The Lost Creek Guide, May 3, 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

Keiser Brothers Announce New Dream Golf Project in Roggen, Colorado

Rodeo Dunes Set to Begin on Sandy Site 50 Miles Northeast of Denver Denver, Colorado (April 18, 2023) – Michael and Chris Keiser, developers and owners of Sand Valley in Wisconsin and sons of Bandon Dunes developer and owner Mike Keiser, announced today that they are launching a new Dream Golf project –Rodeo Dunes. Set on more than 2,000 acres of pure sand with 125-mile views of Colorado’s Front Range, Rodeo Dunes is located off I-76, just 50 miles from downtown Denver and 42 miles from Denver International Airport (DEN).

“The moment I set foot on this land, I knew this was the place,” says Michael Keiser. “The dunes are perfect – tall and rolling, with unlimited possibilities for great golf holes.”

Two routings are complete, one by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw – who return to the type of inland-links landscape that defined their groundbreaking work at Sand Hills –and one marking the solo design debut of longtime C&C associate Jim Craig. The property will support up to six courses.

Golf construction will begin this summer, and Rodeo Dunes expects to welcome golfers in the 2025 season.

A short course and putting course are expected to follow shortly.

“You just could not ask for a better site,” Keiser says. “The land requires minimal shaping. We know what kind of amazing work Bill and Ben do, and their routing is as great as you would expect from them. Jimmy Craig’s layout explores the property in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. These two courses will complement each other and will be a blast to play.”

The Keisers have secured more than 2,000 acres, with room for up to six courses. Rodeo Dunes will be a publicly accessible Dream Golf resort.

Great Plains Field of Honor 2023 Honoring All Who Serve

by Bob Grand

The City of Fort Lupton held the annual Great Plains Field of Honor 2023 at Pearson Park Fields Honoring All Who Serve. It was a beautiful day with a bit of wind, but that made the flags stand tall, and there were a great many of them. Fort Lupton Mayor Zo Hubbard was the Master of Ceremonies. The opening music of armed forces melodies was performed by the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church of Fort Lupton. The presentation of the Colors was done by the Fort Lupton Fire Protection District led by Lt. Ryan Pfeiffer and Lt. James May. Following the Pledge of Allegiance Dr. John Bell and the Buffalo Soldiers of the American West supported by the Fort Lupton Fire Protection District Honor Guard. The Fort Lupton Police Department Honored the Fallen. The piper was Tim Lambert, retired from the Adams County Sheriff’s department. The National anthem was performed by Ms. Teagan Joseph. A military fly over was from Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. Guest speakers included Kelli Gilchrist from Building Warriors and Watik Aleen, of Warriors Now. The keynote speaker was Justin Smith from the Larimer County Sheriff, retired. The 21 fun volley was performed by the American Legion Post 180, Keenesburg, Colorado. The Honor Bell was rung by the Honor Bell Foundation. A flyover was performed by the Rocky Mountain Formation Flyers.

Congratulations to the City of Fort Lupton, the sponsors, participating organizations, and volunteers who helped make the event as successful as it was. The turnout was outstanding as the seats were full and there were no spare parking spots left. A fitting celebration of all who serve.

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE

Page 2: Way of World

Page 3: Convention of States Update

Page 4: History of Mother’s Day

Page 8–9: Weld RE3J Art Show at the Hudson Library

Page 12–14: Wiggins 2023 High School Graduates

Page 15–20: Weld RE-3J 2023 High School Graduates

Page 21: Weldon Valley 2023 High School Graduates

Page 24: Teacher Appreciation Day

Page 24: Southeast Weld Conservation District Annual

Keiser Brothers Announce New Dream Golf Project in Roggen Colorado continued on page 21

Way of the World

by Bob Grand, Lost Creek Guide

Did you notice in today’s world much of what you hear is about us or them? What happened to we? Our fault again, we need to tell our elected officials, at all levels, that thinking and, worse, acting on issues like it is an us or them choice is not a productive way to live together. Mutual respect is important. You have a right to your opinion, but others have a right to theirs also. Too many leaders of both political parties have decided it is not in their best interest to recognize that other people have a right to their opinion. Instead it is all about winning, or worse, just control. We are a republic and if you get a majority of votes that translates into an election victory. As Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams often points out, elections have consequences.

As of today, we are staring a 2024 presidential race that potentially has two very senior white men who have very different political bases. We desperately need to have younger people running who can represent a unifying effort, promoting a working together environment that focuses on solutions to our growing economic issues. Joe Biden will be facing increasing exposure of the financial transactions of his son, Hunter. That is not going to be a very pretty picture. It will probably unveil the facts that the government agencies have given preferential treatment to the President’s son. What happened to everyone is equal under the law premise?

Donald Trump is facing indictment on 34 counts in New York, which to many is a, no pun intended, trumped up set of charges by a very politically active District Attorney who spends time and resources prosecuting Donald Trump as opposed to working on reducing crime in New York City. Ask the citizens, business and property owners in New York City how well that is going for them. In Georgia, Trump will probably be facing charges on election interference, which for most would not be pursued, but because he is who he is, guess what?

Hunter Biden’s investigation is at the federal level while Donald Trump’s are at the state level. Trump probably benefits in the short term, as his base sees him as victim. To some degree they are right, but in the long run what does it do to affect the decisions of unaffiliated voters. That is not so clear. Donald Trump should act like a senior statesman, but I am not sure his ego will permit that.

Make no mistake, we are staring at a very difficult second half of 2023 and 2024 economic picture. Not only in the United States but worldwide. Is no one in either major party willing to say, “the king has no clothes”? We need capable leadership, not party hacks.

We have permitted the creation of power centers, representing what amounts to very vocal but small groups of people dictating to you on what and how you should think. Ask the Budweiser beer folks about the Budweiser Light fiasco on how well that went for them. I was told the other day that a certain, publicly funded entity (that means your tax money and mine), argued about whether they should call an annual Mother’s Day event that as it could be seen as sexist. I do not want to be insensitive but that is fundamentally wrong to me.

Transgender sports participation is another area of concern. Over the past fifty years it has been an uphill fight to give women the opportunity to compete at all levels on a somewhat equal basis. To now say they that because someone wants to compete as a woman because they identify as a woman but just happens to have the body of a man appears to be unfair. Why not set up a separate but equal transgender competition and do not mix competitors which penalizes one group over another. Have we lost all common sense?

The uncontrolled accumulation of governmental and personal debt is a worldwide problem. The inflation problem today was caused by the easy credit policy where people and companies borrowed because interest rates were literally at zero. If you look back at history this story has been told before, but when you really believe it will not happen to you and then it does, life can become unpleasant. Companies this last quarter have shown, for the most part, significant reductions in reported profits. This means they will be continuing to reduce expenses which, in the short term, usually translates into layoffs to try to bolster their balance sheet to keep their stock prices up. Unemployed workers do not spend as much. Since in the United States 70% of GDP is generated by consumer spending where do you think that will take us? We are entering a spiral that will require real leadership to get out of. Are you comfortable with our options as of today?

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

SE Weld County Jr. Fair & Rodeo in Keenesburg , Colorado, Update 2023

By Jenna Pralle

Comprehensive development, future planning, and growth, these are all things we are becoming very familiar with in our small towns on the I-76 corridor. Whether we are excited about the prospect of new business and neighbors, or bothered by increased traffic, transformed landscapes and those new neighbors, change is inevitable. Without change, the railroad laid from coast to coast providing opportunity for economic development in the pioneering age would have never brought our small towns to be. Our community is very diverse and sometimes we may forget that we have farmers and ranchers, energy and natural resources all working together mostly in harmony. The more we grow the more it is necessary to foster these roots of community and that is the primary goal of the Southeast Weld County Jr. Fair and Rodeo, to pass along the traditions of integrity and responsibility to the youth of our community. To reiterate the primary messages from both the 4H motto and the FFA creed, we believe in the future of agriculture, making the best better! We hope that you take a moment to think about the future of our community and how important a role our youth will have in its development. If you are new to the community and not involved in a 4H club, the FFA program, or the SEWC Fair, and would like to get more information please reach out, we would love to get you involved!

