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If you’re thinking Trump might be worth another try, let me remind you why that’s a really bad idea
It’s certainly an election like no other for the Sentinel.
This year, the Aurora Sentinel dramatically changed the structure of the newspaper company, becoming a non-profit media corporation. In February, the IRS granted Aurora Sentinel Community Media tax-exempt status.
DAVE PERRY Editor
And so for the first time in the newspaper’s 117-year history, the newspaper won’t be telling you and everyone who reads this paper’s opinion pages how to vote.
But I will.
For nearly 40 years, I’ve dutifully sat with editorial boards through hundreds of newspaper endorsement interviews, agonizing over campaign, candidate and ballot question details in order to make credible and trusted advice to readers about how to mark their ballots.
Like it or not, each year, dozens of readers call and say they don’t have time to read the Sentinel endorsements, and to please just tell them how they should vote on any number of questions or campaigns, and for president.
And, more than just a few readers call each year with the same question, explaining that they plan to vote opposite of the paper’s endorsements.
While it’s clear that all kinds of 501(C) (3) non-profit, “exempt” entities endorse in elections, such as endless numbers of churches and political committees, the courts, so far, have upheld the practice as verboten.
But the phone keeps ringing, and so I’m happy to, legally, tell readers there are no newspaper endorsements, and the following recommendation for president is all mine.
Here goes:
Top of the ballot: Democrat Kamala Harris. Set aside, only briefly, that despite Trump’s endless bluster and self-aggrandizement, he never really did much of anything as president. Sure, he spent billions on parts of a border wall that doesn’t work. He gave wealthy Americans and corporations massive tax cuts, which have helped blow up the federal deficit. With the aid of a Republican Senate, he pushed through an army of far-right federal and Supreme Court judges, which have helped right-wing extremists across the country implement
right-wing extremist policies.
But other than lying more than any human I know of has ever lied in public, almost exclusively about what he has or hasn’t done, there’s not much he can take credit-nor- blame for.
Well, sure, Republicans and Democrats in Congress effectively convicted Trump for manufacturing the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and there’s a long trail of bi-partisan proof showing that Trump actively and obsessively worked to overturn legitimate election results across the country.
But at the end of all that, and that last four years of him blaming other people for his own gaffes, crimes and failures, all this guy does is talk. And when he talks, he talks about how wonderful he is, and how horrible immigrants are, except for his wife and Elon Musk.
He talks about how he was able to remove reproductive and health care rights from hundreds of millions of American women and then tell all those women, that’s what they wanted. They wanted backward states like Arkansas, Texas and Florida to make pregnancy and healthcare decisions for women, and that it’s better this way.
Trump has worked feverishly and endlessly to hammer his fans with patently and provably false information and lies in an effort to undermine the public’s trust in journalism and the media. He works to persuade people that his seemingly endless appetite and propensity for lying is proof that the media can’t be trusted.
He just talks and talks and talks.
Now, he’s talking about how impressed he was with the size of golf legend Arnold Palmer’s genitals and how police need to assault people suspected of shoplifting. He talks about ordering the U.S. military to deploy against, “the enemy within,” people like Democratic U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff and journalists like me.
Now, Trump is talking about forcing the government to sue Google because if you “google” things like, “Trump” you get results like a Wikipedia entry about Trump, a link to his campaign website, a link to his Facebook page, a link to his Instagram page...
Trump did, however, quit talking a week ago during a campaign speech with
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, suddenly, and without explanation, and he just started swaying on stage to music, lovin’ him some YMCA beats.
He returned to talking to tell people that someone’s hydrogen car exploded, but, as usual, provided no facts or details.
Lost in the dust are his warnings about Black immigrants in Ohio eating dogs and cats, and brown people everywhere taking “Black jobs.”
There’s no real choice there. The world is a treacherous place right now.
Not only would Trump be pretty much the worst choice of anyone to run the country, but his second attempt at getting “all the best people” to do his bidding would be an even bigger disaster than the last time he recruited the likes of Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon and the Pillow Guy.
More than two dozen former Trump administration officials have gone public with their stories about what a dangerous and unpredictable, narcissistic and unintelligent man Trump really is. They do, however, admit, the guy can talk and talk and talk.
Now he’s talking about the likes of Laura Loomer, Tina Peters, Lauren Boebert and Elon Musk as people he needs to listen to in the White House.
Elon Musk? The same Elon Musk that believes the TikTok reels of Proud Boys and The Libs of TikTok provide the real news that the real news doesn’t?
What about any and all of that, which is really all that fits on this page, says “sign me up?”
Vice President Kamala Harris is just a smart, well-meaning, experienced prosecutor and legislator who can smell Trump’s bull a mile away. Her biggest deficit is talking past the sale.
I’m sold. I’ll take smart, capable, honest and experienced over four years of Trump’s blustering locker-room shower observations and a lot of sleepless nights.
Of course, this is just my recommendation. You decide.
Follow @EditorDavePerry on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@SentinelColorado.com
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Fla., Sunday, March 24, 2024.
AP Photo/Terry Renna
Without evidence, council member accuses governor, Denver mayor of smuggling migrants into Aurora
THEY ‘CONSPIRED TO SNEAK POTENTIALLY THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS INTO OUR CITY’
BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer
Ongoing controversy surrounding Venezuelan immigrants in Aurora took another twist yesterday when a city lawmaker accused the governor and Denver mayor of plotting to smuggle thousands of homeless migrants into local apartments.
“I believe that Gov. (Jared) Polis and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston conspired to sneak potentially thousands of migrants into our city, using several nonprofits in the metro (area) that ultimately put the safety of our citizens at risk,” Aurora Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky said in a statement.
Officials say Denver mayor’s offices did not directly address Jurinsky’s allegations, but they defended the city’s handling of the flood of immigrants to Denver over the last two years.
Denver took what many saw as a crisis and turned it into opportunity by partnering with nonprofits to help thousands of newcomers find stability, contribute to our economy, and have the opportunity to chase the American dream,” said Jon Ewing, spokesperson for the City of Denver. “Had we turned our back, there is little doubt that many of the 43,000 people who arrived in Denver over the last two years would today be sleeping on the streets rather than in their own beds.”
The unproven charge is the latest volley from Jurinsky in the controversy. For weeks, Aurora has made national news amid debunked allegations that the city has been overrun by Venezuelan gangs. A video depicting six men brandishing guns inside a northwest Aurora apartment created a national uproar after Jurinsky helped promote it on national right-wing and local media outlets.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump amplified the false claims about Venezuelan gangs, culminating in an Oct. 11 rally in Aurora. At the rally, Trump demeaned im-
migrants and announced “Operation Aurora,” which, if elected, would entail rounding up and deporting tens of millions of immigrants.
Aurora police and city officials have said there are some immigrants linked to the notorious Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang present in the metro area, but their activity and numbers are limited to a few locations.
Jurinsky, Trump and other right-wing Republicans have insisted that police and the media have downplayed the issue, which they say, without evidence, is a crisis.
Arguments over whether problems among three northwest Aurora apartment complexes are caused by crime, links to gangs or landlord mismanagement took a turn at the city council meeting Monday when Jurinsky offered a motion to investigate her allegations.
At the end of a heated city council discussion, Aurora lawmakers approved the measure on a 6-2 vote. Opposing the demand for an investigation were council members Alison Coombs and Crystal Murillo.
Both opponents were intensely critical of the request for an investigation, saying that it was a political stunt intended to discredit area Democratic leaders and attack organizations that aid immigrants.
“It’s going to target and scapegoat migrants and migrant-serving organizations,” Coombs said.
Murillo said she was concerned the investigation was an excuse to cut funding or withhold funding from nonprofit groups that help immigrants in Aurora.
The resolution authorizes the city to submit a series of Colorado Open Records Act requests to the governor’s office, the Colorado Office of New Americans, the Denver mayor’s office and the Denver Pathways to the Integration of New Americans for emails and contracts related to providing assistance to immigrants in order to relocate them to
Aurora, officials said.
Jurinsky said she thinks a communication trail will show that Polis and Johnston schemed to move Venezuelans living in Denver to Aurora.
In February, city lawmakers approved a resolution cautioning Denver and non-profit groups from “systematically” moving immigrants, or any homeless people, into Aurora.
The measure had no enforcement mechanism, and was deemed symbolic at the time.
Jurinsky, the measure’s sponsor, said the public has a right to know details about how many immigrants were placed in Aurora apartments, which nonprofit agencies accommodated the placements, and whether there was involvement from the state or city as well.
“I think that it’s incredibly insulting to think that Gov. Polis and Mayor Mike Johnston could covertly push migrants into our city without even having the courtesy to warn us about what they were doing,” Jurinsky said in the city statement.
City officials said Jurinsky is not taking phone calls from the media, and issued state-
ments on her behalf.
Jurinsky said she hopes that the CORA requests will help Aurora residents understand how many migrants were sent to the city, what support was promised to them and whether migrants with criminal backgrounds or gang affiliations were intentionally sent to Aurora.
Jurinsky said she was prompted to push for an investigation after reading “Chaos in Aurora,” in a publication called City Journal, operated by a conservative think tank, according to a city statement.
Murrillo warned fellow lawmakers that there are dangers to Venezuelan refugees in what she termed an anti-immigrant “hunt.”
Already fearful from televised anti-immigrant alarms raised by Jurinsky and Trump, Venezuelan immigrants are worried about being identified, fearing attacks and mistreatment.
Aurora City Attorney Peter Schulte told the city council Monday that the information gathered by Jurinsky’s request would not include
Aurora Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky at the Oct. 14, 2024 Aurora City Council meeting.
SENTINEL SCREEN GRAB
City police, code enforcement and housing officials go door-to-door Aug. 8 telling residents they must leave their apartments and the complex, which has been deemed uninhabitable by city health and safety officials. PHOTO SUPPLIED BY THE CITY OF AURORA.
AROUND AURORA
Aurora Sentinel named Press Forward grant recipient to boost local coverage
The Aurora Sentinel was named Wednesday a national Press Forward grant recipient, recognizing the 117-year-old newspaper as a critical voice for the most diverse community in Colorado.
“We are honored and humbled by the Press Forward grant designation,” said Sentinel Editor and Publisher Dave Perry. “We’re anxious to bring more reporting resources on board to continue our mission of providing trusted, fact-driven journalism for and about Aurora to everyone, without restrictions or paywalls.”
The national grant program provided a variety of levels of financial support for 205 newsrooms across the country among 900 applications for the program, according to Press Forward officials.
“We are proud to join a league of small, scrappy newsrooms across the state and across the nation to share the voices and stories of everyone living and working in diverse communities.”
The Sentinel will share in $20 million in funding as part of Press Forward’s first Open Call on Closing Local Coverage Gaps, according to Press Forward officials.
The foundation seeks to help sustain newspapers and digital media that report on diverse communities.
The Sentinel is operated by a 501(c)(3) non-profit group, dedicated solely to preserving the city’s long-standing and frequently honored newspaper and digital news company.
The Sentinel is a digital daily, distributes about 14,000 free, emailnews updates twice a day, is a member of the Associated Press, Colorado News Collaborative, Colorado Media Project, Colorado Ethnic Media Exchange, and offers a weekly print edition every Thursday.
This year, the Sentinel won seven top honors from the Colorado Press Association annual newspaper contest, competing against the state’s
any protected identifying details.
“My understanding from talking to (Jurinsky) on this is that (she’s) not focused on the nonprofits,” Schulte said. “(She’s) focused on whether, for lack of a better term, our neighborhood jurisdictions have been good neighbors.”
Jurinsky said she wanted to know whether housing inspections, required by HUD, were conducted before placing immigrants in apartments.
Without offering details, she said conversations with city and state officials make it clear to her that inspection rules were not followed.
“We learned that two nonprofits were placing migrant individuals and families in Aurora,” Jurinsky said.
Jurinsky closed discussion on the issue with an ominous warning.
She said she has a video depicting something alarming, but gave no details about what it was, or from where.
“I have a call out to Gov. Jared Polis. I’m asking you to call me, be-
largest newsrooms, including the Denver Post, The Colorado Springs Gazette and the Colorado Sun.
“From newsrooms focused on people of color and linguistically diverse communities, to others covering vast rural areas where they are the only news source for miles, these local journalists are filling the gaps where traditional coverage has fallen short,” Press Forward officials said in a statement.
The grant will provide for an additional staff reporter to focus on Aurora’s vibrant community of cultures and entrepreneurialism , Perry said.
Perry invited everyone who appreciates the Sentinel’s coverage or its unique, non-profit mission, to join hundreds of “community share holders” dedicated to preserving Aurora’s independent and indispensable journalism voice.
“This is a city that has long openly welcomed immigrants and all struggling Americans anxious to try their hand at starting their own business in a community eager to offer their support,” Perry said. “It’s a community that embraces people who have come from all over the world, sharing an extraordinary variety of cultures. From cuisines to concerts, markets and festivals, Aurora truly is a cultural nexus.”
— Sentinel Staff
Aurora
police Chief Todd Chamberlain offers public meet-and-greet Oct. 24
Aurora’s new police chief will take questions from the public later this month at an event facilitated by an Aurora state senator.
The hour-long meet-and-greet is scheduled for Oct. 24, six weeks after Todd Chamberlain swore in Sept. 9 as the seventh person in five years to lead Aurora’s beleaguered police force.
The announcement of his appointment in late August drew criticism among activists and civil rights watchdogs who decried city management and council members for making the hire without public input.
The Aurora Police Department is under a state order, called a consent decree, imposed in 2021 after an investigation by the Colorado attorney general that found “patterns and
cause I have video footage that will do bigger things than bring Donald Trump to the city of Aurora,”
Jurinsky said from the council dais.
“There’s only one other person on the planet that’s in possession of this video footage, and I’ll tell you that it’s haunted me to my core.”
Jurinsky went further, threatening Polis if he did not respond to her.
“I’m asking you to call me and see the videos that I am in possession of, because we need leadership, Jared, and I’m asking you to stand alongside me,” she said. “I hope you will call me. If you do not call me, the videos will come out.”
Polis said Jurinsky should call police.
“If the city council member is holding on to evidence of a crime, she should reach out to law enforcement immediately,” said Polis spokesperson Shelby Wieman. “The Governor’s office takes any potential for evidence of a crime very seriously and alerted state law enforcement of the council woman’s comments about potential video evidence, and they have been in touch with the Aurora Police Department.”
practices” of excessive use of force, especially against people of color. The decree requires APD to mend its ways by 2027.
Since appointed, Chamberlain has led the department through new controversies, including false accusations made by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump of the city being overrun by Venezuelan gangs and a May 23 officer involved shooting of an unarmed Black man during his arrest.
Facilitated by Democratic state Sen. Rhonda Fields, the question and answer session is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Dayton Street Opportunity Center, 1445 Dayton St. in Aurora.
Space is limited, so community members are urged to pre-register to attend at https://buff.ly/3NzTWMN.
— Sentinel Staff
City lawmakers undecided on how it will replace outgoing Councilmember Zvonek
Aurora City Council members have yet to decide how they’ll replace Councilmember Dustin Zvonek when he steps down from his at-large council seat later this month.
Zvonek announced his imminent departure during the Oct. 14 City Council meeting, citing issues surrounding family.
A discussion is scheduled for the council’s Oct. 28 study session to set rules for appointing a new at-large member beyond those set forth in the city code and city charter.
Current rules require a potential council member to be a U.S. citizen 21 years of age or older and to have lived in the city for at least a year — both by the next municipal election in November 2025. People who are salaried employees of the city, hold another elected office or have been convicted of embezzlement of public money, bribery, perjury, solicitation of bribery, or subordination of perjury do not qualify.
Zvonek is a conservative councilman and the mayor pro tem who was elected to his seat in 2021. He announced on Oct. 14 that he is stepping down, noting his recent hiring at
Denver’s 76 Group, a political lobbying and public relations firm, and citing family concerns as the reason for his departure.
The city charter gives the council 45 days from Zvonek’s departure to vote on a replacement. Among the procedural issues still in question is whether people who wish to be considered for the appointment must formally submit their intentions and other documentation before that vote.
The council last tried to appoint a replacement among its ranks in 2021, when then-Councilmember Nicole Johnston gave two months’ notice that she was leaving her Ward II seat. The council decided to accept applications for candidates, hold a virtual reception with questions from residents, interview candidates during a study session, and then vote on the candidate. Yet the ten remaining council members were deadlocked 5-5, unable to reach a six-vote majority needed to make an appointment, leaving the seat open until Aurora bar owner Steve Sundberg won it in the November 2021 election.
The conservative-majority council has been bitterly divided in recent months, especially over Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky’s false claims that violent members of a Venezuelan prison gang called Tren de Aragua, also known as TdA, have overrun parts of Aurora. Her narrative, debunked by city police, has become a popular talking point among far-right conservatives this campaign season, including Donald Trump. It also has prompted xenophobia against immigrants Aurora and, Jurinsky’s critics say, hurt the city’s reputation statewide and nationally.
Some city officials expect those tensions may spill into the council’s decision about Zvonek’s replacement. It is yet unclear whether Zvonek himself — an ally of Jurinsky — will weigh in the vote.
The council’s study session is schedule for 5:15 p.m. on Oct. 28. The sessions are live streamed on Aurora Comcast cable channels 8 and 880, as well on AuroraTV.org and Youtube. com/TheAuroraChannel.
— Susan Greene, Sentinel Reporter in Residence
RTD offering 2 free-ride days linked to upcoming voting dates
The Regional Transportation District is offering free rides to the civic-minded during this election season.
The agency, in collaboration with the Colorado County Clerks Association, is offering Zero Fare to Vote to encourage voter participation in the upcoming general election, according to a RTD news release.
RTD bus and train service will be available at no cost on Tuesday, Oct. 29, National Vote Early Day; and Tuesday, Nov. 5, Election Day.
Zero Fare to Vote removes a cost barrier for people on RTD services who want to cast their ballot, say agency officials. RTD’s Board of Directors approved Zero Fare to Vote as a permanent fare change earlier this year, the news release states.
“Providing RTD customers with systemwide zero fare transit to access polling places was well received when introduced in 2022,” General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson said in the news release. “This year and in subsequent general election years, registered voters can rely on RTD to deliver them to any polling place throughout the district to exercise their constitutional right to vote.”
“Colorado does everything we can to make it easy for eligible Coloradans to vote,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold adds in the news release. “I’m proud that RTD is offering zero fare days to encourage people to cast their ballots. This program is another way that Colorado is reducing barriers to the ballot box.”
National Vote Early Day is a nonpartisan day of celebration encouraging voters to cast a ballot. In Colorado, voters in the Denver metro area can use RTD services to vote in person at Vote Centers/Voter Service and Polling Centers or return their mail ballot to any official drop box. Colorado voters can return their mail ballots to any county clerk drop box or vote center regardless of what county they live in, the news release states.
›› See METRO, 6
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION TO BIDDERS
Food Bank of the Rockies is constructing a new facility located at 20600 E 38th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80011, within the Majestic Commercenter. The facility is a 270,000 square foot tilt-up warehouse and office building. This is public notification to bidders interested in bidding on the High Lift Package, which includes 4 reach lifts, 5 deep reach lifts, 1 reach lift with cab, 5 double riding pallet jacks, and 5 walk-behind pallet jacks, all equipped with telemetrics and lithium batteries/chargers. The scope also includes retrofitting our existing fleet – 19 pieces of equipment – with telemetrics. Vendors must provide details on the compatibility of their telemetrics systems with different equipment brands.
Please contact: Nick Elgin at nick.elgin@caaicon.com and Shaden Drazick at sdrazick@foodbankrockies.org if you are interested in bidding.
Proposals are due by Thursday, 12/5/24 no later than 4:00 PM MST and will be publicly opened at the project job trailer located onsite on Friday, 12/6/24 at 1:00 PM MST.
“I’m grateful that RTD is supporting voter participation in such a concrete and meaningful way,” Boulder County Clerk and Colorado County Clerks Association President Molly Fitzpatrick said in the news release. “Providing zero fare days not only supports those who face transportation and financial burdens, but it also increases public awareness about opportunities to vote early to ensure last minute emergencies won’t stand in anyone’s way of casting a ballot
Colorado voters can find their nearest ballot drop box or voting center by visiting GoVoteColorado.gov, and use RTD’s trip planner and click the “Vote” icon to find the best route to a designated drop box or polling location, the agency says.
Customers can further filter the trip planner results by selecting “Drop Box”, “Early Voting” and “Open Now.”
To find the desired voting or drop box location, customers can then click the “Plan Trip” button, the news release states.
— Monte Whaley, Colorado Community Media
Lawmakers delay repeal of Aurora’s employee tax, citing need for new fire stations
City lawmakers agreed Monday to a compromise that postpones repealing the city’s employment tax while officials search for funding for two new fire stations on Aurora’s eastern border.
On an 8-1 vote, city lawmakers agreed to postpone the imminent repeal of Aurora’s Occupation Privilege Tax until June 1, 2025. The pact came after two council members asked to retain the tax to pay for needed fire stations in Aurora Highlands and Southshore/Blackstone communities.
The tax was scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2024.
The employee tax, introduced in 1986, requires both employees and their employers in Aurora pay $2 per month, per employee. The tax was designed to help cover the cost of city services for workers who may not contribute through other taxes. The city estimates to collect about $5.9 million annually from the tax.
Councilmember Françoise Bergan sponsored the postponement, saying that expansive growth in the city’s northeast and southeast areas warrant new fire stations as a matter of public safety. Earlier in the year, Aurora lawmakers agreed to repeal the $2 tax, saying that the tax is a bookkeeping and financial burden, especially on small businesses.
Bergan wanted to keep the tax indefinitely, using the proceeds to fund, first, the two additional fire stations, and, after that, direct the proceeds in-
to the city’s public safety budget. At the time lawmakers agreed to repeal the tax, some lawmakers raised concerns about how the city would get by with almost $6 million a year in fewer taxes.
Councimember Dustin Zvonek proposed a compromise to delay the repeal until June, as well as a companion resolution to explore options for funding the two new fire stations. Those options could include new budget cuts, and potentially replacing or modifying the employee tax with a new levy or revenue source.
Zvonek suggested replacing the current employee tax with a flat-fee version of the occupational privilege tax, to make it easier for small businesses to track and pay it.
Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky, who sponsored the measure repealing the $2 tax earlier this year, said she is concerned about confusing businesses, expecting the tax to expire by January. She emphasized the need to update businesses on the new June 1 date quickly.
— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION
Text to voters falsely claims teacher union chief backs Colorado Amendment 80
The president of Colorado’s largest teachers union has denounced a text message to Colorado voters that falsely implies he supports Amendment 80, which would enshrine school choice in the state constitution.
The message includes an audio clip featuring Kevin Vick, the president of the Colorado Education Association. It does not include a disclosure of who paid for it, a potential violation of state law.
“They are blatantly misrepresenting the position of myself and thousands of teachers across the state, who have been vocally opposing this damaging initiative that would open the door to diverting millions in funding away from the public schools that educate 95% of our kids and funnel it to private schools,” Vick said in a statement.
The text message juxtaposes an audio clip of Vick saying “school choice has worked very well for students for years” with an unattributed written message saying Amendment 80 would let families keep the school choice that’s in place now.
Amendment 80 opponents note that the ability for parents to choose where to send their children to school has existed for decades and believe that the amendment backers’ true purpose is to open the door for public education funds to go to private schools.
If Amendment 80 fails, the state’s current school choice will not change. Advocates for the measure say that passing it guarantees that legislators can’t attack school choice in the future.
On Thursday, Bri Buentello, the director of government affairs for Stand Colorado, another education organization opposed to Amendment 80, filed a complaint with the Secretary of State’s office regarding the messages.
A spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office said that because the complaint has been filed, the office will not comment on whether the text messages violated disclosure laws.
The complaint is directed at Colorado Dawn IEC, an independent expenditure committee, which reported that it spent more than $872,000 on mail and text communications in support of Amendment 80 on October 12. Colorado Dawn is also listed as paying for the website that supports Amendment 80.
The complaint notes that because the committee is not registered as an issue committee, it may be violating state law by supporting Amendment 80.
One issue committee, School Choice for Every Child, registered with the state to support Initiative 138, which is the former name for Amendment 80. But that committee has not reported receiving or spending any money this year.
Both the issue committee and Colorado Dawn IEC have the same registered agent, Katie Kennedy, who did not respond to a request for comment about the text messages.
Colorado Dawn IEC has been the subject of at least two other similar complaints in the past, including one that resulted in a fine for improper disclosures.
Many of this year’s contributions to the Colorado Dawn independent expenditure committee come from an affiliated nonprofit that according to tax filings is chaired by Steve Durham, a Republican member of the State Board of Education, and from another group called Protect our Kids, run by Luke Niforatos, a vocal opponent of drug legalization.
— YESENIA ROBLES
Chalkbeat Colorado
CCA President Brownlee named to top national college advisory board
Mordecai Brownlee, president of the Community College of Aurora, was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Board of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society.
Brownlee is the sole representative from Colorado among 23 college presidents selected nationwide for this prestigious role, according to CCA officials.
“This is not just a recognition but an opportunity to contribute to a cause that uplifts and empowers students,” Brownlee said in a statement. “It is truly the honor of a lifetime, and I am committed to making a meaningful impact.”
Phi Theta Kappa, the leading honor society for students at associate-degree-granting institutions, supports academic excellence and leadership development. As a board member, Brownlee will help shape the organization’s strategic direction and advocate for Phi Theta Kappa’s mission of promoting student achievement and lead-
ership opportunities.
“Phi Theta Kappa is at its best when we go beyond recognition and provide students with opportunities to make the most of their college experience,” Dr. Lynn Tincher Ladner, president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “We would not be able to achieve this without the contributions and support of community college leaders like Dr. Mordecai Brownlee.”
Under Brownlee’s tenure, CCA has logged several milestones, including launching its first capital project and school of nursing, record-breaking fundraising efforts and a 20% increase in student completion rates, according to a CCA statement
He also oversaw hiring the college’s most diverse faculty to date.
Brownlee was appointed CCA president in 2021, and is the college’s sixth president.
In addition to his role at the college, Brownlee contributes to national educational discourse as a columnist for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and EdSurge, and teaches at Lamar University.
Phi Theta Kappa has more than 4.3 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 230,000 active members across the U.S, according to a statement.
— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer
COPS AND COURTS
Aurora cop convicted in assault of woman in parking lot takes plea deal
A former Aurora Police officer will avoid jail time after pleading guilty to assaulting a woman with a disability.
Douglas Harroun repeatedly punched and choked Wyoma Martinez in the parking lot of his Aurora apartment complex during a 2023 argument about a loose dog, according to police and court reports. In a court filing, he claimed that he was trying to arrest her even though he was off duty at the time.
Harroun was initially charged with felony assault in the 2023 case. But, in an agreement with the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office, he pleaded guilty last month to a single misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment. In exchange, Harroun agreed to two years of supervised probation and a requirement that he complete anger management classes.
The DA’s office said the victim supported the plea deal.
“We considered all of the facts and circumstances involving this case and determined a plea agreement was the best option in securing a conviction and resolving the matter without further delays,” Assistant District Attorney Tom Byrnes said in a statement.
Because the assault occurred in Aurora, police handed over investigation to Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, according to an arrest affidavit.
The assault occurred while Harroun was off-duty and on administrative leave from the Aurora Police Department because of a separate, 2022 incident in which he is accused of shooting a bystander in the ankle while responding to a domestic dispute. Harroun faces two felony assault charges in that case, and is scheduled for trial Nov. 5.
Harroun submitted his resignation
to the Aurora Police Department in January 2023.
Martinez, the woman Harroun assaulted, has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city. A federal judge in September refused the city’s request to dismiss her case, saying Aurora Police Department’s murky policies regarding officers on administrative leave could have contributed to Harroun’s behavior.
— Susan Greene, Sentinel Colorado
Former Denver prosecutor gets jail time for telling local teen to smoke pot
A former Denver prosecutor will serve two months behind bars after sending a series of inappropriate text messages to a teenager who shadowed him on the job.
Daniel James Steinhauser, 29, was sentenced earlier this month to 60 days in jail and five years of supervised probation after pleading guilty in July to contributing to the delinquency of a minor — a high-level misdemeanor.
Steinhauser was working as a Denver deputy district attorney prosecuting juvenile cases in 2023 when, via text messages, he urged the teen to smoke marijuana and advised him how to clear it out of his system without being detected, according police and court records made public by the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office.
“Other messages included Steinhauser asking the teen to meet with him without his parents and to delete messages so he wouldn’t get in trouble,” a news release reads.
The release says the parents had sent their teenager to shadow Steinheiser on the job in an attempt to address the boy’s behavior issues: “The family had hoped their son would be able to witness a juvenile (court) docket and see the potential consequences associated with poor decisions.”
The parents intercepted Steinhauser’s texts and reported them to authorities. In her report, an Arapahoe County Sheriff’s investigator described the messages as potential “grooming.”
Denver police referred the case to that office because the teen lived in Arapahoe County.
Steinhauser could not be reached for comment.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he attended the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver where his mother, former Denver prosecutor and current Aurora Municipal Court relief judge Karen Steinhauser, has taught. Daniel Steinheiser worked for the Denver DA’s office from May 2022 to May 2023, when his text messages came to light.
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann’s office said in a statement to the Sentinel that she “believes that it is a very sad situation for all involved.”
In his office’s news release, John Kellner, the 18th district attorney whose team prosecuted Steinhauser, said Steinhauser “was able to use his position as an attorney to gain the trust of a troubled youth and his parents.”
“While many misdemeanor offenses often result in no time behind bars, I do believe this defendant’s jail sentence is appropriate based on his blatant disregard for the law and the trust he eroded through his own actions.”
— Sentinel Staff
Editorials Sentinel
Trolling for Aurora police recruits at Trump rally was wrong. Mocking critics makes it worse.
Local lawmakers and residents should not overlook an egregious gaffe Aurora police recently made, and appear willing to make again.
On Oct. 11, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump descended on Aurora, drawing about 10,000 of his most fervent fans and supporters at the Gaylord Rockies hotel in east Aurora.
The sole purpose of his political rally here was to promote his false claims of Aurora being overrun by Venezuelan immigrants and gangsters. He came to embellish his racist, anti-immigrant campaign-threat to use police and U.S. military troops to round-up tens of millions of people suspected of being undocumented immigrants, forcing them into internment camps and then deporting them, somewhere.
Trump bombarded the Aurora crowd with the same deceits and disinformation that he dispenses everywhere he goes, drawing predictable cheers and hurrahs from the delighted crowd.
The Aurora rally, like most Trump rallies, drew throngs of people who cheered Trump as he promised to hunt down minority immigrants and prevent other immigrants from coming to the United States, even legally.
There were no surprises at the rally, except one: Two uniformed Aurora police officers working the crowd weren’t there to keep the peace. They were there, placards in hand, to encourage rally participants to apply for jobs as cops with the Aurora Police Department.
It takes little insight or imagination to recognize, and be shocked by, the incongruity of the blunder.
Few in the region, or even the nation, are unaware of the reputation and problems of the Aurora Police Department. This is a police department that has been lambasted, for years, for insensitivity to and abuse of people of color. While the vast majority of officers are professional, sensible and diligent public servants, a minority of miscreant and criminal police officers have been led and mismanaged by past incompetent police administrations.
The problem is so severe, that the state has mandated the abuses to stop and reforms be completed.
This is a city that wants those reforms. Aurora, like much of the nation, is repulsed by Trump’s overt and dog-whistle racism, where the nominee and his running mate insist that Black immigrants in Ohio steal and eat people’s house pets.
They do not believe that Latino immigrants are “poisoning the blood” of the Aurora, or the United States.
Aurora is a city disgusted by Trump’s racist press against Muslims with bans and slurs. Aurora is angered by the harm caused to Asian Americans by his insisting the COVID pandemic was the “China Flu.”
This is a community filled with people who personally and regularly suffer from the endless racist tropes promoted by Trump and the crowds of fans who cheer him at his rallies.
Trump recently insisted the police should invoke “one rough hour” with theft suspects as a strategy for reducing crime, right when Aurora is being forced by the state to curtail such crimes against residents.
What would ever prompt anyone at the Aurora Police Department to think that thousands of people energized by Trump’s call to violence and racism would make quality, or even acceptable, Aurora police officers?
And even for those Trump fans or police officials who don’t believe that Trump is the antithesis of what Aurora stands for, how could anyone be so oblivious to the optics of such a cruel and insensitive move?
One thing that public officials are made aware as they act in their capacity of community leaders, is that there are consequences not just in committing improprieties, such as trolling for cops at Trump rally, but there are dire consequences for stepping into the appearance of impropriety as well, even if it were an accident.
As foolish and inconsiderate as this stunt was, newly minted Chief Todd Chamberlain’s public response to the mistake was just as harmful.
“Last I checked, political affiliation doesn’t exclude you from being a police officer,” Chamberlain said in a social media post in response to media coverage of the gaffe. “The decision by our officers to attend Friday’s rally shows initiative and is in line with our commitment to draw a diverse and large pool of candidates to alleviate our present staffing issues.”
Chamberlain’s absence of chagrin is regrettable, but the snideness and insensitivity in the statement is alarming.
This was not a Republican assembly, nor was it a job fair sponsored by the office of Democratic Congressperson Jason Crow, mentioned by the chief. This was a private cam-
CAROLYN MARTIN AND ARI ARMSTRONG, SENTINEL GUEST COLUMNISTS
paign gathering to support the most polarizing man on the planet today, who provably participated in an attack on the U.S. Capitol, promising to pardon hundreds of insurrectionists and rioters who maimed and even killed American police officers.
Whether anyone at the police department understands and agrees with those facts, set into the U.S. record by congressional Republicans, Democrats, judges and juries alike, police can rest assured that the vast majority of Aurora residents understand and accept that reality.
We have to ask again, why would anyone think it would be acceptable to the residents of Aurora to troll for cops among those with beliefs and predispositions that the city and state are working currently to rout from the department?
Hopefully, Chamberlain and others in the police department don’t honestly think striving for “diversity” in the police department includes hiring people allegiant to Trump’s values and goals. That’s not diversity. That’s the problem that has cost Aurora taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in settlements and continues to frighten minorities and immigrants.
The Sentinel is not alone in its shock and disappointment by the stunt and the catty retort.
“This public response, as reported, strikes me as insensitive and disappointingly lacking in empathy for Aurora,” Aurora state Sen. Rhonda Fields said in a social media post last week.
Given the virtual chaos created by the self-made controversy in northwest Aurora and numerous other critical issues, the community should give Chamberlain, barely on the job for a month, the benefit of the doubt. Aurora should overlook his hurtful disregard for the gravity of past Aurora police abuses, and the disdain Trump and his followers offer as a remedy, if Chamberlain did this as an oversight. That would be difficult for the public to buy into, however, if Chamberlain doesn’t first admit how inapt it was to fish for cops at a Trump rally, and then mock those taken aback by it.
OPED: As homeschool advocates, we fear the ‘school choice’
On many large issues we disagree.
Carolyn, as part of Christian Home Educators of Colorado, values a Christian foundation for education. Ari is a secular homeschool dad. But we agree on the importance of Colorado parents having the freedom to guide the education of their children. We also agree that the so-called “school choice” ballot measure, Amendment 80 (originally Initiative 138), contrary to its stated purpose, poses a serious threat to the educational choices of families like ours.
