3-28-24 Villager

Morning Story offers a delicious array of breakfast classics, infused with captivating plot twists that will leave you craving for more!

Step into our inviting space and indulge in a delectable morning favorite or a satisfying lunch, complemented by our exquisite selection of brunch cocktails, freshly squeezed juices, locally sourced coffee, espresso, and more!

SOME OF OUR FAVORITES…

MORNING STORY COMBO

Eggs, Buttermilk Pancakes, Belgian Waffle, or Brioche French Toast, Choice Bacon, Sausage, or Ham

ROMESCO AVOCADO BENEDICT

Red Pepper Pesto, Spinach, Avocado, English Muffin, Hollandaise, Poached Eggs, Fresh Herbs

BISCUITS & GRAVY

Sausage Country Gravy, Cayenne Pepper Eggs, Buttermilk Biscuit, and Choice of Side

TRILOGY

Grilled Sourdough Bread, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Ham, Sausage, Hash Browns, American & Cheddar-Jack Cheese, Green Chile Queso, Choice of Side

BFG BURRITO

Scrambled Eggs, Chorizo, Hash Browns, Avocado Mash, Green Chili Queso, Sour Cream, Cilantro, Flour Tortilla

HUEVOS RANCHEROS

Refried Beans, Cheddar Jack, Pork Green Chile or Salsa Verde, Sour Cream, Cilantro, Flour Tortilla, Eggs, and Choice of Hash Browns, Dressed Greens, Grits or Fresh Fruit

BACON & AVOCADO OMELETTE

Bacon, Spinach, Roasted Onion, Roasted Tomato, White Cheddar, Avocado Mash, Roasted Red Salsa

AVOCADO TOAST

Avocado Mash, EVOO, Sea Salt, Lemon, Fresh Herbs, Thick Wheat Toast, Eggs

FLIGHT OF BACON

Butter, Maple, Beer, & Sriracha

CUBAN SANDWICH

Pulled Pork, Ham, Fried Pickles, White Cheddar, Dijon, Grilled Hoagie

BUTTER BACON BURGER

Ground Beef, White Cheddar, Butter Bacon, Garlic Compound, Roasted Onions, Roasted Mushrooms, Mayonnaise, Grilled Brioche

The Creek Mystique

My college-age kids have thrived not just from their natural abilities and parental love and support but because of a special place called Cherry Creek High School. My wife and I moved to Colorado twenty-one years ago specifically so I could teach at Creek, a school filled with opportunities for every way that kids manifest their individual gifts. I’ve served numerous roles at Cherry Creek, including administrator and GT Coordinator, and I can’t imagine a better place to work and send our kids.

For years, my office was the contact point for prospective Creek families. In meetings I always told parents and future students, “Every kid can find their niche at Cherry Creek, because we have every niche.” For example, when my son was a freshman, a group of his friends went into the Activities Office and asked “when does the Dungeon & Dragons Club meet?” We didn’t even know D&D had become popular again, and that first year just seven kids met weekly in the Activities workroom. The club has grown to 120-plus kids, and on Friday afternoons, the IC Lounge is packed with raucous game playing

Sometimes Creek is a place where kids discover who they are, and it might not be who they thought they were. Last year at graduation, Ben Parris spoke passionately, humorously, and self-deprecatingly about how he came to Creek ready to become a championship golfer. During freshman year he realized, with some blunt advice from his coach, that he wouldn’t make the cut. From that setback Ben found his home among our Emmy-winning sports broadcasting program. Ben is now thriving on the air at ASU, and while Ben will never play in the Masters or US Open, I won’t be surprised to someday hear him broadcasting the events for ESPN.

Years ago a young man named Frank Swann came into our fine arts program as a freshman and started working in the sound booth. After studying technical theater at NYU, he went on to become Production Manager for a new Broadway show called Hamilton. Another gifted Creek grad from the music program, Austin Wintory, won a Grammy award for his musical score of the video game Journey. Jesse Aaronson, a 2014 grad, just finished his first Broadway role in Tom Stoppard’s Tony-Award-winning play Leopoldstadt. You see, Cherry Creek is where ideas are hatched, passions are discovered, talents are cultivated, and dreams come true.

Of course, not everyone will or should become an award-winning this or that. Everyone should, however, become the best version of them-

selves. That happens everyday at Cherry Creek. Students go on to become successful engineers, accountants, dentists, community organizers, and teachers.

Rebekah Lee was a gifted language student who was awarded our Future Teacher Scholarship. She then came back to student-teach at Creek, and we hired her because we don’t let go of talent when it wants to come home.

And many Bruins do. Dozens of alums work there, like Matt Weiss, a Teacher of the Year and founder of our award-winning broadcasting crew. Assistant Principal Dr. Keogh was a Meistersinger during her years at Creek. This

year at the winter concert, I had the joy of seeing her go on stage and sing with her daughter Maddie who is now a Meistersinger and talented dancer with our state championship Poms team.

The basic description of Creek is a comprehensive public high school, a neighborhood school. And you might think, they’re not a performing arts school. Then you go to plays, musicals, and choir, band, or orchestra concerts and you realize, we kinda are. You might think, they’re not an elite sports academy. Then you walk down trophy hall, and realize, we kinda are. You could say, they’re not a STEM magnet. Then you see our ro-

botics program, math team, cybersecurity club, independent science research, and national science fair achievers, and you realize, we kinda are.

It has been an honor, a privilege, and a joy to work at and send our kids to Cherry Creek. After thirty-one years in education and two decades under the Creek Mystique, it’s now time for me to move on. This will be my final year at Creek, and this will also be my last regular column for The Villager. I moved to Greenwood Village for Cherry Creek, and it has been everything I hoped for and more. It’s always bittersweet to walk away, but I will forever look back with fond memories, and like we say, “Once a Bruin, Always a Bruin.”

Michael P. Mazenko is a writer, educator, & school administrator in Greenwood Village. He blogs at A Teacher’s View and can be found on Twitter @mmazenko. You can email him at mmazenko@gmail.com

I’ve been intrigued recently with the wonderful cast of The Villager newspaper columnists. Of course loyal subscribers to this newspaper remember the dean of columnists, Mort Marks. I first met Mort at an Arapahoe Republican Men’s breakfast. I was new in Denver, moving here from Craig. Mort was his usual self and was agitating the small group of men with his vast experience in war and peace. Readers will recall that Mort was awarded a Silver Star medal for his military service in the Battle of The Bulge. He always remembered and wrote about honoring our service members and special observances honoring veterans and military holidays. We lost Mort several years ago; he never missed a weekly deadline and in over 30 years we never had to censor a column that brought high praise, or sometimes criticism from some circles.

If you have been reading this newspaper for 43 years, we do have some loyal subscribers who have been with us that long. Many of you have enjoyed the journalism journey for years. You know by now that I grew up on a ranch near Craig that I can’t stop writing about. I’ve learned the hard way that it is safer to write about history, rather than humor, or politics.

BY BOB SWEENEY

be publisher of The Denver Post for a few months and bring on some new local columnists. The best Post writers today are on the sports pages. Denny Dressman, one of the best sports writers of all time, has his sport pages in The Villager. He is especially fond of baseball and spent decades in the newspaper wars.

Present readers realize the quality of our columnists and I must applaud Joneen MacKenzie who writes about life’s personal relationships and challenges. She recently sold her firm to her daughter. While traveling with her successful book author husband, she still turns in her perfectly written column, always on deadline, from sometimes far-away destinations, or cruise ships. We cherish her work and friendship.

Village. He tells it the way he experiences it, operating his own bank for decades.

I’ve named a few of our great columnists. We have a wonderful staff of reporters spearheaded by Freda Miklin, a genius, a doting mother, expert cook, and CPA by trade. By an act of God, or “Divine Providence,” Freda arrived at The Villager. She diligently covers political and government intrigue of both political parties and city councils across the county. She certainly has the gift of writing.

I must brag about Scottie Iverson. This beauty queen and society guru is everywhere, always with camera and dressed like a fashion model. We are so proud of her and the wonderful job she performs as the only full-time society reporter left on the metro social scene.

the heavy lifting. What a great life partner. She was a business major at CSU when I spotted this gorgeous girl. Newspapers have been her life’s career. She remains at the helm of the publication.

Saundra, Sharon, Susan, and Patrick Sweeney, all had youthful paper routes and have grown up in the newspaper business, making major contributions to The Villager success story. Part of our legacy newspaper has been legendary society editor Glory Weisberg, who with her beloved husband Dave, covered the non-profit social scene for over 30 years. Thank you, Glory!

I would love to hear from some of you early-day readers. Loyalty counts, and I hear from some readers who still subscribe to the newspaper from assisted living facilities. We have seen many publications come, and mainly go, during these past four decades. The loss of The Rocky Mountain News is one of the saddest chapters of Colorado history. Dean Singleton, the greatest newspaper publisher in Colorado history, won the newspaper war and The Denver Post survived a long running battle. Scripts/Howard leadership explained to me that Singleton, living in Denver, and officing at The Post, could make instant decisions, while Rocky Mountain leadership had to contact headquarters in Cincinnati to purchase paper clips. “We just got out maneuvered,” a departing publisher told me on leaving. Singleton was very gracious; he didn’t want to be blamed for the demise of The Rocky Mountain News. I would like to

I applaud Cherry Creek schools, all-time best English teacher, Michael Mazenko, who tells me that he is going to retire after this year. His writing is brilliant, it is like beautiful sounding music as it flows across his column page. Freda Miklin once told me that her sons related that Mazenko was the best teacher they ever had. We need to talk… I want him to keep writing his column no matter where, or what, he is doing. Just so you readers know, professional writing is an addiction. If you have the will, ability, and desire, it just flows out of the brain. Writing can be a gift, like singing, painting, athletic abilities, photography, (John Fielder) et al. At an early age, if you discover some talent, follow your dream, and develop whatever gift God and your parents have bestowed upon you. If you don’t feel gifted, develop something that you really like to do. With effort, determination, patience, and good luck, you can succeed. Never give up… try… and try again. Remember the slogan, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” My mother told me to never give up!

Jay Davidson, banker extraordinaire, and financial scholar, has been a contributing columnist, of late, advising our readers on financial matters from someone in the business at his locally owned First American State Bank in Greenwood

Those beautiful society pages, full of photos and excellent graphic designs, are the work of our long-time designer and production manager, Tom McTighe. A beloved Celtic Scotchman, he has been putting up with the Irish Sweeney clan for several decades. His newspaper layouts and designs result in many of the newspaper’s many awards.

The bottom-line, our writers reside in our local cities. Most have lived here for years and know the people, and territory. With daughter Susan’s arrival back at The Villager; a Cherry Creek high school alumnus and CSU journalism major, she is assuming many of her parent’s duties, doing a suburb job. Susan honed her marketing skills working for a New York advertising firm in Dallas, Texas. She is a marketing creative genius and loves the newspaper business to her parent’s delight. The Villager will live on if you all keep supporting the newspaper and recognizing that good print is still alive and necessary. Excellent reporting and skillful writing are needed now, more than ever. We’re one of the last family independent newspapers left in the metro area, along with Hillel Goldberg’s family-owned Jewish News, with his daughter at the helm. Thank you… God… for daughters that are a gift from heaven. My wife Gerri is the inspiration and leader of the entire operation. When the going gets tough Gerri is always there to do

Shirley Klutz has been a volunteer at The Villager for over 30 years, now 96, and still coming to work. We love you, Shirley! And newspaper veteran, author, editor, former owner of the Hugo Plainsman newspaper for 18 years is Becky Osterwald, our go-to gal for help in many areas of our newspaper world.

Attorney Don Peterson is the Consul General for Colorado diplomats and shares his wisdom on important legal matters with readers in his weekly “About the Law” column. Don comes from a historic Swedish newspaper family that published an early-day Denver newspaper. He relates that the newspaper presses are buried under the Convention Center.

Dr. Brian Joondeph is traveling the world with his son, and he shares their exotic trips with readers, along with a sprinkle of politics. His politic writings appear often in The American Thinker We still like to put ink on newsprint, along with a large readership on the Internet We love to hear from our readers. We are tremendously thankful for our advertisers that see the value of reaching our growing local audience in print and online with many links and thousands of weekly page hits. We are a free-enterprise newspaper that depends upon subscriptions and advertising for our 43 years of publishing this newspaper. We love what we do and enjoy our business relationships. The dream lives on with this wonderful team.

VICE

Sweeney sharon@villagerpublishing.com

LEGALS

Becky Osterwald legal@villagerpublishing.com

NEWS EDITOR

Gerri Sweeney 303-773-8313 gerri@villagerpublishing.com

GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

Freda Miklin fmiklin.villager@gmail.com 303-489-4900

REPORTER

Robert Sweeney bsween1@aol.com

FASHION & LIFESTYLE

Scottie Iverson swan@denverswan.com

DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER

Tom McTighe production@villagerpublishing.com

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS

Susan Lanam — 720-270-2018 susan@villagerpublishing.com

Sharon Sweeney — 303-503-1388

Gerri Sweeney — 720-313-9751 gerri@villagerpublishing.com

Scottie Iverson swan@denverswan.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Gerri 303-773-8313

EDITORIAL COLUMNIST

Robert Sweeney bsween1@aol.com

The Villager is an award-winning, locally owned, independent newspaper. All letters to the editor must be signed. The contributor’s name, hometown and phone number must also accompany all letters to the editor for verification and we reserve the right to edit contributions for space. We attempt to verify all matters of fact but hold contributors liable for the content, accuracy and fairness of their contributions. All submissions become the property of The Villager and may be reused in any medium.

Reverend Martin Niemoller

“In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists and I didn’t speak up because wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews and didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and didn’t speak up because wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn’t speak up because was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak for me!”

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BY FREDA MIKLIN I am

Property owner needs voters’ approval to de-annex from Greenwood Village—Police say it takes too long to get there

Active voters in Greenwood Village recently received a post card from the city telling them there will be a special municipal election on April 16. The sole purpose of the election is to get the legally-required approval of voters to remove a 5.78acre undeveloped parcel of land from the boundaries of GV.

The idea to disconnect the property from GV was first raised at a city council meeting last August at which a proposal to rezone the property to build a condominium development there was voted down, 6-1.

The unimproved parcel of land, outlined in yellow on the map to the right, is one of four adjacent properties located at the far north edge of the city, across I-225 from the rest of the city. One of the other three parcels is an RTD-owned and managed parking structure for the Dayton Light Rail Station and the remaining two properties are regional drainage facilities that can’t be developed.

The land in question was annexed into GV in 1976 but never developed, though it is zoned Mixed Commercial.

Last August, Peter Kudla of Metropolitan Residential Advisors (MRA) presented a plan to GV City Council to build 80 condos on the land. It included rezoning it to a residential category that would permit the 14 housing units per acre in the design.

Kudla and his team’s professional and highly detailed plan included renderings, a traffic study, and architectural and landscaping details, including, “more than the required 40% open space.”

GV planning department staff agreed that the proposed development was compatible with surrounding land use and would, “have no impact to Greenwood Village infrastructure from a traffic perspective,” but it did not meet GV’s current applicable density standard of no more than three to five housing units per acre contained in the city’s comprehensive plan, despite its proximity to the Dayton Light Rail Station.

City planning staff explained that vehicular access from Greenwood Village to the property requires traveling through Denver and Aurora, adding that the only direct access between the property and Greenwood Village is via a pedestrian bridge over I-225 that ends at Village Greens Park at S. Dayton Street and E. Union Avenue.

rail.”

As the city council explored the proposal, the discussion quickly focused on the significant challenge GV has in providing emergency services to the location. City planning staff explained that vehicular access from Greenwood Village to the property requires traveling through Denver and Aurora, adding that the only direct access between the property and Greenwood Village is via a pedestrian bridge over I-225 that connects it to Village Greens Park at S. Dayton Street and E. Union Avenue.

