AURORA’S TAUGHT ROPE
Local schools stepping up to meet the needs of migrants while parts of the community become critical of their arrival
The opportunity to come together after being so far apart starts with just listening to “why”?
JDAVE PERRY Editor
ournalism is a humbling profession. While most of it is mind-numbingly boring, filled with hours of reading and re-reading arcane legislation and poring over charts and spreadsheets, it’s sometimes equally as beguiling. I meet and talk with dozens of people every week, almost all passionate, curious or adamant about endless things that affect all of our lives, often directly.
Part of my job as a journalist, too, is to be the voice of the newspaper for the community. Mostly, it’s an opportunity for me to tell people how important fact-based journalism is for us, and for our readers.
Last Wednesday, however, I did little talking and was blown away by what I heard.
The event was called “Above the Noise.” It’s a statewide program by Rocky Mountain Public Media and the Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation to find ways to move past the relentless polarization that hampers progress on just about everything. Co-sponsored by the Sentinel and other media in the region, the event drew about 60 people to the Tivoli in Denver, first to watch the documentary “Undivide Us.”
It was insightful, with communication experts working with a couple dozen people who clearly were on the polar opposite of a handful of hot-button issues like transgender rights and abortion.
But what came after the entire group watching the documentary was unexpected.
We were asked to gather in small groups in a similar drill to discuss our takeaways from the documentary and what we felt was important to us.
I sat with six people, a transgender life coach, an Asian-American magazine publisher, an Iranian immigrant who’s lived here for many years, a Mexican immigrant who also has lived in the metro area for several years, a Commerce City Journalist and a more recent immigrant from Peru.
There was talk about the importance of family and the ability to share good life with family and good friends.
Alex, changed the tone.
“Freedom is one of the most important
things in my life,” they said. They talked briefly about a past of moving into a nonbinary life.
They paused for a second and looked at all of us around the table.
“Freedom to me would mean not having to justify my existence every day. Every single day,” they said. “People constantly question why I’m the way I am, and are quick to tell me they don’t like it or understand it.”
How many of you have to explain why you should exist?
Annie, who I have known for a few years, talked briefly about her life as the daughter of a Chinese immigrant. She grew up in the southeast metro area and was the only Asian American in her school.
“I wanted to be white,” she said, so that she could be included in the only world she knew. There was a brief discussion about controversy over what should and shouldn’t be taught in public schools, especially to young children.
Annie didn’t know as a child that other Asian Americans had ever existed in Colorado, or the nation.
“There was never any mention of our history here.”
She didn’t know that Chinese Americans were instrumental in the development of the West, including Colorado. She was never taught about the role of Chinese slaves in building Colorado railroads and cities.
She was invisible to everyone but her family.
Fara, from Iran, had many of the same experiences as other immigrants at the table. She was often asked “why” about endless things about her heritage, always being pushed toward seeing things the way “everyone else” sees them.
She, too, was astonished that so many people have such strong feelings about the personal lives of others, things that should and don’t ever affect them.
Christian moved here several years ago from Chihuahua, Mexico. He sympathized some with Elah, from Peru, and her concern over teaching young children about racism or gender identity issues.
Mostly, though, Christian said he wor-
ried about his own children, whom he and his wife home-school. As a Mexican American, he worries constantly about his children being accepted as “good” Latinos by the white majority. He’s afraid that if his children attend public schools with other Latino children, they will be suspected of being Mexican criminals or drug sellers, because that’s what so many white people think of immigrants from where he comes from.
Elah had similar concerns about how “Americans” would judge her and others, balancing a life that’s just living a life, and living a life that is satisfactory to so many people that judge her.
The conversations were overwhelming. It was impossible not to realize that we have created an impossible situation for immigrants and “others” here in Colorado, and across the nation.
People came here, just like all of our ancestors did, except for the indigenous people who called Colorado home for millennia before we did. They came here for opportunity.
These immigrants and others risk everything to come here, even to exist, to be told repeatedly, they don’t belong, they aren’t welcome and that they’re a burden.
Everyone at my table holds themselves to some unattainable standard of “localness” that doesn’t even exist. Not only can they never be a part of this ideal, it’s undefinable. They just know that they are made out to be “others” and they have to live with that. And they do.
Each and every one of them is smart, articulate and caring. Alex and Elah, on opposite sides of the issue on teaching young children about queerness or gayness, left together and planned on meeting to talk more.
Each of them muster the courage I’ve had to summon on my worst days, every day. Everywhere. Every time.
When it comes to looking for something and someone you can count on, I’m with them.
Follow @EditorDavePerry on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@SentinelColorado. com
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Aurora police chief defends recruitment at Trump rally, stresses community trust
CHIEF CHAMBERLAIN SAID REBUFFING THE TRUMP RALLY WOULD BE A PARTISAN GAFFE. ‘IF WE DID THAT, THIS WOULD BE A FASCIST COUNTRY, AND I GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THAT.’
BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer
In his first meeting with the public, police chief Todd Chamberlain said he stands behind state mandated police reforms for the department and defended a controversial attempt to recruit officers at a recent Trump campaign rally, saying rebuffing the event would make police appear ‘fascist.’
Chamberlain spoke Oct. 24 to a group of about 60 people at the Dayton Street Opportunity Center, laying out his vision for improving police-community relations and increasing accountability within the department.
Chamberlain acknowledged the department’s troubled past, including being under a state consent decree and stressed the need for “transformational reorganization” to address systemic issues.
“It’s not just a matter of going through the consent decree and checking off boxes,” he said. “It’s about whether we are changing the organization.”
The Office of the Independent Consent Decree Monitor for Aurora, a private contractor, oversees the implementation of a consent decree between the City of Aurora and the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. This agreement requires Aurora to adopt reforms to enhance public safety and trust, such as updating policies, creating new training materials and improving transparency by sharing more information with the public.
The Consent Decree stemmed from an investigation initiated after repeated reports of misconduct and excessive use of force by the Aurora Police Department. The reforms are monitored to ensure compliance.
Chamberlain said he is committed to establishing a community advisory board to provide independent oversight even after the consent decree ends. The change would be a marked change in police and city
policy, which previous police union leaders and some city council members have resisted.
“I want to have that independent community consent decree component,” he said.
Despite Chamberlain’s assurances, some community members expressed frustration with the timeline, urging the chief to expedite the process.
“We don’t need something two or three years from now,” one resident said. “We need it now.”
Chamberlain also addressed concerns about the department’s recruitment efforts at an Oct. 11 campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Reports by the Sentinel of recruiters at the event prompted criticism from some city council members and state Sen. Rhonda Fields, whose non-profit organization sponsored the public meeting with Chamberlain last week.
Critics said that given Trump’s regular rhetoric around mass deportations using police, promotion of police brutality as strategy for crime prevention, and harsh criticism from opponents about Trump’s dog-whistle racism, recruiting among Trump’s most faithful fans was at best bad optics and at worst a decision dangerous to the police department.
“That shouldn’t have happened,”
Councilmember Crystal Murillo said earlier this month. “One in five people in Aurora are foreign-born, and police are supposed to be working to rebuild trust in our community. Trying to recruit officers at a rally built on fear mongering, xenophobia, and all the phobias just feels like a really irresponsible thing to do.”
In response to earlier reporting by the Sentinel, Chamberlain said it was a good move to look for potential officers at the Trump event.
“Last I checked, political affiliation doesn’t exclude you from be-
ing a police officer,” Chamberlain said in an Oct. 15 social media post. “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.”
That drew more criticism on social media, including from Fields.
“This public response, as reported, strikes me as insensitive and disappointingly lacking in empathy for Aurora,” Fields said in her own social media post last week.
Chamberlain on Thursday continued to defend the decision, stating that political affiliation should not disqualify someone from becoming a police officer.
“I stick by my statement: I don’t think a political affiliation eliminates somebody from being a police officer,” he said. “It doesn’t. If we did that, this would be a fascist country, and I got a lot of problems with that.”
Chamberlain said there was no dedicated recruitment booth set up. Recruitment officers were sent to the event with an estimated 17,000 attendees mingled with the crowd. While there, they took the opportunity to connect with potential police candidates, Chamberlain said.
The chief said that Aurora is suffering from a police staffing crisis, and it would be wrong to exclude individuals based on political affiliation and said the department will continue similar recruitment efforts. The chief did not address criticism about differentiating between party affiliation and the uniqueness of Trump rallies.
He said police recruiters have also attended Global Fest, Aurora Pride, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, Black Arts Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Taste of Ethiopia, Blue Angels and more.
His comments did not seem to appease the crowd on Thursday,
with many in the audience murmuring and gesturing their disapproval while Chamberlain continued to talk. Others in the audience said they were frustrated with the focus of the meeting onthe police presence at the rally and wanted to focus on other essential topics.
One of those topics was police accountability and the use of excessive force.
Regarding accountability, the chief provided data on the department’s use of force, stating that in 2023, there were 183,018 calls for service, resulting in 487 use-of-force incidents at a rate of 0.3%. He also noted that there were two officer-involved shootings that year, a rate of 0.001%. Chamberlain did not address the racial data from those use-of-force incidents, which are linked overwhelmingly to people of color, which was a large part of what prompted the push for the state consent decree.
“When you talk about accountability, trust me, I’m around accountability,” Chamberlain said. “I understand accountability, and I also understand the facts.”