In his recent op-ed, Aurora Councilmember Curtis Gardner claims that Amendment 80 will protect school choice, but he does not examine the language of the measure. The devil is in the details! Gardner also claims that “choice has been under attack at the State Legislature”—we assume he refers to efforts to restrict charter schools—but he doesn’t explain how Amendment 80 might help. In fact, it is more likely to undermine the autonomy of charter schools.
We urge people to read the actual language of this proposed state Constitutional amendment (on page 64 of the Blue Book). Part of the measure states, “All children have the right to equal opportunity to access a quality education.” That sounds great as an abstract goal. We all want a quality education for our children! The problem is that, when written into the state’s fundamental law, this creates a positive obligation for state government to guarantee that each child’s education is a “quality” one—as decided by politicians and bureaucrats. This threatens the authority of parents to decide what constitutes for their own children a quality education.
In short, Amendment 80 practically begs state government to more harshly regulate charter schools, private schools, and homeschoolers in the name of the government’s notion of a “quality education.” Remember that the measure will be interpreted and implemented, not by parents, but by politicians, bureaucrats, and judges.
Consider also that the reference to “all children” seems to demand that state government fund universal preschool starting from birth. After all, some preschool children get a high-quality education, so Amendment 80 demands that “all children” have such an oppor-
tunity. Obviously that is not the intent of the authors of the proposal, but that is the text’s literal meaning.
True, Amendment 80 also declares “that parents have the right to direct the education of their children.” But this line must be read in the context of what precedes it. The most likely reading is that, under Amendment 80, the rights of the parents end where the government-defined “quality education” begins.
Finally, Amendment 80 declares that “each K-12 child has the right to school choice,” including “neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools.” Again, this “right” must be read in context of the demand that government ensure a “quality education,” which leaves ample room for severe regulations.
Does Amendment 80 require state government to fund vouchers for private schools, including religious ones? No one knows. Amendment 80 itself does not say. But a plausible reading says yes. If “each child” has a “right to school choice,” and that includes private schools, then is that “right” not violated when government fails to fund private schools via vouchers? Amendment 80 leaves it for the courts to decide. That is a bad way to make public policy.
We might disagree on the broader matter of vouchers. Carolyn’s organization long has been against them, on grounds that with tax dollars come government restrictions. What the government funds, the government controls. Ari is at least open to discussing the idea, although he shares the concern about vouchers possibly leading to more government controls. But we agree that punting the matter to the courts is a terrible strategy.
We believe that parents have the right to make their families’ educational choices and to decide what constitutes a quality education for their children. Parents know their own children better than anyone else does. We oppose Amendment 80 precisely because it threatens parents’ ability to make their own educational choices.
Carolyn Martin, director of government relations for Christian Home Educators of Colorado, with her husband homeschooled her three children. Ari Armstrong, author of a book about atheism, with his wife homeschools his nine-year-old
STATE REP. MIKE WEISSMAN, GUEST COLUMNIST
It has to be a ‘yes’ vote on Prop H to for real accountability
The adjacent op-ed in the Sentinelencourages a “no” vote on Amendment H. A no vote leaves in place a 60-year old system of judicial discipline that is out of sync with other states; that offers too little information to complainants and members of the public; and that was rightly called into question by years of reporting about allegations of impropriety in the Colorado judicial branch.
A no vote also rejects the testimony of survivors of judicial misconduct, attorneys who want a modern system of judicial discipline for the sake of their clients, and retired judges with the courage to speak out about issues they saw in their careers.
Voters should know both how Amendment H comes to the ballot and what it does to change existing, 60-year-old laws about judicial discipline. Judicial discipline in Colorado is based on language in our state constitution, so it is necessary to amend the constitution to update disciplinary procedures. This is neither fast nor easy (and it shouldn’t be), and necessarily involves voters statewide (and it should).
In 2022, Democratic and Republican leaders of the judiciary committees in both the state House and the Senate worked together to pass legislation to begin to create more independent judicial oversight and to empower a bipartisan interim committee to work on constitutional change. That legislation passed with 94 out of 100 votes.
The interim committee met throughout the summer and fall of 2022. Notwithstanding significant Democratic majorities in the legislature, the interim committee was intentionally evenly bipartisan – 4 Democratic and 4 Republican members. The chair was a Democrat and the vice-chair was a Republican. Both measures advanced by the interim committee – one of which is now Amendment H – had unanimous bipartisan support and later earned the support of more than 95 out of 100 legislators in the 2023 full session of the legislature.Amendment H proposes changes in three significant aspects of judicial discipline: independence from the judicial branch; public availability of information; and availability of information to a person who raised a complaint.
For decades, the Colorado constitution has put the Colorado Supreme Court largely in charge of judicial discipline, from appointing “special masters” to having wide latitude as to what sanctions to impose at the end of a disciplinary proceeding. The challenges of this kind of system were on display recently when a proceeding involved a former chief justice of the supreme court.
Amendment H reduces the role of the Colorado Supreme Court. Court-appointed “special
masters” are eliminated, and a new “judicial discipline adjudicative board” is responsible for the later phases of any judicial discipline matter.
The board is composed of four judges, four attorneys, and four Coloradans who are neither judges nor attorneys. For each judicial discipline matter, a panel of one judge, one attorney, and one civilian is selected to determine the appropriate disciplinary response.
In both the full board and any panel, judges are a numerical minority – that is by design. The supreme court has a much reduced role compared to our decades-old system, limited to hearing appeals from panel decisions. Amendment H requires that in an appeal, the supreme court is required to give significant deference to the factual findings and the disciplinary decisions of the panel. In other words, the supreme court may not simply substitute its own conclusions in those matters.
Another critique of our existing system has been lack of access to information by the public and the press. This is because the state constitution requires confidentiality until a discipline matter reaches the supreme court — which is at the very end of the discipline process. Amendment H instead declares disciplinary proceedings open from the beginning of proceedings before the new adjudicative panels — earlier in the process than is presently the case.
Finally, years of bipartisan work identified that our decades-old system does not do a good job keeping people who have initiated a judicial discipline complaint informed about what is going on. Many years ago, Colorado voters recognized the importance of “procedural justice” by passing the Victim Rights Amendment, which requires that crime survivors be notified about things like sentencing hearings. But these notification provisions don’t apply to judicial discipline, so survivors of judicial misconduct have too often found themselves in the dark, even in very serious matters.
Amendment H corrects these shortcomings by allowing release of otherwise confidential discipline information to complainants. Amendment H also allows the release of aggregated data about judicial discipline matters, so the public can track overall trends.
In our divided times, Democrats and Republicans often don’t agree on much. But by a nearly unanimous vote, legislators from Aurora to Yuma County agreed, after extensive deliberation, that Amendment H represents an important set of reforms to judicial discipline in Colorado.
Please vote yes.
Rep. Mike Weissman represents House District 36 in Adams and Arapahoe Counties. He served on the 2022 legislative interim committee on judicial discipline and chaired that committee for part of its work.
Voters should question Amendment H and Weissman
Is Aurora State Rep. Mike Weissman representing your interests?
He’s running for state senate in north Aurora’s state Senate District 28 after serving as a state representative for Aurora. He’s also the chief proponent for an issue on your ballot: Amendment H.
Perhaps looking at H will help you decide whether Weissman deserves your vote. Amendment H regards judicial discipline. If someone believes a judge has violated the Code of Judicial Conduct, they can file a complaint with the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline. Weissman recommends changing the process for how complaints are handled.
Weissman alleges an additional step in the judicial discipline process – an adjudicatory board – is “independent” and that H would modernize Colorado’s judicial discipline system. Some claim H scraps the current judicial discipline commission and replaces it with a new “independent” board. Some claim that H would hold judges more accountable. H is, at best, misleading.
The current judicial discipline commission would remain in place under H. Since 1984, 7,157 complaints have been filed by the public against judges. These figures are from the annual reports of the discipline commission. Of those complaints, 7,145 were handled out of public view. H would continue to allow that. Almost all the complaints were dismissed with private discipline being issued in the rest.
Weissman’s H would also provide for additional undercover proceedings to help judges remain unaccountable. It would allow judges to appeal private discipline to a panel of three selected from a twelve-member adjudicatory board. It’s a second chance for a judge to get a complaint dismissed out of public view. Then a third chance is provided by H because the panel’s ruling could privately be appealed to the Supreme Court.
Weissman’s H would create more actions that can take place in private. That’s not an increase in transparency.
A public hearing would be required under H when an accused judge and the commission don’t agree regarding public discipline and the commission desires a formal hearing. Historically, this happens in less than 1% of complaints filed by the public.
At this point, the discipline commission could not proceed on its own in private as it currently does. H would require the commis-
sion to refer the matter to a three-member panel, selected from the twelve-member adjudicatory board, where a public hearing would be held. H provides, however, that the board’s ruling can be appealed to the Supreme Court. Under H, the Supreme Court would review issues of law “de novo.” That means the Supreme Court would still be the ultimate authority on interpreting the Code of Judicial Conduct. Facts would not constitute a violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct unless the Supreme Court interprets the Code to say the facts constitute a violation.
Members of the adjudicatory board created by H would be selected by the Supreme Court and the governor. The Supreme Court would also appoint members to a rulemaking committee whose rules the adjudicatory board would have to obey under H. And the three-member adjudicatory panels that are selected from the adjudicative board to hear a formal judicial discipline proceeding under H?
They would be selected by the state court administrator who is hired by, and reports to, the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court already appoints members to the discipline commission that remains in effect under H. Weissman’s allegations of an “independent” adjudicatory board in H are completely unfounded. Why would anyone vote to place that falsehood in the state Constitution? Why would he urge you to do that?
H even rewards the bad actors in the judicial scandal by giving the state court administrator power in judicial discipline proceedings and making it harder to discipline a Supreme Court justice like other judges. Weissman is a licensed attorney who has never practiced law. He’s the most susceptible individual imaginable to a manipulative and predatory judicial branch dead set on keeping judges unaccountable. The Legislature is to keep checks and balances on the judicial branch. H makes it harder to discipline judges, creates more proceedings that are held out of public view, and makes it more likely that judges will remain unaccountable. Why isn’t Weissman telling you all of this? Why is he so concerned about judges? Is Mike Weissman representing your interests?
Chris Forsyth has practiced law in Colorado for 30 years and is the Executive Director of The Judicial Integrity Project, a statewide watchdog group.
CHRIS FORSYTH, GUEST COLUMNIST
TIME FOR YOUR FALL SCREAM — AND CHUCKLE, GASP AND A LONG
Just in time for Halloween, fall fun and all things orange and creepy, an October bucket list
Sure, all year long you, your family and your friends tense and even gasp at anything that even resembles a spider. All summer, the thought of towering skeletons and pumpkin spiced anything was the furthest thing from your mind. But now, you’re hunting for thrills and chills.
The options for all things scary, quaint, nostalgic or just cute and pumpkin-y are many.
Here are some top picks to move you completely out of summer mode.
13th Floor Haunted House
13th Floor returns for the 2024 season as the city’s largest and one of the nation’s scariest haunted houses. This year brings new features, including Mini Escape Games, new characters, a redesigned layout and two secret bars inside the haunt. Fan-favorite attractions like the Shriekeasy, Tiki Tarot Experience, ax throwing, behind-thescenes tours and the Zombie Shooting Gallery also return. Visitors will experience three new themes: Crimson Night, Nautical Nightmare and Macabre.
IF YOU GO:
Open until Nov. 3
3400 E. 52 Ave.
$19.99 - $34.99
13thfloorhauntedhouse.com/
Sleightly Impossible
A night of spooky magic with Halloween-themed music and fun. The family-friendly event features two Denver magicians, Matthew C. Brandt and Gene R. Gordon. A oneof-a-kind experience with comedy, illusion, mystery and magic. The show is a great show full of Magic, mirth and a bit of mayhem, according to a statement.
IF YOU GO:
Sleightly Impossible
7 p.m. Oct. 26.
Wonder’s Hub Stage at 40 West, 6501 West Colfax Ave.
$14-$28
All ages welcome Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are available.
Boo & Brew Candy
Crawl Town Center at Aurora mall trickor-treating with added fun. Parents get complimentary beer from Helga’s Haus & Bier Garden. Families can take pictures with the 360 video booth by Miss Money Shot and meet Miss Teen Colorado at a special
$10 - $15
meet-and-greet. There will also be carnival-style games and a Halloween costume contest.
IF YOU GO: Noon – 4 p.m., Oct. 26 Town Center At Aurora, 14200 E. Alameda Ave. Free
“Where The Wild Things Are” Package
In collaboration with Denver Art Museum’s brand-new “Where The Wild Things Are” exhibit, honoring the cherished children’s book, The ART Hotel Denver, has launched a Wild Things package. The package will include a hardcover edition of “Where the Wild Things Are”book. Two tickets to the “Wild Things” exhibit at the Denver Art Museum, truffles and a personalized note from the book’s main character, Max.
IF YOU GO: From Oct. 13 to Feb. 17
The ART Hotel Denver 1201 Broadway, Denver Free www.thearthotel.com/special-offers/wild-things
Haunted Howl-o-ween Party for Dogs!
Wag Hotels’ 9th Annual
Haunted Howl-o-ween Party will be family-friendly fun. The event promises a night of spooky fun for both dogs and humans, with activities like a costume contest for matching pets and owners. Highlights include photos with Cruella de Vil, a costume contest, a silent auction and dog-friendly activities. All proceeds benefit the Frosted Faces Foundation, a nonprofit supporting senior dogs with shelter and veterinary care.
IF YOU GO:
6:30-8 p.m. Oct. 24
Wag Hotels Denver, 24735 E. 75 Ave., Ste. 104,
https://www.eventbrite.com, search for Haunted Howl-o-ween Party for Dogs
Hocus Pocus Drag Show
A fabulous night of spellbinding drag performances at the Hocus Pocus Drag Show. Early bird tickets are $10. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m., first come first serve for seating. This is an interactive event, so the queens will dance around the lounge. The event encourages people to dress up in their best “Hocus Pocus” themed outfit to win a prize. Cocktails and food will be served at the event.
IF YOU GO:
7 p.m. Oct. 24
Millers & Rossi, 3542 Walnut St.
$12.51
https://www.eventbrite. com/e/hocus-pocus-drag-showtickets-1030278038347
Monster Masquerade: Adult Night
Celebrate the Halloween season with creepy-crawly Animal Ambassadors, trivia, character photo ops, a costume contest and a live DJ. Monster Masquerade is presented in partnership with the Colorado Lottery.
IF YOU GO:
5 p.m. Oct. 24
Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver
21 years and older
$30 (720) 337-1400
https://my.denverzoo.org
Moonlight Pumpkins
Sipping and painting pumpkins in the moonlight. The weekend evenings sell out by mid-week, so register early. Event organizers ask that people arrive 20 minutes early to select seats, get paints and enjoy
refreshments. Doors open 30 minutes before each class, and groups should have someone arrive early to reserve seats. Drinks are not included in the ticket price but are sold during the event, and no outside drinks are allowed. Children 6+ can attend with supervision, but Fridays and Saturdays are for ages 12 and older.
IF YOU GO: 6:30 p.m., Oct. 24
6461 E. Hampden Ave. $35 https://eventbrite.com/e/ moonlight-pumpkins-thursoctober-24th-630pm-35-tickets-1011204067587
Sugar Skull Painting, Sipping and Tacos
Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) themed event, where people can paint their own 3D wooden carved or ceramic Sugar Skull and eat some tacos.
IF YOU GO:
7 p.m. Oct. 25 and 2 p.m. Oct. 27
Refresh Studios, 950 Jersey St., Denver $55- $65 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ sugar-skull-painting-sipping-andtacos-tickets-1035072207837
Victorian Horrors
Victorian Horrors theater program, where deathly tales written by well-known but long-gone authors are read by acclaimed local actors in a one-hour program. Admission times are every 15 minutes from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., but openings are booking up fast.
IF YOU GO: 6:15 p.m. Oct. 24-26
$25- $30 Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St., mollybrown.org
Nerd Nite Denver HALLOWEEN: Dead of Cheesman, CO Cannibals & Horror Films
An evening of tricks and treats with the return of Nerd Nite HALLOWEEN! Costume contest and big prizes. Spooky talks will include Alferd Packer, Colorado’s infamous cannibal, and the controversies surrounding his life, often compared to the Donner Party, the concept of tulpas, entities from folklore and horror films that may manifest in real life and the history of Cheesman Park, covering its transformation from a cemetery to a public park, and the scandal involving a corrupt undertaker.
IF YOU GO: 7 p.m. Oct. 25
The Bug Theatre, 3645 Navajo St., Denver $15 www.bugtheatre.org
Great Pets, Howl-AThon
Adopt a new pet through this Halloween event. A variety of adorable adoptable dogs and cats looking for loving homes. There will be events like a costume contest where people can dress up pets in their most creative Halloween outfit and compete for prizes. There is also pumpkin carving, a photo station, a silent auction and doggy yoga.
IF YOU GO: Noon to 5 p.m., Oct. 26 Big Up Studios, 3410 Blake St. Denver
Free with donations
All ages
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ great-pets-howl-a-thon-big-upstudios-tickets
Spotlight on Aurora police shooting of Black man shifts to Chief Chamberlain
While local prosecutors will not press charges against Dieck, Chamberlain must determine whether he followed department policies and should remain on the force
BY SUSAN GREENE, Sentinel Reporter in Residence
Todd Chamberlain is facing a judgment call that could shape not only his tenure as Aurora’s police chief, but also the direction of the city’s police department: what to do with an officer who shot and killed an unarmed man in May.
A month after swearing into office, the new chief was informed Oct. 11 that local prosecutors will not press charges against Officer Michael Dieck for fatally shooting unarmed Kilyn Lewis during an arrest operation run by the department’s SWAT unit. District Attorney John Kellner deemed the shooting justified on grounds that Dieck and other officers feared Lewis was reaching for a gun.
Kellner’s decision does not, however, weigh in on whether Dieck followed department policies, nor does it advise or determine whether he should remain on the police force. Chamberlain must make that call in the shadow of a state legal order for the police department to address what the attorney general’s office found to be “patterns and practices” of excessive force, especially against people of color.
READ THE REPORT AT SENTINELCOLORADO.COM
Dieck is white. Lewis was a 37-year-old Black father whose parents, siblings, wife and friends, along with a host of civil rights activists, have been demanding Dieck’s firing since June. Their spirited protests at City Hall have at times prompted the Aurora City Council to shut down its in-person meetings, retreating to online proceedings to avoid confrontation.
Dieck shot Lewis May 23 after Aurora and Denver police had been surveilling him for two days as part of their attempted murder investigation into a May 5 drive-by shooting that wounded a man in Denver. Lewis was accused of being the shooter, injuring a homeless man near Park Hill earlier in May.
SWAT officers tracked Lewis to his apartment complex in the 300 block of South Ironton Street, where they confronted him next to a red Chevrolet Monte Carlo — one of the cars police say was visible on surveillance camera footage taken of the drive-by shooting 18 days earlier. Video from body-worn cameras shows officers approaching him with their guns raised and demanding that he drop to the ground.
Lewis started to back away and reached behind his back near his waistband. He then moved his hands, pulling one from his pocket, holding a cell phone and a fruit snack, and was shot once by Dieck. As he fell to the ground, he said multiple times, “I don’t have nothing.”
Lewis underwent abdominal surgery, but died two days later.
His autopsy report showed the single shot fired by Dieck injured his abdominal organs, ripped open an artery and caused heavy internal bleeding. “He suffered significant brain damage because of blood loss which ultimately caused his death,” Kellner’s report reads, noting that chemicals consistent with recent cocaine and fentanyl use were found in Lewis’ blood. Because Lewis was intubated at the hospital, the report noted that “he was never in a position to be interviewed by investigators.”
Lewis had run-ins with law enforcement prior to May, pleading guilty to separate incidents of trespassing, child abuse, robbery and illegally discharging a firearm. State records show he served time in Colorado’s Department of Corrections.
Dieck, according to Kellner’s report, has been a police officer since 1992, first at the Teller County Sheriff’s office and then at the Douglas County Sheriff’s office before joining APD in 2011. He became a part of Aurora’s SWAT ten years ago, the DA’s letter indicates.
Lewis’ killing marked Dieck’s third shooting since 2018, APD spokesman Joe Moylan has said.
In his letter to Chamberlain two weeks ago, Kellner wrote that he based his decision not to prosecute on a number of factors, including:
Kilyn Lewis, fatally shot by police during his arrest in Aurora, from his Facebook page.
SENTINEL FILE PHOTO/Sentinel Colorado
BOTH PHOTOS ABOVE FROM AURORA POLICE
VIDEO: Kilyn Lewis, left moments before being shot by Aurora police officer RIchard Dieck, left. SENTINEL FILE PHOTOS
•“Officer Dieck’s awareness of the violent offense Mr. Lewis was wanted for” – meaning the May 5 shooting in Denver
•“Mr. Lewis was known to be a gang member with a history of unlawful weapons possession and use.”
• “Officer Dieck described Mr. Lewis ‘digging’ in the right waistband/ rear pocket area of his pants. Officer Dieck interpreted this as likely Mr. Lewis was reaching for a gun.”
• “The other officers involved described the actions of Mr. Lewis as consistent with someone preparing to draw a weapon and otherwise fight the officers.”
•“Officer Dieck possessed an objectively reasonable belief that the object in Mr. Lewis’ right hand was a gun that he was bringing to bear on the officers.”
Kellner wrote that “No weapons were ultimately found on or in the vicinity.”
His letter cites an interview in which Dieck said he had been assigned to use a 40 mm baton launcher while surveilling Lewis, but switched to a pistol when it became clear on the scene that he would be the first officer to contact him rather than acting in a back-up position. “It was part of their training that the officer most likely to come into direct contact with the suspect should be armed with a lethal option,” the report reads.
At Oct. 14 rally, Lewis’ family and their supporters said police must not have considered Lewis much of a threat if they waited until their second day surveilling him before initiating an arrest. They slammed police and prosecutors for “demonizing Kilyn as a criminal, a gangster and drug user.”
“They tried to paint Kilyn as someone who somehow deserved the bullet to his abdomen,” community organizer MiDian Shofner said, calling Lewis’ killing “yet another lash on the backs of the Black community.”
Chamberlain, a veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, inherited the Lewis controversy when he was sworn in Sept. 9 as APD’s seventh leader in five years.
He has pledged to rebuild public trust in a department policing one of Colorado’s most racially diverse cities where one of five residents was born abroad.
Aurora has been rocked recently with other controversy. A media conundrum caused by Aurora Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky promoting disputed narratives about gang takeovers in part of the city has become the focus of international attention. False claims of Venezuelan gang takeovers in all of part of Aurora have repeated on right-wing TV news shows and, finally, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump. Trump held a campaign rally in Aurora Oct. 11.
Asked for Chamberlain’s take on Kellner’s decision not to press criminal charges, the department said the chief had no comment.
Dieck was on paid administrative leave until Aug. 3, when APD assigned him to “restricted duty in a non-public facing role,” Moylan has told the Sentinel. Dieck remains in that unspecified role as the department’s use-of-force investigation and administrative review of Lewis’s shooting are ongoing.
Lewis’ father, Robert, told the Sentinel that, whether or not Dieck is allowed to remain on the police force, “Something bad is going to happen to him one day.”
“Once you murder people like that, it’s something that’s gonna come back on you. It’s just karma,” he said, noting the family plans a civil rights lawsuit against both Dieck and the department.
Election Day is coming ARAPAHOE
Want to perfect your baking skills? Consider joining us for an online workshop about the art and science of baking at Colorado’s high elevations. This online class will be Oct. 23, 2024, 7–8:30 p.m. Cost $5. Visit https://bit.ly/ACHEBaking to register or scan the QR code with your smartphone.
Weatherization provides a professional audit of a resident’s home to determine what energy-conserving updates or installations will keep them cooler in the summer, and warmer in the winter while lowering utility bills. Visit arapahoeco.gov/ weatherization to check eligibility.
Kilyn Lewis’ grandmother, Sherdina Lewis, addresses interim police chief Heather Morris after demonstrators took over the Paul Tauer Council Chamber and the chief agreed to listen to the crowd during an Aurora City Council meeting Monday, July 8, 2024.
File Photo by Max Levy / Sentinel Colorado
A supporter of Kilyn Lewis addresses Aurora City Council members during the first part of the group’s regular meeting Monday, July 8, 2024, while other supporters raise their hands in the foreground.
SENTINEL FILE PHOTO
Right: Seniors Aiden Pranan-
and Spencer Buege celebrate after the final point of their victory in the No. 4 doubles final at the Class 5A boys tennis individual state tournament Oct. 19 at Denver Tennis Park. The duo won a title in their one and only state appearance.
Below top: Regis Jesuit sophomore Alec Rodriguez-Fields yells in celebration after he won the 5A No. 1 singles final with a threeset victory over Pine Creek’s Braylon Desquitado.
Below middle: Regis Jesuit senior KC Eckenhausen returns a volley during the 5A No. 2 doubles state title match. Eckenhausen and partner Adam Rydel lost to Cherry Creek in three sets.
Below bottom: Regis Jesuit senior Carl Siegel makes a backhand return during the 5A No. 3 doubles match. Siegel and partner Edward Samuelson finished as the runner-up to Cherry Creek.
PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL
The potential of the Regis Jesuit boys tennis team throughout the season came through on the final day of the Class 5A individual state tournament.
All seven of the Raiders’ lines made it all the way to the final session of three-day tournament Oct. 19 and all walked away with hardware as topthree placers, even if not exactly what they desired.
BOYS TENNIS
Sophomore Alec Rodriguez-Fields claimed the 5A No. 1 singles state championship and the all-senior No. 4 doubles team of Spencer Buege and Aiden Prananta also triumphed on a day in which coach Laura Jones’ Regis Jesuit team went 2-4 in title matches.
Raiders, as they took down Cherry Creek’s Mitch Kelly and Truman Wooden 7-6, 6-4 to win a title in their first and only career state appearances.
“It was pretty amazing that we did this in our first year,” Buege said. “We worked hard all season and we had a great regular season that carried over into state.”
Buege and Prananta lost only one match during the regular season — to the same Bruins’ duo at the Cherry Creek Invitational Sept. 14 — and they made it through four state matches without losing a single set.
They averted a set loss with a close win in a first set tiebreak, then went on to finish the match, despite falling down 0-3 in the second set.
Raiders’ net
“I’m just really proud of this moment, I’m proud of myself and happy with what I did,” Rodriguez-Fields said after his 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Pine Creek freshman phenom Braylon Desquitado. “I was slightly nervous, but I was motivated because I lost in the final last year. That helped keep motivated throughout the match.”
BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor
Indeed, Rodriguez-Fields came up short of winning a state title last season when he played in the No. 2 singles spot and fell to Valor Christian’s Jace Nakamura in the final. He avenged that loss to Nakamura with a semifinal victory (6-1, 7-5) as both moved up into the No. 1 spot this season and then he faced the undefeated Desquitado in the final.
Rodriguez-Fields dropped the opening set, but worked his way back into the match. He managed to survive a serving onslaught by Desquitado, who had several racquets break during the match and had to have a medical time out in the third set.
Up 4-1 in the final set, Rodriguez-Fields saw Desquitado win three straight games, but he held serve to take the lead and then got a break to win the match.
“He was just bombing his serves in the third set, so I got a little nervous,” Rodriguez-Fields said. “I just tried to move my feet more, cheer a little louder when I won a point to maybe get in his head a little bit. I just had to do what I could.”
All the other Regis Jesuit finals came in head-tohead matchups with Cherry Creek, which went in the Bruins’ favor by a 4-1 count. The teams will reprise their matchup Oct. 22 in 5A team state championship match on the same courts.
Buege and Prananta were the lone victors for the
“We won the tiebreak in the first set, which was a really big moment,” Prananta said. “We kindof took our foot off gas pedal at the beginning of the second set, but then we got locked in.”
Freshman twins Blake and Sebastian Wright finished the season with matching second-place finishes at Nos. 2 and 3 singles, respectively, for Regis Jesuit. Blake Wright finished the season with just one loss, which came in the final, as Cherry Creek’s Jack Loehr topped him 6-4, 6-3. It was a similar match (though with a different final outcome) to when Wright won 6-4, 6-4 when they played in the finals of the Cherry Creek Invitational. Sebastian Wright finished with only two losses and both came to the Bruins’ Aiden Washer, who he faced for the third time on the season. Washer prevailed 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 in a seesaw match to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
The Regis Jesuit No. 3 doubles team of senior Carl Siegel and sophomore Edward Samuelson took the first step to victory by claiming the first set from Cherry Creek’s Sam Migliaccio and Devan Shah, only to see the Bruins rally for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. Senior KC Eckenhausen and junior Adam Rydel saw a lead in an opening set tiebreak get away to Cherry Creek’s Wills Possehl and Tyson Hardy, then forced a third set before the Bruins prevailed 7-6, 6-3, 6-1.
The Raiders’ No. 1 doubles team of junior Clay Dickey and sophomore Vlad Sukhovetskyy bounced back from a semifinal loss to Cherry Creek (in which they dropped two tiebreaks) and cruised to third place with a emphatic 6-2, 6-1 win over Fairview’s Ian Schwartz and Sam Rich.
To finish off the season, Regis Jesuit and Cherry Creek will meet in the 5A team final Oct. 22 in a rematch of last season, when the Bruins prevailed 4-1. Cherry Creek has won both titles since the team tournament was added starting in 2022.
ta, right,
SOFTBALL
Cherokee Trail, Grandview make 5A state tourney
Cherokee Trail took the short path, while Grandview went the long way, but both Aurora area programs earned spots in the Class 5A state softball tournament Oct. 25-26 at the Aurora Sports Park.
The Colorado High School Activities Association issued the 16-team state bracket Oct. 21 in the wake of the eight regional tournaments played Oct. 18-19 and the Cougars — the top seed — and 10th-seeded Wolves ended up on opposite sides of the draw.
Cherokee Trail went into Region 1 play Oct. 18 at the Aurora Sports Park and played the way it had all season on its way to the No. 1 seed in the postseason with a pair of strong victories. Coach Caley Mitchell’s Cougars blanked 32nd-seeded Pine Creek 10-0, then put up five runs in the opening inning against No. 16 Chaparral on the way to a 10-2 victory that clinched a state berth.
Both Cherokee Trail sophomore pitchers (Sydney Cobb and Emma Rice) earned victories on the mound as Cobb threw a 1-hitter against Pine Creek and Rice allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings against Chaparral. Rice also had four hits — including a home run — and three RBI betwen the games, while Cobb drove in a combined four runs and Kylie Twilt went 4-for-6 among the highlights.
The 21-4 Cougars open the state tournament at 10 a.m. Oct. 25 against 16th-seeded Vista Ridge (14-12).
Grandview was the last of the 16 teams to earn a state berth, as it had to play the final game of the Region 8 tournament Oct. 19 at Canyon View Park in Grand Junction. Coach Liz Carter’s Wolves won by forfeit over No. 24 Heritage in its opener, then dropped 2-1 eight-inning contest to host and No. 8 Fruita Monument in the regional title game despite outhitting the Wildcats 6-4. That pitted Grandview against Heritage for the final state spot and it came through with a 4-3 win in eight innings. Leah Graves pitched four strong innings of relief and held the Eagles scoreless in the final three frames, while the Wolves worked on erasing a two-run deficit. Brooklyn Heil homered and drove in two runs, while Sasha Kennedy (who went 3-for-3) and Monroe Donaldson drove in the other runs for Grandview. Kamaya Soniea-Harris didn’t end up with a victory, but pitched 12 innings and recorded 20 strikeouts between the two games.
The Wolves (19-7) take on No. 7 Chatfield (19-6) at 12:15 p.m. Oct. 25 to open the state tournament.
Eaglecrest and Vista PEAK Prep had their seasons come to an end in regional play. The 15th-seeded Raptors defeated Fossil Ridge 7-6 in the Region 2 opener Oct. 18 at Broomfield H.S. (keyed by a complete game effort from Zaya Elliott, a home run and three RBI from Kaitlyn Hendrian and two runs drive in by Sybella Trevino), then were held to two hits in a 7-0 loss to No. 2 Broomfield. The Raptors pounded out 16 hits (four for Giana Vialpando Williams and three for Chessa Reid, plus another Hendrian homer) against No. 31 Vista Ridge with the second state tournament berth at stake, but fell 16-15. Coach Yvette Hendrian’s team was 15-11.
Vista PEAK Prep’s second all-time regional appearance ended with losses to No. 5 Legend (8-1) and No. 21 Brighton (10-5) in Region 5 play Oct. 18. Coach John Waller’s Bison finished 16-8.
Players and coaches of the Cherokee Trail softball team
with the Class 5A Region 1 plaque they won with a pair of victories Oct. 18 at the Aurora Sports Park. The Cougars earned a spot in the Oct. 25-26 5A state tournament. ABOVE: Overland senior Avante Hendrix (2) skies to pick off a pass during the Trailblazers’ 50-19 Week 8 football win Oct. 19 at Stutler Bowl. RIGHT ABOVE: Grandview’s Alex Crounse raises his arms in triumph after the final play of the Wolves’ 14-13 win over Cherokee Trail Oct. 18. RIGHT BELOW: Delaney Sitzmann, right, and the Regis Jesuit girls flag football team qualified for the Class 5A state playoffs as the No. 17 seed. (PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL)
FOOTBALL
Aurora teams finish with 3-8 record in Week 8
A tough Week 8 season for Aurora football programs saw the area finish with a 3-8 overall record as the end of the regular season draws near.
Regis Jesuit remained the hottest team in the area, as it reeled off its fifth straight victory with a 51-7 defeat of Douglas County Oct. 18 at Lou Kellogg Stadium. Coach Danny Filleman’s Raiders (5-3 overall, 3-0 in Southern League) got 253 yards passing from Luke Rubley, who tossed touchdown passes to Jace Filleman, JoJo Hernandez and Peyton Lindell, while Joe Pron and Eiziah Ekuban also scored and Jack Manthey made three field goals.
Grandview came through in the clutch to even its record at 4-4 overall (and move to 2-1 in the Centennial League) with a thrilling 14-13 win over rival Cherokee Trail Oct. 17 at Legacy Stadium. Chris Blanks rushed for a touchdown cap a clutch late drive for coach Tom Doherty’s Wolves, who also got a touchdown run from Blitz McCarty. Brian Tucker scored both touchdowns on the ground for coach Justin Jajczyk’s Cougars, who dropped to 3-5 and 1-2.
For more on these stories, visit aurorasentinel. com/preps
Overland is on a roll of its own, as coach Tony Lindsay Sr.’s team has now reeled off three consecutive victories, which included a 50-19 defeat of Lakewood Oct. 18 at Stutler Bowl. Angel Chavez threw four touchdowns — two apiece to Avante Hendrix and Dejay Davenport — while Da’Quae Allen punched in two touchdowns on the ground as the Trailblazers improved to 4-4 overall and 3-0 in the 5A Metro North League.
Both Rangeview and Vista PEAK Prep dropped 5A Front Range League South contests Oct. 18, as coach Chris Dixon’s Raiders fell on the road 41-3 to Legacy and the Bison dropped a 27-12 road game to Horizon. Both programs — who play each other in Week 9 — are now 3-5 overall and 0-3 in league play.
In Centennial League play, Eaglecrest and Smoky Hill both went down to defeat. The Raptors dropped their second straight with a 44-0 loss to Cherry Creek Oct. 18 at Legacy Stadium, as coach Jesse German’s team was held to just a little over 50 yards of total offense as it fell to 5-3 and 1-2. Coach Brandon Alconcel’s Buffaloes (0-7, 0-3) fell to Arapahoe 55-10 Oct. 18 at LPS Stadium despite a 72-yard touch-
down run from Trent Littlejohn and a 25-yard Deanna Childers field goal.
Aurora Central (34-0) to Thomas Jefferson, Gateway (52-0) to Sand Creek and Hinkley (53-0) to Lutheran all dropped contests on successful days at Aurora Public Schools Stadium. Coach Chris Kelly’s Trojans stand 2-6 overall and 0-3 in the 4A Denver Metro League, while coach Rashad Mason’s Olys are 1-7 overall and 0-3 in the 4A I-25 League and coach Dennis York’s Thunder sit 0-7 and 0-2 in the 3A Metro.
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL
Wolves, Raiders make inaugural 5A postseason
The first sanctioned season of girls flag football in Colorado will conclude with the state playoffs, which include two Aurora programs.
Grandview (8-7) and Regis Jesuit (7-8) were seeded Nos. 15 and 17, respectively, among 20 teams when the Colorado High School Activities Association issued the Class 5A bracket Oct. 20. Both area programs will be in action Oct. 23 in the opening round, as Grandview will play host to No. 18 Columbine (8-7) at 7 p.m. at Legacy Stadium, while Regis Jesuit heads to the North Stadrium for a 6 p.m. matchup
with No. 16 Horizon (11-4). Winners move on to the quarterfinals, which take place Oct. 26 and are followed immediately by semifinals at Jeffco Stadium and Trailblazer Stadium.
WEEK PAST
The week past in Aurora prep sports
SATURDAY, OCT. 19: The Regis Jesuit girls volleyball team finished atop the standings in a tournament held by Dakota Ridge with a 5-0 record. Rangeview also took part in the tournament and finished 2-2. ...The Rangeview girls flag football team finished up 10-5 regular season with a 32-0 win over Vista PEAK Prep in a game played at All-City Stadium. The Bison finished 3-11. ...
THURSDAY, OCT. 17: Behind eight kills apiece from Melinda Allred and Amanni Tisdell, the Vista PEAK Prep girls volleyball team defeated Hinkley 25-12, 25-17, 25-10. Ava Eltzroth dished out 27 assists and added five service aces for the Bison. ...The Regis Jesuit boys soccer team clinched the Continental League championship with a 4-0 home win over Legend. Jack De Simone scored two goals and had an assist, while Charles
TOP:
pose
Clyfford Still and Community: A Talk and Conversation
scene & herd
Around the World in 80 Days
Wealthy Englishman Phileas Fogg and his loyal valet Passepartout embark on a thrilling, fast-paced adventure as they wager to circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days. Pursued by Detective Fix, their race against time takes them by boat and train through exotic destinations, where they encounter quirky characters— even an elephant.
IF YOU GO:
7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 & 26, 2 p.m. Oct. 27
The Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E Colfax Ave.
$25.00 - $42.00 (303) 739-1971 app.arts-people.com/ ?show=197796
Nunsense, a divine comedy
Nunsense is a musical comedy by Dan Goggin that premiered Off-Broadway in 1985. It follows the Little Sisters of Hoboken, who stage a fundraiser to bury fellow nuns accidentally poisoned by their cook, Sister Julia. Updated with new jokes, lyrics, and a fresh song, Nunsense remains popular for its witty humor, catchy songs and audience interaction.
IF YOU GO:
2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. showtimes, Oct. 25 - Nov. 17
The Schoolhouse, 19650 E. Mainstreet in Parker $34 for tickets Mild Adult Content parkerarts.org/event/nunsense
The exhibition Dialogue and Defiance: Clyfford Still and the Abstract Expressionists explores Clyfford Still’s connection to the late 1940s and 1950s artistic community despite his resistance to the idea. Scholar Allan Antliff will present on Barnett Newman, Clyfford Still, and Romanticism, followed by a discussion inspired by “The Club” gatherings of that era with curator Valerie Hellstein and CSM’s Bailey H. Placzek. The program is $5 for the public and free for CSM members, with limited space and registration required.
IF YOU GO:
Clyfford Still Museum
Doors open at 6 p.m., galleries open 6-6:30 p.m. and talk in the lobby 6:30-7:30 p.m. 1250 Bannock St. 720-354-4880
https://clyffordstillmuseum.org/ events/clyfford-still-incommunity-talk/
J. Mordechai and Soundwave Sacrament live
The event, “Thunder Shout Presents,” offers a space for deep listening across two live performances. J. Mordechai, an artist from Brooklyn, will perform a hybrid live-ambient set featuring instruments and techniques like synthesis and sampling. He has developed this performance through multiple shows at the L.S.D. loft in Brooklyn, but this marks his first performance in Denver. The evening will begin with a sound bath meditation by Soundwave Sacrament.
IF YOU GO: 7 p.m. Oct. 24
GLOB, 3551 Brighton Blvd., Denver
$17.85
https://www.eventbrite.com/ e/j-mordechai-nycsoundwavesacrament-live-globtickets-1044207802647
The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama
The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama features more than 40 paintings loaned to the museum by the Japa-
nese American National Museum and Ueyama’s family, whose combined efforts to preserve his work have allowed the story of this accomplished and cosmopolitan artist to be told at the Denver Art Museum for the first time.
Born in Japan, Tokio Ueyama moved to the United States in 1908 at age 18, where he made a home until his death in 1954. This exhibition tells the story of Ueyama’s life, including his early days as an art student in San Francisco, Southern California, and Philadelphia; his travels abroad in Europe and Mexico; his role as artist and community member in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles; and his unconstitutional incarceration during World War II at the Granada Relocation Center, now the Amache National Historic Site, in southeast Colorado.
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, Tokio and his wife Suye were among more than 120,000 Japanese Americans forcibly relocated into American concentration camps. More than 10,000 people were unconstitutionally incarcerated at Amache in the following years, making it the third largest “city” in Colorado at the time. There, Ueyama taught adult art classes to 150 students. This exhibition tells a story of a time in Colorado’s history, of a place where Americans experienced dislocation and loss, and, more importantly, displayed unimaginable resilience, tenacity, and creativity in the face of prejudice.
IF YOU GO:
Tickets: Included in general admission, which is free for members and for all visitors 18 and under.
10 a.m. daily from Oct. 3
Denver Art Museum, 100 West 14th Ave Parkway
Details: 720-865-5000 and www.denverartmuseum.org/en/ exhibitions/tokio-ueyama
Discovering Teen Rex
Take an extraordinary journey into our prehistoric past with the arrival of “Discovering Teen Rex” as we unveil a remarkable fossil discovered by a crew of inquisitive young dino hunters in North Dakota. The fossil prep lab will be displayed alongside dinosaur fossils, including Triceratops and Edmontosaurus, from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science collection. The whole family is invited to come experience history in the making as our team of renowned paleontologists clean, preserve and study this rare adolescent T. rex fossil — one of only a handful found worldwide — before the public on the Museum floor.
IF YOU GO:
Vanity and Vice:
American Art Deco
Delve into the vibrant era of 1920–1933 and explore the dynamic designs that emerged during this period of rebellion.
Step into the story of a progressive Prohibition-era woman as you journey through her boudoir and a speakeasy, immersing yourself in the Art Deco objects that defined her world. Experience the freedom and change of the time, as American women embraced independence both at home and in society.
From chic bobs to cocktail parties, this exhibition showcases the evolution of the modern woman through fashionable perfume atomizers, vanity sets, and stylish drinking and smoking accessories. Vanity & Vice: American Art Deco invites you to indulge in the glamour of a bygone era.
This special exhibition is included with admission and does not require a separate ticket.
IF YOU GO:
Through Jan. 12, 2025, opens at 11 a.m. Kirkland Museum 1201 Bannock St. Info: www.kirklandmuseum.org/ vanity-vice/#
The Power of Poison
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science exhibition provides an interactive experience and incredible way to discover what you’ve always wanted to know about nature’s toxic arsenal.
Through a live performance and interactive dioramas, the spellbinding “The Power of Poison” will take Museum visitors into familiar and novel tales of illness, enchantment and death by poison. Journeying through the Colombian forest, they will uncover fascinating secrets about the many plants and animals that wield poison as a potent tool for defense and survival. Finally, the exhibition will uncover how scientists are studying poison’s effects on human cells to protect, repair and heal our own bodies and improve our health.
IF YOU GO:
Open every day, 9 a.m-5 p.m., Most Fridays 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Included with museum admission ticket, $19.95-$24.95 2001 Colorado Blvd. Info: 303-370-6000 and www.dmns.org/
Fazal Sheikh: Thirst | Exposure | In Place
cline of the Great Salt Lake in northeast Utah, which is shrinking due to overconsumption and dwindling rain and snowfall. Exposure examines the impacts of uranium, coal, oil and natural-gas extraction on the American Southwest and on its Indigenous inhabitants. In Place evokes the enduring landscapes of the Bears Ears region in Utah, bringing Sheikh’s photographs together with contributions from scientists and Indigenous communities in and around Bears Ears in southeastern Utah.
Visitors will reflect upon the transformation—and often devastation—of these landscapes in the context of the past, present and future, while considering the juxtaposition of beauty and catastrophe, as well as intimate, human-scale stories and those spanning vast geological eras and changes.
IF YOU GO:
Tickets: Free- $27.00 Through Oct. 20, 10 a.m. Denver Art Museum 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy 720-865-5000
Info and tickets: www.denverartmuseum.org/en/ exhibitions/fazal-sheikh
Biophilia: Nature Reimagined
Biophilia: Nature Reimagined brings together more than 70 imaginative works, including architectural models and photographs, objects, fashion, digital installations, and immersive art experiences that collectively highlight the transformative power of nature. “Biophilia” is a term popularized by American biologist and author Edward O. Wilson to describe his theory that, as humans have evolved as a species, they have been intricately intertwined with the natural world. Wilson’s hypothesis invites deep reflection and poses relevant questions for audiences to consider life in our hyper-accelerated digital and urban-centric world. Organized by Darrin Alfred, Curator of Architecture and Design, Biophilia provides a space for leading architects, artists, and designers to re-examine and reanimate our intrinsic bond with the natural world.
IF YOU GO: Exhibit is included in museum admission. Free for those under 18, tickets range to $27 10 a.m.
Denver Art Museum
100 W 14th Ave Parkway INFO: 720-865-5000 or, denverartmuseum.org
• Great Burgers
• GreatBurgers
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• GreatCheesesteaks
• Great Philly Cheesesteaks
• 20 TV’s
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• 20 TVs
• Watch All NFL & MLB Games
• Open Stage Every Thursday
Free with museum ticket purchase
Daily 9-5
Tickets: $19.95-$25.95
Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd.
Details: 303-370-6000 or at dmns.org
Fazal Sheikh: Thirst | Exposure | In Place is an exhibition created from three projects photographer Fazal Sheikh made on the Colorado Plateau from 2017 to early 2023. Sheikh’s portraits and landscapes shed light on the far-reaching consequences of extractive industry and climate change.
The exhibition presents Sheikh’s recent work in three interrelated sections: Thirst is a new series of aerial photographs that document the de-
NOTICE
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the CONSERVATORY METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT (the “District”), will hold a public hearing via teleconference on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., to consider adoption of the District’s proposed 2025 budget (the “Proposed Budget”), and, if necessary, adoption of an amendment to the 2024 budget (the “Amended Budget”). The public hearing may be joined using the following teleconference information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7636703470
Meeting ID: 763-670-3470
NOTICE
80228, where the same are open for public inspection.
Any interested elector of the District may file any objections to the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget at any time prior to final adoption of the Proposed Budgets or the Amended Budget by the Board.
CONSERVATORY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By /s/ Justin Janca District Manager
Publication: October 24, 2024 Sentinel
NOTICE OF VACANCY ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF YALE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1, 2 AND 3 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly
PUBLIC NOTICE OF CONTRACTOR’S FINAL SETTLEMENT
Pursuant to 1973 C.R.S. 38-26-107, notice is hereby given that on/or after the 4th day of November, 2024, final settlement with (Rocky Mountain Turf Solutions) , will be made by the Joint District No. 28J of the Counties of Adams and Arapahoe (Aurora Public Schools) for and on account of the General Construction Contract for (APS District Stadium Turf and Scoreboard Improvement/Project # 3320-24, and that any person, co-partnership, association, company, or corporation who has an unpaid claim against any of the contractors for or on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender, or other supplies used or consumed by such contractors, or any of their subcontractors, in or about the performance of said work may file at any time up to and including said time of such final settlement on/or after,4th November, 2024, a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim with the Board of Education of said school district at the office of: Support Services Aurora Public Schools 15701 E. 1st Avenue Aurora, CO 80011
Failure on the part of a claimant to file such statements prior to such final settlement will relieve said school district from all and any liability for such claimant’s claim.
JOINT DISTRICT NO. 28J OF THE COUNTIES OF ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE STATE OF COLORADO
First Publication: October 17, 2024 Final Publication: October 24, 2024 Sentinel
SORREL RANCH METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT NOTICE CONCERNING 2024 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that the necessity may arise to amend the Sorrel Ranch Metropolitan District 2024 Budget, if necessary, and that a proposed 2025 Budget has been submitted to the Board of Directors of the Sorrel Ranch Metropolitan District; and that copies of the proposed Amended 2024 Budget and 2025 Budget have been filed at the District’s offices, 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection; and that adoption of Resolutions Amending the 2024 Budget and Adopting the 2025 will be considered at a public meeting of the Board of Directors of the District on Monday, November 4, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. This District Board meeting will be held via Zoom:
450 E. 17th Avenue, Suite 400, Denver, Colorado 80203, (303) 592 4380.
YALE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1, 2 AND 3 By: /s/ MaryAnn M. McGeady Attorney for the District
Publication: October 24, 2024 Sentinel
NOTICE OF VACANCY
PURSUANT to Section 32-1-808(2)(a)(I), C.R.S., notice is hereby given that a vacancy exists on the Board of Directors of Eastern Adams County Metropolitan District. Any eligible elector of the District who is interested in appointment to the Board may contact the District’s attorney, Ronald L. Fano, via e-mail: rfano@spencerfane. com. The Board of the District may fill said vacancy 10 days after the date hereof.
By: Ronald L. Fano, Counsel for the District Publication: October 24, 2024 Sentinel
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5469119353?pwd=SmtlcHJETFhCQUZEcVBBOGZVU3Fqdz09 Meeting ID: 546 911 9353 Passcode: 912873 Dial: 1-719-359-4580
Any elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the Resolutions to Amend the 2024 Budget and adopt the 2025 Budget, inspect and file or register any objections thereto.
SORREL RANCH METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By /s/David Solin District Manager
Publication: October 24, 2024 Sentinel
Southlands Metropolitan District No. 2 NOTICE CONCERNING 2024 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Southlands Metropolitan District No. 2 (the “District”), will hold a meeting via Zoom on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 3:30 p.m., for the purpose of conducting such business as may come before the Board including a public hearing on the 2025 proposed Budget (the “Proposed Budget”). The necessity may also arise for an Amendment to the 2024 Budget (the “Amended Budget”). This meeting can be joined using the following information: https://zoom.us/j/7848826891
Phone Number: 1 (719) 359-4580
Meeting ID: 784 882 6891 Passcode: 0000
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget (if applicable) have been submitted to the District. A copy of the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget are on file at the District’s office, 405 Urban Street, Suite 310, Lakewood, Colorado, where the same are open for public inspection. Any interested elector of the District may file any objections to the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget at any time prior to final adoption of the Proposed Budget or the Amended Budget by the Board.
Southlands Metropolitan District No. 2 By /s/Ann Finn District Manager
Publication: October 24, 2024
Sentinel
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Publication: October 24, 2024
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Publication: October 24, 2024
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Publication: October 24, 2024 Sentinel NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR30973
Estate of George Guy Hutchison, III aka George G. Hutchison, III, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 17, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Attorney for Personal Representative
Letitia M. Maxfield
Atty Reg #: 44108
Wade Ash, LLC 5251 DTC Parkway, Ste. 825 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Phone: 303-322-8943 First Publication: October 17, 2024 Final Publication: October 31, 2024 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR031018
Estate of Robin Erik Rivedal aka Robin E. Rivedal, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before March 1, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Attorney for Personal Representative
Anna L. Burr, Esq.
Atty Reg #: 42205
2851 S. Parker Road, Ste. 230
Aurora, CO 80014
Phone: 720-500-2076
First Publication: October 24, 2024
Final Publication: November 7, 2024
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR031051
Estate of Lloyd Glen Stokesbeary aka Lloyd G. Stokesbeary, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before March 2, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Attorney for Personal Representative
Anna L. Burr, Esq.
Atty Reg #: 42205
2851 S. Parker Road, Ste. 230 Aurora, CO 80014
Phone: 720-500-2076
First Publication: October 24, 2024 Final Publication: November 7, 2024 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR195
Estate of Bethany Anne Zimmer aka Bethany A. Zimmer aka Bethany Zimmer, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams, Colorado, on or before February 17, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred. Robert Zimmer Personal Representative 1392 S. Vrain Way Denver, CO
Deceased.
against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before February 17, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred. Tommy Garcia Personal Representative c/o Kelly B. Campbell, P.C.
Atty Reg #: 23950 5105 DTC Parkway, Ste. 300 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Phone: 303-773-2517
First Publication: October 17, 2024 Final Publication: October 31, 2024
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PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR30738
Estate of Michael Ray Freeman, Sr., Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before February 21, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Attorney for Personal Representative James D. Bramer Atty Reg #: 14939 1298 Main St., A4225 Windsor, CO 80550 Phone: 970-460-0266 First Publication: October 24, 2024 Final Publication: November 7,
Nordby
Grandview wins Sportsmanship Award, Wani twins place third at Nos. 2 & 3 singles
The Grandview boys tennis team finished the season with a number of notable achievements, which were on display Saturday on the final day of the Class 5A individual state tournament. On the court at the Denver Tennis Park, coach Jeff Ryan’s Wolves saw an outstanding conclusion to the season by freshmen twins Kaahan and Krish Wani, who finished third in their respective singles brackets.
Additionally, Grandview — which had three singles players and two doubles teams in action over three days of the tournament — received the Vicky Matarazzo Sportsmanship Award. The award is voted on by league coaches throughout the tournament.
It was a memorable season for the Wolves, who finished as the runner-up in the Centennial League for the first time, which earned them the chance to play host to a 5A regional tournament. Grandview also qualified for the 5A team state tournament for the first time and advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Regis Jesuit.
The Wolves’ individual state-qualifying contingent included all three singles players in junior Justin Son (last season’s 5A state runner-up), plus Kaahan Wani at No. 2 and Krish Wani at No. 3 as well as the No. 1 doubles team of senior Blake Hardin and junior Carter Benton and the No. 2 doubles team of senior Atharv Peroor and freshman Nathan McIsaac.
All five were victorious in the opening round of the state tournament,
Puzzles
while Kaahan and Krish Wani advanced to the Oct. 18 semifinals. They lost to both players who went on to win state championships (Cherry Creek’s Jack Loehr at No. 2 singles and Aidan Washer at No. 3 singles), but both were able to finish their debut seasons with victories in third-place matches.
Kaahan Wani — whose semifinal loss was only his second of the season — downed Pine Creek’s Gurman Goraya 6-2, 6-4. He survived Goraya’s outstanding service game by not allowing himself to get broken.
“Overall, it was a a good tournament; I had a tough match in the semifinals (with Loehr), but then I finished it off well,” Kaahan Wani said.
Playing on the adjacent court — which both brothers liked so they could keep an eye on the other — Krish Wani defeated Arapahoe’s Carson David 6-3, 6-4 in his third-place match.
“I’d played a few of these guys before and my goal was to make it to state,” Krish Wani said. “This was even
better than I imagined, so it was a great season. ...I won my first few matches convincingly, but then it got harder and I set my goals higher.”
Cherokee Trail contingent led by No. 4 doubles team at state
With two singles players and two doubles teams in the mix, the Cherokee Trail boys tennis team had good representation at the 5A individual state tournament.
Coach Eric Olsen-Dufour got his best performance from the No. 4 doubles team of seniors Edward Tay and Kunj Patel, who won their first two matches to reach the semifinals. They lost to Cherry Creek in the semis and in three sets to a team from Mountain Vista, which kept them out of the third-place match. Nos. 2 and 3 singles players Sachin Suresh and Clark Deleeuw and the No. 3 doubles team of Ali Minhajuddin and Dillon Ray all lost first round matches and were not brought back into playbacks.
Sharp added a goal and two assists and Sebastian Campos also tallied for the Raiders. ...The Aurora Central boys soccer team scored in each half of a 2-1 Colorado League victory over Adams City. ...The Vista PEAK Prep boys soccer team suffered a 4-0 City League defeat against Denver East. ... Elyse Bailey scored three goals and Lyla Bailey had the other goal for the Smoky Hill field hockey team in a 4-0 win over Pine Creek. Riley Leeser made six saves for the shut out WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16: The Regis Jesuit boys cross country team finished fifth in the final standings in the Continental League Championship meet hosted by Ponderosa H.S. Braeden Focht paced the Raiders with his eighth-place finish in a time of 16 minutes, 42.04 seconds. The Regis Jesuit girls were 10th with Zoe Small first across the finish line in 40th (22:16.39). ...The duo of Kimi Bulto and Abdinasir Hassan finished 11th and 13th, respectively, to lead the Rangeview boys cross country team to fourth place in the City League Championship meet at City Park in Denver. Brandon Pearcy paced sixth-place Vista PEAK Prep with his 18th-place individual result. Rangeview and HInkley finished seventh and eighth in the girls race, with the Raiders’ top result coming from Aiden Schumacher (20th) and Alaysha Ramos Vasquez (28th) set the pace for the Thunder.
...The Overland gymnastics team earned a score of 177.250 points to finish in front of visitors Ponderosa (170.450) and Heritage (158.825) in a three-team home meet. Ali Padgett
topped the all-around competition with a score of 35.600 and was joined by Audrey Cox (34.950) in third. Cox and Maia Howell finished 1-2 in the uneven bars, while Padgett topped the balance beam and Ryann Walline earned a score of 9.350 to top the field in the floor exercise. ...TUESDAY, OCT. 15: Everett White had a goal and an assist, while Jack De Simone and Charles Sharp also scored in the Regis Jesuit boys soccer team’s 3-0 Continental League win over Heritage. ...The Cherokee Trail boys soccer team scored twice in the second half for a 2-0 Centennial League win over Eaglecrest. ...The Vista PEAK Prep boys soccer team suffered its first loss of the season with a 5-0 defeat at Northfield. ...The Regis Jesuit boys tennis team posted a 7-0 sweep of Fossil Ridge in the semifinals of the Class 5A boys team state tournament. ...MONDAY, OCT. 14: There were no contests as schools were closed.
›› TENNIS, from 12
Twin wins: Freshman twins Kaahan, left, and Krish Wani pose with the Vicky Matarazzo Sportsmanship Award earned by their Grandview team. The brothers placed third in their respective singles brackets. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
›› PREPS, from 13
Floor show: Led by its performances in the floor exercise, the Overland gymnastics team earned a win in a three-team home meet Oct. 16. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/ Aurora Sentinel)
