necessary teaching license. It has widespread support from school districts, teachers unions, universities, and other organizations.

The bill cleared the Senate Education Committee on a unanimous vote. It’s sponsored by state Reps. Cathy Kipp, a Fort Collins Democrat, and Don Wilson, a Monument Republican, as well as state Sens. Mark Baisley, a Woodland Park Republican, and Janice Marchman, a Loveland Democrat.

The apprenticeship program would add a fourth option for the state to license a teacher and would be overseen by the Colorado Department of Education. The program would cost the state a little more than $100,000 a year, according to a legislative analysis.

Apprentices would learn on the job for up to four years while they earn their bachelor’s with the ability to extend the timeline by two years.

Apprentices would be allowed to work as a student teacher or substitute and need to take regular competency tests. They then would need to prove their knowledge as a teacher either through a test or a body of work.

Marchman said about 40% of Colorado districts are reporting a teacher shortage and schools need to fill more than 7,000 positions annually. The state’s teacher preparation programs, however, produce only about 3,200 teachers a year, she said.

“We are experiencing a massive teacher shortage,” she said.

Meaghan Sullivan, CareerWise Colorado executive director, said the program would create quality teacher candidates rather than lowering the standard to fill positions. It also would give rural districts the flexibility to develop teachers to meet local needs.

Sullivan said the bill helps coaches, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, or classroom aides who want to become teachers work and learn without having to leave their community.

“That’s really where we see the potential,” she said.

The other two bills have been working their way through the House and Senate.

House Bill 1064, which received initial approval in the House on Wednesday, would create an agreement between Colorado and nine other states to make it easier for teachers to transfer from state to state. A teacher could more easily obtain a teacher’s license in Colorado if they hold one from another member state.

The Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, as it is called, would also allow states to share disciplinary information and would allow for background checks before teachers could qualify to work in Colorado. The bill is expected to especially help active-duty military and military spouses who need to relocate.

The bill is sponsored by Marchman and Democratic state Reps. Meghan Luken, of Steamboat Springs, and Mary Young, of Greeley.

House Bill 1001 would give student teachers more financial support in the form of stipends and loan forgiveness. The bill has cleared the House and still needs Senate approval.

The bill would raise the income threshold for teachers in training to apply to a $52 million statewide grant program that was started last year. The program provides up to $22,000 in stipends to student teachers and $5,000 in loan forgiveness to those who stick it out. The bill would also allow principals and special service providers to apply and permit student teachers to work in other states in some circumstances.

Along with the three bills, Gov. Jared Polis also has proposed $70 million to provide free training and scholarships to students who want to qualify for in-demand jobs such as teaching, firefighting, and law enforcement. The program aims to ease the way to those jobs, especially those offering lower pay.

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

Rosen: The Debt Ceiling Charade

by Mike Rosen, Complete Colorado Page 2

When U.S. Treasury securities come due, the principal is repaid to holders. To do that, Treasury sells new securities of equal or greater value, rolling over the debt. As the federal government continues to run deficits, spending far more each year than it collects in tax revenues, Treasury sells ever more securities to cover it, and our national debt soars.

The U.S. Gross National Debt has now hit the statutory debt ceiling of $31.38 trillion. If the ceiling isn’t raised by Congress, Treasury ultimately won’t be able to borrow to cover our habitual budget deficits and may default on interest payments and repayments of principal on maturing securities. “The full faith and credit of the United States” would be a broken promise and unleash a financial earthquake on international financial markets.

Defaulting on our debt is not a realistic option. So, after the usual theatrics have run their course, Congress will raise the debt ceiling as it’s done 80 times since the 1960s. This charade is too little too late. The time to restrain government spending is during the Congressional budgeting process, not after spending commitments have been made.

U.S. GDP is about $25 trillion this year. Our national debt is now 125% of GDP,

even greater than its percent of GDP at the peak of World War II when we were literally fighting for our freedom and our survival. Defense spending, then, was 90% of the federal budget and 40% of GDP. Today, the military accounts for a mere 13% of the budget and only 3% of GDP. Our soaring debt will only get worse as we run perpetual budget deficits and are forced to pay higher interest rates on our bonds due to inflation and declining international confidence.

The government is spending too damn much, and it’s not on the military. This is the inevitable price of a welfare state. There are two official categories of federal spending. The first is called “Discretionary Programs” that accounts for only a quarter of total spending. Almost half of discretionary spending is on defense. Slashing defense spending in the current international climate with Russia, China, Iran, and Islamist fanaticism would be suicidal. The balance of discretionary spending is for government departments and agencies, transportation, agriculture, education, housing, etc.

The second category is “Mandatory Programs,” three-fourths of the budget, dominated by “Payments for Individuals,” two-thirds of which is Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The other third goes for veterans benefits, a raft of meanstested entitlement programs, and interest on the national debt which is rapidly accelerating.

When there’s a so-called government shutdown, most federal spending lives on. “Mandatory” programs are on automatic pilot and don’t require new legislation each year. Since we don’t disband the military, a “shut down’ mostly affects non-defense discretionary programs which is only about 15% of federal spending. So, “nonessential” government workers get a paid vacation and the Washington Monument is closed to tourists.

In the debt ceiling standoff, Republicans will try to force Democrats to cut spending. The Dems will counter with defense cuts. Since “payments to individuals” will be off limits, whatever cuts ultimately come from a compromise will be symbolic smallchange as a percentage of the national debt or even this year’s almost $2 trillion deficit.

As for solutions, to be effective, a Constitutional amendment to balance the budget would have to cap federal spending as a percentage of GDP. Legislatures in Democrat states wouldn’t ratify that. They’d want to get there by raising taxes. But we can’t tax ourselves rich and we’re already above the nation’s tax capacity. Attempts to exceed it are counterproductive and economically destructive. Ever-expanding federal spending is driving us to economic collapse. For progressive Democrats with no limiting principal on their journey to socialist utopia, if 100 welfare programs are good, 1,000 would be ten times better. Even with an amendment limiting spending, it would take years to balance the budget by bringing spending down to our tax capacity as a percentage of GDP.

A return to fiscal sanity would require coming to grips with economic reality and disciplining the federal budgeting process to live within our means. The bulk of federal spending — social spending driven by payments for individuals — is politically sacred and can’t be slashed but its growth must be restrained. Congress must pass appropriations bills, as the law requires, before the start of a fiscal year, instead of passing a patchwork of Continuing Resolutions after the fact. And we’d have to run budget surpluses to actually reduce the national debt.

In the advanced stages of a democratic welfare state like ours it may not be possible for a majority of politicians running on such a platform to win election.

Longtime KOA radio talk host and columnist for the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News Mike Rosen now writes for CompleteColorado.com.

Caldara: Colorado Media Catching On To Energy Monopoly Cronyism

by Jon Caldara, Complete Colorado Page 2

Among the many things I don’t like to do in my crotchety old age is compliment the young people at 9news.

But kudos to Kyle Clark and team for refusing an exclusive interview with Gov. Jared Polis after his State of the State address on condition they also interview only Polis’ handpicked sycophants. It would have been even better if they published a list of all the other media outlets that agreed to his journalistic blackmail and took the exclusive interview.

Kyle’s reporting partner, Marshall Zelinger, has been on a jihad that Colorado’s media should have been on since 2007 regarding crony, energy monopoly utilities and what’s been making them wealthy on the backs of their captive customers.

Why should these questions have been asked back in 2007? Remember the ol’ mantra: “elections have consequences.”

That was after Colorado elected Bill Ritter as governor and his white whale was transferring Colorado to an economically unsustainable, feel-good energy system — the one we are now just starting to pay for in earnest. Just look at your energy bill.

Before then the private energy monopolies and their captive customers had a “grand bargain.” The bargain was simple. The monopolies were guaranteed a profit no matter what they did.

They provided energy, they got a guaranteed profit. They went out on a business lunch, got a guaranteed profit. They passed wind, got a guaranteed profit.

In exchange, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) was to rule over those private monopolies making sure they provided the least cost energy to their captive customers. And all those companies, including the largest one, Xcel Energy, had to prove to there was absolutely, positively no other way to provide power for less cost.

If you remember we were lied to and told renewable energy would save money because the wind and sun are free.

Oh, that part’s true. But converting wind and sun to energy is insanely, madly, prohibitively expensive.

In 2007, under the direction of Ritter’s newly appointed PUC and its chair Ron Binz (who proudly exclaimed there will never be another new coal plant built in Colorado, even though carbon sequestration now means coal plants can be carbon neutral at very low costs) the PUC changed its mission from lowest cost to a fluffy feel-good mission of environmental and social values at “reasonable cost,” whatever the hell any of that means.

