The Lost Creek Guide Dec. 6, 2023

Volume 16 • Edition 23

December 6, 2023

Delivering to over 18,000 homes & businesses including all of Fort Lupton and Lochbuie.

“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

Wiggins Lady Tigers Win State 2A Volleyball Championship

By Bob Grand/Wiggins Sports Program

Photo by: Dan Mohrmann/ColoradoPreps.com

Led by Head Coach Michelle Baker & assistants coaches Erin Kerr, Bailey Schumacher & Brian Baker, the Lady Tigers defeated the Sedgwick County ladies for the 2A Volleyball State Championship. Coach Baker & Assistant Coach Kerr have been coaching Wiggins Volleyball for ten years. The lady Tigers have gone to state finals the last seven years. Lower Platte All conference was awarded to Tyleigh Fehseke, Kennedy Kerr, Riley Hunt & Payton Malone.

CHASA All State accolades were awarded to: Payton Malone – CHASA All State Honorable Mention Riley Hunt – CHASA All State Second Team Kennedy Kerr – CHASA All State First Team Tyleigh Fehseke – CHASA 2A Player of the Year Michelle Baker – CHASA 2A Coach of the Year Congratulations to all the players & coaches involved with the Lady Tigers Volleyball Team for an outstanding 2023 Championship season.

Governor Polis Discusses Property Tax Relief Delivered in Special Session, Urges Local Government to Act to Provide More Relief

BRECKENRIDGE - Today, at Colorado Mountain College’s Breckenridge campus, Governor Polis discussed the property tax relief provided to Coloradans during the 74th General Assembly’s special session and highlighted the importance of action from local governments to provide even further relief for hardworking Coloradans.

“We have delivered immediate statewide property tax relief and set the stage for long-term solutions through the creation of a bipartisan task force. Now our local governments and districts have the ability to provide further immediate relief. I urge local governments to take action, saving Coloradans money and helping keep our communities affordable,” said Governor Polis.

The recent successful special legislative session led to the approval of new laws delivering historic property tax relief that, combined with previously passed property tax relief, will subtract $55,000 per home from state property tax valuation and reduce the residential assessment rate to 6.7%. Coloradans living in a $500,000 home will save an average of about $505 on their 2023 property tax bill from statewide efforts.

On Wednesday, Governor Polis urged local governments to build on this work by utilizing recent legislation he signed that allows local governments to temporarily lower tax rates.

Colorado Mountain College is one of many special districts that plan to reduce their mill levy to keep revenue growth near inflation (5.7) providing relief to Coloradans in Eagle, Lake, Garfield, Pitkin, Summit, and Routt counties.

“I applaud Colorado Mountain College’s special district for providing community members with property tax relief. I encourage other local districts to follow their lead,” added Governor Polis.

Weld County Council Again Rejects Proposed Weld County Commissioner Tax Increase Request

By Bob Grand, Lost Creek Guide/ourtowncolorado.com At Monday night’s Weld County Council meeting, November 20th, 2023, the Weld County Council voted two to two on the proposed mill levy increase by the Weld County Commissioners. Council President James Welch and Councilperson Trent Leisy both voted no with Council Vice President Cindy Beemer and Councilperson Nancy Teksten voting yes. Being a tie, the motion failed.

Councilperson Elijah Hatch had an excused absence.

The meeting opened with Curtis Hall, the Weld County Director of Public Works, giving the scheduled update on the Weld County Public Works Department. Few questions asked.

This time around the County Commissioners had Ryan Rose, the Director of Administration & Chief Information Officer and Cheryl Pattelli, the Chief Financial Officer make the County presentation explaining the need to retain the excess tax revenue . At the last council meeting Weld County Commissioners, Mike Freeman, Scott James, and Kevin Ross presented. Pattelli noted that with the state legislature finalizing the revised property tax issues late today the final numbers had not been generated but she estimated that the net impact to Weld County would be a little under 2% reduction in total tax revenue to the County.

Their presentation had two components. The first identifying where the additional retained tax monies would be used for public works projects and office building maintenance. Councilperson Leisy asked what was in the county reserves. CFO Pattelli noted there was about $160 million in reserves as well as another $60 million in project committed reserves. Council person Leisy pointed out that the County Charter permitted the Council to approve a requested mill levy increase by the County Commissioners the following year if there were deemed to be dire circumstances that year. CFO Pattelli, when asked noted that as planned, the 2024 budget was not in dire circumstances. Rose noted that the retained funds would be used only for the identified projects Four citizens made public comments, all opposing the proposed mill levy rate increase. The mill levy issue is a bit confusing. The Weld County approved mill levy is 22.038. For many years the Weld County Commissioners have held at the 15.038 mill levy rate, effectively giving Weld Country taxpayers a 7.0 mill levy relief. This goes back to before oil & gas revenue were so dominant in the County tax revenue stream.

Oil & gas tax revenues have represented a little under 70% of the Weld County total tax revenue. There have been cases of wide fluctuations in oil & gas revenue, so the Weld County Commissioners have built a reserve, currently at about $160 million, to allow smoothing during difficult periods. There was some discussion by one of the public commenters about the forecasted oil & gas revenue in futures years as the Federal Energy Information Agency forecast and what the County was using were different, the County being more conservative. It will be interesting to see how those numbers actually play out over the next few years. The County Charter, however, only calls for the following year review to determine the application of the dire circumstance’s Weld County Council Again Rejects Proposed Weld County Commissioner Tax Increase Request continued on page 4...

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE

Page 2: Way of the World Page 3: Platte Valley Medical Center Celebrates Rural Healthcare Day in Keenesburg Page 4: Platteville & Lion’s Christmas Event Page 5: Weld Central RE3J Newsletter Page 6: Remember Pearl Harbor Page 8: The History of Christmas Page 9: Christmas in Keenesburg Page 11: United Methodist Thanksgiving Dinner Annual Event Page 16: Southeast Weld Chamber of Commerce Lunch & Learn with RE3J FBLA Page 18: Christmas in Wiggins 2023

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Way of the World

by Bob Grand It is the Holiday season. You can tell not only by Black Friday’s beginning holiday sales, but also because people seem to be a bit nicer and understanding. You have to ask why that cannot happen more regularly all year round. In today’s polarized world it’s either my way or we fight. What happened to the idea we could disagree but do it in an agreeable fashion. It is simple, there are extremes at either end of the political spectrum that do not benefit by being reasonable. They thrive on inciting the other side, which easily falls to the bait. Most of us are getting tired of it. A lot more than either side’s extreme groups are willing to accept, for they know if reason begins to prevail the extremes will fail and will become irrelevant.

You will note that, as always, I have a Pearl Harbor story in this issue. It is important to me. My Dad was at Pearl Harbor that fateful day on December 7th, 1941, serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Tennessee. He never really talked much about it, as many vets over the years did not either. Remember our veterans and what they sacrificed. Thank them, they deserve it.

Speaking of war, the Ukrainian – Russia special operation continues. There are several YouTube videos that regularly update what is happening. Some are proRussian, but most are pro-Ukrainian. I like Denys Davydov, he is very pro-Ukraine, but readily admits it. On YouTube there are restrictions on what they can show so many have alternative platforms such as Telegram which are far less restrictive.

You do not realize it, but the conflict is being operated on a 600-mile line. To put that in perspective the distance between Trinadad, Colorado and Rapid City, South Dakota is about 550 miles. So, add another 50 miles and you have idea of the line of engagement in Eastern & Southern Ukraine. The number of losses for the Russians in terms of manpower and equipment is staggering. You wonder how they can maintain it. Interestingly the Russian government has offered tremendous bonuses to men to join the army. It is reported that they are offering a sign-up bonus of about $7,000 and a monthly pay allowance of about $4,000. In the eastern Russian federation that amounts to almost a year’s salary. The problem or reality is that they are experiencing almost an 80% casualty rate with the military plan of using mass human wave attacks, as in the Russian World War II mentality. So, we watch to see if Putin can balance the bloodbath of the war with the economic state of the country which is beginning to become more obvious to the Russian people. Not a pretty picture for Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile this past week the Prime Minister of Alberta, a western Canadian Provence, Danielle Smith, has threatened to have the Alberta Parliament invoke the Sovereignty Act. This is in response to Alberta believing that the Ottawa Canadian central government Green Power Rules and regulations are unconstitutional. This centers around the Ottawa government stating it will develop and submit next year new regulations with strict policies on driving green energy by 2035. Smith’s target is to keep Alberta citizens with abundant and affordable energy. Sounds a bit familiar.

This past week, Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, admitted that the company’s social engineering efforts have hurt the company’s financial position. That has not stopped the existing Disney Board from continuing the policy. Unfortunately for them billionaire Nelson Peltz and his firm, Trian Fund Management, have now become one of Disney’s largest shareholders, with 30 million shares. The company stock is now at a 52-week low in price. Peltz has announced a hostile takeover with the intent of changing the direction of the company to increase shareholder equity as its main directive.

How about you? Are you satisfied with the direction of our country? Are you satisfied where we are in the direction of criminal justice, immigration control, the economy, national defense, education and on and on. What built America was the efforts of our citizens, all of which were immigrants, most legal. People want to be here because as challenging as our current situation is, it is a whole lot better than most other places. The next year or so I am concerned that we will be tested as a country as never before. We will not be able to spend with the reckless abandonment that we have been in the name of social justice and saving the environment.

Somebody has to pay the bill. What future are we leaving for our grandchildren and their grandchildren. Is there no sense of obligation to future generations.

A sign of things to come. I refer to the election up in Green Charter Township in Michigan. Where citizens were unhappy with the local town board. At last year’s election, the citizens had a whopping turnout of 68% which voted to remove the 5 remaining Town Board members, two had already resigned. They probably will not be able to stop the Chinese-owned battery company as the company has already purchased the ground for the new plant. But the message was clear, the Town Board, in the citizen’s view, did not adequately consult with the town’s citizens about what was going on. They showed their displeasure at the ballot box.

Think about what we, as citizens, could do at the national, state, county, and even local levels, if we had that kind of turnout. This past election in November 2023 the overall turnout in State of Colorado was about 45%, in Weld Count about 35%, and locally, well do not ask.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Safe & Happy New Year. As usual your thoughts and comments are always appreciated: publisher@lostcreekguide.com.

The Lost Creek Guide, Llc

Bob Grand – Publisher 303-732-4080 publisher@lostcreekguide.com lostcreekguide.com Our deadline is 7 working days before publication

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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.

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December 6, 2023

Gabe Evans Calls on Weld County Commissioners to Reject Proposed Tax Hike

(FORT LUPTON, CO) - State Representative and Republican Congressional District 8 candidate Gabe Evans called on the Weld County Commission to reject a proposed property tax hike on the commission’s November 20 agenda.

“Weld County commissioners are considering a Denver-style tax hike to grow government. If Weld County is to remain a conservative bastion in Democratdominated Colorado, this property tax hike must be defeated,” observed Evans.

“The proposed mill levy hike would ignore the county’s charter and the plight of Weld County taxpayers by increasing the mill levy in 2024 from 11.8 mills to 14.038, amounting to a 19% property tax hike.

“Just two weeks ago, 71% of Weld County voters rejected Prop HH, Colorado Democrats’ plan to raid TABOR. That was an emphatic statement by Weld County voters in favor of lower taxes. Why are three Weld County commissioners now rallying around a plan to increase taxes on Weld County citizens? *My message to the Weld County Commission? Maintain Weld County as a conservative beacon of low taxes and limited government in Colorado. This proposed property tax hike is a betrayal of the Weld County citizens. Vote No.” The Weld County Commission is scheduled to take up the property tax hike at 6:30 p.m. tonight.

Learn more about Gabe Evans at www.ElectGabeEvans.com.

Letter to the Editor

Here in Fort Lupton the 15th Great Thanksgiving Turkey Box Giveaway was November 19,2023 our big event.

The First United Methodist has been doing this for 15 years. This year we are working with the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank, the Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, the Seventh Day Advantest Church, 1st Street Church, Bank of Colorado, Petrocco Farms, United Power, Safeway, Rinehart Oil, and private donations.

The Great Thanksgiving Giveaway happened on November 19,2023 in Fort Lupton, Colorado. 250 boxes filled with 15 items and a $25.00 Safeway gift Card, for a turkey or ham were distributed. The boxes were packed by volunteers including Fort Lupton High School students at the First United Methodist Church at 306 Park on Friday morning November the 18th,2023 at 9:00 am. On Saturday morning the distribution was at 10:00 am until 12 noon. All 250 boxes went out to the food insecure families in the Fort Lupton and surrounding areas. This will ensure that each family had a good Thanksgiving. Each box contained a $25.00 Gift Card donated by United power, 1 can green beans, 1 can corn, 1 box of cake mix, 1 can of frosting, 1 box of stuffing, 2 cans of cranberries, 1 can of fruit, onions donated by Petrocco Farms, 1 box of instant potatoes, 1 pkg gravy mix,3lb bag of rice, pinto beans, and flour, and a pumpkin pie.

