THREE ON FOUR
Three city council vacancy finalists weigh in on four current Aurora hot button issues
DAVE PERRY Editor
Syrian revolution hits home in Aurora with Obeid Kaifo and his family
Obeid Kaifo hasn’t slept much the last few days. He’s always a busy guy, running the family restaurant across from the state Capitol and usually in the thick of some effort promoting cultural acceptance or efforts to free Syria from decades of horror under the Assad regime.
The generations-old dictatorship in Syria collapsed over the weekend after years of persistence by rebel efforts and forces. Deposed President Bashar Assad is reportedly now in Moscow, given cover by his longtime ally President Vladimir Putin.
Kaifo has been mesmerized by the tragedy of Syria almost his entire life, and certainly since was a student at Overland High School in central Aurora in 2005. His parents grew up in Syria and moved to California in the 1980s, where Obeid was born.
The generations-old Syrian regime was never coy about iron-fist torture, corruption and abuse of regime critics. The Hama Massacre of 1981 started with 400 men. A year later, as many as 40,000 Syrian Sunni Muslims were rounded up and murdered.
His entire life, Obeid absorbed stories of his father’s family in Aleppo living an increasingly marginalized life under the cancerous corruption and oppression of the Assad regime.
Obeid’s father, a math teacher, had left the country for a job in Algeria after college. When a Syrian government official told another teacher about intelligence on his father’s personal life, he and his wife knew they couldn’t return to Aleppo. They moved to California, and eventually Aurora, a community filled with immigrants and home to many Muslims.
In 2008, two years before a massive rebel uprising evolved into civil war, Obeid and his brothers made the trek to Aleppo to see family and their historical homeland for themselves.
The entire month they were there was filled with a taste of what was to come for years.
He spent the month just after the Eid holiday with family members, absorbing the fear and dread of the government residents every day, even as he left for home.
An American citizen, Obeid was harassed by Syrian officials at the airport coming home. At 19, he would have faced military conscription as a Syrian citizen. His American birthright and Syrian heritage became an unnerving issue at the airport. There was a scary discussion about whether he should be incarcerated as a draft dodger.
“The delay caused me to miss my flight,” he recalled, but he got home.
Obeid’s extended family in Aleppo dealt directly with stark and relentless terror.
After rebels rushed into Aleppo in 2012 and were then forced to retreat, one of his uncles was hounded and eventually confronted in the family home by Assad regime’s political police, whose offices were next door to the long-time home of his grandfather.
First harassed, “they burned him alive,” Obeid said.
He was in his 70s. His older brother, concerned about him, made the trek across town, back to the neighborhood to check on him.
He was shot by snipers crossing the street, Obeid said. He was in his 80s.
“His body lay in the median for 12 days,” Obeid said. “It was so bad that it was like, if you were shot in the streets, there was nobody to pick you up. Can you imagine living in a place like that?”
A cousin made his way through the embattled city, literally jumping from building roof to building roof, eventually getting the story of what happened from horrified neighbors.
“He goes down the stairwell, and he
ends up sneaking into the room, to the house, and he sees him where he was burned alive,” Obeid said. “It was just a burnt body. The only thing they recognized of him was his knuckles. The knuckles on his hand. I’ll never forget that.”
While the ghastly abuses the Assad government inflicted on Syrians continued, often under the radar of U.S. media and public, Obeid became a local activist to keep the crisis in Syria visible.
He had every intention of going to medical school when he received his degree in biology in 2015.
But work at the Shish Kabob Grill, his father’s restaurant in Downtown Denver, and the compulsion to press the U.S. government to come to the aid of Syrian people and rebels, was engrossing.
For the past 14 years, he has raised awareness among Colorado politicians, regional officials and even his own customers about the plight of Muslims in the Middle East and the United States, and especially those abused by the Syrian regime.
He was just a boy during the abuse of American Muslims in Aurora after Sept. 11. But he was a young adult when Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric and Muslim ban thundered across the region.
“My family restaurant was targeted as terrorists” by vandals once during the last few years because of his work on the Syrian rebel cause.
But all that has changed now.
Defeating the cancerous Assad thugs isn’t just a victory for Syrians, Obeid said. It’s a victory for all of Islam.
He said that Syria, even under authoritarian rule, had long been an inclusive, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic nation, where people were considered for what they said, what they did and not by their religion, race or sect.
“My father went to school with a girl and didn’t know for years that she was Jewish,” Obeid said. Syrians weren’t identified by such things in the 1960s and 1970s, his father told him.
For years, Obeid has been consumed by rebellion in the nation, and how the
horrors were regularly set aside or even ignored by the U.S. government and most American media.
He has depended on a small stable of Syrian and global news sources for updates about the nation of 23 million people.
For the last few weeks, he’s been glued to WhatsApp, and other international media sources as the implosion of the Assad regime played out.
“I can’t look away,” he said Sunday. “I don’t think a lot of people will ever appreciate how heinous this regime has been.”
He said he, and his family, agree with experts who are confident that rebel forces will create a government that Syria wants and deserves.
Criticism and worry that a leadership vacuum will be filled by different terrorists is just Russian, Iranian and Assad propaganda talk, Obeid said. The country has a complicated history in the region and the world.
“You’ve got to give Syrians more credit than that.”
For now, he relishes watching media photos and film of the faces of Syrians in the street, their expressions fundamentally changed by news that Assad and his brutal regime of terror are finally, really gone. The optimism and relief in his voice is a vivid contrast to his recalling Syrian horrors in detail.
Thousands of political prisoners, some young girls, are being freed from their cells, held because of their criticism of Assad or alleged sympathy with rebels.
Freedom has a new and personal meaning for Obeid now.
The hardest thing for him is watching it from afar. He wants to be there.
“I can’t wait,” Obeid said. He and his father want to go as soon as a new government there makes it practical for them.
“I want to feel what that’s like,” he said. “There.”
Follow @EditorDavePerry on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@SentinelColorado.com
Aurora resident and Denver restaurant owner Obeid Kaifo at past speaking engagement. Kaifo has long been an activist for Syrian rebels and Muslim inclusion in the region. SENTINEL FILE PHOTO.
AURORA POLICE CHIEF OFFERS DATA TO RESIDENTS WHO SAY THEY’RE LOOKING FOR CONTEXT
BY TONY GORMAN, CPR News
Community members had another opportunity to voice their concerns about the Aurora Police Department during a discussion with Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain.
But, once again, a lot of dialogue led to no concrete promises of change.
Outgoing state Sen. Rhonda Fields of Aurora hosted the event titled “A Seat At The Table with Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain” at the Aurora Center for Active Adults Dec.5.
It was the second meeting the incoming Arapahoe County Commissioner has hosted since Chamberlain was sworn into the position in September. The first public discussion was held at the Dayton Street Opportunity Center in October. That meeting was an opportunity for Chamberlain to discuss his background and leadership philosophy with the community.
Fields sought a different approach with the 20 people who were in attendance at Thursday’s event.
Organizations such as the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Arapahoe County Racial Equity Subcommittee of the Arapahoe County Justice Coordinating Committee, and Family Tree were represented during the discussion.
“The whole objective for this meeting is for the chief to understand the people in the community who are engaged, who love Aurora, who have concerns about issues, and they want to advance them and elevate it,” Fields said.
Todd Chamberlain responded to questions about police violence
and officers at the Trump rally
Even though those were the intentions, Chamberlain still faced questions about recent officer-involved shootings and the Aurora Police officers’ presence at the Trump Rally that was held at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in October.
Nicholas Walker, a resident in the Lynn Knoll neighborhood, asked why more Black men are dying when confronted by Aurora Police Officers as opposed to other races. Chamberlain responded that was 100 percent not the case.
“When you look at the demographics of the city,
when you look at the dynamics of how this city is set up, again, this is an incredibly, incredibly diverse city,” Chamberlain said. “We have everybody here that you could imagine. We have Black, Hispanic, and White.”
Last month, the Aurora Police Department released its report on the use of force in 2023. Almost 39 percent of use of force incidents involved the Black community. As of Dec. 3, that number has remained steady in over 610 incidents this year. Chamberlain responded that racial bias has not been the case since he took over.
Chamberlain also noted three officer-involved shootings that occurred since his hiring. In those cases, one of the people was Black, another Hispanic and one White.
In another case, APD recently ruled that the officer who shot and killed Kilyn Lewis, a 37-year-old unarmed Black man, did not violate agency policy and was welcomed back on the force. That incident occurred months before Chamberlain’s hiring.
Chamberlain stood firm on APD’s presence at President Donald Trump’s rally a month before he was elected to a second term. Officers have faced criticism for recruiting at the event after the returning President made remarks about the presence of a Venezuelan prison gang in local apartment complexes.
“I hope one thing that’s very clear to everybody, whether you believe it or whether you don’t, law enforcement is completely apolitical. I don’t care what party you are,” Chamberlain said. “I don’t care what you vote for, what you don’t vote for, I don’t care what you believe in, what you don’t believe in. I don’t care what you demonstrate, what you do demonstrate for law enforcement will be there to support you.”
The chief’s language and reliance on statistics drew pushback from some participants
Chamberlain’s use of “don’t care” stood out to Marlon Sango, a licensed therapist. He noted how powerful those words can be in attempting to explain APD’s unbiasedness in its policing.
“You keep saying, I don’t care. And, there are people that care and I know you care,” Sango said. “But at the same time when you use the language of
‘I don’t care,’ now, you can’t speak for yourself when you speak for a whole police force and all the police officers may not feel the way that you do.”
Sango also explained that statistics isn’t the best way for APD to address concerns with the community.
“You have to acknowledge that people are seeing and hearing things and that is going on in their world. We know that perception is a very powerful thing.” Sango said. “A lot of people don’t know statistics. They know what they see and what they perceive and that is very real to them. And if you’re not catering to that and you’re catering to statistics, then you’re missing the connection with the people.”
Due to the limited time, some of those who expressed concerns to Chamberlain were answered briefly. Other concerns were written down to be emailed to him after the discussion.
Afterward, Fields thought there was a great turnout and was pleased with the participation. But, she was still intrigued by Chamberlain’s responses.
Time played a role in how much was addressed during the latest meeting. Fields noted that she was given only an hour by Chamberlain.
“It takes time to bridge those relationships, and you have to want to do it,” Fields said. “Relationships are like two ways. So, if you don’t want to invest in that civic engagement and building trust and rapport. That’s something you can’t legislate and you can’t mandate because it’s based on his time and his availability.”
Fields was given the same amount of time at her last event. But, Chamberlain was willing to extend his time which carried on for about two hours. He said he’s open to long public discussions in the future.
“What I want to do is make sure that the meetings are productive and make sure we’re getting all the concerns and it doesn’t become a platform or something that’s not positive,” Chamberlain said. “That is exchanging information. That’s having dialogue. That’s building bridges. And so that’s definitely, whatever that takes, we’ll get there. And whether it’s a bunch of small ones to build up normalcy and just understanding and seeing familiarity or whether it’s the longer ones, we will get there.”
Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain talks to a group of residents Dec. 5, 2024 at the Aurora Center for Active Adults as state
Sen. Rhonda Fields, host of the event listens.
PHOTO BY SENTINEL COLORADO.
AROUND AURORA
Aurora City Council deadlock on mayor pro tem appointment sparks partisan tension
Aurora City Council’s efforts to fill the vacant mayor pro tem position have hit a standstill, as a quietly contentious vote during the Dec. 2 meeting ended in gridlock, creating partisan tensions.
Councilmembers Steve Sundberg and Curtis Gardner are vying for the role after former Councilmember and mayor pro tem Dustin Zvonek stepped down from the city council Oct. 31, citing issues surrounding his family and a new job.
What is typically considered an innocuous, symbolic city council role has become a focal point for partisan rhetoric and fresh political tension.
The nine-member city council and mayor carried over the appointment after two tie votes failed to secure the position for either candidate. Without an appointment, the question will now be revisited at the next regular meeting Dec. 16, as spelled out by city council protocol.
Gardner is a conservative and former Republican, now an unaffiliated voter. He is an at-large council member and a Waste Management executive. He said in previous reporting that he could be a unifying voice and fill what he sees as a leadership gap on the city council.