2023 Southeast Weld County JR. Fair and Rodeo Schedule

Saturday August 5, 2023 – SEWC Team Roping

Thursday August 10, 2023 – Ag Mechanics, Crops, Goat Show, Horse Show, Home Ec. & Natural Projects, Poultry

Thursday August 10, 2023 7 p.m. - PRCA RODEO

Friday August 11, 2023 –Beef, Bucket Calf, Dairy, Hog, Lamb, Round Robin

Friday August 11, 2023 7 p.m. - PRCA RODEO

Saturday August 12, 2023 - Parade, LIVESTOCK SALE, BBQ, Ranch Rodeo & Live Band

Sunday August 13, 2023 - Kids Rodeo

Kids, Come Join The Adventure!

The word is out the Independence Schoolhouse at South Platte Valley Historical Park has 3-June summer school sessions. Children will enjoy going to school for 3 days in a one room schoolhouse dressed in pioneer clothing. They will encounter what it was like to live and go to school in the 1800s.

Teachers will have the children learn from the McGuffey Readers. It will be a phenomenal experience of Native American life, a settler’s garden, a pioneer kitchen, tour of the fort, and of course they will make homemade butter.

Students may even engage in a firsthand demonstration of doing laundry using an old washboard and soap. If only Great-Great-Great-Great Grandma could see them now. She would be so proud.

Donated by the Watada family, the 1875 Independence Schoolhouse is one of the Society’s first restorations.

The Schoolhouse moved to its current home and restored through the efforts of volunteers and Fort Lupton High School students.

Lavon Watson and Cindy Bunning are organizing this amazing event. The independence school is located at 2001 Historic Parkway in Fort Lupton.

From 9 AM to 3 PM, the first session is June 5th, 6th, and 7th, the second session is June the 12th, 13th, and 14th. The third and final session is June the 19th, 20th, and 21st. cost per child is $60.00 for one 3-day session. Children must have completed 1st through 8th grade. Do not miss this incredible opportunity!

This is an exclusive event with limited sessions. So, enroll your kids today, www. spvhs.org for a pioneer fun time. Its Grandma approved!”

Spring in Keenesburg

Convention of the States Update

By Elizabeth Christen

What is Article V of the Constitution? Well, it states:

“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress;…”

What is the process for a Convention of the States? In order to call a Convention, both chambers of 34 State Legislatures must pass a resolution on the same, limited topics. This unity is important, because if States pass resolutions on different topics, they will not count toward the 34 States needed for a Convention. Once 34 States have signed on, delegates from each state propose, debate and then vote on amendment proposals, within the resolution topics. Adopted amendments are then voted on in all 50 States, of which 38 must vote to ratify any amendments. Once ratified, they become part of our Constitution.

The proposed Convention objectives lie in 3 key areas: Term limits on federal offices; Limits on federal power and jurisdiction; and Fiscal restraint. These objectives can be narrowed down at the Convention, but not broadened out or redefined. A few of the main amendment proposals being discussed include term limits on Congress; limits on federal spending and taxation; a balanced federal budget; prevention of new states without consent of ¾ of existing states; and others that would give power back to the states from the federal government.

Our Framers never intended for the federal government to grow so large and powerful, and they put measures in place to keep that from happening. But slowly, we have let their power creep – from Wilson to FDR to LBJ. With increased speed in recent years – from Obama and now under Biden – we are in danger of getting whiplash. But it’s not too late to reign it back in. We The People have the power –through the officials we elected to represent us in our 50 separate republics – to take that authority back to our states, just as the 10th Amendment outlined: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

Congress has the ability to propose Constitutional Amendments, a power with which they have exercised 27 times. Yet they haven’t proposed anything that would limit their control or their time in power. The Framers designed our Constitution to be amended as needed, and they were deliberate in ensuring it could be done in more than one way. It’s time to implement the other route – through the Several States.

Currently, 19 States have passed resolutions, while 8 more have passed resolutions in one chamber. Colorado is not one of these States. A resolution was once again voted down last month in Denver.

It’s time to take a stand, as unified freedom and liberty lovers, of all stripes. Let your State Senators and Representatives know that you stand with the 2/3 of the Americans surveyed by The Trafalgar Group last year, who support a Convention of the States. Visit https://www.votervoice.net/COSACTION/campaigns/58034/ respond to send a message quickly and easily to your Senator and House Rep.

As Benjamin Franklin declared, this is “a Republic, if you can keep it.” Let’s keep it.

Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams talked about Law Enforcement 2023 at Republican Women of Weld Meeting at Ben’s Pizzeria in Hudson

By Bob Grand

The Republican Women of Weld monthly meeting was held at Ben’s Pizzeria in Hudson. President Gillian Smith welcomed all and introduced Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams. Sheriff Reams presented his views on the Status of Law Enforcement 2023. The sheriff reiterated that elections have consequences. He reminded all of us, with a vast array of statistics from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) about crime in Weld County and the state of Colorado overall. He noted that there is a disturbing trend of the state legislature passing laws that do not deter crime but almost incentivized it by minimizing the accountability for perpetrators. He strongly suggested that citizens contact their state representatives to share their views on what the Impacts of some of these laws have had on the justice system. Being a police officer in Colorado is not an attractive job given all the legislation that has passed which, in his view, make a policeman’s job a very difficult one in Colorado. The Sheriff commented that judges need to able to act as justices and not be so controlled by legislation that ties their hands on what they can do with people who commit crimes. It almost sounds like the perpetrators have better protection than the victims (writer comment). The Sheriff entertained questions from the audience, of which there were many. Congratulations to the Republican Women of Weld for hosting a great program.

Saudi Water Deal Threatening Water Supply in Phoenix

Arizona is leasing farmland to a Saudi water company, straining aquifers, and threatening future water supply in Phoenix. Fondomonte, a Saudi company, exports the alfalfa to feed its cows in the Middle East. The country has practically exhausted its own underground aquifers there. In Arizona, Fondomonte can pump as much water as it wants at no cost.

Groundwater is unregulated in most rural areas of the state. Fondomonte pays only $25 per acre annually. The State Land Department says the market rate is $50 dollars per acre and it provides a 50% discount because it doesn’t pay for improvements. But the $25 per acre price is about one-sixth of the market price for unimproved farmland with flood irrigation today, according to Charlie Havranek, a Realtor at Southwest Land Associates.

Although there are no records for how much Fondomonte is pumping out of the aquifer, a State Land Department report estimates the company is swallowing as much as 18,000 acre-feet every year – enough water to supply 54,000 single-family homes.

Using the average rate at which groundwater on state trust land is auctioned – as the report suggests — the value of the water Fondomonte uses could be anywhere from $3 million to $3.9 million a year.

Here’s What Rob O’Dell Had to Say:

One of the things being grow on the farmland is alfalfa, which is being sent back to Saudi Arabia to feed their cows. However, alfalfa can be very water intensive which is being supplied by the ground water coming from Western Arizona.

“It’s one of the most water intensive crops there are and just with the conditions out there, they’re able to do eight to nine cuts, harvests a year of alfalfa.”

A side note to why is because Saudi Arabia has exhausted a lot of their ground water supply. A lot of companies in Saudi Arabia have been searching around the world for a location to get their water from, which one of them is Western Arizona.

Is this Ground Water from Western Arizona?

“Absolutely, this ground water that was laid down probably 70 to 80 thousand years ago, that’s almost nonrenewable.”

As for the leases for the land, both of them were conducted by the State Land Department. One of the farms is located in Vicksburg and the other is in Butler Valley.

How Much are These Leases?

“They pay about 86 thousand dollars a year. Some reports show that the water could be worth up to three to four million dollars a year that they are putting on the field every year” O’Dell went onto say this about Phoenix and their water supply “because that could be a potential water supply for Phoenix.”

Mother’s Day 2023

BY: HISTORY.COM EDITORS

Mother’s Day is a holiday honoring motherhood that is observed in different forms throughout the world. In the United States, Mother’s Day 2023 will occur on Sunday, May 14. The American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialization and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar. While dates and celebrations vary, Mother’s Day traditionally involves presenting moms with flowers, cards and other gifts.

History of Mother’s Day

Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.”

Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.

Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition shifted into a more secular holiday, and children would present their mothers with flowers and other tokens of appreciation. This custom eventually faded in popularity before merging with the American Mother’s Day in the 1930s and 1940s.

Did you know? More phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. These holiday chats with Mom often cause phone traffic to spike by as much as 37 percent.

