Weld Central Knowledge Bowl’s National Competition

in Chicago

By Bradley Voss

CCA Says Goodbye to Retiring Staff; Welcomes New Director Permanently

by Elizabeth Christen

Knowledge Bowl, or in this case National Academic Quiz

Tournaments

(NAQT), is a competition done nationwide from middle school all the way through college level. In these competitions, students buzz in and answer trivia questions in teams. Weld Central High School has been participating in this for over 25 years and have qualified for the Small School National Championship Tournament (SSNCT) every year since 2016. On April 27th, 2023, the team left for this year’s national tournament in Chicago. Along with the coach, Zach Levine, the members who attended were Ashton Unruh, Bradley Voss, Daniel Duran, Destiny Martinez, Elisa Cleverley, Garrett Hall, Grace Spillers, Jadea Herrera, Kadence Crochet, Kalen Rieman, Merlin Riddle, and Noah Rendon. The trip lasted for 5 days, filled with competition and sightseeing. Weld Central had two teams which both did a great job in the competition with many close matches. They finished with a record of 2-8 during the preliminary rounds which gave them a final place of 63rd overall. This is a great accomplishment since there is fierce competition at the national level and only the top teams from around the country even qualify. Everyone also had a good time visiting many popular tourist attractions such as the Sears-Willis Tower, Field Museum, and the Museum of Science and Industry. Two members have given their experience of the trip, with Merlin Riddle stating that “going to Chicago was really interesting,” and that it was “her first time flying, so it was an experience that cannot be replicated,” also saying that she would “love to do it again.” Another student, Daniel Duran, said that his experiences in Chicago were “extremely fun and very eye-opening,” he said that the highlight of the trip for him was the Art Institute of Chicago. He also says that “simply walking around the city was incredible, admiring the beautiful architecture,” regarding the meet, he said that “we had a lot of fun, and it was nice meeting kids from all across the country,” The coach, Zach Levine, said that “it is an amazing experience getting to take the team to compete at the national level and so see a city like Chicago” he also said “I am very honored to have such great students on my team”. Personally, I had an incredible time in Chicago, with it being the longest trip I have ever traveled, with both the elements of the sightseeing and the competition itself playing into the experience. In the end, I believe that everyone there had a great time and, although we will be losing some great seniors, we are looking forward to doing it again next year.

At an emotional luncheon held for the staff of Cardinal Community Academy on the last day of school, CCA said goodbye to Amber Epple, Julie Epple and Joann Eisenman. Sweet stories were shared, plenty of laughs echoed and more than a few tears were shed.

Amber Epple was one of the original staff at CCA when the doors opened in 2000. As the school’s Business Manager, she kept things running like a well-oiled machine, always with a smile on her face. Amber was very creative with the finances and was able to obtain things for the school, such as pavement for the parking lot, much sooner than originally planned. Her friendly demeaner and helpful attitude were also keys to her success and made her a delight to work with. Amber’s two boys, Cole and Jackson, graduated CCA in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

Julie Epple taught for the past 17 years at CCA, most recently Middle School Social Studies, to finish her quarter century career in teaching. She is known for being firm, yet sweet and tough, yet fun. She had the pleasure of teaching a few of her grandchildren over the years as well as working with her daughter, who also teaches at CCA. She has big shoes to fill, leaving the parents of upcoming middle schoolers feeling a little unsettled. Julie is looking forward to more time on the farm with her husband after retirement.

Joann Eisenman has taught Middle School Math at CCA for the past 16 years, totaling 50 distinguished years teaching! She taught 3 generations in a single family. Joann has an infectious smile that she managed to wear through all the adversity that such a long career brings with it. She left her colleagues with a positive, uplifting message, urging them to stay strong through the tough days. Joann and her smile will definitely be missed around campus. She is looking forward to some much-earned R&R.

Not everyone was going out the door on this warm, sunny Thursday. Jerry Archuleta came on board last October as CCA’s Interim Director (Principal). He has now been offered and has accepted the permanent Director position. Jerry served in the Air Force for 22 years and upon retiring, has taken up a career in education. He is very well liked by staff, students and parents alike. Jerry is warm and personable and has taken to CCA as if it was his alma mater. He listens to the thoughts and concerns of parents and students and implements them into policy.

