The Lost Creek Guide June 19,2024

7 days left. Please Vote.

It is important & It Does Count.

“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

Coloradans from Every Political Party, Age Group and Region Want Politicians to Do Something About the Cost of Living

Voter Voices is a statewide survey asking Coloradans what they want politicians to focus on in the upcoming election. Hundreds of answers reflect a concern with the high cost of living. by Parker Yamasaki, The Colorado Sun

There’s a catchall phrase that’s been tossed around as parody for decades, but feels increasingly earnest: In this economy? As in:

Go out to eat, in this economy?

Go to a concert, in this economy?

Get a Christmas tree, in this economy?

It’s not just you. Thousands of Coloradans have responded to the statewide Voter Voices survey, an effort by more than 60 newsrooms, including The Colorado Sun, to break from horse-race reporting and cover the upcoming election in a way that truly serves our readers.

The survey asks participants to rank the top three issues that they want to see candidates address from 13 categories, along with an open-ended question at the top of the survey: “What do you want candidates to talk about as they compete for your vote?”

As of May 28, 4,558 Coloradans had taken the survey. Nearly 15% said that the economy was the No. 1 issue that they want to hear about in the coming months, ranking second behind “democracy and good government,” which 40% of participants consider the biggest issue.

The economy and cost of living were ranked as the most important issue among voters ages 18 to 29 and conservative voters in rural regions. Groups that ranked the economy as the second-most important issue include voters ages 30 to 44 and 45 to 64; male voters; voters in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th Congressional Districts; conservative voters; moderate voters; and voters in urban, suburban and rural regions of the state.

In other words, Coloradans from every political party, every region and just about every age group are feeling pressure from the economy, and they want politicians to do something about it.

“Automobile insurance, homeowners insurance, taxes and God-awful groceries,” said Theresa Springer, a 65-year-old rancher who lives in Hartsel in rural Park County. “Everything just went way, way high.”

Coloradans From Every Political Party, Age Group And Region Want Politicians To Do Something About The Cost of Living continued on page 5...

Visit Broadmoor Manitou Pikes Peak Cog Railway by Bob Grand, photos by Lost Creek Guide

At 14,115 feet the top of Pikes Peak is 30 degrees cooler than at the base of the mountain. The rail ride was wonderful and got to see the first big horn sheep of the season. Recommend taking the trip, the view is extraordinary.

Devastated: Colorado’s Fentanyl Disaster

A documentary produced by Steffan Tubbs of Mountain Time Media and funded by Steve Wells

www.devastatedco.com

commentary by Bob Grand. Lost Creek Guide

This is a must watch documentary underscoring the tragic impact fentanyl is having on families in Colorado, and across America. Be prepared, this hour and a half documentary is recommended for mature audiences. It is disturbing, but the message is very real. Access to the documentary is free:

www.devastatedco.com

Fentanyl is the leading cause of drug overdose related deaths in America. It has been said this is not a red or blue problem, it is a red, white, and blue problem. It does not discriminate; its victims cover a broad spectrum of the population.

Law enforcement is trying to manage this but is hampered by ill-conceived legislation at the state house. Trace back to Colorado House bill 22-1326 which the Colorado Senate & House passed. The original bill was four pages, the final bill that passed was ninety pages. A key item was that possession of four grams or less of a controlled substance was a misdemeanor as long as the person in possession stated that they did not know it was a dangerous drug. Guess what, it did not take long for dealers to figure that out, so trying to start the legal process to get dealers off the streets was thwarted from the beginning.

We should make it a requirement for our nationally elected officials and our Colorado Governor, his staff, and all elected officials to meet with family members who have lost loved ones. That will get them focused on solving the problem rather than dancing around it. It should not be a scheduling problem as in Colorado we are losing 2,000 people a year to drug overdose deaths, of which almost seventy percent are fentanyl related. Unfortunately, plenty of family members to visit with, far too many.

Way of the World

by Bob Grand

Voting has seven days left. Please vote and turn in your ballot. Decide who you think best works for what you want for you, your family, and your government representatives. Unfortunately, neither major party necessarily has your best interests at heart. Candidates should earn your vote, not expect it because of the letter after their name, be it a D or an R. We have allowed a minority of party functionaries in both parties to decide who we should vote for. In both parties there are clear examples of districts where winning the party primary dictates who will win the election. We currently sit and watch the Colorado Republican State Chair, Dave Williams, pontificate on who should win in the primaries. Are you afraid of letting the candidates stand on their own two feet and letting them earn the people’s vote? Democrats are no better. In the CD-4 race Trisha Calvarese is touted over Ike McCorkle, a two-time candidate against Ken Buck, in heavily dominated Republican CD-4 District.

People are tired and fed up. Many of them do not vote. Voter turnout rates are miserable. Ask yourself why the parties do not push to raise voter participation. The reason is the political operatives really do not want to. It threatens their control, which is what they want to protect at all costs. They want their chosen candidates to be what you have to choose from. Vote this year. Your vote does count. Take back your party.

At the presidential level we are faced with candidates that many people do not really want either. This writer believes we really need a candidate who will unite the country. This is difficult for Trump who has focused on his base which is strong. Biden should not run just on his health issue alone and this writer is still not convinced he will be the ultimate Democratic candidate, even at this late date. Touting Trump as a convicted felon from a man who has some explaining to do himself is not a campaign message that carries substance. Most Americans are smarter than that.

In today’s world the American people are worried about the cost of living, illegal immigration, crime, drug addiction, specifically fentanyl and the overreach of the government bureaucrats. The international picture, although not at the top of everyone’s list, is still a bubbling pot.

Ask yourself who is better off in America today? The answer is yes if you are an illegal immigrant, drug dealer, criminal, stay at home workers, folks with student loan debt forgiveness, tenured professors, and most government workers. Included in this group, although not as visible on the surface, are groups that feed off the situations very nicely. Like it or not the average American and their family is getting the short end of the stick.

We are watching our major cities deteriorate daily. Losing population and facing significant reductions in commercial property value, which will translate into significant tax revenue reductions over time. On the West coast minimum wage increases are gutting small businesses. Even major corporations are abandoning the seemingly bottomless pit of taxation in these woke dominated states and cities. How many of those state and local governments are looking at reducing the workforce and pension obligations? Tougher times than today are coming and how many will have the courage to face up to reality? A test of leadership that I am afraid many will fail at.

Our economic world is changing. AI will bring even more changes. This will affect all of us. Leadership in Washington has to step up and face the fact that the federal bureaucracy has become an ever-growing beast. This has to stop. Many of the functions in Washington are not defined or called for in the Constitution and quite frankly would be better driven at the State level. We allowed an artificial job market to be created for highly educated graduates to make incredibly good salaries, have a great medical and retirement opportunity with little if any accountability at our and our kids’ expense. This has to change. It requires courage and backbone. Something that for too long has not been a quality expected from our elected politicians. Unfortunately, this problem has crept down from Washington to the state, county, and even local government. This occurs because we, as voters, not only allow it but quite frankly facilitate it, by not participating by voting for good candidates and participating in local government.

Our country was built by hard-working mostly legal immigrants, who wanted a better life for themselves and their family. The process was not easy, but their determination and hard work is what built our country. The government’s role is to protect and serve the people of America, not be a provider of jobs for over-educated and underperforming individuals. The current government has facilitated the biggest invasion of our country we have ever experienced. I do not blame people for wanting a better life for themselves but there is a process, currently broken, that needs to be fixed. The issue of what to do with the folks that are already here is a complex one. Our focus should be not on the weaponization of government against our citizens. I understand many people do not like Donald Trump but what should frighten you more is what the government is trying to do to him is something they could do to you if somebody high enough decided. When Lavrentiy Beria, Stalin’s head of the KGB, was asked how to prosecute someone he said, “give me the name and I will find the crime”? This is America and not Stalin’s Russia. 7 days left to vote. Do it. Let us start the journey to take back our government from the bureaucrats and political hacks. As always, your thoughts and comments are always appreciated: publisher@lostcreekguide.com

Thank you to the many that have responded and shared your thoughts. Sad to say many do not want to publish as they are concerned about having their name being public.

The LosT Creek Guide, LLC

Deadline is 7 Working Days Before Publication 105 Woodward - PO Box 581 Keenesburg, CO 80643

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

On Donald Trump Conviction

by Jon Caldera, President, Independence Institute

I don’t know what this world is coming to when you can’t trust a porno actress to uphold her non-disclosure agreement. It almost makes one lose faith in the whole pornography industry.

And when faith in that institution is shaken, well, then what can we as a people believe in?

I’ve been pretty clear about my feelings on Donald Trump. In 2016 I reluctantly voted for him. In 2020 I enthusiastically voted for him given his impressive record on policy and regulatory change, appointments, and judges, not for his manners.

I was appalled by his behavior on January 6th. His failure to call on his supporters to stop the capitol riot immediately was unforgivable. If only he had done so he’d be easily riding to a reelection today. (And really, you don’t need to e-mail me back your feelings about that opinion.)

But yesterday’s verdict against Trump was more than troubling.

The issue isn’t really if he slept with a porn star and lied about it (um, Monica Lewinsky?) or if his people didn’t fill out election reports properly. The issue is that if he was anyone else, ANYONE ELSE, this prosecution never would have been started in the first place.

It was purely political. It has a banana republic odor to it.

Growing up I was told the lesson of Watergate was that even the president is not above the law. I thought that to be a very important lesson. And Trump shouldn’t be above the law.

But when the law is unevenly enforced due completely to political purposes, we all should be alarmed, including never-Trumpers.

As a sideline, Trump’s impressive support from black men and Hispanics is worth noting. No Republican in my lifetime has broken into those demographics like the Don.