“If we’re not going to rezone it and develop it… we should work on getting rid of this piece of ground… What would it take to get the property out of the city?”

– GV City Council Member Paul Wiesner

GV Police Chief Dustin Varney told The Villager, “It takes Greenwood Village police officers only four minutes to get to priority one calls throughout the city, except that area, due to how it is situated. To get there, it takes officers twice that amount of time on average for priority one calls.”

years ending in 2023 in response to calls for reported offenses.

As the council deliberated the rezoning request required to build the condo development, Ingebretsen told her colleagues, “This is an ideal location for this type of development, with proximity to the light rail and I could probably get past the increased density in this area... What I can’t get past is the response time of the police department…knowing what a responsibility that would be. To me, this property should be in Aurora. It shouldn’t be in Greenwood Village.”

Similarly, Council Member Donna Johnston complimented the design of the project, also pointing to its proximity to light rail, but said she could not get around, “The feeling that we won’t be able to get to the people in time with our police…Our response time is just way too long to get to people that might need us, so I’ll be a “no” vote.”

“Our response time is just way too long to get to people that might need us.”

The MRA team also pointed out that this development would benefit GV by providing a for-sale housing option priced at $495,000 to $695,000 (the average home in GV is around $1 million), provide an “attainable housing supply for all ages and demographics,” including empty nesters and first-time home buyers, adding that it would, “activate residential living to encourage walkability, connectivity, and light

In response to a question from Council Member Anne Ingebretsen, Chief Varney explained, “The types of calls we get from there are for robbery, a lot of drug use, homeless encampments, first degree assaults, and other high-level felony calls.” Records show that GV police visited the area 48 times in the three

– GV City Council Member Donna Johnston

Council Member Paul Wiesner pointed out that the problem of the police response time, “is a problem that we (GV) created by annexing this property,” but, he added, “There’s no way that commercial (development) makes sense for this area, (so) we’re essentially telling the landowner that they’re not going to be able to develop their property, period…We should either get rid of it and give it to Aurora because it is an island…or we should change the zoning so the

“It takes Greenwood Village police officers only four minutes to get to priority one calls throughout the city except that area due to how it is situated. To get there, it takes officers twice that amount of time on average for priority one calls.”

- GV Chief of Police Dustin Varney

owner can do something with the property…If we’re not going to rezone it and develop it… we should work on getting rid of this piece of ground…What would it take to get the property out of the city?”

That question led to an explanation by GV City Attorney Tonya Haas Davidson of the exact process which the property owner, David Chaknova, pursued, leading to the April 16 election to disconnect the property from Greenwood Village.

On January 5, after receiving Chaknova’s request to disconnect his parcel, City Council voted unanimously to send the ballot question to the voters.

Ballots will be mailed to GV active voters the week of March 25. Questions should be directed to GV City Clerk Susan Ortiz, who can be reached at cityclerk@greenwood village.com or 303-804-4113.

The 5.78-acre parcel of land that is the subject of the April 16 election in Greenwood Village is the northwest quadrant of the redcolored area outlined in yellow.

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hey neighbor Can’t wait to meet you.

Little Man Ice Cream is beyond excited to join the Greenwood Village community!!

We’re opening this April in the Belleview Square Center - 4940 S Yosemite - to spread some joy with 24 hand-crafted favorite Salty O, vegan and sorbet options,

But be aware... we’re about a lot more

than just dreamy, creamy ice cream. Like the rest of Little Man’s 7 iconic, communityinspired locations, we aim to serve Greenwood Village as a neighborhood hub with an array of entertainment, events and programming like bingo nights and live music, school fundraisers, and more.

Besides fun events to go with your scoop, Little Man is all about making magic for YOU and your events from graduation parties and weddings, to birthdays, BBQs, office parties and more. We can cater any

offsite event - OR host a private party at any of our locations. Each shop is a completely unique venue, promising a memorable event for your guests.

Join us this April for our grand opening at Belleview Square and say ‘hello’. We simply can’t wait to meet you!

What should Colorado do about its housing shortage?

BY FREDA MIKLIN GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

It is no wonder that one of the more controversial bills currently before the state legislature is HB24-1313 Housing in Transit-Oriented Communities.

According to the bill’s Democratic sponsors and dozens of business leaders and government officials, along with leading public policy officials from national research organizations, the shortage of attainable, affordable housing across the state is responsible for:

• High housing costs;

• Employers having a difficult time recruiting and retaining talent;

• Negative environmental impacts to air, water, and energy.

The proposed law maintains that the, “state demographer estimated that between approximately 65,000 and 95,000 housing units are needed to keep pace with Colorado’s current population growth.”

In its current form, it strongly encourages, many would say requires, local governments to tailor their zoning codes to potentially allow significantly more housing to be built near transit centers, which would address all three of the concerns outlined above. It also provides a set of financial incentives to do so.

HB24-1313 passed the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee on March 6 and the Finance Committee on March 25, picking up amendments along the way. The vote in Finance was 6-5 with one Democrat, Douglas County Rep. Bob Marshall voting no. The bill now moves to the House Appropriations Committee, which has not yet scheduled it for hearing.

The Colorado Municipal League (CML), which represents the cities and towns across the state, Colorado Counties, and several individual cities have voiced robust opposition to the bill based on their fervent belief that land use policy, including the level of allowed density, “is not a state power.” Rather, “It is a matter of local concern.” Kevin Bommer, CML’s executive director, openly predicted legal action, saying, “If the state tries to force the issue, the courts will concur with us, as they have before.”

In our area, while Greenwood Village’s land use code permits residential development near its transit centers, its comprehensive plan, which spells out the city council’s

development policy, states that new higher density development, defined as more than four housing units per acre, is discouraged in the area bound by Belleview Avenue on the north, Arapahoe Road on the south, Quebec Street on the west, and Yosemite Street on the east, which includes both the Orchard and Arapahoe Light Rail Stations. Leaders on the GV City Council have maintained for the past six plus years that additional multifamily housing would create unmanageable traffic.

Not everyone believes the state’s action to force more housing to be built is necessary. GV’s city attorney recently pointed out in testimony at the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee that 92,500 housing units have been approved and are awaiting construction across Arapahoe County alone, which would mathematically cover the entire state deficit, based on the numbers in HR241313.

The question of how much new housing should be built also ties into the question of how much population growth is expected and how much Colorado wants to encourage.

A February 1 research report by the nonpartisan Common Sense Institute said, “In 2013, Colorado captured one in 12 people who moved to a new state that experienced net population growth. In 2023, that dropped to only one in 120 people… Between 2020 and 2023, Colorado had an average net gain of only 6,645 people from other states each year. That is compared to an average of 41,540 every year between 2013 and 2020… More people left Colorado for other states than arrived from other states in 2022.” That seems to paint Colorado as a place where population growth has slowed due to our state having become a less desirable location to people who are relocating from other parts of the country.

That is very different from the data included in HB241313, which indicates that the state demography office, “estimates that Colorado will add 1,700,200 people by 2050, bringing Colorado’s population to nearly 7,500,000.”

The editorial section of the Sunday Denver Post on March 24 contained an article that went much further in the same direction. It said, “According to a 2023 survey of 1,000 Americans, discussed in a recent Forbes story, Denver took first place as the most desired place to live,” with 17% of respondents

Former Aurora Police Chief sues for wrongful termination

BY FREDA MIKLIN GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

On March 15, Vanessa Wilson, who served 25 years as a police officer in the City of Aurora, and as its chief of police from August 2020 until April 2022, filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, alleging she was terminated “without cause.” In September 2022, Wilson formally notified the city that she planned to take this action.

In her lawsuit, Wilson noted that she was hired as the city’s top cop, “at a time when the department was careening through a series of high-profile controversies under the former administration, many race-related, including the tragic murder of Elijah McClain at the hands of the Aurora police and fire departments.”

She also pointed to a report issued by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser a year after she became police chief, which found that, “Aurora Police Department (APD) officers had a long-standing pattern and practice of violating state and federal law through racially biased policing and the use of excessive force which disproportionately injured people of color.”

Wilson continued, “The City of Aurora subsequently entered into a five-year Consent Decree with the Office of the Attorney General which obligated the City to finally implement necessary reforms, many of which Chief Wilson had already begun.”

According to former Chief Wilson, after being elected in November 2021, new Aurora City Council Members Danielle Jurinsky, Steve Sundberg, and Dustin

putting Denver as their first choice, a number that, “represents 58,000,000 people nationwide.” The article does some math for us, explaining that if one out of five people who would like to relocate to Denver does so, it would triple the state’s population.

Is anyone old enough to remember the bumper stickers that said, “Don’t Calfornicate Colorado?” If memory serves (it was pre-Google), those were part of the anti-growth movement of the late 1970s that included a vote of the citizens rejecting the Winter Olympics after they had been awarded to Denver, a lasting black eye or badge of honor for our state, depending on one’s point of view.

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Zvonek, “publicly and privately sought to halt or even reverse Wilson’s race reform efforts,” and that, “Angered by her advocacy on behalf of people of color and commitment to eradicate racism in the police department, Jurinsky repeatedly publicly called Chief Wilson ‘trash’ and falsely accused her reforms of making the City, its businesses, and its residents ‘unsafe,’” adding, “Repeatedly, Jurinsky, Sundberg, and Zvonek publicly demanded that (then) City Manager Jim Twombly fire Wilson.”

When Twombly terminated Wilson, he said she had “prioritized community involvement,” but failed to “effectively create a positive culture of stability, employee satisfaction, and engagement in the agency,” and “strategically review, assess, manage, and provide efficient oversight to the overall police department operations,” which led him to conclude that, “To provide the level of public safety that our community deserves, a change in leadership must occur.”

Former Chief Wilson’s complaint alleges she was wrongfully discharged based on discrimination and retaliation. She is asking for a jury trial that she hopes will award her economic losses,

that, according to Senate Bill 24-106 Right to Remedy Construction Defects, which has passed the Senate Committee on Local Government & Housing and was debated on the Senate Floor on March 25, “Condominium construction in the front range…is now 76% lower than it was between 2002 and 2008, and the number of entities developing condominiums decreased by 84% between 2007 and 2022.”

Most people believe that the huge drop in available for-sale multifamily homes, an important step of the ladder of building equity for first-time homebuyers, is directly related to the Construction Defect Action Reform Act (CDARA), signed into law in 2003. SB24-106 aims

including back pay, as well as compensatory damages for non-economic losses, including emotional distress and attorneys’ fees. Wilson is represented by Paula Greisen and Scott Medlock.

Two other legal situations involving the former police chief have also been reported during the past two years.

In January 2023, Wilson, along with the City of Aurora and Adams County, was named in a 67-page lawsuit that accused her of using her position when she was police chief to have Kristen Nichols, her former partner Robin Niceta’s ex-girlfriend, arrested. The charges against Nichols were later dismissed.

In May 2022, Robin Niceta was arrested for having invented the story when she reported on an anonymous tip line four months earlier that she had seen Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky sexually abuse her two-year old son. Jurinsky was completely exonerated after an investigation that was required due to the “anonymous” tip from Niceta, who was an employee of the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services and Wilson’s partner in January 2022, when she committed the crime. In November 2023, Niceta was found guilty of attempting to influence a public servant and filing a false child abuse report. She is awaiting sentencing. There was no evidence that Wilson was personally involved in Niceta’s criminal activities.

Jurinsky filed a civil suit against Niceta for “extreme and outrageous conduct.” Niceta did not respond to the lawsuit. On December 23, 2023, Judge Elizabeth Volz awarded Jurinsky the $3 million she had sought in actual and exemplary damages.

to fix that law to revive the condominium industry while still offering consumers needed protections. The lack of available condominiums and townhomes is a significant factor in Colorado’s housing shortage.

The questions around housing are complicated.

The editors of the Denver Post on Sunday, March 24, offered qualified support for HR24-1313, saying, “The bill in theory gives local governments the ability to gently up-zone (some) communities, however, the bill should be amended so it does not penalize communities that want to put strict setback requirements for dense housing in neighborhoods facing big changes.”

Former Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson

Ting Internet is lighting up Greenwood Village with fiber

Cherry Creek Food Hall and Brewery, formerly The Grange, at 6575 Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, was the sight of a March 13 lighting up kick-off event celebrating the arrival of Ting Internet’s fiber-to-the-premises in the City of Greenwood Village. The service will cost GV residents who sign up $89/month, guaranteed for five years. To help facilitate the construction, the city has pledged a financial contribution of up to $5 million to Ting, tied to the company meeting promised construction deadlines.

More than a dozen Ting staffmembers were there to answer questions and celebrate. They were led by Jason Smith, chief network officer and executive vice-president of operations, along with C. J. Enrenreich, Senior Director, Construction Operations, who travelled from North Carolina for the event. The Ting team joined members of the GV City Council, along with current and future Ting customers for the party that included swag bags that held a plastic

water bottle, compact blanket, and even a little chocolate candy with Ting imprinted on it. Jeff Carter, Cherry Creek Food Hall general manager, oversaw the ample and delicious spread of choices from the food hall, including French desserts, by Alyce In Flourland.

Deb Walker, Ting’s regional community engagement and public affairs manager, told us, “We are here tonight celebrating the launch of Ting Internet in Greenwood Village. The community is really excited for us to be here.”

We asked Deb what options were available for new Ting customers who currently have cable internet and television service but want to upgrade to fiber for their internet. Deb explained, “We can help people…continue to get their TV through streaming, which comes through the internet. We are singularly focused on providing reliable, exceptionally fast internet and all the rest of that can follow.” She reminded us that Ting is currently promising 2Gbps of symmetrical service (upload and download) to its customers.

Among the current and future Ting customers who joined the festivities were

Joan and Barry Blasberg. Their Ting service is up and running at their home near Belleview Avenue and Yosemite Street. Barry is an electrical engineer who understands the technology well and is very satisfied with Ting’s service. He told us that Ting has delivered upload and download speeds of over 2Gbps, as promised, but he pointed out that many current computers can’t yet process

that much speed. One might say that’s why Ting calls its service, “future-proof,” we pointed out. The other aspect of Ting service that Barry and Joan appreciate is that the company offers prompt, knowledgeable 24/7 customer service representatives and the ones they have reached have all been U.S.-based.

Other GV residents, including Brian and Diane Curd, and Renée Zelkind, were also

there for the party and to find out more about Ting’s service, which they expect to use when it’s available to them.

Ting’s citywide installation began last fall and will be ongoing until its expected completion in the summer of 2027. The project is being done in three phases. A full schedule and details, including a map, can be found on the city’s website. fmiklin.villager@gmail.com

Ann Nelson, Tom Stahl, Ting Chief Network Officer and EVP Jason Smith, Dave Kerber and Anne Ingebretsen, Greenwood Village City Council members in attendance to celebrate the Ting Lighting.

Immediate Past

RIGHT: Event Co-Chairs Jewell Hargrave and Lynne Cottrell

RIGHT, CENTER: Cherry Creek Republican Women (CCRW) President Dorothy Gotlieb, Douglas County Republican Women President Deborah Mulvey, Arapahoe County GOP Chair Anne Rowland Candidate for US Congress Colorado’s 4th District Deborah Flora, Douglas County Republican Women

President Barbara Piper and Diane Smethills

Auctioneer Edie Marks, Trisha Hood, Dianne Bartlett and Boo Dixon surround Master of Ceremonies Quinn Washington

Colorado’s own Frank Sinatra wowed the crowd!