This is a great community event and the families receiving the boxes are so grateful.

Thank you to all the volunteers and donations that made this event happed.

Sue Hubert

Fort Lupton City Councilmember Carlos Barron Announces His Candidacy For Colorado State House District 48 Representative

FORT LUPTON, CO – Fort Lupton City Councilmember Carlos Barron announces his candidacy for State House District 48 Representative.

Barron is a husband, father of three, a Fort Lupton resident for 37 years and small business owner. When republican Representative Gabe Evans made the decision to run for higher office, Barron knew he “needed to step up and continue the fight for all families in the district.”

“My parents immigrated from Mexico with me when I was a baby. They came to live the American dream and raise their family. I don’t think Colorado now is what they envisioned.”

Barron vows to “represent the district in the most responsible and conservative way” he can.

Bringing 23 years of experience in the oil & gas industry, he understands the importance of the industry in the 48th district. Barron will focus on energy independence, small business and less government. “I want small businesses to thrive, raise our children in great communities and protect our property and water rights in Colorado.

Colorado House District 48 was recently created in 2021 and consists of parts of Adams & Weld Counties Kersey, Hudson, Keenesburg, Ft. Lupton, Brighton, Henderson, Platteville, Gilcrest, LaSalle and Lochbuie.

Update on Libraries in Lochbuie & Keenesburg No Updates Provided

December 6, 2023

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Platte Valley Medical Center (now a part of Intermountain Health) Sponsored National Rural Healthcare Day at the American Legion Post 180 in Keenesburg

Led by Jaimie Campbell, President of Platte Valley Medical Center, now part of Intermountain Health, a large contingent of Platte Valley medical staff participated in the National Rural Healthcare Day at the American Legion Post 180 in Keenesburg “Since 2011, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) has set aside the third Thursday of November to celebrate the “Power of Rural” on National Rural Health Day. National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to bring attention to and honor the incredible efforts of rural healthcare providers, communities, organizations, State Offices of Rural Health (SORH), and other stakeholders dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare needs of rural America.

Rural communities are wonderful places to live and work, which is why nearly 61 million people – call them home. These small towns, farming communities, and frontier areas are places where neighbors know each other, listen to each other, respect each other, and work together to benefit the greater good. They are also some of the best places to start a business and test your “entrepreneurial spirit.” These communities are an economic engine that provides the rest of the country with a wealth of services and commodities”. (By NOSARH) Along with representatives of the Keene Clinic the group was prepared to provided free education & health screenings on such areas as blood pressure checks, back screenings, breast exams, flu shots, ,foot screenings, mental health resources, diabetes informational sessions, mind body connections and more.

A big thank you for supporting our community’s health care needs!

Years of Gala Excellence!

SAVE THE DATE Friday, February 23, 2024 morgancc.edu/gala

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

Happy Holidays

Enjoy the holiday season with friends and family!

Tony Merritt Financial Advisor 150 Main Street Suite 1 Fort Lupton, CO 80621 303-857-3983

MKT-9811D-A AECSPAD 20674735

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Weld County Council Again Rejects Proposed Weld County Commissioner Tax Increase Request continued from page 1...

situation for increasing the mill levy. Both Council members James Welsh and Trent Leisy offered that if there was to be a tax increase that it should go to a vote of the people.

There were some questions and discussion on the Commissioner’s second proposal on retaining excess tax revenue as on the surface it proposed a 1.0 mill levy reduction from the current effective mill levy of 15.038 to 14.038 or a 6.6% reduction. This is not exactly a true picture. The County Charter calls for a capping of the allowable mill levy based on the amount of tax revenue collected. What this translates to is that with no change to the authorized mill by the County Council the 2024 mill levy would be reduced to approximately 11.8 mills or a reduction of approximately 21.5% from the current rate. By adopting the Weld County Commissioner’s second proposed mill levy rate of 14.038 would result in approximately a 19% increase in the mill levy rate on what the County Charter language would call for the 2024 tax year. In real terms that is a tax increase.

Both Councilpersons Beemer and Teksten stated that they had talked to many constituents and that they supported the Commissioner’s request.

There were about 30 people at the meeting. Unfortunately, only about six were non-County employees or elected officials. Of the six, four spoke during public comment.

Elected officials are supposed to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ monies.

Tonight, at the Weld County Council that appeared to be what was done.

Letter to the Editor

Petition Distribution To Protect Children November 27, 2023. Morgan County, Colorado. Local residents of Morgan County and Co-Proponents of a statewide Colorado initiative to protect children beginning at conception invite members of the community to a Distribution Event on December 2, 2023 @ 2 PM @ Platte Valley Baptist Church. Petitions will be distributed and information given on how to collect signatures to get this important issue on the ballot for “We The People” to vote, rather than the politicians.

Angela Eicher and Faye Barnhart, the Co-Proponents on the statewide measure will be available to answer questions and assist citizens in protecting “the least of these” in our communities from mutilation and intentional death as is currently legal in the state.

Efforts are underway to mobilize across the state in prayer and action to legally protect children beginning at conception. This initiative does not go through the legislature or need the governor’s signature. The measure needs more than 125,000 signatures of registered voters to go directly onto the ballot in 2024 and then fifty percent plus one vote to become law.

The Colorado Life Initiative Task Force has been meeting for more than a year and is inviting churches to engage churchgoers and citizens to build a wall of protection for women and children and engage men to protect them. The group is asking for all citizens to pray repentance over the state of Colorado for allowing the innocent bloodshed of child sacrifice to the idolatry of abortion, health, and wealth.

“This is a holocaust,” states Co-Proponent of the measure, Faye Barnhart, “that targets women, silences men, kills children, and tells the church we are irrelevant to speak into our own culture. While churches and pregnancy centers help individuals pick up the pieces at the bottom of the cliff after poor decisions have already been made, we can be proactive at the top of the cliff to prevent pain and suffering before it happens. This is an opportunity for the church to show that we are relevant to lead our culture with truth and grace, that men do have a voice to protect those they love, that women do have better choices than taking the lives of our children, and that children do not have to painfully suffer and die, losing the only life they have been given. We can stand together to say that Colorado does not want abortion through birth in our state. Even as we help women and men heal from the trauma of electively losing a child, we can warn against the temptation of going down that painful path. Mothers need the blessings of their children and every child deserves a birthday.”

To read the proposed initiative, the full text may be found on the website: gotaheart.org

December 6, 2023

Weld and Morgan County Schools Gearing up for Third Annual Entrepreneurship Fair

Generation Schools Network in partnership with Ogallala Commons and Otter Cares Foundation announces the third annual E-Fair for early May 2024.

Students from across Northeast Colorado create business plans for viable business ideas, and present them to a panel of judges with poster boards, samples and visual displays. Students with top scores go forward to compete in a shark tank round in hopes of winning an investment in their business ($3000 total for Middle School and $3000 total for High School).

More than 100 students are expected for the upcoming event in May 2024.

Excitement and pride are palpable as judges, educators, parents and supporters walk the booths to explore student entrepreneurship. Judges score each business based on business plan, interview with the judges, booth presentation, appropriate attire, strategy to finance the business or concept idea, and the network of resources to support the business or concept. Students can submit new business plans or an active business they are currently working on.

In support of growth of the entrepreneurial mindset, several speakers deliver motivational and skilled advice for these young entrepreneurs.

Generation Schools Network is a non-profit organization that co-creates healthy school ecosystems by partnering with educators, students, families and communities to elevate the education experience. Partnering with schools and districts throughout Colorado, GSN builds college/career readiness pathways to include E-Fair and other career exploration opportunities.

December 6, 2023

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Dia de los Muertos at the Fort Lupton Library

By Jackie Smith The day of the dead or Dia de los Muertos is a beautiful m e a n i n g f u l Hispanic tradition that gives families a sense of history and love. It honors and keeps the spirit of passed loved ones alive by celebrating their life through photos, offerings of their favorite food, beverages, and items, along with calaveras (skulls) and marigold flowers that are placed on the ofrendas (altars). It is usually celebrated on November 1st to the 2nd. Imagine it as being a kind of family reunion except the deceased family members are the guest of honor and those spirits finding their way back to visit their relatives.

Started in 2021, this is the third year for the Fort Lupton Library to host the altars of Fort Lupton families and businesses paying homage to their founders and loved ones. Maria Muñoz and other Library Associates coordinated the effort for the event. Volunteers made hundreds and hundreds of paper flowers for the event and altars. On November 3rd, the library held an open house to allow the community to take part in this delightful celebration.

The faux candles flickered on the stunningly decorated altars. Each were aglow with a sense of pride and love.

Maria was there dressed as an elegantly, iconic Catrina greeting the guests as they viewed the altars.

There were refreshments; children could decorate a sugar skull or apply a Caterina or Catrin face tattoo. It was an absolutely charming evening full of magic and devotion. Be sure and catch this event next year. It will not disappoint.

Maria Muñoz pictured with Lancaster Lupton’s altar erected by South Platte Valley Historical Society.

Offerings included furs and beads, pictures of the buffalo and his beloved Fort.

Remember Pearl Harbor!

In remembering Pearl Harbor, we remember who we are.

by Robert Citino, PhD

Top Image: USS West Virginia Pearl Harbor Attack. Image courtesy of the Naval History and Heritage Command, 97398.

No moment in the history of the United States casts a longer shadow than Pearl Harbor. “Remembering” it has become a national imperative, a patriotic duty for the American people, and reminding us of that duty has become a ritual of media and political discourse—repeated so often and in so many ways that it’s become part of the routine of our communal life. You might say, even 80 years after the fact, Pearl Harbor is still a national obsession.

And no wonder! The drama of the event justifies every bit of the attention it has received. Those Japanese Zeros and Kates and Vals swooping out of the sky were carrying out the first armed attack on US territory since the British burned Washington in August 1814—a long time ago, even in 1941. A sudden and surprise attack (we used to call it a “sneak attack” when I was a boy, though that phrase seems to have dropped out of our vocabulary); a US fleet utterly unprepared for what was transpiring and barely able to defend itself; battleships sunk; mass casualties?: Pearl Harbor was a national trauma, the kind of grisly event that would be hard to forget even if we tried.

In 1941, the United States went to war, quite literally, with “Remember Pearl Harbor!” as its battle cry, and even today, it seems entirely fitting that our war with Japan began at one anchorage and ended at another. Stretching from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay, the Pacific War was an almost perfect example of historical symmetry.

Will Americans ever forget? Today, certainly, there seems little chance of that happening. Indeed, we hear the words “Pearl Harbor” all the time. Whenever something surprising, shocking, or disastrous happens, someone, somewhere calls it “a new Pearl Harbor.”

December 6, 2023

Here’s a partial list: From the 1990s to the present time, digital analysts in and out of government have been warning the country of the dangers of a terrorist attack on our essential computer systems. They paint a dire picture: critical infrastructure wrecked, the electrical grid taken down, hospitals and other essential services shuttered for months. And when they describe these catastrophic scenarios of doom, they invariably accompany them with a key descriptive phrase, warning us of “a cyber Pearl Harbor.”

Likewise, no one alive in 2001 can possibly forget the number of times that opinion leaders and politicians likened the horrible events of 9/11 to Pearl Harbor, often describing the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center as “this generation’s Pearl Harbor.” Once again, the country went to war—a pair of wars, in fact—with Pearl Harbor on our lips, or at least a metaphorical version of it. Indeed, a backlash soon arose, with just as many pundits arguing that 9/11 was not particularly similar to Pearl Harbor, and that the continued use of the comparison could be harmful, since we weren’t fighting a war against an identifiable country as we were in 1941. One way or the other, however, Pearl Harbor was much in the news that year.

In 2008, with global markets tanking, banks closing, and real estate values plummeting—all early warning signs of what was about to become the Great Recession—industrialist and financial guru Warren Buffett argued that it was time for a government bailout. Why? Because according to the “sage of Omaha,” the country was facing an “economic Pearl Harbor.”

In April 2020, with COVID-19 just then getting untracked in the United States and the infection and death toll beginning to rise, Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned Americans that the country was in trouble and that they had better get ready to hear more bad news. Why? Because “this is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment…,” he said, “and I want America to understand that.”

Unlike much of US political life today, the obsession with Pearl Harbor is widely shared and bipartisan. Republicans used it to discuss President Donald Trump’s impeachment (described by one Republican congressman as a moment of “infamy”); the other side of the aisle has used it to characterize the Capitol Riot of January 2021 (with a Democratic congressman arguing that, as in 1941, “our democracy was at stake.”)