Rightly or wrongly many people of color believe the justice system is unfair, even rigged. I wouldn’t be surprised if this verdict brings even more voters of color to the Trump side. The question is whether that will make up for the suburban voters who are turned off about a “felon” running for president.

If Trump is elected, he will have access to the nuclear codes to launch Armageddon, but because now he’s technically a felon he won’t be able to buy a firearm.

Only in America.

And not that you asked, I still believe this election will come down to how Americans feel about the economy. And no matter what the official inflation numbers are, we all know the real score every time we go to the grocery store.

Don’t be surprised if President Biden drains even more of our strategic petroleum reserves to keep gas prices artificially low before the election.

Here in Colorado you can expect gas prices to jump between $0.50 and a dollar in the coming months. It’s not a supply and demand problem that will cause it. It’s a leadership problem. It comes from one person, Jared Polis.

Our director of policy, Jake Fogleman, explains the ins and outs of Polis’s bait and switch and other mischief that happened under the gold dome.

Remember you can consume our show Devil’s Advocate in a few different ways. You can watch it tonight at 8:30 pm on Channel 12, or you can watch the full episode on our YouTube channel, you can listen to the audio version through our podcast, or watch the episode embedded in this newsletter.

Of course, if you only listen to the audio version you’ll miss the car chase scenes, explosions, and steamy love scenes.

How do you feel about the flagship public university in Colorado giving out scholarships in the name of the domestic terrorists? Well, that’s just what the University of Colorado is doing. Read all about it in my column below.

And a final thought. If we’ve entered the period in American politics where felons can be elected president, what do you think of Martha Stewart 2028?

Common Sense Institute Releases Analysis of Growth in Property Tax Revenue

Brown: Coloradans are paying enormous bills and government is getting a windfall that we haven’t seen in decades.

Denver, CO – Today, on the heels of the publication of the latest annual report by the state Division of Property Taxation, CSI released a new analysis, By the Numbers: Growth in Property Tax Revenue. The study evaluates the latest data and reports key insights into 2024 property tax revenue growth. In 2024 alone, property tax revenue increased by $2.4 billion.

According to the CSI analysis, Coloradans are experiencing the largest property tax increase since 1975. “Not since Coloradans were listening to 8-track tapes have we seen a property tax increase of this magnitude,” Chris Brown, CSI Vice President of Policy & Research.

The analysis reports revenue grew four times faster than the combined rate of population and inflation. “This translates to unprecedented growth in property tax revenue for local governments,” continued Brown. “Coloradans are paying enormous bills and government is getting a windfall that we haven’t seen in decades.”

Key insights include:

• Property tax revenue increased by $2.4 billion dollars in 2024.

• After adjusting for inflation, property tax revenue per Coloradan increased by $304 from $2,262 to $2,566 in 2024. Over the past five years, inflation-adjusted revenue per Coloradan increased by $440.

• There was a wide range of revenue growth across the state - 50 of Colorado’s 64 counties received net property tax revenue increases larger than population growth and inflation across all of their taxing authorities.

• Property tax revenue for Colorado school districts increased by $1.07 billion in 2024 (17%), outpacing inflation and enrollment growth of just 3%.

Read the Full Report: https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/by-the-numbersgrowth-in-property-tax-revenue/

Letter to the People – Complacency Is the Enemy

by Dusty Johnson, House District 63 Candidate

June 2024

How did Colorado get worse than California? Obviously, this blue wave didn’t happen overnight. The transition from freedom and common sense that our state once knew to the highly government controlled and tyrant leadership that we now have happened slowly. Chain link by chain link. Just like the dog who doesn’t notice when a single chain link is being removed daily from their leash until the day comes where that dog is left with no chain left to move, we have watched our rights and freedoms slowly be chipped away. We, the people, let this happen. One of our biggest enemies is complacency...

We, as a society at large, have thrown our hands up when it comes to politics. We, as a collective, would rather close our eyes and cover our ears to the things happening under the Gold Dome of our State Capitol in Denver. They say that “ignorance is bliss,” but nothing could be further from the truth when we are seeing bills being passed that are rising the cost to living, criminalizing the law-abiding citizen, and limiting our abilities to enjoy our own private property rights.

Now let me be clear, while there is a large population that seems to have become content in being uninformed, there is also a large population of people who are paying attention and who are aware of just how outrageous things have become in our state leadership. However, out of those who are informed, my question is this: how many of you are actively taking steps to find a solution or help make change, and how many are just complaining within their social circles? Being informed and not acting is just as bad as being dismissive and oblivious to the issues. Change will never happen if we are not consistently and actively trying.

We need to move past the mindset that our voice out here in rural Colorado doesn’t matter, that there is nothing we can do to effect change because the urban areas have the population. Our biggest enemy is not the other party nor is it the urban areas; complacency is the enemy. We are our own enemy when we tell ourselves that it no longer matters. We, the people, need to be active in our government because our government should be by and for the people. You can be a part of the solution by getting involved in local organizations and groups, by reaching out to your elected officials (make calls, send emails, write letters, ask for meetings), and by voting in both the primary and general elections this year.

Letter

to the Editor:

To Voters of HD63,

As we approach the upcoming primary election, I want to take a moment to share some exciting news and to ask for your support. I’m Brian Urdiales, and I am running for Colorado House District 63. I have been honored to receive recent endorsements from respected members of our community, which I believe speaks to my commitment to our district’s well-being.

Robbie Graves, co-founder of Noosa Yogurt and a prominent dairy farmer in Colorado, has expressed his wholehearted support for my campaign. In his endorsement, Robbie states, “As a dairy farmer and businessman in Colorado, I’ve seen firsthand the kind of leadership our community needs. That’s why I’m wholeheartedly endorsing Brian Urdiales for Colorado House District 63.

Brian isn’t your typical politician. He’s just a guy who wants to do good for our community, and his heart is in the right place. I’ve known Brian for years, and his integrity is unmatched. He’s someone who listens, cares, and takes action. We need more leaders like Brian, who truly understand the challenges we face and are committed to making a positive difference. Vote for Brian Urdiales – a man of integrity, with a genuine desire to serve and improve our district.”

Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR), the state’s largest real estate trade association serving over 30,000 members, has also endorsed my campaign. CAR is a respected organization that advocates for real estate and consumer property rights, promotes professionalism and ethics, and advances property ownership opportunities for Coloradans. Their support underscores my dedication to safeguarding the interests of property owners and enhancing the quality of life in our community.

My track record of service and my commitment to listening, caring, and taking meaningful action make me the ideal representative for Colorado House District 63.

When you receive your ballot, please consider the endorsements from respected community leaders like Robbie Graves and the Colorado Association of REALTORS® and cast your vote in favor of Brian Urdiales. Let’s work together to build a better future for our district.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Brian Urdiales Urdialesforcolorado.com 970-380-6101 brian@urdialesforcolorado.com

Letter to the Editor:

Dear Residents of Weld County District 3, June election ballots are out and voters across the state have decisions to make. Ballots are due back by June 25th at 7pm. You can visit Weld.gov for drop off and polling locations.

I humbly ask for your vote to represent you as your next Weld County district 3 commissioner. I have been serving Platteville for the last 10 years with a board of six other folks in a civil and respectable manor. The way our founding fathers intended it. We have been a high performing board getting important things done for Platteville’s residents. I have been fighting for and representing Platteville in transportation meetings, county meetings, under the gold dome and in committees for the last 6 years. I have the experience necessary to hit the ground running on day one of my service to you. I am endorsed by Sheriff Steve Reams, Senator Kirkmeyer and all conservative unaffiliated and republican Mayors in Weld district 3 as well as the fine folks who have had to work with me for the last 6 years in Platteville. They all know my work ethic and my values, and they trust me to get the job done. Public service is in my heart and soul. I would be honored to work for you.

I would love to talk with you further if you have questions about me or my campaign.

Adrienne Sandoval 970-222-3238 adrienne@sandovalforweld.com www.sandovalforweld.com

Caldara: While The State Party Implodes, GOP Lawmakers Lead

by Jon Caldara President, Independence Institute, Complete Colorado Page 2

God hates the Colorado GOP. But oddly not Republican legislators.

The Colorado GOP again became a national laughingstock by suggesting we should burn gay pride flags.

Their blast email, video and slogan “God hates flags,” was of course meant to parrot the Westboro Baptist Church slogan of “God hates fags.”

Admittedly, I don’t know God as well as I should, but I’m guessing he’s downright agnostic on flags. But having a direct channel to the Big Man, GOP Chairman Dave Williams would know better than I.

At this point, one must seriously wonder if the members of the Colorado GOP are being secretly paid by George Soros. What? You got a better theory?

They damaged the ability to have a constructive talk about the real overreach of LGBTQIA+ activism (and I’m pretty sure I got that alphabet soup right, so there, try to cancel me now).

About a year ago during Pride Month, I wrote a column about the head of the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans, the organization of gay Republicans. Their head, Valdamar Archuleta, is an amazing guy who calls himself just a “plain straight gay man.”

He was throwing the BS flag on all the rainbow flags being used to pander to voters and business customers. He beautifully labeled it “rainbow fatigue,” and most of us know what he means.

Pride month has become four weeks of businesses trying to out virtue-signal each other. It would be great to have a conversation on how the gay movement, now that marriage equality has been won and is the rear-view mirror, has been weaponized to push for socialism. And guys like Valdamar are the right people to make the point.

Good thing we have the Colorado GOP to poop in their punch bowl and make any such persuasion from conservatives tainted.

Again, they must be getting paid by the socialist left. If not, they should be. But let’s change venues from the place where Republicans are using subtraction to lose to where they’re using addition to win. Surprisingly, under the Gold Dome.

Republicans were able to extract huge concessions on a property tax remedy with Senate Bill 233.