Carol Waller and Lisa Fertman sold chances for door prizes

Committee members Marcia Saas and Caroline Cornell

Standing: CCRW 1st VP Susan Struna, Ann Altbrandt. Seated: Karen Crossman, Lexi Tehven

Kristina Davidson stands with daughter Michelle Gruber and Kay Burke

Immediate Past President of CCRW Evie Ashmore with candidate for US Congress Colorado’s 6th District John Fabbricatore

In the house – Former First Lady of Colorado Frances Owens, former First Daughter of Colorado Monica Owens Beauprez with daughter Audrey and mother-inlaw Claudia Beauprez, wife of former US Congressman Bob Beauprez

Duke

and Michelle McElroy Moriarity, whose weddings included Colorado’s own Frank Sinatra (Derek Evilsizor) and Arlene Johnson, who has featured him at her parties surround the star of the event

Cherry Creek Republican Women (CCRW) Celebrates 70 Remarkable Years of Service to the Republican Party and to our Community

The CCRW motto is: Engage. Enlighten. Empower. Make a Difference. Be Informed. Get involved. Join Us in Making History! We Welcome Your Membership! Gents Too!

To join, please visit our website: www.cherrycreekrepublicanwomen.org

Candidate for DA of new Judicial District 23 George Brauchler, Janet Gilliland Photos by Scottie Iverson

Auction Co-Chair Antonette Smith and Maddison Meeks representing State Rep. Gabe Evans who is a candidate for US Congress Colorado’s 8th District

Stellar Emcee - the dashing Quinn Washington

ABOVE: Cate Jenkins donated the premier wines and chaired the successful Wine Pull and also won the bidding for a London Blue Topaz ring donated by Andrews Jewelry Store

The themed cake was a creation of Masterpiece Cakeshop

Sara

Matthews

Roof

Storm Restoration

Hail Claim

Roof

Financing

Roof

Roof

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck leaving office ten months early

On March 12, U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R), who represents Colorado Congressional District Four, announced that he will step down from his position as a Member of Congress on March 22.

That will leave the seat vacant until a special election is held on June 25 to fill it. Until the winner of that contest is officially sworn in, the GOP will have a 218 to 213 majority in the House of Representatives.

news, Buck said, “It is the worst year of the nine years and three months that I’ve been in Congress and having

talked to former members, it’s the worst years in 40, 50 years…This place has just devolved into this bickering and nonsense and not really doing the job for the American peo-

as a strongly Republican district. Contenders include former radio host Deborah Flora, former State Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, and current CD3 U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who has relocated from the state’s western slope to its eastern slope.

Give our south metro cities their own zip codes

Dear Bob,

I heartily support Wynne

Shaw for Mayor of Lone Tree

recently become the new DRCOG Board Chair. When Wynne speaks people listen!

Wynne Shaw to run for Lone Tree Mayor

became its best-selling product, the company changed its name to Samsonite. For years, the brand was at the forefront of design for non-wheeled American entrepreneur Bernard Sadow pitched his version of the wheeled suitcase, for which he was granted a patent in 1972, to various department stores before it was picked up and sold at Macy’s stores starting in 1970. It took several years to become the predominant form of suitcase, and Sadow’s version was soon superseded by the Rollaboard, a type of wheeled

Wynne Shaw, 8-year Lone Tree City Council member and the council’s current mayor pro tem, is honored to announce her candidacy for Mayor of the City of Lone Tree. Wynne serves as Chair of the 58-member Denver Regional Council of Governments

CD Four includes parts of Adams and Arapahoe Counties, plus 19 other full counties that comprise most of the eastern rural plains of

Reading your column last week about the frustration you faced finding locations in Cherry Hills Village and Centennial, relying on zip codes, took me back to an article I wrote for this newspaper late in 2018. It was about the history of south metro cities Cherry Hills, Greenwood Village, and Centen- nial, trying for years, without success, to get their own zip codes. Nothing has changed in the past four and one-half years. The zip codes for both Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village “belong to” Englewood and Littleton. Centen- nial, despite being 30 square miles and having a population approaching 115,000, borrows its six different zip codes from Englewood, Littleton, and Aurora. No wonder you had so much trouble finding the UPS facilities using the zip codes in their addresses! Here’s something to think about. It is a fact that, “Everyone reports to

Marissa served on Lone Tree’s Plan- ning Commission for one year and now has been on city council for two years. She currently owns and actively works in her Lone Tree hair salon. In addition, she is a wife and a busy mother of two young children. Being Lone Tree’s mayor is a Full Time Job!

(DRCOG), Chair of the Regional Transportation Committee, and past Chair of the Douglas County Housing Partnership. She represents Lone Tree as a member of the E-470 Board and Transportation Committee and also as a member of the Douglas County Community Foundation. Wynne is an active supporter of the Lone Tree Arts Center, including in her role as the Education Committee Chair of the Lone Tree Arts Center Guild in support of sensory inclusive and student programming at the Arts Center. Lone Tree’s municipal election is Tuesday, May 7; ballots will be mailed to all Lone Tree registered voters on April 15th. For additional information, visit https://cityoflonetree.com/ departments/city-clerk/elections/2024-city-council-candidates or www.wynnefor lonetree.com

On March 5, Cherry Hills Village held a ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate its four new electric vehicle charging stations, installed just outside the city council chambers at CHV City Hall at 2450 E. Quincy Avenue.

The chargers are part of CHV’s efforts to address the sustainability and resiliency areas outlined in its recently updated Villager Master Plan, which says that renewable energy technology, water conservation, and resiliency strategies should be encour- aged, including in all city operations.

An $18,000.00 grant from the Charge Ahead Colorado grant program, administered by the Colorado Energy Of- fice, was used to help defray the $28,505.00 cost of the four charging stations. CHV recently purchased its first electric vehicle, a Ford F-150 Lightning pick-up truck, and plans to purchase a second electric vehicle later this year.

initial cases Samson, after the Biblical strongman, and be gan using the trademark Sam sonite in 1941 for its tapered vulcanized fiber suitcase, introduced in 1939. In 1965, after the Samsonite suitcase

The F-150 pick-up truck is being driven by CHV Public Works Project & Operations Manager Ryan Berninzoni, who is responsible for man- aging the city’s right-of-way permits, which requires him to drive all around the city regularly.

The new electric vehicle chargers are available for residents and visitors to CHV City Hall and John Meade Park to charge their electric vehicles while, at the same time, providing the needed in- frastructure for the city to be able to add electric vehicles to its municipal fleet. Visitors can use the electric charging stations Monday through Sunday between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm by down- loading the

Lone Tree has been fortunate to have had mayors with the time and experience to lead our city to where we find ourselves today. It is important that we continue on this path. As you decide who you will support for mayor in the Tuesday, May 7th election, please consider these points. As a former Lone Tree Council Mem- ber/Mayor Pro Tem, I am keenly aware of the time required to be Lone Tree’s mayor. I consider both Wynne Shaw and Marissa Harmon to be friends of mine. They are both delightful ladies, and Lone Tree is blessed that they wish

After Wynne has served as mayor, I would expect to be able to support Marissa without hesitation. Her chil- dren will then be older, she may then have more time to devote to leading Lone Tree, and she will have had the

Cherry Hills Village Police Department welcomes its first K9 officer

March 14, 2024 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 21

encourages letters to the editor. Letters should be no longer than 350 words and are subject to editing for length, clarity and libel. Priority will be given to submissions about the

On November 1, 2023, incumbent Colorado Congressional District Four U.S. Rep. Ken Buck announced he would not seek re-election to a sixth term on November 5, 2024.

On March 12, he told CNN’s Dana Bash that he planned to leave Congress in ten days, on March 22, creating a vacancy that needed to be filled by a Special Election whose winner would hold the seat until January 2025, when the person elected on November 5, 2024 is sworn in for a full term.

Cherry Creek School District sued for failing to protect student after sexual assault by football player

felony and the perpetrator is at least 16 years old at the time the behavior occurred.

Buck boxes out Boebert in CD4?

being sexually assaulted by a football player,” who also attended CCHS in 2022 when the assault occurred, accord- ing to a report in the Denver

The lawsuit also alleges that CCSD, “repeatedly refused to open a Title IX

ber 5 ballot. No Democrat has won the seat for over 50 years in CD4, which is often referred to as, “the most Republican district in Colorado,” thus the focus will be on the candidates for the GOP nomination. As of this writing, there are at least eight contenders for that spot and there might be ten.

view High School walked out of class and held a protest to draw attention to what they saw as the district’s inap- propriate handling of sexual assault allegations against a male student there by a fe- male student at the school. Per the account report- ed on March 16, 2024, the

That same day, Governor Polis announced that the Special Election will be held on June 25, coinciding with Colorado’s primary election, which includes the Democratic and Republican November.

Current U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who relocated from CD3 on the western slope to CD4 on the eastern slope, stands out from the group of eight because she is an incumbent Member of Congress, has been endorsed by former President Trump, and, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), has $1.3 million on hand as of December 31, 2023, the

last date for which fundraising data is

a Member of Congress because polling and fundraising in CD3 were looking unfavorable for her compared to her Democratic opponent, Adam Frisch, who only lost to Boebert in 2022 by 546 votes out of 327,282 cast and will be the Democratic nominee for the seat in November.

It goes on to say that the football player was charged as a juvenile and pleaded guilt to a misdemeanor count of unlawful sexual contact in 2022. In Colorado, an act committed by a juvenile that would be a crime if commit- ted by an adult is considered an act of delinquency unless it is a class one or class two

Being the GOP candidate in the special election on June 25 will be an advantage to that person if he or she is also a candidate in the GOP primary on June 25. A voter who chooses that candidate in one spot on their ballot is more likely to choose the same candidate on the other spot on their ballot since both contests are for the same position.

According to the lawsuit, the male student was report- edly, “never suspended, ex- pelled, or kicked off of,” the football team, and the plain- tiff was subjected to, “an ongoing hostile education environment,” because she did not know when she might run into the male student in classes, hallways, or other school situations.” It also talks about a “toxic culture…of deliberate indif- ference,” of CCSD adminis- trators,” due to their, “failure to respond adequately and with appropriate speed…to reports of sexual harassment and abuse…especially when male student-athletes,” are the individuals accused. The Villager

That makes being the GOP candidate in the June 25 special election a big prize for any of the candidates in the GOP primary, which raises the question—how does one

to CCSD Chief Communica- tion Officer Abbe Smith response to the report incident. She told us, take these kinds of allegations very seriously and respond quickly to address them. When we first learned allegation, we followed required Title IX procedures, and it was determined that this matter did not implicate Title IX because it happened offShecampus.continued, “Because it did not implicate Title it was handled by law en- forcement. We cannot discuss details regarding students involved or actions taken to privacy protections for dents. However, we disagree with the allegations being made in the lawsuit.”

that question. He denied assertion, saying, “It’s ulous,” adding that he “giving anybody an or disadvantage,” maintaining his position that he leave Congress immediately because of the “breakdown civility” and lack of goals or accomplishments.

fmiklin.villager@gmail.

Boebert didn’t see way, writing on X, “The lishment pulling this try and get rid of me to backfire on them larly.”

Still, she decided to get the GOP spot cial election ballot. for it would require to resign her current as a Member of Congress, which would lead special election, this CD3, and at least the temporary another member of the razor-thin

CHVPD Chief Jason Lyons and Cherry Hills Police Foundation board members Jan Harrison Griffin, vice president and Mark L. Griffin, president.

Photo by Freda

CHV Deputy City Manager and Public Works Director Jay Goldie and Mayor Katy Brown show the city’s new Ford F-150 Lightning electric

CHV City Council Members, from left to right, Earl Hoellen, Robert Eber, Al Blum, Mayor Katy Brown, Susan Maguire, and Dan Sheldon cut the ribbon for the city’s new electric charging stations.

4340 S. Monaco Street, with next-door Tangent

the left side of the photo.

Front view of Tangent

Monaco

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert

CD4 candidate former State Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg

CD4 candidate Deborah Flora

IHEART

“I

“Positive

“One

“Expect

“Nothing lasts forever!”

“Look out in front of you - not at the floor!”

As the Presenting Sponsor for the South Metro Denver Chamber State of the Region, we congratulate Jeff Keener and his team for their excellent production of this event. The

PAGE 6 | THE VILLAGER • February 29, 2024

CCOG membership meeting and officer installation at Cherry Hills Country Club

C 1: C 2 – Crop to show two men standing - enlarge if possible C 2: C 3 – lighten – sorry – the best one had

CU Regent Frank McNulty presented

Unapologetic con- servative CU Regent Frank McNulty rep- resented Highlands Ranch in the Colorado House of Repre- sentatives from 2007 – 2015 and served as Speaker of the House for the 68th General Assembly. He is a graduate of CU-Boulder and a graduate of University of Denver College of Law. “Caucus on March 7 is the grassroots effort to select

candidates,” Frank McNulty began when he addressed members and guests of Douglas RepublicanCountyWomen (DCRW). He em- phasized the impor- tance of the caucus with party business taken care of as well as meeting the pre- cinct committee people = the backbone of the Republican Party. It’s an opportunity to meet directly with friends and

“What to Know about

PAGE 6 | THE VILLAGER • February 22, 2024

Rich Sokol, staunch supporter of a strong U.S. - Israel relationship, shares with CCRW

Rich Sokol lived in Israel when he was 25. Most of his wife’s family lives in Israel and he has visited many times. His 18-year-old daughter graduated from Littleton High School last May and is now spending her gap year studying in Jerusalem. Shortly after the Hamas barbaric terrorist attack on October, He went to visit his daughter and volunteer for three weeks. He returned in December with his wife and 13-year-old daughter. The entire family volunteered helping soldiers and visiting displaced Israeli families.

proximity of Israel and Gaza, and shared pictures - including some graphic ones, of various segments of the visit and how his family helped. He reminded the attendees that Hamas also holds American hostages! The audience was eager to know how to help. Sokol is a political activist, business man, husband and father and a former chair of the Arapahoe County GOP. He is also an elected representative on the South Metro Fire Rescue Board, where he is treasurer. The Golden Rule. The Right Stuff.

He began his visual presentation to Cherry Creek Republican women (CCRW) with the history of the region,

René Green has been with Ms. Colo rado Senior America for over eight years. She held a board position and moved quickly to the executive board as the Colo rado Senior America Pageant Administra tor. Just a year and a half ago, she accepted an additional position on the board of Na tional Senior America Alumni Association.

“Being recognized as an Honorary Ms. Senior America was truly a surprise and I felt so honored,” René said. “The women who have received this award have been

an inspiration to me. I love my position as state pageant administrator because I have the privilege to reach out to women who are 60 years and older and encourage them to go after a passion, forgotten goal, and even to just get involved again. “Senior a beauty pageant,” she said.

“We are an organization to uplift senior women, our communities, give back with talents and, the added bonus…we have good girlfriends in Colorado and across the

“We come in all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, backgrounds, and have gone through many of life’s struggles. I talk to many women who are beautiful inside and out!” She continued about what Ms. Colorado Senior has meant to her. “I have watched

neighbors to present the party platform and policies. “Cau- cus is about community,” he said and encouraged everyone to grow the attendance at cau- cus by inviting others. Del- egates are selected to county assembly to be held March 23 and eventually the state as- sembly which will be held in Pueblo April 6. The National GOP Convention will be in Milwaukee July 15-18. For further information on Doug- las County precincts, a great caucus manual and it: www.dcgop.org.

“It’s always an honor and privilege to speak to DouglasRepublicanCounty Women, the gold standard for Republican

In addition to the dates pictured, many were present to introduce themselves: Candidate 4 – Ted Harvey, for District 43 Lora Thomas also gave a report County Commissioner, Lone Tree Mayor Council Member Marissa Harmon representing Lauren for CD 4 Clarice Navarro.

Town Council Brooks running Frizell’s HD 45

women build self confidence and become authors, singers, dancers, and feel good about themselves. This is a passion for me and a privilege and now to receive one of the highest honors for doing what I love… well, I am deeply appreciative and feeling truly blessed!”