And sometimes it’s just absurd. Consider that unforgettable moment in December 2020 when Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn invoked Pearl Harbor to describe his team’s mood after getting hammered by the New England Patriots 450. How did he feel? It was “a Pearl Harbor day,” he said, “one of the biggest defeats this country’s had.” The game was actually played on December 6, but the coach’s meaning was clear enough.

The point is not to make fun of anyone or to be overly critical of the metaphors people use. We invoke Pearl Harbor whenever things are bad, really bad, when it’s time to respond to a threat, or when we need an exhortation to get up, dust ourselves off, and do something.

While we should never reduce Pearl Harbor to a cliché, our continued use of the metaphor is proof positive that our history matters, that shared memories are essential to tying Americans together as a people. Every time we remember Pearl Harbor, we recall the events of that day, and the brave men who died there. But perhaps we remember something about who we are, too.

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Town of Hudson Celebrates Veteran’s Day

By Stephen Snow Veteran’s Day marked another year of our women and men serving in the Armed Services, and on November 4th Hudson, Colorado held its Veteran’s Commemoration and Picnic to honor our Vets.

The event began with a few words from Town Manager, Bryce Lange, followed by the Pledge of allegiance, and the Nation Anthem sung wonderfully by Cecelia “CJ” Jennings.

Pastor Grady Weichel from the First Baptist Church of Hudson gave the Invocation, followed by a moving tribute to former Hudson Mayor, Raymond Patch given by Mayor Patch’s son, Wesley Patch.

The featured speaker, Robert (Bob) Warner, spoke about some of his world travels and experiences in the United States Air Force over six years, and the more than 35 years of Reserve service. It was a moving reminder of the pride with which our men and women serve this nation, and of the sacrifices they make in so doing.

CJ Jennings appropriately followed Mr. Warner with Irving Berlin’s God Bless America as the crowd joined in song. Meanwhile, the Keenesburg American Legion Post #180 stood at attention until came the time for a 21-gun salute, followed by the heart-wrenching song, Taps.

Just as Taps finished floating in the air, three planes from The Rocky Mountain Renegades flew low over Hudson Memorial Park in salute to the Veterans, white smoke jetting from behind their speeding aircraft. The Renegades were greeted with a cheer and much clapping and appreciation from the crowd, and yet another cheer as they came around for a second pass. It was a moment of real civic and community pride, and it filled one’s chest with respect for our Veterans.

The short commemoration ceremony was followed by a free picnic in Memorial Park with hot dogs, chips, and soda pop. It was a wonderful event, and we hope next year even more people will come to share in Community, and to show their appreciation for our Veteran soldiers.

Top 10 Benefits to veterans Service move The changes coming to our Weld County Veterans Service Office represent far more than a location change. They reaffirm our commitment to serving veterans and their families in the best and most efficient manner possible. There are many things to be excited about when we open Nov. 27!

• Reduced wait times - We’re committed to helping veterans quickly and efficiently.

• A continued focus on veterans - The Veterans Service Office serves as a crucial link between a veteran and the Department of Veterans Affairs in the benefit-application process.

Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) and Navigators have routinely helped veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned. That commitment will continue.

• Experienced staff - Our VSOs and Navigators have deep ties to military service. They know what it’s like to serve, have expertise in the benefit-application process and are eager to help veterans obtain the benefits they earned as a result of their service.

• Closer access to services - Our office is close to Employment Services of Weld County and the state’s Disabled Veterans Outreach Program, which both connect veterans to career opportunities. Now, veterans have access to all these services in one convenient location.

• Convenient parking - Planned parking spaces for veterans.

• More than just benefits - Our staff can also assist with obtaining DD-214 records and burial items, like headstones or markers.

• A great resource - Our office can provide information on many different veterans resources and organizations throughout northern Colorado.

• Increased community outreach - With this move, our goal is to increase our awareness of our services to the veteran, active duty and reservist community throughout Weld County and the region.

•

An ally in the benefits process - Once we help veterans apply for benefits, we follow the benefit status, keeping them informed of progress.

• An open-house event - We’re eager to invite the public to tour our new location. An open house is being planned. More details to come!

The Weld County Veterans Service Office 315 N. 11th Ave. Building B Greeley, CO, 80631 (970) 400-3444 www.weld.gov/Go/VeteransService

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Lost Creek Guide

The History of Christmas

by History.com Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25—Christmas Day—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

How Did Christmas Start?

The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.

The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking.

In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday.

Germans were terrified of Oden, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.

Saturnalia and Christmas In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, enslaved people were given temporary freedom and treated as equals. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could participate in the holiday’s festivities.

Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra’s birthday was the most sacred day of the year.

Is Christmas Really the Day Jesus Was Born?

In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration).

Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century.

By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today’s Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the “lord of misrule” and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined “debt” to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens.

When Christmas Was Cancelled In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and,

December 6, 2023

with him, came the return of the popular holiday.

The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.

After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

Washington Irving Reinvents Christmas in America It wasn’t until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas.

Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s piqued American interest in the holiday?

The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time, unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city’s first police force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.

In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Irving’s fictitious celebrants enjoyed “ancient customs,” including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving’s book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he had attended—in fact, many historians say that Irving’s account actually “invented” tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the season.

Ries Electric

December 6, 2023

Lost Creek Guide

Christmas in Keenesburg 2023

To view 113 More Pictures online (desktop or mobile): Visit ourtowncolorado.com Go to I-76: Keenesburg News/Events Christmas in Keenesburg 2023 Christmas in Keenesburg 2023 Parade Annual Christmas Chili Supper 2023

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10

Lost Creek Guide

Colorado State Budget Concerns Cast Shadow Over Special Session on Property Taxes

Under one economic forecast, the state may have to cut spending or dip into the reserves to balance this year’s budget

by Brian Eason, The Colorado Sun Gov. Jared Polis calls his proposed spending plan for next year a return to a “normal Colorado budget.”

On Thursday, lawmakers on the state’s powerful Joint Budget Committee got a taste of what that actually means.

Creative solutions to balance the state’s $16 billion general fund. Little margin for error. And rising concern about what programs the state can afford in the future, as federal pandemic relief dollars dry up and lawmakers try to keep their promise to fully fund Colorado’s school finance obligations.

Legislative budget staff on Thursday presented the budget-writing committee with their independent assessment of Polis’ proposal, which he released earlier this month.

One troubling takeaway: If Legislative Council Staff forecasts are correct, the state would face a $44 million budget shortfall this year, and fall an additional $330 million short next year.

“The take-home message here is that under LCS forecasts, the budget does not appear to be balanced as submitted,” said Craig Harper, the new JBC staff director.

Notably, Harper added, this year’s budget was based on separate economic forecasts from the governor’s budget office, which do show a balanced spending plan in both years. And, he cautioned lawmakers not to put “too much stock” in today’s estimates, anyway. There are months to go before lawmakers have to adopt the 2024-25 fiscal year budget in the spring.

“We will have a lot better information in hand before you’re making any of these decisions,” Harper said.

In the meantime, however, lawmakers face immediate decisions that could have an outsize effect on state spending, and limit their ability to adjust down the road.

At Polis’ request, the General Assembly convenes Friday for a special session in which lawmakers will consider cutting property taxes and increasing state spending on schools, fire districts and other local governments. $200 million unaccounted for During the special session, lawmakers plan to take as much as $200 million from the state’s general fund to offset the impact of property tax cuts on schools, fire districts and some local governments.

If that number sounds familiar, there’s a reason: if Proposition HH had passed, it would have set aside $200 million this year for the same purpose.

Voters, of course, rejected the ballot measure. And as a result, that $200 million isn’t reflected in this year’s budget, JBC documents show. Instead, Polis put a placeholder to spend that money next year.

Move that money up to this year, as lawmakers intend, and the current 2023-24 budget could face a shortfall even under the governor’s more optimistic forecast.

Democrats have also proposed spending $30 million from the general fund on rental assistance before July 1. That would add even more spending to the current budget year that would have to be accounted for through mid-year adjustments.

Conor Cahill, the governor’s spokesperson, said in a statement the administration would work with lawmakers to “accomplish the goal of relief in fiscal year 2023-24 and ensure we have a balanced budget.”

Democratic lawmakers: state reserves off limits The simplest way to balance the budget is to tap the state’s reserve fund, which today is set at 15% of general fund spending, or $2.2 billion.

Polis has said he’s open to doing so to cover the cost of property tax cuts. Republicans support dipping into the reserves, too.

But Democratic budget writers Thursday reiterated their opposition.

“Not only is the reserve something we should not be cutting, it’s something we maybe should look into increasing,” said Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village.

A study from Moody’s Analytics found that Colorado would need a 19% reserve to weather a recession.

Even maintaining a 15% reserve next year could cost more than Polis’ budget suggests.

One way the governor balances his budget next year is by exempting some general fund spending from the reserve requirement, Harper said, including $42 million to address a funding disparity that gives state-authorized charter schools less money than other K-12 public schools.

“If the goal is to fully fund (charter school tax) equalization, not having a reserve against it seems risky,” Harper said.

December 6, 2023

This means ballot harvesting/stealing operations could have been in high mode. Yet no great conspiracies that the election was stolen.

Prop HH failed by 19 points. Donald Trump failed in Colorado in 2020 by just five points fewer and many, many people are convinced to this day that election was stolen, even here in this state.

The apparently clean 2023 election happened in the shadow of a national news story playing out in a Denver courtroom as a group of Trump haters try to deny him ballot access to the 2024 Republican Colorado presidential primary.

If successful here other states will certainly follow.

Their argument is a clever one. Trump participated in insurrection and therefore, via the 14th Amendment, is ineligible to run for president. Of course, he has never been convicted, no less charged with insurrection, so I have a hard time seeing this ploy being ultimately successful.

Furthermore, being on the ballot is very different than serving as president.

For example, the Constitution requires candidates for president be at least 35 years old. But if my research is right, twice before Colorado has had candidates on the ballot too young to serve — Linda Jenness of the Socialist Workers Party in 1972, when she was only 33, and vice-presidential nominee of the Prohibition Party, James Crandall, in 1892. He was only 34.

I’m just guessing here, but given the penchant of many Trump enthusiasts, should Trump be on the 2024 presidential ballot, and should he again lose, the cries of a stolen election will come back in a full force, including here in Colorado.

I understand those are two ifs: if he is on the ballot and if he loses. He could win.

Let me say it — if current President Joe Biden is on the ballot facing the former President Trump, Trump will certainly lose Colorado but likely win the national contest.

However, I don’t believe Joe Biden will be on the ballot next year. Either by pressure from inside his poll-reading party elite (maybe by using the pressure of his brother and son facing prosecutions if he doesn’t step down) or because of health issues that can no longer be covered up by his staff.

It’s harder to say the same about Trump. Unless the Republican candidates quickly narrow down to one winnable challenger, likely Nikki Haley, and caucus voters understand he will lose to anyone but Biden, Trump will be the nominee. And even then, he’s still likely to be nominated.

But back to no one screaming that the 2023 election was stolen. Obviously, no one’s screaming it was stolen because Trump wasn’t on the ballot. If he was, well, they’d be screaming. Because, somehow, someway the election was stolen. Duh, Trump can’t lose, never ever.

So, let’s play this one out. Imagine the Trump haters can convince the courts to keep him off the 2024 primary ballot in Colorado. Well then, there won’t be claims of a stolen election in Colorado in 2024, just like there weren’t claims of it being stolen this year.

And as proven by the 2020 and 2022 elections, nothing brings out Colorado voters to vote against Republicans like the boogie monsters of Donald Trump and the nonsensical fear of restrictions on abortion, even when neither are on the ballot.

So, if Trump is off the ballot in Colorado, Republicans might actually pick up a few seats and, like Prop HH, ballot questions will break toward taxpayers. Therefore, Colorado Dems crave Trump on the ballot.

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

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

Caldara: Why No One’s Crying Fraud in the 2023 Election

by Jon Caldara, President of the Independence Institute, Complete Colorado Page 2 There is one final observation from the Nov. 7 election no one seems to be talking about.

Proposition HH failed by more than 19 points and there doesn’t seem to be any real denial of the legitimacy of the results.

I mean no one is screaming about a stolen election. Most everyone seems to accept HH went down in flames, a bunch of city council seats changed hands, as did school board seats, and a bunch of local tax issues passed while many failed.

Nearly 43% of Colorado’s near 4 million registered voters cast a ballot and overwhelmingly by mail.

Again, ballots were mailed out like grocery store coupons. And now that more voters than ever are registered without their own knowledge, simply by getting a driver’s license, there are even more ballots flying around in mailboxes and apartment building mailrooms, ripe for the plucking.

We want to Wish a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to all our customers!