He told the Sentinel last week, and in previous reports, he feels “uncomfortable” about repeated episodes of city council overreach, particularly in police and public safety matters, citing the frequent turnover in police leadership as a sign of city council micromanagement. Aurora recently clocked seven police chiefs over the last five years.
Sundberg, a conservative Republican representing Ward II, previously described himself as calm, reliable, positive and approachable. Sundberg, who owns Legends, a local bar and grill, said his level-headedness and objectivity were key qualities for the role.
Regarding the split vote on city council and new controversy, “I don’t believe I have much input on this topic yet,” Sundberg told the Sentinel Tuesday.
On Dec. 2, the initial motion by Mayor Mike Coffman to appoint Gardner failed in a tie vote, with councilmembers Sundberg, Françoise Bergan, Danielle Jurinsky, Stephanie Hancock and Angela Lawson voting against it.
The second motion was for Councilmember Sundberg, and it also ended in a tie. Councilmembers Alison Coombs, Crystal Murillo, Ruben Medina, Coffman and Gardner opposed it. With no winner, council members acknowledged city rules requiring them to defer the decision to the next regular council meeting. Coffman emphasized that the appointment was not urgent and that the delay would allow both candidates to lobby for votes.
The next day, however, former Republican congressional candidate John Fabbricatore raised partisan spectre and criticized Coffman on social media for backing Gardner, whom he labeled an “anti-Trump” candidate.
Fabbricatore, a former Aurora ICE official, was defeated Nov. 5 for the 6th Congressional seat by incumbent Democratic Rep. Jason Crow. Crow won re-election with 59% of the vote.
“Mayor Mike Coffman, why are you voting against all of the Republicans on the Aurora City Council and instead voting for a socialist-backed candidate and ‘wet noodle’ anti-Trump Curtis Gardner for mayor pro tem? You are a puppet!” Fabbricatore wrote on X. “You are a fraud. Those puppet strings are getting pulled rapidly these days.” Coffman, a Republican, is a former Colorado state legislator, state treasurer, secretary of state and formerly held the 6th Congressional seat as a Republican for five terms. He was
taunted by Trump in 2018 after Coffman was publicly critical of the former president. Coffman lost the election that year to Crow. Upon Coffman’s defeat, Trump pithily said, “Too bad, Mike.”
Gardner publicly left the Colorado Republican Party on June 6 after Colorado Republican Party Chairperson Dave Williams sent an email statewide with a video titled, ‘God Hates Flags’ in reference to a regular slur the Westboro Baptist Church would use against LGBTQ+ community members. Party leaders also called for burning Pride flags. This rhetoric coincided with many talking points of President Elect Trump during his campaign. The missive reaped widespread outrage among Democrats and Republicans.
“I largely try to avoid commenting on partisan issues, as city council is a non-partisan job, but I can no longer stay silent on the actions of the Colorado GOP after their latest hateful stunt,” Gardner wrote on Facebook, June 6.
The Aurora City Council members and mayor are non-partisan offices, yet partisan politics has come into play among lawmakers for decades. In the past few years, partisan politics have spilled out frequently, drawing pejorative political slurs from both liberals and conservatives.
The city council boasts three registered Democrats, two unaffiliated members, siding mostly with Republicans on disputed legislation, and six registered Republicans. For the past decade, Aurora, and both Adams and Arapahoe counties, have become reliably Democratic strongholds for state and county offices. All of Aurora’s 11 state senate and state house seats are held by Democrats, except one seat in southeast Aurora. About half of Aurora voters are unaffiliated, 30% are registered Democrats and about 20% are registered Republicans. About 60% of area voters chose Kamala Harris over Trump in the Nov. 5 election, according to state election officials.
The role of Aurora mayor pro tem comes with almost no special rank or power. The chosen council member officially acts as mayor only during official meetings when the mayor is absent. Other than that, the City Charter dictates that the mayor pro tem designee assigns and coordinates city council committee assignments at the end of every year.
Not speaking for attribution, council insiders say that the normally obscure role takes on new importance with so much controversy, especially surrounding the police department and public safety. Currently, Councilmember Jurinsky is chairperson of the council’s Public Safety Committee, and fellow Republicans Hancock and Sundberg serve on the committee.
The council committees and chairpersons have no real power or control over city legislation, as spelled out in the city’s charter. The groups act to review city council bills and issues, but any city council member can take legislation directly to the council floor for a full-city-council vote, and sometimes recently do. Jurinsky has, on more than one occasion, used the committee seat to elevate her own views on a variety of police and public safety issues. Most recently, she has appeared frequently on local and national far-right TV and radio news shows, accusing Aurora police and city officials of trying to cover up Venezuelan gang activity in northwest Aurora. The appearances resulted in then-presidential candidate Trump holding an October political rally in the city, where he promised to impose mass deportation across the nation, beginning with Aurora.
Jurinsky aligned herself with Trump on the issue, and has spoken on it as chairperson of the city council committee, even though her comments continue to be at odds with Aurora police and city officials. Jurinsky has also used her position on the committee to elevate her position backing a New York property owner police and city officials say are respon-
sible for a variety of health and safety issues. One of the complexes was shut down by the city. Jurinsky, saying she’s speaking as chairperson of the city council committee, has disputed the police and city account, saying the complexes were overrun with Venezuelan gang members.
Two weeks ago, Jurinsky, while acting as chairperson of the public safety committee, said she was in conversation with the Trump transition team about “Operation Aurora” issues, and was concerned the city was not “taking this seriously.”
Neither Gardner nor Sundberg said Tuesday whether they would work to remove any council members from high-profile committees.
Since late summer, Jurinsky and Fabbricatore have aligned with each other at campaign events and frequently on social media. Fabbricatore pounced Tuesday on the split city council vote from Monday.
“‘Mumbles’ Mayor Mike Coffman strikes again!” Fabbricatore wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “This vote is to get an anti-Trumper into the mayor pro tem position so that you can roadblock Operation Aurora.”
Despite the controversy, Gardner urged against politicizing the appointment process.
“It’s telling that some are trying to turn this into a partisan process,” Gardner said. “Trying to turn the selection of the mayor pro tem into a referendum on so-called ‘Operation Aurora’ demonstrates a lack of understanding of how our form of city government works and the role that a local municipality plays in enforcement of federal immigration law.”
Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain has said on several occasions in public that Aurora police cannot under state law, and should not, enforce immigration law because of the risk it would impose on all of Aurora, driving immigrants into the shadows to become crime victims, or desperate perpetrators.
Gardner went on to say he was grateful for the confidence his colleagues who supported him had. He said that he sees his job as serving all of the public, and in five years he’s sponsored dozens of ordinances and resolutions because he works with colleagues to find solutions to the issues facing Aurora residents.
“I’ve always said that we can disagree without being disagreeable –and I continue to treat my colleagues with respect even when I disagree with them on policy,” he said. “I know riling up the red team or blue team is great for clicks, but I’ll continue to focus on serving the residents of Aurora.”
— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer
Former Denver mayoral candidate Kelly Brough tabbed CEO of Aurora Fitz development group
Former Denver Metro Chamber chief and Denver mayoral candidate Kelly Brough was appointed as CEO of the Aurora Fitzsimons Innovation Community project, sealing a threeyear, $320,000 annual contract, Aurora officials announced Dec. 9.
“The CU Anschutz Medical Campus and FIC have been catalysts for economic growth in Aurora, and Kelly Brough’s leadership will only enhance our city’s standing as a national leader in bioscience,” Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said, who sits on the FIC board. “Her experience and vision make her the right person to drive this community into its next chapter of innovation.”
The appointment was made by the FIC board of directors.
The project is a joint effort between Aurora and the Anschutz Medical Campus to expand bioscience industry growth and innovation on the undeveloped north side of the sprawling medical and hospital campus.
“The Fitzsimons Innovation Community is already home to some of the most exciting advancements in life
sciences, but its untapped potential is what truly excites me,” Brough said in a statement. “With 50 acres of prime development space and a multi-year growth plan, this campus is poised to make life-changing discoveries that will shape the future of health care.”
Brough brings a variety of high-profile appointments and experience to the position. Besides being CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber, she was chief of staff for former Mayor John Hickenlooper. Last year, she was a top contender for Denver mayor, and she was most recently chief strategy officer at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
The campus boasts 410,000 square feet of research facilities, with an additional 230,000 square feet under construction, all infusing the region with a $13 billion local economic impact, according to city and FIC officials.
Brough replaces Steve VanNurden, who said he will retire at the end of the year, closing out a 12-year tenure in the position.
“Steve has set an incredible foundation for the future of FIC, and we are deeply grateful for his leadership,” Don Elliman, chancellor of CU Anschutz and vice chair of the FIC board said in a statement. “With Kelly at the helm, we will build on this momentum, further establishing Aurora as a go-to city for groundbreaking life sciences research and emerging companies with the potential to change the world.”
City officials said Brough will be charged with focusing on expanding FIC’s infrastructure, strengthening partnerships, and fostering innovation.
“This is not just about building facilities,” Brough said. “It’s about creating an environment where scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators can come together to tackle the most pressing challenges in health care.”
— Sentinel Staff
Aurora, Fort Collins Palestinian- and IranianAmerican lawmakers launch first-of-its-kind caucus
Legislature Democrats from Aurora and Fort Collins are launching for the first time a caucus for lawmakers who are Muslim or from the Middle East, North Africa or South Asia, also known as MENASA communities, to give voice to those underrepresented Coloradans.
The joint Muslim-MENASA Caucus will be led by Rep. Iman Jodeh of Aurora and Rep.-elect Yara Zokaie of Fort Collins. Jodeh is Colorado’s first Muslim and Palestinian-American state lawmaker, and Zokaie will be the legislature’s first lawmaker of Iranian descent when she takes office next year.
Noting that the Trump administration banned travel from Muslim-majority countries in 2017, Jodeh said forming a caucus will help defend against possible discriminatory actions.
“We’re trying to be proactive about making sure that people with that [MENASA] heritage feel like they are, in fact, protected,” Jodeh said.
Jodeh said protections from discriminatory federal policies could take the form of specific legislation or partnerships with local advocacy groups and other affinity caucuses like the legislature’s Black Caucus.
The Muslim-MENASA caucus has already partnered with East Meets West, a non-partisan, non-secular, not-for-profit organization that advocates for MENASA artists, leaders, and companies.
The purpose of a joint Muslim-MENASA caucus is to have a space for Muslim lawmakers and those from the variety of religious and cultural groups from the MENASA region.
“People from the MENASA region are often forced to identify by religion, and unfortunately, that’s often defaulted as Muslim,” Jodeh said. “There are Baha’i, there are Hindu, there are Zoroastrian, there are smaller sects of Christianity. Having such a diverse population speaks to not only the
need, but the urgency of having a MENASA caucus.”
Jodeh and Zokaie both said Coloradans from the MENASA region haven’t had enough representation in state government.
“I’ve heard from Iranians around the entire state who are happy to have some representation, and who have felt like their voices have not been heard,” Zokaie said. “And I think that that goes for all folks from the MENASA region.”
Zokaie said having an official caucus will make it more effective to advocate for Colorado’s Muslim and MENASA communities at the statehouse because it provides a unified voice that’s more powerful than advocacy from individual lawmakers.
Last week, Jodeh announced she would seek the vacant Senate District 29 seat in the city, not affecting plans for the caucus.
— Lucas Brady Woods, KUNC News
Aurora’s Rep. Crow partners with Florida Republican to push for ICE jail oversight
In the shadow of threatened mass deportations, Aurora Congressman Jason Crow is joining forces with a Florida Republican to press for new legislation ensuring transparency and oversight at immigration detention facilities.
“Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked hard to promote transparency in government, and that includes making oversight visits to immigration detention facilities,” Crow said in a statement. “My experience being denied access to conduct an oversight visit of an immigration detention facility in my own community highlighted the importance of these visits in ensuring government accountability and the humane treatment of all those detained.”
While the issue of ICE detention facility oversight has long been a priority for Crow, the bill comes just as the incoming Trump administration is threatening mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, a program Trump has dubbed “Operation Aurora.” Aurora has been the focus of anti-immigrant controversy after national attention was drawn to a controversy surrounding Venezuelan immigrants and reported gang activity in local apartment complexes.
Since he was first elected in 2019, Crow has led local and national efforts to require the ICE prison, run privately in Aurora by GEO Group Inc., to allow for immediate inspections by members of Congress and others.