The punchline of this story is the Republicans in the legislature are not just in the minority, they are in the superminority, with no voice at all. Democrats don’t need the slightest bit of bipartisan support to pass their wildest socialist pipe dreams. And overwhelmingly, that’s just what they usually do.

Thanks to the devastating defeat of Proposition HH and the specter of property tax reform from citizen initiatives this fall, Democrats were willing to listen to Republicans. And the result is not a great bill on property tax reform, but a surprisingly decent one.

The heavy lifting came from Barb Kirkmeyer in the Senate and Lisa Frizell in the House. As a former county commissioner and a former county clerk, they have a handle on the truly bizarre intersections of about 4,000 property taxing districts. If they were not successful and no bill were passed our property taxes would spiral upward next year because the temporary “fix” from last year expires.

Those who were angry at the Gallagher Amendment and worked to repeal it had cause. They’re called commercial property owners. Under the amendment while the tax assessment rate for residential property would drop as property values rose, their assessment rate stayed at an obscenely high 29%.

But after the chaos caused by Gallagher’s repeal, maybe we’ve learned the painful lesson — don’t repeal a core property state amendment without knowing what we’re replacing it with!

Under SB 233 commercial property rates will be reduced over a couple of years to 25%. That’s remarkably good. A citizen’s initiative being circulated now, Initiative 108, would drop it to 24%, so the legislature got remarkably close to what they want. Residential property assessments will phase down to 6.4%. Considering it is set to return to 7.15%, that’s an amazing concession (better still might be Initiative 108 which brings it to 5.7%. But should that not win at the ballot, we still have this).

All of which to say, the Republicans shooting rubber bands at gay flags and into the eyes of swing voters could learn something from Republicans who are effective, even in a superminority.

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

Enjoy a “Peaceful Get Away” in a Beautiful Wyoming Setting

In support of the Sunrise Mine, Wyoming Guided Tour Event on June 22nd, the area of Sunrise, Hartville, Guernsey, and the area of the Fort Larame National Park are offering “Get Away Packages surrounding the June 22nd event at the Sunrise Mine Paleoindian Red Ochre archeological site. To receive the “Get Away” package call one of the hotels listed below and use the code word “SUNRISE”. It will include discounted hotel/motel rooms, eating, recreating and souvenirs.

Come visit and enjoy “Big City Quality with Small Town Values”

Includes Daily breakfast, lunch and activities including: art, science, and games

THIS INSTITUTE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER

An abstract innovative artist who strives to beat the status quo

Danny started painting at 13 years of age He has done various iconic murals around Fort Morgan His paintings are becoming a sensation after painting a mural at Tierra Luna, who gave him an opportunity to showcase his work Puff and Stuff are also showcasing his talent and had him paint a pair of Wings to be used as a selfie spot for locals and tourists

Coloradans from Every Political Party, Age Group And Region Want Politicians to Do Something About the Cost of Living

continued from page 1...

The biggest concern

As The Colorado Sun has explored in its ongoing series, “The High Cost of Colorado,” high prices dig into every part of Coloradans’ pocketbooks — from housing to groceries to going outside. It makes sense that high costs would be on voters’ minds. But “the economy” is a broad topic, so we looked at the open-answer question and called up respondents to see what exactly about the economy feels the most burdensome.

One clear concern emerged: housing.

Breaking down that subcategory, we heard about insurance, property taxes, affordable housing complexes (with tie-ins to density around public transportation), maintenance costs, rent costs and making it easier to build multi-generational homes.

What goes up, stays up

One of the concerns that most homeowners brought up was the high cost of insurance. Pam Giordano, a 77-year-old part-time teacher, has owned her home in Denver for about 30 years. Her homeowners insurance went up 22% this year, she said. She’s not sure about her car insurance bill yet. “I’m afraid to open it,” she said. Giordano said that she’s called her homeowners insurance company to try to negotiate the price down, but the company is stuck citing the crime rate in her neighborhood (Giordano listed “crime” as her second most important priority for candidates to address).

“If the crime rate in Denver goes down, I’m quite sure my homeowners insurance reps aren’t gonna say, ‘Oh, Pam, crime is down 10%. We’re gonna charge you 10% less.’ I don’t believe that’s going to happen.”

She’s right. For what it’s worth, crime is down in Denver, though it’s still higher than before the pandemic began in March 2020.

These conversations leave Giordano, and many others, feeling the pressure no matter how hard they pinch pennies.

“Yes, you can spend less at the grocery store. Yes, you can spend less on entertainment. Yes, you can spend less on streaming services and things,” Giordano said. “But the big hits, in many ways, are not things you can control.”

Feeling stuck

Several of the survey respondents contacted — homeowners and renters alike — told The Colorado Sun that they feel “stuck” with regard to their housing.

Giordano raised two kids in her home in Denver. It has bedrooms she and her husband don’t need, and it’s located in a neighborhood she’s not happy with anymore. But when they looked into moving, the couple faced a hard reality.

“It would literally cost us double to move with housing expenses today,” she said. “So, you know, we’re kind of locked into where we are. It’s a situation that a lot of people in our demographic deal with.”

In fact, it’s a situation that a lot of people in every demographic deal with.

Elianna Patridge, a 20-year-old about to graduate from the University of Denver, wants to move out of her mom’s house. They’re close, she said, and it was a good situation while she was in school.

“But I don’t want to live in my mom’s house forever,” Patridge said. “And I don’t really want to live in the suburbs anymore, there’s not a whole lot of stuff here for people my age. I want to be able to move into the city and live in Denver, but rent in the metro area is just crazy, crazy expensive. I’m trying to figure out: Will I be able to afford to move out? And it’s like, it doesn’t seem so.”

Patridge said that she and her mom talk openly about their options: Should her mom rent out Elianna’s space once she moves out? Should they both move into Denver and rent out their current home? Should they live in Denver together?

“I don’t think that would be my ideal, just because I do want to launch and have my own place,” Patridge said, of the last option. “But she and I are very tight and we do enjoy the company a lot, so I definitely would not hate it if we did that.”

Building up and out

When it comes to building new housing, a lot of respondents were eyeing the prohibitively expensive, time-consuming permit processes — the red tape.

“I don’t really see the housing issue as a problem of scarcity. I see it as more of a legislation problem,” said Keenan Marrinan, a 28-year-old voter who grew up in Boulder. “We have all these policies that are in our way of building more houses. It’s not that we can’t build more houses. I mean, after the Marshall fire, it took about a year to get all those houses rebuilt. But then when it comes to building any affordable housing, it takes multiple years to get anywhere. So I really think that’s something that we can change on the back end.”

Meanwhile, Springer, the rancher in Hartsel, is also frustrated by the difficulty of making improvements to her home, where she has lived for more than 30 years. She’d love to make improvements for her grandchildren to take over the house someday.

“All of a sudden this house that’s grandfathered in has to meet all these new building codes,” she said. “It’s almost impossible.”

Springer raised six children in the house. One of her sons still works on the ranch, on top of a full-time job, she said. Her desire to pass along her home is more than just a generous economic move — it signals the continuation of her way of life, that of a small cattle ranch that hasn’t “sold out to the multimillionaires,” as she put it. “We’re not gonna do that.”

“It used to be that you sat down (each season) and said OK, this is how we’re going to make it work,” Springer said. “Now we look at the numbers and don’t even get past car payments.”

Making it work

Other issues frequently cited in the open-answer question were medical costs, inflation, grocery prices and taxes.

While some issues were clearly divided along party lines — social justice and equity ranked as the fifth most important issue for liberal voters, but came in dead last among conservatives — the majority of issues weren’t cleanly divided among parties, genders, regions or age groups.

Despite his deep concerns about the cost of living, Marrinan, the voter born and raised in Boulder, was optimistic.

“People say that there’s too many people moving here. But that’s more income for our state. We can support those people. Growth is hard, change is hard, especially

You can still take part in the survey. Learn more and fill it out at this link, we’d love to hear from you.

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

South Platte Valley Historical Park Is Open for the Season

by Jackie Smith

With the conclusion of our Heritage Fair, the park is officially open.

We still have room available in the Independence school where your child’s adventure awaits. Dressed as a pioneer, he or she will get a unique, memorable 3-day experience when attending school in an original 1875 schoolhouse. They will learn from the McGuffey readers, do crafts, and make butter. Children will also enjoy a presentation of Native American life, get a tour of the historic fort and surrounding areas. School is in session at the 1875, Independence school, Monday through Wednesday, from 9 A.M. - 3 P.M., June 1012, and June 17-19. If you are interested in sending your child, please visit www.spvhs. org for enrollment information.

To celebrate the upcoming patriotic holiday, on July 1st, at 6 P.M. South Platte Valley Historical Society will host a flag burning service. The event is free and open to the public. Dessert will be available. You won’t want to miss this emotional ceremony! Don’t Forget to follow us on Facebook South Platte Valley Historical Park.

Time warp back in time to the 1836, 1852, 1867, or 1875. These are the years representing our wonderful buildings in the park. Come and see them and explore. We are open the first weekend of the month from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. or arrange a private group tour by contacting us through our website www.spvhs.org. We are located at 2001 Historic Pkwy. Fort. Lupton. On highway 85, on the northside of Fort Lupton, turn west on 14-1/2, the park will be on your right. We look forward to meeting you! when nationwide everything is more expensive,” he said. “But if we do it correctly, then it’ll be even better. In a decade or so, if we expand in a good way, things will be amazing, I think.”

A Caring Pregnancy Resource Center of

Northeast Colorado Partners with The City of Lights, Fort Morgan Christian Motor Cycle Association

by Roberta Bigalk, Director A Caring Pregnancy

Saturday, June 1, 2024, the City of Lights Disciples, the Fort Morgan Christian Motorcycle Association and Mrs. Morgan County, Mecaila Beth Farnsworth, partnered to provide a huge diaper drive for A Caring Pregnancy Resource Center of Northeast Colorado. Over 120 packages and 7 cases of diapers were donated to A Caring Pregnancy Resource Center of Northeast Colorado (ACPRC) to support families across Morgan County.