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Keene Market

80 S. Main St. Keenesburg 303-732-4405

December 6, 2023

Lost Creek Guide

It’s a 73 Year United Methodists Women’s Group Thanksgiving Tradition

by Jackie Smith

Once the “ber” months are upon us, we know that it’s the holiday season and time to commune with family and friends. To be grateful for the gifts of God: health, family, and friends and all that has been given to us.

A few years ago, Sharon Ceretto asked if I would like to buy tickets to the UMW Thanksgiving dinner. I had never been to the dinner before, but I bought two tickets because it was for a good cause. This was during Covid, and they were doing takeout. As my husband and I stood in line, we seen and chatted with friends and acquaintances we had not seen in a long time. We had so much fun just standing in line and we hadn’t even got our meal yet. It is now a tradition for both my husband and me. This year, we had my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren join us. Again, we delighted in seeing all our friends and their families enjoying their meals. They too have been coming for years.

At this church community spirit emulates. With a big job to do, volunteers’ slave over hot stoves, giving countless hours preparing the thanksgiving meal fit for a king. There are all the delicious fixings, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, homemade sauerkraut, and a pumpkin dessert. As I am thinking of it, my mouth waters. I am really picky when it comes to the stuffing. No one, but no one makes it like my grandma. I can truly say this is really as close as it could get, and oh so yummy.

Sue Hubert is kind of the resident historian, and she told me the United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton was established in 1863. They began by meeting in homes.

The first church was built in 1876. The land for the current church on Park and Third was purchased from the Trombly family for sixteen thousand dollars and built in 1916. In 1950 the first community Thanksgiving dinner was served, and it has been going on for 73 years!

That is no small feat.

The meal serves over 400 people in just a few hours and the cash collected goes for church needs and other community charitable organizations such as Blessings in a Backpack, the Fort Lupton Food Bank, and many others.

Too keep up with what the church is doing check out their website fumc-fortlutpon.

Call 720-991-0064 to schedule your free quote!

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Lost Creek Guide

December 6, 2023

United Power and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Execute Settlement Term Sheet • Terms outline Settlement Agreement for power purchases and sale of utility assets.

• Following execution of a Settlement Agreement, United Power and Tri-State will file to dismiss litigation in the Adams County District Court.

• Settlement Agreement does not address contract termination payment proceeding before federal regulators.

Brighton/Westminster, Colorado – On Nov. 1, 2023, United Power, Inc. (United Power) and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State) executed a Term Sheet that sets forth terms for the two utilities to make good faith efforts to execute a formal Settlement Agreement involving power purchases and the sale of utility assets from Tri-State to United Power.

The Term Sheet provides for a mutual release of claims and that the parties will cooperate to complete a Settlement Agreement and related agreements by Dec. 8, 2023, at which time United Power and Tri- State will jointly file for dismissal of the lawsuit, with prejudice, pending in the Adams County District Court.

On Nov. 1, 2023, Tri-State’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the Term Sheet. On Nov. 6, 2023, United Power’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the Term Sheet.

Tri-State and United Power will continue to take actions to ensure United Power’s timely exit by May 1, 2024, upon payment of a contract termination payment, with the amount to be set by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission).”

The Settlement Agreement will not address the Commission proceeding related to the contract termination payment that members will pay to Tri-State to terminate their contracts early and withdraw from membership. The parties expect the Commission to issue a decision in that proceeding shortly.

No further public comments will be made about the Settlement Agreement.

United Power Signs Power Purchase Agreement with Whetstone Power

Storage agreement will help create flexibility for the cooperative.

Brighton, CO—United Power, Inc. (United Power), an electric cooperative serving Colorado’s northern Front Range, and Whetstone Power, a developer of sustainable energy infrastructure, announce a new partnership for the construction of a battery energy storage system.

The battery energy storage system will be located in United Power’s service territory, giving the cooperative the ability to balance load and further integrate renewable resources into its operations. This 20-year agreement provides for 34 megawatts (MW) of power to be stored and discharged up to six hours for a total discharge capability of approximately 74 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in year one of operation.

“The use of batteries on our distribution network is essential to a resilient and responsive power system and we are excited to be moving ahead aggressively with Whetstone to get this system online,” stated Mark A. Gabriel, President and CEO 1 of United Power. “These battery arrays w ill give us the ability to balance ourHoliday2020_LostCreek_4.625x6.875.indd power needs throughout the day and incorporate local renewables more efficiently. This furthers our efforts in hyper-localizing our power supply.”

Whetstone’s battery system will be located at a United Power substation and gridcharged, enabling the system to store energy during off-peak periods and discharge during periods of higher consumption.

Further, the system will be operated as a six-hour solution, allowing it to discharge over a fairly long duration and thereby providing additional grid stability.

This should allow United Power to use more renewable energy, further reducing its carbon footprint while ensuring reliable service to its membership. “We are proud to be a partner with United Power on this unique battery storage project,” said Collin Franceschi, Whetstone Power’s founding partner. “It was a real pleasure to work with the experienced team at United Power and find the ideal solution to meet their needs for helping to ensure clean, sustainable, and resilient energy for years to come.”

Whetstone anticipates that the asset will be placed into service in 2024.

United Power serves nearly 110,000 meters and maintains and operates more than 6,500 miles of distribution line. The 900-square mile service territory wraps around the north and west borders of the Denver International Airport. It includes the north and northeast metropolitan development corridors along Interstate 25, Interstate 76, State Highway 85, and E-470 and the Golden Gate and Coal Creek canyons, two of Colorado’s most iconic and historic mountain canyons. As a result of its geographic location, United Power’s system is experiencing significant demand and energy growth, averaging approximately 6% annually.

United Power is building a power portfolio ahead of leaving its current power supplier on May 1, 2024. The cooperative recently announced a prior agreement with Whetstone, in addition to agreements with Guzman Energy, OneEnergy, and Ameresco for portfolio assets related to this exit. To learn more about United Power’s power supply transition, visit www.unitedpower.com/powersupply.

11/12/2020 12:41

December 6, 2023

13

Lost Creek Guide

Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee

Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee

By Intermountain Health Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee Are you a coffee lover? Do you need that caffeine fix to start your day? If you’re one of the 75 percent of American adults that drink coffee, you may be surprised it’s more than a delicious beverage. It has a range of health benefits too!

From energy boosts, reduced risk of disease, and improved cognitive function, coffee can be a powerhouse of perks. So grab a cup of joe, and let’s explore these health benefits!

Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Studies have shown that drinking coffee may reduce type 2 diabetes risk. This may be due to coffee’s ability to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. In fact, drinking one cup of coffee per day may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 7 percent.

Lower Risk of Liver Disease Coffee also has protective effects on the liver. Studies have found that drinking coffee may lower risk of liver cancer, cirrhosis, and fatty liver disease. This protective effect is related to coffee’s ability to reduce inflammation and improve liver function.

In fact, a recent study shows that drinking three or four cups of daily java has the most benefit!

Improved Cognitive Function Coffee may have beneficial effects on cognitive function, including memory, attention, and alertness. The caffeine in coffee is known to stimulate the central nervous system, which can improve mental performance. Additionally, coffee contains antioxidants and other bioactive compounds that may help protect the brain from damage and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

More Hydration Did you know it’s mostly a myth that coffee causes dehydration? Research suggests that drinking moderate amounts of coffee can be as hydrating as drinking water. There’s a caveat to this one, and it comes down to caffeine. If you drink more than five caffeinated cups a day, coffee has a diuretic effect. So watch the intake, and stay hydrated!

Boosts of Energy If you’re a coffee drinker, you know its energy-boosting properties. The caffeine in coffee is a natural stimulant that can improve mental alertness and reduce fatigue. Studies show it blocks neurotransmitters that promote sleep, and increases neurotransmitters that improve mood, reaction time, and cognitive performance.

Lower Risk of Heart Disease Coffee consumption has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. This may be due to coffee’s ability to improve blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and improve cholesterol levels. In fact, one study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee per day was associated with a 10 percent lower risk of developing heart disease.

It’s important to note while coffee drinking has health benefits, excessive intake can have negative effects. If you’re drinking five or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day, you’re more likely to develop anxiety and sleep issues. Like everything, it’s better in moderation.

So, enjoy your daily cup of coffee, but don’t overdo it. With the right balance, you can reap the benefits of this amazing beverage while still maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. And the next time you enjoy a cup of coffee, you may be doing your body a favor as well!

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14

Lost Creek Guide

Cardinal Community Academy’s Tribute to Our Veterans

by Elizabeth Christen Veteran’s Day is described by the Federal government as “A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.”

The chronicle began after the fighting of the First World War ceased on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. The end of the war was then officially recognized through a Congressional Resolution on June 4, 1926. On May 13, 1938, “Armistice Day” was designated a federal holiday each year on November 11, to celebrate and honor Veterans of WWI. Then in 1954, Congress amended the Act by replacing “Armistice” with “Veterans,” therefore honoring veterans of all US wars.

Cardinal Community Academy does just that. With Senior Master Sergeant Jerry Archuleta, retired Air Force, now at the command as principal of CCA, Veteran’s Day assemblies are annual, and venerating.

Students are taught our nation’s history in the classroom, and CCA has incredible teachers who make the pages of the history books come to life. But the school really captivated the students’ attention with an impactful program in honor of Veteran’s Day. Kindergarteners through eighth graders streamed into the stars and stripes filled gymnasium. Their attention was captured by the SE Weld County Fire District’s posting of the colors, followed by a sweet rendition of our National Anthem, by CCA’s own fourth grade class.

Eighth grader and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) President, Marin Cantrell, emceed the event like a veteran herself, beginning with a brief history of Veteran’s Day. She went on to introduce guest speaker, Lt. Colonel William H. Arrington III, retired active-duty Air Force veteran of 21 years. The students, parents and guests alike, were engrossed by the passionate speech and quaint stories told by a military officer in dress blues.

His speech was followed by CCA’s adorable first grade class singing “Thank a Vet,” as photos of members of the Armed Forces, past and present, from CCA families, displayed on a jumbo screen. Seeing photos of classmates’ military family members, as well as a standing recognition of veterans in the audience, brought a sense of authenticity to the students, beyond the reaches of the classroom.

As SE Weld County firefighters precisely folded our beautiful stars and stripes, Andrew Dinges, seventh grader and member of the NJHS, recited each fold and explained its representation and significance. Then our dedicated firefighters retired the colors, to close the poignant ceremony.

As Americans, we recognize the men and women who have fought, and the many who have died, to protect the freedoms of this great nation. We honor them every day, but there is a special commemoration each November 11. This is a day to genuinely reflect on those who have sacrificed so much for all of us, the citizens of this remarkable nation. The students of CCA were truly connected to our troops during this special tribute, making those history books from which they are reading, that much more meaningful.

A special heartfelt thank you to all the members of our Armed Forces, past and present. Thank you for your service, a debt that can never be repaid.

December 6, 2023

Enhanced Service Is The Goal Of Veterans Service Office Move

WELD COUNTY, CO — Convenience, reduced wait times and added resources are among the top things Weld County veterans and their families can expect with the Weld County Veterans Service Office move to 315 N. 11th Ave. in Greeley on Nov. 27, 2023. “This move is really about streamlining our services to continue serving veterans in the best manner possible,” said Mike Freeman, Weld County Commissioner Chair. “We’re

excited, and we hope veterans are too!”

The move, which was approved Aug. 29, was made to provide the office with more resources in one location.

Closer access to career planning services offered by Employment Services of Weld County and the state’s Disabled Veterans Outreach Program, a special meeting space to better accommodate veterans with disabilities as well as the planned installation of a special parking area for veterans are all added benefits the county hopes veterans will appreciate.

“This move is far more than just a change of scenery, and we’re looking forward to the office becoming a central point for veterans and their families to access many different services,” said Jeff Smith, Employment and Training Operator for the Weld County Department of Human Services. “We want to continue high-quality service and ease the burden on veterans by putting the services we offer in one easy-to-access location.”

As has been its mission, the Veterans Service Office will continue to assist veterans and their families with determining benefit eligibility and submitting applications for those benefits to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which serves as the benefit provider.

In fact, the Weld County Board of Commissioners appointed two new Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) to join the team this month: Tim Marquart and Tom Gonzales.

Gwen Jenkins was appointed to serve as a Veterans Service Navigator.

The new location and new team members will help the Weld County Veterans Service Office continue a tradition of providing a valuable service to veterans. Latest numbers from the National Center of Veterans Analysis and Statistics show that in Fiscal Year 2022, Weld County veterans received more than $202 million in benefits from the VA — up from $171 million in Fiscal Year 2021. In 2022, Weld County Veterans Service staff managed 6,200 case files.

An open house/kick-off celebration of the new Veterans Service Office is being planned and more details will be announced soon. In the meantime, those needing to speak with the Veterans Service Office can do so in person until Nov. 21 by visiting the office at 1250 H St. in Greeley, calling (970) 400-3434 or emailing VeteransServiceOffice@weld.gov. More information about Veterans Service can be found on its webpage.