However, some attendees pushed back, including Fields, who cited recent incidents of excessive force and the need for more transparency around such cases.
The chief also addressed the impact of the influx of immigrants in Aurora, acknowledging the state and regional lack of planning and support for the estimated 40,000 individuals who have arrived in the metropolitan area. He emphasized the need for better integration and services to prevent the potential for increased crime and gang activity.
“Desperation will become desperate acts,” Chamberlain said. “When you see these people out in the middle street panhandling. When you see these gangs increasing, that is the exact result of poor planning, of no planning and basically saying, ‘Hey, this is the situation. Deal with it.’”
On repeated occasions, Chamberlain has stood behind comments saying that the threat of Venezuelan gangs in Aurora is exaggerated, and that police have not lost control of localized problems in northwest Aurora.
Trump and, locally, Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky, have repeatedly pressed a disputed narrative on national right-wing television shows that all or parts of the city are overrun by Venezuelan gang members, and that Aurora police conspired with state officials to downplay and cover-up the gravity of the issue.
Jurinsky produced parts of leaked internal police emails on Thursday, alleging they were proof of coverups.
A city spokesperson refuted Jurinsky’s claims.
Chamberlain moved on from the Venezuelan issue and used the same concept to emphasize the root of all crime. He said the solution requires more than just offering immediate food or a few dollars; it is a systemic issue where people and his officers, specifically, see people who are struggling as individual humans who need more than a one-
time handout.
Topazz McBride, a pastor on staff at Restoration Christian Fellowship, asked about a recent announcement of the city closing Aurora’s Pellet housing, and he asked Chamberlain for information or help, which Chamberlain said he would be interested in finding solutions.
“We’ll try to arrange to get that aspect of the city to come out because I think that there are locations where those people can transition to even when they want to.”
Throughout the meeting, the chief emphasized his commitment to building relationships with the community, reducing crime and addressing issues like homelessness and youth engagement. He said he wanted to continue the dialogue and welcomed further opportunities to engage with residents.
Chamberlain’s qualifications and why he said he is the best person for the job
Chamberlain offered the audience an overview of his career, which included a lengthy tenure with the Los Angeles Police Department. There he held various leadership roles, including serving as the department’s first homeless coordinator.
Highlighting his experience in Los Angeles, the chief discussed his work in building community trust and addressing homelessness collaboratively. He described the creation of the Homelessness Outreach Psychiatric Evaluation Team, which brought together law enforcement, community groups and social service providers to offer comprehensive support to individuals experiencing homelessness.
Chamberlain also spoke about his time as the chief of police for the Los Angeles School Police, where he focused on early intervention and addressing mental health issues, abuse and victimization among students. He mentioned his involvement with the National Network for Safe Communities, which uses programs like Operation Ceasefire to provide alternatives and support for individuals at high risk of engaging in violence.
Addressing the challenges facing Aurora, the chief emphasized the importance of proactive policing while ensuring that officers operate within the bounds of the law and with a focus on ethical and constitutional practices. He underscored the role of data and analytics in understanding crime patterns and effectively deploying resources to address hot spots.
The chief acknowledged the city’s changes, noting that the “old Aurora” is not returning.
Instead, he expressed a vision for a collaborative approach involving law enforcement, community groups and businesses to create a safer and more vibrant city.
Chamberlain asked for the community’s support and partnership, recognizing that addressing the city’s challenges will not be an easy task but one he is committed to tackling head-on.
Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain talks to area residents Oct. 24, 2024 at the Dayton Street Opportunity Center in Aurora. It was the first time the city’s new police chief met just with members of the public to offer his insights on possible changes in the police department. PHOTO BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Colorado
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METRO AROUND AURORA
Aurora lawmaker returns to Fox News, X with fresh Venezuelan gang allegations, which city officials deny
An Aurora City Council member has leaked internal emails she says prove city police and managers have downplayed the public safety threat posed by Venezuelan gang members.
“This is one of the biggest cover-ups I’ve ever seen, and Aurora police officers on the front lines are sick of it as well,” Councilmember Danielle Jurisnky told Fox News Oct. 24.
City government issued a statement Thursday afternoon reading, “Contrary to claims made on social media and by select news organizations, the city, including APD, has remained consistent in responses on this matter.”
Though she stopped short of alleging a cover-up in a phone interview with the Sentinel, Jurinsky said internal emails she posted on her X account show city police and management have not been transparent about the presence of and concerns about the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, also known as TdA, in the city.
“APD knew about this for well over a year,” she said. “I just want the truth to come out and to be acknowledged because people are suffering and real help has to come.”
One email Jurinsky posted Thursday was written Nov. 16, 2023 by Officer Matthew Walters of APD’s gang intervention unit. It spoke of intelligence the department allegedly received from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent that “TdA has decided to make Denver their headquarters due to sanctuary policies and location.”
Other emails, written in a chain in late June of this year under the subject line “Officer Safety — Law Enforcement only,” detailed a complaint by a woman who worked in a cleaning crew at two northwest Aurora apartment buildings, Whispering Pines and Aspen Grove, both owned by the same company, CBZ Management. One message reads that unnamed suspects told the woman to give up the keys to a vacant apartment at Whispering Pines “so that a group of Venezuelans could move people” into it.
“The suspects left but not before warning her to comply or else they would kill her and her family,” the email says. “The suspects made statements that they have both buildings under surveillance and that they had over 200 people working for them. I would highly recommend you guys to take 2-3 friends with you when responding to any calls there.”
A fragmented email reply by Sgt. Jeff Longnecker of APD’s major homicide unit seems to suggest officers were advised not to respond to calls at Whispering Pines “without an armored vehicle.”
ing to see some city leaders continuing to slam their own city. “
Jurinsky has led a nearly threemonth messaging campaign defending CBZ Management, which owns three blighted apartment complexes in Aurora, one of which the city shut down in August. The company’s claims that TdA members overran its buildings prompted Jurinsky and, to a lesser extent, Mayor Mike Coffman to assert in the summer that the gang had essentially overrun whole swaths of the city, although Coffman later walked back those assertions.
In the meantime, the narrative that TdA members are terrorizing Aurora became a favorite talking point among right-wing politicians, including Donald Trump, this election season as an argument for tighter border restrictions and mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. Local and state officials, including Gov. Jared Polis and Aurora Congressperson Jason Crow have accused Jurinsky of contriving her public appeals as part of Trump and right-wing Republican ploys to scare voters into supporting the Trump election ticket.
Jurinsky told the Sentinel last week that the urgency in the leaked emails she posted is inconsistent with assurances by the police department and the city manager’s office in recent months that CBZ’s buildings have not been overrun by TdA members and that the gang does not pose a major safety threat to the city.
The city’s statement acknowledged that “more than a year ago, there was speculation and concern among some of our officers that members of TdA and/or other criminal elements were active in the city victimizing new members of the Venezuelan migrant community.”
Still, officials said, “The information released without authorization in these emails highlights” only “portions of the investigative process into these concerns,” and not the whole picture.
“We must remember that police departments and the justice system as a whole must rely on admissible evidence, not hearsay, rumors and fragments of information” the statement read.
State and Aurora officials pushed back on the repeated allegations.
“Gov. Polis is committed to supporting local law enforcement and their work to keep our communities safe,” Polis spokesperson Eric Maruyama said in a statement to the Sentinel. “The state was first notified by Homeland Security in late July that they were monitoring activity in Aurora, the state then immediately reached out to the city of Aurora, including the Governor reaching out to the Mayor, to offer any assistance needed. “
Polis said Coffman and city officials told him in late July there was, as of then, not a “strong criminal case yet.” Polis officials said they then offered any assistance or support that state Troopers or the Colorado Bureau of Investigation could provide.
“Since then, Gov. Polis has been in regular contact with the City of Aurora and its law enforcement,” Maruyama said. “Aurora is a wonderful community full of hard-working people and small businesses and it’s disappoint-
“Governor Polis is committed to supporting local law enforcement and their work to keep our communities safe. The state was first notified by Homeland Security in late July that they were monitoring activity in Aurora, the state then immediately reached out to the city of Aurora, including the Governor reaching out to the Mayor, to offer any assistance needed. When Governor Polis met with Mayor Coffman in late July we were informed that the city did not have a strong criminal case yet and the state offered dedicated investigative support in the form of Troopers and CBI agents to work cases, and DHSEM provided analysts to support investigations to identify and arrest known criminal gang elements. Since then, Governor Polis has been in regular contact with the City of Aurora and its law enforcement. Aurora is a wonderful community full of hard-working people and small businesses and it’s disappointing to see some city leaders continuing to slam their own city. Anyone who commits a crime should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
It is completely false that the Governor “called the police” on her. The Governor encourages her and anyone else who has evidence of a crime to share it with the police immediately so they can investigate and hold criminals accountable.”
— Susan Greene, Sentinel Reporter in Residence
Aurora wants to find where the sidewalk ends, and then connect it
Aurora city officials are asking for public comment on making the city
›› See METRO, 23
The Magazine
Colorado, CU med school in Aurora, emerge as a leader for transgender health care as access varies across the nation
STORY BY STEPHANIE DANIEL, KUNC News
When Elliot Harris was a kid, the way he was socialized didn’t feel quite right.