The GEO-ICE prison in Aurora has been the subject of numerous allegations and lawsuits focusing on the mistreatment of inmates, sometimes resulting in death.
“That’s why today I’m introducing the POD Act (Public Oversight of Detention Centers) with Congressman John Rutherford, because it’s critical we as lawmakers take all steps necessary to ensure these facilities operate in compliance with US law,” Crow said.
The legislation would enable members of Congress and their staff to conduct oversight visits to these facilities, ensuring compliance with federal laws and the humane treatment of detainees.
Crow and Rutherford said the bill closes a critical gap in congressional oversight by codifying protections that have previously relied on annual appropriations measures. The POD Act would guarantee immediate access for members of Congress to any immigration detention facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security, such as the GEO-ICE facility in Aurora.
Staff access would be required within 24 hours of a request. Facilities housing minors under the Department of Health and Human Services would
›› See METRO, 7
METRO
have to grant member access within two days, balancing oversight with child protection considerations, according to bill sponsors.
Crow highlighted the necessity of the bill based on his experience in Aurora. He was denied entry amid reports of disease outbreaks and substandard conditions.
“My attempt to visit an immigration detention facility in my community was denied for 24 days, underscoring the need for codified protections,” he said. “Transparency is essential to holding the government accountable and ensuring detainees are treated humanely.”
Rutherford agreed.
“Congress has a responsibility to ensure these facilities are run properly,” he said. “This bill allows lawmakers to fulfill that duty by conducting oversight visits without delay.”
Both sponsors said they’re counting on backing by the ACLU and similar civil rights and immigrant rights groups.
The POD Act builds on efforts led by Crow since 2020, when he successfully pushed for initial protections through the appropriations process.
Crow previously introduced a version of the bill co-sponsored by fellow Democrats. The latest iteration reflects bipartisan collaboration, with Rutherford’s support signaling growing momentum to make permanent oversight protections.
— Sentinel Staff
Rep. Jodeh seeking Aurora state Senate seat vacated by Buckner after Nov. 5 win
Aurora Democratic State Rep. Iman Jodeh said this week she would seek the state Sen. District 29 seat, being vacated by state Sen. Janet Buckner.
Buckner announced her resignation days after winning re-election to her Aurora state Senate seat unopposed.
Jodeh also won re-election for a third term in her House District 41 seat on Nov. 5.
Jodeh, 42, is a lifelong Auroran and daughter of Palestinian immigrants who has spent her career advocating for the rights of people who, like her parents, came to the U.S. seeking better, safer lives.
If elected, Jodeh’s House District seat vacancy would set off another race among Democrats in the region.
“I am ready to carry forward the values that have informed my work in public service: fairness, inclusion and an unrelenting commitment to creating a better, brighter future for all Coloradans,” Jodeh said in a statement.
The progressive Democrat leads programs building relationships with and cultural understanding of Middle Easterners. She serves as a community advocate for the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado. And, as co-founder of the Colorado Muslim Leadership Council and spokesperson for the Colorado Muslim Society, she has fought Islamophobia and racism.
Jodeh is the first Muslim and Palestinian American elected to the Colorado General Assembly.
In a Sentinel interview about her re-election campaign, Jodeh said her policy agenda “is informed by basic human rights,” which she notes are as much a state issue as an international one. “It means the right to housing, clean air, access to jobs and education and health care for all,” she said.
On health care, she said she is most proud of her legislation relieving and at times forgiving medical debt and ensuring birth doulas are covered by insurance. On housing, she touts her work extending eviction processes from 48 hours to 10 days to “avoid putting people on a path of homelessness.”
She highlights her legislation making eviction proceedings accessible remotely “so more people can defend
themselves” at hearings. On immigration, she points to her efforts helping establish the state Office of New Americans as a hub for immigrants seeking to navigate life in Colorado.
Arapahoe County Democratic Party officials said a vacancy committee will meet Monday, Jan. 6 to select a replacement for Buckner. The time and place are still undecided. The first day of the 2025 Colorado legislative session is Jan. 8.
Buckner’s abrupt resignation has resulted in a flurry of concern among both Democrat and Republican party officials. Both parties have called for changes in election law and requirements for special elections, in an effort for one party to hand over the seat to another party member without voter input.
Denver state Sen. Chris Hansen also won re-election to his Denver state Senate seat and announced, abruptly after victory, that he would resign and move to the Western slope for a job, according to CPR and other reports.
“The growing number of senators and representatives of both parties serving in office as a result of vacancy committee selections and not traditional elections should concern every Coloradan, and it certainly concerns me,” Democratic Party Chairperson Shad Murib said in a statement.
Sentinel Staff
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SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION
Despite budget shortfall, key legislators back free school lunch for all students
Colorado lawmakers on a key legislative committee want to continue offering free school meals to all students, even though the cost of the popular new program is higher than initially expected.
During a hearing of the state’s Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday, several lawmakers came out against cost-cutting proposals that would eliminate universal free meals for students in some grades or school districts.
Sen. Jeff Bridges, the committee’s chairperson, said, “Making sure that kids aren’t hungry when they’re trying to learn is a core service [of schools], and it’s one that we as a state need to fund.”
Rep. Shannon Bird, the committee’s vice chair, agreed, adding, “I’m not in favor of anything that shifts financial responsibility for feeding kids to local school districts.”
Colorado’s universal school meals program launched last school year after voters approved funding in 2022 that reduced state income tax deductions for households earning $300,000 or more. The measure raised more than $100 million for the Healthy School Meals for All program, but there was still a $56 million shortfall last year. The legislature found the money to close that gap last year and this year, but is still seeking long-term solutions.
An advisory group report released this week offered 27 possible options. About one-third of the options would involve limiting eligibility to certain students or schools, for example, by removing high schoolers from the program or covering lunch but not breakfast. But a host of education and advocacy organizations consulted by the advisory group were “resoundingly” opposed to these types of restrictions, the report said They believe “universal meals should be maintained as originally legislated; it is too soon to cut a program that has just begun,” the report said. Other budget-balancing options in the report mostly revolve around bringing in more tax revenue to support the program or using existing federal or state dollars to augment current funding.
The Joint Budget Committee expressed particular interest in a move that was mentioned in the advisory report but was not officially one of the
27 options: asking voters next November if the state can keep the tax revenue it collected above what it initially asked voters for in 2022. In the first year of the program, that amounted to $26 million. A state law known as the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR, requires excess funding to be returned unless voters explicitly allow the state to keep it.
Committee members also briefly discussed potential legislation that would decouple state tax deduction rules used to fund universal school meals from federal tax deduction rules. If they don’t cut that tie, funding for the meals program could plummet after the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires at the end of 2025.
While the Joint Budget Committee was clearly opposed to any budget solution that would feed fewer kids free school meals, they did seem willing to limit grant programs that were originally intended to roll out with the free meal offerings. The grants, which mostly are on hold now, would have helped districts buy Colorado-grown food, provide stipends for kitchen employees, and pay for training or equipment. The committee plays a major role in crafting the state budget each year, with the full legislature approving it. The meals program is part of the state budget.
Bridges said lawmakers won’t
make a final decision on the grant programs until spring, when they get closer to finalizing the state budget. Still, he said, “I do think that it’s pretty clear where the committee is on that question, which is no on the grants, yes on the [meals].”
— Ann Schimke, Colorado Chalkbeat
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SIGN UP NOW! Beauty and the Bees Join Arapahoe County CSU Extension Horticulture Specialist Lisa Mason for a talk about bees and pollinators, Thursday, Dec. 19, 4-5 p.m. at the Aurora Central Library. Lisa manages the Native Bee Watch, a citizen science program that monitors native bees. Learn what you can do in your own yard to build habitat and support pollinators and bees. Register now at https://bit.ly/ACCSUBees
Read’ em and reap
THE RIGHT BOOK CAN INSPIRE THE YOUNG READERS IN YOUR LIFE, FROM PICTURE BOOKS TO YOUNG ADULT NOVELS
BY DONNA EDWARDS, Associated Press
First: This cover image released by First Second shows “Lunar New Year Love Story” by Gene Luen Yang and Leuyen Pham.
Second: This cover image released by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers shows “The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science” by Kate McKinnon. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via AP Third: This cover image released by First Second shows “Plain Jane and the Mermaid” by Vera Brosgol.
It’s holiday season, but that doesn’t have to mean waiting in long lines for big sales to buy the hottest toy or newest game system. Whether you’re a parent, relative, teacher, librarian or just a friend to a young person, consider a book that you can enjoy together.
Preschool
“I Like Your Chutzpah And Other Yiddish Words You’ll Like”
Sweet, funny and infinitely readable, this board book contains 12 Yiddish words and their meanings, each accompanied by a simple, colorful illustration that will inspire fun reading voices. Written and illustrated by Suzy Ultman. Recommended ages: 1-3. RISE x Penguin Workshop. $9.99.
“The 13 Days of Swiftness: A Christmas Celebration”
For the littlest Swifties, a play on the classic Christmas song >>>>BBBBB>>>>> except instead of 12 days there are 13 ( if you know, you know). Each page has bright illustrations and lots of Easter eggs for the fandom. It includes a to-from page with room to add a personal note or your favorite Taylor Swift lyrics. Written by Tiffany Garland, illustrated by Brooke O’Neill. Recommended ages: 3 and up. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. $10.99.
Early Elementary
“Into the Uncut Grass”
Trevor Noah tells a story of a boy and his teddy bear who venture into the uncut grass, picking up bits of wisdom along the way. Long and quotable, with humor and gentle watercolor illustrations. Per the intro, “it’s a picture book, but it’s not a children’s book. Rather, it is a book for kids to share with parents and for
parents to share with kids.” Written by Trevor Noah, illustrated by Sabina Hahn. All ages. One World. $26.
Proper Badger Would Never”
Badger was determined to be a perfectly proper guest at his first party, but his instincts may have gotten the better of him. Shred the gift wrapping paper? Never. Dig into the cake before it’s served? Of course not. A colorful, texture-rich picture book that leans into joyful chaos. Written by Lauren Glattly, illustrated by Rob Sayegh. Recommended ages: 4-8. Flamingo Books. $18.99.
“The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals”
It’s Old MacDonald’s origin story, with the animal noises and everything. This man loves his tidy home and doesn’t like animals until they endear themselves to him one by one, turning his apartment into a cramped barn. Written by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Recommended ages: 4-8. HarperCollins. $19.99.
“Attack of the Scones”
In the sixth installment of the series, Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast take on an alien invasion with the help of their fridge friends. Told in rhyming couplets with whimsical, expressive full-page illustrations. written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney. Recommended ages: 5-8. Union Square Kids. Hardcover: $18.99. Paperback: $8.99.
“Bog Myrtle”
One sister loves the forest and its splendors; the other is more interested in money. Sharp uses literary
devices from irony to alliteration to puns, taking on topics like worker rights and environmental sustainability. “ This graphic novel is perfect for the quirky, goofy child in your life who loves deadpan humor and ‘The Skull’ by Jon Klassen,” says Sarah Bradley, lead bookseller at Powell’s Books. Written and illustrated by Sid Sharp. Recommended ages: 6–11. Annick Press. $22.99.
“My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast”
Award-winning adult author Zoje Stage pens a book, coming Dec. 3, that reimagines the monster under the bed as something far cuter and weirder. One day while cleaning her room, Pru finds a shy little creature called an UnderSlumberBumbleBeast. Includes crosshatch drawings and a glossary of the trickier vocabulary. Written by Zoje Stage and illustrated by J.E. Larson. Recommended ages: 7-10. Bad Hand Books. $15.99.
Late Elementary and Middle
“Otto Normal’s Monsterton: The Disappearance of White Pine Beach” Otto moves with his mom from his normal California town to Monsterton, where they’re the only humans among zombies, ghosts and sirens. Otto soon finds himself on a quick-paced adventure. With chunks of text broken up by beautiful digital color illustrations, blurring the line between chapter book and graphic novel, this glossy volume feels special to hold. Written by Danielle
McKechnie, illustrated by Simon Estrada. Recommended ages: 8-12. Simon & Schuster. $22.99.