This event, put together by CCA’s Board of Directors, was capped off with awards and gifts presented by Jerry to the retirees, as well as other staff for years of service. Lisa Cole, Lisa Rupple, Stacy Diller and Amber Epple were all recognized for 20+ years of service. Then more laughs and more tears.

CCA is currently looking for Middle School Social Studies, First Grade and Substitute teachers. Please visit www.ccaschool.net/about_us/employment for more information.

South Platte Valley Historical Park Delivers a Homerun of Fun

By Jackie Smith, Pictures by Pat Lintell

What do sunshine, baseball, Vikings, soldiers, and new friends have in common?

A sensational day at South Platte Valley Historical Park. The balls and bats flew and unbelievably they used no gloves, oh ouch! The Denver Blue Stockings struck down the Littleton Rough and Reddy baseball team 30-22. The Rough and Reddy team did not take the loss lying down, they vowed they would be back next year and take them on once again!

Re-enactors were all over the park. It was hard to keep up with all the action that was going on. As the canon went off beginning the festivities, the Buffalo Soldiers ceremoniously raised Old Glory. It was a bit unusual to see the British Red Coats were standing at attention when the flag ascended up the wooden pole saying the Pledge of Allegiance. The Buffalo Soldiers delivered not one but two outstanding performances with their horses.

At the Fort, re-enactors were in every room. In the primitive kitchen children were making tortillas and crisping them over a crackling fire. The aroma of smoldering wood, and the toasting tortilla was unimaginable. Once the tortillas were ready, the children could top them with cinnamon butter or cheese. Oh, so delicious.

In the trade room resides a really old beaver hat. The traders told the story of the mad hatter. During the beaver trade the hat makers would use mercury which is very toxic during the hat making process. The mercury would cause the hat maker to go mad. Now you know the true meaning of the term mad hatter. If you have not seen the hat, it is worth the trip. The park is open the first weekend of the month from 10-4 now through October.

In the lower part of the park, Fjellborg Vikings were busy chopping wood for the fire under a big kettle. Viking women sat on the ground doing tasks. One of them was sewing clothing and one woman was making a hat. They told the crowd about plants they would use to dye their material for their clothing. Off in the distance you could hear a beautiful melody. Who knew you could listen to a mini concert?

Patriotism was in the air. Battle skirmishes between the Revolutionary Soldiers taking aim and firing at one another. The black powder smoke just billowed in the air and the crowd roared. When finished, they marched down the road, the flag held high. Just wandering around you could chat with all kinds of re-enactors from Civil War to WWII soldiers. Military equipment was also on display, including a WWII soldier with a gas mask.

Mountain men were everywhere. There were just so many re-enactors and so little time. Please come back next year and experience even more of this wonderful day of living history. We would like to thank all the re-enactors and volunteers for their time and effort. You truly made the day incredibly special, and we could not do this event without all of you. Thank you.

Upcoming events:

The Independence schoolhouse is now open. Children dress in pioneer clothing and experience what it was like to go to school in an 1875 one room schoolhouse. Session one is June 5-7, Session two is June 12-14, Session three is June 19-21. Sessions are limited and are $60.00; for more information visit www.spvhs.org or email lwatson@ spvhs.org. Give your child a memorable experience.

We are not just a Fort, but a living history historical park.

South Platte Valley Historical Park is located at 2001 Historic Parkway, Fort Lupton. On highway 85 just north of Fort Lupton turn West at the fourteen and half stoplight. Visit our website www.spvhs.org and follow us on Facebook, South Platte Valley Historical Park. Please visit us, we cannot wait to see you!

South Platte Historical Society Heritage Fair Pictures continued from page 10...

Wiggins Elementary Art Show

by Tracy Donaghy

The Wiggins Elementary School held an art show celebrating the work of the kindergarten -6th grade students. Over the course of the semester students studied many artists and created art inspired by their styles. We looked at some MastersMonet, Van Gogh, Seurat; some more modern artists like, George Rodrigue, Anna Blatman, Edvard Munch, Andy Warhol and even a couple lesser known but interesting painters like Freidensreich Hundertwasser and Keith Haring.

All grades spent a few weeks learning about clay and making some frogs, gnomes, fish and other creations. From wet clay to kiln fired perfection, the students and their teacher learned a lot about the art of ceramics!

We hope everyone enjoyed viewing the selections in our gallery. We had a great time making them.