René wanted to remind those senior women out there who are at least 60 years of age – the age of elegance – that she’s getting ready for the 2024 pageant to be held April 27. It re-defines and gives honor to the senior woman in her glory. It champions the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all senior women. For more information and deadlines for contestants, call René: 720.384.6249 or visit: www.ColorSr America.com.

CCO Liaison – Aidan

BJ Crooks, Dianne Bartlett with the junior exhibitor’s family - Luke and Lauren James and their son Ace (from

Alstyne, Texas), Vickie

Brett Freilinger LEFT: In the audience, 2023 Western Stock Show Association Capital Campaign Chair, Pete Coors lifts his black hat when announced Photos by Scottie Iverson

LEFT: Central City Opera Director of Historic Properties Eric Chinn with Nancy Hemming

RIGHT: Buzz and Diane Sweat with their daughter Katie Grassby who was installed as CCOG president for 2024 Photos courtesy of CCOG

LEFT: Tenor Joshua Zabatta performed This Is My Box from AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISIORS by Menotti accompanied by Dr. Teresa Crane at the piano

RIGHT: Outgoing CCOG President Nancy Hemming, who received the traditional gold medallion created in collaboration with Trice Jewelers from 2022 President Louise Atkinson, with her son-in-law Johnny Cannon

Featured speaker CU Regent Frank McNulty and DCRW President Deborah Mulvey

Jeannette NewVille and

DCRW 1st VP Susan Squyer and Douglas County Commissioner candidate John Carson

Lone Tree Mayor Pro Tem and candidate for mayor Wynne Shaw, candidate George Brauchler, Holly Kluth

A solution to reviving the condominium market is finally at hand

When SB24-106 Right to Remedy Construction Defects was introduced in the general assembly on February 5, the legislative heavyweights who were its prime sponsors, Senators Rachel Zenzinger and James Coleman, along with Representative Shannon Bird, were a hint that this was an important piece of legislation.

The proposed bill is a response to issues that have arisen since the Construction Defect Action Reform Act (CDARA), as amended, became law in 2003. CDARA established procedures for bringing a lawsuit for a construction defect.

SB24-106 passed the Senate Committee on Local Government

& Housing on March 21, 4-3. Three of the four Democrats on the committee voted no, while the fourth joined the Republicans to pass the bill on the full Senate. The proposal has wide bipartisan support with its 12 Senate and 11 House co-sponsors coming from both sides of the aisle, including, from south metro Denver, Reps. Lisa Frizell (R) and Chad Clifford (D).

On March 25, SB24-106 was heard by the full Senate, which laid it over for second reading on April 1 without amending it.

An important new rule set out in SB24-106 is that a claimant (a person who alleges a construction defect) cannot seek damages from a construction professional for failing to comply with building codes or industry standards unless the failure to do so results in:

• Actual damage to real or personal property;

“The number one economic issue that cities are facing is how to change the underlying housing supply. Condos can play an important role in getting us out of the housing deficit.”

– Chris Brown, Vice President of Policy & Research, Common Sense Institute

• Actual loss of the use of real or personal property;

• Bodily injury or wrongful death; or

• A risk of bodily injury or death to, or a threat to the life, health, or safety of, the occupants.

The proposed new law also

“SB24-106 as a bill that encourages construction professionals and homeowners to fix problems without litigation.”

“creates a right for a construction professional to remedy a claim made against the construction professional by doing remedial work or hiring another construction professional to perform the work.” If the work is done by a third party, the original construction professional is to make sure that the work is performed correctly. Once it’s done, the claim is considered settled, unless the work is not properly completed.

The bill also adds methods for binding alternative dispute resolution that would end a claim once a settlement is agreed to and executed.

Under SB24-106, a homeowners’ association would be required to get the written consent of at least two-thirds of the actual owners of homes in the common interest community before it could bring a claim or related action.

The Economic Development Council of Colorado (EDCC) held a program on the topic, “The Unintended Consequences of Construction Defects: An Economic Development Perspective,” on March 20, featuring experts in economics, law, and homebuilding. Their goal was to explain the fallout of CDARA on the homebuilding industry and the Colorado economy.

Moderator Charlie Smith, a shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (BHFS) and EDCC 2024 Special Appointment to the Board of Directors for Commercial Real Estate and State Government Relations, opened the panel discussion with, “Before CDARA, Colorado had a thriving condo market. Between 2018 and 2022, it was 72% lower than between 2002 and 2008,” adding that housing is a major economic development issue that “has an impact on employee attraction and retention.”

Chris Brown, VP of policy and research at the Common Sense Institute, added, “The last few years, the number one economic issue that cities are facing is how to change the underlying housing supply. Affordability of housing in Colorado is at an alltime low in communities across our state. Condos can play an important role in getting us out of that deficit…Prior to 2008, we were developing over one condo per apartment. Since then, it’s 14 apartments per condo...The market for condos has essentially evaporated in new housing construction, even though the demand for condos remains strong.”

Asked to describe how the lack of condos impacts housing costs overall, Brown said, “Studies show that an increased supply

Ted Leighty CEO, Colorado Association of Home Builders/ Home Builders Association of Metro Denver

of housing, including condos, drives down the cost… Land is somewhat scarce but it is always possible to build upwards.”

Smith explained that CDARA had driven insurance costs for building condos to a prohibitive level, resulting in them falling out of the progression of new homeowners from apartments to condos to single-family homes. He said there were only 866 condos built in all of 2023 and the number of condo builders across Colorado has declined from 145 to 23.

Insurance for condo construction, is “almost nonexistent,” he said, but, “When the frequency and magnitude of claims goes down, more underwriters will come back to the market. The belief now is that if you build a condo, you will be sued and litigations costs are prohibitive… The deficit of condos has contributed to the deficit of housing.”

Ted Leighty, CEO, Colorado Association of Home Builders/ Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, pointed to SB24106 as a bill that “encourages construction professionals and homeowners to fix problems without litigation.”

One problem with CDARA he noted is, “Everyone involved in the construction gets named in claims.” The proposed new law “would provide real pathways for homeowners to settle the claim through the proper party remedying the problem.”

Kevin Walsh, shareholder at BHFS, pointed to the incentive for each party in the litigation process to maximize damages under current law (CDARA). He said that some plaintiffs’ lawyers “actually solicit HOAs or homeowners to try to find construction defects because they get paid a percentage of the amount of money they recover, so, as the cost goes up to settle the lawsuit, so do the attorneys’ fees.”

Walsh noted he has represented parties on both sides of construction defects cases but always works on an hourly rate, never a percentage of money won or saved.

INTERESTINGPEOPLE EDIE MARKS

I am delighted to kick off my interview series with longtime friend Edie Marks. You’ll see Edie’s name on many “home for sale” signs as she is a veteran realtor for Kentwood Real Estate. Edie sold us our current home almost 20 years ago. Edie is actively involved in politics and multiple charitable organizations, some of which my late wife Shirley was also involved. She and her late husband Mort hosted the best Christmas parties at their home, featuring a who’s who of Colorado shakers and movers. She is a bundle of energy and a local treasure!

Let’s learn about your roots. Share a bit about where you grew up and your journey to Denver?

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York and graduated from a very competitive Brooklyn College Cum Laude, with a degree in Psychology. While attending Graduate School I taught in a Bedford Stuyvesant Special Service School where I would take my students to Sammy Davis rehearsals on the weekends to expose them to role models. I got to help a drunk Judy Garland off the ladies’ room floor. This is where my “Bee” story began. I would let my students know that the bee, because of its size and shape should not be able to fly, but it does...and so could they!!

Denver is known for its unique charm and diverse offerings. What specific elements of life here do you find most enchanting and why?

Colorado is so accepting of volunteers and people who care and want to be involved, it has led me and my family to deep involvements in those organizations that are near to our hearts: the Cherry Creek School District, Cancer League of Colorado of which I am a past President, Global Down Syndrome, Volunteers of America, Juvenile Diabetes, TAPS, which supports the families of fallen military, Denver Center for the Performing Arts and so many more.

As a resident deeply connected to Colorado, what do you perceive as the most significant challenge currently facing our state?

I believe that our quality of life is being diminished at this time and it is incumbent on every one of us to become aware and involved in our schools, in our government and in issues of safety and security. I served on the Castlewood Fire Board for 17 years, we brought it from a volunteer department to what it is today as South Metro Fire Department, serving Centennial, Greenwood Village, Cherry Hills and Castle Pines.

Reflecting on your journey, both personally and professionally, could you share a pivotal moment that left a lasting impression on you?

We moved to Colorado in 1972 where I instantly became involved in the Cherry Creek School District, I was a founding member of the Cherry Creek Schools Foundation Board. This led me to become a presenting sponsor of the Poundstone Amendment which protected the district from Denver’s attempts to annex its tax base. We had a resounding win and changed the annexation policies for the whole State of Colorado. I found Colorado to be open and accepting of new talent, especially the charities that I cared most about. Family bonds often bring us immense pride. Would you be willing to share a cherished moment or achievement involving your family that holds a special place in your heart?

My husband Mort and I became deeply involved in politics, first local, then national. Governor Bill Owens and Mayor Mike Coffman along with Congressman -Elect Jack Swigert started their careers practicing their presentations in our basement. Mort ran the Reagan campaign with the magnificent Holly Coors as her Colorado Field Director. A turn in our financial fortunes was the impetus for Mort suggesting that I get a Real Estate License in 1977, so I could pay the $385 mortgage, per month. In my first year with Dawson and Company, a Littleton based firm, I sold almost $3million in residential real estate. After being turned down by Van Schaack Real Estate because I was a woman, and they were not hiring women. I

went on to be number one in Denver Real Estate for 12 years in a row, rated 27 and 44 in the US by the Wall Street Journal and to this day I am in the top 25 agents at the prestigious, Kentwood Company. The Rocky Mountain News put me on the front cover of their magazine section as THE QUEEN BEE OF DENVER REAL ESTATE. The late,Bill Daniels laminated the cover for me.

Beyond the demands of daily life, what activities or hobbies bring you the greatest joy and fulfillment in your free time?

The spirit of giving and helping is the gift I have shared with my amazing family, my children, and grandchildren. They all a lead of life of “Giving Back”.

I often say, it is the most selfish thing we do, it makes us feel so good. Like the Bee, no challenge is too big!

Denver is a culinary melting pot. Could you recommend one or two local restaurants that hold a special place in your heart?

Shanahans , Venice and Ocean Prime are my favorite hang outs...they support me and I support them !

As we conclude, could you share with us a favorite quote or mantra that serves as a guiding light in your life or encapsulates your outlook on the world?

My wonderful, loving family is my most important accomplishment. Each and every one of them have followed in my footsteps in caring, becoming a part of the charitable community, participating in sports and always giving 100% at whatever they do. If I have a mantra, a guide for my life, it is always give 100% no matter what you do. It will give you joy, satisfaction and like the BEE, you will overcome all obstacles and you will be able to fly.

IN THE EYES OF BRIAN Bio Retinal specialist, writer, Greenwood Village resident email: joonbug@mac.com

At a private dinner with Peyton Manning for Global Down Syndrome. He signed the sweater and I donated it to TAPS

Edie Marks being featured on the front page of the Rocky Mountain News insert, Sunday Magazine

At a TAPS event with Granddaughter Samantha, daughter Lori and her husband Jim

Jeff, Elise, Jim, Lori, Jean, Marlowe, Samantha, Edie, Bronson

Upcoming Cultural Activities in Greenwood Village

Join us at the Curtis Center for the Arts to enjoy local artist exhibits & receptions.

Admission is free, Mon–Fri 8:30–4:30 and Sat 10–4

Colorado Watercolor Society

May 11 – June 29

Reception: Saturday, May 11th, 6-8pm

Peter Durst and Stan Meyer

September 7 – November 2

Reception: Saturday, Sept 7th, 6-8pm

Tap your toes at our summer concert series and fall art fair at Greenwood Village parks.

Art on the Green — September 14 & 15 in Curtis Park

This free art fair features more than 100 Colorado artists. Enjoy live music, food trucks, and a cold drink in hand, while you take in (and take home!) beautiful art.

Details

Month of Print – Women of Print

March 30 – April 27

Reception: Saturday, March 30th, 6-8pm

41st Annual All Colorado Art Show

July 8 – August 31

Reception: Saturday, July 13th, 6-8pm

Mobile Concert Series — Thursdays at 6pm in June

Grab your blanket, bring a picnic, and enjoy live music with your neighbors. Free admision and ice cream!

June 6th | Silo Park — Nearly There

One of Denver’s premier folk/rock bands

June 13th | Village Greens Park — The Thread Barons

Classic rock with a country twist

June 20th | Westlands Park — Groove in Motion

Classic rock, R&B/funk/soul, Latin and jazz

June 27th | Curtis Park — Six Foot Joe and the Red Hot Rhinos

Horn-driven, old school rock, blues, R&B and swing

303-797-1779

greenwoodvillage.com/curtis

Russell and Ciara Wilson sell CHV home for a loss

Business Den reported on March

21 that Duchess Investments LLC (Duchess) has sold the home of Russell and Ciara Wilson in the exclusive Cherry Hills Park neighborhood in Cherry Hills Village, where John Elway lives and Mike Shanahan formerly lived, for $21.5 million, to Cherry Park LLC, which appears to be connected to Greenwood Village-based residential builder Century Communities.

They also report that a nearby home on Cherry Hills Park Drive, like the Wilsons,’ is owned by Century Co-CEO Dale Francescon, and two

other neighboring properties appear to be owned by Century-related entities.

GV residents will recognize Century Communities as the owner of the 10-acre vacant property just south of the Landmark Towers which remains undeveloped and is in the Marin Metropolitan District, whose bond debt is in litigation.

Duchess, whose legal address is in Washington state, where Wilson played before joining the Broncos two years ago, purchased the house on April 1, 2022 for $25,000,000.00 from Mango

Cherry Hills LLC, whose principal is business executive and film producer Gary Magness. Mango bought the property for $7,500,000 on July 17, 2012.

floors, 8,438 square feet of living space in the basement, and a 2,992-square foot second residence. The property contains four bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, and six fireplaces.

not exempt from last year’s significant property value increase that other Coloradans experienced. It’s actual value,

County Assessor records say the home was built in 1999 on 5.34 acres and has 9,147 square feet of living space on the first and second

Property taxes for the home, due April 30, are $49,768.93, and can be expected to be paid at the closing. The Wilsons’ home was

according to the county assessor, increased $7,471,600 between June 2020 and June 2022.

fmiklin.villager@gmail.com

This photos of the front the home are from the internet.

APRIL 28TH

11AM-3PM

MARJORIE PARK

6331 S. FIDDLER’S GREEN CIRCLE

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO 80111 PRESENTS

A CELEBRATION OF SPRING

THIS FAMILY FRIENDLY FESTIVAL IS INSPIRED IN PART BY THE GAELIC BELTANE CELEBRATION AND EUROPEAN MAY DAY, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER (IN THIS CASE, SPRING!). THE FESTIVAL INCLUDES A PANCAKE BRUNCH, LIVE CELTIC MUSIC, MAYPOLE DANCING, FLOWER CROWN AND BASKET MAKING, YARD GAMES, AND AN ADULT BEVERAGES BAR.

THIS EVENT WILL ALSO BE THE PUBLIC PREMIERE OF OUR LATEST PERMANENT INSTALLATION BY LOCAL ARTIST, LONNIE HANZON. HIS "CABINET OF CURIOSITIES AND IMPOSSIBILITIES" IS THE LATEST ADDITION TO MARJORIE PARK AND IS SURE TO DELIGHT ALL AGES!

TICKETS AT MOAONLINE.ORG

SUPPORTED IN PART BY:

@OUTDOORARTS

Dr. Dusty - Hearing Aids: Why They Matter and How to Choose the Best Options for YOU

Q: Dr. Dusty, there seems to be a lot more chatter about hearing aids since the government approved the new class of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. Have you noticed this?