Ann Reeves Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe

The origins of Mother’s Day as celebrated in the United States date back to the 19th century. In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children.

These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation.

Another precursor to Mother’s Day came from the abolitionist and suffragette Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” a call to action that asked mothers to unite in promoting world peace. In 1873 Howe campaigned for a “Mother’s Peace Day” to be celebrated every June 2.

Other early Mother’s Day pioneers include Juliet Calhoun Blakely, a temperance activist who inspired a local Mother’s Day in Albion, Michigan, in the 1870s. The duo of Mary Towles Sasseen and Frank Hering, meanwhile, both worked to organize a Mothers’ Day in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some have even called Hering “the father of Mothers’ Day.”

Anna Jarvis Turns Mother’s Day Into a National Holiday

The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children.

After gaining financial backing from a Philadelphia department store owner named John Wanamaker, in May 1908 she organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. That same day also saw thousands of people attend a Mother’s Day event at one of Wanamaker’s retail stores in Philadelphia.

Following the success of her first Mother’s Day, Jarvis—who remained unmarried and childless her whole life—resolved to see her holiday added to the national calendar. Arguing that American holidays were biased toward male achievements, she started a massive letter writing campaign to newspapers and prominent politicians urging the adoption of a special day honoring motherhood.

By 1912 many states, towns and churches had adopted Mother’s Day as an annual holiday, and Jarvis had established the Mother’s Day International Association to help promote her cause. Her persistence paid off in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Jarvis Decries Commercialized Mother’s Day

Anna Jarvis had originally conceived of Mother’s Day as a day of personal celebration between mothers and families. Her version of the day involved wearing a white carnation as a badge and visiting one’s mother or attending church services. But once Mother’s Day became a national holiday, it was not long before florists, card companies and other merchants capitalized on its popularity.

While Jarvis had initially worked with the floral industry to help raise Mother’s Day’s profile, by 1920 she had become disgusted with how the holiday had been commercialized. She outwardly denounced the transformation and urged people to stop buying Mother’s Day flowers, cards and candies.

Jarvis eventually resorted to an open campaign against Mother’s Day profiteers, speaking out against confectioners, florists and even charities. She also launched countless lawsuits against groups that had used the name “Mother’s Day,” eventually spending most of her personal wealth in legal fees. By the time of her death in 1948 Jarvis had disowned the holiday altogether, and even actively lobbied the government to see it removed from the American calendar.

Mother’s Day Around the World

While versions of Mother’s Day are celebrated worldwide, traditions vary depending on the country. In Thailand, for example, Mother’s Day is always celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit.

Another alternate observance of Mother’s Day can be found in Ethiopia, where families gather each fall to sing songs and eat a large feast as part of Antrosht, a multi-day celebration honoring motherhood.

In the United States, Mother’s Day continues to be celebrated by presenting mothers and other women with gifts and flowers, and it has become one of the biggest holidays for consumer spending. Families also celebrate by giving mothers a day off from activities like cooking or other household chores.

At times, Mother’s Day has also been a date for launching political or feminist causes. In 1968 Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr., used Mother’s Day to host a march in support of underprivileged women and children. In the 1970s women’s groups also used the holiday as a time to highlight the need for equal rights and access to childcare.

Transparency Advocates Warn Bill Hampers Challenges to Executive Session Violations

by Sherrie Peif

DENVER – Open government advocates say a bill making its way through the House of Representatives would water down Colorado’s open meeting laws when it comes to local elected bodies informing constituents about conversations behind closed doors.

House Bill 23-1259, sponsored by Adams and Jefferson County Democrat Lindsey Daugherty and Weld County Republican Gabe Evans, would create a cumbersome new process for anyone wishing to challenge public entities, such as school boards or city councils, as to whether proper notice about executive sessions was given. Challengers could also face large reimbursements if a court deems they did not meet those requirements.

Evans said when he signed onto the bill, he did not expect the language of the final draft to have such a “chilling” effect on the press and constituents who wish to challenge misdoings by their local governing boards.

Lawsuits driving effort

“Rural school districts came to me and said they wanted to have the right to cure these things before they were taken to court and forced to spend thousands of dollars on litigation,” Evans said, adding he agreed because as a police officer, he often witnessed frivolous lawsuits against the department simply for the sake of settling out of court, and could see the same happening in the small rural school districts. “The language of the bill was a bit stronger than I had thought it would be. I have had some conversations with stakeholders to bring amendments to the bill that will ease some of the concerns.” lawsuits drive effort

Evans was referring to Pagosa Springs attorney, Matt Roane, who according to news reports had filed at least 45 lawsuits against small school districts and other municipal boards over alleged open meetings violations, usually settling out of court for $3,750 each.

Michelle Murphy, executive director of the Colorado Rural Schools Alliance, told the Durango Herald: “… Many of these are against small rural districts with extremely limited resources. Unlike larger urban districts, rural districts do not employ in-house legal counsel and are forced to spend additional funds on attorneys.”

The bill does not yet have any sponsorship in the Senate.

Jeffrey Roberts, Executive Director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition (CFOIC) said his organization is opposed to this bill.

“We are very concerned about weakening the enforcement of executive session announcements in the open meetings law,” Roberts said “The public is entitled to know something about what a public body is going to discuss behind closed doors.”

Evans agreed, adding his intent was never to skirt sunshine laws.

“My intent was: Can we try to take a step away from everything being litigated in society? Can we try something else before the court process starts? I think districts should have the right to try to work things out before going to court,” Evans said. “But if someone wants to get open records or challenge the government if they have done something wrong, by all means, they should also have that right.”

Roberts said when you weaken the enforcement mechanism of the existing law, it gives public bodies the ability to say very little about what is being discussed in executive sessions.

Putting up roadblocks to challenges

Under the current law, before the body can go into executive session, it must be announced with as much specificity as possible what the meeting is about. For example, if a city council were receiving legal advice pertaining to a lawsuit, the announcement would need to be something such as: “To receive legal advice on pending litigation in relation to the dismissal of an employee.”

The bill requires that for anyone to have standing to challenge a violation, they must first file a notice to the clerk of the local public body and meet with the public body before the next meeting to see if the issue can be resolved without going to court. It then gives that local public body the ability to “cure” the violation at its next meeting or the meeting immediately following 14 days after a complaint is raised.

Under the bill, “If someone complained, (the local public body) could theoretically cure that at the next meeting,” Roberts said. “But it’s very difficult in that bill to understand whether that cure is adequate or not because no one has standing to go to court over it.”

Roberts pointed out that the law doesn’t pertain explicitly to the published agenda for the meeting, rather it is intended to be announced at time of the vote to enter into the executive session. Therefore, the only people aware that a violation may be occurring would be the people in the room at the time of the meeting.

“They are supposed to be as specific as possible without ruining the point of going into executive session,” Roberts said. “So that someone wondering why they are closing the door, knows why they are closing the door. If they explain it at the next meeting (anyone at the previous meeting when the violation occurred), may or may not be there. You may not hear that.”

Just as troublesome, Roberts said, the fact that there is no explanation as to who determines if a “cure” is adequate complicates whether the meeting could still be challenged. If the local public body believes it’s been cured, but the person wishing to challenge does not think it’s adequate, they may still not have standing to sue. And another addition to the

law allows the local public body to recover costs and attorney fees from the person filing the complaint if a court finds the person filing the challenge did not meet the notice requirements or that the local public body cured the violation.

“The public already often wonders why their boards and commissions and councils are meeting behind closed doors,” Roberts said. “Are they straying from topic? Are they making decisions when they are not supposed to? This gives them a little bit of information and why do we want to weaken that provision?”

Roberts said his organization will be testifying against the bill at a hearing before the State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs committee at 1:30 p.m. on April 10.

Evans said he will continue to work on amendments that will make this bill more acceptable.

“I’m still a small government, conservative that doesn’t want to have a chilling effect on the media or other constituents,” Evans said. “Sunshine is a great disinfectant. I’m trying to do what the legislature is supposed to do and that is to find a happy medium on things that are real issues for my constituents.”

Colorado Special Education Gets Long-awaited Funding Boost

by Erica Meltzer, Chalkbeat

Tammy Johnson oversees special education services in five rural school districts in southwest Colorado as the executive director of the Uncompahgre Board of Cooperative Educational Services.