ACPRC has been serving our families since 1999. They are located at 308 Clayton St. in Brush, CO. ACPRC has 5 centers in the northeast plains of Colorado located in Brush, Sterling, Holyoke, Yuma and Wray. Their services are free to the public. Their mission is to provide information, resources and support to individuals facing pregnancy. “Our goal is to support families through the first year of their infant’s life with resources like diapers, formula, clothing to size 2T among other support like referral to community resources and information about budgeting, parenting and other essentials needed to raise a family with success.” shared Executive Director Roberta Bigalk. “We are so thankful for the support we receive from the community!”

Though they do not refer for or provide abortions, they can provide information about abortion procedure risks and alternative options as well as post-abortion support. They offer a holistic approach to helping women that includes pregnancy tests, limited ultrasound, options counseling and before/after birth resources. For more information or to access their services, visit www.acaringpregnancy.org or call 970-842-4324.

Cali Bills of Fort Morgan, CO

Earns Poster Prize

WEST DES MOINES, IA (05/22/2024)-- Cali Bills of Fort Morgan, CO, was part of a three-member Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences team that won first place in a poster competition at the annual conference of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. Bills is a second-year student in DMU’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program.

The poster, titled “Fostering Interprofessional Collaboration Skills Through Small Group Case-Based Learning,” summarized research by DMU students Cali Bills and Andrew Mannisto and Martin Schmidt, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and nutrition and a curriculum fellow in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, about the benefits of small-group discussions among DMU students in different health professions programs. Their work was supported by grant funding from AACOM.

Located in West Des Moines, part of Iowa’s capital metro, Des Moines University offers 10 graduate-level professional degree programs in anatomy, biomedical sciences, health care administration, occupational therapy, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, podiatric medicine and public health. Founded in 1898, the institution offers superior academics in a collaborative environment. DMU students’ scores on national examinations, pass rates on board certifications and match rates for medical residency programs are consistently higher than national averages and rates at peer institutions.

Discover Books and Media Deals at Brush East

Morgan County Library District

July 4 Celebration Sales

Annual rodeos, parade, fireworks and a pancake breakfast—all familiar events during theBrush July Fourth celebrations…AND the favorite of reading and media enthusiasts--the Library Friends’ book and media sales!

July 4, 5 and 6, the East Morgan County Library District Friends’ yearly three-day sale once again provides opportunities to locate fun books, movies, music media and games at a price seldom seen online or at second-hand establishments and used book stores.

According to Friends’ Organization President Margo Kissler, the sale will open early at the library’s Book Cellar (downstairs) at 500 Clayton St. on July 4 at 7 A.M. It will run through 10 A.M. when the city’s parade begins. The sale coincides with the Brush Lions’ Club’s annual pancake breakfast held in Library Park from 6-10 A.M.

The sale continues on Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6 from 10:30 A.M. - 2:30 P.M. both days. The Library Friends’ volunteers organize and run the event and are available throughout the sales to assist customers. While sales are held periodically throughout the year and again at the Library Park’s weekly People’s Markets in late summer and early autumn months, the July Fourth sales are the largest and most anticipated.

Customers will find all paperbacks and all children’s books of any kind priced at $.25 each with “bundle deal” of 5 for $1. Hardbacks, books on CD, and gaming CDs are $1, while movie DVDs and music CDs are 4 for $1. Pre-bundled books by similar theme, author or genre are displayed and marked at various prices, often in the $1.50$3 price range.

Donations to the sales arrive at the library from various sources, with many from patrons’ own private collections. Others may be discarded library items. Some are donated in new and nearly-new condition. Customers seeking specific titles and the best choices are urged to shop early in the sales, as shoppers often “stock-up” during this sale, and used book buyers attend the friends’ sales.

While some bags are provided without a charge, customers may wish to bring their own boxes or sturdy bags for heavy items and large purchases.

All proceeds are used by the Friends to help fund library events, youth summer reading and other programming, new books and other library materials. Anyone can become a Library Friend member, with memberships beginning with $5 for an individual membership. Memberships are available at the sales.

Harding University Students Recognized For Academic Achievements

SEARCY, AR (06/06/2024)-- The following students are among more than 1,300 Harding University students recognized for their academic excellence from grades achieved during the Spring 2024 semester.

Harli Crossen of Keenesburg is a Senior studying Nursing. Crossen has been named to the dean’s list.

Grayson Lewis of Windsor is a Sophomore studying architectural studies. Lewis has been named to the dean’s list.

Emily Nikolai of Brighton is a Senior studying Nursing. Nikolai has been named to the dean’s list and president’s list.

Cambrey Reitmair of Thornton is a Senior studying interior architecture and design. Reitmair has been named to the dean’s list.

The dean’s list is published each semester by Dr. Marty Spears, University provost, honoring those who have achieved high scholarship. To be eligible, a student must be carrying 12 or more hours with a 3.65 or higher grade-point average and no incompletes.

About Harding University

Harding University is a private Christian, liberal arts university located in Searcy, Arkansas. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and celebrating its centennial year, it is the largest private university in the state. Harding’s student body represents students from across the U.S. and more than 50 nations and territories. The University offers more than 110 undergraduate majors; 14 preprofessional programs; more than 40 graduate and professional programs; as well as numerous study abroad opportunities including locations in Australasia, Peru, Europe, Greece, Italy and Zambia. For more information, visit Harding.edu.

Colorado GOP Dumpster Fire

by Jon Caldara President, Independence Institute, Complete Colorado Page 2

On my 18th birthday, even before I ran out to buy a 3.2 beer, I went to the County Courthouse to register to vote as a Republican. What’s weirder is I was proud about it.

But when the law was changed to allow unaffiliated voters to vote in either the Democrat or Republican primary, I became unaffiliated. It was the right call.

As you might know I live in the People’s Republic of Boulder (insert well deserved joke here). In Boulder, there is no Republican primary. Here’s proof.

As an unaffiliated I got both the Republican and Democratic primary ballots. There are nine positions up for election. On the Democratic ballot there were four contested races with two candidates each, and five uncontested races with only one candidate each.

On the Republican ballot there were four uncontested races with one candidate each, and five more uncontested races because there were absolutely no candidates at all. Quite literally the entire Republican ballot offered not a single choice.

Granted Boulder is a socialist area, but I remember when Republicans would win county seats.

Colorado is now an unaffiliated state: the majority of voters consider themselves independents. Republican registration is far less than Democratic registration.

For Republicans to win they must use addition to reach into the unaffiliated camp.

Instead, Colorado GOP is using subtraction to alienate swing voters with bizarre purity tests, demands of blind obedience, and unethical campaign practices. Calling on people to burn gay pride flags was more than politically tone deaf, it’s genuinely hateful.

The Colorado GOP has become a national laughingstock as it disintegrates into irrelevancy. This is not a bad thing because, in the spirit of creative destruction, it will be replaced with something more effective in the years to come.

Here are the realities of the existing demographics in Colorado, like ‘em or not.

Suburban Colorado voters are currently overwhelmingly pro-choice, pro-cannabis, pro-LGB, pro-environment, and anti-Trump. That doesn’t mean these suburban voters are pro-tax, pro-regulation, pro-cancel culture, or pro-woke.

These voters are waiting for an opportunity to vote for personal and economic liberty.

From its very founding nearly four decades ago, Independence Institute has never been partisan, never been part of the Republican Party, and very often have taken Republicans to task when they raise taxes and the increase scope of government. It is what makes us uniquely qualified to build lines in our communication to persuadable Independents.

You might notice our e-mail URLs is i2i.org. Think of that as “Independence to Independents.”

We can bring sanity back to Colorado. In fact, I’ve never been more optimistic about our long-term prospects as we build on Independence’s three great strengths: Communicating to the persuadable, recruiting the talent to win, and taking action to change real policy.

Thanks for being a part of it.

Leprino Foods Joining The Brush Chamber Commerce

CSC announces President’s List

CHADRON, NE (05/24/2024)-- Chadron State College has announced the undergraduate students qualifying for the Spring 2024 President’s List. The list consists of students with a 4.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale. To qualify, students must be enrolled in 12 credit hours of coursework, be seeking their first bachelor’s degree, and have no incomplete grades during the semester. Cities, states, and countries listed are provided by the students.

Bo French of Brighton, Colo.(80601)

McKinsey Poulson of Commerce City, Colo.(80022)

Makenna Cormack of Eaton, Colo.(80615)

Sloane Quijas of Erie, Colo.(80516)

Ashley Anderson of Fort Morgan, Colo.(80701)

Aubree Heinsma of Windsor, Colo.(80550)

Avery Lacy of Windsor, Colo.(80550)

Chadron State College, which was founded in 1911, is the only four-year, regionally-accredited college in the western half of Nebraska. As a public institution with its roots in teacher education, Chadron State takes pride in its accessibility and affordability. More than 2,000 undergraduate, graduate and online students currently attend Chadron State.

Students Recognized On Dean’s List

CHADRON, NE (05/24/2024)-- Chadron State College has announced the undergraduate students qualifying for the Spring 2024 Dean’s List. Students met the requirements for the Dean’s List by earning at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average. To qualify, students must be enrolled in 12 credit hours of coursework, be seeking their first bachelor’s degree, and have no incomplete grades during the semester. Cities, states, and countries listed are provided by the students.