A: Absolutely. While I’m not crazy about people buying OTC hearing aids, I’m very grateful that they have opened up the conversation and maybe destigmatized hearing aids a little bit. The fact is that nearly 30 million people in the U.S. could benefit from hearing aids but fewer than 30% of those people actually get them.

Q: Wow, so you’re saying that more than 70% of people with significant hearing loss are choosing not to do anything about it? Why do you think that is?

A: That’s the million-dollar question and lots of research has been conducted to answer it. Some surveys show that cost is the biggest factor, and this is understandable considering hearing loss treatment can cost anywhere from 3- to 8-thousand dollars. However, countries with socialized medicine that provide hearing aids at no charge to their citizens report a similar rate of non-use. In addition, studies show that people are willing to pay the same amount of money or more for other expenses (such as vehicles, electronics around their home, or travel) so it is more often a matter of choice.

Q: That’s pretty incredible that even in countries where hearing aids are free, 70% of people with hearing loss are still choosing not to do anything about it. What is another reason for this?

A: Another commonly reported reason for the low treatment rate is that it can be difficult to get hearing aids. Some people say that it is difficult to find an audiologist, get a referral from their primary care provider, and attend all of the visits that are required for a professional hearing loss treatment program. This concern, along with the high costs mentioned above, played a big role in the passing of the OTC Hearing Aid Act. Supporters of OTC hearing aids wanted less expensive options that didn’t require the help of a hearing healthcare provider.

Q: That makes sense. So are OTC hearing aids increasing the treatment rate?

A: Interestingly, they are not making a big dent in it! OTC hearing aids have been available for about a year and a half and so far, statistics show that they account for less than 1% of all hearing aids sold in the U.S. This comes as a big surprise to the OTC hearing aid manufacturers who had projected much larger sales; however, it doesn’t surprise hearing healthcare providers one bit. Those of us who have been providing hearing loss treatment for years know that the device is just a small part of the overall treatment plan. Yes, some people will do fine with OTC hearing aids; however, the majority of people need the guidance of an in-person hearing healthcare provider. Some OTC hearing aids offer remote support over the phone or via Zoom calls, but this can never replicate the hands-on care received in a professional hearing care clinic.

Q: What kinds of services would I receive in a traditional hearing clinic that I wouldn’t receive if I purchased my hearing aids over the counter?

A: The entire experience will be completely different.

If you purchase OTC hearing aids online or at a retail store like Best Buy, you are responsi-

ble for figuring it all out on your own. I would hope that, at the very least, you’d have started with a hearing evaluation by an audiologist. If you bypass that part, then you wouldn’t know if your difficulties were due to hearing loss, earwax, or a serious medical issue.

The next important service you receive in a professional clinic is the selection of devices that are most appropriate for you. With OTC hearing aids, they are basically a one-size-fits-all product. They may have a couple of different sizing options, but it is very limited. In a professional clinic, we have many different hearing aids to choose from so we can recommend the best devices for your hearing loss, communication needs, social settings, and budget. Once the devices have been selected, we have a wide selection of sizes and styles to fit every ear.

Once the correct devices have been selected, a professional fitting occurs. This includes programming the hearing aids to your specific hearing loss, and verifying that the settings are correct via real-ear measurements. We then fine-tune the settings to your preferences and teach you how to insert, remove, and care for the devices. We help you pair them to your smartphone and show you how to use the mobile app and stream media and phone calls. Finally, we counsel you and your family about your hearing loss, successful communication strategies, what you can expect from the hearing aids, and how to get the most out of the technology.

Follow-up care with OTC devices is hit or miss. The more expensive devices (think $1000 or more per device) may have some virtual support. So if you are having trouble, you might be able to receive some limited support over the phone. I will share that patients have told me they had to wait on hold for over an hour at times, so you just need to be prepared for that. On the other hand, if you go the professional route, you will be scheduled for regular follow-up visits so that your provider can answer any questions, make adjustments to the physical fit of the devices, and fine-tune the settings according to your preferences. If you get a new phone or have difficulties with your Bluetooth streaming, we help you get connected again. We clean your devices and replace parts on a regular maintenance schedule. We also check your hearing every year to make sure there haven’t been significant changes. If the hearing has changed, we adjust the hearing aid programming accordingly.

Q: Holy cow, I had no idea there was so much service that went into getting hearing aids. Now I see why it is more expensive to get them through a professional provider, and I see why it is well worth that extra cost! OK, you’ve convinced me that it is better to seek hearing loss treatment from a professional. But, I’m still curious why less than 30% of people are treating their hearing loss even now that we have cheaper and easier-to-access options.

A: I believe it comes down to two issues.

First, hearing loss is an invisible condition that typically comes on slowly and is easy to ignore or blame on other things (“People just don’t enunciate like they used to!” or “Restaurants are just so loud these days!”).

Second, most primary care providers don’t take hearing loss as seriously as they do other

health conditions. People should be referred for regular hearing evaluations just like they are referred for other preventative tests such as mammograms and colonoscopies. Fortunately, this is improving as more research comes out about the potentially disastrous consequences of untreated hearing loss, such as increased risk of falls, social isolation, and dementia. So, it is up to each one of us to be proactive about our own hearing health. Here are a few suggestions:

Protect your ears from loud noises. Wear earplugs or earmuffs when using power tools, shooting guns, or attending loud concerts.

Get a baseline hearing test. If you are over the age of 40, it is worth it to have a full audiological evaluation, even if you aren’t experiencing any hearing difficulties. This way, we have a baseline test to compare future results to.

Get a hearing test if you are experiencing tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or any difficulties hearing. This includes trouble hearing the TV, your spouse or children, hearing in noisy restaurants, or on the phone.

If you know that you have hearing loss and are ready to do something about it, consult with a hearing care professional.

If you already have hearing aids but are unhappy with their performance, share your frustrations with your hearing care professional - there might be improvements that they can make. Alternatively, don’t be afraid to consult with a different professional. It never hurts to get a second opinion!

Q: Great advice! Finally, I have to ask your opinion about getting hearing aids at Costco.

A: That’s a really good question, and I definitely have an opinion on the matter! First, I think that getting hearing aids from Costco is better than buying OTC devices. The hearing aids that you get at Costco are actually prescription devices, and you do have help from an in-person provider. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the benefits stop there. First, there is a reason that Costco hearing aids are cheaper. They are older models that lack the sophisticated features of the newer, higher-end hearing aids sold in private clinics. In addition, Costco hearing aids have something called “locked programming” which means that the settings in Costco hearing aids can only be adjusted at Costco hearing aid centers. So if a patient comes to my office with hearing aids purchased at Costco, I cannot make any programming adjustments for them. And finally, the service received at Costco can be spotty. You might get lucky and see an audiologist with some experience, but more often than not you will be seen by a technician who may have been working the checkout stands just 2 months earlier. It is common to be seen by a different provider each time you go in and it is also common to have to wait up to a month to get an appointment. So I would just say that, in the world of hearing aids, you get what you pay for in terms of products and services. I’ve had many patients come to me after being frustrated with their Costco hearing aids and they all tell me that their experience in my clinic is like night and day compared to their experience at Costco. All that being said, I also know people who are relatively satisfied with their Costco hearing aids, so experiences can certainly differ and I’d much rather see someone get Costco hearing aids than not do anything at all! Keeping

Red Wing Pottery

BY PATRICE MATTESON

I love finding treasures at Estate Sales. One of my latest finds is a beautiful set of mid modern pottery dishes. When I turned them over to see the pottery marks it said “Red Wing”. I have heard of Red Wing crocks (I have several myself and for sale), but I didn’t know they had ever made pottery.

Red Wing pottery refers to American stoneware, pottery, or dinnerware items made by a company initially set up in Red Wing, Minnesota in 1861 by German immigrant John Paul. The dinnerware was made from 1935 to 1967. More than 100 hand decorated patterns were produced.

Many different ink stamped, impressed, and hand painted marks were used. All new products have a circular ink stamp on the base with the full company name and wing trademark. No ink stamp on any original pre-1930

Red Wing pottery includes a wing.

The company had several names - Red Wing Terra Cotta Works, Minnesota Stoneware Company, North Star Stoneware, Red Wing Stoneware, Union Stoneware, Rumrill, and Red Wing Potteries. This historic artisan company is now closed. The pricing pressures on hand made products of this quality were hard to compete with low-cost options.

I enjoy rescuing and sharing these keepsakes. I hope this entire Red Wing Pottery dinnerware set can find a new home where it is appreciated, used, and hopefully passed on to the next generation.

Come by and see one of my wonderful new locations in downtown Litteton on April 1st. This will be a funLadies Night Out - No Foolin’!. See the add in this newspaper for more details.

LIVE ART DEMONSTRATIONS: Watch us create!

PRIZE GIVEAWAYS FROM LOCAL MERCHANTS: Every attendee has a chance to win!

DELICIOUS FOOD: Indulge your senses with tasty treats!

BY FREDA MIKLIN GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

A disturbing report appeared late last week about an Arizona telemarketing firm that reportedly kept $2.08 million out of $2.86 million it raised through telephone solicitations on behalf of and with the permission of an organization that calls itself the Aurora Police Association Charitable Foundation (APACF). APACF’s website lists no names of officers, directors, or anyone else. Its

listing of events had three that occurred in the second half of 2019 and none since or upcoming. It does, however, offer a way to send money.

We reached out to officials of recognized, legitimate police foundations in Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, and Aurora. All of them operate solely for the benefit of the police officers in their cities and spend minimal amounts on overhead. Our goal is to compare their operations to that of APACF. Look for our article next week containing those details.

How to Get ‘Extra Help’ Paying for Prescriptions

Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare offer any financial assistance programs to help seniors with their medication costs?

I recently enrolled in a Medicare drug plan, but I take some expensive medications that have high out-ofpocket costs and need some help.

Living on a Shoestring

Dear Living,

Yes, there’s a low-income subsidy program called ‘Extra Help’ that assists Medicare beneficiaries on a tight budget by paying for their monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and co-payments related to their Medicare (Part D) prescription

Dear Readers,

Do you have one of the top 10 most stolen vehicles?

The Denver Police Department offers the following tips regarding crime prevention:

Vehicle Theft:

• Always lock your car and roll up your windows.

• Remove garage door openers and valuables from your vehicle even when you are parked in front of your home.

• Park in a well-lit, highly visible area.

• Use a steering wheel lock or other anti-theft device.

• Have theft-deterrent license plate fasteners installed by the Denver Police.

Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicle List:

In order, the top ten most stolen vehicles are: Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Silverado, Hyundai Sonata, Ford F-150, Kia Sportage, Ford F-250, Kia Optima, Hyundai Tucson, Honda Civic and Kia Soul.

You can pick up a free steering wheel lock, The Club, from the Denver Police Department, District 3, while supplies last, if you own a vehicle in the Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicle List. You will need to show your vehicle registration to receive The Club for free.

You may also register your Bicycles, Scooters, E-Bikes and receive a Free 529 Garage Shield. You must take a picture of your bike and serial number and bring it with you to the District 3 station.

Contact information for Denver Police Department, District 3 Station:

1625 South University Blvd. Denver, CO 80213

3.Dist@denvergov.org

Denvergov.org/police

Emergencies dial 911

Non-Emergency: 720-913-2000

You may also register your vehicle for DenverTrack and receive a free window decal. The

drug coverage.

And, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law in late 2022, this program has expanded and gotten easier to qualify for in 2024. Even if you’ve applied and didn’t qualify before, you may be eligible now.

The Extra Help benefit is estimated to be worth about $5,300 per year. Currently over 13 million people are receiving this subsidy, but there’s around 3 million more who may qualify for it but don’t realize it.

The amount of financial assistance you would receive depends on your income and assets. If you qualify, you’ll pay

decal/sticker is a visible deterrent that alerts potential thieves that the vehicle has GPS and will be tracked if stolen. The DenverTrack program works with the vehicles’ GPS system to track stolen vehicles in real time. The program requires vehicle owners to preauthorize Denver Police access to the manufacture’s GPS service (e.g., OnStar, etc.) in the unfortunate event that their vehicle is stolen.

If the vehicle is stolen, when the vehicle owner calls police to report the theft, DPD can then track the vehicle in real time with the goal of locating and returning the vehicle to the owner and arresting the suspect.

The Denver Police Department is committed to reducing auto thefts in Denver. Residents can now sign up for the DenverTrack through https://denvergov. org/_/Safety_/Auto-Theft-Prevention.

The Denver Police Depart-

no premium or deductible (unless receiving a partial subsidy), and no more than $4.50 for each generic drug or $11.20 for each brand-name drug your plan covers in 2024.

To get the subsidy, your resources must be limited to $17,220 or $34,360 for married couples living together. Bank accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and IRAs count as assets, but your home, vehicle, personal belongings, life insurance and burial plots do not.

Also, your annual income must be limited to $22,590 for an individual or $30,660 for married couples. If you support a family member who lives with you, or you live in Alaska or Hawaii, your income can be higher. In addition, the government won’t count any money if you receive help for household expenses like food, rent, mortgage

BY DONALD PETERSON

ment is hosting a Crime Prevention Tune Up every Friday in March, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the District 3 Station.

What are the four key medical/estate plan documents you need now?

Many of my clients have asked what are the critical documents needed, particularly in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Simply being married does not give you the legal right

payments, utilities and property taxes.

How to Apply

There are three ways to see if you qualify and apply for Extra Help: online at SSA.gov/ medicare/part-d-extra-help; by calling Social Security at 800772-1213; or by visiting your local Social Security office.

The application form is easy to complete, but you will need your Social Security number and information about your bank balances, pensions and investments. Social Security will review your application and send you a letter within a few weeks letting you know whether you qualify.

If you don’t qualify for Extra Help, you may still be able to get help from a state pharmacy assistance program or a patient assistance program. Visit NeedyMeds. org to search for these programs.

to gain access to your spouse’s medical records or make medical decisions on your spouse’s behalf, even in an emergency. To avoid this problem and to help others care for you and to achieve your overall estate planning goals, the following documents create an effective medical/estate plan package:

1. Healthcare Power of Attorney;

2. General Financial Power of Attorney;

3. Advanced Directive for Medical/Surgical Treatment (“Living Will”); and

4. Will (or a Will with a Trust). Careful medical/estate planning should include preparation and signing of these documents, to accomplish your goals and protect

Other Medicare Assistance

If you’re eligible for Extra Help, you may also qualify for help with your other Medicare expenses through your state’s Medicare Savings Program.

State Medicaid programs partner with the federal government, so income and asset qualifications vary depending on where you live. Medicare Savings Programs will pay your entire Medicare Part B premium each month. And in some cases, they may also pay your Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, depending on your income level. To find out if you qualify, contact your state Medicaid office.

You can also get help through your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free Medicare counseling in person or over the phone. Visit ShipHelp.org or call 877839-2675 to locate a counselor in your area.

you, both during your lifetime, and at the time of passing. The Power of Attorney documents allow you to designate those agents whom you authorize to help you on your behalf during your lifetime, and the Will/Trust documents allow you to nominate others to help with your estate after your passing, as well as to identify the beneficiaries and the distributions to them, to accomplish your estate planning goals.

Is history repeating with 2024 Rockies?

It’s a little early to say for sure, but the 2024 edition of the Colorado Rockies is beginning to resemble the 2006 version.

In 2006, Colorado—still training in Tucson—was coming off a 2005 season in which it had the worst record in the National League: 67-95.

But with the farm system starting to produce a cadre of future stars—Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe the first among them—Clint Hurdle coaxed the Rockies to a ninewin improvement, a more respectable 76-86 record.