And she also puts in time as a preschool special education teacher — doing assessments, writing student education plans, supervising classroom aides — because there’s no one else to do the job.

Administrators in the districts she serves “know that I’m not available in my office to put out fires now that I have to leave my office to work in Norwood with preschool kids,” she said.

A long overdue boost to Colorado special education funding is buying Johnson some relief soon. By pooling their share of new state funding, the UnBOCES and the five school districts plan to hire an experienced preschool special education teacher at $56,000 a year.

“And oh my gosh, we might be able to pay our folks a little salary increase, enough for them to stay,” Johnson said.

The additional funding comes from the 2023-24 state budget and a related special education funding bill and enables Colorado to meet funding commitments it made in 2006 but never honored.

The formula developed back then proposed that school districts get $1,250 for every student with an individualized education plan and another $6,000 for students whose needs cost more to meet, such as students with autism or specific learning disabilities, students who are deaf or blind, those with traumatic brain injuries or who have significant emotional disabilities.

But instead of meeting that obligation, Colorado lawmakers essentially funded special education out of budgetary leftovers. As recently as 2018, Colorado was paying school districts less than a third of what lawmakers had promised for special education students.

State Sen. Rachel Zenzinger has pushed to steadily increase special education funding each of the last five years. In 2019, she argued that increasing special education funding was even more important than paying for full-day kindergarten. (Kindergarten, a top priority for Gov. Jared Polis, won out.)

Last year, Zenzinger and state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Weld County Republican, secured the first inflationary increase since 2006 for all special education students, for whom districts were reimbursed $1,750 this budget year, a 40% increase.

This year’s budget pledges $6,000 for each higher-needs student, the amount set in 2006 but never met. All told, special education funding is increasing about 13.4% to $340 million.

Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat and the chair of the Joint Budget Committee, said securing funding was a matter of political will.

“Once we exposed this problem, it was really hard to not fix it,” she said. “Our children are entitled to this, and in order to be successful, we need to provide them resources.”

Colorado also has a lot more money to work with thanks to a strong economy, one-time federal dollars, and rising local property values that have taken pressure off the state education budget.

The special education funding bill passed the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support and awaits Polis’ signature. It’s sponsored by Zenzinger, Kirkmeyer, state Rep. Cathy Kipp, a Fort Collins Democrat, and state Rep. Lisa Frizell, a Castle Rock Republican.

The extra funding still leaves school districts on the hook for about two-thirds of more than $1 billion in total costs to educate students with disabilities. The federal government promised back in the 1970s to pick up 40% of the cost but only reimburses school districts about 14% of their real costs, with the state picking up about 20%.

Lucinda Hundley, who heads the Consortium of Directors of Special Education, said school districts are grateful for the additional money, but they also need lawmakers to understand it’s a fraction of the cost. School districts are legally required to provide special education services, so unreimbursed costs come out of the general education budget.

A study group last year decided against making major changes to how Colorado funds special education, but Hundley said she hopes the state takes another look at how much it invests in special education and considers what a fair share would be between the state and districts.

Rob Gould, a Denver special education teacher and president of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, said low funding has exacerbated a shortage of special education teachers and special service providers such as speech language

pathologists, occupational therapists, and school psychologists.

“We do not have enough teachers or support staff to serve our students the way they deserve. At every turn, special education educators rise to the occasion, but the state’s lack of investment has exacerbated the educator shortage,” he told lawmakers this month.

Gould described one teacher who quit after her caseload rose to 40 students because she was the only special education teacher in her building.

“She left the profession entirely so she could spend time with her kids on the weekend,” he said.

Staffing shortages and high workloads sometimes mean students don’t get the services they’re owed. In just one recent example, the Colorado Department of Education found that Denver violated federal requirements by failing to provide speech therapy to more than 1,000 young students.

Colorado’s educator shortage survey found that 17% of open special service provider positions went unfilled last school year, compared to just 8% of classroom teacher openings. Year after year, special education teachers are among the hardest to hire. Johnson, the BOCES director, cobbles together services uses independent contractors and virtual appointments. If money were no object and she could offer competitive salaries to go with sweeping views of the San Juan Mountains, services would look a little different.

“I would have a psychologist in every building,” she said. “I would have a social worker in every building. I would have a speech pathologist in person. I would have release time for my teams to plan. If we could meet some of our students’ needs proactively rather than reactively, it would make a difference.”

In voting to move the bill out of the House Education Committee, state Rep. Mary Young, a Greeley Democrat, said she started working as a special education teacher before there was even a federal law requiring that schools serve students with disabilities. In all those decades, special education had never been adequately funded, she said.

“The people who do special ed do it because their heart is in it,” Johnson said. “Growing up, my brother couldn’t come to school with us because they didn’t have a program for him. That’s why I’m doing this.

“But I’m in my 27th year and funding hasn’t come close to catching up, and it’s a travesty that we have to do it on the backs of general education students who are also struggling.”

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

Controversial Transportation Funding Amendment Unanimously Killed; New Conference Committee Formed

By Sherrie Peif

DENVER — After several days of laying over a conference committee amendment to House Bill 23-1101 in the state Senate that had some rural lawmakers up in arms, the amendment was rejected unanimously on Thursday and a new conference committee was appointed.

The controversial amendment is to a bill ostensibly about expanding a fully taxpayersubsidized transit program.

Opponents of the amendment say it will severely hurt transportation funding for rural Colorado and small metropolitan planning areas.

HB-1101 started off with the goal of expanding a grant program that offers free transit vouchers, but when it hit the Senate, Adams County Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, slapped an amendment on the bill that lawmakers from rural Colorado in the House didn’t like and refused to concur with.

That amendment requires that no later than July 1, 2024, Colorado’s transportation commission update its rules governing the statewide transportation process and transportation planning regions to “adjust the boundaries of the transportation planning regions in a manner that ensures that the state’s population is proportionally and equitably represented on the transportation advisory committee.”

A conference committee, which is a process in which members of both the Senate and the House work together to come to a consensus on a topic that the two chambers disagree on, was formed. Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, who was on that committee, said the language of the amendment was not acceptable for her, and many other rural Colorado lawmakers.

“The equitable language in this bill still leaves me to believe, and members of the state transportation advisory committee (STAC) to believe, that CDOT (the Colorado Department of Transportation) is working to lessen the vote of the rural transportation regions and thereby lessening and silencing as best as they can the voice of rural Colorado, when it comes to transportation,” Kirkmeyer said.

Kirkmeyer initially proposed killing the amendment and forming a new committee a week ago, but that proposal ended in a 17-17 tie vote (with one member excused), with Democrat Sen. Kevin Priola bucking his fellow Weld County legislators, as well as his rural constituents, in supporting the amendment.

“This is about trying to lessen the voice of rural Colorado on transportation because the executive director of transportation — who is appointed by the governor — and her staff thought it was a great idea to sneak an amendment into a bill,” Kirkmeyer said. “They are either going to lessen the vote or put in a weighted voting mechanism, which will hurt rural Colorado, which will hurt those small MPOs. I know because I sat on the STAC for 20 years. I chaired it for eight years. Every opportunity they had, the larger MPOs would always try to outvote or outwork with the department the rest of the state transportation advisory committee.”

She and Winter have been working since to find a compromise.

On Thursday, Winter called for killing the amendment and starting over. That proposal passed unanimously. Sen. Winter, along with the bill’s c0-sponsor Sen. Nick Hinrichsen and Sen. Kirkmeyer were appointed to the new conference committee.

“After conversations with (Sen. Kirkmeyer), we feel we are in agreement on where this conference committee report should be,” Winter said.

Kirkmeyer agreed.

“I appreciate the ability to work with (Winter and Hinrichsen),” Kirkmeyer said. “I think this will be a very short conference committee because we are in agreement with regards to amendments.”

May Happenings at Aims Community College

America Adrift

GREELEY, CO

April 24, 2023 – Join Aims Community College with unique upcoming events. All are welcome to these free public events on Aims Community College campuses.

“Dark Side of the Moon” 50th Anniversary Tribute | May 3 | 7 p.m. | Welcome Center Auditorium | Greeley Campus

Join Aims for a tribute concert presented by an ensemble of music faculty and students performing Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” Presented in honor of the album’s 50th anniversary, the event also features a multimedia presentation of student artwork, graphics, audio engineering, and film production. An art show related to the themes will be displayed in the lobby starting at 6 p.m. Concert begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free. If you would like to make a voluntary donation to support Aims students, we are raising funds for Arty’s Pantry, a campus-wide pantry that provides students with food, personal hygiene products, school supplies, and more.