Teddy Kuntz Receives Sons of the American Legion Most Outstanding Member of the Year For The Detachment of Colorado

November 28, 2023, Windsor Colorado. At their annual awards banquet, held at Windsor American Legion Post 109, the Sons of the American Legion (SAL), Detachment (State) of Colorado, awarded Teddy Kuntz with the Most Outstanding Member of the Year award for his work towards fulfilling the mission of the SAL. Following the Marshall Fires, he told his mother that he needed to do something for the kids. This sparked his project “Heal the Children” where his efforts raised more than $12,000 in items, gift cards, and monetary donations. Donations of all kinds were collected from American Legion Family throughout the state as well as local friends and family and distributed to the displaced children in the Lafayette and Boulder area.

Teddy also raised more than $1,250 to purchase A.L.F. (American Legion Family) stuffed puppies. Operation A.L.F. is a comfort pup created by the SAL in Wisconsin as a pup for kids to cuddle when they are needing a little love. Teddy raised enough donations to cover 125 of the pups. Some of the pups were donated to the Brown Bag Ministries, a non-profit organization that serves homeless families currently living in motels, through their sponsor the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 22 in Northglenn. Currently in the program are 41 kids ranging from infants to young teens. The rest of the stuffed pups were provided to Jr, enlisted soldiers, and spouses in the Colorado Springs area at a baby shower sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary Unit 209 in Colorado Springs, CO. Teddy has been a member of the SAL Detachment of Colorado since birth. He is current a member of Squadron 68 in Brush CO, lives in Hudson, and attends middle school at Cardinal Community Academy in Keenesburg, CO. Teddy can be seen volunteering at events all over the state to help wherever he can. At only 12, he has served as the Detachment Sgt-at-Arms since 2018. Each of the projects he chooses to work on supports children.

About the SAL, members are male descendants of war time veterans of all branches of service who served during all wars involving the United States of America. The mission of the SAL is to support the four pillars of The American Legion; service to veterans, support strong national defense, promote Americanism and to mentor and assist in the care for the youth of America particularly the orphans of veterans.

For more information or joining the Sons of the American, please visit https:// salcolorado.org/. You may contact the Detachment Adjutant Mark Kilstrom at SALadj@coloradolegion.org 719.640.6692.

December 6, 2023

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Lost Creek Guide

Drama, Tempers and Parliamentary Maneuvering at the Colorado Capitol as Lawmakers Race to Offer Property Tax Relief

Republicans were willing to waive the three-day notice requirement if Democrats would agree to repeal a provision unanimously passed by the legislature in 2022 offsetting property tax cuts by using $240 million in Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights surplus to reimburse schools and local districts for their lost revenue.

The 2022 legislation, Senate Bill 238, passed 62-0 in the House (with three representatives — including Republican Marc Catlin — excused) and 33-0 in the Senate (with two senators — Republicans Don Coram and Kevin Priola — excused).

The property tax relief in the measure was later determined not to be sufficient to counteract the effect of rising property values, which is why Proposition HH was introduced and why lawmakers were called into a special session.

Lundeen was among the Republicans who voted for Senate Bill 238, but he said voters’ rejection of Proposition HH was a clear sign that Coloradans don’t want the government to reduce their state taxpayer refunds, which come from the surplus. HH was projected to tap into billions of dollars in TABOR surplus over 10 years.

What is TABOR? The surplus comes from money collected by the state in excess of the TABOR cap on government growth and spending, which is determined each year by increases in inflation and population. Any money collected over the cap has to be refunded to taxpayers.

“A wise man once said: ‘When the facts change, I reserve the right to change my mind,’” Lundeen told The Colorado Sun this week. “The facts have changed fundamentally with HH.” Lundeen tried to broker a deal with Democrats in which the $240 million in TABOR surplus used for reimbursements in Senate Bill 238 would be converted into general fund reserve dollars.

“We’ve been trying to get a deal all afternoon,” Lundeen told his caucus on the Senate floor just before the vote to waive the rules was taken.

But Democrats in the Senate rebuffed the request. They repeatedly reminded Republicans on Friday that they had voted in unison for Senate Bill 238.

“Sorry you all voted for that two years ago,” Fenberg said in a speech on the Senate floor. “You may regret it, but that’s not my problem.”

Democrats also warned that using reserve dollars could set the state up for failure in an economic downturn and could affect the state government’s credit rating.

At $2.2 billion and climbing, the state’s 15% reserve adds up to a lot of money. But even that huge amount wouldn’t last two years if Colorado faced a deep recession, a Joint Budget Committee staff analysis found.

Lawmakers have other reasons to be wary about depleting the reserves. The state already faces potential budget shortfalls this year, budget staff told lawmakers Thursday. Balancing the budget gets even harder down the road if Democrats are going to keep their promise to fully fund schools.

Eliminating the K-12 funding shortfall would only require $75 million from next year’s general fund. The following year, it would take another $270 million increase on top of that.

How are property taxes calculated?

Property taxes are determined by how much your county assessor values your property, what the state’s property assessment rate is and what your local mill-levy rate is.

A mill is a $1 payment on every $1,000 of assessed value.

The same parliamentary drama didn’t play out Friday in the House, which moved to advance legislation of its own and worked late into the night Friday. But with the Senate’s calendar now delayed, representatives will be in the same timecrunch predicament as their colleagues in the legislature’s upper chamber. House Republicans, too, have sought to slow the legislature’s progress, offering long speeches on each bill that frequently veered off topic.

Democrats’ special session property tax relief plan calls for homeowners to get the same break in the 2023 tax year as they would have gotten under Proposition HH. Democrats’ bill would reduce the residential assessment rate for the 2023 tax year only to 6.7% from 6.765% and exempt the first $50,000 in a home’s value from taxation, the same reductions for taxes due next year as Proposition HH offered.

Drama, Tempers and Parliamentary Maneuvering at the Colorado Capitol as Lawmakers Race to Offer Property Tax Relief continued on page 17...

The Colorado Senate GOP caucus tried to use a parliamentary objection to extend the session until at least Tuesday. Senate President Steve Fenberg blocked the maneuver in a dramatic turn, but the session will still last at least one more day because of the dust-up.

by Jesse Paul and Brian Eason, The Colorado Sun The Colorado Senate briefly devolved into political chaos Friday night as the chamber’s Democratic majority blocked a Republican attempt to force the state’s special legislative session on property tax relief to stretch well into next week in protest of the policies moving through the Capitol.

There were accusations of bad-faith negotiations and parliamentary maneuvering and pleas to let lawmakers and staff spend Thanksgiving with their families.

“I’m exhausted,” the normally affable Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, said in a speech on the Senate floor. “This is exhausting.”

The situation underscored the property tax pressure facing state lawmakers as they rush to pass legislation before rates are locked for the 2023 tax year in midto-late December, when local governments must set their budgets and send out tax bills early next year. Gov. Jared Polis called the session after voters last week rejected Proposition HH, forcing Democrats to quickly come up with a Plan B or let home values that have risen by a median of 40% statewide cause large increases in people’s tax bills.

“What we’re doing now is already pushing the envelope,” Fenberg said as he tried to navigate the drama.

The unease began Friday morning, shortly after the special session gaveled in.

Senate Republicans objected to Democrats’ attempt to suspend rules in the chamber dictating how fast legislation can advance.

If the rules aren’t suspended with three days’ notice, two-thirds of the Senate must vote to waive them.

Motions to suspend the rules frequently pass without contention, but the GOP saw the rules as a way to make Democrats come to the property tax negotiating table. If the motion to suspend the rules failed, it would have forced the session to last until at least Tuesday rather than wrap up Sunday.

The Senate GOP caucus waited until after the session began to lodge their complaint, which angered Democrats who said Republicans had known for days how the majority planned to proceed.

Democrats warned that extending the session could make it difficult for local governments to implement any property tax relief the legislature passes. Republicans said the delay would ensure that Coloradans had time to understand the policies unveiled Thursday that lawmakers are debating.

Those proposals include not just property tax relief, as Republicans prefer, but also a $185 million expansion of a tax credit for low-income working families and $30 million for rental assistance for people facing eviction.

When the Senate voted Friday evening on whether to suspend the rules, the 12 Republicans in the chamber requested a roll-call vote and voted in unison to block the motion. All 23 Senate Democrats voted for the suspension, but it wasn’t enough to meet the two-thirds threshold.

Democrats then asked that the vote be redone, but before Republicans could ask that a roll-call vote be taken, Fenberg quickly called initiated a voice vote — in which senators holler out “aye” or “no” — and ruled that the motion passed.

Stunned Republicans objected — “sorry, those are the rules,” Fenberg replied — eventually asking the Senate to formally vote on an appeal of how Fenberg handled the situation. The appeal failed along party lines.

Republican Sen. Mark Baisley of Woodland Park, speaking in a tense gathering of lawmakers on the Senate floor, complained that he hadn’t heard Fenberg call for the vote. Fenberg shrugged and told Baisley he should have been paying closer attention.

Republican Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, 65, told her caucus that Fenberg had a “temper tantrum” and said she didn’t like being lectured to by a man in his late 30s.

Feinberg, 39, accused Republicans of political theater and said they violated commitments they had made earlier in the week when Democrats shared their special session agenda and calendar. He said that’s why the vote on the motion CLAIM YOUR to suspend the rules played out the way it did.

Ultimately, tempers cooled and the Senate adjourned late Friday without RISK-FREE taking a preliminary floor vote on the TRIAL1 property tax relief bill. That will now happen Saturday, which means the earliest the session can end is Monday.

It takes a minimum of three days to pass a bill in the Colorado legislature, but that’s only without any delays.

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Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, hinted that

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Lost Creek Guide

Protect Your Health This Holiday Season

How to navigate a healthy and heartfelt holiday season.

by Intermountain Healthcare As the holiday season approaches, it’s time to deck the halls, exchange gifts, and indulge in festive cheer. However, with ongoing concerns about the flu, colds, RSV, and COVID-19, it’s essential to approach the holidays with a health-conscious mindset.

Elizabeth Belson, MD, Family Medicine at Saint Joseph’s Hospital, shared valuable insights about enjoying a safe and festive celebration.

Understanding the risks “Holiday gatherings can increase the spread of respiratory viruses, particularly when held indoors,” said Dr. Belson. To steer clear of seasonal sniffles, consider adopting some good health habits. Regular handwashing, a simple yet effective practice, can significantly reduce the risk of spreading germs.

Not just a hygienic act, the habit of covering coughs and sneezes with the inside of your elbow is also common courtesy. If you or a loved one experiences cold-like symptoms, consider using COVID tests as an extra precaution.

Precautionary measures A key element of a worry-free holiday season is staying up-to-date with vaccinations.

Whether it’s the flu shot or the latest COVID vaccine, these preventive measures can provide an added layer of protection for you and your loved ones.

“We’re seeing increased spread of both influenza and COVID lately,” said Dr. Belson. “It’s important to know that the newest COVID vaccine isn’t a booster—it’s actually a fresh vaccine that’s a great match for the COVID virus strains.”

Dr. Belson also pointed out that there’s a new vaccine for RSV. People 60 years and older are eligible for this new vaccine due to their severe symptom risk.

“One of the best things people can do to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and enjoy a festive holiday season is to take advantage of vaccines,” she said.

Including the immunocompromised There’s so much joy when family and friends get together, and having health conditions shouldn’t count you out.

“We can protect loved ones who may be more vulnerable by keeping our distance when we’re under the weather,” said Dr. Belson. She also reminded us that masks remain a valuable tool in protecting ourselves and our loved ones, particularly those more vulnerable to illness.

If you’re looking to add an extra layer of precaution, consider an outdoor gathering.

They provide a breath of fresh air and ample celebration space.

“They could do a walking tour of the neighborhood Christmas lights, spend time together in one of our wonderful parks, or enjoy the lights at the zoo or botanic gardens,” she said.

Grateful hearts, healthy minds Amidst the hustle and bustle, don’t forget to take a moment for your mental wellbeing. The holidays can often be stressful, and mindful practices can help. Consider breathing and grounding exercises, and taking breaks from gatherings as needed.

Reflecting on the challenges of the past years, particularly for our healthcare workers, can instill a sense of gratitude. This holiday season, let’s extend our support by understanding their needs—whether it’s a well-deserved rest or a thoughtful gesture of appreciation.

“The community can show gratitude for healthcare workers by understanding that we’ve been working under difficult circumstances the past few years,” said Dr. Belson. “We may need some extra support when it comes to resting and recharging this holiday season.”

For Intermountain caregivers, we extend a heartfelt thank you. Your tireless efforts, especially in the face of unique challenges, do not go unnoticed. We are immensely grateful for your unwavering dedication to the health and happiness of those you serve.