CPW Urges the Public to Wear Life Jackets Following Deadliest Year on Colorado Waters

• Get a safety inspection of your vessel

• Review navigation techniques

• Be aware of weather and water conditions

• Boat sober- Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boating deaths.

It is important that boaters take into account the risks that weather can present while recreating on the water. Dangerous weather conditions that raise concerns are unpredictable strong wind gusts that can knock a paddle boarder or kayaker into the water, and cold water temperatures that exist year-round in Colorado. For more information on boating safety, visit cpw.state.co.us.

Colorado’s Tallest Building is Worth Millions of Dollars Less Than It Used to Be

By Sarah Mulholland, Colorado Public Radio

Republic Plaza, an icon of the Denver skyline and the tallest building in the state, is worth hundreds of millions of dollars less than it was a decade ago as the shift to remote work empties out downtown offices.

The 56-story office tower was appraised at $298 million last month, down from $535 million the last time the building was valued in 2012, according to Trepp, a company that analyzes commercial property loans. The amount of empty space at the skyscraper is climbing, loan documents show.

Colorado’s rivers, lakes

In honor of National Safe Boating Week, May 20-26, 2023, CPW is promoting safe boating tips to educate outdoor enthusiasts on how to take caution on Colorado waters while enjoying water sports like power boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming and fishing.

With increased visitation in outdoor spaces throughout the state, water-based recreation remains a popular pastime in Colorado. There have already been three drownings in the state this year. In 2022, there were 42 water-related fatalities in Colorado, which was up from 22 in 2021, and 34 in 2020.

In 2022, the majority of fatalities occurred from people swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking or using an inflatable of some kind, and the vast majority were not wearing a life jacket. CPW wants to remind the public that paddle boards and kayaks are considered vessels, and life jacket requirements apply.

“We recommend all boaters and passengers wear a life jacket while on the water,” said Grant Brown, Boating Safety Program Manager for CPW. “Regardless of your age or experience level, the data shows that life jackets save lives.”

“Wearing a life jacket is especially important when boating during cold water conditions when water temperatures are below 70 degrees,” Brown said. “Cold water immersion shock coupled with the lack of a life jacket were contributing factors in the majority of drownings in Colorado in recent seasons. We want people to have fun on the water and not be afraid of it, so we encourage you to bring the proper safety gear so you have a positive outdoor experience.”

In 2022, CPW soft-launched a new Boating Safely in Colorado Program at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado’s most visited state park. The program mobilizes a group of passionate volunteers to engage directly with the public to discuss and reinforce the importance of boating and water safety as well as the rules and regulations related to boating in Colorado.

This year, the program will be expanded at Lake Pueblo to include more dates and locations at the 47,000 acre reservoir consisting of 60 miles of shoreline. The hope is this program will serve as a model for additional lakes and reservoirs to implement in future years.

Volunteers are a vital component to the future and expansion of this program and many other CPW programs. To learn more about volunteer opportunities with CPW, go to our website.

Before heading out on the water, Colorado Parks and Wildlife advises the following boating safety tips:

• Wear your life jacket

• Take a Boating Safety Class in Colorado

• Carry all required safety gear

Republic Plaza is hardly an outlier. More than one-quarter of downtown Denver’s office space is vacant as companies cut space, according to the most recent update from CBRE, a real estate company. The buildings most likely to lose tenants are older properties that don’t have the modern finishes and updated amenities of newer buildings. Republic Plaza was built in 1984. The plunge in the property’s value was reported earlier by the Denver Business Journal.

Commercial properties generate a lot of tax revenues, and a rapid decline in values could leave a hole in big city budgets across the U.S. as office workers continue to do their jobs from home.

Downtown Denver is showing some signs of people coming back, but office workers are still staying away

Denver boosters have been trying to get people to spend more time downtown with pandemic restrictions largely in the rearview mirror. And while a lot of people are coming out to have fun, office attendance remains stubbornly stuck well below prepandemic norms.

The city is exploring options to convert unused office space into apartments, but those types of projects are expensive and can be a tough sell for developers. In the meantime, landlords are stuck with a lot of vacant space that isn’t generating income. That means property owners are more likely to default on their loans, leaving lenders and city officials on the hook to figure out what to do with half-empty buildings.

The owners of Republic Plaza have already run into trouble with the mortgage on the property. The landlords are still making payments for now, but the fate of the building is unclear.