Kylie Krise of Briggsdale, CO(80611)

Allie Ohm of Brighton, CO(80601)

Noelle Meagher of Eaton, CO(80615)

Zachary Kapushion of Erie, CO(80516)

Paige Edwards of Firestone, CO(80504)

Kaitlyn Bell of Fort Morgan, CO(80701)

Audrey Kramer of Fort Morgan, CO(80701)

Devyn Thornton of Greeley, CO(80634)

Izabella Miller of Johnstown, CO(80534)

Ashayla Powers of Longmont, CO(80504)

Chadron State College, which was founded in 1911, is the only four-year, regionally-accredited college in the western half of Nebraska. As a public institution with its roots in teacher education, Chadron State takes pride in its accessibility and affordability. More than 2,000 undergraduate, graduate and online students currently attend Chadron State.

Here’s to the last 85 years and the brilliant future we’ll create together. We’ve evolved, but our dedication to powering progress and making connections that contribute to a stronger tomorrow remains unwavering. We’re here for tomorrow - we’re here for good.

Beat the Summer Heat in Savings

By Morgan County Rural Electric Association

Cooling your home can get costly once the summer heat is on. When the air conditioners are cranked up, so can the energy expenses of the household. The cost to keep cool should not interfere with the ability to enjoy the summer season. Morgan County REA and the Energy Education Council provide some energy-saving and costsaving tips to put into practice this summer.

• The temperature in the attic can far exceed the heat outside and warm up the rest of the house if it is not properly ventilated. Adequately sized vents and/or an attic fan can help keep hot air out of the building.

• Seal cracks around the house. Weather stripping and caulking will help maintain your home’s temperature.

• Use a programmable thermostat. Set it at a higher temperature when you will be away from home and a more comfortable temperature when you are at home.

• Keep the sun out of your house. Curtains, blinds, and awnings can reduce solar heat gain. Close blinds and curtains during the hottest part of the day.

• Use oscillating and ceiling fans to create a cooling effect. Make sure ceiling fans are circulating air in the correct direction for the season. During warm months, ceiling fans should be operating in a counter-clockwise direction.

• Air must be able to circulate around your air conditioner, so clear weeds, leaves, and other debris around your air conditioner. Replace the filter, and continue to replace the filter monthly throughout the home cooling season.

You may be considering an update to your HVAC system altogether, in which case an air source heat pump may be the perfect fit. The highly-efficient unit can be used to cool your home in the summer and heat it in colder months, saving you money yearround. Your electric cooperative also offers rebates on qualifying heat pumps.

Morgan County REA wishes all its members a safe and happy summer. For more information on the safe and efficient use of energy, please visit EnergyEdCouncil.org.

THIS SUMMER THIS SUMMER

BEAT THE BEAT THE HEAT HEAT

Common Sense Institute Analysis:

$2.8 Billion Taken from TABOR Refunds By New Legislation

Sias: Legislators focused intensely on TABOR refunds this session Denver, CO – According to a new CSI analysis, 101 bills passed in the 2024 session will reduce TABOR refunds by $2.8 billion between FY24 and FY26.

“Amid unprecedented revenue growth and a $40 billion state budget, lawmakers circumvented the standard refund mechanisms through a long list of proposed tax rate reductions, tax credits, and distribution efforts,” said Chris Brown, CSI VP of Policy & Research.

“Legislators focused intensely on TABOR refunds this session,” said Lang Sias, CSI Mike A. Leprino Fellow. “What started a few years ago, has snowballed into what we saw play out during the 2024 session where more than 100 bills redirected TABOR refunds.”

Among the key findings,

• 101 bills were passed during the 2024 legislative session that, if signed into law, will reduce projected TABOR refunds by a combined $2.8 billion (47%) of the $6 billion projected between FY24 and FY26.

o These bills propose to reduce the TABOR refund by a combined $523 million in FY24, $1.06 billion in FY25, and $1.25 billion in FY26. The recent announcement that an additional $67 million in TABOR refunds is owed to taxpayers due to an accounting error is not reflected in this report.

• The reduction in refunds over the next three years is similar in size to the FY23 TABOR refund. Of the $3.28 billion available, $3.1 billion was distributed as direct payments of $800 to each Colorado taxpayer. The remaining $180 million was diverted via an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit approved during the 2023 session.

• SB24-228, which is expected to be signed into law shortly, proposes to change the TABOR refund mechanism by lowering the state income tax rate according to the level of excess state revenue. When it comes into effect, Coloradans’ TABOR refunds will be partially replaced by income tax reductions.

Pride Divides

By Gillian Smith

June is an amazing month. Summer is getting into gear. School is out, weddings, long days, sultry nights, and thunderstorms that provide unrivalled lightshows. And the Pride war.

This year, Pride drama hit a new high when Republican State Chair Dave Williams issued a scathing email. After a large outcry from Republicans, he doubled down on his rhetoric and issued another email which included threats against those who had the audacity to speak out. And let’s be clear, these emails are straws, not the main matter.

In the Preamble of the current ‘Republican Rules’ the first point is that the Republican Party is the party of the open door and calls for favoritism of none. Specifically, “. . . the intent and purpose of these rules to encourage and allow the broadest possible participation of all voters in Republican Party activities at all levels and to assure the Republican Party is open and accessible to all Americans”. The RNC Platform focuses on protecting our Constitutional freedoms, economic growth, election integrity, and keeping strong national security. There is nothing about religious affiliation or sexual orientation.

A message may be good but when the delivery is overtly forceful or tied to a controversial figure such as Mark Driscoll, the message is lost amongst the vitriolic attacks. Such is the case with the Williams emails. The overall message of protecting children is one that resonates with many Republicans, however the State Party promoting a contentious Pastor is inappropriate. When the People voiced their displeasure, they received name calling and threats which are indicators of weak leadership skills.

To claim that if one does not lock step with the State Party, they support the gay and trans agenda(s) is preposterous. Many Republicans are devout Christians who absolutely refuse to support the homosexual lifestyle. Others take a more laissezfaire approach. Neither is wrong. The stereotypical Republican still exists however is joined by agnostic, atheist, Jewish, and Muslim Republicans. There is dissent among Christians and Catholics on numerous topics. The same God may be focal but huge gaps exist in theology. This is why religious freedom is protected. Not everyone has the same values, principles, and beliefs because those are based on our upbringing, education, and life experiences. Each person has specific values and the right to live their truths. We should never compromise solid principles. However, others have the same rights, and their values may differ. There is a need to get better at having conversations about what we have in common, not what sets us apart. That is how hearts are won and perceptions are swayed. Harsh words and shaming people are unproductive techniques used by dictators not statesmen.

Jesus does hate pride which is more than parades and drag shows. Jesus calls us to question our motives and be scrupulous in our actions. John 8:7 wisely says, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her”. We all sin and perhaps it is best to address our own before we call out others for theirs.

Make a Bike Ride Part of Your Summer Plans

Several Guided Rides Available in Morgan County

Fort Morgan bike shop, Bicycle Adventure, kicked off the summer riding season with an HGTV ride featuring the various remodeling projects of Season II Hometown Takeover filmed last year in the community.

A group of cycle enthusiasts joined shop owner and ride organizer, Richard Lapp, as they pedaled around the community to explore featured filming spots, such as Morgan Lanes bowling alley, the Queen’s Lounge, Zazzy’s Café, and the Prairie Maize in addition to two brightly colored murals, the Rainbow Bridge welcome sign, and various storefronts in the 200 block of Main Street that were also a part of the five month project that aired on the HGTV network last spring and drew tourists and fixer fans from across various states.

The three-hour ride concluded at Glenn Miller Park in the center of Fort Morgan’s Main Street and downtown district. Participants were able to take “selfies” at the metal sculpture area, enjoy breakfast burritos at colorful picnic benches that were part of the initial HGTV project, and see the spruced up bandshell skirt while music played softly through the public audio system.

“We are still seeing quite a bit of interest from visitors and travelers who weren’t able to come to Fort Morgan last year when the HGTV project was officially completed and aired last spring,” commented Lapp. “In fact, I was contacted earlier this year from a touring group that is interested in scheduling a similar ride later this summer.”

A leisure bike ride is a great alternative way to explore a community. One doesn’t need to worry about finding a parking spot and can cover a vast amount of attractions throughout an area, which is a lot quicker than walking. The outdoor sunshine and exercise are also additional bonuses remarks Lapp.

In addition to the HGTV ride, Bicycle Adventure has several other bike rides planned for Fort Morgan and Morgan County including a Bobstock Night Ride on July 13; a Morgan County Agri Pedal Ride on July 27; a Fort Morgan Sweet and Low Ride on October 19; and a Thanksgiving Eat More Turkey Ride on November 28. Several others are also scheduled in Brush, Wiggins, and surrounding areas.

To register or learn more about these themed rides, visit Bicycle Adventure’s website or contact the shop at bicycleadventure54@gmail.com.

The City of Fort Morgan’s website (www.cityoffortmorgan.com) and Facebook page also provide information on several upcoming activities and events for perfect day trip or weekend getaways this summer.

O’Reilly & Chandler: Numerous RTD Seats Up For Grabs In November

by Chuck O’Reilly and Kathleen Chandler, Complete

Colorado Page 2

Do you know many local elections are happening this November? It is not all about the national election cycle. There are also dozens of special district elections, like the Regional Transportation District (RTD), which collects taxes from a huge number of Coloradans in an eight-county swath of the metro Denver area.

The budgets of these special districts are significant and deserve attention. One of the authors of this piece, Chuck O’Reilly, is working on a project to identify special districts that are up for election this cycle and how you can get involved! If you have ever wanted to understand local government, here is your chance.

Board members of these special districts receive valuable experience such as analyzing and overseeing budgets and making policy decisions. Individuals running for these non-partisan local offices are often the “bench” for political parties. Many of the candidates who are successful on these boards will run for higher office, while other elected board members serve out their terms making a difference in their local area. You can make a difference by serving locally.