In other words, they removed the guardrails that protected customers so utility monopolies can do what evil monopolies do, run roughshod over their hostages.

The monopolies changed their business model. They now can make many times more profit.

Read the following over and over until you understand your energy bill: Companies like Xcel are no longer in the energy business; they are in the building stuff business, and triple charging their hostage customers for it.

Starting with Ritter, through John Hickenlooper and Jared Polis and all their evermore left-leaning legislatures and activist appointees, Xcel has funded and partnered with green organizations to lobby for cascading green energy laws, mandates and regulations.

Thanks to a rubberstamping PUC that no longer demands “lowest cost” from energy providers, your energy bills aren’t paying for energy. You’re mostly paying for building crap.

Case in point is the Comanche power plant down by Pueblo. Xcel takes out a mortgage to pay for it, passes that cost on to its customers.

Then they decide it needs to be rebuilt into the cleanest coal-fired power plant on the planet. So, they take out a second mortgage to refit it. The PUC rubber stamps it. Customers pay for two mortgages for the same power. This power plant is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2070. That’s 50 years from now!

So, of course, Xcel is now going to close it in a couple of years and replace it with more stuff like windmills.

That’s a third mortgage to pay for the windmills which, of course, the PUC rubber stamped. Well, the wind doesn’t blow all the time, so it must take out another mortgage to build backup gas generators and power lines for that too. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Congratulations, hostage customers. You are now paying multiple mortgages for the exact same bit of electricity and that’s just one of many, many scams.

It’s taken the mainstream media 16 years to ask questions. Ask faster! Maybe voters will think about the consequences.

Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Denver.

March Happenings at Aims Community College

GREELEY, CO – February 24, 2023 – Aims Community College hosts events designed to create shared experiences and deliver first-hand exposure to programs and campuses. All are welcome to these free public events on Aims Community College campuses. To request accommodations for any of these events, call 970-3396388 or email disabilities@aims.edu.

Till: Movie Screening | March 3 | 6 p.m. | Welcome Center Auditorium | Greeley Campus

Aims is hosting a free movie screening of Till (2022). Till is a profoundly emotional and cinematic film about the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, who, in 1955, was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. In Mamie’s poignant journey of grief turned to action, we see the universal power of a mother’s ability to change the world.

Tactile: Ceramics Art Show | March 7 | 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. |Ed Beaty Hall Gallery | Greeley Campus

Come to an art reception for the latest Ed Beaty Hall Art Gallery show, “Tactile: Ceramics,” featuring work by Michael Lemke. The artist describes the work as “attempts to convey the importance of touch and the process of pottery making, as well as the experiential properties of working in the studio.” He says, “Another passion is marine life, so including textures and colors that refer to the coral reef is a natural fit for my work.”

Engineering Technology Open House | March 8 |5:30-7:30 p.m. | Applied Technology and Trades Center | Greeley Campus

Explore opportunities in industrial technology, engineering, manufacturing, robotics and energy. Everyone is welcome to attend. Learn about Aims programs, find out how and when to get started, and connect with industry business leaders. You’ll also find demonstrations in our learning lab space and have the opportunity to complete an activity. The Community Lab is a space where people can explore, expand, and discover design elements, small-scale fabrication, electronics, craftwork, and the fusing of seemingly-unrelated ideas.

Ag Day Open House | March 21 |5-7 p.m. |Platte Building | Fort Lupton Campus

The Ag Day open house is a free, family-friendly event. This is an opportunity to learn about local agriculture, tour the Aims Agricultural Sciences greenhouse and facilities, and participate in hands-on activities with community partners. The activities include a petting farm with live animals, baby chicks hatching and more.

Photos from last year’s event are available for media use.

Discover Aims Open House | April 1 | 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. |Welcome Center Ballroom | Greeley Campus

Are you interested in Aims Community College and what it has to offer? Explore the resources available to you, attend information sessions and take a tour of our Greeley Campus. This event is open to new and prospective students, families of students, and community members. Lunch is provided. Sign up at aims.co/discoveraims.

Tax Help Colorado

Saturdays | Feb. 4 - Apr. 8 (closed Mar. 11-18) | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Cornerstone | Greeley CampusFridays | Feb. 3 - March 3 | 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Prairie Building | Fort Lupton Campus

Aims offers free tax preparation and e-filing assistance for the community’s low- to middle-income taxpayers. This service is provided through a partnership with Tax Help Colorado. Anyone who made less than $60,000 annually in 2022 can receive assistance from IRS-certified Aims students and community volunteers.

For more information about events at Aims Community College, visit events.aims. edu.

Regular Season Ends With Prairie Girls Win Over Weldon Valley

by Paul Dineen, Get The Picture Sports LLC

The Prairie Mustangs girls basketball team visited Weldon Valley on February 18, with Prairie winning 72-12. Both teams are in the 1A North Central league.

Prairie entered the game 7-11 overall, 0-2 in the league for third place (behind Briggsdale and Fleming). The Mustangs have had large swings in their win/loss margins. They’ve ranged from a win by 49 to a loss by 39. Yet, those have resulted in nearly equal averages, with the average score being 34 by Prairie to 36 by opponents.

Weldon Valley entered 3-13, 0-2 league for fourth place. The Warriors had also had significant margin swings, from a win by 29 to a loss by 59. Their average score is 29 by Weldon Valley to 48 by opponents.

Both teams are on the young side. Weldon Valley’s roster shows six freshmen, three sophomores, one junior and no seniors. Prairie’s is older, with three freshmen, two sophomores, two juniors and one senior.

The Warriors went ahead 4-3 lead 2:40 into the game, but that would be their only lead. Prairie then ripped off sixteen points for a 20-4 advantage after one period. They stretched that to 45-11 at the half, then 71-12 after three. Given the score, the clock was running during the fourth quarter and the points for that frame were just one to zero in favor of Prairie, for the 72-12 final.

Prairie scorers were led by senior Alliyah Nelson and freshman Tanna Bailey with sixteen points. Nelson shot three for five from three-point range and had five steals. Sophomore Kendra Sutter grabbed eight rebounds.

Weldon Valley freshman Haylee Nelson scored five points. Nelson and freshman Ellie Koch each took in six rebounds.

With the win, Prairie finishes the regular season at 8-11 (1-2 league, for third place). Their next game was a playoff on February 24 against the Fleming Wildcats (12-6) at Northeastern JC in Sterling.

Weldon Valley finished 3-13 (0-3 league, for fourth place). Their next game was a playoff on February 22 against Longmont Christian (2-17) at Northeastern JC in Sterling.

Nevaeh Speicher of Prairie drives against Warrior Ellie Koch.

Prairie Mustang Tanna Bailey scored sixteen and pulled down seven rebounds.

Haylee Nelson had five points and six rebounds for Weldon Valley.

Prairie teammates Alliyah Nelson (pictured here) and Tanna Bailey led all scorers with sixteen points.

9,000 Children Don’t Show Up in Colorado School Data.

Are They Missing or in Private School?

By Erica Meltzer, Chalkbeat

An analysis found states like Colorado where kindergarten is voluntary have more children unaccounted-for in school enrollment data.

Allison Shelley for EDUimages

Kindergarten enrollment is down. Dropout rates are up. Public school enrollment still hasn’t rebounded to where it was in 2019, before COVID turned education upside down.

Where have the kids gone? A new analysis by The Associated Press and Stanford University’s Big Local News project found an estimated 230,000 students in 21 states absent from publicly available data on public and private school enrollment and home schooling. That tally includes as many as 9,000 uncounted in Colorado, or about 1% of the state’s school-age children.

The uncounted likely include students learning in private school and at their kitchen tables who simply haven’t been reported, along with children who aren’t in school at all.

The findings further illustrate the pandemic’s profound impact on education, with some families rethinking their options and other students struggling to stay connected. They also demonstrate the difficulty of getting a full picture of where students have landed as a result of the upheaval.

States like Colorado where kindergarten is voluntary have many more unaccountedfor children than states where kindergarten is required, the analysis found. Birth rates have declined, meaning there are fewer 5-year-olds than even a few years ago, and thousands of families have moved out of state. But those changes don’t fully account for the decline in kindergarten enrollment.

More families could be keeping their 5-year-olds home even as Colorado prepares to launch a major expansion of public preschool.

“That’s important because kindergarten is the first experience kids have with a formal learning environment, and readiness to learn is really important as they move onto older grades,” said Thomas Dee, a Stanford University education professor who worked on the analysis.