And to Intermountain patients, thank you for inspiring us with your strength and courage. Your stories show resilience, and we are thankful for the opportunity to celebrate the holiday season with you.

As we prepare to usher in the holiday spirit, let’s do so with a commitment to well-being. Here’s to a season of good health, heartfelt connections, and giving and receiving gratitude.

Auto, Home, Farm & Commercial

Agents Mark Kinnear Devon Kitchell 303-732-9700 20 S. Main Keenesburg, CO

December 6, 2023

Essential Guidelines For Infant Sleep Safety

8 tips for your baby to have safe sleep and sweet dreams

by Intermountain Healthcare As parents and caregivers, creating a secure sleep environment for babies is crucial.

Good sleep is not just essential for their well-being, it also reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

In a recent appearance on KUTV, Intermountain Health experts provided the following tips for safe baby sleeping practices: 1. Back is best Always place your baby on their back to sleep. Several studies show the backsleeping position is the safest for babies, and significantly reduces the risk of SIDS. 2. No bed-sharing It’s important never to share your bed with your baby. Instead, place them swaddled in their crib. This can prevent accidental suffocation and promote better sleep for both baby and parents.

3. Room-share until six months For the first six months, consider placing the crib in the same room as you. This proximity allows you to monitor your baby while they enjoy a safe sleep.

4. Firm mattress, snugly fitted sheet For their crib, use a firm mattress covered with a snug fitted sheet. This provides a secure sleeping surface and reduces the risk of accidental suffocation on baggy bedding.

5. Say goodbye to loose bedding Remove loose bedding and soft objects from the crib, such as blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals. A minimalistic approach minimizes potential hazards.

6. Dress for the temperature Don’t overdress your baby for bedtime. They are comfortable at the same temperature as the other family members. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and dress your baby accordingly.

7. No substitute for the crib Avoid using car seats, swings, or strollers as beds for infants under four months for routine sleep. The crib provides the safest sleeping environment for your little one.

8. Keep it smoke, drink, and drug-free Never smoke, drink, or use illicit drugs around your baby. Exposure to these substances increases the risk of SIDS, and keeping their environment free from these hazards contributes to safer sleep.

By incorporating these practices into your routine, you can tuck in your little bundle with confidence, knowing you’ve set the stage for sweet dreams and safe sleep.

Southeast Weld Chamber of Commerce Last Lunch & Learn Meeting for 2023 at Ben’s Brick Oven Pizzeria in Hudson

The Southeast Weld Chamber of Commerce, led by President Maggie Munoz, held its last, and one of the best, Lunch & Learn Meetings at Ben’s Brick Oven Pizzeria in Hudson for 2023. Scott Gibson, the RE3j lead for FBLA & DECA supported

by Michele Ferguson, the RE3j College & Career Readiness Counselor, gave an overview of RE3j’s plans for the 2023/2024 school year in terms of career pathway developments for students. There were good participant questions and answers with a focus on how our local businesses can work with both the school district and our AIMS Community College to better support everyone’s goals. Summer internships were a good discussion topic. We all look forward to 2024 as these developments continue.

Rebecca Langlois, Executive Director of Assessment & Innovation, Scott Gibson, RE3j lead for SBLA & DECA, Maggie Munoz, President of SE Weld Chamber of Commerce, Greg Rabenhorst, Superintendent RE3j School District, & Michele Ferguson, College & Career Readiness Counselor.

December 6, 2023

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Drama, Tempers and Parliamentary Maneuvering at the Colorado Capitol as Lawmakers Race to Offer Property Tax Relief continued from page 15...

she said. “In order to receive summer EBT benefits, that form has to be in place.”

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

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Property tax rates for commercial property would remain unchanged, however, whereas HH would have cut those rates.

The Democratic special session plan calls for $200 million in general fund dollars to fully reimburse schools and fire districts for the revenue they wouldn’t collect because of the property tax relief.

All other local districts, including hospital and EMS districts, would only get state dollars to make up for their losses if their property tax revenue gains are set to rise less than the rate of inflation. That’s less reimbursement than would have been offered under HH and it will mean that a limited number of local districts will get state aid.

The plan, which passed out of the Senate Finance Committee on Friday along party lines after local districts asked for more money, doesn’t call for using any additional Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights surplus or general fund reserve dollars to reimburse school and local districts for their property tax losses, — pools of money Polis last week suggested the legislature could tap into.

Democrats are also running bills during the special session to expand the earned income tax credit, make TABOR refund checks the same amount for every taxpayer and tap into federal dollars that pay for meals for children from low-income families during the summer.

The Democratic majority at the Capitol voted down every Republican special session bill introduced Friday.

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

Colorado Lawmakers Will Consider Program to Ease Summer Childhood Hunger

by Ann Schimke, Chalkbeat

Low-income families in Colorado could receive $120 per child to help pay for groceries next summer if state lawmakers agree to tap a federal program aimed at reducing childhood hunger when school is out.

The legislature begins meeting Friday for a special session to address spiking property taxes after voters rejected Proposition HH. But lawmakers will also consider the summer grocery program because the state must opt in by Jan. 1 to participate in 2024.

The program has a wonky name — Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer, or Summer EBT — but the idea is simple: Reduce childhood hunger in low-income families when school meal programs are on break or harder to access over the summer. Eligible families would get a card preloaded with money to buy food that is sent to their homes when school’s out.

Families of up to 350,000 Colorado children would benefit.

The program would be another step in Colorado’s continuing effort to shrink the number of children who go hungry in the state. Starting this school year, the vast majority of Colorado students can get free school meals regardless of family income because of a universal meal program approved by voters in 2022.

A program similar to Summer EBT was in place during the pandemic, but it was optional for school districts, and it expired last summer. The new Summer EBT program would require all districts in the federal government’s National School Lunch Program to participate. In Colorado, that’s every district but Aspen.

Helping low-income families pay for groceries in the summer reduces childhood food insecurity, increases fruit and vegetable intake, and cuts the amount of sugary beverages children drink, according to federal evaluations of a pilot Summer EBT program in several states.

Families would be eligible for Summer EBT in 2024 if they have household incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty level — $55,500 for a family of four — and have children attending preschool through 12th grade in a public school that offers the National School Lunch or Breakfast Program.

For the state to participate, Colorado lawmakers will have to appropriate about $3.5 million to help administer the program, said Brehan Riley, school nutrition director at the Colorado Department of Education. The federal government would match that amount, plus send $35 million to $42 million directly to qualifying families in the form of benefit cards. The program would be jointly administered by the Colorado Department of Human Services and the education department.

Riley said children will still be able to get any free summer meals offered through their school district even if their families also receive the Summer EBT benefit.

“The $120, I think it averages out to $1.33 a day,” she said. “So it’s supposed to supplement” the summer school meals program. Some students can’t get to local schools that offer summer meals because they live too far away or don’t have transportation.

If state lawmakers approve the Summer EBT program during the special session, which could last just three days, Colorado would join 10 other states planning to participate next summer. They include Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia The Colorado State Board of Education voted 7-1 in support of the proposed Summer EBT bill on Tuesday. Board member Debora Scheffel, a Republican who represents a large swath of eastern Colorado, voted no. Board member Steve Durham, also a Republican, was absent.

If lawmakers approve the Summer EBT bill, Riley said the most important thing parents can do to ensure they’re eligible is fill out the free and reduced-price meal form at their child’s school. In some districts, the form may have a slightly different name, possibly the “family economic data survey.”

“We are hearing from districts that families haven’t been filling out those forms,”

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Lost Creek Guide

December 6, 2023

Christmas in Wiggins 2023

Pictures by the Lost Creek Guide Photographers Jackie Smith & Pat Lentell

To view more pictures online (desk top or mobile): Visit ourtowncolorado.com Go to I-76 Wiggins news/events Christmas in Wiggins Parade 2023 Annual Christmas Craft Fair 2023

December 6, 2023

Lost Creek Guide

Armstrong: Ken Buck Tells Some Uncomfortable Truths

by Ari Armstrong, Complete Colorado Page 2 In today’s political climate, a Republican leader simply telling the truth is a shocking act—and apparently a disqualification to serve in public office in the eyes of many Republican voters.

In announcing he’s leaving Congress, Ken Buck said: “Our nation is on a collision course with reality. And a steadfast commitment to truth, even uncomfortable truths, is the only way forward.

“Too many Republican leaders are lying to America, claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, describing January 6 as an ‘unguided tour’ of the Capitol, and asserting that the ensuing prosecutions are a weaponization of our justice system. These insidious narratives breed widespread cynicism and erode Americans’ confidence in the rule of law.

“It is impossible for the Republican Party to confront our problems, and offer a course correction for the future, while being obsessively fixated on retribution and vengeance for contrived injustices of the past. This trend among Republicans is a significant departure from the enduring principles of conservatism. We belong to the party of Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. Our movement has always been fueled by immutable truths about human nature, individual liberty, and economic freedoms.

The Republican Party of today, however, is ignoring self-evident truths about the rule of law and limited government in exchange for self-serving lies.”

Some have called Buck the Liz Cheney of Colorado. In my book, that’s one of the highest compliments one can pay a Republican politician. But that is not how antireality conspiracy mongering “Republicans” imagine things.

Donald Trump, of course, celebrated Buck’s announcement, calling Buck a “Super RINO.” In today’s topsy-turvy world, those who have abandoned all pretense of Republican conservatism rooted in economic reality, republican norms, and the rule of just law claim without blinking that others are “Republican in name only.” Such anti-Republicans are nihilists pining for authoritarianism.

In October, Buck faced considerable pressure from his party to support Jim Jordan for House speaker. But Buck wouldn’t budge, citing Jordan’s claim that the presidential election was stolen. This apparently prompted the party leasing Buck his main state office to evict the Congressman.

Buck subsequently relented and supported Mike Johnson for Speaker, even though Johnson previously said that “election-fraud [was] happening across the country all simultaneously.” Buck told CNN that Johnson was a “very good” candidate. He said that, while Jordan was involved in incidents of “election denialism in their highest degree,” Johnson “was not.” Buck referred to Johnson’s vote not to certify the election results as a forgivable “mistake.”

Readers can decide whether Johnson’s position on the presidential election results is substantially different from that of Jordan. More obvious is that Johnson is a religious authoritarian who has called homosexuality “inherently unnatural,” condemned gay marriage as leading to “chaos and sexual anarchy,” and advocated a total abortion ban. So I am not among those who cheer Buck’s support for Johnson, even apart from Johnson’s stance on the election.

Still, Buck deserves praise from actual Republicans and from genuine conservatives for standing up for election realism and for the peaceful transfer of power. Shockingly, many Republican “leaders” refuse to rise above that very low bar.

An open field Buck’s surprise departure has various other Republicans scrambling for his seat.

Voters in the district will have an opportunity to select someone less clownish than “MAGA KING” Trent Leisy, who continues to proclaim on social media that the presidential election was “rigged.” This is even after Colorado-based Trump attorney Jenna Ellis “pleaded guilty . . . to a felony charge over efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia,” as the AP reports.

Yet it’s certainly not obvious that whoever replaces Buck will be grounded in reality. In a recent interview, Rep. Richard Holtorf, another potential candidate, had to clarify that he wasn’t literally saying that Buck is guilty of treason. He said, “No, he hasn’t committed a treason, in fact. And I’m not saying that. I’m saying to me it feels like it’s treasonous.” To me, Holtorf’s verbal ejaculation well-illustrates the blind emotionalism of today’s Republican party, in which terms like “treason” are thrown around to refer to someone who does not swallow absurd Trumpian conspiracist fantasies.

Perhaps the most serious potential candidate is former prosecutor George Brauchler, who agrees with Buck that conspiracy mongering about a “stolen” election is “dangerous for our democracy.” However, even though Brauchler recognizes “the cult of personality” surrounding Trump, he promised to vote for Trump again should the former president win the nomination.

Even as Lauren Boebert faces a serious Republican primary in her own district— former Governor Bill Owens endorsed Jeff Hurd—as well as a well-funded Democratic opponent, voters in Buck’s district have the chance to replace Buck with Boebertlite. Alternately, they could get serious about Republican values and about fidelity to reality.

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 dot com.

Legislative budget staff on Thursday presented the budget-writing committee with their independent assessment of Polis’ proposal, which he released earlier this month.

One troubling takeaway: If Legislative Council Staff forecasts are correct, the state would face a $44 million budget shortfall this year, and fall an additional $330 million short next year.

“The take-home message here is that under LCS forecasts, the budget does not appear to be balanced as submitted,” said Craig Harper, the new JBC staff director.

Notably, Harper added, this year’s budget was based on separate economic forecasts from the governor’s budget office, which do show a balanced spending plan in both years. And, he cautioned lawmakers not to put “too much stock” in today’s estimates, anyway. There are months to go before lawmakers have to adopt the 2024-25 fiscal year budget in the spring.