Here is the lowdown on these local races: Non-partisan elections occur in either even or odd years and they occur either in the Spring or in November as part of the statewide ballot of the year. Consequently, the nonpartisan elections are broken up into four different groups.

The first non-partisan district election highlighted by Chuck is RTD.

For 2024 the RTD Board will manage projected revenues of $1.2 billion of which 75% ($932 million) come from sales taxes collected in all of Boulder, Denver, Jefferson, and Broomfield counties, parts of Douglas, Arapahoe and Adams counties, and a slice of Weld County. Only 5% ($63 million) actually comes from fares of those who ride RTD buses and trains.

RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected board of directors, who are elected to a four-year term and represent a specific district. On November 5, 2024, the general election will see RTD directors elected from the following districts: A, D, E, F, G, H, I, and M.

The four steps to become an RTD candidate are:

▪ Determine which RTD district you live in.

▪ Electronically submit a candidate affidavit.

▪ Apply for a petition to gather signatures

▪ Collect and submit 250 valid signatures before July 11, 2024.

The process required to become a candidate for the RTD Board is detailed, though not complicated, and Chuck has documented this process so that one can complete it quickly.

Do you see yourself as the solution to government overreach? Would you be willing to be elected to a board? If the answer is yes, we need you to jump into the race! For assistance with the overall process send an email info@i2i.org with “RTD” in the subject box.

Chuck also plans to write out detailed “how-to plans” for Castle Rock and Parker Town Council elections. We need to stop complaining and get involved.

Chuck O’Reilly is a retired accountant living in Larkspur, where he volunteers as the treasurer for many organizations. Kathleen Chandler runs the Citizen Involvement Project at the Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Denver.

Photos by Sandy Engle and Richard Lapp

No Need For Speed — CDOT Urges Drivers To Slow Down This Summer

June 13, 2024 - Speeding was the top factor of fatal crashes in 2023

Statewide — As motorists rush into summer and hit the road for their warm weather plans, the Colorado Department of Transportation wants to remind drivers to watch their speed. Colorado lost 751 lives to speeding between 2021 and 2023, according to CDOT’s 2023 Core Outcome Report. Speed was a leading factor in traffic deaths in Colorado last year, resulting in 258 fatalities, and outnumbering impaired driving (228) and unrestrained passenger (222) fatalities. While it can be tempting to hit the gas to bypass traffic, no one is invincible — speeding can result in a citation and puts you at a much greater risk of a crash.

Crashes peak during summer months as more Coloradans plan road trips and outdoor activities. The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, during which Colorado historically sees a spike in fatal crashes. Last July there were 90 traffic deaths, the most ever recorded in a single month in Colorado.

From 2020 to 2023, there were 418 speeding related fatalities during the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer. In 2021, 29% of all Colorado traffic fatalities were speeding related.

“Between May and September last year, there were a total of 351 fatal crashes in Colorado,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “With the official start of summer around the corner, it’s important to remember that all drivers have the responsibility to obey the speed limit, drive sober and focus on the road.”

Drivers tend to overestimate the time saved by speeding. In fact, a motorist moving at 80 mph instead of 75 mph would have to travel 100 miles to save roughly 5 minutes. In addition, speeding and aggressive driving endanger not only the driver, but also other motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. If you encounter somebody speeding, CDOT shares the following tips to stay safe:

• Maintain Space: Give other drivers, speeding or not, plenty of space. Drivers are more likely to lose control of their vehicles when speeding.

• Do Not Engage: Speeding is often linked to aggressive driving. If a speeding driver is tailgating you or trying to engage in risky behavior, use your judgment to safely steer your vehicle out of the way.

• Report Dangerous Behavior: If you believe a driver is following or harassing you, or engaging in other risky behavior, dial *CSP (*277) or your local law enforcement to report.

The counties that had the most traffic deaths involving speeding in 2023 were El Paso, Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Jefferson. Of these counties, El Paso County has remained in the top five for speeding citations since 2019.

The top five roadways for speeding citations by highest speeding intervals (20+ mph over the posted speed limit) issued by the Colorado State Patrol in 2023 were:

• I-70

• I-25

• Highway 50

• Highway 24

• Highway 285

“The temptation to speed is real and law enforcement officers aren’t oblivious to that,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Almost everyone is guilty of speeding at one time or another, but that doesn’t make it OK. Speeding is aggressive driving. When crashes happen and speed is involved, your chance of a serious injury increases dramatically.”

Paired with other dangerous driving behaviors, speeding increases the chance of a crash. In 2021, 43% of all speeding-related traffic fatalities in Colorado also involved alcohol impairment, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. CDOT continues to support local law enforcement agencies for The Heat Is On DUI enforcement periods, during which drivers may see saturation patrols, sobriety checkpoints and additional law enforcement officers on duty dedicated to arresting impaired drivers.

Colorado State Patrol troopers continue to take a low-tolerance approach to the top fatal crash factors, including lane violations, impaired driving, and speeding, while launching a yearlong campaign called “Drive Safe.” This campaign celebrates positive driving behaviors and encourages all of us to drive like a trooper is riding with you.

Crash Not Accident

Note to reporters: Crashes are no accident — they are preventable. We would appreciate you saying ‘crash’ instead of ‘accident’ when reporting.

Larison:

Front Range Voters Should Reject A Passenger Rail Tax

by Dave Larison, Complete Colorado Page 2

The last thing Front Range residents need in these inflationary times is a hefty new sales tax for a costly and impractical intercity passenger rail system.

Veteran transit analysts Jon Caldara and Randal O’Toole have both laid out the ugly truth, while the Front Range Passenger Rail (FRPR) District board continues its misguided optimism of public support.

It’s almost guaranteed that voters in my city of Longmont won’t support any new sales tax for trains. No other locale in the Regional Transportation District (RTD) taxing jurisdiction has agonized more from the unfulfilled promises of FasTracks.

The line was scheduled to be completed to Longmont by 2017. Through April 2024, the city has contributed nearly $95 million toward the FasTracks sales tax with nothing tangible to show for it.

I served as treasurer to former RTD board member Mary Blue at the time of the initial FasTracks ballot issue in 2004. I was also part of the FasTracks election team and helped to gather petition signatures to get FasTracks on the ballot.

The initiative passed district-wide by 57% to 43%. Little did I know that I would end up being duped like the rest of my neighboring taxpayers.

It also became obvious to me that no one from Longmont travels to/from downtown Denver by going through Boulder. FRPR regrettably maintains this zigzag routing with its chosen plan for the northern Front Range.

It would have been better to finish the FasTracks Northwest Line to Boulder only, and run any proposed passenger rail route straight down the U.S. 287 corridor to Denver.

Light rail has been a useful amenity for some metro Denver residents over the last 20 years, but did you know that less than 4% of commuters ride FasTracks? The rail project has done nothing to relieve traffic congestion, and the FRPR intercity concept won’t either.

Let’s say I have a friend or family member departing on a flight and I need to take them to Denver International (DIA) from my home in north Longmont. I load their luggage in back of my SUV and take a smooth drive to the airport via I-25/E470 (two $4.65 License Plate Tolls). I can have my passenger at the DIA departures curb in just under an hour.

Now let’s take that same scenario if my traveler were to use FRPR if and when it becomes an option in the future.

First I would have to drive them to a new Longmont transit station in the south part of town. Next they check their luggage for an FRPR train to Boulder, likely stop in Boulder, then continue on to Union Station in Denver where they would need to unload and transfer to the FasTracks A Line train to DIA.

The whole convoluted trip would likely take at least two hours with who knows how much in combined fare costs.

The reality is that the automobile gets you precisely where you want to go, when you want to go, carrying what you want, and making as many stops as you need on your own timetable. You also have better personal security than you would in the public transit environment.

We have a deeply rooted car culture in the American West, much different than the densely populated landscapes of Europe or parts of Asia where extensive train networks are more suitable.

It’s easy to see why Gov. Polis and the progressives are so enamored with intercity trains for our region. It fits the enviro-left agenda of anti-fossil fuels, anti-car, antisuburbs, and transit oriented development.

This mindset limits individual freedoms by cramming people into high density cities for increased indexing and control of their lives, including public transportation.

Air pollution from modern gas-powered autos is grossly overstated by the green crowd as well. Since the inception of the Clean Air Act and vehicle emissions testing, Denver has admirably decreased its ozone and sulfur dioxide levels by 300400% from the brown cloud era of 50 years ago.

It’s the highly politicized Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that keeps moving the goalposts with draconian ozone health standards. EPA brands the northern Front Range a “severe violator” when practically speaking it really isn’t the case.

Another drawback with Front Range rail is that the initial plan will run only three inbound trains in the morning and three outbound trains in the evening on shared BNSF freight tracks. A lot of good that’s going to do you if you need a round trip for an evening concert or sports event in downtown Denver.

The FRPR boondoggle is not projected to be operational until 10-15 years from now and will very likely have cost overruns. Voting taxpayers would be smart to stop the project right in its tracks at the ballot box come

November elections.

Dave Larison is a retired NOAA meteorologist who has lived in Longmont since 1980.

City Launches New Resident Outreach Program

Sign up for e-mail, text notification of events, news, weather alerts, more The City of Fort Morgan is launching a new online feature to reach residents with important and useful information about everything from current and future events to threatening weather and city government activities.

Called “Connect Fort Morgan,” the service can be accessed from the city website’s home page by clicking on the “Notify Me” button. This notification module has been on the city website since its inception, but city officials hope to utilize it more broadly and effectively.

(Quote from Kevin about what he hopes this will achieve)

Anyone can sign up to be notified by e-mail or text when new information on a particular topic has been posted on the city website. The Notify Me module has dozens of categories of information ranging from City Council agendas to advisory board meetings, and bid postings to recreation programs.