Daily Ink Art Show | May 4 | 3-5 p.m. |Ed Beaty Hall Gallery | Greeley Campus

View the latest Ed Beaty Hall art exhibit, “Daily Ink,” featuring works by Sista Luna from March 20-May 4. Join us for a closing reception on May 4. Daily Ink is an art exhibition featuring 31 original ink drawings by artist Sista Luna completed one per day for a month.

Aims Review Launch & Reading | May 5 | 3-5 p.m. | Ed Beaty Hall Theater | Greeley Campus

The Aims English Honor Society and the Aims Review are excited to invite you to our 2023 Aims Review launch, literary reading and artistic display. Light refreshments will be served and copies of the magazine will be distributed. Join us to celebrate the talent of the Aims community.

Aims Music Showcases and Recitals | Ed Beaty Hall Theater | Greeley Campus

Join us to hear Aims students perform free live music. Concerts are free and open to the public.

• Piano Recital | May 4 | 3 p.m.

• Voice Recital | May 8 | 4:30 p.m.

Spring Plant Sale | May 10 | 4-7 p.m. | Greenhouse | Fort Lupton Campus

The Aims Agriculture Club is hosting a Spring Plant Sale fundraiser. Students have grown many types of gardens and indoor plants to help fundraise for opportunities for the club. All plants sold are grown by Aims Ag Club and Aims Horticulture students. Choose from plants for your vegetable garden, outdoor flowers, succulents and more.

PERC Spring/Summer Community Days | May 15 -27 | Physical Education and Recreation Center | Greeley Campus

The Aims Physical Education and Recreation Center (PERC) will be open to the community during the interim break between the 2023 Spring and Summer semesters. From May 15-27, everyone 18 and older is invited to try a free, 50-minute class led by our excellent instructors or access our facility. An ID is required for entry. Contact physical.education@aims.edu or 970-339-6295 if you have any questions. For more information about events at Aims Community College, visit events.aims.edu.

by Bill O’Reilly

In just a little more than four months, the first Republican presidential debate will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The tottering Fox News channel is the sponsor. Already there is a problem. Donald Trump says he won’t show up. His reasoning is that the moderators will not favor him, and the establishment press will falsely report on the exposition. So, the Don will attend to business elsewhere, perhaps on the fairway.

You may remember that Mr. Trump skipped a Fox News-sponsored debate in 2016 after being harshly questioned by Megyn Kelly in a previous extravaganza.

Didn’t hurt him.

The Democrats have not announced any debates because President Biden may be incapable of the exercise. At a White House kids event on Thursday, he could not remember that he had spent four days in Ireland two weeks ago. Joe Biden is in big trouble, cognitively speaking. Sorry to state the obvious.

So, with 19 months left before Americans vote for president, the country is in deep political trouble because the flow of honest information is dubious, to say the least.

Donald Trump used the media to his advantage in 2016 and fought it to a draw in 2020. Fox News and talk radio largely supported him, while Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden had the rest of the national media in their pockets.

Now, it’s different. Fox is diminished, and its ownership supports Ron DeSantis. So, Trump’s media presence is far more difficult.

President Biden, on the other hand, will receive overwhelming support from the media even if he is reduced to eating jello in a small, locked room. The progressive press would support anyone, including Young Sheldon, over Trump.

Last time around, more than 150 million Americans cast presidential votes. Biden got more ballots than any Democrat in history, same with Trump in the Grand Old Party.

There could be a rematch, although I remain skeptical about Biden’s short-term future. He’s fogged out much of the time and obviously incapable of running the country.

Trump remains vibrant but has amassed more enemies than Genghis Khan, whose hobby was decapitating thousands of innocent people and placing their heads on sticks.

If old Genghis ran against Donald Trump, The New York Times would endorse the Mongol.

Millions of voters don’t really understand or even care about America’s leadership because they live in bubbles. But they hear things. Unfortunately, those “things” are often untrue, and finding an honest perspective is extremely difficult.

Our job here is to provide that daily.

And we will do it.

Re-3J School District Art Show at Hudson Library

The RE-3J school District held it’s 2023 Art Show at the Hudson Library. Representing works from all the schools in the district. There were over 225 pieces of work displayed from all grade levels. Congratulations to all participants and thank you to the Hudson Library for hosting.

Re-3J School District Art Show at Hudson Library Pictures continued from page 8...

Bill Restricting Farmland in Urban Renewal Projects Clears Committee, Heads to Senate Floor

By Sherrie Peif, Complete Colorado Page 2

DENVER — A bipartisan bill that would further limit inclusion of agricultural land in urban renewal authority (URA) projects passed out of a Senate committee Wednesday on a 6-1 vote.

Senate Bill 23-273 appears to be on a fast track, having been introduced only two days prior and now scheduled for a senate floor vote Thursday. It appears if passed, the bill would stop a proposed large real estate development in Northern Colorado from using a controversial taxpayer-subsidized funding mechanism — known as tax increment financing (TIF) — associated with URAs.

Proponents say the two-page bill is necessary to clarify one condition from a 2010 bill that put limits on the use of ag land in URAs, and that if the Northern Colorado development is allowed to continue using the loophole, it would set a precedent that would be devastating to taxpayers.

“The original House Bill 10-1107 was to shut down the mischaracterization or abuse of (adding farmland to URA)”, said Morgan Carroll, a former state senator who sponsored the original bill during testimony to the Agriculture & Natural Resources committee. “Our intention was clearly to grandfather only the existing urban renewal authorities because the entire purpose of this bill was to stop the abuse.”

Carroll along with former legislators Steve Johnson, John Kefalas and Kevin Lundberg all testified that the original bill was passed overwhelmingly to stop the use of TIFs in URAs on farmland, and that SB 273 simply clarifies their original intent.

The Centerra South project in eastern Loveland, a city of about 80,000 people, 50 miles north of Denver on Interstate 25, was the basis for most of the testimony on Wednesday with developers and representatives from the Loveland Chamber of Commerce testifying against the bill, while Loveland residents, school board members, county commissioners, city council members, and urban renewal commissioners — on both sides of the political spectrum — testified in favor of it.

URAs were originally designed to convert “blighted” (or rundown) properties into new development to stimulate the economy and improve the property and financed with TIF, which work by freezing the current level of tax revenue being collected within an area to create a base. Once a plan is in effect, any revenue generated over that base goes to the developer to fund improvements such as water, sewer and roads in predetermined areas.

These freezes affect all taxing entities within the URA, such as counties, cities, schools, and special taxing districts (fire, libraries, water, etc.) so that there is no “growth” in revenue from increased property values. In many cases that leads to other taxes needing to be increased, such as mill levy overrides for school and fire districts or sales taxes for cities and counties.

Supporters say that over the years, the inclusion of agricultural land into URAs became a concern for many, which led to the passage of the 2010 effort.

Opponents argued the bill directly target to stop the Centerra South project, and that the loss of the project would be devastating for Loveland.

“This initiative is in place to kill this development,” said Mindy McCloughan, president of CEO of the Loveland Chamber of Commerce, adding the development would bring new housing, a grocery store, a museum, and other retail and office space to an already heavily developed area. “The (developer’s) vision for Northern Colorado has been nothing shy of amazing and our economy wouldn’t be what it is today without the (developer).”

The bill, sponsored by former Thompson School District Board of Education Vice President Sen. Janice Marchman, D-Loveland and former Logan County Commissioner Sen. Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, closes the loophole by clarifying that ag land can only be included in a URA if it is part of a URA that was created prior to June 1, 2010, and that the land stays a part of that existing URA.

Centerra South is a proposed 148-acre retail and residential development near their existing Centerra community south of U.S. Hwy. 34. The ag land the new development would use is currently part of a 2004 URA.

That URA expires in 2029, however, and developers cannot develop the new project in time under the old URA, so they want to remove the 148-acre parcel and create a new URA, which would require the taxing authorities to give up some or all future property tax revenues in excess of the base for another 25-years.