“We will have a lot better information in hand before you’re making any of these decisions,” Harper said.

In the meantime, however, lawmakers face immediate decisions that could have an outsize effect on state spending, and limit their ability to adjust down the road.

At Polis’ request, the General Assembly convenes Friday for a special session in which lawmakers will consider cutting property taxes and increasing state spending on schools, fire districts and other local governments. $200 million unaccounted for During the special session, lawmakers plan to take as much as $200 million from the state’s general fund to offset the impact of property tax cuts on schools, fire districts and some local governments.

If that number sounds familiar, there’s a reason: if Proposition HH had passed, it would have set aside $200 million this year for the same purpose.

Voters, of course, rejected the ballot measure. And as a result, that $200 million isn’t reflected in this year’s budget, JBC documents show. Instead, Polis put a placeholder to spend that money next year.

Move that money up to this year, as lawmakers intend, and the current 2023-24 budget could face a shortfall even under the governor’s more optimistic forecast.

Democrats have also proposed spending $30 million from the general fund on rental assistance before July 1. That would add even more spending to the current budget year that would have to be accounted for through mid-year adjustments.

Conor Cahill, the governor’s spokesperson, said in a statement the administration would work with lawmakers to “accomplish the goal of relief in fiscal year 2023-24 and ensure we have a balanced budget.”

Democratic lawmakers: state reserves off limits The simplest way to balance the budget is to tap the state’s reserve fund, which today is set at 15% of general fund spending, or $2.2 billion.

Polis has said he’s open to doing so to cover the cost of property tax cuts. Republicans support dipping into the reserves, too.

But Democratic budget writers Thursday reiterated their opposition.

“Not only is the reserve something we should not be cutting, it’s something we maybe should look into increasing,” said Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village.

A study from Moody’s Analytics found that Colorado would need a 19% reserve to weather a recession.

Even maintaining a 15% reserve next year could cost more than Polis’ budget suggests.

One way the governor balances his budget next year is by exempting some general fund spending from the reserve requirement, Harper said, including $42 million to address a funding disparity that gives state-authorized charter schools less money than other K-12 public schools.

“If the goal is to fully fund (charter school tax) equalization, not having a reserve against it seems risky,” Harper said.

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

Colorado State Budget Concerns Cast Shadow Over Special Session on Property Taxes

Under one economic forecast, the state may have to cut spending or dip into the reserves to balance this year’s budget

by Brian Eason, The Colorado Sun Gov. Jared Polis calls his proposed spending plan for next year a return to a “normal Colorado budget.”

On Thursday, lawmakers on the state’s powerful Joint Budget Committee got a taste of what that actually means.

Creative solutions to balance the state’s $16 billion general fund. Little margin for error. And rising concern about what programs the state can afford in the future, as federal pandemic relief dollars dry up and lawmakers try to keep their promise to fully fund Colorado’s school finance obligations.

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Proposed Ban On Religious Instruction In Colorado’s State-Funded Preschools May Spark Legal Fight

by Ann Schimke, Chalkbeat

Teacher Corrie Haynes holds up a picture during a preschool class at Landmark Preschool in Grand Junction, Colorado. (Ann Schimke/Chalkbeat)

Inside Colorado’s free preschool initiative When teacher Corrie Haynes asked the preschoolers gathered on the green rug in front of her what sin is, a little boy answered confidently: “All the bad things we do.”

“Very good,” she said.

Next, the 13 children, most wearing maroon or blue polo shirts and dark skirts or pants, learned that everybody sins — even teachers, moms and dads, and the church pastor — and that although God hates sin, he doesn’t hate people who sin.

“He still loves us very much even when we sin,” Haynes said.

A minute later, Haynes led the 4-year-olds in a song about manners: “Always say thank you, always say please. When we’re ungrateful, God is not pleased.”

Such religious content has long been woven through the lessons at Landmark Preschool, which is nestled inside Landmark Baptist Church in the western Colorado city of Grand Junction. What’s different this year is that state taxpayers are covering the bill — more than $100,000 — for 20 preschoolers to attend classes there.

Colorado explicitly invited faith-based preschools to participate in its new $322 million universal preschool program, which despite a rocky rollout has proven popular with families. But state officials have sent mixed messages about whether preschools can offer religious instruction during state-funded class time. Prior to the launch, they said it was forbidden. Now, they say it’s not, but that next year it could be.

Debates about public funding for religious education come amid an ongoing conservative push to break down long-held ideas about the separation of church and state, including in a lawsuit underway now over a religious charter school in Oklahoma. Colorado’s Constitution, like those in many other states, prohibits using public money for religious purposes. But a series of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions has hollowed out such provisions.

In order to participate in Colorado’s universal preschool program, preschools, including Landmark, had to sign a contract agreeing to a variety of conditions, including that they would not discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity. That requirement is now the subject of two lawsuits — one by a Christian preschool in Chaffee County and the other by two Catholic parishes that run preschools near Denver. The contract that providers signed did not mention religious instruction.

Lauren Weber, the director of Landmark Preschool, said such instruction is “built into pretty much everything we do.”

But some experts say mixing public dollars and religious education clashes with the nation’s historical underpinnings.

“If our taxpayer money is funding religious exercise … then we are putting ourselves in a position of the state and the church getting entangled in a way that the founders were trying to avoid,” said Kevin Welner, director of the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.

State plans to restrict religious lessons in universal preschool Colorado early childhood officials have proposed a ban on religious instruction in a set of rules they plan to approve next spring. It’s not clear where that would leave programs like Landmark, where leaders hope to open two additional universal preschool classrooms next year.

Such questions are playing out amid a rapidly changing legal landscape. The latest shift came in June 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in a Maine voucher case called Carson v. Makin. The court ruled that Maine could not exclude schools that offer religious instruction from a state-funded program open to secular private schools. The ruling built on a series of decisions in which the high court has grown more sympathetic to the idea of using public money for religious purposes, including religious education.

Steven Green, a law professor at Willamette University who specializes in church and state issues, said the shift has come as the share of Christians in the United States shrinks and the share of people without a religious affiliation grows.

Amid these demographic changes, “We’re seeing a kind of circling of the wagons and a feeling of being dispossessed of privilege, particularly white, conservative Christians,” he said.

That narrative has created growing support for measures that allow or inject religion into public life, he said.

Green said that five or six years ago, Colorado could have banned religious instruction during state-funded preschool classes fairly easily. But the U.S. Supreme Court has mostly invalidated state constitutional provisions that prohibit public funds for religious purposes. Now, such provisions — often referred to as Blaine amendments — are “pretty much unenforceable,” he said.

Michael Bindas, a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice, a libertarian public interest law firm, agreed. He also said the ruling in the Carson case, which he argued on behalf of the plaintiffs before the Supreme Court, makes clear that asking faith-based schools to eliminate religious instruction during state-funded class time amounts to religious discrimination.

If Colorado adopts the proposed rules banning religious instruction during state-

December 6, 2023

funded preschool hours, he said, “I suspect it will be tied up in years of litigation.”

Welner worries that some preschools’ religious teachings could send damaging messages to children. He raised the possibility of a young transgender child attending universal preschool in a faith-based program that’s intolerant of transgender people.

“There is something disturbing, to me at least, about using taxpayer money to subsidize the education of a child in an environment that is essentially attacking the kid’s identity,” he said Parent choice was part of the universal preschool vision Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, has championed state-funded preschool for all since hitting the gubernatorial campaign trail in 2017. Two years later, during his first term, voters approved a nicotine tax to help pay for the program.

Parents began applying last winter, using an online form to choose up to five preschools they liked. The state matching system then assigned their child to a spot at one of them. Despite some confusion about the application process, families flocked to join, and enrollment quickly exceeded the state’s projections. Today, nearly 50,000 children are getting tuition-free preschool through the program, most of them 4-yearolds.

From the beginning, state leaders planned to offer universal preschool in all kinds of settings — in public schools, faith-based centers, and homes licensed by the state.

The idea was to give parents lots of choices, more than were offered under the state’s previous smaller preschool program for children with risk factors. That was mostly offered in public school classrooms.

Of the more than 1,900 preschools that joined the universal program, 39 are faithbased, according to state data. Together, they serve about 930 children.

Allowing faith-based preschools to participate in publicly funded early childhood programs is nothing new. The federal Head Start preschool program, plus a number of states and cities, have done it for years. But unlike Colorado’s universal program, those programs — including Denver’s long-running taxpayer-funded preschool tuition assistance program — generally prohibit religious instruction during the governmentfunded portion of the day.

Such a restriction was on Colorado’s radar, too. An open records request found that in October 2022, the state’s universal preschool director sent a fact sheet to more than 50 local universal preschool officials stating that faith-based preschools could participate, as long as they didn’t use state funds for religious programming. Some of those local officials posted that condition on their websites.

But somehow, amid the chaos leading up to the launch, the issue got lost. Last spring, the state ran out of time to create rules on things like class size, curriculum, and teacher training, so it told participating preschools to “keep doing what you’re doing.” State leaders pledged to come up with rules by the start of the second year in August 2024 and are in that process now.

In October, state officials told Chalkbeat by email that there’s nothing in writing prohibiting religious instruction in universal preschool. A spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Early Childhood declined to comment about why the department didn’t establish rules on the issue from the outset.

Will this Christian curriculum be used in preschools next year?

Landmark Preschool opened in 2012 and serves children from infancy through preschool, about half of them from low-income families. It has the second highest rating on the state’s five-level scale for child care quality.

Landmark Preschool in Grand Junction, Colorado. (Ann Schimke/Chalkbeat)

The school has two universal preschool classrooms, one that is play-based and one that is more structured, teaching skills like cursive writing. Both use the Abeka curriculum, a program popular with Christian schools and homeschooling families that describes the Bible as the foundation for all learning.

Currently, there are no state rules governing curriculum in universal preschool, but state officials plan to create a list of acceptable curriculums before the second year of the program starts. It’s not clear what the criteria will be or whether programs like Abeka will pass muster.

Weber, the center’s director, and Christy Barrows, an administrator at Landmark’s adjoining K-12 school, say they received repeated reassurances from local universal preschool officials that their program and curriculum would be acceptable.

“We’re very open about who we are and what we teach,” said Weber. “I tell all my tours, ‘Find the right fit for you, and if it’s not (here), that’s OK.” The preschool welcomes all children, including those from LGBTQ families, she said. But hiring decisions are not as simple.

“We have the Christian values and morals and beliefs,” Weber said. “That hire may not be a good fit for our center, because we will be teaching these values, and if you don’t believe in these values, that’s really hard to be hired.”

Bible lessons shape storytime at Landmark Preschool Inside Haynes’ preschool classroom, it was time for a Bible story on obedience — specifically obedience to God. Between pauses to settle antsy children, Haynes told about a young girl who was stolen from her family and forced to work for the powerful general Naaman, who had leprosy.

“There were huge sores all over Naaman’s skin, and all these sores would keep Proposed Ban On Religious Instruction In Colorado’s State-Funded Preschools May Spark Legal Fight continued on page 21...

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Proposed Ban On Religious Instruction In Colorado’s State-Funded Preschools May Spark Legal Fight continued from page 20... getting worse and worse,” Haynes explained. But the girl stepped in to help, suggesting Naaman should visit a prophet.

“The little girl could have said, ‘It serves Naaman right to have leprosy. I’ve been taken away from my home and made to work as a servant,’” Haynes said.

Instead, “the girl chose to do what was right and forgive even though no one had told her to do it.”

Weber, who sat nearby observing the class, is waiting to see what new rules universal preschool leaders put in place and whether Abeka will make the approved curriculum list.

“Right now, it’s working out just fine, but in the future what does it look like?” she said. “We’re just going to take it year by year and see what we do.”

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

Caldara: Alt-left Democrats Run Wild Under Colorado’s Gold Dome

by Jon Caldara, President of the Independence Institute, Complete Colorado Page 2 Yep, the Colorado Republican Party can be completely dysfunctional and embarrassing. It has elements many call “ultra-right wing”, or “alt-right.”

And you shouldn’t care because it just doesn’t matter.

There is no bigger non-story in Colorado than Republican infighting. How could there be? They have no political relevance. None.

They are the super-minority. Democrats control the state’s executive branch of government, the judicial branch, and boy howdy do they control the state legislature.

There is only one real story in town and it’s getting harder and harder to keep it suppressed. It’s the growing civil war inside the alt-left that run our state.

The rumors of complete embarrassment and behind-closed-doors dysfunction in the Colorado Democratic Party are already legendary. But now the dysfunction is spilling out for all to see.