“The Wild Robot” Roz the robot is the sole survivor of a shipment gone overboard and has to adapt to the wild. She becomes the de facto mother of Brightbill the gosling, and the forest animals that shunned her otherness begin to form a community around her. Short chapters are punctuated by black-and-white illustrations. The trilogy saw a theatrical adaptation this year, and a special edition of the first volume features full-color inserts from the movie. Written and illustrated by Peter Brown. Recommended ages: 8-12. Hachette Book Group. Single paperback: $8.99. Boxed set: $54.
“The Young Green Witch’s Guide to Plant Magic”
This herbalist’s chapter book with watercolor illustrations imparts how to use different plants, along with lessons of appreciation and self-acceptance and breathing meditations. There are also recipes for handy concoctions kids can make with minimal adult supervision, such as oatmeal scrub, lavender honey and dandelion pesto. Written by Robin Rose Bennett, illustrated by Rachel Grant. Recommended ages: 8-12. Running Press Kids. $16.99.
“The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science”
Kate McKinnon of “Saturday
›› See BOOKS, 9
Night Live” and “Barbie” fame tells the story of three adopted sisters who, having zero interest in perfecting the 85 ways to properly sit on a velvet fainting couch, find themselves expelled from etiquette school. Their new, extremely uncouth school puts them at the heart of a mystery in which the town is at stake. With fun fonts and the occasional illustration, the novel is a wildly imaginative celebration of strangeness with humor a la Lemony Snicket. Written by Kate McKinnon, illustrated by Alfredo Cáceres. Recommended ages: 8-12. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. $17.99.
“Plain Jane and the Mermaid”
The recently orphaned Jane has a week to get married and get her dowry before she’ll be kicked to the streets. Handsome Peter might have accepted Jane’s proposal if he hadn’t been kidnapped by a mermaid. This full-color graphic novel challenges gender roles and beauty standards through an underwater adventure full of snark and hilarious characters, rivaling Jeff Smith’s “Bone.” Written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol. Recommended ages: 10-14. First Second. $14.99.
Young Adult
“Queer Mythology: Epic Legends from Around the World”
“The mythology trend is still going strong and young readers will devour this bright and beautifully illustrated new collection,” says Bradley, the Powell’s bookseller. Sanchez shares 20 stories of myth and lore from around the world with characters who reflect the LGBTQ+ community. Written by Guido A. Sanchez, illustrated by James Fenner. Recommended ages: 11 and up. Running Press. $19.99.
“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”
Pip investigates a murder that she thinks another student was wrongly accused of. It’s an ambitious project for a high school capstone, but Pip’s an ambitious student. A TV adaptation of this true-crime-style story was produced by the BBC and released on Netflix over the summer. A trilogy by Holly Jackson. Recommended ages: 14 and up. Ember. Single paperback: $14.99. Boxed set: $47.97.
“The Calculation of You and Me” Marlowe has great grades and a loving family, two best friends who understand her and all her autistic quirks, and a romantic boyfriend until he breaks up with her, sending her perfectly categorized world into a tailspin. This sweet, funny, page-turning novel celebrates romance as an act and a genre. By Serena Kaylor. Recommended ages: 13 and up. Wednesday Books. Paperback: $14. Hardcover: $24.
“Lunar New Year Love Story” Valentina has one year to prove she doesn’t share her family’s fate of all romances ending in misery. If she doesn’t find lasting love by then, she will give her heart to Saint Valentine and be forever protected from heartbreak. The graphic novel celebrates Asian culture alongside the ups and downs of love. Written by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Recommended ages: 14 and up. First Second. Paperback: $17.99. Hardcover: $25.99.
Through Dec. 22
Where: Aurora Fox Arts Center, Mainstage, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.
Tickets and details: $17-$42 available at AuroraFox.org
scene & herd
Who’s Holiday
An (adults only) comedy that tells the story of Cindy Lou Who. She’s throwing a Christmas party in her trailer with a tell all. As she recalls the Christmas Eve she first met the Grinch, the audience will learn the twisted turns her life has taken.
IF YOU GO:
Event: Who’s Holiday
When: Through Dec. 31
Where: Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St. Tickets: $24 https://www.vintagetheatre.org/ performances/whosholiday
Black Nativity
A joyous holiday musical, is a modern retelling of the traditional account of the Nativity story from an African American perspective. Using gospel music, African beats, dramatic dance and a biblical narrative Black Nativity opened for a limited run of 57 performances at Broadway’s 41 St. Theatre on Dec. 11, 1961. It was written and conceived by one of the legendary leaders of the Harlem Renaissance: Black playwright, poet, novelist, and social activist Langston Hughes.
IF YOU GO:
Event: Black Nativity
When: Through Dec. 29
Where: Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St. Price: $20 - $38 https://www.vintagetheatre.org/ performances/blacknativity
Aurora Fox debuts Wild West twist on Dickens’ holiday classic
The Aurora Fox Arts Center is trading Victorian London for the Wild West of the 1880s in its re-imagining of “A Christmas Carol. It’s all about “Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Aurora Fox Christmas Show!” The event is comedic adaptation of Charles Dickens’ iconic tale and opens Nov. 30. Directed by Steven J. Burge, the production promises a lively blend of humor, creativity, and heartwarming holiday spirit.
Written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, the show takes a decidedly unconventional approach to the well-loved story. Featuring a cast of five female actors who take on dozens of roles, the play blends fast-paced action with imaginative storytelling. The production aims to offer audiences a new perspective on Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey of redemption, swapping snowy London streets for a dusty Wild West town.
Burge describes the show as a comedic breath of fresh air for holiday theatergoers. “Forget the kid with the BB gun, the green fuzzy guy, or even Will Ferrell,” he said, referencing other holiday staples. “This version has three ghosts, a chain-rattling dead guy, and a whole lot of laughter.”
With its innovative staging and unexpected twists, the production maintains the timeless themes of Dickens’ original work while injecting fresh holiday humor and wit.
IF YOU GO:
Show: Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big
Aurora Fox Christmas Show!
When: Fridays and Saturdays
7:30 p.m. curtain. Sundays 2 p.m. curtain and a Dec. 9 industry night.
Christmas In Color Drivethru Animated Light Show
A dazzling drive-through holiday light show synchronized to festive music straight through your car radio. Cruise past giant candy canes, towering snowmen, glowing arched pathways and more as millions of lights illuminate your route. Enjoy the season’s magic at your own pace.
IF YOU GO:
Through- Dec. 29
Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, 25690 E. Quincy Ave.
$44-$58
https://christmasincolor.net
25th Annual Festival of Wreaths
The Aurora Museum Foundation presents its Annual Festival of Wreaths, a fundraiser showcasing community-crafted wreaths at the Aurora History Museum. Starting Nov. 5, wreaths will be on display, with visitors encouraged to vote and bid, either in-person or online via Bidding Owl. This year’s festival coincides with The Grand Celebration on Nov. 16, marking the museum’s 45th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of Trolley Trailer #610, featuring both silent and live auctions to support museum exhibits and educational programs. Community members are invited to participate by decorating and donating wreaths for the event.
IF YOU GO:
Festival of Wreaths
Through- Dec. 6
Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Parkway Free Family-friendly auroragov.org/things_to_do/ aurora_history_museum
The Pond Ice Rink
Southlands’ popular ice rink, The Pond, reopens on Nov. 8, kicking off the holiday and winter season. Advance tickets for skating sessions will be available soon. Group rates are also offered; contact (303) 928-7536 for details and reservations or email southlands@icerinkevents.com.
IF YOU GO:
The Pond is open Southlands, 6155 S. Main St. $14 Family-friendly shopsouthlands.com/
“Where The Wild Things Are” Package
In collaboration with Denver Art Museum’s brand-new “Where The Wild Things Are” exhibit, honoring the cherished children’s book, The ART Hotel Denver, has launched a Wild Things package. The package will include a hardcover edition of “Where the Wild Things Are” book. Two tickets to the “Wild Things” exhibit at the Denver Art Museum, truffles and a personalized note from the book’s main character, Max.
IF YOU GO: Through Feb. 17
The ART Hotel Denver 1201 Broadway, Denver Free www.thearthotel.com/special-offers/wild-things
Discovering Teen Rex
Take an extraordinary journey into our prehistoric past with the arrival of “Discovering Teen Rex” as we unveil a remarkable fossil discovered by a crew of inquisitive young dino hunters in North Dakota. The fossil prep lab will be displayed alongside dinosaur fossils, including Triceratops and Edmontosaurus, from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science collection. The
whole family is invited to come experience history in the making as our team of renowned paleontologists clean, preserve and study this rare adolescent T. rex fossil — one of only a handful found worldwide — before the public on the Museum floor.
IF YOU GO: 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
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/
Vanity and Vice: American Art Deco
Delve into the vibrant era of 1920–1933 and explore the dynamic designs that emerged during this period of rebellion.
Step into the story of a progressive Prohibition-era woman as you journey through her boudoir and a speakeasy, immersing yourself in the Art Deco objects that defined her world. Experience the freedom and change of the time, as American women embraced independence both at home and in society. From chic bobs to cocktail parties, this exhibition showcases the evolution of the modern woman through fashionable perfume atomizers, vanity sets, and stylish drinking and smoking accessories. Vanity & Vice: American Art Deco invites you to indulge in the glamour of a bygone era.
This special exhibition is included with admission and does not require a separate ticket.
IF YOU GO:
Through Jan. 12, 2025, opens at 11 a.m. Kirkland Museum 1201 Bannock St. Info: www.kirklandmuseum.org/ vanity-vice/#
The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama
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.
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
Cirque: Frost
Young Jack discovers his destiny as the legendary winter spirit, Jack Frost. Through a 50-minute show of high-flying stunts and breathtaking feats, witness the heartwarming tale of a dreamer who brings enchantment and wonder to the world.
IF YOU GO:
Show: Cirque: Frost
When: Through Jan. 1
Where: Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, 6700 Gaylord Rockies Blvd.
Tickets: $45 and children three and under are free. Children must be with an adult.
https:// christmasatgaylordrockies.marriott. com/
ICE! Featuring the Polar Express
The holiday attraction features scenes from the movie “The Polar Express”, brought to life in ice sculptures hand-carved from more than 2 million pounds of ice. All part of Christmas at Gaylord Rockies.
IF YOU GO:
Event: ICE! Featuring the Polar Express When: Through Jan. 1 Where: Gaylord Rockies Resort, 6700 Gaylord Rockies Blvd. Tickets: $17 - $35
https:// christmasatgaylordrockies.marriott. com/
THREE TO GO FOR CITY COUNCIL
The three finalists for city council addressed Aurora’s most pressing topics
BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer
The three people vying for a vacant Aurora City Council seat appear to have more in common in regards to city hot-button issues, than differences.
Amsalu Kassaw, Danielle Lammon and Jonathan McMillan, candidates for the empty City Council seat are vying for the at-large position, pitching their strengths to seated city lawmakers instead of voters.
The three candidates were slated to mingle with members of the community Dec. 9, in the lobby of the Aurora Municipal Center. Lammon and Kassaw were slated to attend the event in person. McMillan was scheduled to participate remotely.
Aurora City Council chose three finalists from among 34 applicants in November to fill a vacant atlarge council seat following the resignation of Councilmember Dustin Zvonek on Oct. 31. Zvonek stepped down citing family concerns and his new role at a political lobbying firm. His replacement will serve the remainder of Zvonek’s term, which ends next fall.
The Sentinel interviewed the three final candidates and asked specifically about police, homelessness, taxes and “Operation Aurora.”
Amsalu Kassaw, an immigrant from Ethiopia and member of the Saint Mary Orthodox Church, highlighted his journey in Aurora and deep commitment to serving the community while he spoke to Council members on Dec. 2. He is a lieutenant at Geo Group Inc. for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) facility. He lists a career background as a security guard and officer. Kassaw, a Republican who has lived in the city for 17 years, said he is proud to call Aurora his home.
Danielle Lammon, a 12-year Aurora resident and small business owner, owns an insurance agency and book publishing company. On Dec. 2, she emphasized to city lawmakers her deep roots in the community and extensive involvement in various boards and commissions.
As a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Aurora program and a member of the Aurora Rotary Club, Lammon said she has tackled projects ranging from creating a sensory garden to fundraising for a fire safety trailer. She sits on the city’s Budget Advisory Committee.