At the other end of their school careers, more Colorado students are dropping out, state data shows, with 10,500 middle and high school students leaving the system in 2021-22, a 23% increase from 2019-20 and the highest dropout rate in four years.

Chronic absenteeism is up too, said Johann Liljengren, the state education department’s director of dropout prevention and student re-engagement.

“We definitely are seeing higher levels of disengagement across various measures, from attendance to dropouts,” Liljengren said. “What we’re trying to do is dig in and find out why and can we see some of those kids come back?”

The analysis used enrollment and U.S. Census data to look at changes from 201920 to 2021-22 and doesn’t include the current school year.

State data shows home school declining from its peak in 2020, and private school enrollment is nearly flat, raising questions about where other students who left the public system may have gone. But state education officials acknowledge their data on both student populations is “loose.”

Private schools don’t have to report enrollment, and more than 30% of 700 nonpublic schools in a state database report no information, potentially accounting for thousands of students. Home-school families are supposed to notify a school district every year of their intentions, but not all do.

Van Schoales, senior policy director at the Keystone Policy Center, said the gap is a symptom of Colorado’s lax approach to data collection. Without better information, it’s hard to know what’s happening or what to do about it, he said.

“We don’t know what the problem is,” Schoales said. “Is the problem that younger parents entering the school system during COVID had bad experiences and don’t trust the system? Or is the problem that high schools abandoned kids who were on the brink? Or maybe parents are making different choices.”

Kindergarten slide raises concerns

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis made improving early childhood education a centerpiece of his administration. He made full-day kindergarten free to parents in 2019 and enrollment surged, only to plummet the following year when many school districts started the year remotely.

Kindergarten enrollment rebounded somewhat in 2021-22 school year that was included in the Associated Press/Big Local News analysis — only to drop again this school year. But even in 2021-22, the share of 5-year-olds who weren’t in kindergarten was higher than before the pandemic. (Demographers caution that population estimates are imprecise.)

In 2019-20, fewer than 2% of Colorado 5-year-olds weren’t in public or private kindergarten. In 2021-22, roughly 4% were not enrolled.

The decline in participation is a concern, said Leslie Colwell of the Colorado Children’s Campaign. But without more information, it’s hard to know if vulnerable children are missing out on key early learning opportunities or if families with more resources are “red-shirting” or holding back their kindergarten-eligible

children or enrolling them in private options, she said.

Complicating the kindergarten trends, enrollment in both preschool and first grade are up this year. The launch of universal preschool in August could bring thousands more children into the public school system with part-time free care.

Who’s not in school?

State data gives some insight into how public school enrollment is changing. The largest decrease is among white students. There are 30,000 fewer of them in Colorado public schools this year than in 2019-20. The largest percentage decrease is in Native American students.

Dropout rates increased among all student groups but increased most among Hispanic and Native American students. Hispanic students accounted for more than half of all Colorado students who left school last year without graduating. Some school districts have stepped up efforts to find and bring back students who left school to work or who just didn’t see the point.

Attendance advocates in the Greeley-Evans district go door to door in search of students who are missing school.

Ann Schimke / Chalkbeat

Liljengren said state education officials are also revamping how they do their work bringing together sections that once worked in isolation to better use data to identify students in trouble and to support high schools in revamping their programming to keep students engaged, including with more pathways tied to career options.

But enrollment isn’t down everywhere. Alan Smiley, who heads the Association of Colorado Independent Schools, said the 39 schools his association accredits have seen enrollment grow between 1% and 3% a year since 2019, including families who have moved to Colorado as well as those switching from public school.

Families are attracted to small class sizes, specialized programming, and school environments that reflect their values, he said. Many start in preschool with the intention of remaining in one school for years. His members watch demographic trends just as other school officials do but haven’t seen the declines public schools report.

Regardless of the choices families make, public school enrollment is not expected to rebound anytime soon. There are 79,000 18-year-olds in Colorado, but just 67,000 5-year-olds, according to U.S. Census data provided by state demographer Elizabeth Garner.

Colorado home-school trends are hard to track

Joanna Rosa-Saenz was among more than 15,000 Colorado families who reported home schooling in the 2020-21 school year. She started out running a learning pod from her Denver home and continued after schools opened. She worried about vaccine mandates and wanted to be more hands-on with her children’s education, especially after her middle son fell behind when his school didn’t address his special education needs.

Her children are back in Denver Public Schools this school year. As a single parent, she couldn’t educate her children and support them financially and get more than a few hours sleep a night, she said. And she couldn’t afford tuition at the private Christian schools that most appealed to her.

The state’s official count of home-school students has gone down each of the past two years perhaps reflecting parents like Rosa-Saenz who could not sustain it — but Stephen Craig, executive director of Christian Home Educators of Colorado, said his membership is holding steady after a notable increase in 2020.

Rosa-Saenz said she knows many home-schooling families that are still going strong. Some didn’t like what their kids were being taught or the political direction of their district. Others were frustrated by high teacher turnover and frequent leadership changes. Still others felt a public school education just wasn’t very good.

“Parents have a lack of trust and so they are pulling their kids out and seeing what 9,000 Children don’t show up in Colorado School Data. Are They Missing or in Private School? continued on page 13...

Southeast Weld Chamber of Commerce 2023 Annual Banquet Held at the Wild Animal Sanctuary Facilities in Keenesburg continued from page 1...

Pictures by Sharon Eberhard & the Lost Creek Guide

Southeast Weld Chamber Thanks its Sponsors

Southeast Weld Chamber of Commerce 2023 Annual Banquet photos continued on page 16...

Colorado Democrats are Turning 2023 into the Year of Housing. But Should the State Wade into Local Land Decisions?

Lawmakers may limit local land-use directives to promote housing density. Also on the docket: rent control, eviction limitations and transit-oriented development.

by Elliott Wenzler, The Colorado Sun

After decades of tossing around the idea of the state stepping into local land use decisions as a way to combat rising home prices, the Colorado legislature is vowing to take meaningful action on the concept this year. But not without pushback from the people whose power they may overstep.

Cities and towns are grappling with ways to protect local control as some of their power to make zoning decisions seems to be on the chopping block.

“We do need help from the state, but not through changes to land use regulations,” Breckenridge Mayor Eric Mamula wrote in a letter to the governor. “What would help us create more units is funds.”

While few pieces of legislation have been introduced so far, Democrats are hinting they will bring bills that could reshape housing policy across the state by dangling incentives to encourage transit-oriented development, making it easier to build accessory dwelling units and removing other barriers imposed by local governments, such as minimum parking requirements.

“This is far beyond just a local problem,” Gov. Jared Polis said in his State of the State address last month in which he used the word “housing” more than three dozen times. “We have to break down government barriers, expand private property rights and reduce regulations to actually construct more housing to provide housing options at a lower cost so that all Coloradans can thrive.”

Whether a plot of land is developed into a few dozen single-family homes or hundreds of apartments can turn on how the land has been zoned by a local government. Those decisions by elected officials impact the number of homes and apartments available for generations and often, they face massive pressure from their constituents to block developments that would increase density.

Polis and Democratic leaders at the Capitol say now is the time to take a hard look at Colorado’s statewide land-use rules, which haven’t changed since about 1974 when Colorado’s population was 2.2 million. As of the 2022 census, there were about 5.8 million people living in the state.

“Pretty soon, if we don’t take this on with some sort of speed, we’re gonna wake up and it’s gonna be too late to make some of these changes,” said Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat.

But the Democratic governor may be at odds with Democrats in the legislature over how to ease the housing crisis. Polis has already said he’s “skeptical” about a proposal that would allow local governments to enact rent control policies, telegraphing that he’s likely to veto the measure if it makes it to his desk.

The debates around housing may prove to be a testing ground for how Colorado politics, now filled with more Democrats than ever, will proceed into the future.

Cities and towns react

The discussion regarding land use comes as the median single-family home price in Colorado has more than doubled to about $530,000 since 2010, according to a study released by the Colorado Association of Realtors in December. That’s led to workforce shortages in the high country and made homeownership unattainable for many in the Denver metro area.

Average monthly rent, meanwhile, is 6.5% higher in the metro area than a year ago and 23.4% higher than two years ago, according to the Apartment Association of Denver. Statewide, overall monthly rents are up 20.3% in the past two years, according to Apartment List.

“We really need to have this very important land-use discussion now, because after the fact is super late,” Polis told a group of business leaders at a luncheon last month. “It’s not something that fixes every problem we have tomorrow, but it fundamentally means in three years or five years, there will be more housing people can have close to where jobs are, which means less time commuting, less traffic on our roads.”