“My self, my actual self, like, just did not form a super strong relationship with girlhood or womanhood, or any gender, really,” Harris said. Harris has struggled with mental health for most of his life. He remembers having his first suicidal thought - and the depression that came with it - around nine or ten.
“Coincidentally, that is also when I started developing my body,” he said. “The timing was very interesting.”
The 29 year-old has been in therapy for over a decade and made great strides by taking medications, and learning coping skills. But even after doing the work, he would find himself back in a state of depression. Harris didn’t know it at the time but he was dealing with gender dysphoria, which refers to the distress some people feel when their bodies - or society’s perceptions of them - don’t align with their gender.In 2022, Harris began his medical transition which included taking testosterone. The side effects were less than desirable. Itching, bumpy skin, congestion - kinda like a teenage boy going through puberty. But despite all this, he felt better: physically, mentally and emotionally. It was like a fog had been lifted.
“The depression and the suicidality went away, as I transitioned and as the testosterone really just kind of settled into my body,” he said. “I feel just generally happier, easier able to cope with the stresses of life.”
Hormone therapy isn’t the right choice for everyone with gender dysphoria but it worked for Harrisalong with regular therapy and support from family and friends. He’s now an openly transgender man and in a much better place, but he’s still evolving.
“Not getting adequate training”
Harris, dressed casually in gray sweatpants and a t-shirt, sat in an exam room at a Denver Health clinic in May. He was there for a checkup with his primary care doctor Corey Walsh, who he’s seen since 2022.
This is Harris’ last appointment before having top surgery in 10 days.
His brown eyes light up behind his glasses as he chats with Walsh.
“That is very exciting,” Harris said. “I’m, like, prepared for that. My partner is available, and is helping me.”
“I think you’re gonna do great,” Walsh replied.
Walsh is one of over 100 providers who have received training to serving LGBTQ+ patients at Denver Health clinics throughout the county. While other staff — like security, the front desk and nurses — have been trained on how to interact with these patients in a way that’s affirming of who they are. Walsh is queer and originally became a doctor to provide care for trans patients.
“I have a number of, like, very close people in my life who identify as trans and (have) seen all of the struggles that they go through,” Walsh said.
Transgender adults are more
likely to experience adverse mental, physical and behavioral health outcomes than cisgender adults according to analysis by the Center for American Progress. This includes reporting higher rates of tobacco and substance use, being physically attacked or sexually assaulted as well as facing negative impacts related to social determinants of health.
“(As) a black trans woman, you are facing many more issues than somebody who has a different identity in terms of health care outcomes, in terms of housing, in terms of employment,” said Dr. Elizabeth Petty, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “In terms of so many different factors that impact our health.”
Another big health concern for LGBTQ+ people is the risk of suicide. A 2016 study found 17% of queer adults had attempted suicide during their lifetime compared to less than 3% of the general U.S. population. Last year, a national survey by The Trevor Project found 41% of LGBTQ+ young people had seriously considered suicide in the past year.
Colorado has emerged as a leader in gender-affirming healthcare for trans and nonbinary people, which can include treatments and procedures like puberty blockers, hormones or surgery. Medical experts note that similar care is also given to cisgender people. But for trans people it can be life-saving.
Nationally, LGBTQ+ people are not getting the mental and physical health care they need. Another national survey backs this up. It
found that queer and trans adults face higher rates of discrimination in health care including barriers to access.
One solution to providing better health care, is to increase the number of doctors who know how to treat LGBTQ+ people.
In 2014, the Association of American Medical Colleges put out the first guidelines to help medical schools teach students the skills they need to care for LGBTQ+ patients. Dr. Petty says they have been adding content in different ways:
“Medical schools have been adding content in that area in different ways,” Petty said. “But it’s still not comprehensive, and there’s still gaps. Some of the studies that have surveyed medical students, students will still say they’re not getting adequate training in that area.”
Walsh was not one of these students. He attended the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora and said when he started in 2017 it had a robust gender diversity program. That was thanks to the work of several faculty members including Dr. Rita Lee.
‘Just part of
the doctor’s job’
Lee has been a general internist for over two decades and came out as a lesbian during medical school. As a patient she personally had several health care experiences that she said were “less than friendly.” This included a lecture about birth control, which she didn’t need being in a same sex relationship.
“It definitely created almost like
a sense of shame, for myself,” Lee said. “I thought, if I am an empowered person who is in the health care training system and this is how I’m feeling, what are we doing to our patients in this space?”
Lee received very little LGTBQ+ health care education while in med school so she says that became an area of focus for her. In 2009, she was part of a training program to examine CU’s existing communications curriculum and make changes. But back then there were limitations on what she could do.
“We were a very different state in 2009. So when I first did my education project, I wasn’t allowed to specifically focus on sexual history taking as part of my project. It was actually embedded in a more general communication project around, taking the social history,” she said. Lee asked students about their comfort level taking specific components of the social history, like around tobacco and alcohol use. When she saw that students did not feel adequately trained to do this, she piloted a program to expand education in this space. Lee then took this routine history gathering a step further. She added inclusive sexual history questions to help LGBTQ+ patients feel welcomed and more comfortable answering honestly, like asking people what pronouns and names they use.
“Also using language that is typically gender neutral and very inclusive. So instead of, you know, do you have a boyfriend? It would be, do you have a significant other?”
Dr. Corey Walsh, left, talks with a patient at CU Anschutz in Aurora. Photo by Jennifer Coombes and Rebecca Stumpf
VENEZUELANS HAVE COME TO AURORA FOR BETTER LIVES AND SCHOOLS, WITH MIXED RESULTS
BY BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS, AP Education Writer
Starting seventh grade at her first American school, facing classes taught entirely in English, Alisson Ramirez steeled herself for rejection and months of feeling lost.
“I was nervous that people would ask me things and I wouldn’t know how to answer,” the Venezuelan teen says. “And I would be ashamed to answer in Spanish.”
But it wasn’t quite what she expected. On her first day in Aurora Public Schools this past August, many of her teachers translated their classes’ relevant vocabulary into Spanish and handed out written instructions in Spanish. Some teachers even asked questions such as “terminado?” or “preguntas?” — Are you done? Do you have questions? One promised to study more Spanish to better support Alisson.
“That made me feel better,” says Alisson, 13. Outside the classrooms, it’s a different story. While that school system is striving to accommodate more than 3,000 new students mostly from Venezuela and Colombia, the city government has taken the opposite approach. The Aurora City Council has tried to dissuade Venezuelan immigrants from moving to Aurora by vowing not to spend any money helping newcomers. Officials plan to investigate the nonprofits who helped migrants settle in the city of about 400,000 people.
One of five people who live in Aurora were born in another country. About 130 languages other than English are spoken in the homes of Aurora Public Schools students.
When Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky spread unfounded claims of Venezuelan gangs taking over an apartment complex there, for-
mer president and current GOP candidate Donald Trump magnified the claims at his campaign rallies, calling Aurora a “war zone.” Immigrants are “poisoning” schools in Aurora and elsewhere with disease, he has said. “They don’t even speak English.”
Coffman has since backed away from the allegations, insisting they have been exaggerated. Jurinsky just last week began a new campaign, alleging on Fox News that Aurora police and city officials have and continue to cover-up the gravity of the immigration issue.
Trump has promised that Aurora will be one of the first places he launches his program to deport migrants if he’s elected. He calls the national deportation program “Operation Aurora.”
This is life as a newcomer to the United States in 2024, home of the “American dream” and conflicting ideas about who can achieve it. Migrants arriving in this polarized country find themselves bewildered by its divisions.
Many came looking for better lives for their families. Now, they question whether this is even a good place to raise their children.
Rumors make life harder for immigrants in Aurora
Of course, it’s not always clear to Alisson’s family that they live in a discrete city called Aurora, with its own government and policies that differ from those of neighboring Denver and other suburbs. One thing has seemed obvious to her mother, Maria Angel Torres, 43, as she moves around Aurora and Denver looking for work or running errands: While some organizations and churches are eager to help, some people are
deeply afraid of her and her family, she says.
The fear first became apparent on a routine trip to the grocery store back in the spring. Torres was standing in line holding a jug of milk and other items when she moved a little too close to the young woman in front of her. The woman — a teen who spoke Spanish with an American accent — told Torres to keep her distance.
“It was humiliating,” says Torres. “I don’t look like a threat. But people here act like they feel terrorized.”
And when Coffman — and then Trump — started talking about Venezuelan gangs taking over an apartment and the entire city of Aurora, Torres didn’t understand. While she didn’t believe that gangs had “taken over,” she worried that any bad press about Venezuelans would affect her and her family.
Keeping out dangerous people is important to Torres. The whole reason her family left Venezuela was to escape lawlessness and violence. They didn’t want it to follow them here.
In addition to Alisson, Torres has an older daughter — Gabriela Ramirez, 27. Ramirez’s partner, Ronexi Bocaranda, 37, owned a food truck selling hot dogs and hamburgers. Bocaranda says government workers in Venezuela extorted a bribe from him known as a “vacuna,” or vaccine, because paying it ensures protection from harassment. He paid them the equivalent of $500, about half a week’s earnings, to continue operating.
The next week, when Bocaranda refused to pay, the government workers stabbed him in the bicep; the one-inch scar remains visible on his left arm. The men threatened to kill Ramirez and her young son, who were both at the food truck that day. Bocaranda
sold the business, and the family, including Torres and Alisson, all fled to Colombia.
A little over two years later, the family headed north on foot through the Darién Gap. In Mexico, they crossed the border in Juarez and turned themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol. They all have deportation hearings in 2025, where they will have the opportunity to plead their case for asylum based on the threats against Bocaranda, Ramirez and her son. In the meantime, they have settled in Aurora, after hearing about the Denver area from a family who helped them on their journey to the U.S.
Torres and her daughter tried to get their kids into school soon after they arrived in Aurora in February, but they were confused by the vaccination requirements. Could the kids enter school with the vaccinations they received in Venezuela and Colombia, or would they have to get all new shots? Would they have to pay for each one, potentially costing hundreds of dollars per child?
Alisson and Dylan stayed home for months. Dylan played math or first-person shooter games. Alisson watched crafting videos on TikTok. When they finally entered school in the fall, Gabriela Ramirez and Torres both hoped instruction would be in English, believing their children would learn the language faster that way.
Times have changed in Aurora If they’d arrived in Aurora, say, three years ago, that might have been what they encountered.
Aurora is accustomed to educating immigrants’ children. More than a third of residents speak a language other than English at home, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
Alisson, right, plays with her nephew Dylan outside their apartment Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
Immigrants and refugees have been attracted to Aurora’s proximity to Denver and its relatively lower cost of living.
But the sudden arrival of so many students from Venezuela and Colombia who didn’t speak English caught some Aurora schools off guard. Before, a teacher in the 38,000-student school system might have had one or two newcomer students in her class. Now, teachers in some schools have as many as 10, or a third of their classroom roster.
When Marcella Garcia visited classrooms where only English was spoken, she noticed the newcomers weren’t talking. “Kids were being left out and not able to engage,” says Garcia, principal at Aurora Hills Middle School.
The schools reached out for advice and training from the district’s central office, which recommended a strategy called “translanguaging.” That means using Spanish at times to help students make meaning of the English lessons and conversations happening around them.
It’s not clear how much it’s helping students learn — it’s too soon to tell — or if the school is striking the right balance between translating for newcomers and forcing them to engage in what teachers call a “friendly struggle” to understand and learn English.
But the approach has helped Alisson feel more at ease. On her first day of school, her social studies teacher, a bald man with tattooed forearms and a gruff teaching persona, didn’t translate anything or use Spanish in his presentation. “I thought about sitting there and not saying anything,” Alisson remembers. “But then I thought, ‘I’m here to learn.’”
She and a friend approached the teacher during class. Now Jake Emerson is one of her favorite teachers.
On a Wednesday in September, Alisson and her friends were sitting at a round table in the back of Emerson’s class. They spoke Spanish among themselves as Emerson spoke to the rest of the class about the drawing he was projecting on the large screen in the front of the class.
It was a scene from an ancient Egyptian marketplace. “What do you think this dude here is doing with the basket?” Emerson asked the class. The students at Alisson’s table kept talking, even as Emerson spoke. One girl who’d been in Aurora schools longer than the rest translated for Alisson and the other teens.
Before the school adopted this new approach, teachers may have shut down a conversation among students in Spanish. “If I saw two students speaking Spanish, I assumed they were off topic,” says Assistant Principal John Buch. Now, he says students are encouraged to help each other in any language they can.
So far, there appears to be little public pushback in the district against this approach. It generally requires more work for teachers, who have to translate materials or their own speech in real time.
While teachers try out new Spanish vocabulary, English-speaking students show a range of responses. Some seem bored or annoyed by their teachers’ sudden interest in speaking Spanish in class. Bilingual students appear proud when they can help teachers trying to use more Spanish in class.
Still, some English-speaking and bilingual students have harassed Alisson. A few weeks after school started, a group of boys tried to stop her from sitting in her seat in class. They called her ugly and told her to go back to her country. When Alisson reported this to a teacher, nothing changed. “They say they don’t tolerate bullying,” she says. “But this is bullying.” Weeks later, the boys eventually stopped.
It’s a delicate situation for both teachers and students
After spending most of the day in mainstream classes, Alisson and her newcomer peers let loose in a class called Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education. It’s the only class explicitly designed to help new immigrants speak English.
The teacher, Melissa Wesdyk, does not speak fluent Spanish. She recently started using Google Translate at times, as a simultaneous interpreter. She speaks her instructions into her laptop, and a slightly robotic voice says the instructions in Spanish.
The same is not available in Amharic or Farsi, languages spoken by two of the more than two dozen students in the class. For those two, she translates the instructions in writing and projects the words on a screen in the front of the room.
Wesdyk rarely smiles and remains serious as she runs the class. Perhaps that’s because the students are far more unruly than in Alisson’s others. Wesdyk acknowledges the relative chaos, but says it’s because the Spanish-speaking students are more comfortable in a class that’s almost exclusively Latin American immigrants.
One boy keeps standing on his chair during the lesson, and Wesdyk stops class at least four times to redirect him. “Por qué hablas?” she asks him. Why are you talking? Another time she says, “I need you to stop.”
The course also demands more of the students, whom Wesdyk presses into pronouncing words in unison and answering questions. It’s hard work, and her methods don’t always hit their mark.
Toward the end of the class, Wesdyk tells the class they are going to do a “whipshare.” Google doesn’t know how to translate that, so it just repeats the word in English. Each student is to share one of the words they wrote earlier, when the class was identifying English words for each letter of the alphabet.
When Alisson offers the word “pink” for the letter P, Wesdyk appears surprised and a little flustered. “That’s not one of the words I wrote down, but good word.”
For the letter F, another boy says “flor,” as in Spanish for flower. To observers, he seems to be trying to say “flower,” but mispronouncing it. Wesdyk doesn’t appear to understand. “Floor?” she says back to him. The boy repeats “flor,” and Wesdyk says, “Floor?” emphasizing the English R sound. The boy looks embarrassed.
In mid-September, Alisson’s mother receives messages from Aurora Public Schools that there have been rumors of bomb threats at its schools and others across the state. It’s not clear if the threats are related to Trump’s rhetoric about Venezuelan gangs taking over Aurora. After all, similar problems ensued after his false comments about pet-eating Haitians in Springfield, Ohio.
The school system’s messages say there is no truth to the bomb threat rumors, but that doesn’t make Torres and Alisson feel better. Torres still sends Allison to school, despite her fear. She’s learned she can get in trouble if Alisson misses class without a good excuse, and Alisson is generally happy at school.
But neither of them understands how American schools and children could become a target, even if it’s just a rumor.
“This doesn’t happen in my country,” says Torres.
Venezuela’s economy and democracy may be in shambles, says Torres, but no one there would think of threatening children at school.
ON THE COVER: Dylan Martínez-Ramírez, center, high-fives his teacher Aliah James, left, after school Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
Alisson Ramírez, second from right, plays with a classmate during science class Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
Dylan Martínez-Ramírez, left, sounds out a sentence as instructed by Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education teacher Sarah Pearlstein at Del Mar Academy, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Aurora, Colo.
AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
Gabriela Ramírez watches from a window as two of her friends try to repair her car Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
Dylan Martínez-Ramírez, center, high-fives his teacher Aliah James, left, after school Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
When the pilot program ended, CU permanently added this training. The sexual history-taking curriculum was so popular that it was integrated into the core curriculum. This inspired some students to create an LGBTQ+ Health elective, the content from which has been integrated into the curriculum as well.
One of those students was Walsh, who said this long-term training reinforces an important idea.
“That this is just part of the doctor’s job and this is part of our training,” he said. “This is the expectation that we all have for one another in this field.”
Training more doctors is key to providing effective care. A national 2020 survey found a third of transgender respondents said they had to teach their doctor about transgender people to receive the appropriate gender-affirming care. However, according to Walsh there’s some debate around use of the term “affirming.”
“Some people are pushing for this to just be called gender care. Like, what other part of being a doctor do we call affirming? We don’t call it diabetic affirming care. It’s just diabetes care,” he said.
Walsh is a third year resident at CU’s Family Medicine program and is part of the Denver Health track. Denver Health is a safety-net health system serving Denver County and has always treated queer and trans communities. But in recent years, there’s been a concerted effort to train more providers and residents to be inclusive.
Thirty years ago, expanding access to health care for LGBTQ+ people may not have been possible.
The “Hate State”
Colorado was once known as the “Hate State”. The moniker was given after voters approved Amendment 2 in 1992 that prohibited legal protections for LGBTQ+ people in the state. Four years later, the Supreme Court overturned the amendment.
In the nearly three decades since, Colorado has done a 180 and is now known for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ rights and laws, from employment to housing to inclusive sex education and health care.
In 2023, Colorado became the first state in the country to explicitly include gender-affirming care services as an essential health benefit that private insurance plans are required to cover. Colorado’s Medicaid also offers this benefit.
Depending on where you, live gender-affirming care for trans and nonbinary people can be difficult or impossible to get — especially for young people. Nearly 40% of all transgender teens live in the 25 states with laws or policies banning it up to the age of 18. This year the Supreme Court will hear a case challenging a Tennessee law that bans this care for youth.
Colorado and New Mexico are the only Mountain West states to provide gender-affirming care to anyone. Many families and individuals are moving here for services but it’s hard to nail down the exact numbers. Over the past two years Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains has seen about a 30% increase in gender-affirming hormone therapy for adult patients. This includes those traveling from Wyoming, Arizona, Texas and other states.
‘The one-stop shop’
At a family medicine clinic in Greeley, Dr. Michael Renecle met with a small group of residents in the North Colorado Family Medicine Residency Program. They were discussing their patients as part of a specialized clinic within the residency program. The Primary Care of HIV Hepatitis and Gender and Sexual Medicine (PHH+GS) was founded by Renecle in 2022. The doctors provide gender and sexual medicine and treat people living with HIV.“HIV doesn’t really care about orientation, doesn’t care about gender. But here in the U.S., we know that gay men, transgender folk are disproportionately affected by HIV,” Renecle said. HIV is still a global epidemic. Approximately 40 million people are living with the virus and tens of millions of people have died from AIDS-related causes since the epidemic started in 1981. However, HIV treatment has come a long way in the last four decades. Through medications, if a person can achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load for six months, then they can’t pass the virus to others. It’s a concept called U equals U, or undetectable equals untransmittable.
“Now we’re dealing with a chronic illness,” he said. “But we know that the risk for certain cancers are higher in people living with HIV. The risk for cardiovascular disease is higher, cholesterol, ect… These are the things we do really well in primary care, which is to take care of all these things that we see. And then we just have to treat the HIV.”
Originally from South Africa, Renecle came to the U.S. to go to medical school in Iowa, then did his residency at North Colorado Fam-
ily Medicine. An openly gay man, he wanted to get more training in HIV care and sexual and gender medicine, especially gender care for youth.“You could come to my clinic and I could take care of your HIV. I could take care of your hormones. I can do your primary care, your preventive medicine. I could deliver your baby,” he said. “It’s so much less stigmatizing when you can actually go to a good primary care doctor and just it be the one stop shop.”
This primary care model means queer and trans patients don’t have to see multiple providers like an endocrinologist or infectious disease doctor,Renecle said. They don’t have to keep recounting their health histories which can be traumatic.
“Having to repeat your story over and over again and not knowing how people are going to receive your story and if they’re going to honor it and if they’re going to care for it,” he said.
He reached out to Denver Health about doing an LGBTQ+ health care fellowship but that type of program didn’t exist. Instead he got a faculty development fellowship which he tailored to his needs, including getting an HIV specialty certification.
After the fellowship, Dr. Renecle returned to the North Colorado Family Medicine Residency Program where he became a faculty member and developed the PHH+GS clinics to be a one stop shop. The clinic is an elective but he’s hoping it will eventually be part of the residency program’s core curriculum.
‘The correct choice’ Harris had a successful surgery, however the recovery was painful. He got a bad skin rash and the compression vest is uncomfortable.
“I feel like top surgery is a major surgery. It’s a big decision. It’s life changing. And most change has its ups and downs, and it’s good and bad,” Harris said. “As time went on and I really thought about and sat with like, my true feelings, I realized that, like, this was the correct choice for me.”
One of the people who was by Harris’s side throughout this whole process is his longtime partner Calvin, who is also trans. They got engaged a few months ago.
Harris grew up in Philadelphia and worked in Phoenix after college. However Colorado feels like home, he said, but being transgender here isn’t always easy.
“I did have a coworker, like, freak out on me about being trans,” he said. “Even just generally at my place of work you know, there are those obstacles of, like, being misgendered or people just straight up being hostile, because of my transness.”
Despite this, the state’s health care policies have helped Harris. He said he feels content and happy and is at peace with his transness.
“I feel very free,” he said. “There is a mental and physical weight lifted off of my body and my mind.”
IF YOU GO: Through Feb. 17
The ART Hotel Denver 1201 Broadway, Denver Free www.thearthotel.com/ special-offers/wild-things
scene & herd
“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.
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
Clyfford Still and Community: A Talk and Conversation
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-in-community-talk/
The Life and Art of Tokio
Ueyama
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
Fun at the Firehouse
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:
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
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.
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• Saturdays:11:30AM-3PM
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The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama features more than 40 paintings loaned to the museum by the Japanese 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.
Come at 10 am on the first or third Saturday of each month for a fire-related story and craft time. You can even stick around after the craft for a guided children’s tour of the Museum that’s great for the whole family. Reservations are required to ensure appropriate supplies for the crafts. There will be a different book and craft each month.
IF YOU GO:
10 a.m. Oct. 19
Tickets: $9-$15 reservations
required
Denver Firefighters Museum, 1326 Tremont Place
Details and RSVP: denverfirefightersmuseum.org
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
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/#
Few times over the course of the season — and especially at the Class 5A state tournament — the Cherokee Trail softball team found few offenses that could outscore it.
The Cougars encountered one, however, in the final game of the season Oct. 26 at the Aurora Sports Park, as hot-hitting Riverdale Ridge took them down 8-4 in the 5A state title game.
Coach Caley Mitchell’s top-seeded Cherokee Trail team failed to score in double figures for the only time in four state tournament games and couldn’t keep pace with the Ravens, who won the title in their first season in the 5A classification.
With an array of well-struck hits and a few others that just eluded defenders, Riverdale Ridge reached Cherokee Trail sophomore starter Emma Rice for a run in the top of the first inning and two more in the third. Cougars’ junior center fielder Izzy Becker limited the damage, however, as she dove over the breakaway fence to turn a drive by Ravens’ Zoie Linville into a sacrifice fly instead of a three-run homer.
“They could really hit top to bottom,” Mitchell said. “A lot of times against teams like that, you can get balls hit right at people, but they just got some dinks and dunks and then they got the timely hit. They just beat us with the bats.”
Cougar power
“It’s so hard to get to this game and lose,” said Mitchell, who has guided the Cougars to four 5A finals in 10 seasons. “But I don’t feel like we blew it or we choked, we just go outhit. So we’re leaving sad we lost, but mostly just sad its over.”
BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor
Cherokee Trail made an impressive run at winning its second all-time title — to match one in 2016 — but ended up adding its third runner-up trophy to the ones from 2018 and 2020 to cap a 24-5 season.
The Cougars were a juggernaut offensively in the first two games of the tournament — a 16-3 win over No. 16 Vista Ridge and 12-2 victory over No. 8 Fruita Monument — and got to double figures again in a dramatic way in the semifinals against postseason nemesis Legend.
Down three runs going to the bottom of the seventh inning against the Titans, Cherokee Trail had its three seniors — infielders Kennedy Brian and Kylie Twilt and catcher Icela Ciocarlan — put the team on their backs.
Brian singled after sophomore Sydney Cobb singled to open the inning and Twilt’s flyball to center field brought home Cobb with one out. Ciocarlan capped a quality at-bat with a drive that landed over the fence in right field for a walk-off three-run homer in a 10-9 victory.
Sixth-seeded Riverdale Ridge had also had its offense in a groove, which included an 18-run performance against No. 13 Chaparral in the quarterfinals along with nine runs against No. 2 Broomfield in a semifinal upset. The Ravens, the 4A runner-up last season, came out swinging in the final.
Cherokee Trail’s offense finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning when Ciocarlan — who was a combined 5-for5 with four RBI in the final two games — knocked in Twilt with a single to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Riverdale Ridge responded with six hits and five runs in the fifth, which it needed as a cushion. Cobb homered to drive in sophomore Tayah Burton in the fifth and Twilt had an RBI single later in the inning, but that’s all Cherokee Trail would be able to get offensively.
“We put up a battle, they just competed better,” Ciocarlan said. “That’s OK, that happens. I couldn’t have asked for a better team to take it as far as we did and I’m just so grateful.”
The Cougars will move on without its three impact seniors who all made vital contributions in their final season (Brian and Twilt —both four-year varsity players — and Ciocarlan all hit .425 or better and combined for 10 home runs and 89 RBI), but expects to return a quality core.
Sophomores Rice and Cobb each had strong tournaments on the mound and at the plate (Rice hit three home runs and drove in seven runs in four games, while Cobb had nine hits, two home runs and six RBI combined) and banked experience in clutch situations for the future.
Burton (who finished the season with 50-plus steals) is a dangerous table setter, Becker’s speed made her a very effective No. 9 hitter and sophomore Delaney Falzon showed power with five home runs, including two in the state tournament.
"The seniors were key components and they will be tough to replace, but we had a lot of young kids out on the field today,” Mitchell said. “They will get to add it to their resumes that they played in the final.”
Mitchell lauded the support the team got from students, faculty members and administrators from Cherokee Trail, who stayed until the final out.
BELOW MIDDLE: Cherokee Trail sophomores Tayah Burton
and Emma Rice, right, celebrate an early run in the Cougars’ thrilling semifinal win. BELOW BOTTOM: Senior Kennedy Brian smiles after scoring a late run in Cherokee Trail’s semifinal victory.
PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL
ABOVE: Members of the Cherokee Trail softball team pose with the Class 5A state softball runner-up trophy on Oct. 26 at the Aurora Sports Park. Top-seeded Cherokee Trail fell to No. 6 Riverdale Ridge 8-4 in the state championship game. BELOW TOP: Cherokee Trail senior catcher Icela Ciocarlan, center, is swarmed by coaches and teammates after her walk-off three-run home run lifted the Cougars over Legend 10-9 in the 5A semifinals.
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PREPS
BOYS TENNIS
Regis Jesuit edged by Cherry Creek in 5A final
Last season, the Class 5A team state championship dual ended with two matches still on the court when Cherry Creek got the requisite number of wins to top Regis Jesuit.
In the rematch with the same stakes Oct. 22, the Raiders and Bruins played all the way down to one concluding match in a matinee at the Denver Tennis Park.
Under the spotlight to break a 3-3 tie, Cherry Creek’s sophomore tandem of Sam Migliaccio and Devan Shah rebounded from a shutout loss in the opening set of the No. 3 doubles match to defeat Regis Jesuit senior Carl Siegel and sophomore Edward Samuelson 0-6, 7-6, 6-2 to give the Bruins’ a 4-3 win.
Cherry Creek remained unbeaten in the three seasons since the sport moved to a dual format and it now has five straight team championships and 47 alltime. Regis Jesuit had been in search of its sixth all-time title and first since 2019. Both teams put up early victories at roughly the same time.
Cherry Creek senior Charlie Stern earned a 6-3, 6-1 win over Regis Jesuit sophomore Alec Rodriguez-Fields (the 5A individual champ) at No. 1 singles, which was countered by the Raiders’ win at No. 2 doubles from senior KC Eckenhausen and junior Adam Rydel over the Bruins’ Wills Possehl and Tyson Hardy. It was a flip in results from the individual state finals for Eckenhausen and Rydel, who were at the top of their game in the key moments of the rematch.
Coach Laura Jones’ Regis Jesuit then rode the surge to a 3-1, as the No. 1 doubles team of junior Clay Dickey and sophomore Vlad Sukhovetskyy and freshman Blake Wright at No. 2 singles closed out victories. Both results were opposite what had transpired a few days earlier during the individual state tournament. Dickey and Sukhovetskyy dropped a tight three-set semifinal to Cherry Creek’s Luke Norford and Trevor Robinson that cost them a shot at the state title (they went on place third) but got a cathartic 6-4, 6-4 victory in the rematch.
Blake Wright’s only loss of the season came to the Bruins’ Jack Loehr in the No. 2 singles individual final, but he bounced back with a 6-4, 6-3 victory to take the season series 2-1 against Loehr and aid his team in its quest for the team title.
Cherry Creek crept back to even with victories from Aidan Washer at No. 3 singles over Regis Jesuit freshman Sebastian Wright at 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 (the same end result as when they met in the individual event final), while the No. 4 doubles team of Mitchell Kelly and Truman Wooden flipped their individual final loss to Regis Jesuit seniors Spencer Buege Aiden Prananta with a 7-6, 7-5 victory.
SOFTBALL
Grandview falls to Broomfield in 2nd round
The Grandview softball team finished 1-1 on the opening day of the Class 5A state tournament Oct. 25 at Aurora Sports Park to see an outstanding 20-win season come to an end.
Coach Liz Carter’s Wolves entered the tournament as the No. 10 seed and pulled off an opening round upset with a big 10-1 victory over No. 7 Chatfield.
Seniors Kamaya Soniea-Harris and Leah Graves combined on a 1-hitter on the
the ball upfield in the Smoky Hill field hockey team’s 1-0 loss to St. Mary’s Academy in a first round state playoff game Oct. 28 at Stutler Bowl. RIGHT BELOW: Izzy Nichols, third from left, is congratulated by teammates after her goal in the first half of the Regis Jesuit field hockey team’s 6-0 win over Poudre School District in a first round state playoff game Oct. 28 at Lou Kellogg Stadium. (PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL)
mound, while junior Sasha Kennedy had a monster offensive game with two home runs and 5 RBI. Graves drove in two runs and Maddie Heinrich and Macy Hemstreet also had RBI, while Monroe Donaldson finished with three hits.
Grandview (20-8) took an 1st inning lead over second-seeded Broomfield, which then surged to a four-run lead with help from two home runs. The Wolves scored three times in the top of the sixth as Graneview drove in two runs and Madison Jaramillo added another RBI, but had the potential tying run thrown out at third to end the inning.
FIELD HOCKEY
Three Aurora teams open postseason tourney play
The new format for the state field hockey playoffs — in which all 16 of the state’s teams get to play at least two games in championship and consolation bracket play — began with first round contests Oct. 28.
Coach Spencer Wagner’s fourth-seeded Regis Jesuit team is on to the second round after a 6-0 win over No. 13 Poudre School District Oct. 28 at Lou Kellogg Stadium. Opening half goals from Izzy Nichols and Macie Parsons got the Raiders (10-5-1) off to a flying start.
Eighth-seeded Smoky Hill is headed to the consolation bracket after a 1-0
opening round loss to No. 9 St. Mary’s Academy Oct. 28 at Stutler Bowl. The Buffaloes — who were 8-0-1 in their past nine contests — ceded a goal on a penalty corner chance just 2 minutes, 27 seconds, into the game and that held up as the only score.
No. 16 Grandview had a first round game at No. 1 Colorado Academy Oct. 29, so results were unavailable at press time.
For more on these stories, visit aurorasentinel. com/preps
Championship and consolation quarterfinals take place Oct. 31. Visit aurorasentinel.com/preps for updated playoff scoreboard and schedule.
CROSS COUNTRY
Cherokee Trail boys and girls teams among area state meet qualifiers
The Cherokee Trail boys and girls cross country teams came through the Class 5A Region 1 meet Oct. 24 at deKoevend Park to earn their way into the Nov. 2 5A state meet at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
The Cougars were third in the boys standings and fourth in the girls in regional competition to get into the state meet at the same time for the fifth time in the past six seasons.
The Cherokee Trail boys were led
at regionals by Dylan Smith — who finished fourth individually — while he will be joined by Josh Chaedeayne, Andrew Crippen, Carter Getty, Everett Hammond, Andrew Kittel and Jaxon Weber. The Cherokee Trail girls team includes Jade McDaniel (an individual qualifier last season who was a team-best 10th at regionals) along with Dawn Armstrong, Clara Kapfer, Reese Kass, Sophia Lucero, Anneli Reite and Elle Van Fossen.
The 5A boys race — scheduled for 1:40 p.m. Nov. 2 — will also include individuals from three other area programs. Region 1 runner-up Braeden Focht of Regis Jesuit will be joined by Caleb Aex as both will make their third career state appearances, while Rangeview also has in a pair in Kimi Bulto and Abdinasir Hassan (who will be Rangeview’s first state runners since 2019) and Grandview is represented by Colton White, who was third at regionals.
The 5A girls race (scheduled for 12:20 p.m. Nov. 2) also includes Eaglecrest’s Jenna Winn, who was 13th in the Region 1 race to become her program’s first state qualifier since 2015. The 2A boys, which will be run at 1 p.m. Nov. 2, includes Lotus School For Excellence’s Biruk Begashaw. Begashaw won the 2A Region 2 race at Lyons High School to qualify.
BOYS SOCCER Handful of Aurora teams make 5A state playoffs
The Colorado High School Activities Association issued the Class 5A boys soccer postseason bracket Oct. 28 and it included a handful of Aurora programs.
The highest seed among local qualifiers in the 32-team field went to Regis Jesuit, which is No. 16. The Continental League champion Raiders will play host to No. 27 Denver South (7-6-2), while the other first round home game for locals go to No. 14 Vista PEAK Prep. The Bison (92-4) play No. 19 Valor Christian (7-5-3) at Aurora Public Schools Stadium.
The other three Aurora programs head on the road: No. 17 Cherokee Trail (10-5) travels to No. 16 Pine Creek (85-2), No. 24 Grandview (7-6-2) pays a visit to No. 9 Fairview (8-4-3) and No. 28 Aurora Central (7-5-3) is at No. 5 Denver East (10-2-3) to open the postseason. First round winners move on to the second round, which is scheduled for Nov. 5 with the higher remaining seed in each matchup playing at home.
Two other boys soccer postseason brackets have local qualifers. Aurora West College Prep is the No. 13 seed in the 3A playoffs (with a road game at Pagosa Springs to open), while the 2A
TOP: Coach Laura Jones, left, and the members of the Regis Jesuit boys tennis team pose with the Class 5A team state runner-up trophy after a 4-3 loss to Cherry Creek Oct. 22 at the Denver Tennis Park. ABOVE: Freshman Abdinasir Hassan, left, and senior Kimi Bulto pose after they both qualified for the Class 5A boys cross country meet with top-15 finishes at the Region 1 meet Oct. 24 at deKoevend Park. RIGHT ABOVE: Senior Elyse Bailey, left, tries to move
bracket includes No. 5 Lotus School For Excellence plus No. 21 William Smith.
GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL
Wolves, Raiders stopped in second round of inaugural 5A postseason
The Grandview and Regis Jesuit girls flag football team ended their runs in the inaugural sanctioned season of the sport in the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs.
The 15th-seeded Wolves and 17th-seeded Raiders both picked up opening round victories, but were stopped by higher-seeded foes in the second round Oct. 26.
Grandview dropped a 31-0 contest to No. 2 Arvada West to finish off a 9-8 season that included a 7-2 first round win over No. 18 Columbine. Coach Mark Fisher’s Wolves got a touchdown pass from Ivy Daniel to Sadie Perry and made it stand up.
Regis Jesuit ran into top-seeded and undefeated Mountain Vista in the second round and fell 56-7, which followed a 20-0 first round road victory over No. 16 Horizon, Coach Ben Danecki’s Raiders (who finished 8-9) got touchdown passes from Delaney Sitzmann to Naala Barnes and Hannah McDonald in the opening round win.