With at least six members of the Democratic Socialists of America among their ranks, and many more sympathizers in the legislature to mention, there seems to be a new breed of Stalinist-styled viciousness echoing through the halls of the State Capitol.

Like MAGA supporters wearing buffalo horns and ransacking Nancy Pelosi’s office, these folks just can’t contain themselves. But the slight little difference here is these protesters are also our lawmakers.

Just in time for our own awkward family Thanksgiving dinners, they treated us to a legislative special session supposedly regarding “property tax relief.” But they turned it into a clown show followed by a socialist-styled redistribution of our TABOR refunds.

There’s been incredible pressure from the media, academia, Hollywood and the political elite on conservatives of all stripes to condemn the ultraright-wing MAGA crowd who claim Trump’s election was stolen.

That is, we’re supposed to call out fellow conservatives for behaving badly.

How odd then that when liberals and progressives watch their team behave badly there’s little pressure for them to do the same.

For a fun starting point, do a Google search of terms.

Search terms like “ultra-right Republican” and you’ll have at least three to four times as many hits as “ultra-left Democrat.” Same if you search “alt-right” versus “altleft” (try in just the “news” section, too).

It seems those pillars of culture (media, academia, Hollywood), are pretty breezy about labeling people on the right as extreme, but apparently there’s very few extremists on the left.

Does anyone else find that odd?

How is freshman state Rep. Tim Hernandez not labeled ultra-left? The desks in the statehouse chamber have the Colorado and American flags on them. Makes sense given our state reps have taken an oath to both the Colorado and U.S. Constitutions.

Hernandez ripped his American flag down to put a Palestinian flag in its place. This is the same guy who refused to condemn the Hamas attacks on Israel.

Isn’t state Rep. Elisabeth Epps alt-left? She took to the House floor to go on a 45-minute, antisemitic tirade about genocide in Gaza during a discussion about, what else, food stamps.

The fun didn’t stop there as Epps then took to the gallery to join fellow Palestinian protesters. When one of her Jewish colleagues took to the House floor and said something she didn’t like she screamed from the balcony he was, “out of order” so often the speaker called the House to recess to have her removed.

Yes, anecdotal stuff, but we see it played out in governments all across Colorado like Denver City Council and school boards.

The overriding theme is the Democratic adults in Colorado refuse to rein in their ultra-left-wing children.

The largest case in point is of course Gov. Jared Polis, who made it very clear during the Proposition HH campaign he did not want to see TABOR refunds used for income redistribution; you know, socialism. On the televised debate he said, “rather than keep redistributing more and more money let’s just cut taxes period.”

Yet the special session bills sent to him only redistribute TABOR refunds from those who paid more in taxes to those who paid much less, if not nothing at all, in taxes.

But if five years of Gov. Polis have proven anything, it’s that he cannot stand up to the vicious alt-left of his party, many of whom are now making it clear they’re not fond of Jews like him.

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

Public Input Encouraged!

Public comments are sought to define the scope and alternatives for an Environmental Assessment of a proposed solar energy facility located on private land approximately 8 miles southeast of Keenesburg in Weld County, Colorado.

The proposed project, to be called Janus Solar Project (Project), would include up to 80-megawatt (MW) alternating current (AC) utility scale photovoltaic (PV) generation and 20-MW battery energy storage system, an underground power collection system, project step-up substation, access roads, a maintenance and operation center, and a new overhead transmission line proposed to interconnect with Western Area Power Administration’s (WAPA’s) future Sand Creek Switching Station. To accommodate the Project interconnection, upgrades will also need to be completed to 15.4 miles of WAPA’s existing Prospect Valley-Willoby 115-kV transmission line. Construction of the Janus Solar Project is proposed to begin as early as the first quarter of 2025.

Janus Solar LLC has applied to interconnect the Project to the future Sand Creek Switching Station that will be adjacent to the Project, under the WAPA Large Generator Interconnection Process. In accordance with its Open Access Transmission Service Tariff (Tariff), WAPA’s consideration to grant an interconnection request is a major Federal action subject to environmental review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Department of Energy and Council on Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations. Under these regulations, Janus Solar LLC Project is considered a connected action to WAPA’s Federal decision of granting an interconnection to its transmission system. The Environmental Assessment is being prepared for WAPA to analyze the impacts of the interconnection, along with the connected action of the proposed solar energy facility, energy storage system, and WAPA transmission line upgrades.

WAPA is announcing a public scoping period for the Project. The scoping period provides an opportunity for the general public, government agencies, and Tribal governments to identify issues and alternatives that will help WAPA define the scope of the EA. Comments or questions may be submitted in the following ways: • By mail to: Western Area Power Administration Attn: Mr. Mark Suchy 5555 E Crossroad Boulevard Loveland, CO 80538 • By email to suchy@wapa.gov Comments should be postmarked no later than January 6th, 2024.

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December 6, 2023

- Obituary -

Allois Naill Soucie Allois left us on November 16, 2023. Born on September 11, 1945 in Morgan County a bit north of Wiggins. She is survived by her loving husband Wayne, daughter Michell, brother Kenneth Naill (Alberta) and family members.

Allois enjoyed life, living in the country, horses, her dogs and cats, especially Bobbie, gardening, oil painting and especially quilting.

She was proceeded in death by her mother and father, G.K. (Skinny) Naill and Opal Naill Services will be at Herr’s Mortuary in Fort Morgan on December 2nd at 11:00 am.

Allois left a note for all: In My Final Hour In my final hour I want you all to know how much I love each and everyone of you more than I can show and in my final hours I say Goodbye, life takes on new meaning and answers the question why So remember my final hour as a bond of love, before I went to be with my loving God above.

Allois

Adrienne Sandoval Announces Endorsements From Every Republican and Conservative Unaffiliated Mayor In Weld County District 3

PLATTEVILLE -- Mayor Adrienne Sandoval of Platteville announced the endorsement of every Republican and conservative Unaffiliated Mayor within Weld County District 3, demonstrating strong support for her candidacy in the early stages of the campaign.

“I love Weld County, and I know it deserves better, as does every Republican and conservative Unaffiliated Mayor in Weld County District 3”, Sandoval said. “I am proud to stand alongside these Mayors as we fight to keep our Weld County Way of Life. That fight begins by showing up and doing the work necessary to be good representatives of the County.”

Mayoral endorsements for Sandoval include the following: Zo Hubbard, Fort Lupton Mayor Colleen Whitlow, Mead Mayor Adam Morehead, Dacono Mayor Mark Clark, Evans Mayor Steve Nothem, Gilcrest Mayor Gary Lagrimanta, Kersey Mayor

Tracie Crites, Frederick Mayor Andy Martinez, LaSalle Mayor John Gates, Greeley Mayor Scott Moser, Eaton Mayor Michael Mahoney, Lochbuie Mayor Joe Hammock, Hudson Mayor

Sandoval has also been endorsed by Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams, State Senator and former Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer, Weld County Commissioner Mike Freeman, Weld County Commissioner Kevin Ross, former Weld County Commissioner and County Clerk Steve Moreno, and other local elected officials throughout Weld County.

Contact: Adrienne Sandoval (970) 222-3238 Republican Candidate for Weld County Commissioner District 3

Wreaths Across America Ceremony at Heart of the Plains Cemetery Remember Honor Teach

by Linda Epple The lives of our twenty-eight veterans buried at Heart of the Plains Cemetery will be remembered with veterans’ wreaths on Saturday, December 16, 2023 beginning at 10 A.M. Al Wreaths Across America ceremonies take place on the same day and near the same time as the ceremony begins at Arlington National Cemetery. Veterans’ wreaths are not the same as Christmas wreaths and are made of ten bunches of balsam fir attached to the wreath; each bunch stands for a quality of a veteran. The red bow symbolizes sacrifice. Al wreaths are made in Maine and shipped across America by eighteen-wheelers that have volunteered transport.

The ceremony is open to all and is a free community event. It is non-political and not affiliated with any religion. The cemetery is located at 38044 County Road 16, Roggen, CO. The program will begin with the flag raising and the Pledge of Allegiance. After a brief welcoming and a moment of silence, those currently serving in the branches of the U.S. military will be honored with the placing of eight ceremonial wreaths. Taps will be played. Local students will conclude the ceremony by individually placing a veterans’’ wreath on each of the veterans’ graves. Each student will speak aloud the veteran’s name and express gratitude for his /her service before placing the wreath.

The cemetery si grateful to the American Legion Post #180 of Keenesburg, OC and Southeast Weld Fire Protection as both will be participating in the ceremony.

The Marine Corps League of Greeley graciously donated al the wreaths for Heart of the Plains Cemetery.

ELF Restaurant in Dacono brings the Hungry Elf Food Truck to Keenesburg

Look for it between 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm, (weather permitting) on Friday & Saturday night on Market Street next to CT Automotive.

December 6, 2023

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SERVICE DIRECTORY Computer Support Repair, Service & Sales

Reliable, Local, Professional Roggen Telephone Company

303-849-5260

Thomas J Croghan DDS Family Dental Practice

Appointments: 303-377-8662 Appointments Available in Keenesburg and Denver

New Patients Welcome

Open Mon. - Fri. 8am - 5pm Family Medical are for All Ages

Keene Clinic 190 So. Main St., Keenesburg

303-732-4268

Loya’s Cleaning

McCarthy Trucking

Maria Loya

Recycled asphalt, concrete Great for driveways & parking areas. Also sand & gravel.

Reasonable Prices Call Kevin for free quote 303-901-5034

Maria: 303-350-6365 MaryLoya1111@gmail.com

303-659-8583

Notice as to Proposed Budget For The Fiscal Year 2024 Wiggins Rural Fire Protection District

Notice is hereby given that a proposed budget for the year 2024 has been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Wiggins Rural Fire Protection District.

That a copy of such proposed budget has been filed in the office of the District, at 701 Central Avenue, where the same is open for public inspection. That such proposed budget will be considered at a meeting of the Board of Directors to be held at 701 Central Avenue, Wiggins, Colorado, on December 14, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

Any taxpayer within the District may at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2024 Budget, file or register their objections thereto.

Dated November 17, 2023 Jo Rogers, Secretary/Treasurer Wiggins Rural Fire Protection District Published in the Lost Creek Guide

710 N. 7th Ave. Unit 1 Brighton, CO 80601

Notice as to Proposed Budget For The Fiscal Year 2024 Hillrose Rural Fire Protection District

Notice is hereby given that a proposed budget for the year 2024 has been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Hillrose Rural Fire Protection District.

That a copy of such proposed budget has been filed in the office of the District, at 301 Emerson, where the same is open for public inspection. That such proposed budget will be considered at a meeting of the Board of Directors to be held at 301 Emerson Street, Hillrose, Colorado, on December 12, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Any taxpayer within the District may at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2024 Budget, file or register their objections thereto.

Dated November 28, 2023 Mark Conner, Secretary/Treasurer Hillrose Rural Fire Protection District Published in the Lost Creek Guide

For Local Colorado Information Visit:

www.ourtowncolorado.com Reliable propane delivery.

Exceptional customer service.

There is also “pickle/pull tabs” available everyday!

Please come join us for some fun and socializing!

Proudly offering quality propane services to northern Colorado.

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Main office: 970-848-5432 chshighplains.com

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December 6, 2023

m o r f tmas

s i r h C y Merr

Proven Conservative.

I want to hear from you!

Please reach out to me at facebook.com/SandovalForWeld adrienne@sandovalforweld.com (970) 222-3238 Paid For By Adrienne Sandoval for Weld. Registered Agent Marge Klein.

Endorsed by over 25 Weld County Elected Officials Support Law Enforcement Protect Our 2nd Amendment Keep Weld County Debt Free Support Small Business Defend Oil & Gas and Our Water

INVITES YOU TO JOIN US AGAIN FOR OUR

ANNUAL CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY FRIDAY DECEMBER 15TH, 2023

5:00 AM to 12:00 PM h

165 N Market Street Keenesburg, CO 80643

Come enjoy some free French Toast Sticks, Krispy Kreme Donuts, soda, coffee, snacks, and goodies!

Come down and let us thank you for your continued support!

Your favorite local business is the oldest gas station in town; we’ve been providing you great service and smiles - you’ve been treated like family here - for 36 years! Please continue to support us as our town continues to grow in these unprecedented times.

Make sure to fill out a raffle ticket for a chance to win!

(One per Adult; Must be 18 or Older to Enter)

Drawing will occur at 1pm.

Need not be present to win - Winner will be contacted by phone.

Grand Prize SAMSUNG 50-In Smart TV with Alexa Built-in

Door Prizes 2 Winners of Avalanche Hockey Tickets (4 Pack at Club Level) (January/February – Various Games to Choose From)

1 Winner of Kleve Ranch’s Jack Frost Special 2 Winners of Kleve Ranch’s Large Ground Beef Special 4 Winners of $25 Shell Gift Cards