Democrats are debating several issues among themselves, including whether to give homeowners carte blanche to build accessory dwelling units, sometimes called ADUs or granny flats, with greater ease. In Denver, for instance, ADUs may be built only in certain zoning districts and the size of the structure is governed by lot size. The units must meet several other requirements related to things like appearance and accessibility.

There is also talk of changing parking requirements for developments and banning local growth caps, or restrictions on how much development can occur in a municipality or county over a certain time period.

Colorado has historically been a state where such land use and zoning decisions are determined at the local level, so city and county officials are nervous about what may be coming from the legislature.

“This is going to be major,” said Claire Levy, a Boulder County Commissioner. “It’s a major shift in policy for the state of Colorado.”

Levy, who also served seven years in the Colorado House, said she’s generally open to ideas from the legislature on how to address housing, but she’s concerned about the state mandating density without considering infrastructure and water needs. That’s a common refrain among local leaders and advocates opposed to the idea of the legislature interfering with zoning decisions.

Boulder’s city council Thursday voted 5 to 3 to support certain bills expected to be introduced by the legislature, including reducing the barriers for ADU’s, minimum housing density standards around transit, reduced parking requirements and conducting regional housing assessments.

When explaining why he recommended the change in policy, Carl Castillo, Boulder’s chief policy advisor, said the measures are likely to happen and by showing support, the city can help shape them.

“If the city wants to have influence in being able to affect the language of the bill, one of the best ways to do it is to communicate to the governor’s office, to the sponsors at the legislature that we are conceptually on board but we need to make sure our interests are protected,” he said.

Lakewood Mayor Adam Paul said he’s torn over some possible policies, such a ban on growth caps like the one approved in his city in 2019. That ordinance limits growth of residential units in the city to no more than 1% of the total housing stock per year.

“I was opposed to our antigrowth initiatives. I think they’re a disaster,” he said. “There’s potential legislation that looks at making (it) so that can’t happen in the future. In some ways, I think that’s good policy. But on the other side, that’s truly going against local

control.”

Wheat Ridge Mayor Bud Starker said he agrees with the governor’s goal of addressing housing needs but is hoping there’s room for discussion around the methods. “I don’t think it’s necessary for the state to start dictating land use regulations in order to achieve a more affordable Colorado.”

But Fenberg said any forthcoming land use legislation won’t strip local governments of all of their control.

“The state’s not going to be involved in permitting,” he said. “The state’s not going to be involved in approving projects. That still is a local issue, and I don’t think (that) ever is going to change. It’s really about, ‘What does a property owner have the right to develop?’”

Local control over the years

The debate over the state’s role in land use isn’t a new one. As Sam Mamet, longtime executive director of the Colorado Municipal League, puts it: “It’s always been there.”

Mamet, now retired from the position, worked for the nonprofit that represents the interests of towns and cities across the state for 40 years with the final 14 years as its leader. While the debate was consistent throughout his time working at the Capitol, Mamet has seen few examples of the state actually taking such action to override local governments. Why?

“Because It’s complicated and complex,” he said. “And there’s never a guarantee that any amount of law that’s passed or put on the books is going to address a problem.”

It’s also because past leaders in the state have worked together with local governments on these issues, said Kevin Bommer, the current leader of the Colorado Municipal League. Bommer wants to ensure that the legislature understands that many of the initiatives being discussed have already been enacted in numerous cities and towns.

“It could get adversarial, but I hope it doesn’t,” he said. “I think there’s room here to work on and identify what the common goals are and then start navigating what’s the best way to achieve them working together.”

Though Republicans lack political influence at the Capitol, they, too, are concerned about the state getting involved in local decision-making around housing.

“Every time the government gets involved, it just increases the price of housing,” said Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton. “If we’re trying to get to that American dream, that’s everybody’s dream that they want to own their own home, then we should be thinking of ways to make housing more attainable for people and increasing regulations based on what you think is best for everybody is not making it more attainable.”

Kirkmeyer said she’s concerned that if a certain level of density is required when developing land, some communities may choose not to build any additional housing.

Assistant House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, a Colorado Springs Republican and former Mesa County commissioner, said she knows housing needs to be addressed.

“I just want to make sure that we are really focused on the issues that the state can affect and should affect, which are regulations and water, a whole myriad of issues,” she said. “But leave local government issues to the local government.”

Rent control and eviction limitations

Beyond those on local control, Democrats are planning to introduce dozens of bills related to housing. One of the few pieces of such legislation that has been introduced is a bill that would lift Colorado’s 1981 statewide ban on local governments enacting rent control policies.

If approved, counties and municipalities would be able to regulate how much rent in their community can increase in a given time period.

Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Denver Democrat, is a prime sponsor on the bill, along with Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, and Sen. Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver.

“It is really important that people have a way to build intergenerational wealth through homeownership,” Mabrey said. “However, if you are not stable as a renter, you will never be able to buy a place.”

Fenberg believes communities should have the right to make their own decisions about rent control, but said he’s not sure if House Bill 1115 has the votes to pass both chambers.

“I genuinely don’t know if it’s a bill that’s going to pass this year,” he said. “I think some Democrats will support it and some will oppose it. And I’m not sure where it comes down yet.”

Even if the bill does pass the legislature, the governor appears unlikely to sign it into law. Polis has been vocal about his opposition to the concept in the past, going so far as to threaten to veto a bill that would have capped rent for mobile park residents last year. Economists have found that rent control can at times worsen affordability in cities.

“Gov. Polis is skeptical that rent control will create more housing stock, and locations with these policies often have the unintended consequences of higher rent,” Conor Cahill, a spokesman for the governor, said of House Bill 1115.

Mabrey also recently introduced House Bill 1171, which would limit when a landlord can evict a tenant. The legislation would restrict the reasons a landlord could evict a tenant to include failure to pay rent, illegal activity, violating a lease or creating a nuisance for other tenants.

The goal of the bill is to prevent tenants from being displaced from housing without specific cause, Mabrey said. One example of what the legislation is aimed at stopping is a landlord who chooses not to renew a lease and eventually evicts a tenant based on things such as race or gender or in retaliation for complaints.

“We believe that tenants in good standing, who aren’t breaking the rules, who are on time with their rent, shouldn’t be removed without cause,” he said.

Other housing bills that have been introduced include Senate Bill 1, which would dedicate about $13 million to develop workforce housing on vacant state land, including $2 million for a parcel near Vail. There’s also House Bill 1095, which would outlaw certain technical provisions in rental agreements, such as prohibiting tenants from joining class action lawsuits.

Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, is also sponsoring a bill expected to be introduced shortly that would create a right of first refusal for local governments trying to add long-term affordable housing. Under the proposal, the government would have the right to match any acceptable offer for a multifamily housing unit and purchase the property. They would then be required to set rental payments based on area median income in a given region.

There are also ongoing discussions on a long-term solution to keeping property taxes — which impact housing affordability — from skyrocketing.

Transit-oriented development

Aproposal coming from Democrats that’s likely to have more support — including from the governor — is one that would encourage or require housing density development along transit corridors.

Colorado Democrats are turning 2023 into the year of housing. But should the state wade into local land decisions? continued on page 11...

Many 3-year-olds in Universal Preschool Will Likely End Up In School Districts. Will That Shutter Colorado’s Community Providers?

Colorado’s expanded preschool program will serve 3-year-olds who need more schooling before kindergarten. With districts managing state funding for those kids, community providers worry they will meet a financial cliff.

by Erica Breunlin, The Colorado Sun

“Three-year-olds are not part of the universal preschool program, per se,” Shuler added, “but are a carve-out population to ensure that these children enter kindergarten ready to learn.”

The expanded preschool program is expected to serve about the same number of 3-year-olds in its first year, as are typically enrolled in the Colorado Preschool Program, Shuler said. There are 6,001 kids age 3 and younger in the program this school year, the Colorado Department of Education said.

If some of those children are cared for by a community preschool, state funding will follow them, she said.

Communities across the state rely on a blend of school district programs and community providers to accommodate preschool demand among local families, said Melissa Mares, director of early childhood initiatives at the Colorado Children’s Campaign.

An “exodus” of 3-year-olds from community care settings isn’t likely, Mares said, “because this pot of money is so fixed.”

Still, she said she understands community providers’ anxiety.

“The first year of anything this big and transformative, we know there will be messy moments,” Mares said, “and part of why we’re here as advocates is to help demystify things or help get answers (and) as a support so that this can be successful.”

Denver Public Schools — which educates about 5,000 3- and 4-year-olds, including about 1,800 3-year-olds — contracts with close to 40 community sites, which serve another 1,800 kids, including infants, toddlers and 3- and 4-year olds, said Priscilla Hopkins, executive director of early education for DPS.

She anticipates that DPS will continue contracting with community providers, though she is not certain if the district will continue working with all of the sites.

“We’re still figuring out how that’s going to look,” Hopkins said, adding, “the first thing will be, what are the needs out there?”

(Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun

Colorado’s rollout of expanded preschool has community-based providers across the state fearful they will lose critical revenue and struggle to keep their doors open as more children shift to free school-based programs.

Operators of community-based preschools worry that 3-year-olds who leave their centers to attend a school district program won’t come back once they turn 4 to continue preschool before they enter kindergarten. Colorado currently has 3,405 providers licensed to educate preschoolers, and they need those students to stay afloat and continue providing care to infants and toddlers.

The state has strict rules governing the ratio of teachers to infants and toddlers in classrooms. Without as many 3-year-olds under their watch, many community providers question whether they will have the funds to care for kids, including infants and toddlers.

“I am very concerned that this is an existential crisis for small community programs,” said Eva Nisttahuz-Hathaway, assistant director and a lead teacher at New Horizons Co-Op Preschool in Boulder. The nonprofit preschool teaches a diversity of students, including kids from low-income families and children learning English.

“And to me, this is creating more inequity because it’s limiting choice and access to the students who really need it most,” Nisttahuz-Hathaway said.

The state is making its expanded preschool program — known as universal preschool — available to a group of 3-year-olds who need extra time in the classroom before entering kindergarten, offering them 10 hours of preschool per week. That group includes kids from low-income households, those who are learning English, those with special needs as well as children who are homeless or in foster care.

Although the state increased funding to offer the preschool program to all children the year before they enter kindergarten, funding did not increase beyond the amount set aside for 3-year-olds in the funding available to school districts in the Colorado Preschool Program this school year. The state invested an estimated $37.7 million for 3-year-olds in the Colorado Preschool Program and a separate $16.5 million for 3-year-old preschoolers with special learning needs who are not enrolled in the Colorado Preschool Program, according to the Colorado Department of Education.

The Colorado Preschool Program, which began in 1988, will wrap up at the end of the school year. The program’s funding will merge with funding from Proposition EE, which taxpayers passed in 2020. The measure increased taxes on tobacco and nicotine products to pay for an expansion of the state’s preschool program to all children in the year before kindergarten.

Through legislation passed into law that created what the state calls universal preschool, House Bill 1295, the state will direct funding for eligible 3-year-olds to school districts and give them control over managing services for those children, which could include contracting with community preschools.

“This was determined, in part, because it will help school districts meet their obligations under special education law to provide inclusive classrooms for 3-yearolds with (Individualized Education Program plans) that have historically been served by school districts,” Colorado Department of Early Childhood spokesperson Hope Shuler wrote in an email.

Greeley-Evans School District 6 also plans to continue contracting with community providers to care for 3-year-olds, though the district will serve those who have IEPs, spokeswoman Theresa Myers said in a text message.

(Olivia

IEP plans are used to help schools and teachers meet the learning needs of students with disabilities.

Toddlers watch as director Isolde Stewart distributes Valentine’s cards on Feb. 13, 2023, at New Horizons Co-Op Preschool in Boulder. New Horizons, founded in 1968, utilizes a bilingual preschool program for up to 16 children at a time. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Boulder Valley School District, for now, plans to keep all 3-year-olds in the expanded preschool program in the district.

“At this time, BVSD’s position is that they have to come through BVSD at this time until we have a better understanding of the funding mechanisms to support special education students,” Kimberly Bloemen, the district’s executive director of early childhood education, said during a Feb. 14 school board meeting.

“Many school districts, it’s not that they’re not wanting to commit to private providers,” Bloemen said. “There’s so many unknowns coming through (the Department of Early Childhood) right now, and there isn’t a lot of written guidance, and we really haven’t seen how the dollars are all adding up. And so school districts are saying, ‘We’re kind of in a hold pattern right now. We’re in a wait and see. We need to better understand how the dollars are flowing through the school district.’”

Disrupting care for infants and toddlers — and the state economy

A minimal number of 3-year-olds will be ineligible for universal preschool at community centers, according to the Department of Early Childhood and some state lawmakers.

Rep. Emily Sirota, a Denver Democrat and prime sponsor of the legislation that created the expanded preschool program, supports sending state funding for 3-yearolds to school districts to keep classrooms diverse for students who have disabilities.

“And for this small number of 3-year-olds, they will continue to be served in the districts because they are children who have a disability and children with risk factors, but in order to ensure a diverse classroom so that you don’t end up only having children with disabilities in the public classrooms, that was a priority for us to ensure that those classrooms are a diverse mix of students,” Sirota said.

But with more than 3,250 universal preschool applications for 3-year-olds submitted to the Department of Early Childhood — according to data provided by the department in a recent subcommittee meeting focused on the educator workforce — early childhood advocates and providers worry that the number of 3-year-olds routed to school districts could be significant enough to have lasting impacts on community providers.

Community providers also are concerned that Colorado could be teeing up a system that in the future will direct more state funding for young kids to districts.

“The state has told us that there’s a cap on current 3-year-old funding but has also told us that there may be more money available to expand 3-year-old funding down the road,” said Scott Bright, owner of ABC Child Development Centers, which has 25 sites across Weld County and partners with two school districts.

“They surprised us by pushing 3-year-olds through the school districts,” Bright added. “And it’s only right for us to raise our hand and ask the question, ‘Why and where are you headed with this?’”

Many providers rely on 3- and 4-year olds to stay financially whole since they can care for more of them, said Dawn Alexander, executive director of the Early Childhood

Many 3-year-olds in Universal Preschool Will Likely End Up In School Districts. Will That Shutter Colorado’s Community Providers? continued on page 12...

Reef Buchanen-Pendleton listens to “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” during her group’s “relaxation time” on Feb. 13, 2023, at New Horizons Co-Op Preschool in Boulder. New Horizons, founded in 1968, utilizes a bilingual preschool program for up to 16 children at a time.

via Report for America)

Toddlers play on Feb. 13, 2023, at New Horizons Co-Op Preschool in Boulder. New Horizons, founded in 1968, utilizes a bilingual preschool program for up to 16 children at a time.

Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Polis, Fenberg and Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, have all expressed support for the concept, though the details remain in flux.

Paul, Lakewood’s mayor, said the idea makes sense but voiced concerns about how it would play out.

“You also need a functioning transit agency, right?” Paul said “I don’t think you can really start getting rid of cars in some areas, without having a bona fide alternative.”

While many specific policies haven’t yet solidified, conversations are ongoing, Fenberg said.

“There’s been a lot of work behind the scenes and a lot of conversations with cities, counties, the governor’s office, environmental groups,” Fenberg said. “I think we fully suspect some big policies still to be introduced.”

Colorado Sun staff writers Jesse Paul and Tamara Chuang contributed to this report.

The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com

Rosen: Liberal Media Bias Tanks Public Trust In Journalism

by Mike Rosen, , Complete Colorado Page 2

Freedom of the press is an essential mainstay of our republic, specifically cited in the First Amendment prohibiting Congress from making any law that would abridge it. The “press” originally referred to the earliest newspapers, magazines or even pamphleteers. Nowadays, it would fall under the general category of “media,” including 24-7 cable-TV and Internet streaming.

This confounds or at least dilutes the definition of a “journalist.”Reporters at the New York Times certainly regard themselves as journalists, a term that used to carry a measure of prestige. Broadcast news people are a kind of journalist. Editors of newspaper opinion pages are considered to be journalists as are their local and syndicated columnists. Does the term apply to TV talking heads or radio talk personalities? How about freelance podcasters?

There’s nothing wrong with journalists expressing their opinions, biased or not, on an editorial page or in a broadcast commentary. But there’s a vital distinction between reporters and opinion columnists. Under the theoretical canons of the profession, reporters are obliged to be objective and fair, dealing in facts not their personal opinions. Undoubtedly some are, I’ve even known some, but far too many aren’t. When they disguise an editorial as an unvarnished story on the news pages, they become dishonest, unethical, and untrustworthy journalists.

That’s not just my view, most of the public agrees. A recent Gallup poll found that only 7% of Americans have “a great deal” of trust and confidence in mass media television, radio, and newspaper reporters to convey the news fully, accurately, and fairly. 27% have “a fair amount,” 28% say they “don’t have very much,” and 38% have “no trust and confidence.”

The breakdown among partisan groups is especially revealing. 60% of Democrats have a great deal or fair amount of trust in journalists while 86% of Republicans have not very much or none. 71% of liberal Democrats have a great deal or fair amount of trust. Only 9% of conservative Republicans say that. The conclusion is obvious. Democrats, especially liberals, trust partisan, liberal journalists who echo their own bias.