Users can sign up for any or all of the categories, but the intended purpose of “Connect Fort Morgan” is to provide news, announcements and reminders of things happening around Fort Morgan. Sometimes called “push notifications,” these information items are a fast and simple way to get the word out that residents need to hear.

The city has long issued news releases about such activities – for example, releases about Thursday Night Live concert performers. These are generally sent out to local media and also posted on the city’s website and social media pages a week or two before the event, to help people make plans. This practice will continue, but folks registered for “Connect Fort Morgan” will not only receive an e-mail or text with a link to the original release, but also reminders as the event gets closer – perhaps the day before and a few hours before the show starts.

Other events and activities about which “Connect Fort Morgan” will notify registered users might include street closures or construction activity, significant actions of the city council, warnings about threatening weather and other useful info.

Some notifications will be short standalone messages that don’t link users to another location for more information. It’s important to note that “Connect Fort Morgan” is NOT a substitute for the local emergency alert systems operated by law enforcement in the area.

Visit the city website and click “Notify Me” to choose from the abundance of information you can learn about by text or e-mail. Just enter your e-mail address on the Notify Me page to sign in, then select either the mail or phone icon (or both) next to the topics that interest you.

You’ll want to be sure to choose “Connect Fort Morgan” to get the latest scoop on general happenings around town!

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! www.facebook.com/cityoffortmorgan

Vero Fiber Celebrates Ribbon Cutting In Brush, Colorado! Vero Fiber News Press

Vero Fiber, the Colorado-based fiber-optic internet service provider, is continuing expansion of their 100% fiber network in the City of Brush, Colorado. To celebrate their new fiber availability and installation for new fiber customers in town, Vero co-hosted a ribbon cutting event in conjunction with the Brush Area Chamber of Commerce. The ribbon cutting was a great way to show the successful union of Brush and the new fiber provider and to thank the community for their early support. The expansion represents the city’s first complete fiber to the premise deployment, servicing clients with Gigabit level speeds. The City of Brush will be the base of expansion in northeastern Colorado for Vero’s fiber deployment, with additional, future markets in the design process.

“As a Colorado-based company, we are excited to bring this critical service to the residents of Brush,” said Sunita Krishna, CEO of Vero Fiber. “A fully fiber-based network is the modern utility, and we are proud to be the company able to bring this ultra-fast service to the community.”

Vero’s deployment of its 100% fiber-optic network now allows residents to have symmetrical bandwidth (upload and download) at Gigabit level speeds in their homes. Vero’s fiber network is optimized to provide faster speeds, better connectivity, and the bandwidth to connect more devices for streaming, gaming, working from home and more, all at the same time.

Scott Trautwein, the Director of Technology for the Brush School, further endorsed the project, saying, “We welcome Vero to the community and look forward to the services they will be providing. It is critical for our students to have reliable connectivity in their homes as well as at school.”

Vero focuses on being an active member of the areas it serves and offers simple service packages that are clearly priced with no hidden fees or surcharges. Every service will include the essential equipment for connectivity and Wi-Fi, as well as a state-of-the-art app to manage the residents’ network. Vero is also committed to supporting all members of the community.

“Every market we enter, the citizens and businesses are so excited to have access to a fiber-based internet solution, and we are thrilled to bring this solution to another Colorado community,” added Krishna. The new service is now available for customers in Brush.

About Vero Fiber

Vero Fiber is a Colorado-based fiber-optic internet service provider. Headquartered in Boulder, CO, Vero Fiber is building 100% fiber-optic networks to fill a critical need in communities where access to affordable, reliable broadband is in high demand. Their goal is to bring the highest quality fiber-optic based broadband services to these communities by providing ultra-fast internet with fair, straightforward pricing and local customer support. In addition, Vero strives to enhance the areas they serve by becoming an active partner in these communities and adding jobs, supporting local causes, and helping improve the connectivity of schools and rural healthcare providers. Vero Fiber is backed by strong capital funding and has built fiber networks in Avon, Bayfield, Cripple Creek, Copper Mountain, Divide, Evans, Eagle/Gypsum, Silverton, Leadville, Telluride, Thornton and Woodland Park.

City of Fort Morgan Welcomes Launch of 116 New Residences

by Sandy Engle, Economic Development, City of Fort Morgan

Photos by Lost Creek Guide, photographer Pat Lentell

The developers of Legacy Townhomes celebrated their first completed units in Fort Morgan’s CenterPointe neighborhood. The three-bedroom residences are priced in the mid $300,000 range and will contribute 116 residences to Fort Morgan’s housing inventory when completed. The newest housing project in the community was celebrated with a ribbon cutting and open house event.

photo by Lost Creek Guide

Fort Morgan City Councilman Jon Kaper, Fort Morgan Economic Development Specialist Sandy Engle, Fort Morgan City Councilman Loren Boyett, Fort Morgan Mayor, Dr. Kevin Lindell, Legacy Townhome developer, Jeff Stockman. Legacy Townhome Developer, Tracey Powell, Legacy Town home developer, David Stockman and Fort Morgan City Manager, Brent Nation

Legacy Townhomes Developers: Jeff Stockman , Tracey Powell, and David Stockman

Armstrong: Pride Goeth Before The State

GOP’s Destruction

by Ari Armstrong, Complete Colorado Page 2

Congratulations to the Colorado Republican Party, I guess, for routinely out-crazying the Democratic Socialist wing of the Democratic Party. I wouldn’t have thought it possible if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.

Fresh off a hysterical anti-trans campaign, the GOP suggested on Twitter that people “burn all the pride flags this June.” What great campaign video! June is Pride Month to honor LGBTQ people, in case you’ve been living in a cave.

Then the GOP sent out an email to members declaring that “God hates flags,” which apparently GOP leaders regard as a hilarious variant of the Westboro Baptist Church’s line “God hates,” well, you know.

The GOP email demonized LGBTQ people as “godless groomers [who] want to attack what is decent, holy, and righteous so they can ultimately harm our children.” Meanwhile, as GOP leaders slander all LGBTQ people as “groomers,” they remain silent about actual sexual groomers, say, among Denver Catholic clergy. The GOP proceeds, selectively, on the premise of collective guilt rather than individual accountability.

But gay and transgender people are not the only problem! The GOP email also singles out popular 9News reporter Kyle Clark, a Christian, and claims that he is “intolerant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Apparently Dave Williams, the GOP chair doubledipping as a candidate for the Fifth Congressional, is better equipped than God to judge another person’s faith.

Finally, the GOP email, quoting anti-gay pastor Mark Driscoll, claims that “Progressivism is a demonic lie.” Now, I have my own problems with progressive ideology; I advocate actual progress rather than the statist shackles on progress often favored by the “progressives.” But demonic? Give me a break. Cue the Church Lady. Incidentally, popular Republican president Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive.

The GOP’s message is not coming from a party serious about regaining political power in Colorado or helping to responsibly govern the state. Aside from being factually and morally wrong, the GOP’s message also is politically disastrous. Have Republicans so quickly forgotten that Jared Polis, a gay family man, crushed Heidi “Attack of the Furries” Ganahl in the last election? Bigotry just is not a big seller in Colorado. In the spirit of individual accountability, I want to emphasize that the message of the state party’s leadership, although coming from official spokespeople for the party, does not reflect the views of many other Republicans. Valdamar Archuleta, for example, the Republican candidate for the First Congressional and president of Log Cabin Republicans of Colorado, denounced the hateful message and rejected his party’s endorsement.

Archuleta said, “I spoke with many LGBT and non LGBT Republicans . . . who also found the message in the email disgusting and offensive. This email does NOT Represent the Republican voters of Colorado. I know the Republicans in our State and in our city. They’re kind, accepting, loving, and welcoming people. They’ve become some of my best friends. They love this country, they love this state, they love our city, and they love their neighbors.”

The meaning of pride

I’m partial to Ayn Rand’s understanding of pride as “moral ambitiousness.” In everyday language, pride often refers to justifiable respect for one’s self and for one’s accomplishments. In the context of Pride Month, the term means that LGBTQ people should be happy with who they are and not be forced to live in shame by bigots. In these senses, pride is good.

Another sense of pride is captured by Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” It is precisely in this sense that the state GOP under Dave Williams’s leadership has become prideful.

Bible Gateway describes this sort of harmful pride as bound up with “arrogance, presumption, conceit, and especially vanity and self-satisfaction.” Synonyms include swagger, boasting, and haughtiness. I can hardly think of a better string of terms to describe current Republican leadership.

Pride, Bible Gateway continues, involves “scorn of all others” and “is a perversity of nature that is profoundly indifferent to the opinions and favors as well as the virtues of others.” Again that is the current Colorado Republican Party, as represented by its leaders, in a nutshell.

Republicans who elected Williams and crew to current leadership need to do some serious soul searching. How did the Republican Party of Colorado become this corrupted, this bigoted, this ineffectual?

In all seriousness, I challenge Republicans to go back and read the old KKK newspapers and see if they can tell the difference between that hateful rhetoric of a century ago and the rhetoric of today’s state GOP, except substituting LGBTQ people for Catholics. No Republican candidate who fails to repudiate the party’s hateful message deserves anyone’s vote. That most will not repudiate it says a lot about the current state of the GOP. LGBTQ people deserve better. Republicans deserve better. Coloradans deserve better.

Ari Armstrong writes regularly for Complete Colorado and is the author of books about Ayn Rand, Harry Potter, and classical liberalism. He can be reached at ari at ariarmstrong.com.

Plains Bank Customer Appreciation Day at the Keenesburg Branch

Sharf: Sanctuary Spending Puts Denver’s Skewed Priorities On Display

by Joshua Sharf, Complete Colorado Page 2

On Monday night, the Denver City Council weakly attempted to justify Mayor Michael Johnston’s proposal to shift tens of millions of dollars away from services to help pay for the city’s influx of illegal aliens.