Majors won’t be the first time they’re teammates. They will have come through the system together, as the ’07 group had

son broke Tulowitzki’s MLB record for highest fielding percentage by a rookie shortstop, and whom the Rockies just signed to a seven-year, $63.5 million contract; and Brenton Doyle, who won the Gold Glove in his rookie season as Colorado’s center fielder, are this time’s approximations of Holliday, Atkins and Hawpe. And homegrown Kyle Freeland fills the lefthanded ace role that was Jeff Francis’ then.

A year away were Troy Tulowitzki, Ubaldo Jimenez and others.

We all know what happened in 2007.

Could history be repeating itself? Let’s hope so.

That 2006 Rockies squad finished the spring exhibition season with a 17-12 record that was seventh-best overall (Arizona and Florida combined), fourth in the Cactus League standings.

This year, with two spring games remaining before today’s season opener in Arizona, Colorado’s 16-11 record ranked second among Arizona-based teams (behind the Dodgers) and fourth overall.

Nolan Jones, who broke Dante Bichette’s club record for outfield assists with 18; Ezequiel Tovar, whose .988 fielding percentage last sea-

The coming wave includes catcher Drew Romo, infielder Adael Amador, slugger Hunter Goodman, versatile Sterlin Thompson and (take your pick of) outfielders Yanquiel Fernandez, Jordan Beck, Zac Veen and Benny Montgomery. Pitching prospects include Chase Dollander, Carson Palmquist, Jaden Hill and a few recovering from Tommy John surgeries.

The Rockies’ future was on display last week in Colorado’s Spring Breakout game. Afterward, manager Bud Black commented afterward, “They’re closer than they think.”

Outfielder Veen, Colorado’s top draft choice in 2020, said: There are a lot of great guys to be playing with.”

That’s the common thread that ties 2006 to 2024, and by extension, hopefully, 2007 to 2025. The first time they all wear Rockies purple in the

“Probably four years out, three years out, we had 2008 as the year when it would all come together,” Bill Geivett, former Director of Minor League Operations for the Rockies, told me when I interviewed him for my book Game 163. “Those guys, with their talent, and just that mentality of playing together, they certainly sped up the timetable.”

The key was the approach the late Keli McGregor, then Rockies president, imbued in the organization: grow from within.

“I remember talking to Billy Schmidt,” Geivett said, “and going, ‘Okay, here we go . . . we’re going to have to scout them better than anybody . . . pick ‘em better than anybody, and . . . develop them better than anybody.’”

That “Billy Schmidt” is current Senior Vice President and General Manager Bill Schmidt, who was then Farm Director. One of his assistants today was that 2006 field manager, Hurdle. So, they know how this can work.

The plethora of promising prospects is at Schmidt’s direction. He saw first-hand how “grow your own” can be a winning philosophy.

It breaks down into four parts:

sign top international talent (such as Tovar, Fernandez and Amador);

draft well (such as Romo, Beck and Dollander);

emphasize scouting (the basis for acquiring Nolan Jones last off-season and pitcher Cal Quantrill before this one, both in trades, and snatching pitcher Anthony Molina from Tampa Bay in the Rule 5 Draft); and develop all those young players as teammates at various minor league levels as much as possible.

“I think foundationally— when I say that, I mean the minor leagues—we’re a lot better than we were,” Schmidt said in a Q-and-A near the end of last season.

The 2006 Rockies went through 26 position players and 24 pitchers, including late-season call-ups Tulo and Ubaldo.

In 2024 it will be interesting to see not only the team’s final won-lost record but also the total number of players who appear on the roster.

Whatever, ask yourself how it might translate to 2025.Denny Dressman is a veteran of 43 years in the newspaper business, including 25 at the Rocky Mountain News, where he began as executive sports editor. He is the author of 16 books, nine of them sports-related. You can write to Denny at denny dressman@comcast.net

The Ethics of Capitalism as an Economic System

The deepest principles of capitalism are found in the definition of free trade: “A willing buyer and a willing seller deciding on a transaction without outside coercion.” Two individuals arrive at an agreement. This point is critical. Capitalism only exists in individual freedom to choose. True capitalism doesn’t spring from any law or any government. The economic system called capitalism arose naturally from the individual freedom on which our nation was founded.

For eons mankind has bartered, the first seeds of capitalism; but all nations were subject to their more powerful neighbor taking through force. Free markets didn’t reach their full power until our nation was founded on the concept of the sanctity of the individual. No other nation codified the concept of inalienable rights, from our creator, not man: Until our Declaration of Independence and Constitution were forge. The entire concept of capitalism is that free trade and individual rights inexorably united our nation and the sanctity of the individual into one concept.

Therefore, the single role of government is to protect the individual freedoms that accrue from our creator.

Capitalism has been maligned for decades. The main arguments against are greed and avarice. No doubt some capitalists are guilty, however, the vast majority of business owners, inventors, and founders created a better way that other people want. In a capitalist economy, individuals decide, not governments.

Cronyism:

Is not capitalism. Cronyism uses the power of government to subvert free enterprise. It creates unfair advantage through manipulation of a market. While it is legal for Musk

or Buffet to use government contracts to keep a market to themselves, it is not ethical to do so. For instance, the subsidy EV’s get from the government distorts the market; it takes money in the form of taxes from one person to pay off another.

The subsidy that EV buyers get is actually taken from other people, through taxation, to benefit one small group, thus costing the majority. If the EV is desirable in a free, capitalist market, then it would not need a federal subsidy.

Taxation:

All federal revenue comes from taking from the indiviual. The government is not capable of generating profit, so it must tax its citizens. Government is antithetical to individual freedom and therefore, to capitalism. It’s a zero-sum game: what government has, it must take and the individual must give up. There must be a limit, a balance.

Citizens realize that some portion of their income should go to supporting our government. But when a certain group pays the vast majority of taxes, and when another group pays no taxes, the burden is not equally partitioned. The high wage earners are disproportionately impaired, while low wage earners pay almost nothing, the system will not long sustain itself.

There is a point at which the tax burden becomes untenable. At that point, businesses and the wealthy will seek tax shelters or even move their product lines off shore. This is self limiting since tax revenues are dependent on profits and business profits will decline as tax rates increase.

Our nation’s founders recognized

the need for limited government. Therefore the compromise, so brilliantly executed in our Constitution, is to limit government activity to highly restricted avenues. They gave taxing authority only to a body that regularly must stand for re-election by the very people they tax.

“Big-Government” politicians found a way around the Constitution by “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” So they could always get Paul’s vote. But this is a highly limited endeavor, since Peter, the producer of wages and taxes will eventually rebel. Ayn Rand wrote volumes on this topic.

As did Milton Freedman and the entire Austrian Schools of Economics.

Federal Debt:

Is really your debt, since every wage-earner must pay it back.

When the government, especially the Administrative State and Congress spend more that they take in through taxes, the government places every citizen in our nation into debt, just so the politicians can continue to spend other peoples money.

The solution is to force government, through elected politicians, to stop and reduce spending. How many more welfare programs do we need? How effect are the programs in place? Would not private enterprise better serve the needs of the needy?

Profit:

Allows a business to self-perpetuate. Profit requires that the business owner balance employee satisfaction with other costs, sells his product or service for a price above his total cost and thereby create profit. Remember that capitalism requires a willing buyer. If the seller doesn’t

provide a product or service that satisfies the buyer, the seller won’t sell. And the business will fold. The key point is freedom to choose, free of government influence, perpetuates capitalism.

Because capitalism is available for everyone, it has propelled the majority of citizens out of subsistence living to relative wealth. Even the poorest among us benefits greatly from free markets. It’s too bad that the government wants to pay people to remain in poverty, using welfare and entitlements. Instead we should encourage people to engage in the uplifting process of fending for themselves. Entitlement breeds dependency. Free enterprise, capitalism, bredds independence.

The Golden Thread:

That unites freedom, capitalsm and our nation is the sanctity of the individual. Whose rights are noted in the Declaration of Independence and bestowed by our Creator. Our Constituitional Republics allows, and even demands, that we exercise our rights as individuals to limit and balance our government. We have a golden opportunity to right the wrongs and bring order to the chaos.

Jay Davidson is founder and CEO of a commercial bank. He is a student of the Austrian School of Economics and a dedicated capitalist. He believes there is a direct connection between individual right and responsibility, our Constitution, capitalism, and the intent of our Creator.

Slattery’s Pub & Grill thanks the community for their loyal support over the years

Bill Psyllas, owner Slattery’s Pub & Grill in Centennial, has had continued success post-pandemic, because of his loyal employees and customers who he considers “friends.” He is a valued and recognized member of the Centennial community.

The long-standing neighborhood pub has thrived since veteran restauranteur Bill Psyllas took the helm in 2019, with revenue growth of 50% during one of the most challenging periods for restaurants in recent history. Bill has attracted more customers by expanding Happy Hour offerings, adding a daily lunch special to

appeal to nearby office workers and installing 32 new televisions to accommodate sports fans. Bill, who also owns Hilltop Tap House in Parker, has also established a reputation for

exceptional service, with an average rating of 4.3 stars on Google reviews.

holiday I saw on the list. Rat-Catcher’s Day is June 26. I swear I’m not making that up.

With more than 47 years of restaurant experience, Bill has found success by offering consumers a welcoming, affordable option for residents of Denver’s south suburbs. Slattery’s Pub & Grill really wants to thank the community for all their loyal support over the years!

nut waffles so it’s only fair that hardworking people have a day too. Incidentally, it makes perfect sense that International Sword Swallowers Day lands in February because February is National Swallowing Disorders Month. If a sword down the throat isn’t a disorder, I don’t know what is. I was relieved to read that the events associated with the day help raise money for the treatment of sword swallowers who’ve been injured in the course of their work. Maybe they can’t claim worker’s compensation. Forgive me. I’m getting off track. The holiday I really want to focus on is National Columnists’ Day which is coming up on April 18. We columnists definitely deserve a day of our own even if writing a column isn’t quite as risky as being a sword swallower or a childcare provider.

It does take courage to write a column though. Not so much for me. I mainly write about my own faults and foibles and nobody ever disagrees with me about those. Actually I wouldn’t mind if they did sometimes.

But some columnists face hostility for writing things others disagree with or don’t want made public. Now that I think about it, I may have come down a little hard on oligarchs and big pharma CEOs in the past, but that wasn’t too risky since they probably don’t read my column anyway.

By the way, there’s no special day set aside for oligarchs and big pharma CEOs. That’s probably because every day is their day. But they do bring to mind another profession-related

Not only do some columnists take big risks, they also have to hit regular and frequent deadlines if they want to stay in the business. That alone deserves a day. We’re exactly like pastors who have a sermon due every Sunday— except we don’t have a church, a flock and all the other responsibilities. Fortunately pastors get their own day. Pastor/ Clergy Appreciation Day is celebrated the second Sunday in October. But I bet they don’t even get the day off.

National Personal Chef Day is July 16. And columnists have something in common with them too: We’re all great cooks.

No, it’s not that. It seems to me one of the biggest challenges of being a personal chef would be having to constantly come up with meal ideas for your employer— unless that employer only eats macaroni and cheese and peanut butter sandwiches, in which case a personal chef is wasted on them and they should send theirs to me.

Columnists have to come up with ideas all the time too. Certainly that should earn us a holiday. There would be a lot fewer of us if at the beginning of our careers, we’d all realized that from that day forward, we’d have to come up with an idea every week or two for the rest of our life and probably a month beyond so we can give proper notice.

For all these reasons, I think we columnists have earned National Columnists’ Day. And I’d love to have you celebrate with me. How? Take your pick. April 18 is also National High Five Day, National Pinata Day and National Animal Cracker Day.

Dorothy Rosby is an author and humor columnist whose work appears regularly in publications in the West and Midwest. You can subscribe to her blog at www.dorothyrosby.com or contact at www. dorothyrosby.com/contact.

Brittany Baker, Bill Psyllas (Owner), Jerree Scanlan

March

THANK YOU, MICHAEL

The Villager expresses our sincere thanks for your wisdom, creativity, inspiration and your thought-provoking columns.

Happy Retirement!

Retiring the Idea of Retirement

Can You See Yourself?

If we know any person well in this world, it should be ourselves. I’m sure that after fifty-four years on this planet, I should have a pretty good idea of who I am, what I believe, and how I want to live. Yet, in looking back over my life, I realize that a complete lack of self awareness has been my most obvious trait. Interestingly, that’s not an uncommon characteristic in the contem porary age.

Whenever

Retirement is a rather quaint tradition that is becoming a bit of an anachronism. While most Americans see decades of retirement as practically a Constitutional right, the reality is that the concept of decades spent not working in our golden years is rather impractical for most. The Golden Age of the Golden Years probably passed peak affordability sometime back in the late 1980s to the early 2000s. And, truly, that might be acceptable and even a good idea for many because literal retirement may not actually be healthy for people physically or

art and says, “Well, I could have done that,” my immediate response is a blunt, direct “No, you couldn’t have.” I stand by that assertion despite bemused and annoyed counterargu- ments, and I explain that the primary reason they couldn’t have done it is quite simply because they didn’t do it. Art doesn’t happen by accident or without intentionality. Art, even seemingly chaotic pieces of abstract expressionism, is not just a disorganized collection of color and lines.

Sometimes people who look at abstract art dismissively deride it even more harshly by saying “my six-year-old kid could do that.” I respond with my same direct answer. “No, they couldn’t.” There’s a clear distinction between intention- al pieces of abstract art and the whimsical play of a child. Abstract art is guided by con- cepts such as geometry, color theory, contrast, relationship, light, shade, and meaning. That concept of meaning is what often gives viewers pause. But, in fact, the movement is called abstract “expressionism” for a reason. The artist is most cer- tainly expressing intentional meaning.

teachers, I spent my early years as an aspiring novelist, to no avail. Fortunately, I later found success in the nonfiction world, which has produced the bulk of my writing. It took my friend Daniel saying, “You know, you have a lot of success publishing nonfiction, yet you always write fiction. Why do you think you’re a novelist?”

nest egg seems daunting. With Social Security checks averaging roughly $21,000 annually, and annual retirement expenditures averaging between $50K – $70K, there’s a clear discon nect between the dream and practicality of retirement. Ad ditionally, in regards to health care, the Kaiser Family Foun dation, a non-profit health care research organization, reports that “In 2016, half of all peo ple on Medicare had incomes below $26,200 per person and savings below $74,450.” Most Americans can expect to have an average health care cost in

retirement of nearly $160,000 over a twenty-five year span. However, there may be a better reason to dispense with the idea of a retirement just sitting around doing nothing. Research suggests that continuing to work is a way to live longer and happier. We need a reason to get up in the morning, and many retirees find themselves returning to work in some capacity within a year or two of retiring. Granted, that can depend on the nature of the work. Clearly, labor-oriented jobs preclude longer careers, still driving a truck at the age of

Understanding Abstraction

on the rise of multigenerational housing which is driven by retired couples unable to afford to live on their retirement savings. For Millennials and Generation Z, these living situations may become the norm, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

I often ask the kids in my class, “Are you a student?”

While they think they spend most of their time in school, the reality is that that school is, in many ways, a small part of who they are.

In the first act of Shake speare’s “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,” the lead conspirator Cassius speaks to Marcus Brutus, trying to convince him to join the plan to assassinate Caesar. As the two men cautiously measure their words, feeling out the other’s inclinations, Cassius asks “Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?” It’s a rather poetic way of suggesting Brutus might not acknowledge who he really is and what he really thinks, especially in regards Caesar’s growing threat to the republic Brutus so dearly loves. In theater the heart of tragedy is often when a character comes face-to-face with his true identity, which can be inspir ing or crushing.

later years, the idea of literally not working to live and simply sitting around with little to do is not a characteristic of most societies throughout history. In some ways the idea of retirement began with and was fully embraced with the Greatest Generation, and it’s probably going to end with the youngest Baby Boomers and perhaps the oldest Gen Xers.

interested in making a good case for distortion, as I am coming to believe that it is the only way to make people see.” Distorting something to make people truly “see” it seems to be counter-intuitive, though one could argue that all literature distorts information in order to make the point clear. From exaggeration to understatement to stock characters, metaphors, and cliched endings, abstraction and distortion can make the truth plain to see.

Even my wife pointed out to me in our late twenties that I actually did want to get married and have kids. It wasn’t that she wanted something I didn’t. She just wasn’t going to waste time in a relationship that didn’t have common goals. As it turns out, we are each other’s one and only, and our family has been my greatest blessing. Amusingly, our friends in college knew we’d become a couple long be-

fore it occurred to us – they asked to be invited to our wedding long before we ever dated. Self awareness can be elusive.

– distortion. How often have we encountered characters who only truly exemplify a trait or an idea because the trait is so glaringly obvious? How often have we told “some stretchers,” as Huck claims Mr. Mark Twain did, in order to impact an audience and help them “see” what we mean? Distor- tion and abstraction are natural parts of our language and our thinking.

especially in the era of artificial intelligence. With uncertainty earning power of money are becoming increasingly murky. Recently, the Denver Post reported

but instead magnifying their traits. Kascht’s works have been featured in the Smithsonian, and his video explanation of his craft as he draws Conan O’Brien is fascinating in its analysis of the concept of ar- tistic distortion – or magnification, emphasis, exaggeration, even abstraction.

Often people identify themselves by their jobs, though it’s a weak substitute for identity. What we do is not who we are, and the distinction between action and identity is a tricky one. In a world where work hours are less defined by the punching of a clock, the notion of identity linked to jobs is increasingly complicated.

This concept of distortion is particularly interesting because the word has a negative conno- tation. Certainly, to exaggerate a detail is in some ways decep- tive. It might even be dishonest. But if we shift away from the concept of “distorting” and instead focus on simply em- phasizing, then the act seems almost necessary.

Often that truth, that revela- tion, can only come from – in Flannery O’Connor’s word

It’s a rather important question that would have seemed unnecessary to ask just five or ten years ago. However, college-for-all is not a good idea or policy – I’ve been writing about that for years. In fact, college has always been unnecessary for most people in the contemporary economy. In fact, it has largely been a waste of time and money for many students in the past thirty years as colleges expanded enrollment and states promoted college-prep as the only path. Many people have pursued degrees to end up working in fields that never required one.

Numerous studies have con- firmed how easy it is to tell the difference between high quality abstract art and a child’s scrib- blings or an amateur’s attempt to mimic it. Researchers will pair various pieces of profes- sional art by trained experi- enced artists with the work of a child. When they share these art pairings with audiences with varying degrees of artistic knowledge and experience, there is little doubt about which is which. Time and again view- ers can instinctively identify the high quality intentional pieces, and more than 80% of viewers can easily discern the profes- sional art from others’ work.

The basic concept of retirement was envisioned and invented in 1881 by Otto Von Bismarck, chancellor of the unified Germany in the late nineteenth century. Deciding that, after a lifetime of work, Germans were entitled to draw a retirement salary when they turned seventy, he established the first codified pension system. Granted, in those days most Germans died long before the age of seventy, with the average citizen bare ly reaching fifty years. Thus, Bismarck’s idea was more of a political ploy than a practical system.

In numerology, 2024 is an “eight year,” meaning the numbers add up to eight. Eight years are years to “take action” and become who you really are. This year may be the time to finally get up and on to whatever comes next in our lives. I still recall my dad saying, even in his fif ties, “I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.” I know the feeling. Michael P. Mazenko is a writer, educator, & school administrator in Greenwood Village. He blogs at A Teach er’s View and can be found on Twitter @mmazenko. You can email him at mmazenko @gmail.com March

With longer working careers becoming the norm, it will probably become necessary for business, communities, and governments to consider changes which will make that more amenable. Some possible accommodations include fourday work weeks, longer paid vacations, and the expansion for long-term family leave. These necessary changes could ease the retirement of retirement.

“The U.S. average cost for retirement is roughly $850,000 for 25 years and $1.1 million for

Michael P. Mazenko is a writer, educator, & school administrator in Greenwood Village. He blogs at A Teacher’s View and can be found on Twitter @ mmazenko. You can email him at mmazenko@gmail.com

This concept of emphasizing an idea or subject beyond its obvious reality is integral to our understanding of art, especially movements like impressionism, cubism, and abstract expres- sionism. And whether it’s the writing of Flannery O’Connor or the caricature art of John Kascht, whether it’s the literary genre of Romanticism or the philosophical concepts of post- modernism, the techniques of abstraction and distortion are integral to the beauty of art.

Artist John Kascht, whose caricatures of many iconic figures have become iconic them- selves, explains that he is not distorting the figures he draws

The challenge to know and acknowledge our true identity is at the heart of all existential questions about the meaning of life and individual lives. Often our true identity is more clear to others than to ourselves. For much of my life, other people have held up a mirror to my face and subtly or bluntly showed me who I am. Similar to Cassius clarifying to Brutus his vexations, friends have basically said, “Since you know you cannot see yourself, so well as by reflection, I, your glass, will modestly discover to your self that of yourself which you yet know not of.”

I’m often bemused by peo- ple who criticize and dismiss a beautiful abstract color palette but then marvel at the abstract beauty of a sunset. Living in Colorado, a land of expansive overwhelming landscapes that truly inspire, I think of and appreciate abstract art the same way I marvel at the grandeur of a breathtaking sky. Those stunning displays of color, with swirls and blends are the spirit of abstraction. In fact, appre- ciating landscapes is a helpful avenue into understanding ab- straction. When people gaze at a picturesque

Most estimates suggest a fouryear bachelor’s degree is a necessary prerequisite for less than four in ten jobs in the American econ omy. In a recent column on de clines in higher education enroll ment, conservative Washington Post column George Will cited data that indicated “38 percent of recent college graduates, and onethird of all college graduates, hold jobs that do not require a college degree.” With unemployment at a fifty-year low, clear evidence of a strong and growing economy, people entering or currently in the workforce have plenty of options.

there can be only one answer.

Michael P. Mazenko is a writer, educator, & school administrator in Greenwood Village. He blogs at A Teacher’s View and can be found on Twit- ter @mmazenko. You can email him at mmazenko@gmail.com February

Stuck in the Middle

When people marvel at a grove of golden aspens, they are quite literally appreciating abstract art and color theory.

The challenge to know and acknowledge our true identity is at the heart of all existential questions about the meaning individual lives.

America. feeling tocommunities go voice “people

College enrollment is down – That’s OK. Why would anyone want to go to college?

C NVERSATIONSARAPAHOE COUNTY

Retirement became the ex pectation and norm in the Unit ed States following the Great Depression with the advent of Social Security. The second key element to establishing retirement came with the passage of Medicare in 1965. A fundamental reason for a national health insurance program for senior citizens was keeping them out of poverty when they were no longer able to work, and their

dropping because of progressive politics. The reasons are simply economic — cost/benefit for degree in relation to job potential. And, of course, the burden versus payoff for taking on college debt.

That said, Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal recently lamented what many major colleges and universities have “done to themselves.” In my view, both Noonan and Will are exaggerating and overemphasizing the politics on campus. Though the recent congressional testimony and resignations of

The Rent is Too High

Basically, landlords are raising rents simply because more, so they can afford to live where they work. That irrational rise in wages subsequently leads to product prices increases – hence inflation. It all happened because landlords started raising rent simply because they wanted to and could.

coming increasingly precarious. According to CNBC, “The U.S. average cost for retirement is roughly $850,000 for 25 years and $1.1 million for 30 years.” With the average personal income for Americans at $62,000 annually, amassing that sort of

And, let’s face it. Employers and the business world at large have long used the college diploma as simply a screening system and gatekeeper for job applicants. While the degree process for many fields can specifically be connected to future employment,

For example, I went to college to be a history teacher, never knowing my true passion was the art of language and the teaching of writing. I used to meet friends outside the English building where they took a poetry class together. We’d play hacky sack and frisbee and listen to John play guitar. “You should take this poetry class,” they told me. “You’d like it.” Though I initially scoffed, I eventually took the class and another

When my wife and I first moved to Greenwood Village twenty-one years ago, we loved many local independent businesses, and we particularly enjoyed shopping at Cooks Fresh Market in Belleview Promenade. We would often pop in for picnic supplies on weekends or

three elite university presidents lend credence to their criticism. As likely as colleges being political action committees is the schools simply becoming semi- professional sports training facilities. With the establishment of NIL payments to student-athletes and the astronomical salaries of elite football coaches, it seems education is just a side-hustle. The history of the university system in the United States was not based on job training and economy-based skills – it was about character and personal growth. The system was founded on the idea of a classical liberal arts education grounded in the classics. The goal was to create well-educated, well-rounded citizens who would provide the educated

pick up deli selections for weeknight dinners. Sadly, we heard the popular store was forced out of its location by rent increases, but fortunately found a prosperous location on the Sixteenth Street Mall. Cooks Fresh market closed permanently last year, but they had a great two-decade run in downtown Denver.

I’d imagine a new Denver landlord killed the business just like one did in Greenwood Village years ago. Denver has recently seen a rash of business closures, specifically independent restaurants, due to rent increases and relative wage increases. What’s particularly sad is these closures have come post-pandemic when the economy has recharged. In Greenwood Village, we’ve lost mainstays like Tokyo Joe’s and the Starbucks at Belleview Square, and word is those exits

electorate that the newly formed republic needed to function and support a system of individual rights and self-determination.

der two-thirds of the time. Similar percentages could be found among voters aligning with just one party. However, by 2020 the roll call vote had reached highs of 95%. That’s simply not healthy for a dem- ocratic republic. Too many representatives are clearly not voting their conscience nor are they actually represent- ing all their constituents. In “safe voting districts,” where the incumbents have 60% of the vote and never face a challenge, 40% of their con- stituents are effectively disen- franchised. That is terrible for

As Pepperdine President Gash laments in his column “the college experience has failed to provide far too many students the character-forming experiences necessary for a free and flourishing society.”

were forced by unreasonable and inexplicable rent increases by Regency Centers.

As an it’s difficult simply develop when they eled shouldanywhere teach think, not everywhere told what and role models narrow, inflexible While LizRomney are re-nominating they can hardly for spentDemocrats their careers ing the other it’s difficult Hakeem Jeffries Shumer to concede to Joe

career claiming are the only answer.

Country singer Scott McCreery sings about how he is “not all holy water and not all Jim Beam,” but he’s “somewhere in between.” That’s kin- da like many people in the United States of America. And, inter- estingly, that “in be- tween” perspective accurately describes the political views and affiliations of Americans, who are generally a moderate center-right bunch and more likely independent voters, unaffiliated with either ma- jor party. Unfortunately, the two-party system in our age of divisive politics has left no middle ground. It seems there is no in-between anymore. I recently saw an editorial cartoon of a man holding two different boxes of Girl Scout cookies as he stands at a table, asking which are the Repub- lican and which are the Dem- ocrat cookies. It’s satire, of course, but not actually far off from the feelings of too many Americans. It’s literally be- come that absurd. People have started to act as if the clothes they wear, the beer they drink, the entertainment they watch, and sadly even the neighbor- hoods where they live are ei- ther one party or another. Too many Americans believe there are just two sides to every issue, and one is always right and the other is always wrong. When I was growing up in the 1970s and early 80s, I can recall numerous times when my dad would say, “I still haven’t decided who I’m going to vote for yet.” That might be surprising to anyone who knew my father after the late nineties, when it appeared he was a ology-straight-party-ticketone-idevoter. Yet, he had been reg- istered as both a Democrat and a Republican at different times in his life. I recall when I first heard the pejorative term RINO, which stands for “Republican in Name Only,” and it struck me as the most ridiculous idea.

February 8, 2024 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 3

The classical liberal arts foundation is still an excellent reason to pursue higher education. If people need college degrees for their careers, or they have the luxury of paying for a few years to figure that out, higher ed makes sense. Otherwise, working and credentials are the better choice.

I’ve lived in the same duplex house for two decades, just a short walk from Cherry Creek High School. The other townhouses in my neighborhood rent for two-and-a-half to three times my monthly mortgage payment. In all honesty, that is simply ridiculous. What’s particularly troubling is that many housing units are being bought up by hedge funds and foreign-owned investment companies. They have no connection to the community and no concern for residents. They just raise rents because they can. Simply put, as the single-issue political party in New York says: “the rent is too damn high.”

Michael P. Mazenko is a writer, educator, & school admin istrator in Greenwood Village. He blogs at A Teacher’s View and can be found on Twitter @ mmazenko. You can email him at mmazenko@gmail.com February

Did a robot write this column?

Michael P. Mazenko is a writ- er, educator, & school admin- istrator in Greenwood Village. He blogs at A Teacher’s View and can be found on Twitter @ mmazenko. You can email him at mmazenko@gmail.com

The idea of party purity and straight-ticket voting is in many

As I sat down at my computer in early January, I planned to share a few musings about “embracing change and navigating the rapids of life in colorful Colorado.” Of course, just like the unpredictable weather up in the Rockies, life has a way of throwing curveballs our way, especially when a publication deadline is looming. So, as I stared at a blank Google Doc, I decided to investigate the phenomenon of ChatGPT. Technology such as ChatGPT needs a prompt to give it direction, and it allegedly produces “original” writing in the style of other writers. This ability is based on scanning the internet for previously published work, of which I have plenty. So, I prompted the AI software with my name, the words

area is $1700, a 50% increase over ten years. Clearly, other costs have not risen 50%, certainly not taxes and utilities.

Most estimates suggest that a four-year bachelor’s degree is a necessary prerequisite for less than four in ten jobs in the American economy.

cauldron of thoughts swirling around public education. Apparently, public education is a bit like a hike up a majestic Colorado mountain. It’s challenging, rewarding, and sometimes you might stumble on a loose rock, but the view from the top makes it all worthwhile. Our schools are the training grounds for the next generation of thinkers, dreamers, and doers – the very fabric that weaves our community together.

tion system faces. It’s a complex landscape, much like the diverse terrain of our state, and it requires thoughtful consideration and collective effort to navigate successfully. The educators who dedicate their days to nurturing young minds are like trail guides, helping our students navigate the twists and turns of knowledge and critical thinking. It’s a tough job, and they deserve our admiration as well as the resources and support to help them do their best work.

Of course, just as Colorado weather can be unpredictable, so too are the disparities in our education system. The gap between schools with ample resources and those facing challenges can be as wide as the Continental Divide. It’s time for our communities

class will be held Tuesday, smartphone to register.

As a parent and teacher,

2024 Genesis G70 Is Quality Sport Sedan

The “Vatna Gray” paint is a subtle light gray on the G70 test car driven this week. Driving this $49,050 Genesis is a real pleasure and experiencing the 2.5L in-line turbo GDI engine that produces 300 horsepower. It is amazing that auto engineers have been able to increase horsepower so far from the gas thirsty traditional V8 engines of old. Part of the power-drive success has been the evolution of eight-speed versatile transmissions that work so well with optional gears and paddle wheel steering wheel shifting. This all-gas G70 fuel consumption ranges from 23 city to 28 highway mileage. I certainly favor the gasoline engines and welcome the hybrid components in models that deliver outstanding economy, but with short ranges.

The G70 price range is attractive; I’m surprised that this “sport prestige” model is priced at mid-range with the many luxury features, design, and “Obsidian” black and red leather interior seats. This is truly an attractive car with conservative sport’s sedan appearance.

The 300-horsepower turbo power delivers a freeway punch that is incredibly fast

and can exceed speed limits in seconds. The visual warning with speed signs, school zones, and vocal warnings of stop light enforcement are vital for good driving.

Great appearance, power, and comfort with 4-way power seats with lumbar support, heated steering wheel, seats, and outside mirrors. The dash has an

8” digital cluster and analog gauges. When approaching the car, outside mirrors and doors unlock automatically with key recognition. When departing, the car plays soft music bidding adieu, very nice feature.