The journalistic profession has long been dominated by those on the political left who favor Democrats and spin the news accordingly. The New York Times could just as well be the public relations agency of the Democratic Party, along with the Washington Post, L.A. Times, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, MSNBC, and, locally, the Denver Post and Boulder Daily Camera.

Even reporters and editors who imagine themselves to be fair, see the world through their subjective lens. Perfect objectivity may be a goal but it is unobtainable. In practice, objectivity is subjective. We are all the product of our beliefs, perceptions, experiences, and biases that ultimately filter through. And a newsroom with like-minded liberal colleagues reinforces that mentality. Such journalists lack the self-awareness to recognize their bias. You might say the same thing of a conservative newsroom but there are very few of those in the elite, major media.

Other journalists are purposefully biased. Carole Simpson was a Black weekend anchor on ABC News’s World News Tonight with an obvious liberal bias. She spilled the beans one day at a Washington Forum covered by C-SPAN when she proudly exclaimed she was “someone who got into journalism in the 1960s because we wanted to change America.” In later years, she went on to teach journalism at Emerson College in Boston. Likely as a role model for the next generation of liberal journalists.

An oft-repeated maxim of liberal journalists and college journalism instructors goes something like this: “The job of journalists is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” I doubt many of them know the source of that quote, much less its original intent. It was coined in 1902 by Finley Peter Dunn, a political satirist who actually believed that journalists should do no such thing. He put those words in the mouth of a fictional, curmudgeonly Irishman he created, “Mr. Dooley,” whose sarcastic rant (translated from the original Irish brogue) proclaimed: “The newspaper does everything for us. It runs the police force and the banks, commands the militia, controls the legislature, baptizes the young, marries the foolish, comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable, buries the dead, and roasts them afterwards.”

(An obvious irony oblivious to liberals is that the income taxes imposed inordinately on the comfortable by our welfare state are the source of revenues for myriad government programs that comfort the afflicted. Successful people who become financially comfortable through talent, skill, and hard work are worthy of praise not “affliction” for that.)

Through Mr. Dooley, Dunne was, in fact, damning the journalists of his day for their bias and presumptuous sanctimony in picking winners and losers, advancing their political agenda and editorializing in the guise of reporting. Like today’s liberal journalists who redefine millions of aliens that cross our border illegally merely as “migrants” and fail to fact-check Biden when he absurdly claims our border is secure.

The term “noble journalist” is an honorific exclusively reserved for colleagues on the left. If I had to pick a noble journalist it’d be Ernie Pyle, a patriotic battlefield war correspondent who sent home moving accounts of “dogface” infantry soldiers during World War II. Pyle was killed in action by enemy fire during the Battle of Okinawa. By contrast, “noble journalists,” so anointed by their peers, were those who publicly opposed the Vietnam Nam War and advocated for a U.S. withdrawal, like CBS anchor Walter Cronkite.

Ethical journalism, however you define it, is an indispensable element of a free society. But journalists aren’t philosopher kings with superior knowledge and credentials to judge morality, justice and public policy. And they’re seldom experts about the topics they cover. They’re just people with a public platform and an opinion, mostly a liberal one, in an industry competing with other media businesses for circulation numbers, Nielsen ratings, Internet hits, and advertising revenues. They’re also careerists seeking acclaim and advancement by chalking up scoops, exclusive interviews, and awards like Pulitzer Prizes.

In the late 19th century, “yellow journalism” was rampant, resorting to sensationalism, exaggeration, one-sided advocacy, and disregard for the facts to gather attention and readers. The inherent liberal bias of most journalists was bad enough in the 1960s, and it’s only gotten worse, accelerating during the Reagan era, and rising to stratospheric levels in their treatment of Donald Trump. When he dubbed their biased reporting as “fake news” that was the last straw and the fraternity of liberal journalists went completely bonkers.

Journalists who regard Trump as the personification of evil threw even their pretense of fairness out the window. They rationalized that his counterattack on the Democrats’ progressive order and agenda — that mirrors their own — made it their duty to take him down. Reasoning that the ends justify the means; lying, exaggerating, sensationalizing, and distorting the facts about Trump and others on their hit list became standard operating procedure. To be sure, there were enough valid criticisms of Trump to make resorting to these unethical tactics unnecessary. These same journalists who claim their profession is “noble,” are simply practicing today’s form of ignoble yellow journalism, which may explain their loss of public trust.

Longtime KOA radio talk host and columnist for the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News Mike Rosen now writes for CompleteColorado.com.

Overbeck: HB 1160 Brings Needed Due Process To Child Abuse Accusations

By Joy Overbeck, Complete Colorado Page 2

Nobody really knew the enormous power of county child welfare agencies to take kids away from their parents until an Arapahoe County Department of Human Services (DHS) case worker named Robin Niceta fraudulently accused Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky of sexual abuse of her two-year-old son. This vicious move, which was proven to be a personal vendetta by Niceta because of a negative remark Jurinsky made about Niceta’s lover (then-Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson) has thus far resulted in $3 million in civil damages and a pending criminal trial against the disgraced social worker

But that’s not usually the case. Too often, parents lose their kids over unfounded charges, and are placed in Colorado’s automated child welfare (TRAILS) system as a suspected abuser. This label can haunt them for the rest of their lives, according to Colorado State Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican from Weld County who has introduced House Bill 231160 to give parents a fighting chance to challenge the process. “People can be labeled a child abuser even if there was never a trial or a criminal charge,” says Evans. “This means they can be excluded from employment as a teacher or childcare worker, from coaching their child’s sports team, and even from placement of their own grandkids in their home because that terrible label sticks with them for decades.”

According to a study by the Parental Rights Foundation, a disproportionate number of parents/caregivers of minority children are targeted by social workers with abuse allegations. In Colorado, this amounts to over twice as many black children as their proportion in the child population. “This could really be illegal discrimination and racial bias, which is a Constitutional issue,” Evans points out.

When Evans was a sergeant with the Arvada police department, one of his officers got a call from a social worker who wanted him to arrest a father for making his child do jumping jacks. “My officer just laughed,” recalls Evans. “This dad’s 14-year-old daughter had been cutting school, so he had her do 10 minutes of jumping jacks. Unbelievably, the social worker called this ‘mistreating a child’ and said it was ‘forced labor and physical abuse.’”

The officer laughed, but the social services case worker was perfectly serious. And that’s the problem. “There are similar cases in which a case worker goes way beyond common sense in what amounts to persecution of parents,” Evans charges. “If parents try to fight them in court, it can take years and is very expensive, eating up money they don’t have especially if they are low-income and financially strapped as so many are now.”

Currently, social services must obtain a court order to remove a child from the family, but Evans says the deck is stacked since social services is the investigating agency that presents “evidence” to the judge.

Representative Evans’ bill would require the department of human services to provide a written notice of the opportunity for a hearing before adding a person suspected of child abuse or neglect to the publicly available child abuse registry. When a hearing is requested, the bill requires an administrative law judge (ALJ) to contact the parties to schedule the hearing no later than 120 days after it is requested.

The Niceta case, though bizarre, is not unusual, according to a $50 million class action lawsuit filed against the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services and others on behalf of over 40 families with personal horror stories. They claim their families were torn apart by child-protective workers they say fabricated evidence and provided false sworn testimony. According to an article in the Gazette, “the lawsuit alleges the Arapahoe County social workers regularly removed children from homes that posed no risks and put them in peril by placing them in unsafe environments.”

In one of the most disturbing cases, an infant was removed from a mother who the social worker believed used drugs, although her drug tests were negative. Nevertheless, her infant son was taken to a foster home and later suffered serious bruises and sores from caregivers there.

“I hope to get Democrats on board to help right some of these wrongs against innocent parents, especially minorities,” Evans says.

Joy Overbeck is a Colorado-based journalist who has been published at Complete Colorado, Townhall, American Thinker, The Federalist, The Washington Times, and elsewhere. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter @joyoverbeck1

Colorado Democrats are turning 2023 into the year of housing. But should the state wade into local land decisions? continued from page 9...

Many 3-year-olds in Universal Preschool Will Likely End Up In School Districts. Will That Shutter Colorado’s Community Providers? continued from page 10...

ability to also care for infants and toddlers.

“If someone wanted to remove infant toddler opportunities from communities in Colorado, one of the quickest ways to do it would be to pull 3- and 4-year-olds out of child care centers,” he said. “Whether the state or school districts know it, they are undermining the ability for providers to provide infant toddler care to families and communities by pulling them.”