But perhaps the most indefensible part is what they’re not cutting.

The $8.4 million cut from the police budget has attracted national attention. While much of that comes from foregone hiring, but those positions wouldn’t be open in the first place if they weren’t needed to help restore some measure of order and safety to the public streets. In addition to that, Public Health and Environment is losing $1.5 million; the Safety Department, $2.2 million, and the Sheriff’s Department, $3.9 million. In fact, of the $34.9 million being reassigned, nearly half is coming from public safety departments of one form or another.

You know who’s not suffering cuts? Green programs and the social justice warriors.

Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency – an example of a city government trying to play outside its league if ever there was one – is being asked to surrender slightly more than $400,000 out of a general fund budget of nearly $7 million. Its $48 million Special Resource Fund is untouched, as is its $11 million in capital projects.

What’s more, the Mayor’s Office of Social Equity and Innovation and it’s budget of more than $2 million is left completely untouched.

So the home of woke social activism in the city government, which, like the old Soviet political officers, insinuates itself into every operation, boasts that it was deeply involved in setting the priorities for this round of cuts and reassignments, and somehow managed to emerge unscathed. Imagine that.

The City Council is no better. In its February feedback during this process, it placed neighborhood safety at the bottom of the column of “essential services,” below public toilets at parks, but will likely rubber-stamp these cuts that fall primarily on those departments responsible for keeping citizens safe.

It’s here that the government’s policies descend from irresponsibility into incoherence. While the city is now housing only 1,000 illegal aliens, down from a peak of 5,000, the future policy threatens them with more “suffering,” including the possibility that they will join the ranks of the city’s homeless.

At no point has the city contemplated yanking its legal support for asylum seekers, allowing city agencies, the city attorney, or law enforcement to cooperate with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or calling for the federal government to reassert control over the nation’s southern border. Any or all of those would help reduce the number of illegal border crossers coming to Denver in the first place, or seeking to stay here once in the country.

These decisions show the city government’s skewed priorities on multiple levels, the outcomes of which were entirely predictable. First, it decided to advertise for illegal aliens to come here, to prevent city agencies and the police from cooperating with ICE, and then to provide them legal services and housing at public expense.

Then, when the federal government lost control of the border, the city was surprised when tens of thousands of illegal immigrants took Texas Gov. Greg Abbott up on his offer and headed for a place that literally told them to come. This led to the current budget crunch; suddenly citizens who pay taxes expecting to get certain core services necessary for a functioning city, find themselves instead paying for people who crossed the border illegally, and paying for their own needs with what’s left over. Finally, and most tragic, is that efforts to help asylum seekers stay and find work end up financing the cartels who trafficked them in the first place. Nearly all illegal border crossing is trafficking by the cartels. They don’t do this out of generosity; they do it for a price. The immigrants here need to pay that price, with their families back home serving as hostages.

Joshua Sharf is a Denver resident and regular contributor to Complete Colorado.

There’s a saying that if you start by being kind when you should be cruel, you’ll end by being cruel when you should be kind. After forcing Denver residents to subsidize the illegal trafficking of human beings across the border, out of a desire to help its victims, the city government is now imperiling the basic safety of those same citizens.

High

Colorado Rivers Are Peaking — And So Are Drownings

At least 18 people have died in Colorado’s rivers, streams and reservoirs so far this year as river flows reach historic highs as part of a coordinated release to benefit endangered fish in the Colorado River by Jason Blevins, The Colorado Sun

Anyone who’s driven Interstate 70 west of Glenwood Canyon recently knows. The Colorado River is extraordinarily high right now as warm temperatures spike the spring runoff.

The high flows — nearly 18,000 cubic feet per second below Glenwood Canyon — are buoyed even more this month by a coordinated release from a half-dozen reservoirs across the Western Slope. The Coordinated Reservoir Operations program deploys sustained, not-quite-flood-stage flows through the second week of June to help endangered fish along the 15 Mile Reach of the Colorado River as it traverses the Grand Valley upstream of Grand Junction.

The Coordinated Reservoir Operations program dates back to 1995, with the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Denver Water, the Colorado River Water Conservation District, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and Colorado Springs Utilities — as well as water users, energy companies and irrigation groups — working together as part of the federal Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program.

The hope is that the near doubling of releases from reservoirs for two to 10 days will benefit four endangered species including the Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, razorback sucker and bonytail chub in the Colorado River below Palisade in the Grand Valley. It’s the first time since 2020 that the program has increased flows out of Green Mountain Reservoir (400 cfs to 1,500 cfs), Lake Granby (240 cfs to 400 cfs), Williams Fork Reservoir (600 cfs to 950 cfs), Ruedi Reservoir (230 cfs to 650 cfs) and Wolford Mountain Reservoir (490 cfs to 550 cfs). Other reservoirs are not filling as part of the coordinated flows.

The coordinated release has thrilled whitewater paddlers. For the first time in several years the fleeting Big Sur wave — a rare phenomenon above a long-destroyed dam on the Colorado River upstream of the Cameo Diversion Dam — has emerged from the murky flows to draw stand-up river surfers and kayakers. The glassy surf wave at Big Sur only forms when the river hits 20,000 cfs in DeBeque Canyon.And, more grimly, the warm temperatures hastening snowmelt and river flows have spiked drownings. Local officials across the state have imposed temporary closures on several rivers as peak flows create dangerous conditions for river users. A stretch of the Gunnison River is closed below Almont and access to the Arkansas River below Pueblo Dam was restricted until Thursday because of high flows and frigid temperatures. Boulder County last week closed sections of the North St. Vrain and St. Vrain creeks to tubing.

Flows on the Upper Arkansas River — including the most-paddled stretch of whitewater in the country, between Granite and Cañon City — are reaching 40year highs. The high flows have prodded Salida officials to warn surfers about the city’s heralded Scout Wave, a surf feature that ranks as one of the top river surfing waves in the country. The high flows on the Arkansas River have canceled some of the on-water events at this weekend’s FIBArk festival in Salida. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday closed Boulder Creek to tubing in the city as flows topped 700 cfs.

Since late March, there have been at least 18 water deaths in Colorado, including nine drownings in reservoirs and nine deaths in swollen rivers. (One man remains missing after his raft capsized June 2 on the Upper Colorado River below the Pumphouse Recreation Area.) At least six of the fatalities involved people recreating on the water without personal floatation devices, or PFDs. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials counted 32 water-related fatalities last year, down from a record-high of 42 in 2022.

CPW officials have been sounding the alarm about water safety and PFDs in the past couple weeks as temperatures drive more folks into the water and river flows peak.

“We have added signs at the entrances of our parks, and many state parks have loaner life jacket stations,” said Kara Van Hoose, a CPW spokesperson. “We’re trying to talk about life jackets and water safety on our social media channels and interviews as much as possible.”

Early Wednesday rescue teams in Otero County launched a search for a missing 19year man in the Arkansas River north of La Junta.

“This is also a reminder that this time of year the river is running high and

much faster than it appears and is clearly dangerous,” Otero County Sheriff Shawn Mobley wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday, “so I am putting out the message again this year that for your safety and ours, to please stay out of the damned river!”

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

Weld Central FFA at State CDE’s

Weld Central FFA took 48 members to the State FFA Career Development Events Contest at Colorado State University April 28th-April 30th. The FFA members did a great job in each contest!

The Floriculture Team (Sydnee Klausner, Citlali Calixto, Kayla Kitzman and Kali Finkenbinder) received Gold as a team. Sydnee and Citlali received Gold individually and Kayla and Kali received Silver. The Horse Judging Team (Bonnie Koehn, Kennedy Cardillo, Anastyn Perez and Courtney Bydalek) received Gold as a team. Bonnie and Kennedy received Gold individually and Anastyn received Bronze. The Vet Science Team (LJ Rome, Cassidy Herman, Megan Hopp and Brielle Bange) received Gold as a team. LJ and Cassidy received Gold individually and Megan and Brielle received Silver. The Food Science Team (Tessa Schutter, Cyler Troutner, Breanne Dowdy and Ali Weber) received Silver as a team. Tessa and Cyler received Silver individually. The Meat Judging Team (Westin Barrows, Max Riblett, Frederick Weisenborn and Marcello Rossi) received Silver as a team. Westin received Gold individually and Max, Frederick and Marcello received Silver. The Ag Mechanics Team (Cody Bydalek, Conner Nuanes, Jacob Turner and CJ Powers) received Silver as a team. Cody received Gold individually and Conner received Bronze. The Ag Sales Team (Aubree Klausner, Sophie McNitt, Camerin Langley and Alex Bolin) received Bronze as a team. Aubree received Silver individually and Sophie received Bronze. The Crops Judging Team (Vivian Rossi, Gavin Kitzman, Alexis Villela and Briley Cale) received Bronze as a team. Vivian received Silver individually. The Livestock Judging Team (Hannah Auer, Alex Culp, Cydni Dudley and Dawson Dever) received Bronze as a team. Hannah received Gold individually and Alex received Bronze. For Farm Business Management, Emily Spayd, Addie Forbes, Charlotte Goodman and Cael Schellenberg competed and Emily received Silver individually. For Dairy Judging, Kayla Branch, Riley Gibson, Audrey Koehn and Brylie Branch competed and Kayla received Bronze individually. For Milk Judging, Ally Landers, Kate Holman, Anahi Chavez and Cole Rushfeldt competed.

Weld Central FFA would like to thank the community members who helped coach and prepare our FFA members for our CDE contest season! Thank you to Jess and Brook Nighswonger, Dyllan Galligan, Rae Ellen Windsheimer, Anna Smith, Danell Kalcevic, Lyle Cooksey and everyone else who has contributed to the members and their successes for career development events!