The third candidate, Jonathan McMillan, has highlighted his background in youth violence prevention and public service. McMillan, who has held roles such as the Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, spoke about his belief in servant leadership.
He said on his city council vacancy application that he is an unaffiliated voter and offered previous Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and current Denver Mayor Mike Johnston as references.
City Council members are scheduled to choose a candidate at a Dec. 16 meeting.
Trust in the police
Each candidate was asked whether they thought people of color in Aurora should trust the police department, given its history.
On building trust between the Aurora Police Department and the community, Kassaw said it was important for the Aurora Police Department to increase community engagement and communication, especially with people of color. He said the police should prioritize communication and engagement to foster respect and understanding.
“We need to have some kind of engagement to build trust between law enforcement and us,” Kassaw said.
McMillan had similar answers and said he believes people of color should be able to trust the police department. Still, he said the department needs to make intentional efforts to rebuild broken trust, especially after incidents like the Elijah McClain case.
Unlike Kassaw, McMillan said the department’s
priority should be more on training. He said they should focus on repairing relationships and rebuilding trust with the community through training in areas like equity, implicit bias and trauma-informed practices.
McMillan said he would want the police department to have a model of “respect, protect and serve with honor and equity” in all their interactions.
“I am obviously not a person of color,” Lammon said.
She said that while Aurora has a history to consider, she does believe that the citizens of Aurora must begin to rebuild faith in the city’s institutions. She said that the Aurora Police Department rebuilding faith is a two-sided effort that starts with trust and is fortified by the knowledge that people in uniform work to protect and serve citizens while placing their own lives in harm’s way every day.
Taxes or budget cuts
The candidates were then asked if they had to choose between the interests and needs of residents or businesses, which would be the priority? For example, the $2 occupational privilege tax was repealed and, for a brief time, was almost repealed again and brought back to help fund two fire stations in Aurora. The city is already looking at a deficit of $12 million in 2026, partly from repealing the $2 “head” tax.
The 2025 budget includes the elimination of the occupational privilege tax and the accompanying reduction of approximately $6 million in revenue, said Ryan Luby, deputy director of communications for the city.
“The 2025 budget is balanced,” he said. “The 2025 budget includes a financial forecast for years 2026 through 2029. That forecast includes forecasted changes in revenue and expenditures. The 2026 forecast includes funding to staff one fire station. The 2028 forecast includes funding to staff an additional fire station. The 2026 financial forecast includes an $11.5 million budget shortfall that will be addressed as part of the 2026 budget process.”
To balance the budget in the next two years, council will either need to make cuts to the budget or they will need to create a new tax.
Each candidate agreed that residents and business owners should be equally taken into consideration.
Kassaw said that residents and businesses are interconnected and rely on each other. He said he would support budget cuts before taxation, and that council would need to be careful and thorough in examining the budget, but overall, he emphasized seeing residents and businesses as complementary rather than conflicting, and he wants to support a thriving business climate that benefits the entire community.
McMillan said he felt “choosing” one or the other was a “Catch-22” as businesses provide necessary tax revenue for the city, but the tax burden should be applied equitably. He said he would look at both taxation and budget cuts to balance the budget. He said he is open to exploring innovative taxation methods, like taxes on luxury or vice items, rather than just across-the-board taxes that could overly burden residents, and he wants to look for inefficiencies in current tax collection before resorting to new taxes or budget cuts that could harm residents.
As a business owner, Lammon agreed that residents and businesses should be taken care of equally, but she said she was not opposed to the “head” tax, and she would not have repealed it.
“As a small business owner and a resident, I do not have a problem with paying the tax and neither do my employees,” she said.
Homelessness approach
All three candidates agreed that decisions for the city should be made with valid data and evidence, but all were also open to the possibility of testing out the
“work first” approach to homelessness the city is trying out for the navigation campus opening next year.
The “housing first” approach to homelessness has a proven success rate of 88%, according to the most recent study cited by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Kassaw said he did not approve of the “housing first” approach because he did not think it had high success rates. He said that he thought “housing first” caused crime and the approach is “hiding the homeless” without actually addressing the root issues. He did not provide any data or research to support his opinion.
Kassaw said he favors the “work first” approach, which focuses on providing job training, employment opportunities and programs that he says could restore “dignity” and independence for homeless individuals.
He believes this work-focused model is more effective at reintegrating the homeless back into the community and addressing the underlying causes of homelessness, such as mental health issues and addiction.
McMillan illustrated the research evidence that points to housing-first success rates, but he also said that sometimes innovative programs that don’t quite meet the bar of scientific “evidence-based” can still be effective. He said he was open to the approach, but emphasized the importance of ongoing evaluation and adaptability when implementing public health and social service programs. Just because an approach isn’t proven yet doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be considered, he said.
Lammon said she thought the “work first” approach sounded holistic and she pointed out that it would address individual needs. She did not state her opinions on the “housing first” approach.
“My understanding of the (navigation campus) is that it will provide a low barrier to entry with services that support individuals at each stage of homelessness to become self-sufficient,” Lammon said.
Operation Aurora
All three candidates had solid opinions about “Operation Aurora,” the threat of mass deportation of immigrants in Aurora by President-Elect Donald Trump made during his rally in Aurora on Oct. 11.
Trump has said he wanted to deport undocumented immigrants and immigrant criminals, but it begs the question of how far he will take it.
News about the threat has put Aurora immigrants, especially those without documentation or in mixed families, on edge, immigrant activists say.
As an immigrant and ICE lieutenant, Kassaw focused on detaining and deporting immigrants. He said that the operation should not be used for “mass deportation” of all undocumented immigrants, including those who have gone through proper legal channels like asylum seekers. He said he disagreed with potential overreach or misuse of the operation to target non-criminal immigrants. Kassaw emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance and addressing criminal activities while also supporting legal immigrants and protecting their rights.
McMillan said he was concerned about attempts to circumvent Constitutional protections like birthright citizenship. He also condemned the family separation of previous administration practices.
“I’m also very concerned about military presence within our city deporting people who are residents, whether they’re citizens or not. It feels very dangerously close to occupation or even Martial Law,” McMillan said.
Lammon brushed the conversation off as political rhetoric, saying that she did not have a stance on the subject.
“As of now this doesn’t seem to be much more than bi-partisan campaign rhetoric and there doesn’t seem to be an implementation plan to review,” she said.
Amsalu Kassaw
Danielle Lammon
Jonathan McMillan
Right: Regis Jesuit senior Jack De Simone. center, accumulated 59 points to lead all Aurora area players in the 2024 season on his way to a spot on the 2024 Aurora
Below top: Regis Jesuit senior Charles Sharp (7) tallied 19 goals and 19 assists as the second most-prolific offensive player on the soccer pitcher in Aurora in 2024.
Below middle: Aurora Central senior Miguel Vazquez won Colorado League Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Aurora Boys Soccer Team to boot.
Below bottom: Overland senior Abdu Ahmed (10) was outstanding for the Trailblazers in a variety of rules during the 2024 boys
Football has finally ended, which concluded the entirety of the 2024 fall prep sports season.
And what a season it was in Aurora, as a good number of local teams brought home state runner-up trophies and several individuals made title runs themselves.
The AuroraSentinelcontinues to recognize the best of the best in fall prep sports in this and furture issues, with much more at aurorasentinel.com/preps.
in the midfield in which he piled up 57 points. Sharp scored four of his 19 goals in the postseason — including a tally that gave the Raiders an early lead in the quarterfinals — and he had two hat tricks. Sharp also was far and away the leader among Aurora-area players with 19 assists.
Fall stars, Part III
REGIS JESUIT LEADS WAY ON LOADED ALL-AURORA BOYS SOCCER TEAM
The soccer pitch was one of the most successful spots for Aurora in the fall, as 22 players earned allleague first team accolades — including two league players of the year — 20 more made second teams with double digits in honorable mention.
BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor
The 2024 Aurora SentinelAll-Aurora Boys Soccer Team — which is picked by the Sentinel in conjuction with balloting of city coaches — is a mix of standouts from the area’s five qualifiers for the Class 5A state playoffs.
A heavy presence comes from Regis Jesuit (14-22), which lost only one time to a Colorado team and that came to eventual state runner-up Broomfield in the quarterfinals.
Coach Rick Wolf’s senior-heavy Raiders had the second-most potent offensive duo in 5A in senior striker Jack De Simone and senior midfielder Charles Sharp, who tallied a combined 116 points on the campaign (trailing only 125 of the duo of Xander Sevian and David Bojorquez of Boulder).
De Simone won Player of the Year honors in the Continental League and a spot on the 5A All-State first team as selected by the Colorado High School Soccer Coaches Association in the wake of a season in which he accumulated 59 points. He scored 24 goals (2nd most in 5A) and also ranked eighth in the classification with 11 assists. De Simone — who scored 40 goals in his varsity career — is headed to West Point. Sharp was an All-Continental League first team pick and CHSCSA All-State second team selection
The Raiders also had the top keeper in the area in senior Thayer White, who earned All-Continental League first team distinction with his play. Regis Jesuit surrendered just 11 goals in 18 games with 10 shutouts, while only two opponents (Missouri powerhouse Rockhurst, which scored three in a Jesuit Classic game and Broomfield, which scored two) had multiple goals. That defensive effort was helped by the play of senior defender Reed Garcia, who provided a steady presence as the Raiders turned over much of their backline. Garcia contributed a pair of goals as well.
Grandview was the only other team besides Regis Jesuit to win a game in the postseason and its first round upset of Fairview came courtesy of a goal by junior midfielder Alex Kedzierski. Three of the All-Centennial League first team performer’s six goals were game-winners, while he tied with senior Andrew Harwell for the lead in assists with five for the Wolves, who played for the last time under retiring head coach Brian Wood.
Aurora Central graduated a lot of its firepower from a 5A state playoff team in 2023, but returned to the postseason with the help of a massive contribution from Miguel Vazquez. The senior captain (the Colorado League’s Player of the Year) played all over the field for coach Rudy Villagomez’s Trojans, as he started on the back line before he shifted forward to help the attack. Vazquez finished with a team-high 11 goals, while he also had nine assists on his way to 31 points, fourth-most among Aurora players.
Gateway fell short of postseason qualification in 2024, but surged from 4-11 in 2023 to 7-6-2 with help from a big season from versatile senior Brandom Funez. Funez had at least a goal or an assist in nine games for Olys and he finished with 15 goals to lead the Colorado League. The all-league first team pick scored five of those goals in head-to-head matchups with other Aurora programs, while he also dished out two assists to finish with 32 points, more than any other local player not from Regis Jesuit.
Sentinel All-Aurora Boys Soccer Team.
soccer season.
PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL
Hinkley suffered a big loss to graduation in the midfield in Devyn Mena, but had a more than suitable replacement in senior Chris Leon. Leon managed to surpass Mena’s 22-point 2023 season with a 23-point campaign that included six goals and 11 assists (which made him one of only three Aurora area players to reach double figures in that category). The All-City League first team performer had a point in all four games in which the Thunder faced Aurora opponents.
Smoky Hill improved its competitiveness significantly from the previous season and upped its win total by one to 6-7-2 with help from an offense that scored four more goals than in 2023. Senior Elliott Kaganer played a large role in that with nine goals tied him for second-most in the loaded Centennial League. The All-Centennial League first team pick — who had game-winning goals against Doherty and Rangeview — also had an assist.
INAUGURAL ALL-AURORA GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM HAS DIVERSITY OF TALENT
The advent of girls flag football as a sanctioned sport came with a steep learning curve, but area teams acquitted themselves well right off the bat.
The talent on the 2024 AuroraSentinelAll-Aurora Girls Flag Football Team — which is picked by the Sentinelin conjunction with balloting of area coaches — is plucked from all around the area.
Grandview and Regis Jesuit were Aurora’s qualifiers for the first state playoffs and both were able to pick up a victory in their postseason debuts before second round exists.
Coach Mark Fisher’s Wolves finished with an Aurora-best nine wins and were helped by some versatile talents such as sophomore Brooke Sullivan. Sullivan played just about every position on offense, defense and special teams for the Wolves and was an All-Centennial League pick on boths sides of the ball. An all-league first teamer on defense thanks to a state-best 18 interceptions, Sullivan was a second team all-league pick on offense with 2,096 total yards. Of those, Sullivan picked up 1,713 through the air as the area’s most prolific quarterback (plus 11 touchdown passes) in addition to 270 rushing and 113 receiving. On the other side of the ball, Sullivan had 18 interceptions to lead the Centennial League and averaged a whopping 35.8 yards per punt as a special teams game-changer.