FOOTBALL Aurora teams finish with 4-7 mark in Week 9 action
The penultimate week of the prep football regular season saw Aurora teams post a combined 4-7 record.
The biggest win of the week went to Overland, which secured the Class 5A Metro North League title — and a postseason berth — with a 50-14 win over Boulder Oct. 25 at Stutler Bowl. In a battle of the two teams atop the league standings, the Trailblazers got two rushing touchdowns apiece from Jarrius Ward and Zyaire Custis, while Kylan Jones and Avante Hendrix also found the end zone for coach Tony Lindsay Sr.’s team, which improved to 5-4 overall and 4-0 in league play.
Grandview gave itself a chance to play for a share of the Centennial League title with a 38-15 victory over Eaglecrest Oct. 25 at Legacy Stadium. Coach Tom Doherty’s Wolves (5-4, 3-1) got 218 yards passing from Blitz McCarty, who found Xay Neto for two touchdowns and Asher Matson for another, while Chris Blanks and Caleb Llamas added ground scores. Coach Jesse German’s Raptors (5-4, 1-3) got a long touchdown connection from Joe Steiner to Burke Withycombe plus a rushing score from Clyde Surrell IV.
Rangeview scored the last 14 points to rally past rival Vista PEAK Prep for a 30-26 win Oct. 25 at APS Stadium in a matchup of teams tied in the 5A Front Range League standings. Kevin Prosser’s second rushing touchdown of the night provided the winning margin for coach Chris Dixon’s Raiders (4-5, 1-3), while Nasir Bandy rushed for a score and threw one to Dontae Allsion. Acting coach Jalin McKinnon’s Bison (3-6, 0-4) got two touchdown passes from Canaan Barthlow to Isaiah Watson in addition to an Owen Packer ground score and a fumble return TD from Leyton Youmans.
Gateway snapped a five-game losing streak with a 30-16 win at Thornton Oct. 24 in 4A I-25 League play. Coach Rashad Mason’s Olys (2-7, 1-3) got three touchdowns from Lyric Wynn (two by rush and a kickoff return score) plus a TD pass from Westin Rayburn to Jeramiah Stark.
Regis Jesuit had a five-game winning streak come to an end with a 28-14 5A Southern League loss Oct. 26 against Pine Creek. Coach Danny Filleman’s Raiders (5-4, 3-1) got an early touchdown connection from Luke Rubley to Peyton Lindell plus a later Joe Pron rushing TD. Cherokee Trail dropped to 3-6 overall and 1-3 in Centennial League play with a 24-7 road loss to Arapahoe. Coach Justin Jajczyk’s Cougars got a rushing touchdown from Brian Tucker. Another Centennial League decision went against Smoky Hill (0-9, 0-4), which dropped a 55-3 contest to Cherry Creek Oct. 24. Deanna Childers’ field goal accounted for the scoring for coach Brandon Alconcel’s Buffaloes. Coach Chris Kelly’s Aurora Central team is 2-7 overall and 0-4 in the 4A Denver Metro League after a 57-6 road loss to Northfield Oct. 25, while coach Dennis York’s Hinkley team is 0-9 overall and 0-3 in the 3A Metro League after a 55-0 loss to Standley Lake Oct. 24 at APS Stadium.
WEEK PAST
The week past in Aurora prep sports
SATURDAY, OCT. 26: The Cherokee Trail girls volleyball team split two matches on the final day of the Ponderosa Tournament with a fiveset defeat of Chatfield and a four-set loss to Pine Creek. Kassie Cooley
racked up a combined 32 kills and Ella Notheisen had a total of 25, while Avery Krause dished out 78 assists.
FRIDAY, OCT. 25: The Regis Jesuit girls volleyball team closed out its home season with a 25-15, 25-11, 258 sweep of Doherty. ...Despite 13 kills and 18 assists from Maddie Kilmer, plus Shylin Collins’ 11 kills and Briana Garcia’s 30 digs, the Rangeview girls volleyball team lost 25-18, 2624, 17-25, 25-20at Denver East in a City League Tournament Gold Division championship semifinal. Vista PEAK Prep swept past DSST: Conservatory Green 25-17, 25-20, 25-18 in consolation semifinal. ...THURSDAY, OCT. 24: The Cherokee Trail girls volleyball team saw Cherry Creek escape with a 25-18, 26-24, 26-24 victory in the Centennial League Challenge championship match that decided the league title. The Cougars got eight kills and five blocks from Quincey McCoy in addition to six kills and four aces from Ella Notheisen. Fifth-place in the tournament went to Grandview after a 25-11, 25-23, 25-13 defeat of Eaglecrest, while Smoky Hill downed Overland in four sets to place seventh. ... Goals from Ben Lewandowski and Isaac Wells — both on assists from Sam Beidler — lifted the Cherokee Trail boys soccer team to a 2-1 win at Overland Yaman Khudhair scored for the Trailblazers. ...The Vista PEAK Prep boys soccer team scored three
LEFT: Overland freshman Dejay Davenport (3) heads upfield after he made a catch in the Trailblazers’ 50-14 win over Boulder Oct. 25 at Stutler Bowl. The win sealed the 5A Metro North League title. BELOW LEFT: Rangeview quarterback Tyson Tuck (10) celebrates after running in a 2-point try during the Raiders’ 30-26 win over rival Vista PEAK Prep Oct. 25 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium. RIGHT ABOVE: Cherokee Trail’s Londyn Donaldson rises above the net for a block during the Cougars’ three-set loss to Cherry Creek in the Centennial League Challenge championship match. RIGHT BELOW: Hinkley boys soccer players set up a wall on a free kick attempt during the Thunder’s 3-3 tie with Rangeview. (PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL)
times in the second half to defeat Denver North 3-1 in a City League crossover match. ...Alex Kedzierski scored twice on passes from Andrew Harwell for the Grandview boys soccer team in a 2-0 win at Smoky Hill Chris Leon picked up assists on goals by Abraham Corona and Jesse Ramirez as the Hinkley boys soccer team topped Rangeview 2-1. ...Luiz Fuentes and Luke Tenkorang had a goal and an assist apiece in the Lotus School For Excellence boys soccer team’s 3-1 win over Fountain Valley. ...Elyse Bailey scored three goals and assisted on the other two as the Smoky Hill field hockey team defeated Grandview 5-0. ...WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23: Maddie Kilmer had 13 kills and 16 assists and Anika Davison added seven kills and nine assists as the Rangeview girls volleyball team swept KIPP Denver Collegiate 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 in a Gold Division first round match of the City League Tournament. ...Alex Silva racked up half the goals for his Aurora West College Prep Academy boys soccer team in its 6-0 win over Nederland. ...The Overland gymnastics team earned the Centennial/Continental league championship with a score of 181.825 points to finish atop a field of seven teams on its home mats. Ainsley Renner won a league title on the uneven bars and also finished on top of the all-around standings, while Audrey Cox took third in both the un-
even bars and balance beam for the Trailblazers. ...TUESDAY, OCT. 22: Madelyn Hannam racked up 23 kills and Sophia Capra added 19 for the Regis Jesuit girls volleyball team in a 21-25, 25-18, 25-22, 20-25, 1512 victory over Castle View that also saw Lucy Tricco pile up 50 assists. ...The Cherokee Trail girls volleyball team swept Arapahoe 25-19, 25-12, 25-22 in the Centennial League Challenge semifinals behind 12 kills from Ella Notheisen and 10 from Kassie Cooley. In other tournament matches, Jada Bobb and Taylor Slowthower had nine kills apiece and Slowthower added seven aces to help Eaglecrest to a 25-8, 25-6, 25-13 consolation semifinal win over Overland and Savannah Adams piled up 12 kills and Julia Ulitzky registered 23 assists in Grandview’s 25-15, 25-16, 25-7 consolation semifinal win over Smoky Hill Jack De Simone and Charles Sharp had a goal and an assist apiece as the Regis Jesuit boys soccer team blanked Castle View 3-0. Rocco Berg also scored for the Raiders. ...Luis Castro Morales scored twice and Darian Puentes also had a goal for the Rangeview boys soccer team in a 3-3 tie with Hinkley Chris Leon plus Edwin and Yahir Quintero scored for the Thunder. ... MONDAY, OCT. 21: The Regis Jesuit field hockey team got a goal from Addie Von Steeg that held up for a 1-0 victory over Palmer Ridge.
Editorials Sentinel
Police chief risks city trust by conflating Trump rally with GOP partisanship
There’s a prodigious difference between being civil and being bullied. Aurora residents are suffering because some city leaders seem unable to discern that critical difference.
It’s difficult so far to discern whether Aurora’s newest police Chief Todd Chamberlain is simply ill-equipped to protect Aurora residents from being bullied by Donald Trump and his rabid fans, or whether he actually aligns himself with their repugnant philosophies and repeated threats.
The lack of clarity comes from mixed and worrisome messages Chamberlain has provided the public in the few weeks he’s been here, trying to find his footing in a hurricane of the city’s self-inflicted controversy over Venezuelan immigrants and gang members.
The controversy over how a handful of northwest Aurora apartments fell into such dire, uninhabitable conditions — rife with filth, vermin, chaos and crime — culminated in Trump marshaling his faithful minions for one of his dependable rallies here in Aurora. On the program, as always, was a salute to racism, intolerance, fear, misinformation, authoritarianism, xenophobia, and, above all, endless lies.
Trump himself, and those who attend these events, are the first to make clear, these rallies are like nothing else in the United States, save for the insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The rallies are filled with not just those allegiant to Trump’s wanton deceits, they fervently cheer and whoop when acolytes like Stephen Miller scream to the roaring crowd that “America is only for Americans” or when a favorite “comedian” says Puerto Ricans are sub-human breeding animals.
After Trump left Aurora and his invigorated fans behind earlier this month, the Sentinel reported that Aurora police had spent the day trolling for new police officers at the Trump rally.
Chamberlain retorted on social media, “Last I checked, political affiliation doesn’t exclude you from being a police officer.”
Last week, at his first public appearance to the community since being hired, he reiterated those sentiments.
“I stick by my statement: I don’t think a political affiliation eliminates somebody from being a police officer,” he said. “It doesn’t. If we did that, this would be a fascist country, and I got a lot of problems with that.”
No doubt, most political and history scholars would take exception to what Chamberlain understands to be “fascism.”
And the vast majority of the people in Aurora he’s sworn to serve and protect — including from the police department itself and Donald Trump — understand the vast difference between partisan politics, the Republican Party, and the dangerous cult betrothed to Trump.
Chamberlain has now set himself up in a no-win situation. If he tries to assure 200,000 minorities, minority immigrants and the white population that lives here and supports them living in Aurora that Trump “isn’t that bad,” or that the convicted former-president was just kidding about forcing the U.S. military and local police to round up immigrants and people he considers “the enemy from within,” he’ll appear naive or complicit.
Having defended, twice now, the wisdom in drawing recruits for police officers from the ranks of Trump acolytes, Chamberlain appears to align himself with Trump and his politics. Taking the time to actually attend the rally himself, meet Trump and pose for a signature “thumbs up” photo, reserved for Trump’s adherents, creates a huge obstacle for the chief.
If Chamberlain is being kowtowed by someone in the city or the Trump campaign into trying to pass off this nonsense as well-considered police policy, he should make the extortion public now.
If no one in the city can advise Chamberlain how unsettling his response is and how it undermines his credibility, he should reach out to successful police chiefs in similar communities for their take on trolling for new cops at a Trump rally.
Chamberlain’s ability to succeed as chief, or even to continue, depends on his ability to build trust from the community, first for himself, and then the entire department.
He’s made that critically difficult.
If Trump wins the presidency, will Chamberlain vow to protect Aurora residents from Trump and any immoral, illegal or unconstitutional demands he would make? If so, he, in theory, could be up against badged Trump adherents drawn from the ranks of a local rally.
If the chief can’t find a way to extricate himself from this quagmire, city leaders must do it.
To start, make all political rallies and events off limits for police recruitment. Even though this is the only campaign rally the department has ever fished from, prohibiting these events for recruitment ends further risk for dangerous optics and needless controversy.
And the chief needs to assure Aurora residents he does not support and will not enforce the campaign promises Trump has made that undermine the constitutional rights of Americans or use police to beat or abuse any residents in Aurora.
It’s time for something better: Vote ‘yes’
on Proposition 131
As two former Colorado Secretaries of State, we have studied the evolution of elections and voting laws with keen eyes through the years. We witnessed the first absentee ballots, the creation of vote centers, implementation of vote by mail, registration reforms, and reforms allowing unaffiliated voters to participate in partisan primaries since 2018, among other improvements to Colorado’s election model.
And while the merits of each of those changes are now undeniable, we know Colorado can still do better. That’s why we believe it’s time to pass Proposition 131.
Proposition 131 will further advance Colorado’s state and federal legislative election process by establishing nonpartisan open primaries where all candidates are listed on one ballot and the four candidates that receive the most votes, regardless of political party, advance to a ranked choice November General Election.
That’s a meaningful step toward a more democratic process that empowers Colorado voters with a stronger voice in choosing their elected officials, since primaries will no longer serve as the decisive election in the state’s many party-dominant districts and the impacts of “spoiler” candidates on the extreme fringes of either party will be minimized. That translates to less polarized, more effective governance that better reflects the will of the people.
In a state – and a nation – where essentially half of all registered voters are unaffiliated with any political party, the time for open primaries and ranked voting has come. As it now stands, party insiders and special interests have gained control of our politics because election rules allow them to all but hand-pick party nominees, leaving a majority of Colorado voters on the sidelines.
Colorado’s most recent primary elections saw just 26% of eligible voters cast a ballot to determine the candidates in the November election, many of them running unopposed. As a result, a given political party’s preferred candi-
date is often elected to office by what amounts to only a small percentage of the voting population.
The proposed reforms will not only open the entire election process to more voters, but they will also open it to more candidates, thereby expanding voter choices and diminishing the power of political insiders to decide who gets elected on behalf of the people.
Defenders — and benefactors — of the status quo are desperately trying to paint these reforms as too confusing or too difficult to implement. Those are the same arguments that were used to oppose the switch to all-mail ballots, same-day voter registration, and allowing independent voters to vote in primaries. They weren’t true then, and they’re not true now. (In fact, we have tremendous faith in Colorado voters and our excellent election clerks to rise to the occasion once again.)
We take pride in election processes that have earned Colorado recognition as a leader in election processes nationwide. Prop 131 changes none of those things. It merely improves our voting system so that voters have more choices and candidates respond to a broader group of voters.
Four states currently have open primaries and nearly 60 jurisdictions across the country have enacted ranked voting, a reform that is regarded as one of the best strategies available to lower the temperature in politics. Winners are the candidates who can build both deep and broad support through civility, outreach to voters, and issues-focused campaigns.
But the ultimate winners are Colorado voters, who gain more choice and more voice in their elections through Proposition 131. Please join us in voting “yes on 131” in this election.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman was elected Colorado Secretary of State in 2006. Bernie Buescher was appointed as Colorado Secretary of State in 2009.
MAYOR MIKE COFFMAN AND FORMER SEC. OF STATE BERNIE BUESCHER
more accessible to disabled residents and visitors.
Over the next two years, the city will develop a comprehensive plan to evaluate and fund updates for a wide range of public infrastructure, services and programs.
The first phase of this plan focuses on improving public right-of-way infrastructure, including sidewalks, curb ramps and other pedestrian facilities. Future phases will address emergency management operations, parks and recreation programs, city buildings, facilities and parking structures.
Aurora has launched an online survey and mapping tool to gather feedback from the community, which will come with support in six languages. There will also be a series of town hall meetings to allow in-person feedback.
How to give feedback
The survey and mapping tool will be available through Nov. 30 at EngageAurora.org/ADA
The scheduled meetings are as follows:
Oct. 29, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway
Nov. 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (virtual meeting at EngageAurora.org/ADA)
Nov. 13, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway
Those needing assistance with the survey or preferring to complete it over the phone can call 720-473-7587 or email tgreiman@benesch.com.
— Sentinel Staff
Arapahoe County pitching new open space rules: E-bikes OK, but no smoking
Arapahoe County is proposing up-
Puzzles
dates to use and development rules involving its open spaces, trails and parks and is inviting residents to share their feedback during a 30-day public comment period.
The proposed changes address the county’s significant growth in open space properties and the evolving public safety and natural resource protection needs.
The current rules, adopted in 1996, have not been updated in 28 years. During that time, Arapahoe County’s open spaces have expanded from just 60 acres to over 5,400 acres across 28 properties, making it necessary to revise regulations to keep up with increased usage and safety concerns, officials said.
After reviewing regulations from nearby local governments, Arapahoe County staff created a bevy of potential changes, open space officials said in a statement. Officials said the proposed changes would ensure better protection of the county’s natural resources, improve consistency with neighboring agencies and enhance public safety.
The new proposed rules in open space properties include:
No releasing of animals
Dogs must be leashed
Pedal-assisted electric bikes are allowed
The speed limit on trails is 15 mph
No smoking, glass bottles or offsite waste dumping
Restrictions on flotation devices and flying objects, unless otherwise posted
No unpermitted commercial activities
“Like many public places, Arapahoe County’s parks, trails and open spaces are not immune to damage caused by vandalism, dumping and other activities that degrade the places we love,” Arapahoe County Director of Open Spaces, Gini Pingenot, said in a
statement.
A public hearing with the board of Arapahoe County Commissioners is scheduled for Nov. 18 to consider adopting the new rules, which would take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
Residents can review the proposed updates and submit comments online at arapahoeco.gov/openspacesrules or through email at askopenspaces@ arapahoegov.com. The comment period runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 18.
— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer
COPS AND COURTS
Man seriously injured after being shot outside Aurora apartment
An unidentified man was shot and wounded early Oct. 23 outside a west-central Aurora apartment complex, police said.
Officers were called to Willowick Apartments, 10613 E. Jewell Ave. at about 6:30 a.m. after reports of a shooting.
“When officers arrived, they were unable to locate a victim, but evidence suggested that a shooting happened just outside of a specific apartment,” Aurora police spokesperson Agent Matt Longshore said in a statement. “Moments later, the victim arrived at a local hospital with gunshot wounds.”
The man suffered “serious injuries” and is still hospitalized.
“Detectives have responded to the scene and are actively following up on leads,” Longshore said. “We are asking anyone with information to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.”
Police said anyone with information can call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a reward