Some of the driving features are top-rated Brembo brakes with visible red calipers able to quickly shut down high speeds safely.

The G70 rides on 19” alloy wheels with racing brand McPherson front struts and multi-link rear suspension.

Safety features include lane assist where the G70 tracks in the center of the highway, intelligent speed limit assist, blind spot and forward collision warning and collision braking. A multitude of the latest safety features including driver’s attention warning, if the car senses a sleepy driver at the

wheel.

This is a sports model, so there is an option sport package that include Genesis logo puddle lamps, an integrated memory system, Lexicon sound system, a wide sunroof, and other features that are options included in the pricing.

Final assembly is in Ulsan, Korea with Korean engine, and transmission. Under Genesis experience, the brand offers 3 yr. complimentary maintenance and service vale, a five-year / 60-000- mile new car warranty and a 10-year/100,000 miles power-train warranty.

If you’re looking for style and sporting performance, this G70 has it all and then some. It was a pleasure to drive and test this sedan.

Ms.

the world’s first and foremost pageant to and give honor to women who have reached the “Age of (age 60 plus). It is a search for the gracious lady who best

Come celebrate these talented ladies!

Ms. Senior America is the world’s first and foremost pageant to emphasize and give honor to women who have reached the “Age of Elegance” (age 60 plus). It is a search for the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all senior Americans. Come celebrate these talented ladies!

www.C oloSRAmerica.com

Ms. Senior America is the world’s first and foremost pageant to emphasize and give honor to women who have reached the “Age of Elegance” (age 60 plus). It is a search for the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all senior Americans. Come celebrate these talented ladies!

Ms. Senior America is the world’s first and foremost pageant to emphasize and give honor to women who have reached the “Age of Elegance” (age 60 plus). It is a search for the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all senior Americans. Come celebrate these talented ladies!

Come celebrate these talented ladies!

www.C

www.C oloSRAmerica.com

www.C oloSRAmerica.com

www.C oloSRAmerica.com

1st

1st

1st - Pris Schnell , Ms. Colorado Senior America

20 23 – Joanie Ryan, 2nd – Judy Huff

Coping with Uncertainty

What we are witnessing in the country is an upside-down world. Common sense is not so common.

Many of us are fearful, stressed, frustrated, and worried about our families, friends, finances, futures, colleagues, and communities given the crime, corruption, violence, uncertainty, inhumanity, and the rising costs of everything.

Everyone wants to be happy, but happiness is not an emotion that is in plentiful supply right now. Attempting to turn a frown upside down, rather than questioning if you are happy, the question can be reframed asking, “Am I pursuing happiness?”

What does it mean to pursue

happiness? Many social scientists opine that the word we use for happiness should be replaced with the word, joy. What is the difference between happiness and joy? Joy and happiness are both emotions that convey feelings of contentment or satisfaction. J.D. Salinger, the author of Catcher in the Rye, once wrote, “The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid.”

A joyful spirit is characterized by hope, gratitude, a positive attitude, a smile, an appreciation for our humanity, serving others, and positive social connections regardless of cir-

cumstances. When we are happy or more importantly, joyful, our relationships are healthier, we smile more, we are more productive in the workplace, students are more engaged and have increased academic success, there is less violence and crime, less child abuse, less substance use, less isolation, and thoughts of suicide and increased mental health. Our bodies respond to joy with more energy, less fatigue, a feeling of well-being, and a sense of purpose.

we are connected to tend to be happier. The Happy Students Happy Classmates Study found that happiness is a contagion indicating that the well-being of a student partly depends on the well-being of their classmates. This is because our brains are attuned to the emotions of others. This is the reason we sometimes comment that someone’s laugh is contagious, and we laugh too.

positive feelings, listen to uplifting music, go for a nature walk, meditate, live in gratitude, do one thing to make the world a better place, smile, savor a healthy meal, relish how much your pet loves you, and share that with others. Enrich your relationships by asking for what you need, creating boundaries for those who might be toxic, thinking about your legacy, and celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and life’s milestones.

720-650-7664 and enter access code 2598 320 5548 (followed by #, #).

In the event you fail to appear for said hearing at the date and time

indicated, the Petitioner will request that the Court enter a default judgment against you and adjudicate the child dependent and neglected in accordance with the Colorado Children’s Code.

Linda Arnold, Esq., 16764 Assistant County Attorney

Published in The Villager

Published: March 28, 2024 Legal # 11491

DISTRICT COURT

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO Arapahoe County Justice Center 7325 S. Potomac St. Centennial, CO 80112

Case Number: D0032023CV31411

Div./Ctrm.: 204

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO, Petitioner - Plaintiff, v.

JOSE LIZANDRO CARDONATORRES, and any unknown persons who may claim any interest in the subject matter of this action, to wit:

$3,872.00, in United States Currency, Respondent – Defendant(s)

ALIAS CITATION TO SHOW CAUSE

WHY CONTRABAND PROPERTY SHOULD NOT BE FORFEITED

THIS MATTER comes before the court pursuant to §16-13-501, et seq., C.R.S., as a Petition in Forfeiture seeking an Alias Citation to Show Cause Why Contraband Property Should Not Be Forfeited, brought by the District Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial District, State of Colorado.

The Court has examined the Petition and the supporting affidavit and has considered the PetitionerPlaintiff’s request for the issuance of an Alias Citation to Show Cause.

The Court is satisfied that the Petitioner-Plaintiff has shown probable cause that the seized property in this action, as described in the caption above, is contraband property subject to seizure, confiscation, and forfeiture pursuant to §16-13-501, et seq., C.R.S.

The Court finds that each named Respondent-Defendant in the caption is the only person or persons known to have, an interest in, or to have asserted and interest in, the subject matter of the action.

The Court, therefore, issues this alias citation:

When we are joyful, especially in the midst of chaos, fear, or uncertainty, we affect others in positive ways. Researchers conclude that when we are happy, the people

COLORADO TO THE ABOVE RESPONDENTDEFENDANT:

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED AND ORDERED TO APPEAR for a first appearance on this case in the District Court in and for the Eighteenth Judicial District, State of Colorado, at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, Colorado 80112 in Division/Courtroom 204, on May 20, 2024 at 2:30 p.m., and to show cause, if any there be, why the court should not grant the relief requested in the Petition in Forfeiture served herewith, which seeks the forfeiture of the subject matter property described in the caption above, which was seized on the date of October 22, 2022, at or near the location 10700 E. Dartmouth Ave, #T107, Denver, Colorado, Arapahoe County, State of Colorado. Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office is the agency holding the seized subject matter property.

The Court orders that this citation may be served by certified mail, in accordance with §16-13505(7), C.R.S.

WARNING: If you wish to have the subject property returned to you, you must respond to this Citation to Show Cause. You are warned that, pursuant to §16-13-505(1.7) (b) and (8), C.R.S., if you fail to file a response to the Petition in Forfeiture in accordance with §16-13-505(2)(d), or if you fail to appear personally, by counsel, or as otherwise directed by the Court at the first appearance, pursuant to §16-13-505(8), C.R.S., judgment by default shall be entered against you by the Court forthwith for the relief demand in the Petition in Forfeiture, without further notice and any interest you may have in the subject property will be lost forever.

Pursuant to §16-13-505(2)(d), C.R.S., the responsive pleading shall be designated a response to petition and citation to show cause and shall be filed with the court at or before the first appearance on the petition and shall include:

(I) A statement admitting or denying the averments of the petition;

(II) A statement setting forth with particularity why the seized property should not be forfeited. The statement shall include specific factual and legal ground’s supporting it and any affirmative defense to forfeiture as provided in this part 5.

(III) A list of witnesses whom the respondent intends to call at the hearing on the merits, including the addresses and telephone numbers thereof; and

If we want to increase our well-being and serve others well, emoting joy in the middle of all we are going through might be a wonderful way to lift our spirits and be the contagion that elevates and edifies the p eople around us. Express

We need to be intentional about pursuing happiness and joy during these troubled and uncertain times and be around and supported by positive, hopeful people. This is a unique way to cope with the uncertainty around us. joneen@narme.org

(IV) A verified statement, supported by documentation, that the claimant is the true owner of the property or an interest therein.

You are advised that, pursuant to §16-13-505(5) C.R.S.: “Continuance of the hearing on the merits shall be granted upon stipulation of the parties or upon good cause shown.”

DONE this 19th day of March, 2024

BY THE COURT:

Thomas W. Henderson DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

Published in The Villager

Published: March 28, 2024

Legal # 11492

DISTRICT COURT

Colorado 80112

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF

In the Interest of:

EVA MAESTAS Child, and concerning, LEXUS VIGIL-MAESTAS and JOHN DOE Respondents.

Erinn Walz, Esq. #43200

Assistant County Attorney 14980 East Alameda Drive

Aurora, CO 80012 PH: 303.636.1308

NOTICE OF ADJUDICATORY HEARING AND DEFAULT JUDGMENT CONCERNING

JOHN DOE SET FOR APRIL 22, 2024 AT 10:00 AM IN DIV. 22

Case No: 23JV362

Division: 22

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that an Adjudicatory Hearing and Default Judgement regarding Respondent, JOHN DOE, is set for APRIL 22, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in Division 22 at the Arapahoe County District Court, 7325 South Potomac Street, Centennial, Colorado 80112.

You have the right to be represented by an attorney during these proceedings; if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you. In the event you fail to appear for said hearing at the date and time indicated, the Petitioner, the People of the State of Colorado, will request that the Court enter a default judgment against you and adjudicate the child dependent and neglected and enter into a treatment plan by default in accordance with the Colorado Children’s Code.

The Arapahoe County District Court is holding this hearing via Cisco WebEx Meetings to allow for audiovisual and/or audio participation. Participants may use any computer, tablet or smart

phone equipped with a camera and microphone for audiovisual participation. Parties should use the following link:

• https://judicial.webex. com/meet/D18-ARAP-Div22

• Enter your name and email address (so we know who you are). You will then be in the virtual courtroom.

• Select your audio setting. If the audio on your computer or tablet does not work, please use the alternate audio option of calling in to the number below.

• If you do not have a device that will support a video connection, you may still participate by audio only by calling 720-650-7664. When prompted enter Access code: 2594 887 9073 then press #, # (no attendee ID is needed).

YOU ARE FURTHER COMMANDED to appear before the Court at said time and place, either in person or by Cisco WebEx Meetings. If you elect to appear in person, you must be at the Courthouse a half hour before the hearing is scheduled to begin.

Dated this 21st day of March, 2024.

Erinn Walz, Reg. #43200

Assistant County Attorney Attorney for Petitioner

Published in The Villager

Published: March 28, 2024 Legal # 11493

LEARN THE ART & SCIENCE OF FERMENTING YOUR OWN SAUERKRAUT

MARCH 28, 7-8:30 p.m. at CSU Extension ARAPAHOE County Office in Centennial. Workshop fee $20 and includes a jar of kraut to ferret at home. Scan the QR code in the ARAPAHOE County ad in The Villager to RSVP.

ST. THOMAS MORE PARISH SERVICES

MARCH 28, Holy Thursday, 7:00 p.m. - Mass of the Lord’s Supper. MARCH 29, Good Friday, 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. - Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. MARCH 30, Holy Saturday, 8:00 p.m., Solemn Vigil of Easter. MARCH 31, Easter Sunday, 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Mass. There will also be a Spanish Mass at 12:30 p.m. The Parish is located at 8035 S. Quebec St., Centennial. Call 303-770-1155 or stthomasmore.org

ENGLEWOOD CHAMBER AFTER HOURS

NEWORK

MARCH 30, 5-7 p.m. at The Tabletop Tap, 3422 S. Broadway. Free & open to the public. RSVP: lindsey@ myenglewoodchamber.org

COLORADO AUTHORS’ HALL OF FAME TO OFFER FIVE $2,000 SCHOLARSHIPS

For aspiring Colo. authors & authors-to-be. Winners will have an opportunity to participate in an extensive 12-mo. Mentoring program. Applications deadline MARCH 31, 2024, with the winning recipients announced in August with a luncheon event to be held on Friday, Sept. 16. Scholarships envisioned by founder of the Hall, Dr. Judith Briles. Info: www. ColoradoAuthorsHallofFame.org

ENGLEWOOD LIONS CLUB MEETINGS

1ST & 3RD THURSDAYS at 7 p.m. at Mango Tree Coffee, 3498 S. Broadway, Englewood. Next meeting: March 7. Info: Gail 720-377-7682.

SOPRANO SARA GARTLAND TO PERFORM AT CENTRAL CITY OPERA’S “THEATRE OF DREAMS” GALA

APRIL 5 at the Cable Center at Denver University. Honoring Judy & Newell Grant. Tickets: centralcityopera.org/gala

SOUL DOG RESCUE NONPROFIT TO HAVE

FIRST GALA

APRIL 5 at Denver Museum of Nature & Science. For Tails of Hope tickets: www.souldog.org/gala

READING, WRITING AND A WARDROBE

LUNCHEON TO BENEFIT CLOTHES TO KIDS OF DENVER

APRIL 11, 11:30-1:00 at Wellshire Event Center, 3333 S. Colo. Blvd. RSVP: val@clothestokidsdenver.org

CENTENNIAL ANIMAL SERVICES TO HOST OPEN HOUSE

APRIL 17, 6-7:30 p.m. in the Community Room at 7272 S. Eagle St. Information on City’s rules & regulations around owning a pet - visit education stations. Centennial.gov/animalservices

COLORADO BALLET’S THE ONE GALA

Returns APRIL 18 at the Ellie Caulkins Oper. a House in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Tickets: 303-3391618 or COLORADOBALLET.ORG/Gala

FRIENDS OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP

LUNCHEON

APRIL 20 11 a.m. at Cherry Hills Country Club. FON to award S$112000 to nursing students. Rick Crandall will be the Master of Ceremonies. Tickets: 720-891-3412.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY WATER SUPPLY STUDY OPEN HOUSES

APRIL 24, 5-7 p.m. at Smoky Hill Library at 5730 S. Biscay Circle, Centennial. MAY 9 at the Kelver Library, 5855 Main St., Byers. Visit arapahoeco.gov/waterstudy

WHAT’S NEW?

Cherry Creek Republican Women memberships are due. Annual dues are $40 per year for regular members. Info: sstsruna@comcast.net or call 303913-1394.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY 4TH ANNUAL SPRING WINE & CHALK FESTIVAL

MAY 18 & 19. At the Fairgrounds. Early bird discount thru March 1. Visit arapahoecountyeventcenter.com

MENTAL HEALTH OF COLO. UNMASKED

JUNE 8, 6 p.m. at Haven in the Pines, 463 E. Happy Canyon Rd., Castle Rock. Theme “Unmasking

Discrimination.” Cocktail attire, heavy Hors d’oeuvres. Tickets 720-208-2220.

BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE COLORADO HOSTS 22ND ANNUAL HOPE CHALLENGE GOLF

JUNE 10. Tournament to be held at Colorado Golf Club Preservation Trail in Parker. Four-person scramble. Breakfast, 18 holes of golf, drinks,Dinner. RSVP: 720-524-2061.

COMING SOON

LITTLE MAN ICE CREAM in Greenwood Village at Belleview & Yosemite. Now hiring!

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BOYS STATE JUNE 2-8 FOR HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS

Premier civic program in Sterling, CO. Applications: www.CoLegionBoysState.org

WHAT’S NEW IN AWARDS? FINALISTS FOR DCPA STUDENT PLAYWRITING COMPETITION

“CONSIDER THE RAVENS” by Victoria Schnell - Cherry Creek High School. “MY FUTURE IS (KINDA) IN YOUR HANDS” by Esther Weiss - Cherry Creek High school. There were 107 High School submissions for these awards.