One of Grandview’s top targets was senior wide receiver Tierra Goodgain, who finished easily atop local players with 820 yards receiving. That ranked the All-Centennial League first teamer (who had eight touchdowns to her credit) third in the league. Another weapons for the Wolves came out of the backfield in
senior Kenzie Dodd, the Centennial League leader in rushing with 832 yards. She finished with 1,111 yards of total offense (which included 279 receiving). Defensively, the Wolves featured the area’s top tackler in senior Ayah Awada, a first team all-league pick as a defensive back. Regis Jesuit had a massive turnout for its team, which included a large group of young players. One of them emerged — freshman Jasmine Lugo — in a big way as a defensive rusher. Lugo racked up 86 total tackles to finish second among city players, but a whopping 37 of those were sacks, which led the Continental League. She was hailed as the league’s defensive player of the year and was the lone are player on the Colorado High School Activities Association’s All-State first team.
The Raiders did have some experienced talent as well, which included senior wide receiver Catherine Eure. The All-Continental League second team pick ranked third among local players with 641 yards receiving, while she accounted for 60 points that was second-most. Among nine touchdowns for Eure was the lone score in Regis Jesuit’s 6-0 win over Grandview in the first official game for both programs, while she added seven interceptions.
Overland finished 5-6 in its inaugural season, but averaged a respectible 17 points per contest with the help of explosive and versatile juniors Saniyah Vaughn and Lezlee Napier. Vaughn ranked fourth among area players in total offense with 1,311 yards (708 passing, 603 rushing) with Napier not far behind with 1,71 (645 rushing, 526 receiving). Napier was the area leader in points scored with 82 and Vaughn had 50, which gave the pair a combined 71 percent share of the Trailblazers’ entire point total of 187.
Statistics were unavailable for Rangeview, but coach
ABOVE: Regis Jesuit senior Catherine Eure contributed significantly on both sides of the ball to help the Raiders make the 2024 girls flag football playoffs and make the 2024 Aurora Sentinel All-Aurora Girls Flag Football Team. BELOW TOP: Grandview sophomore Brooke Sullivan topped local quarterbacks with a season of more than 1,700 yards passing. BELOW MIDDLE: Rangeview finished with 10 wins thanks to an abundance of young talent, including freshman wide receiver Mia Stanton (8).. BELOW BOTTOM: Overland junior Saniyah Vaughn piled up more than 1,300 yards of total offense and accounted for 50 points for her team in the 2024 season..
PHOTOS BY COURTNEY OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL
Good gains: Grandview senior Tierra Goodgain had 820 yards receiving to lead all Aurora girls flag football players in the 2024 season and earn a spot on the All-Aurora first team.
Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel
WEEK PAST
The week past in Aurora prep sports
MONDAY, DEC. 9: The Gateway boys basketball team fell to host Fairview 67-34 to open the Fairview Festival. ...The Aurora Central girls basketball team dropped a 50-20 contest to Standley Lake for its first loss of the season.
SATURDAY, DEC. 7: The Eaglecrest boys basketball team picked up a quality 68-57 road win a matinee at Denver South behind Garrett Barger’s 21 points. Eric Fiedler scored all 19 of his points in the second half to help the Regis Jesuit boys basketball team escape with a 57-54 win at Smoky Hill in a local matchup. Lucas Dickinson added 15 and Alec Roumph 13 for the Raiders (3-0), who overcame 19 points from Lorenzo Contreras and 15 from Kaylan Graham for the Buffs (0-2). ...The Grandview boys basketball team won the championship of the Paul Davis Classic, as it capped a 3-0 run with a 64-57 win over Arvada West. Cherokee Trail finished in fifth place in the tournament with a 75-56 win over Boulder behind a 16-point outing from Nathan Baack and three others in double figures. ...The Cherokee Trail girls basketball team rolled to a 59-23 victory over Legacy to claim the championship of the Castle View/ThunderRidge Tip-Off Tournament. The Cougars went 3-0 in the tournament with an average margin of victory of 22 points. ...The Grandview girls basketball team finished 3-0 at the She Got Game Classic tournament in Dallas after a 49-46 overtime win over South Grand Prairie (Texas) at Lancaster H.S. Also in the tournament was Regis Jesuit, which ended 2-1 after a 53-45 loss to La Vega (Texas). ...The Regis Jesuit boys wrestling team finished second among 17 teams — which also included locals Vista PEAK Prep and Smoky Hill — at the Arapahoe Warrior Invitational. The Raiders had no finalists, but got third place finishes from David Rodriguez (106 pounds), Dane Anderson (113), Richard Avila (120) and Ezekiel Hypolite-Allen (165) to highlight eight top-six finishes. Vista PEAK Prep had the runners-up at 106 pounds (Adrian Pacheco) and 126 pounds (Ian Bacon) to finish in 11th, a point ahead of Smoky Hill, which had two second place performers of its own in Dashawn Jenkins (113) and Jovani Galvan (132). ... The Cherokee Trail boys wrestling team finished 5-3 in dual matches at the Best of the Best tournament. ...Amelia Bacon (125 pounds) won the championship of her weight to help the Vista PEAK Prep girls wrestling team to fifth at the Arapahoe Warrior Invitational, at which Regis Jesuit tied for 10th, Overland finished 13th and Smoky Hill 20th. The
Bison had seven top-five placers, while the Raiders had five, including 120-pound champion Remington Zimmerer. ... The Cherokee Trail girls swim team finished easily atop a 10-team field at the Lightning Invitational held at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center with a total of 1,013 points.
The Cougars won the 200 yard medley relay (Emir Saliger, Ella Drakulich, Olivia Jisa and Sage Trusler) and the 400 freestyle relay (Jisa, Ashley Jackson, Aria Clouse, Lily Rosh) while Drakulich took the 200 individual medley, Rosh the 500 freestyle and Felicity Meijer the 50 backstroke.
For more on these stories, visit sentinelcolorado. com/preps
...The first matchup between the new Grandview ice hockey team and the Cherry Creek co-op went to the Bruins, who won 7-3 at Family Sports Center.
Jack Linville had two goals and two assists, while Carter Sharkey (Cherokee Trail) had a goal and two assists to help Cherry Creek overcome the Wolves, who got goals from Archer Arnold, Emilio Kukic and Eliot Sequin Payton Mills (Overland) stopped 13 shots for the Bruins. ...Vincent Cieslack and Harry Sorensen had goals to back a 31-save shut-
out for goalie Marc Brousseau as the Regis Jesuit ice hockey team downed Denver East 2-0 at Big Bear. ...FRIDAY, DEC. 6: Alex Flores poured in 25 points to lead the way for the Aurora Central boys basketball team in an 87-33 home win over rival Hinkley Deon Davis Jr. added 12 and Ual Yonas 11 for the Trojans. ...The Aurora Central girls basketball team rolled to a 57-6 home win over Hinkley as Jamaea Johnson-Gonzalez tallied 22 points. ...Talia Strode exploded for 27 points to pace the Cherokee Trail girls basketball team to a 66-47 win over ThunderRidge in a Castle View/ThunderRidge Tip-Off Tournament championship semifinal win. ...The Grandview girls basketball team knocked off Nevada powerhouse Bishop Gorman 53-48 in overtime at the She Got Game Classic in Dallas. ...The Cherry Creek co-op ice hockey team scored twice in each period on its way to a 6-0 win over Cheyenne Mountain. Cooper Huang, Hudson Ipson, Austin Katz, Jack Linville, Alex Messina and Carter Sharkey found the back of the net and Ari Gelfand had three assists. ...THURSDAY, DEC. 5: Garrett
Barger and La’Quince York scored 14 points apiece for the Eaglecrest boys basketball team in a 43-41 home win over Legacy. ...A 27-point outing for Eric Fiedler played a large part in the Regis Jesuit boys basketball team’s 77-52 home win over Lewis-Palmer. Lucas Dickinson added 18 points and Alec Roumph had 14. ...The Rangeview boys basketball team used pressure defense to blow open its home game with Denver North and five players scored in double figures in a 94-40 win. LaDavian King had 18 points, Marceles Duncan added 14, Archie Weatherspoon V 13, Royce Edwards 11 and Yasin Sekue 10. ...The Grandview boys basketball team opened the Paul Davis Classic with a 77-62 win over Longmont. ...The Overland boys basketball team had a chance to knock off visiting Chaparral, but fell 88-86 in double overtime. Isreal Littleton paced the Trailblazers with 19 points, while Siraaj Ali had 16, Kyron McDonald 12 and TJ Manuel 11. ...The Smoky Hill girls basketball team rolled to a 49-19 win over Pueblo South in the opening game of the Terror Invitational. Sailor Roth led the Buffs with 19 points. ... The Grandview and Regis Jesuit girls basketball teams both started play at
the She Got Game Classic in Dallas. The Wolves downed Elizabeth Seton (Maryland) 60-53, while the Raiders triumphed over Herron (Texas) 64-49. ...The Cherokee Trail girls basketball team defeated Green Mountain 63-53 to start the Castle View/ThunderRidge Tip-Off Tournament. ...The Gateway girls basketball team picked up a 57-22 win over Dr. Martin Luther King Early Colleges. ...The Grandview boys wrestling team earned a 48-23 dual win in a cross-classification showdown at Eaton. JR Ortega (120 pounds), Braxton Widrikis (144), Charlie Herting (175) and Oz Nowick (215) won by fall for the Wolves, who took seven of the 12 contested matches. ...The Cherokee Trail boys wrestling team earned a 69-9 Centennial League dual win over Cherry Creek with pins from Cooper Mathews (113 pounds), Carter Millward (132), Chance Mathews (144), Ryan Everhart
Noah
and Mason
...The Aurora Central boys wrestling team
with
tested
of
(150),
Collins (175)
Carr (285).
split con-
matches 4-4
Gateway, but a number
forfeits produced a 61-20 win. Federico Amezquita Lara (165 pounds), Jaydyn Elliott-Baker (190), Andrew
TOP: Smoky Hill senior DaShawn Jenkins, right, holds on to Regis Jesuit junior Dane Anderson during a 113-pound semifinal match at the Arapahoe Warrior Invitational on Dec. 7 at Arapahoe High School. Jenkins won a 5-2 decision and went on to the final, where he finished second, while Anderson won in the third-place match to help the Raiders to second place as a team. ABOVE LEFT: Aurora Central junior Alex Flores, right, pauses as Hinkley senior Malachi Holden, left, flies by before going up with a shot in the Trojans’ 87-33 win over the Thunder Dec. 6 at Aurora Central High School. ABOVE RIGHT: Vista PEAK Prep junior Amelia Bacon has her hand raised after a quick win by fall in a 125-pound semifinal match at the Arapahoe Warrior Invitational girls wrestling tournament on Dec. 7 at Arapahoe HIgh School. Bacon won her weight bracket. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
High rise: Rangeview sophomore Yasin Sekue, left, gets off a layup just in front of a Denver North defender during a 94-40 boys basketball win Dec. 4 at Rangeview High School. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/ Aurora Sentinel)
AUGUST 24, 1999 AT RECEPTION NO. A9138735, AND ANNEXING INSTRUMENT AND CERTIFICATE OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION RECORDED FEBRUARY 8, 2000 AT RECEPTION NO. B0014993, AND THE CONDOMINIUM MAP RECORDED ON AUGUST 24, 1999 UNDER RECEPTION NO. A9138736, IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO. PARCEL ID NUMBER: 1973-22-1-27-006 Purported common address: 9934 East
CRS §38-38-109(2)(b)(II)
FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0220-2024 Republished to restart foreclosure stayed by bankruptcy and reset sale date. To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust: On September 20, 2024, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records. Original Grantor(s) Faina Sidorkina Original Beneficiary(ies) FirstBank Current Holder of Evidence of Debt FirstBank Date of Deed of Trust October 21, 2019 County of Recording Arapahoe Recording Date of Deed of Trust October 31, 2019 Recording Information (Reception No. and/ or Book/Page No.)