That would impact the City of Loveland, Thompson School District, Larimer County, Thompson Valley Health Services District and Northern Colorado Water Conservation District, potentially amounting to hundreds of millions in lost revenue for those districts.

Although the state currently backfills the lost revenue to school districts, there is no guarantee that will continue, and the state does not backfill the losses for the other taxing districts, and Larimer County will not approve the use of ag land in the URA for its portion.

“I am concerned about the appropriate use of URA tools in my county,” said Larimer County Commissioner Jody ShadduckMcNally. “The use of URAs and TIFs have expanded from their original intended purpose to a tool that is used more broadly for a wider range of economic development

projects.”

McNally said it will continue to be exploited and not used appropriately if SB 273 is not passed.

The developer, Troy McWhinney testified that the land is not “prime agricultural” but instead hard-to-farm land that meets the definition of blight and outlined what he said were huge unintended consequences if this bill were to pass.

“Tools like this are needed,” McWhinney said. “150 acres in the middle of an urban area is not considered economical. This has been slated for economic growth for a long, long time.”

However, the mayor of Loveland said the McWhinney’s own approximately more than 700 additional acres of farmland also in their current URA from 2004 and adjacent to the current proposed lot. She said they have notified city council that they will propose pulling sections of that land out in hopes of starting a new URA.

She said no one is opposed to the McWhinney’s desire to develop that land, but that they should do so without the use of the taxpayer-subsidized funding mechanism a URA provides, like other developers in the area are doing.

“The current URA that goes back to 2004 has cost our city significant dollars,” Loveland Mayor Jacki Marsh said. “The employees in our city government are understaffed and underpaid. When the current URA and the master finance agreement expires in 2029, Loveland will see an increase of over $16 million (a year) in revenue. Those dollars are needed to provide critical services.”

An amendment to the bill also passed 5-2 with senators Rod Pelton and Kevin Priola casting the no votes. That amendment changed the applicability from a “proposed” URA to a proposed or approved one.

Hudson Double-Header Event

Fishing Derby meets Public Safety Day

[HUDSON, COLORADO, May 3, 2023] The Town of Hudson Colorado will see its first double-header of the season on May 6th, 2023, when the Town holds backto-back events – the Hudson Fishing Derby, and the town’s first annual Public Safety Day.

The Fishing Derby will be held at the Hudson Fishing Pond starting at 9:00 AM with a fishing and conservation lesson followed by two hours of fun, fishing, and fan-fair! Prizes will be awarded for the biggest fish (length), smallest fish (length), first fish caught, ugliest fish, and fish with the nicest smile!

On the heels of the Derby comes Public Safety Day and will be held at Hudson Memorial Park, only steps away from the Fishing Pond! With free hotdogs, chips, and drinks while supplies last, this is a great day for the kids! The Fire Department will demonstrate the “Jaws of Life” with a car donated by I-76 Towing. The Police will have K-9 demonstrations and a vehicle line-up with a variety of Police cars, and the kids can play on dump trucks and other big rigs with the Public Works Department. Finally, Airlife will land a helicopter at the event!

This is a chance to have fun, witness some amazing demonstrations, have some free food, and meet your first responders to learn about what they do. Come see how they do it and learn about why they do it.

If you would like more information about this event, please call Stephen Snow at: 720-641-1077, or email ssnow@hudsoncolorado.org.

2023 Wiggins High School Graduates, pictures provided by Wiggins High School

To view photos online go to www.ourtowncolorado.com – Go to: I-76 –Go to Wiggins – Go to news/events

Come On, Lets Go Out to the Heritage Fair

Saturday May 6th, 10AM – 4PM

SPVHS is hitting a Grand Slam with the following line up.

The Buffalo Soldiers

The Colorado Vintage Baseball Association

Matron Bell Morris Dancers

Revolutionary Re-enactors

Colorado Historical Military Group

Fjellborg Vikings

US Corps Topographical Engineers

Native American Dancers

American Civil War Re-enactors

French Voyageur Camp

Re-enactors in Historic Fort and Other Buildings

Do not strikeout and miss the day. It will be a remarkable display of living history and encampments! Cost is $5.00 per Person, Children under twelve free. Members Free

(Members, remember your membership cards) Limited classic ballpark food will be on site. Located at 2001 Historic Park, Ft. Lupton (Highway 85 North of Ft. Lupton on 14-1/2 turn west). Hit a home run with your family and friends by bringing them out to the historical park. You and your team will have an action packed, crazy good day. See you all soon!

Peyton Allart Ana Arellano

Julio Flores

Sadee Erickson

Benecio Gonzales

Treyton Fehseke

Caiden Healey

Javier Garcia-Herrera

Madison Dreier

Noah Birely

Latzari Escalante

Deanna Brewer

Nathan Carpenter

Shilyn Barnum

Tyler Bellendir

Adalia Garcia

Lexi Ewertz

Bryanna Guerrero

Cuco Garcia Caldera

Anthony Ellingen

Chancey Brentner

Trail Filener

Avery Burdette

Jesus Chaparro Sotelo Ryley Chezik

Johnny Gildow

Matthew Geisick

2023 Wiggins High School Graduates, pictures provided by Wiggins High School

WE’RE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE FOLLOWING

Liddy Day is graduating from Yuma High School and is planning to attend Black Hills State University and major in Outdoor Education and Business. She is the Granddaughter of Bryce & Lynetta Day.

Ethan Schneller is graduating from Holyoke High School and is planning to attend Oklahoma State University and major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is the son of Dustin & Rena Schneller.

Garrett Kalous is graduating from Fort Morgan High School and is planning to attend Northeastern Junior College and major in Ag Business. He is the son of Matt & Heather Kalous.

Heidi Price is graduating from Byers High School and is planning to attend the University of Arkansas and major in Agriculture Regulations. She is the daughter of Robin & Terrell Price.

CJ Huizar

McCormick

Raelyn Koenig Kelli Lousberg

Caleb Kays

Kealy Langford Andanaili Maldonado Carmona

Laith Ibrahim

Cole Kerr

Talyn Mese Cuauhtemoc Mendez

Gracie Mook

Danielle Moon Hayden Nance Leonardo Munoz -Mendoza

2023 Wiggins High School Graduates, pictures provided by Wiggins High School

The Lost Creek Guide & all its Advertisers wish the 2023 graduates the best in life!

Omar Celis Perez Omelia Sandoval

Andrew Smith

Madison Thomas

Pepper Rusher

Madison Stanley

Taryn Yzaguirre

Garrett Pruett Kaylee Seiber

Jaime Ramirez Cardona

Madison Steinbar

Shala Sierra

Kelsi Smits

2023 RE-3J Weld Central High School Graduates, pictures provided by Weld Central High School

Alejandro Acosta Gordillo

Kaylee Anderson

Jonathan Betancourt-Garcia

Hunter Camara

Rylee Contreas

Hannah Culp

Avery Brownell

Anabel Chavez

Edgar Aguilar Giselle Balderrama

Emily Blair

Megan Campbell

Kash Copeland

Gauge Davis

Andres Burrola

Quinten Clark

Alida Alcala Diego Beltran

Wyatt Bouchard

Andrew Chacon Molina Kadence Crochet

Brenden Buzzell

Ayden Coe

Vicky Cruz Navejas

2023 RE-3J Weld Central High School Graduates, pictures provided by Weld Central High School

Idaly Diaz

Madysen Evans

Colton Forte

Bronson Dowdy

Lindsey Flores Melendrez

Piper Doherty

Aiden Fabiano

Kaden Foster

Sierra Eldred

Kailey Fobare

Angel Dorado

Marcus Feist

Regan Diamond

Dayrin Estrella Cisneros

Eric Forbes

Kcobieye Gallegos Adam Galloway

Zach Frye

Ximena Galvez

Jasmine Garza

Julio Garcia Corral

Matthew Gavin

Jonathan Galvan Cabrera

Michelle Garcia Mota

Rachelyn Gillmore Connor Glitzer Chris Gibson

Chad Deckinga Colton Devore

Cecilia DeAnza

2023

RE-3J Weld Central High School Graduates, pictures provided by Weld Central High School

– Go to: I-76 – Go to Lochbuie, Hudson or Keenesburg – Go to news/events

Jacqueline Gutierrez Esquivel

Daylen Granier

Peyton Harris

Daxton Haliw

Sunny Gray

Kashley Hayden

Ilay Guerrero-Mendoza

Seth Graham

Emma Hamblin

Destiny Hernandez

Brianna Holley

Nazareth Hernandez

Kendrick Hollingshead

Titon Hebert

Mahkrysta Hilton

Haden Hughes Rolando Ibanez

Joshua Hopp

Christian Javalera Logan Johnson

Roberto Jacobo

Makayla Koehler Kaylee Larson

Ryleigh Klaus

Cristian Lopez Diezel Lopez

Madison Long

Eduardo Castaneda Salvador Lozano Torres

Emily Lopez Castañeda

2023 RE-3J Weld Central High School Graduates, pictures provided by Weld Central High School

Gabriela Magdaleno

Alan Mazzotti

Tony Melendez Rodriguez

Cassandra Lugo

David Marquez Covarrubias

Genesis Melendez

Jacob Moreland

Tegan Mantz

Taylor McCollam

Breanna Monk

Valeria Lujan

Destiny Martinez

Mariana Melendez

Brandon Mosqueda

Isai Macias

Jaden May

Miguel Melendez Diaz

Elizabeth Luevano

Elizabeth Marquez

Paris Medina

Levi Montoya

2023 RE-3J Weld Central High School Graduates, pictures provided by Weld Central High School

Jovahn Nunez

Nayeli Olivas Espinoza Valeria Ojeda

Deja Navarro

Anahi Mota Gutierrez

Idalia Olivas

Oliver Olivas Rivera Evelyn Ortega

Isaiah Paris

Sydney Patrick Averie Park

Yamileth Palos-Nunez

Mary Perry

Kevin Pliego

Samantha Pickett

Bowen Pearson Arleth Perez Quintana

Cody Pinyan

Teagan Quinby

Lelana Prokop Jimena Quezada Herrera

Juan Ramirez Iturralde

Lillian Rees

Alexis Ramirez Hernanadez

2023 RE-3J Weld Central High School Graduates, pictures provided by Weld Central High School

Keenesburg

Felix Roberts

Jeremiah Salazar

Lacey Schiefelbein

Alexander Ruiz

Jackson Roberts

Moises Salazar Covarrubias

Ezekiel Sena

Tanner Rupple

Lionel Rivas

Ashley Saenz

Noah Saur

Paige Ross

Jordan Slotterback Chance Smith

Samantha Skinner

Samantha Stam Arieana Todd

Grace Spillers

Xavier Towse Ashton Unruh

Aimee Torres Rodriguez

Anthony Vang Sydney Vaughn

Jose A. Valenzuela Orona

Alison Wagner

Amber Weiss

Tyler Walker Blake Wilkerson

Alan Villegas Escobar

Tailor Weaver

Peyton Witzel Renee Zavala

Zoe Winchester

Martin Reyes Kalen Rieman

Isabel Retana

Keiser Brothers Announce New Dream Golf Project in Roggen Colorado continued from page 1…

Jim “Jimmy” Craig Rodeo Dunes Designer Bio

Jimmy Craig has served as an associate at Coore & Crenshaw for more than 25 years. His talents were first noticed by Dan Proctor and Dave Axland of Bunker Hill while renovating the bunkers at Shady Oaks C.C. in Fort Worth. Jimmy’s knack for golf and golf courses is no surprise, as his family owned and operated a golf course when he was growing up. He literally began mowing greens by sitting in his father’s lap, and he moved into the driver’s seat as soon as his foot could reach the pedals. Hustling carts and picking range for candy bars and Gatorade were skills he quickly mastered that would later land him a position working for superintendent Mike Wright. Jimmy spent the better part of four years in Fort Worth under Mike’s tutelage before being joining C&C. Over the past two decades he has traveled the world with Bill and Ben, helping them create modern masterpieces. Jimmy has cleaned the pool, vacuumed the bar, served on calcutta night, mowed greens, changed cups, made putts, washed clubs, sprayed greens, built greens, killed greens, and dreamt of all kinds of greens. From contours to jackets his passions are blessed by the inspiration of so many greats: Mike Wright, Chip Graham, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Dan Proctor, Dave Axland, Jerry “Scrooge” Clarke, James Edward Wright, Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, and Dad. Jim has worked on such C&C gems as East Hampton, Old Sandwich, Friar’s Head, and Sheep Ranch. He was largely responsible for award-winning Sandbox at Sand Valley. Most recently, he has been working as lead associate on McArthur Golf Club in Hobe Sound, FL and The Chain short course at Streamsong. His course at Rodeo Dunes will be the first solo design of his career. Jimmy and his wife Shea reside in Fort Worth.

Artist Renderings

Aeriel Mese

Jayden Felts

Piper Scott

Alexander Bolding

Kena Harpel

William Alloway

Courtney McFarland

Nick Abelson

Blake Covelli

Douglas County School District settles discrimination claims with former superintendent for more than $800K

$800,000 deal with Corey Wise includes pay owed him as part of his superintendent contract.

by McKenna Harford,

The Colorado Sun

Douglas County School District will pay former superintendent Corey Wise more than $800,000 to settle claims that his firing amounted to discrimination.

Wise sued the school district and four school board members — Becky Myers, Mike Peterson, Christy Williams and Kaylee Winegar — in April 2022 after he was fired without cause, claiming he was dismissed for advocating for marginalized students, including favoring a mask policy in schools and his efforts to implement the district’s equity policy.

Under the settlement, the school district will pay Wise $270,733 for the remainder of his superintendent contract, as well as $562,000 to resolve the lawsuit. According to a news release from Wise’s attorneys, the money will come from the district’s insurance policies, so no money will be diverted from students.

“Mr. Wise has always cared first and foremost about the students of Douglas County — each and every one of them, not just some of them,” Wise’s attorneys said in a statement. “Hopefully, his story sheds light on the dangers of politicizing student education and spreading misinformation about students, personnel, curriculum, and school policies.”

The school district said on Monday it did not have any comment on the settlement.

Wise’s attorneys added that Wise was thankful for the support he had received from community members and he urged the district to continue to focus on educational equity.

On the day before Wise was fired, more than 1,000 Douglas County teachers called out sick and students walked out of class to protest the termination.

Wise’s firing came under extra scrutiny when school board members Elizabeth Hanson, Susan Meek and David Ray alleged the decision had been made outside of public meetings, which would violate Colorado’s Open Meetings Law.

Douglas County resident Bob Marshall, who is now also a state house representative, sued the district over the alleged open meetings law violation and that suit is still in court.

In a preliminary order issued in March, Douglas County District Court Judge Jeffrey Holmes agreed that the board members had violated the Open Meetings Law and ordered the members to conduct all public business in public meetings and follow the law.

School board members Myers, Peterson, Williams and Winegar maintain they did not violate any laws.

Wise currently works for the Cherry Creek School District.

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

San Francisco’s Fentanyl Crisis

By Ambassador Callista L. Gingrich

The devastating fentanyl epidemic in San Francisco, California has become so catastrophic that on April 21, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state will send in the National Guard and California Highway Patrol to help.

As part of a new collaborative operation with the San Francisco Police Department and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol will “assist local law enforcement in combatting the fentanyl crisis through technical assistance, training, and drug trafficking enforcement,” and the National Guard will “identify specialist personnel and resources to support analysis of drug trafficking operations, with a particular focus on disrupting and dismantling fentanyl trafficking rings.”

In San Francisco, the majority of overdose deaths are attributed to fentanyl, with more than 70 percent of overdose deaths in 2022 caused by the deadly drug. Residents and politicians have condemned San Francisco’s open-air drug markets plaguing the city and profiting off those struggling with and suffering from addiction.

Last year, more than 2,000 emergency calls were made to the San Francisco Department of Public of Health requiring its street teams to respond to overdoses, offer medical and mental health assistance, and provide medications for addiction. The fentanyl crisis has escalated this year, with the governor’s office reporting that overdose deaths in San Francisco have risen by 40 percent in just the first three months of 2023.

While there has been recognition of the devastation wreaking havoc in San Francisco, the city’s policies have been nothing short of disastrous.

In December 2021, San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a 90-day state of emergency over crime and drug overdoses in the Tenderloin district, a neighborhood where the crisis is most pronounced. The Mayor pledged to “disrupt the illegal activity in the neighborhood, to get people the treatment and support they need, and to make the Tenderloin a safer, more livable place for the families and children who call the neighborhood home.”

However, as Stanford Sociology Professor Forrest Stuart found in an analysis of public records, there was little difference in the number of arrests made in the threemonth period when the emergency order was in effect versus the three-month period after the emergency order expired.

San Franciscans, fed up with the city’s refusal to crack down on dealers, recalled District Attorney Chesa Boudin in June 2022. Under Boudin, dealers were effectively given a free pass to brazenly proffer drugs in San Francisco. According to the New York Post, Boudin’s office only secured three convictions for drug dealing in 2021, and zero for selling fentanyl.

Further, Mayor Breed poured millions of taxpayer dollars into the Tenderloin Center, which was announced in January 2022 and remained open for less than one year.

Interviews with visitors to the site confirmed they had seen or used illegal drugs at the Tenderloin Center, while others said they didn’t know that rehabilitation resources were being offered. There were more than 20,100 visits to the center for various services from January 31-March 27, 2022, but less than 15 resulted in “completed linkages” for drug treatment.

The Tenderloin Center ultimately became what the San Francisco Standard called a “de-facto safe consumption site” and was shut down in December 2022 amidst the center’s failure to make progress toward alleviating the ongoing fentanyl crisis.

As residents on the ground document the devastation overwhelming San Francisco’s streets on social media, it is abundantly clear that city’s inability to address the fentanyl crisis is jeopardizing residents’ safety, worsening users’ addiction, and augmenting their loved ones’ suffering.

Lisa Richofsky, who has a 33-year-old daughter who is addicted to meth and fentanyl and living in a tent in San Francisco, said, “If they have the drugs there, and they need the drugs every couple of hours, they’re going to want to live on the streets, and they’re going to want to get those drugs.”

San Francisco must diligently work to arrest and prosecute dealers and enforce policies that, rather than encourage drug use, work to liberate users from their addiction. Compassionate policy for those suffering on the streets must begin with the recognition that empathy does not equate to enabling.

The people of San Francisco must demand more from their elected leaders and work together to defeat the city’s fentanyl crisis.

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National Teacher Appreciation Day

Tuesday of the First Full Week in May

NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY

National Teacher Appreciation Day is on the Tuesday during first full week in May as a reminder to show appreciation for teachers everywhere. We are using this National Day to say thank you to all teachers for their time and dedication to educate our children.

#TEACHERAPPRECIATIONDAY

National Teacher Appreciation Day is also known as National Teacher Day. The National Education Association describes National Teacher Day “as a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives.”

Teachers play a critical role in educating and shaping our children into the future leaders of our country. These kind, patient, hard-working, dedicated, and understanding professionals help mold our children and guide them in positive directions. We entrust our children with teachers during the school year and they play a pivotal role in their lives daily.

No matter where we are in life, a teacher influenced us. They continue to impact our lives every day, too! When we meet new employees with a wealth of skills and abilities, know a teacher helped shaped them. Every new business owner, doctor, engineer, or nurse can name a teacher who inspired them. Every one of us has at least one teacher in mind who encouraged and motivated us during our education. Take the time today to say “Thank You” to the exceptional teachers you know. Take a moment and reflect on the teachers in your life.

SHOW

A TEACHER GRATITUDE

1. Refill classroom supplies. Many teachers stock their classrooms with the supplies they need to effectively teach. However, many teacher buy supplies out of their own pockets. Replenishing crayons, pencils, or construction paper is a small token of appreciation for a teacher.

2. Write a letter showing your support for your child’s favorite teacher. Kind words are a small way to encourage a teacher by reminding them the impact they are making in the lives of students.

3. Volunteering at your school is a way to give teachers a much needed break. Every day, schools rely on parent support for many programs to succeed. For instance, volunteering to be a cross-walker before and after school or a playground monitor relieves a teacher from those duties.

4. Use #TeacherAppreciationDay or #NationalTeachersDay to post on social media. Do you know about the National Day Classroom section? We do! You can find all sorts of classroom-related material to help you and your students #CelebrateEveryDay! In fact, you can download and print a postcard to mail to your teachers as a way to thank them for their hard work

BRIEF HISTORY

Political and educational leaders began discussions for a day to honor teachers in 1944. In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim National Teachers’ Day. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day. The National Education Association continued to observe National Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985. The National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May when the NEA Representative Assembly voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day.

Strong Winter Snowpack Has Water Managers Optimistic

A parade of snowstorms through the American West this winter has water managers across the region cautiously optimistic about the near-term water supply.

According to data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Upper Colorado River watershed is at about 113 percent of its annual average for precipitation. Further downstream in the Colorado River Basin, other tributaries such as the Gunnison River and San Juan River are showing even larger snowpack totals compared to historic averages. For communities throughout the basin, that is great news.

The above-average snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin means there is a strong chance that the Colorado-Big Thompson (C-BT) Project reservoirs will fill this summer, too. That’s good news for residents of Northern Colorado who depend on the supplemental water supply that it delivers, but it’s not as good for Windy Gap Project participants. They have an agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that allows them to use available capacity in Lake Granby to store Windy Gap water for future delivery, but if Lake Granby is full of C-BT Project water, no storage capacity is available for Windy Gap water.

With the construction of Chimney Hollow Reservoir, Windy Gap Firming Project participants will have the opportunity to capture and store water for multiple-year deliveries with greater frequency and flexibility in years when Lake Granby would otherwise be full of C-BT Project water. The construction of reservoirs helps moderate the ups and downs of annual precipitation and has enabled Colorado’s population and food production systems to grow and prosper for more than a century.

Biden Deteriorating

by: Bill O’Reilly

If you have been following my commentary, you know I am predicting things will continue to deteriorate for President Biden and the country.

Well, on Thursday, I officially became an Oracle. The first quarter economic growth numbers arrived and were terrible. That boosted the stock market because the Fed will now have a hard time raising interest rates. But it’s bad news for workers because layoffs will accelerate.

Most Americans face disaster if they lose their jobs. A recession is certainly a possibility.

On the Biden front, the Twilight Zone has officially been reached. Hosting a “bring your child to work day” at the White House, one of the tykes asked the President what country he last visited. Here’s what he said.

“I’m thinking, what’s the last one I was in? I’ve been to 89, met with 89 heads of state. I’m trying to think what was the last place I was. It’s hard to keep track.”

Then a child yelled out: “Ireland.”

Biden replied: “That’s right, Ireland.”

Just sad. The President spent four days in Ireland only two weeks ago.

But here’s something sadder. If the election were held today, millions of Americans would still pull the lever for Joe Biden. They would vote for senility in a very dangerous time. Sorry to sound cruel.

Southeast Weld Conservation District 2023 Annual Meeting at the American Legion Post 180, Keenesburg, Colorado

The Southeast Weld Conservation District 2023 Annual Meeting was held at the American Legion Post 180 in Keenesburg. Bob Warner, District President opened the meeting, welcoming everyone for attending. Invocation was given by Debbie Trupp. There were about thirty-five attendees. Dinner was prepared by the American Legion Post 180 Jr. Auxiliary. The main dish was Bob Werner beef meat loaf with gravy, baked potato, and greens. The dessert was very good. The entire meal was excellent.

The main presenter for the evening was David Bell, the Henrylyn Irrigation District Manager. He gave an overview of the history of the district, current status and an update on water. Water is a complicated subject in Colorado. David took questions and there was a good discussion.

Kayla Hladky, Northeast Region of Colorado of the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) – USDA, gave an update on what is ongoing with the organization. Amberle Huff our local regional conservationist, also gave an update on what is happening locally. A survey was taken of the attendees identifying local concerns on conservation issues.

Quint Redmond gave an update on local Southeast Conservation district efforts and invited anyone interested to attend the monthly meetings of the Board of Supervisors.

The evening closed with the usual door prize drawing with the able assistance of two new upcoming conservationists as well as the Board of Supervisors.

Southeast Weld Conservation District Meeting

David Bell, Henrylyn Irrigation District Manager

American Legion Jr. Auxiliary: Faline Fobare, Kate Holmes, Collins, Elliot, Chelsey, Skylar, Aspen and Brandi Hager

Kristi Trupp, Debbie Trupp, Kayla Hladky, Amberle Huff, and Bob Warner

Door Prize Drawing