New Horizons Co-Op Preschool in Boulder, which opened after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated and has since evolved into a bilingual center for Spanishspeaking families, currently cares for 33 children, with 19 students funded by the Colorado Preschool Program, 12 of them who are 3 years old, Nisttahuz-Hathaway said.

The preschool, which has become even more diverse by serving local Nepalese children, did not learn that 3-year-olds in the expanded preschool program would not receive funding to attend its center until staff members attempted to help families try to register their 3-year-olds and were unable to enroll them.

For instance, state rules dictate that one staff member can oversee five infants while one staff member is needed for every five to seven toddlers, depending on their ages. Meanwhile, one staff member can care for 10 children from 3 years old to 4 years old and 12 children from 4 years old to 5 years old.

“They need that full balance, that full spectrum of children in their program to be able to provide them the ability to sustain and offer those services,” she said.

Moving 3-year-olds out of community providers and into school districts could pinch community providers and jeopardize their sustainability at a time parents are already struggling to find infant and toddler care, Alexander said.

“It threatens our entire state economy,” she said.

A growing list of community providers and parents want to see legislative changes that would allow families of 3-year-olds in the expanded program to choose the type of preschool they see fit for their child. They are advocating for those changes to be included in a “clean up bill” the Department of Early Childhood is drafting to refine language in the law that created universal preschool that is outdated or ambiguous.

A survey initiated by the Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado two weeks ago has drawn more than 315 responses from concerned providers and families, Alexander said. About 140 providers and families have indicated they will give written testimony, and about 90 providers and families are willing to give inperson testimony to lawmakers.

Community providers and teachers are equally concerned about how much shuffling kids between child care and preschool programs in school districts and those housed by community providers could hurt their development. Children thrive on routine and consistency, experts say.

“Quite honestly, I haven’t heard any real good reasons as to why it’s set up that way in the first place,” Bright said. “If you think about it very logically, 2-year-olds are in a mixed delivery setting; 3 year olds are being pushed to school districts; 4 year olds go back to mixed delivery; and 5 year olds go back to the school district.”

Community providers also wonder why the state is mandating that 3-year-olds in the expanded preschool program be automatically routed to district-run preschools when state leaders have been touting a mixed delivery system since first setting out to open up preschool to more families. That system draws on a variety of preschool settings — school districts, community providers and home-based providers — so that parents have options and can place their child in an environment best suited to their learning needs.

Nisttahuz-Hathaway, the assistant director and a lead teacher, believes that parents of 3-year-olds who enroll in the expanded preschool program should have a full menu of schooling options.

“That shouldn’t only be extended to 4-year-olds,” Nisttahuz-Hathaway said. “The 3-year-olds who qualify, they need a lot of support. They need two years of preschool. They should also be able to choose the program that best fits their needs.”

She also worries that losing 3-year-olds next year will impact the preschool’s future classes of 4-year-olds in universal preschool.

“Most people will do what’s most convenient, which is staying in the place where they are,” she said.

The state has created something of a financial safety net for community providers who have partnered with a school district to educate children through the Colorado Preschool Program, offering them “hold harmless” funding for one year, Shuler said. That means that if a community provider receives less funding under the state’s expanded preschool program in its first year than the amount they received this school year under the Colorado Preschool Program, the state will pay them the difference.

It will help community preschools like New Horizons Co-Op Preschool, but it won’t guarantee they will be able to keep their doors open long term.

“It doesn’t change the sustainability problem over time,” Nisttahuz-Hathaway said. “So it buys us a tiny bit of time to try to figure things out, but it doesn’t solve the sort of fundamental issues that are at the heart of that.”

Colorado Sun staff writer Jesse Paul contributed to this report.

The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com

Toddlers play on bikes on Feb. 13, 2023, at New Horizons Co-Op Preschool in Boulder. New Horizons, founded in 1968, utilizes a bilingual preschool program for up to 16 children at a time. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

“It was obviously important to legislators to put 4-year-olds in mixed delivery settings,” said Bright, who also is on the board of the Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado and serves on the Rules Advisory Council, which advises the Department of Early Childhood. “It confuses me as to why it wasn’t as equally important to leave 3-year-olds in mixed delivery settings and instead push them through school districts.”

State officials say the way they are serving 3-year-olds in the expanded preschool program falls in line with state statute and does not interfere with the mixed delivery system set up for 4-year-olds.

Bright’s centers cater to about 1,000 3- and 4-year olds, with about two-thirds of those children funded through the Colorado Preschool Program and Preschool Special Education.

He fears that losing 3-year-olds from community providers will compromise their

How could we have the comfort to make everyday decisions without our local law enforcement, paramedics, fire department, veterans, and active military? These groups of people have worked together in defending and keeping peace across America. Our newest addition to law enforcement, the Keenesburg Police Department, will now be contributing to this peacekeeping mission in our town. The police have helped rescue me from an extremely traumatic and deadly home for which I am very grateful and thank them. We truly are a very peaceful community, and the people in the new police department will help keep it in order. Next up, our paramedics and the local fire department have been doing a great job responding to emergencies in a timely manner and helping whenever they are called. These courageous people have also taught me how to save lives through a CPR and First /aid course. And for that and much more, I thank them. The veterans who have fought for us in wars and battles past had given me my first inspiration and the military was all that I could ever think about since they were around me all the time. And I thank them for their past sacrifices and support to keep our country free during international conflicts. We wouldn’t have the freedoms we love today without them. Finally, the active military members who are currently serving our country and our citizens keep us all secure from international threats and attacks. Thank you for keeping us safe and sound even when we don’t know it. We must do all we can to thank these diverse groups of people today and every day who protect and help us. Thank you all for your service!

Mike

Education Association of Colorado.

Shane Matthews, a parent and volunteer with New Horizons Co-Op Preschool, helps push children on swings on Feb. 13, 2023, in Boulder. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Toddlers play on Feb. 13, 2023, at New Horizons Co-Op Preschool in Boulder. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

9,000 Children don’t show up in Colorado School Data. Are They Missing or in Private School? continued from page 7...

they can do to really support them,” she said.

Public school approaches on everything from math instruction to gender have alienated conservative parents, Craig said. Families want an education tailored to their child and their faith.

“For too long we’ve put education in its own box and said 2 plus 2 is 4 and that’s not religious,” he said. “And that’s just not true. Our world view is in everything.”

Tracking these students is tricky. Some families may not report. Craig’s group advises families they are not legally required to report if one parent is a licensed teacher — an interpretation of the state’s compulsory attendance law that state education officials disagree with.

Colorado’s public school enrollment data also includes thousands of home-school students who take a class or receive a service from a local public school. That means the real number of home-school students is higher and the real number of public school students lower than publicly available data suggests.

Fall 2020 saw hundreds of thousands of Colorado students learning at home. Some of them stayed there.

RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post

Enrollment declines are cause for concern

Regardless of the exact number, missing students and disengaged families demand attention, observers said. Schools connect students not just with education but also with meals, medical care, and community. Schools with fewer students also get less money. Many Denver metro area districts have closed schools or plan to.

Polling data that the conservative education group Ready Colorado expects to release this month shows a big increase in parents concerned that schools are on the wrong track. That aligns with a Magellan Strategies poll from last spring — though the reasons for dissatisfaction were diverse.

Ready Colorado President Brenda Dickhoner said she knows more families who thought private school was out of reach but re-examined their options as they grew less satisfied with their local public school.

“I’m less concerned with whether Joey is in private or public school, but I’m really interested in understanding the parent motivations,” she said.

Colwell of the Children’s Campaign said she worries that more families may be opting out — even though the vast majority of Colorado families continue to enroll in public school.

“We want kids to be connected to high-quality learning opportunities,” she said. “For families to make the choice that they’ll disengage entirely, to see an increasing number of families making that choice in the wake of the pandemic and the political environment, is concerning.”

Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org.

“Leadership in Agriculture: Meet Amy McFarland”

by Madison Richmann

Amy McFarland, a Keenesburg local, is doing her part in the community to advocate for agriculture. Amy grew up outside of Alliance, Nebraska on a small ranch. Along with her siblings, Amy was a 4-H member showing market lambs and steers, dairy goats, and horses. After high school, she stepped away from agriculture a bit, earning a double degree in business administration and journalism. After earning her degree Amy worked for Sandhills Publishing where she started to get back into agriculture; she worked here for nearly 2 years before moving out here to Colorado where she started work as an Adams County 4-H Agent. Amy was not looking for a job when the opening at Aims came up. She had been working beside the former ag instructor who saw Amy the perfect fit for her position when she moved out of state. Amy laughed that she was afraid she was not even qualified for the job she had been convinced to apply for; however she now has two master degrees, one in management and the other in agriculture education. The rest is history, as Amy is currently in her seventh year teaching at Aims.

Although she never imagined teaching in her future, Amy firmly believes Aims Community College is where it is meant to be. Amy is currently the Agriculture Sciences and Technology Department Chair and Faculty at Aims, teaching multiple agriculture business and animal sciences courses. The Agriculture Communications course offered by Aims was created by Amy herself, making the class her favorite to teach. Amy says that this class really played to what she considers her skill set and passion for communicating more effectively about agriculture.

“The better we can communicate about our industry, agriculture, to bridge the gap between consumers and producers, the more our industry can thrive. I integrate communication in all of my courses to equip students with the skills to thrive in agriculture. The key to success when communicating in agriculture is creating a relationship of trust and respect.

Although she loves teaching the Agriculture Communications class, Amy says the course she feels to be the most beneficial is Farm and Ranch Management. She feels that this class impacts students the most as it focuses on the business aspect of agriculture. During the course of Farm and Ranch management students create a business plan start to finish that they can then take with them to use after, making this class very applicable for students wanting to pursue an agriculture career.

When asked her favorite part of working at Aims, Amy said “I have a passion for agriculture and feel strongly about defending it as an industry but also really love teaching to help students grow their passions. I am very fortunate to be able to do

both things that I love in this position.” Although Amy teaches at a collegiate level, agriculture is taught as an elective curriculum through high school.

“Even a minor understanding of agriculture is as important as health, science, math, etc. It is becoming very evident that we need to better educate on where our food comes from; making agriculture a part of a core curriculum would do this and have so many benefits. ” Amy feels very strongly that agriculture education should be expanded beyond an elective curriculum.

“Statistics show that we are on average three generations removed from agriculture. Kids often educate parents as much as the latter in my opinion, so if we are teaching kids at an early age about where their food comes from, where it is made, etc. that is going to have a ripple effect. In a backwards way, we could fill those three generations back and then have a great model moving forwards so that everyone has a better understanding of agriculture and its importance.”

Agriculture impacts every single thing we do. In any of her courses you may take, you will hear Amy say, “Ag is ag is ag,” which she says is one of her favorite quotes.

“It puts into perspective how agriculture truly makes the world go round, and shows that we are truly a united industry.” She also mentions that only 2% of the world feeds and clothes 100% of the population, which gives the gravity of how impactful agriculture is for every single person.

“I am lucky enough to know and feel that I am making an impact everyday.”

As an agriculture based community we are so thankful we have people like Amy to educate others about such a predominant and important industry in our world. She is definitely making a difference, as she not only teaches, but inspires and encourages the best out of her students.

“We are so fortunate to live in Weld County, a true agriculture powerhouse. The future of agriculture is bright, but we have to continue to advocate for the industry and get more people interested and educated. If you want to make a difference, agriculture is the place to be.” - Amy

McFarland

Teen Driver’s License Bill To Cost Taxpayers Millions; Some Supporters To Benefit Financially

by

Sherrie Peif,

Complete Colorado Page 2

DENVER — A bill making its way through the Colorado legislature will increase requirements to obtain a driver’s license for new drivers under 21 — both educationally and financially, while some supporters of the bill stand to make millions in additional revenue at the expense of taxpayers if passed.

Senate Bill 23-011 — Minor Driver’s Education Requirements — is sponsored by Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster and Representatives Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins and Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora in the House.

The bill will require anyone under 18 to take a state-approved, 30-hour driver education course and receive at least 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a driving instructor. Those between 18-21 — unless they have been issued a license in another state previously — will be required to take a four-hour prequalification driver awareness program, approved by the state.

Currently, for drivers between 16 years and 16 years and six months, Colorado requires a valid driver’s permit for at least one year, 50 hours of driving time with at least 10 of those at night, and the successful completion of training with a licensed driver’s education company.

Between 16 years and six months and 18, Colorado requires a valid driver’s permit for at least one year and 50 hours of driving time with at least 10 of those at night. From 18 to 21, Colorado requires a valid permit and passing score on a driving test. However, the behind-the-wheel time now can be supervised by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult. Under the new bill, behind-the-wheel training will be required to come from a licensed instructor.

TABOR refund implications

The state will offer a refundable tax credit up to $500 to the minor or his or her guardian to cover the cost of the training, so long as the person filing for the credit does not earn more than $75,000 per year in income. Drafters originally had a tax credit of up to $1,000 but it was amended in committee. It was also amended so that the credit can be increased by $100 when inflation has caused the cost of instruction to increase by $100 or more.

Also amended was the effective date of the bill, which was originally set to become effective this year. It will now become effective July 1, 2024.

The bill passed out of the Senate transportation & energy committee on Jan 23 along party lines, and then Senate finance committee on Feb. 2 with two amendments along party lines. It now goes to appropriations.

According to the fiscal note, the bill is expected to cost taxpayers $57 million over its first two years, as it will reduce the amount of revenue subject to refunds under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).

TABOR is a constitutional amendment that, among other things, regulates the growth of government spending to a reasonable annual rate. Excess revenue must be returned to taxpayers unless voters give permission to exceed those limits.

Historically, TABOR refunds are given based on the amount of taxes paid into the state. The more taxes paid, the bigger the refund. Last year, Gov. Jared Polis marketed the constitutionally mandated refunds as a $750 gift to every Coloradan who filed an income tax return.

Bill supporters benefit financially

The tax credits are not the only issue with the bill. Although the four-hour licensed instructor requirement will inject millions of new revenue into many certified instruction schools across the state using taxpayer money, former Republican State Rep. Dave Williams pointed out in an interview with Brandon Wark at FreeStateColorado.com that this bill very narrowly benefits AAA Colorado, which stands to make millions if this passes.

Williams said AAA is currently supporting the bill as the only company in Colorado prepared to offer the 30-hour online course once it becomes effective.

“AAA is pushing it because they have a driver’s ed course that matches the requirements of the bill,” Williams said. “They are doing it because they know that through government force, they can create a market that they will have a monopoly over. They can force people to adhere to requirements that their program is already offering. Any other competitors are going to be hosed because they weren’t first to market.”

Complete Colorado verified with the Secretary of State’s Office that AAA Colorado

is supporting the bill, and Complete Colorado could not find another company in Colorado that currently has the 30-hour program ready to roll out like AAA.

AAA currently offers the class at a rate of $99 for non-members and $89 for members. According to the Colorado Department of Revenue 2022 Annual Report, Colorado issued 83,515 minor licenses in 2022. If AAA were to capture just onequarter of new license holders, the company stands to gain at least an additional $2 million a year in added revenue off Colorado taxpayers. If no other company is up and ready to go, AAA is looking at added revenue reaching nearly $8 million a year.

Williams said the implications of this bill are even further reaching, such as the upfront costs that won’t be reimbursed through the tax credits for possibly a year or more to get a license.

“If you are poor, or you are under-employed or you are struggling to make ends meet, you are not going to be able to afford to actually get a license,” Williams said. “And if you can’t drive that’s going to make it very hard to get a job.”

The bill does not have a safety clause on it, meaning if it passes, any Colorado resident could challenge the bill and force it to go to the voters, so long as a petition is filed within 90 days after the final day of the 2023 legislative session. Those wishing to repeal the bill would need to gather 124,238 signatures from registered voters in 60 days to force it to a vote. It would appear on the 2024 ballot.

Candidate Forums

United Power will host the following Meet the Candidate Forums where members can learn more about each of our director candidates.

Monday, March 13 | 6:30 p.m.

Riverdale Regional Park

Rendezvous Room, Waymire Dome 9755 Henderson Rd, Brighton 80601 View Livestream at www.unitedpower.com

Tuesday, March 14 | 7:30 a.m.

Coal Creek Canyon Community Center 31528 Highway 72, Golden 80403

Thursday, March 16 | 6:30 p.m.

United Power Carbon Valley Service Center 9586 E I-25 Frontage Rd, Longmont 80504

Friday, March 17 | 7:30 a.m. Fort Lupton Recreation Center Multi-purpose Room 3 203 S Harrison Ave, Fort Lupton 80621

Annual Meeting & Director Election

Where: Riverdale Regional Park

When: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 4:30 p.m. | Registration opens 6:30 p.m. | Meeting begins

www.unitedpower.com

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Southeast Weld Chamber of Commerce 2023 Annual Banquet Held at the Wild Animal Sanctuary Facilities in Keenesburg continued from page 8...

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