D9117506 December 05, 2019
Re-Recording Information (Reception No. and/or Book/Page No.)
D9133069
Re-Recording Date of Deed of Trust Original Principal Amount
$93,500.00
Outstanding Principal Balance
$85,633.24 Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the Note and Deed of Trust.” THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.
CONDOMINIUM UNIT NO. 359, CLUB VALENCIA CONDOMINIUMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DECLARATION RECORDED ON DECEMBER 12, 1979, IN BOOK 3135 AT PAGE 443, AND CONDOMINIUM MAP RECORDED ON DECEMBER 12, 1979, IN BOOK 42 AT PAGE 74, OF THE ARAPAHOE COUNTY RECORDS, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO Purported common address: 1304 South Parker Road #359, Denver, CO 80231. THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST. NOTICE OF SALE
The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 01/22/2025, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication 11/28/2024 Last Publication 12/26/2024 Name of Publication Sentinel Colorado IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED; DATE: 09/20/2024 Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado By: /s/ Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee
The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Lindsay L. McKae #39200 Trevor G. Bartel #40449 Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP 1601 19th Street, Suite 1000, Denver, CO 80202 (303) 623-9000 Attorney File # 307912-00087 The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose. ©Public Trustees’ Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015
NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULES AND REGULATIONS
The City of Aurora Public Works Department, Roadway Design & Construction Specifications have been revised, effective as of January 1, 2025. Copies are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the City Clerk’s Office and the Public Works Department, 15151 E Alameda Pkwy, Suite 3200, Aurora, CO 80012. The Specifications may also be viewed in advance at: https://engageaurora.org/RoadwayManual. /s/ Kadee Rodriguez City Clerk
Publication: December 12, 2024 Sentinel
DENTAL RECORD DESTRUCTION
Aurora Dental Group: 724 Peoria St, Aurora, CO 80011 (previous location: 1344 S Chambers Rd, Suite 201) will be destroying Dental records of patients who did not have any dental visits for 7 years, starting August 2013- October 2017. Patients who desire to keep these dental records please contact (303)745.2052 E-mail: auroradentalgroupllc@gmail.com before December 31, 2024.
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Final Publication: December 19, 2024
Sentinel
DISTRICT COURT, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO NOTICE OF APPEARANCE Case No. 2024CV000050
In the Matter of: Kaylin Martinez
Kaylin Martinez 2318 Remington Rd. Elizabeth, CO 80107
You are hereby notified that the above captioned case has been set for NAME CHANGE HEARING.
You are required to appear at 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, Colorado 80112 on January 10, 2025, at 11:00 AM in Div. 34.
COPY TO: Appearance via Webex https://judicial.webex.com/meet/D18ARAP-Div34
Meeting number (access code): 2594 408 0614
Join by phone Call: +1-720-650-7664
Access code: 2594 408 0614 then press #,# (no attendee ID is needed)
Date of Motion: November 25, 2024
MAF for Shana Kloek Clerk/Clerk of Court
Continuance granted only by the Court on Written Motion.
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Final Publication: January 2, 2025
Sentinel
DISTRICT COURT, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION
Case No. 2024DR31701
Petitioners: Elner Antonio Hernandez Rodezno & Respondents: Milagros Sujey Lara Ortega and Roy Eduardo Alvarenga Rodriguez
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPON-
DENTS: You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the Petition filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the Petition may be obtained from the clerk of the court or the Attorney listed above.
lf you fail to file your answer or other response to the Petition in writing within 35 days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the court for the relief demanded in the Petition without further notice.
This is an action for the Allocation of Parental Rights of the Child Eduardo Alvarenga Lara.
Dated: November 22, 2024 /s/ Jess Kershner Atty Reg #: 22947 Kershner Legal Services 600 17th St., Suite 2800 South Denver, CO 80202 Phone: 303-257-3091
Email: Jess@KershnerLegal.com
First Publication: November 28, 2024 Final Publication: December 26, 2024 Sentinel
NOTICE OF FINAL PAYMENT
NOTICE is hereby given that the Aerotropolis Area Coordinating Metropolitan District of Adams County, Colorado, will authorize final payment on or after December 23, 2024 to Knight Industries, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company of Foxfield, CO, for all work done by said contractor in construction or work on the Environmental Remediation, Building Demolition, and Water Well Plugging and Abatement project, performed within the Aurora Highlands development in Aurora, County of Adams, State of Colorado.
Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has furnished labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender, or other supplies used or consumed by such contractors or their subcontractors, in or about the performance of the work contracted to be done or that supplied rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of the work, and whose claim therefor has not been paid by the contractor or its subcontractors, at any time up to and including the time of final settlement for the work contracted to be done, is required to file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid, and an account of such claim, to the Aerotropolis
Area Coordinating Metropolitan District, c/o AECOM, Inc., 7595 Technology Way Suite 200, Denver, CO 80237, on or before the date and time hereinabove shown for final payment. Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement of claim prior to such final settlement will release the Aerotropolis Area Coordinating Metropolitan District, its directors, officers, agents, and employees, of and from any and all liability for such claim.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AEROTROPOLIS AREA COORDINATING METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
First Publication: December 5, 2024
Final Publication: December 12, 2024 Sentinel NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
As required by the Colorado Liquor Code, as amended, notice is hereby given that an application for a Beer and Wine Liquor License has been received by the Local Licensing Authority for the granting of a license to sell at retail, malt and vinous liquors for consumption on the premises only. GSP Holdings Denver, LLC. dba Tune-Up The Manly Salon for a location at 5582 S Parker Rd, Aurora, CO 80015 filed the application on September 30, 2024. The corporate officers reside in Colorado.
Written protests with reasons must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on January 13, 2025, to Sarah Triplett, Licensing Officer, at 15151 East Alameda Parkway, 5th Floor, Aurora, CO 80012.
Provided either the applicant or protestant(s) desire to use petitions to prove the needs of the neighborhood, and the desires of the inhabitants, the petitions may not be circulated before December 12, 2024, and must be returned by 12:00 noon on January 02, 2025, for review and verification by the City of Aurora Liquor Licensing staff.
Information as to the application, procedures, or remonstrances, may be handled with the Liquor Licensing staff up to and including January 12, 2025.
Sarah Triplett Licensing Officer 303-739-7284 Striplet@auroragov.org
Publication: December 12, 2024 Sentinel
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Notice is hereby given that PODS Enterprises, LLC, located at 21110 E 31st Circle, Aurora, CO 80011, will sell the contents of certain containers at auction to the highest bidder to satisfy owner’s lien. Auction will be held online at www.StorageTreasures.com starting on January 2, 2025 and ending on January 9, 2025. Contents to be sold may include general household goods, electronics, office & business equipment, furniture, clothing and other miscellaneous personal property.
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Final Publication: December 19, 2024 Sentinel PUBLIC NOTICE
Case #24PR563 filed in Arapahoe County District Court on October 29, 2024. In the matter of the Estate of Patrick D. Hession,deceased. Brian Hession is asking to be appointed representative / executor. Any persons objecting must contact the Arapahoe County District Court in writing.
Publication: December 12, 2024
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR31147
Estate of Ellen Gail Friedman aka Ellen G. Friedman aka Ellen Friedman, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Attorney for Personal Representative
Jonathan F. Haskell
Atty Reg #: 42476 Wade Ash, LLC
5251 DTC Parkway, Ste. 825 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Phone: 303-322-8943
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Final Publication: December 12, 2024
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR31229
Estate of Dennis Eugene Hayutin, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before April 12, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Michael Hayutin, Kevin Hayutin, Tammy Hayutin
Co-Personal Representatives
c/o Steven M. Weiser, Esq. Foster Graham Milstein & Calisher, LLP
360 S. Garfield St., 6th Floor
Denver, CO 80209
Phone: 303-333-9810
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Final Publication: December 26, 2024 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR31248
Estate of Mark W. Greenberg aka Mark Wilbur Greenberg, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before April 12, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Morton Greenberg Personal Representative c/o Lori L. Kalata, Esq. Foster Graham Milstein & Calisher, LLP
360 S. Garfield St., 6th Floor Denver, CO 80209
Phone: 303-333-9810
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Final Publication: December 26, 2024 Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
2024PR30857
Estate of Steve Dozsak, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before April 18, 2025, or the claims
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR31039
Estate of ELIZABETH ANN ELLERBROEK, aka ELIZABETH A. ELLERBROEK, aka ELIZABETH ELLERBROEK, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before March 28, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
David Ellerbroek
Personal Representative c/o Baker Law Group, LLC 8301 E. Prentice Ave., #405 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
First Publication: November 28, 2024
Final Publication: December 12, 2024
Sentinel
NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR436
Estate of KATHRYN LOUISE STOCK, aka KATHRYN STOCK, Deceased.
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before April 12, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred. Julie B. Doolittle
Personal Representative c/o Baker Law Group, LLC
8301 E. Prentice Ave. #405 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Phone: 303-862-4564
First Publication: December 12, 2024
Final Publication: December 26, 2024 Sentinel NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION
PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2024PR436 Estate of MARK EDWARD JOHNSON, aka MARK E. JOHNSON, aka MARK JOHNSON,
PREPS
Eric Mosley’s Raiders were very competitive in their inaugural season with a 10-5 record that left them just outside the postseason. Young players shined for Rangeview, including sure-handed freshman wide receiver Mia Stanton, who was the lone area player to make the All-City League first team. The AllCity second team included Vista PEAK Prep sophomore running back Oriah Owens, who had a city-best 1,034 rushing yards.
Also in the All-Aurora mix is Smoky Hill junior Kiyah Enoch, a star hurdler who put her athleticism and late-blooming interest in football to work in a strong season. Enoch altered the game in many ways for the Buffs BUFFS, RAIDERS WELL REPPED IN ALL-AURORA
FIELD HOCKEY
The sport of field hockey continued to take a step forward locally and around the state in 2024.
The area’s three program all were able to play in the postseason with the sport’s new set up and Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill were able to experience various amounts of success in the postseason. Players from those two programs make up the majority of the 2024 AuroraSentinelAll-Aurora Field Hockey Team, which is picked by the Sentinelin conjunction with balloting of city coaches.
Smoky Hill’s upward trend as a program under the guidance of coach Lisa Griffiths took a step forward this season, as the Buffaloes were able to lay claim to the championship of the new consolation playoff bracket. It was in many ways a cathartic finish for a group of seniors that were part of a team that finished 12-6-1 after going winless in their freshman season.
Leading the way for Smoky Hill was senior midfielder Elyse Bailey, who finished with the third-most points of any player in the state. Bailey — an All-Group 2 first team selection and a Colorado High School Activities Association first team all-state
pick — scored 19 goals, which ranked her only behind Colorado Academy’s Addie Chandler (26). She added seven assists, including one to freshman Carmella Trujillo in overtime in a 2-1 win over Pine Creek in the consolation title game.
Senior Darian Smith — whose goal back on Sept. 6, 2022, stood up as Smoky Hill snapped an 0-74-1 stretch that dated back to 2016 — also contributed heavily to the Buffs’ success. She was a CHSAA all-state first team performer as well with her speed and tenacity in the midfield, though it didn’t produce gaudy stats.
Junior Riley Leeser played a ton of minutes in the goal and held up well against some formiddable attacks. She made 18 saves in an early season game against eventual state champion Cherry Creek in a 2-0 loss and followed that with 16 in a 4-0 loss to a potent Colorado Academy team that easily led the state in scoring. Leeser had 10 shutouts on the season.
For the second straight season, it was an abnormally early exit to the playoffs for Regis Jesuit, which had appeared in five straight state championship game until a quarterfinal loss in 2023. Coach Spencer Wagner’s Raid-
ers suffered the same fate in the same round this season, as they couldn’t hold a goal lead against Kent Denver (the eventual state runner-up). Still, it was a Regis Jesuit team that had plenty of talent at all levels.
The Raiders (10-6-1) scored the fourth-most goals of any team in the state and got offense from multiple sources, including All-Group 1 first team and CHSAA all-state second team performer Hailey Cornell. Cornell far and away led local players in assists with nine, while the standout midfielder added four goals to finish with 17 points. That was the same to-
tal accrued by sophomore forward Katie Rasure, who tied with senior Macia Parsons for the team lead in goals with seven. Parsons added a handful of assists, while Rasure had three. The Raiders’ other double-digit point scorer was in the midfield in sophomore Natalie Chilton (5 goals, 3 assists). Regis Jesuit also had a strong defensive unit that was keyed by senior Addie Von Steeg, a CHSAA honorable mention all-state selection and AllGroup 1 second team pick. Von Steeg helped lead the way for a team that allowed 20 goals in 17 games, while she also scored one.
Pelenkau (215) and AJ Hall (285) won by fall for the Trojans, while Mohammad Sohail Amiri (120), Daniel Anaya Sanchez (132) and Juan Campos (138) had pins for the Olys. ...The Regis Jesuit boys wrestling team earned a 48-23 Continental League dual win over Legend with help from pins by Dane Anderson (113 pounds), Richard Avila (120), Cayden McNellis (138), Genghis Gholston (150), Lafe Sarjeant (157) and Aidan Sullivan (215). ...The Smoky Hill boys wrestling team topped Sterling 59-24 in a dual match as Dashawn Jenkins (113 pounds), Logan Dunlop (132), Jovani Galvan (138), Devin Smith (144), Mathis Charity (150) and Taeku Um (195) recorded pins. ...The Eaglecrest girls wrestling team finished in a 42-42 deadlock with Chatfield, but won the dual by virtue of a tiebreaker (less forfeits). Wins by fall came from Sydney Babi (115 pounds), Jordan Heibult (125), Bailee Mestas (130) and Brenna Brummet (190). ...WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4: The Vista PEAK Prep boys basketball team topped Poudre 53-39 in the opening round of The Signature Home Team Tip-Off Classic in a game played at Fossil Ridge H.S. ...Despite Alex Flores’ 25-point explosion, the Aurora Central boys basketball team dropped to 1-1 with a 65-47 loss to DSST: Montview. Jamaea Johnson-Gonzalez scored 31 points, pulled down 18 rebounds and made 11 steals for the Aurora Central girls basketball team in a 59-43 road win at DSST: Montview. Jihanna Johnson-Gonzalez added 12 points for the Trojans, who moved to 2-0. ...The Vista PEAK Prep girls wrestling team topped
Denver South 46-29 in a dual match in which only five of the 12 matches were contested. Amelia Bacon (125 pounds) won by fall and Anastasia Smith won a major decision at 115 pounds. ...TUESDAY, DEC. 3: LaDavian King scored 19 points in his debut with the Rangeview boys basketball team, which rolled to an 83-35 win at Gateway. Kenny BlackKnox, Marceles Duncan and Royce Edwards added 11 points apiece and Archie Weatherspoon V had 10 for the Raiders, while the Olys had double-digit scorers in Bryan Lozano with 11 and Deven Vaden with 10. ... A 27-point effort by Lucas Dickinson helped spur the Regis Jesuit boys basketball team to a 65-48 victory over visiting Eaglecrest in a local matchup. Alec Roumph and Eric Fiedler also scored in double figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Raiders. ...The Smoky Hill boys basketball team fell to visiting Mountain Vista 82-65. Carter Basquez finished with 19 points to pace the Buffs, who also got 16 from Jai Jegede and 11 apiece from Lo-
renzo Contreras and Kaylan Graham ...The Vista PEAK Prep girls basketball team opened the season with a 57-53 road victory at Overland behind an 18-point effort for Knakai Starks Amirah Pena tallied 15 and Amaya Nance 14 to hekp the Bison hold off the Trailblazers, who got 25 from Michaela Halton plus 11 from Emma Davis. ...The Eaglecrest girls basketball team dropped a 70-69 double-overtime contest to Rocky Mountain in its season opener. Kaydence Waymire poured in 22 points to lead the way for the Raptors, while Jada Bobb contributed 19 and Avery Jones had 12. ...The Smoky Hill girls swim team claimed a 149-33 victory over Mullen in a Centennial League home dual meet that saw the Buffs win all 12 events with seven Class 5A state qualifying performances. Caroline Kaiser and Cameryn
won two events apiece, while Mya
Sophie Noffsinger, Eve
Smolenski and diver Mia Waleski also won individually in additon to a relay sweep . ›› PREPS, from 14
Walkup
Noffsinger,
Niemann, Greta
LEFT: Smoky Hill junior Kiyah Enoch excelled in another sport, as she was a standout in girls flag football in 2024 in a compliment to her prowess as a hurdler in track and field. TOP: Regis Jesuit senior midfielder Hailey Cornell earned a spot on the All-Aurora Field Hockey Team with a season in which she had a city-best nine assists plus four goals. ABOVE: Smoky Hill senior Elyse Bailey racked up 19 goals and helped the Buffaloes win the championship of the new consolation bracket. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
Bombs away: Regis Jesuit senior Alec Roumph (12) launches a 3-pointer from the corner over the outstretched hand of Smoky Hill senior Lorenzo Contreras during a boys basketball contest on Dec. 7 at Smoky Hill High School. The visiting Raiders got 14 points from Roumph in a 57-54 win. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
Swimming start: Junior Aria Clouse of the Cherokee Trail girls swim team swims the freesytle portion of the 200 yard individual medley during a 93-93 Centennial League dual tie with Arapahoe Dec. 5. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
Editorials Sentinel
ICE warehouse transparency is critical amid mass deportation threats
For the safety of tens of thousands of people stowed away in mismanaged, dangerous and sometimes deadly private immigration warehouses, real change could be coming.
Aurora Congressperson Jason Crow, a Democrat, and Florida Rep. John Rutherford, a Republican, are jointly sponsoring legislation that seeks to vastly improve transparency and accountability at the privately-run immigration prison in Aurora, and those like it across the nation.
It’s a measure long overdue and badly needed, especially as the incoming Trump administration is threatening mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, a program Trump has dubbed “Operation Aurora.” Aurora has been the focus of anti-immigrant controversy after national attention was drawn to a chaos surrounding Venezuelan immigrants and reported gang activity in local apartment complexes.
For years, the Aurora GEO ICE Detention Center has been accused of mistreating people incarcerated there and refusing to allow for badly needed transparency.
The deaths of two inmates in the prison, numerous other injuries and complaints of gross mistreatment, prompted Crow since he was elected in 2018 to push for congressional inspections of the warehouses, transparency about the health and treatment of inmates and accountability for what are clearly critical and sometimes lethal mistakes.
In congresses run by both Democrats and Republicans, he’s had marginal success at forcing these private immigrant warehouses to improve conditions and proof of competency in running the facilities.
On repeated occasions, the for-profit, Florida-based GEO Group, which operates the Aurora detention center for the Department of Homeland Security’s ICE division, has been successful at thwarting the release of information about a growing list of scandals hovering over the Aurora detention warehouse.
For years, the warehouse has been plagued by inmate stories about mistreatment, including being virtually enslaved to act as janitors for the facility for token pay. These are not prisons, and in many cases, people being held have not been convicted of anything.
A young Nicaraguan asylum seeker died in Aurora’s GEO immigration detention center in 2022 of a pulmonary embolism after sustaining a series of injuries to his right leg while in the facility, according to records obtained by the Sentinel.
The documents raise questions about the medical treatment of people in immigration detention centers, and whether his death was preventable.
The Nicaraguan man did not have any identified chronic health problems, the report said, but he had injured his toe and leg while playing football.
Despite a long and steady stream of questions, the GEO ICE facility has offered no satisfactory answers.
For years, the Aurora facility has been accused of improperly handling inmate health. The facility regularly undergoes scourges of communicable diseases, such as mumps and measles. To date, there is no clear picture of how the Aurora GEO ICE warehouse does or doesn’t protect inmates and the public from disease outbreaks.
Two years ago, three detainees escaped from the Aurora facility, and little meaningful information was provided to the public as to how it happened.
A mysterious 2017 death of a detainee has prompted a lawsuit. The death of inmate Kamyar Samimi happened after Samimi was incarcerated after having lived in the United States for decades. He was arrested in 2017 and died 15 days later in ICE custody at the Aurora GEO warehouse.
Despite trying to glean information by using federal open records laws, the ACLU has come up empty-handed.
“Immigration detention facilities, like the one operated by GEO Group in Aurora, are all too often cloaked in secrecy, offering little to no transparency into the way detainees are treated within their walls,” said ACLU of Colorado Legal Director Mark Silverstein last year.
At least with government-operated facilities, the public has some chance of extracting information and details from these prisons by leveraging federal records laws in the courts.
That hasn’t been the case where these private-run prisons find ways to skirt accountability the government ultimately cannot.
Crow’s Public Oversight of Detention Centers bill would require these facilities to permit immediate inspections by members of Congress.
But the real remedy for years of concealing how people in these privately run immigrant warehouses are treated, and mistreated, will come from the federal government banning private prison companies
There has repeatedly been ample evidence to show that taxpayers see no net savings in having private companies run any kind of prison or detention center.
All that private-company-run prisons can do is clip employee pay and cut corners to funnel taxpayer dollars into company profits.
The safety of the public and the people imprisoned in these warehouses is paramount, and without effective transparency and accountability, neither can be ensured.
The PODS bill by Crow and Rutherford is a good start.
Criminals in the cribs is babble talk
There have been some interesting discussions about birthright citizenship, intensified by Donald Trump’s election a few weeks ago.
A number of people who are angry at the chaos at the border have jumped right over the normal processes and procedures which would guarantee illegal border crossings are limited, and hit right at one of the core principles of our nation, one embedded in the 14th Amendment – if you are born here, regardless of the status of your parents, you are a U.S. citizen.
The actual wording of the amendment is as follows: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”
Those who don’t like the idea that birth on American territory automatically grants you the gift of American citizenship have started to parse the words of the amendment. They are doing what gun reform activists tried to do with the 2nd Amendment, making the “right to bear arms” a collective right held by “militias,” not an individual and a personal right for each and every American citizen. That parsing, which would make every Catholic school English teacher who ever diagrammed a sentence on a blackboard proud, was roundly rejected by the Supreme Court in the Heller decision, which recognized an individual right to own a gun. That being the case, conservative attempts to dismantle well over a century of constitutional precedent is dishonest, and untenable.
Some argue the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction of” means parents of the child born in this country must be legally here in order to confer citizenship. The point they are missing, or actually one of several points, is that it is not the parents who are conveying anything but life to the child.
It is the Constitution itself that is conveying citizenship. More importantly, virtually everyone physically present in the U.S., regardless of legal status, is subject to the jurisdiction of our government. If this were not the case, we can imagine a Batman style Gotham city environment, where illegal aliens could just commit crimes and the only thing we could do if we catch them is deport them. No arrests, no jail terms, no trials and no life sentences.
Imagine if that were the case with Laken Riley’s
murderer, an illegal alien who is now going to spend the rest of his life behind bars. This writer would have been happier had he been sentenced to death, but that’s another column altogether.
The idea we can simply strip people of their citizenship and thereby erase a constitutional right, merely to solve a problematic but temporary problem at the border, is anathema. I know legal scholars have differed on the integrity of birthright citizenship, but they are going to need better arguments than those proffered by anti-immigration activists in order to be able to convince even this conservative Supreme Court of their legitimacy.
I am an immigration lawyer and my bias is incorporated into my viewpoint. Thirty years of doing this work will color anyone’s perspective on the laws governing immigration policy. I understand extremely well the importance of maintaining order at the border, but stripping people born here of their birthright, one over a century old in its recognition, on specious political grounds is not going to advance that goal.
People do not come here to “have” U.S. citizen children, who frankly can only be of benefit from an immigration perspective after the child turns 21 or in a few other very limited circumstances. The immigration laws already eliminate U.S. citizen children as the basis of most waivers of inadmissibility and against deportation/removal, so this is simply an appeal to the lowest common denominator, the basest instincts of the xenophobic.
Where will we draw the line? Is being born to a citizen the only way to ensure the citizenship of the child? Is being born to a visitor who has the right to live here for a few months enough? Do you need your green card? And is this what we want, a world where your value is based on your parents’ status in the country? I don’t think that Americans are that sort of people.
So even if you do support Trump’s more draconian policies on immigration, you are not as patriotic as you think if you are in favor of making newborns criminals in their cribs.
Christine Flowers is an attorney and a columnist for the Delaware County Daily Times, and can be reached at cflowers1961@gmail.com.
CHRISTINE FLOWERS, CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST
