5-9-24 Villager

MODERN MARKET EATERY’S SUMMER MENU

ADDS CHILLED HERB SHRIMP

Colorado-born in 2009, Modern Market Eatery has been a beloved destination for wellness-minded, busy foodies. With 18 restaurants across the Front Range, they’ve been spreading the joy of wholesome, chef-crafted fare one made-fromscratch dish at a time.

The menu of salads, grain bowls, sandwiches and pizzas changes twice a year to reflect seasonality and incorporate produce at the peak of flavor. The brand just announced the addition of a brand new protein option to its summer menu, Chilled Herb Shrimp! This certified sustainable protein takes center stage in dishes like the Shrimp BLT Salad, Green Goddess Shrimp Bowl, and the Chilled Herb Shrimp Protein Bowl.

“I went to culinary school for farm-totable cuisine, so I always start with what’s in season,”

CHEF NATE WEIR

Modern Market Eatery also added a Sweet Corn Chicken Pizza, packed with tons of delicious corn flavor from the sweet corn puree on the

bottom to the roasted corn salsa on top. Plus, they gave a few crowd favorites, the Urban Farmer Salad and the Summer Seared Ahi Salad, a sun-kissed seasonal glow-up.

VP of Culinary Chef Nate Weir has always had a soft spot for seasonal cooking.

“I went to culinary school for farmto-table cuisine, so I always start with what’s in season,” said Chef Nate. “That’s what I love about changing our menu twice a year. Endless opportunities for exploration and creativity.”

From indulgent staples to healthy, seasonal dishes, Modern Market Eatery has a menu the whole family can agree on. So soak up the sun with the limited-time summer menu today! 

WHERE TO FIND Visit modernmarket. com for all locations and to order.

The Streets at SouthGlenn 6955 S. York St. Centennial

Cherry Hills 3475 S. University Blvd. Englewood

Greenwood Village 8575 E. Arapahoe Rd. Greenwood Village

Highlands Ranch

537 W. Highlands Ranch Pkwy.

Ranch

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT

Modern Market Eatery's Shrimp BLT Salad; Sweet Corn Chicken Pizza; Chef Nate Weir; Certified sustainable Chilled Herb Shrimp; New summer menu items including Summer Seared Ahi Salad, Arugala & Goat Cheese Side Salad, Green Goddess Shrimp Bowl, and the updated Urban Farmer Salad.

Senator Jeff Bridges for balance on housing

As your State Senator I’ve spent thousands of hours talking with folks on their doorsteps. It’s clear we want a state filled with the frontier value of opportunity, where young people can earn a good life and raise a family. We want to attract employers offering good-paying jobs with a thriving economy. We want people to be able to live where they work.

It’s also clear we need more housing to stay true to that value of opportunity. Across the state, we’re short about 100,000 homes. Housing costs in Colorado are about 20% above the national average. We’re in the top five for costliest monthly mortgages in the country. Unlike “healthiest state” or “most outdoor access,” that’s not a list we want to top! It’s no surprise that over the last two years I’ve received more emails about housing than anything else.

I know a full-time teacher in Englewood who babysits on the side to afford a room in a shared house, and parents in Greenwood Village whose kids can’t afford to move home to Colorado. That sounds more like San Francisco than Denver, and not what we want here in our state.

At the same time, I hear from people concerned about preserving their quality of life. From families who have worked hard to buy a home in a neighborhood they love. Understandably, they don’t want state legislation taking that away from them.

I believe it’s possible to preserve our existing quality of life while also building more homes where hardworking families can thrive.

we love most about our neighborhoods while also creating new housing.

On a bill for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), often called mother-in-law suites or grannie flats, I worked on amendments to allow cities and counties to require:

• Parking: ADUs must utilize existing off-street parking spaces.

• Neighborhood Fit: ADUs are subject to the same aesthetic standards as other homes in a community.

• Owner-occupancy: Homeowners must reside in their primary residence to obtain an ADU permit.

• Setbacks: ADUs must

adhere to standard city regulations for placement and distance from property lines, which is 20 feet or more in most Greenwood Village neighborhoods.

Supporters of the bill estimate it will result in thousands more new homes every year, and with these amendments they will have a minimal impact on our neighborhoods. This “gentle density” bill passed with bipartisan support because more housing done right complements our communities and our economy.

I also voted for the Transit Oriented Communities bill after making significant changes to ensure

C NVERSATIONS

Your Input is Vital to Sustain Essential Services in Arapahoe County

Arapahoe County is facing a budget shortfall.

this infill development doesn’t compromise our quality of life. With amendments, the bill:

• Traffic: Empowers cities to deny developments that significantly increase traffic.

• Economic Impact: Allows mixed-use developments to support local tax revenue from retail establishments.

• Compliance: Removes the withholding of road repair funds and the state’s explicit power to enforce zoning with injunctions.

• Walksheds: Modifies the development area around stations from a half-mile "as the crow flies" to walking dis-

tance, ensuring people will use transit in practice and not just on paper. By opposing the parking and occupancy bills and strategically amending the ADU and transit legislation, I’ve worked to keep what we love most about our neighborhoods while also creating new housing so that Coloradans who work hard to earn a good wage can build the life that attracted all of us to this great state. Thank you to all of those who reached out as we work for a future where all Coloradans have the opportunity to make our state home.

Senator Jeff Bridges

jeff.bridges.senate@ coleg.gov

ARAPAHOE COUNTY

Arapahoe County faces a significant budget shortfall starting in 2025

Funds are limited and it will not be possible to sustain essential services without new funding.

After years of insufficient tax revenues, combined with a continued increase in demand for services, Arapahoe County faces a choice—and is asking for your input. Read more and provide your input at acbudget.com

Services that would be impacted include:

Two measures proposed in the state legislature this year didn’t strike that balance, and I voted against a bill eliminating parking requirements and against another bill eliminating occupancy limits in single family homes. We want more housing, but we don’t want parking to get even harder and we don’t think dozens of people should live in the 3-bedroom ranch next door.

Two other bills did balance our shared values— at least they did after I won major amendments ensuring they keep what

May 11: Discover Our History: Cherry Creek Valley Take a closer look at 17 Mile House’s beginnings and other historic locations along the Cherry Creek with local authors Lee and Jane Whiteley. Featured activity: Make a lavender sachet to take home! This is a FREE event, but reservations are required due to limited space. Register: arapahoeco.gov/17milehouse

Fermentation Class: Yogurt

Sustain Essential Services

Join us for a hands-on workshop about yogurt, May 16, 7-8:30 p.m. at the CSU Extension-Arapahoe County Office in Centennial. Learn the history and science of fermenting milk into tangy yogurt and its many health benefits. The registration fee is $5. Register now https://bit.ly/CSUYogurt or scan the QR code.

Provide your input at: ACbudget.com

Wine and Chalk Art Festival

Join us for the fourth annual Chalk Lines & Vines at the Fairgrounds on May 18 and 19

Visit arapahoecountyeventcenter.com or scan the QR code for details.

It’s been a busy several weeks, have been back on the roundup circle attending many events. The Cancer League Hope Ball was outstanding with a very generous audience, excellent food, and great silent and live auction items. Glad to have the event back at the Hyatt Regency in the Denver Tech Center. The Moreland family donated another Dodge car won by an excited Hyatt hotel employee. ***

BY BOB SWEENEY

Arapahoe County held their annual Lincoln Day dinner at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel on Orchard Road in Greenwood Village May 3rd, with a sold-out crowd of over 280 attendees. It was good to see old friends. Lynne Cottrell and Caroline Cornell were event co-chairs. Freda Poundstone’s old ally Karen Blilie, along with veteran volunteer Evie Ashmore, conducted the spectacular auctions. Always dependable Andi Allott was at the registration table. Kathleen Chandler, candidate for the RTD board, handling the

“Heads or Tails” event that Jake Jabs and Edie Marks usually seem to win. Jabs donates a $500 gift certificate from American Furniture each year. Edie was in the top ten once again but washed out in the final round. Venerable musician Bo Cottrell was a finalist, once a headliner with the “Lawmen” at the famous Taylor Supper Club. Lynne and Bo are pillars of the community and have raised millions of dollars for TAPS that supports families of deceased military veterans who didn’t return from active duty serving their country.

While there is a rush for voters to become “Independent” on voter registration rolls, the hard work of running elections and finding candidates falls heavily on Democrat and Republican party members. This major two-party system has prevailed in America for several centuries where once we had “Whigs” and “Tories.” It seems that there has always been abundant

OLDER ADULT RESOURCE FAIR

discourse in America and the competition between the two parties seeks to generate new eager leadership. Remember that friendships should swirl around character and not political affiliation. There all good people in both parties.

At Saturday night’s dinner many candidates were introduced and given a few minutes to speak. It is always good to hear the aspiring intent to serve the people and save the country. Sometimes it happens when superstars arise who do make a difference. The bottom line, if we didn’t have political parties, who would run our government? Being a political volunteer is a hard, thankless job, but patriots on both sides of the aisle aspire to make life better for Americans and for better or worse, push agendas in which they believe. It seems that there is considerable dissent currently on many issues and we have many dividing challenges.

The final speaker at the dinner, following a chicken dinner and a bevy of successful fund-raising events was Isabel Brown, a young lady in her 20s touting Generation Z youths. She is the author of her newly released book entitled, “The end of the alphabet.” Her 30-minute speech drew a standing ovation as she proclaimed that Generation Z youth between the ages of 17 and 30 will save America. She related that these younger Americans are the most conservative citizens in decades. She has done her research on American history and decried the myth that America was founded by old white

men. The fact is, they were young men in their early 20s and 30s. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Constitution, was only 33.

Most of the artwork of the era has the men wearing white wigs, appearing to be older, but in fact they were aspiring young men given God’s guidance and wisdom to write the Constitution and design and form the greatest country in the history of civilization that has lasted since 1776. Can the Republic stand forever into the future or follow history in decline and fall as the greatest Republic of all time?

Isabel is a graduate of Colorado State University, a Colorado native, and now resides in Florida where she does her writing and media work. She signed and sold many of her books at the dinner.

Rick Sokol, the 2023 Arapahoe County Chair gave a stirring Passover prayer to commence the evening, having just returned from seeing his daughter in Israel. GOP 2024 Chair, Anne Rowland, welcomed party members and led the singing of the National Anthem. She is a very able and talented chair and is breathing some new life into the Grand Old Party of The Republic.

I hope that Generation Z is successful in saving America if they can only get through the demonstrating mobs to get to their classrooms or jobs.

A good time was had by all, but the seats grow harder as time passes.

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

Holocaust Remembrance

Remaining Holocaust survivors David Zapiler and Barbara Steinmetz share their experiences - Part one of two

World War II ended 79 years ago. With each passing year, there are fewer survivors of the Holocaust who can tell their story in their own voice.

On May 5, Remember 6, an organization dedicated to the memory of the six million Jews who were killed by the Nazis during WWII and the years leading up to it, held a program at Babi Yar Memorial Park in southeast Denver that featured two survivors who are members of our community, David Zapiler, 91, and Barbara Steinmetz, 88. The program included presentations from Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and former state Sen. Dennis Hisey, who sponsored the 2020 Colorado law that requires the Holocaust and genocide studies to be taught in Colorado public schools, beginning this year.

After Dr. Hélène Dallaire, a faculty member at Denver Seminary, and Remember 6 Vice President Tracy Kirscher welcomed the 100 people who attended the windy Sunday afternoon program, members of the Colorado Civil Air Patrol posted the Colors. Following the performance of the U.S. and Israeli national anthems by vocalist Lynne McDowell, accompanied by Hélène Dallaire on the keyboard and Ken Washburn on violin, Pastor Peter Young of BridgeWay Church delivered the invocation and Sen. Hisey read a proclamation from Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, declaring May 5-12, 2024 Holocaust Awareness Week.

Although he arrived in the United States in 1949, David had never considered speaking publicly about his experience until he overheard a young woman speaking in German in a café outside Paris while he and his wife Joan were on a trip to Europe in the 1990s. The young woman was telling a friend that she had visited the concentration camps in Auschwitz and Dachau and, “What she saw was that if the people there (prisoners) didn’t like it, they could get up and leave.” Despite Joan urging him to tell the people in the next booth who he was, he did not do so. But in that moment, he resolved to begin to share his story with Colorado

David Zapiler had never considered speaking publicly about his experience until he overheard a young woman speaking in German in a café outside Paris while he and his wife Joan were on a trip to Europe in the 1990s. The young woman was telling a friend that she had visited the concentration camps in Auschwitz and Dachau and, “What she saw was that if the people there (prisoners) didn’t like it, they could get up and leave.” Despite Joan urging him to tell the people in the next booth who he was, he did not do so. But in that moment, he resolved to begin to share his story with Colorado schoolchildren as soon as he got home and that’s what he did, for over 20 years.

schoolchildren as soon as he got home and that’s what he did, for over 20 years.

David began, “My father, Leo Zapiler, was a truck driver. He delivered merchandise like flour, soap, and produce from the train station to stores around Warsaw.

The best day was the one when he delivered cookies because when he came home, there were always some left in the truck bed.”

He went on, “When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, my parents loaded my sister Mania and me, along with 18 members of our extended family, into the back of a truck and started driving south toward Ukraine, then a part of Russia. Poland’s military was no match for Germany, with its tanks, and the country was conquered in a matter of days. Our

relatives believed the war was over and decided to go back home, thinking they would be safe. My father said he didn’t trust the Germans so we did not. We never saw any of those relatives again. In 1945, someone told my mother he had seen my father’s brother on a train headed to Auschwitz.”

David continued, “My father soon went to work for the Russians as a truck driver. There were few people who had that skill. We were living in hiding in a Russian farmer’s barn. One day, a truck came and we were forced to get into it. We were transported to Siberia, where we were kept until 1942 as slave labor. Stalin’s method was to take whole families so they didn’t have to worry about any one person trying to escape. There was a Russian woman in the camp where we lived with barely enough food to survive. She was a teacher who organized the children and gave them lessons in Russian, math, and anything else she could think of. We sat on benches grouped by age and we had lots of pencils, I remember, but no pens.”

He recounted, “In 1942, the Polish government in exile signed a peace treaty with Stalin that let us leave Siberia and travel to Kazakhstan, where we lived a normal life. They gave us a farm with a cow and six chickens so my dad could become a farmer, but he wasn’t. He found his way to the city of Shymkent and got a job driving a truck again, picking up wheat from the farmers in the area. That was how the farmers paid their taxes. We soon joined him in the city and stayed there until the war ended on May 8, 1945.”

David went on, “Our plan was to return to Warsaw. We made it back to Poland when we found out that, out of an extended family of 100 people, only the four of us and one aunt and uncle had survived. There was no reason to go back now. My dad decided to get us to what was then Palestine. Survivor groups were being formed to provide temporary places to stay but they were based on age, so I went with one group, my older sister Mania went with another, and my parents went with a third one. My group traveled by train through Czechoslovakia, ending up in Vienna, Austria, where we stayed for a few months, after which I left that group to try to find my parents. I was 14 years old. By that time, many survivors were headed toward Bremerhaven Germany, from which ships were leaving for Palestine. I was put on a train headed there. When it stopped for the night, I found a place to stay where other survivors were living. The next morning, as I walked back to the train station, I passed a man walking in the opposite direction. He looked like my dad but it didn’t seem possible. After we had walked by each other, we both stopped and turned around. It was

my father! I ran into his arms and said, ‘Tata!’ That’s what I called him. Together with my mom, we eventually found my sister and made it to a displaced persons camp in Germany run by UNRAA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration), where we lived for three years until 1949 when my father found out that the United Nations had voted to give the Jewish people a homeland, Israel. But that decision was not well received by its neighbors and the new country was under attack. My dad said, ‘The Germans didn’t kill us. I’m not going to let the Arabs do it. We’re going to America.’ The U.S. government demanded that someone sign for us so we wouldn’t be a burden to the country. We had cousins in Chicago who did that but we got lucky again. Before those papers were processed, President Truman decided to allow 80,000 people, over and above the quota that was in effect, to come to the U.S. and somehow, we were on that list. In Chicago, I started school, but I had jobs, too. I parked cars, taught dancing at Arthur Murray Studios, sold vacuum cleaners door-todoor, worked as an unlicensed electrician, and I delivered meat for a butcher. When I was 19, I married the butcher’s 17-year-old daughter. We had three children, Susan, an attorney, Freda, a C.P.A. and now a newspaper reporter, and Steve, also an attorney. Our family of five came to Colorado in 1967, where I was fortunate to be successful in business. I eventually had another son, Erik, who is also a C.P.A. and a business executive. I have 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and a good life in Greenwood Village with my wife Joan and our two dogs. We still golf and play pickleball when we aren’t spending time with our family. I am a very lucky man.”

Next week: Barbara Steinmetz’ story

Colorado Civil Air Patrol Color Guard

David Zapiler Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman Former state Senator Dennis Hisey Barbara Steinmetz Photos by Freda Miklin

Remember 6 Holocaust Awareness Week event

Alzheimer’s Association presents first PURPLE GALA Saturday, May 18

Table sales were brisk, the venue was divine, the literal smorgasbord in multiple rooms was filled with culinary delights, and the memory board of those lost to Alzheimer’s was touching when gracious hosts Richard and Rosalina Diecidue opened their opulent home for the patron party celebration launching the first Purple Gala. Guests toured, lingered and asked questions of the medical professionals in attendance with many facing Alzheimer’s in their immediate families. The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia – by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.

To purchase event tickets or a table, visit AlzGalaCO.org or contact Kaley Hutchinson: khutchinson@alz.org for questions.

Patron Party Speaker Rebecca Edelmayer, Ph.D., Senior Director of Scientific Engagement, Alzheimer’s Association

Patron Party Chairs Richard and Rosalina Diecidue

Photos by Scottie Iverson

Purple Gala Chairs Libby Weaver and Annabel Bowlen

Featured

The extraordinary charcuterie board from Honey House Boards by Jordan Honea graced the entire expanse of the dining room table. Full dinner buffet was catered by restaurant Nola Jane (Michael Goldman – owner/head chef)

Rosalina with daughter Gabrielle (philanthropist in the making) holding an “in remembrance” card for Rosalina’s mom Clara Lombardi who recently passed away from Alzheimer’s Photo by Patrick Simmons

Jan Hammond and Arlene Mohler Johnson flank Ms. Colorado Senior 2023 Joanie Ryan

In the Purple Gala Spirit – Ian Ferguson and Angelica Lombardi-Ferguson, Michael Lombardi and Staci Clay-Lombardi, Vic and Terri Lombardi

Nurses Making The difference! FON Spring Luncheon and Scholarship Awards

The mission of Friends of Nursing (FON) is to advance nursing by providing scholarships for quality education in baccalaureate and higher degree programs in nine Colorado Schools of Nursing and to improve the health of Colorado communities. Since its founding in 1981, FON has awarded over $2 million in scholarships. This year, there were 33 awardees with the majority in attendance. Some families traveling across state in the spring snowstorm to Cherry Hills Country Club!

FON President Melanie Wallace, loyal Emcee Rick Crandall of broadcast fame and FON

Friends of Nursing LiaisonsFront Row: Chair of Scholarship Committee Tammie Huddle, 2nd VP FON Board; Murpee Castang, Regis University; Susan Davis, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs; Susan Bonini, University of Colorado, Anschutz Campus; Ruth DePalma, Colorado State University at Pueblo; Juanita Tate, 1st VP FON Board. Back Row: Katrina Little, Metropolitan State University, Denver; Karen Riley, Colorado Christian University; Deborah Rojas, University of Northern Colorado

BELOW: Starring the Scholarship Winners - Front Row: Audrie Brown, CSU-Pueblo; Maggie Squires, CSU-Pueblo. Middle Row: Ethan Groves, CSU-Pueblo; Evea McKogg, CCU; Chacarra Carry, UC-Anschutz; Meghan Jacobs-Strugala, CCU; Shauna Meilner, CCU; Mariya Gubareva, UC-Anschutz; Jennifer Blea, UCCS; Vanessa Belcourt, UCCS; Ivory Espinoza, Adams State; Savannah Burrow, Colorado Mesa; Rose Ramos, Colorado Mesa. Back Row: Andy Woods, Regis; Sean Simpson, MSU; Evan Messmer, UNC; Abigail Bruce, UNC; Nicole Martinez, Regis; Riley Holien, CCU; Diana Taggart, UCCS; Abigail Barhydt, UCCS; Julie Marshall, Regis; Emily Allen, UNC

President-Elect Devona Troutman

Photos by Scottie Iverson

Singers Linden Hamilton (Kent Denver) and Rebekah Axvig (McCauliffe International School) entertained as well as serenaded “Birthday Girls” Greta and LaFawn Linden and Rebekah with Charter Member LaFawn Biddle

Linden and Rebekah with FON Co-Founder Greta Pollard

Photo by Mandy Wallace

HATTITUDE

A STYLISH BENEFIT FOR OUR WOMEN’S VOICES FUND

The Women with Hattitude Luncheon is a joyful, vibrant affair that supports the work of women in the American theatre. This event features networking, retail booth displays, seasonal beverages, and a seated luncheon in the dramatic Seawell Ballroom. Following lunch, guests participate in an exciting Parade of Hats, that will highlight the best hats at the event complete with prizes.

This luncheon is attended by individuals from across our Denver community donning extravagant hats and celebrating the artistry of women. Everyone is welcome, and we hope you will join us on May 1, 2025!

“Congratulations for another successful Women with Hattitude raising money for The Women’s Voice Fund! Thank you to 2024 Chair Jennifer Dechtman and Megan Stewart with DCPA.” - Denise Snyder Shop early for a one of a kind outfit and, of course, a unique hat for next year’s luncheon May 1, 2025.

Benefitting The Women’s Voices Fund

Denise Snyder, owner of Mariel’s and Elizabeth Hamilton

grATITUDE

“Colorful,”“Creative,”“Diverse,”“Festive,”

“Fun,”“Glorious,”“Friendships,” “Memorable,”“Spectacular,”“Glamorous,” “Whimsical,”“Inspiring,” and “Original”

Quotes from Arlene Mohler Johnson’s attendees table

follow FREDA

BY FREDA MIKLIN I

am passionate about government and giving our readers straightforward information that will help them make informed choices when they vote. I am also a licensed C.P.A. and former Greenwood Village City Council member. Dr. Jerry Miklin and I are the parents of five young adults, including two sets of twins, all of whom graduated from Cherry Creek High School and college. I am a 7-time Colo. Press Assn. award winner. If you have any questions about local or state politics or government, or something you want to share, email me at fmiklin.villager@gmail.com.

On May 3, state Rep. Shannon Bird, powerful chair of the general assembly Joint Budget Committee and a prime sponsor of SB24-106 Right to Remedy Construction Defects, appeared before the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee as it was about to reconsider the bill with amendments added by the Senate.

Rep. Bird began by explaining the solid reasons why SB24106 was crucial to increasing the affordable for-sale housing supply throughout the state. She said the bill was “a product of many months of collaboration amongst a diverse stakeholder group that has been focused on bringing back middle-income condominium development to our state,” continuing, “I ran this bill because condominium starts in our state are at an alltime low and that is exacerbating the housing crisis in all parts of our state.” She talked about the nearly universal inability of post-college young adults to purchase starter homes like condos to build wealth through equity, a common practice in their parents’ generation.

“I ran this bill because condominium starts in our state are at an all-time low and that is exacerbating the housing crisis in all parts of our state…The main reason for the deficit in condos’ starts is the absence of general liability insurance products for builders due to the high risk of litigation over construction defects in condominium units.”

– State Rep. Shannon Bird House sponsor of SB24-106

“Condominium development between 2018 and 2022, across 11 front range counties which collectively house over 80% of Colorado’s population, was 76% lower than between 2002 and 2008.”

beShe went on, “The main reason for the deficit in condos’ starts is the absence of general liability insurance products for builders due to the high risk of litigation over construction defects in condominium units. The bill that I was bringing before you takes reasonable steps to address that problem by focusing on two things--making sure that homeowners have less costly options to enable timely resolution to technical code violations that don’t harm quiet enjoyment and safety of the home. The second goal of this bill is to enable timely resolution, to increase transparency, and ensure informed consent in the process surrounding an HOA’s decision to pursue litigation on behalf of an entire association of condominiums.”

Rep. Bird continued her explanation, “The bill I bring to you has been through many iterations since its inception last fall. It’s been heavily amended since bill proponents and opponents have worked extremely hard to find that sweet spot that both protects consumers but still attracts insurers into the Colorado condominium construction market.”

She concluded, “Our goal with this bill has always been consumer protection and housing availability.”

With that, Rep. Bird announced that she was withdrawing the bill from consideration

– Peter LiFari Housing Fellow, Common Sense Institute, CEO, Maiker Housing Partners

“The South Metro Denver Chamber has roughly 700 businesses which employ over 300,000 people. Speaking with these businesses and those employed tell the same story regarding the lack of condominium options available. This bill needed to be approved so as a state and a community we could move ahead and start to wrap our arms around this problem. SB24-106 was a step in the right direction.”

– Jeff Keener President and CEO

South Metro Denver Chamber

because, “Unfortunately, we have run out of time. We are at the end of the session and I have not yet been able to craft a compromise on the issue, so I am going to ask the committee to postpone indefinitely (kill) this bill today,” which she followed with, “I want you to know that I am more committed than ever to pass something that will bring condo building back to our state for middle income homebuyers.”

Facing no other choice, the committee voted unanimously to kill the bill, with many making their strong distaste for doing so apparent. The sponsor did not offer any explanation about the nature of the disagreement with the bill and The Villager’s one-on-one conversations with three of our local representatives in the general assembly only reiterated what the sponsor said, that they could not reach a compromise.

We turned to fastdemocracy. com, a website that tracks proposed state and federal legislation, including the identities of those who have registered their interest in a bill’s outcome.

The Villager discovered that 138 individual lobbyists and lobbying firms representing 100 different entities had registered to influence members of the general assembly about SB24-106.

in the know Construction defects fix is killed by its House sponsor

The website also showed that this bill had highly lopsided support. Of the 100 organizations that had registered lobbyists working this bill, we counted 80 who were in support, 13 who opposed, with the remainder not having taken a definitive position.

FastDemocracy.com listed lobbyists working to support the bill who represented local governments Colorado Springs, Arvada, Aurora, Brighton, Centennial, Commerce City, Lone Tree, Greeley, Westminster, Douglas County, and the Colorado Municipal League; business groups Colorado Chamber of Commerce, South Metro Denver Chamber, Denver Region Council of Governments (DRCOG), Douglas County Business Alliance, Denver South, Economic Development Council of Colorado, The Boulder Chamber, Westminster Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and EDC, Adams County Regional Economic Partnership, and Colorado Concern; Colorado Bankers Association, Colorado Realtors Association, and multiple other trade groups representing renters, contractors, mortgage lenders, home builders, engi-

Continued on page 11

Construction defects fix

Continued from page 10

neers, and insurers.

The 13 entities whose lobbyists were registered as opposing the bill included six law firms and notably, the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, which is often mentioned by many members of the legislature as having outsized influence in the building.

The goal of the general assembly when it passed the Construction Defect Action Reform Act in 2001 and later amended it is 2003, 2007, 2010, 2017, and 2021, was “to address valid construction defect and design claims, while also protecting construction companies from frivolous or obsolete claims.”

Unexpectedly, over the past two decades, it has given rise to so much litigation that construction of condos throughout the state has practically stopped because liability insurance

has become unaffordable or even unattainable for condo builders.

According to a report authored for the Common Sense Institute on February 6, 2024 by housing expert Peter LiFari, CEO of Maiker Housing Partners, “Condominium development between 2018 and 2022, across 11 front range counties which collectively house over 80% of Colorado’s population, was 76% lower than between 2002 and 2008.”

After the bill was killed, LiFari told The Villager, “This is driven by the power of the trial attorneys and their influence on House Democrats, who embraced their position that insurance has nothing to do with the disappearance of attainable condo development. I staunchly believe otherwise - the data supports my hypothesis and the Senate agreed.”

Jeff Keener, president, and CEO of South Metro Denver Chamber, was scheduled to testify before the Trans-

portation, Housing & Local Government Committee when it considered SB24-106 on May 3.

When he was told the bill had been killed at the request of its sponsor, Keener told The Villager, “The South Metro Denver Chamber is very disappointed SB24-106 did not pass during the 2024 legislative session. As we know, Colorado is in desperate need of more affordable housing. Senate Bill 106 addressed this need by eliminating barriers to new developments, specifically in the condominium market.”

Keener continued, “We supported this bill because it would have contributed to reducing insurance costs for consumers by lowering the number of claims filed. The bill’s provisions allowed for a quicker, more efficient process when a consumer pursues remedies for a construction claim and provided more transparency to homeowners about construction litigation related to their property.”

Pointing to the impact on his com-

munity, Keener explained, “The South Metro Denver Chamber has roughly 700 businesses which employ over 300,000 people. Speaking with these businesses and those employed tell the same story regarding the lack of condominium options available. This bill needed to be approved so as a state and a community we could move ahead and start to wrap our arms around this problem. SB24-106 was a step in the right direction.”

He concluded, “On behalf of the South Metro Denver Chamber and our members, we supported the bill’s efforts to increase homeownership opportunities and affordable housing units. We strongly urged a yes vote on Senate Bill 106,” adding, “The South Metro Denver Chamber stands ready to engage with our legislators in conversation and action as they diligently work to pass a bill during the 2025 legislative session to increase affordable housing by eliminating barriers to new developments, specifically in the condominium market.”

Law to encourage noise reduction and use of unleaded fuel at general aviation airports awaits Gov. Polis’ signature

HB24-1235 Reduce Aviation Impacts on Communities was passed on final reading by the general assembly on April 29 and and is awaiting Governor Polis’ signature as of this writing.

The bill uses financial incentives to encourage aircraft owners and airports to transition to unleaded fuel and requires airports to have effective noise mitigation plans to protect local communities from “pervasive noise and lead pollution.”

Prime sponsors of the new law are State Representative Kyle Brown (D-Boulder, Broomfield) Joint Budget Committee Chair State Rep. Shannon Bird (D-Adams, Jefferson) State Senate

President Senator Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder), and Joint Budget Committee Vice-Chair Senator

Rachel Zenzinger (D-Adams, Jefferson).

A statement from Colorado Senate Democrats said the bill will:

• Incentivize aircraft owners to transition their planes from using leaded to unleaded fuel by providing a refundable income tax credit for qualifying expenses;

• Designate up to $1.5 million of State Aviation System grant funding per year to aid in the transition away from leaded fuel while expanding the allowable uses of the grant program to include funding for infrastructure that will accelerate the transition away from leaded fuel;

• Require grant recipients to adopt a plan to phase out sales of leaded gasoline by 2030

and enforce a noise abatement plan;

• Expand the Colorado Aeronautical Board to add two members who are residents of communities affected by aviation; and

• Require the Division of Aeronautics to work with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to evaluate, educate, and provide technical assistance to airports regarding adverse impacts of aircraft noise and leaded aviation fuel.

Centennial and Greenwood Village state Rep. Chad Clifford, who has been holding regular town hall meetings to address the issue of the impacts of Centennial Airport on nearby residential neighborhoods told The Villager, “I am certain-

ly not finished with airports and noise, but I think we “nailed it” on the best path forward for lead mitigation from aircraft in our state. State government’s role in aviation is very tricky and this bill’s response to our community’s need was a test of “where there’s a will there’s a way.” He continued, “The lead mitigation in this bill will hopefully be a guide for other states – it started with “Lets identify the fastest way possible to get aircraft owners and airports to move their fuel consumption from leaded to unleaded fuels and just make that our policy.” I would like to see faster ways to mitigate noise, and we may be close to the edge of what state government can do – and we are still working on ideas for the future.”

Unregistered ghost guns will remain illegal in Colorado

On May 2, U.S. District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher ruled against the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO) and the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) on their request for a Temporary Injunction to block implementation of SB23-279 Unserialized Firearms and Firearm Components, signed into law by Governor Polis on June 2, 2023.

That bill made it illegal to sell, purchase, possess or transport an unfinished firearm that is not imprinted with a serial number. A first offense is a class one misdemeanor. A second or subsequent offense is a class five felony.

The plaintiffs filed suit against the state on January 1, 2024, the date the law went into effect, seeking to have it struck down under the Second Amendment.

Judge Gallagher found that a

preliminary injunction against the implementation of SB23-279 was not warranted because the plaintiffs lacked standing and he did not believe that the Second Amendment was implicated in the new law since it “does not prevent an individual from buying an unfinished frame or receiver or firearms part kit and in no way infringes upon Plaintiffs’ right to acquire arms. Rather, the Statute requires the purchaser to have the frame or receiver serialized.”

He also found that, “Plaintiffs’ constitutional injury hinges on little more than speculation and contingency. Ultimately, they have failed to establish that there is a substantial controversy that is ripe for adjudication regarding future purchases of firearm component kits that is of sufficient immediacy and reality to warrant the issuance

of a declaratory judgment or injunctive relief.”

In his ruling, the judge pointed to a 2022 Final Rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) that includes definitions of the terms, “firearm” and “frame or receiver” for the purpose of “licensing, serialization, and recordkeeping, thereby ensuring that a component necessary for the functioning of the weapon could be traced if later involved in a crime,” noting that rule is currently in effect, though being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Testimony in the case included in the judge’s 24-page opinion stated that, between the date the law was passed and before it went into effect, some of the individual plaintiffs who are members of RMGO and NAGR destroyed

unserialized weapons or removed them to another state rather than comply with the new law, while another plaintiff paid to get his impacted weapons serialized.

State Sen. Rhonda Fields, who sponsored the legislation, and is a current candidate for the Board of County Commissioners of Arapahoe County, was quoted as responding to Judge Gallagher’s decision, “No one should be able to produce an unregulated, unserialized gun in their home and basement. Our law says you go to a dealer, get a gun, with a background check, it’s serialized. To undermine our process and federal standards gives license to people who want to do harm and do criminal activity with an unregistered gun. We aren’t going to tolerate that.”

We are excited to announce that Cancer League of Colorado’s 2024 Hope Ball was one of our most successful events ever! While not yet final, we believe the net dollars raised in that one night, including the $200,000 generously pledged as a paddle raise match by MDC/Richmond American Homes Foundation, exceeded $760,000 for cancer-related research, clinical trials and patient services in the state of Colorado! Everyone had a great time, as evidenced by the photos that were captured throughout the evening, thanks to AJ Canaria Creative Services.

Our unending gratitude goes out to our generous audience who participated in our paddle raise, the exciting live auction, and/or our incredible silent auction, as well as to our amazing group of 39 sponsors that underwrote this event. In addition, we are so grateful to those who contributed items for our silent and live auctions, with special thanks from the bottom of our hearts to Kori and Randy White and Kennedi and Chris Pettofrezzo for their generous gifts to the President’s Gallery, Live Auction and Paddle Drop, as well as Candi, Doug and Brandon Moreland, their families and their family of dealerships for their donation of the beautiful 2023 Dodge Challenger SXT for our raffle.

The evening was a true celebration of Cancer League's Emerald Anniversary, 55 years of raising funds for cancer research and patient services in Colorado. Our Honorary Co-Chairs, Suman Bajaj and Dr. Rajeev Vibhakar, accentuated the evening’s focus on pediatric cancers. And our Champion of Hope, Dr. Sujatha Venkataraman, inspired the audience with her story of personal tragedy that has led, with Cancer League funding, to the development of a potential treatment for a brain tumor in children that is currently terminal. This inspiration, combined with

the stimulating sounds of Wash Park Funk Band, the spectacular decor, the motivation of our auctioneer Reggie Rivers, and a wonderful group of generous supporters, created an atmosphere of giving that fueled the success of this event. But as we know, this success would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of our volunteers over the last several months, including the night of the event. We are extremely grateful to everyone who participated in some way to make this event happen. While we won't list all the names, we would like to recognize these volunteers who provided leadership of this group in order to ensure the success of the 2024 Hope Ball:

Suman Bajaj and Dr. Rajeev Vibhakar, our Honorary Co-Chairs; Dr. Sujatha Venkataraman, our Champion of Hope; Arlene Mohler Johnson, Sponsorships; Julie Reece, Silent Auction CoChair; Laura Shipman, Silent Auction Donations; Kennedi Pettofrezzo, Silent Auction Donations, Live Auction Co-Chair, Auction Promotions and Decor; Kori White, Live Auction Co-Chair, President’s Gallery and Decor; Heidi Lederman, Raffle; Annie Mohler, Auction Photography; Suzanne Alliano Rossick, Social Media and Marketing; Jeff Reece, Videography, Media and Programming; Murphy Huston, Emcee; Diane Brandon Hadley and Suzy Hagmaier, Treasurers.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed to this magical night. We hope to see you at our other fun events this summer, starting with our golf tournament coming up on June 17th. Visit www. cancerleague.org for more info.

With Gratitude, Gary Reece, President, and Barbara Reece, Vice President of Fundraising Cancer League of Colorado, Inc.

Photos by The Villager Susan Sweeney Lanam and AJ Canaria Creative Services, LLC

is a proud supporter of Cancer League of Colorado

Thank you to The Moreland families, and the family of Dealin’ Doug Dealerships for their donation of the beautiful 2023 Dodge Challenger SXT for our raffle.

Sarah Duke Matthews, Pam Duke, Louise Rouse, Lori Marks Connors, Edie Marks, Elise Marks Gruitch, Gretchen Olson

MC Murphy Huston, winner of Dodge Challenger and Hyatt employee Nelson Cala and Gary Reece

Barbara and Gary Reece

Jake Jabs and René Green

Brandon and Laura Berkley

Jan Hammond

Fleta and Bob Brewka

Diane Hadley, Jim Hackstaff and Carla Leverman

Randy White, Kennedi Pettofrezzo and Kori White

Trish and Dave Lanoha

Arlene Mohler Johnson

2024 Champion of Hope Award recipient Dr. Sujatha Venkataraman

2024 Hope Ball Honorary Co-Chairs Dr. Rajeev Vibhakar and Suman Bajaj

DONATED BY

Demitra Loukopoulos

HIGHLANDS RANCH

HIGHLANDS RANCH

1 CARAT INDIVIDUALS

Elluz Arrieta

Lisa Arteseros

Meghan Baker

Sunny Banka

Christiana Barber

David J. Barber, Sr

Blessed Barrack

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Richard Berst

Peggy Brannick

Cyndi Briggs

Kathy Casey

Brittanie Chambers

Jessica Creasey

Heidi DeLuca

C. Deschamps Potter

William Doyle

Stacie Duffy

Matthew English

Dana Garrett

Victoria Gartelos

Christine Garver

Irving Gomez

Rachel Goodman

John Grant

Dawn Green

Cori Gummelt

Vickie Hall

Tanya Hammar

Amanda Heath

Kali Hepker

Kristin Hill

Mary Ann Hinrichsen

Njoud Hogue

Janet Holmes

Randy Juden

Alex Kishinevsky

Debra Kostoff

Andrew Landauer

Diane Levy

Lindsay Lichty

Grant Linhart

Crystal Lowe

Linda Olson

Jyll Overton

Leslie Parker

Justin Phillips

Rickilee Pollock

Alicia Pope

April Rasmussen

Doreen Sanford

Steve Schroeder

Lynn Snyder Goetz

Elzbieta Sobczak

Joanna Sobczak

Ryan Sondrup

Katie Thomas

Kayla Vice

Cindy Webb

Timothy Wetzel

Max Zakzun

2 CARAT INDIVIDUALS

Dana Allen

Okie Arnot

Tasha Beckman

Pamela Bent

Jennifer Blake

Brad Bolsinger

Pamala Carter

Gina Cornelison

Olivia Donnell

Tracey Engelmann

Marjorie Engle

Carolyn Erickson

Karen Esquibel

Yvonne Faraci

Kyla Hammond

Heather Hankins

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DJ Hite

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Thaddeus Howells

Nieves Hulko

Carolyn Ingebritson

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Thomas Johnson

John Keene

Beth Larrance

Piper Leitz

Shawn Li LaVonne Lydin

Andrew Malkoski

Jennifer Masket-Valenta

Candace Pellinen

Amber Pope

Ann Purcell

Kimberly Rachwalski

Nicole Rendaci

Alfredo Rodriguez

Eriqueca Sanders

Michelle Schmeltzer

Angelica Serna

Sandra Shayler

Fred Smith

Jenny Tempas

Greg Tiffin

Christine Trigg

Mary Vielhauer

Courtney Walker

Kristen Wiley

Troy Williams

Deborah Winward

Paula Workman

Celia Zaharas

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Mark Baker

Kari Barnes

Kimberly Brown

Chelsea Caldwell

Tina Cameron

Damon Chavez

Merritt Cohn

Carol Deering

Denise Dickson

Lyn Drake

Dave Edwards

Carolyn Kenney

Mark Kinslow

Kerry Lichty

Andrea Price

Sonia Shakeshaft

Vignesh Tanneru

Katelynn Tran

Tori Whittaker

Denise Whittington

Melissa Windholz

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Cyndie Alexander

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Michelle Buhrer

Jessica Carcoana

Linda Clure

Jason Corriere

Sarah Craner

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Maria Gallucci

Stephanie Ismert

Corey Martin

Bob Miner

Mary Jane Ogle

Barb Riley

Brean Small

Tanya Vidal

Charles Ward

5 CARAT INDIVIDUALS

Piyush Ashra

Jennifer Heineman

Jennifer Singer

Eva Stadelmaier

Jackie Stratton

Thomas Ullrich

Faith Young

1 CARAT PARTNERSHIPS

Katrina & Eric Johnson

The Pratt Team:

Stacye & Lloyd Pratt

The Schilling Group: Carolyn & Emma Schilling

2 CARAT PARTNERSHIPS

Todd & Tracy Cole

3 CARAT PARTNERSHIPS

Joy Fel Real Estate

Felicia Jenkins &

Joyce Paloma

The Vincent Group at Keller

Williams

Christie & Corey Vincent

4 CARAT PARTNERSHIPS

Ford Fountain Team

Wanda Ford & Kathryn Ford Fountain

O’Connor & Associates

John O’Connor & Alexis O’Connor

5 CARAT PARTNERSHIPS

Nicole Ridley & Kristi Lucas Team

The Kronenberger Team

Rusty Lee Hogan & Kim Kronenberger

1 CARAT TEAMS

Your Pilot Home Team

Daniel Waldmann

Elizabeth Waldmann

Robert Warthen

2 CARAT TEAMS

Supreme Realty Group

Jenelle Bezdek

Cameryn Porter-Choate

Mike Jirik

3 CARAT TEAMS

Brandon & Lana REBL Home Team

Lana Kuznetsova

Brandon Rossell

Alyssa Antonsen

Walter Daly

Jamaal Gibbs

Colorado Legacy Home Team

Okie Arnot

Alison Chu

Christopher Darling

Catherine Ford

Lynette Guenther

Annette McCreadie

Teresa Moore

Daniel Rebhan

Suzie Sparling

4 CARAT TEAMS

Marcus Team

Michael Marcus

Laurie Marcus

Yaron Marcus

Debbie Jacobs

Karen Lamar

Bryan Lipman

Mike Burns Team

Mike Burns

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ColoradoRealEstate.com Team

Scott Matthias

Holly Payne

Ian Prichard

Michael Floyd

Sheli Engelby

Logan Willems

5 CARAT TEAMS

Real Estate Experts of Denver - Erica Chouinard

Rike Palese

Erica Chouinard

Rike Palese

Jenny Anderson

Kim Brust

Mary Beth Brust

Dena Falcone

Lauren Immel

Jonathan Keiler

Taylor Palese

The Alan Smith Team

Alan Smith

David Pratt

Corbin Smith

8Z Southwest

Amber Pope

Amy Terry

Ashley Leland

Justin Trobec

Ronaldo Mojica

Shawn Li

Vanessa Hamm

8Z Denver Tech Center

Amie Langus

Binyam Hailu

Christie Sucher

Frieda Riggs

Jennifer Stenbak

Mark Risley

Michael Janzer

Michelle Londono

Nathan Brewer

Shannon Pietrus

Update on deceased person found in GV

On April 30, the Office of the Arapahoe County Coroner released an autopsy report on the individual who was found deceased in the area of Yosemite Street and Union Avenue in Greenwood Village in the early morning hours of April 27.

The victim was Jose Angel Harnandez, born September 28, 2005, who, “on 4/27/2024 was shot in a vehicle in Greenwood Village, CO. He died of the gunshot wounds and his death is classified as a homicide.”

South Suburban named finalist for 2024 Gold Medal Award

South Suburban was named a finalist for the 2024 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management on May 2, by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

Since 1965, the National Gold Medal Award Program has recognized the best managed park and recreation agencies in the country.

ban the Gold Medal Grand Plaque Award three times (1980,1988 and 1996), and South Suburban has been a Gold Medal finalist 12 times (1976, 1980, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2023 and 2024).

•

•

•

According to Greenwood Village Police, the victim was known to be a former student at Aurora Central High School and “the location of the homicide was random and is in no way connected to Cherry Creek High School or the immediate area.”

The investigation is ongoing and there are no further details available for release to the public at this time. For more information, contact GV Public Information Officer Megan Copenhaver at 303-486-5749 or mcopenhaver@greenwood village.com.

South Suburban was named a 2024 finalist in the Class II category (150,001400,000 residents) and is joined by Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Parks and Recreation, and Roseville Parks, Recreation & Libraries Department.

“Being named a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in park and recreation management is a huge achievement for our organization,” said South Suburban Board Member Pam Eller. “Earning this recognition two years in a row reinforces South Suburban’s position as one of the top park and recreation agencies in the country.”

The AAPRA and NRPA have awarded South Subur-

The Gold Medal Award program honors communities in the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation and one class, awarded on odd numbered years, for state park systems.

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff and elected officials. Four finalists in each class are chosen to compete for grand honors each year.

This year’s finalist awardees will compete for Grand Plaque Award honor, and the Grand Plaque recipients will be announced at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

After ‘epiphany’ Ogren eyes state title repeat

Competitive development continues for diver Luke Ogren.

Now finishing his junior year at Cherry Creek, Ogren is the unbeaten favorite to repeat as Class 5A state champion at the Colorado High School Athletic Association finals meet this weekend at Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton.

es at least once a day, often twice, agrees.

“After that meet, I tried to do what I saw. That really boosted my progression a lot. It definitely helps to see the dives.

of this month. It’s the last step to the USA Diving Nationals in Morgantown, West Virginia August 2-12. In between are the AAU Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

But even if he wins, as expected, don’t look for him at the upcoming U. S. Olympic Trials.

“Not this year,” he says. “There are a few people my age going, but those people are a couple levels above where I am.”

The coach responsible for teaching Ogren how to become an Olympian, Jeff Smith, founder of Dive5280, chuckles in agreement when he hears Ogren’s self-assessment. He calls it the result of his star pupil’s “epiphany” at the USA Diving Senior Nationals in Knoxville, Tennessee last October.

Participants qualified on the basis of the degree of difficulty of their dives in competition. The meet brought together collegiate and advanced high school divers from across the nation.

“I took Luke and Carson Harrington (a junior at Evergreen High who Smith says is the favorite to win the 4A state title) to that meet in Tennessee,” Smith said, “mostly to show them what this is all about.

“They walked in there pretty confident, and they were like, ‘Oh, my goodness!’ They were warming up next to Olympians, and they were like, ‘Holy smokes! These guys are good.’”

Ogren puts the humbling experience this way:

“I was able to compete against divers who were just amazing. I saw levels of diving that I’ve never seen before in my life.”

Seeing others perform more sophisticated dives showed Smith’s proteges what he has been trying to teach them by instruction during Dive5280 club sessions.

“I always tell them, ‘You have to ride the board.’ That means bending it and letting it throw you up in the air.

“They had no concept. But because of that exposure, they were like, ‘Oh!’ They saw what was possible. They saw all the things I was trying to explain to them. They’ve been incredibly motivated since then.”

Ogren, who now practic-

“Last year,” he said, “a lot of my dives were a lot easier than they are now. I’m doing dives now that I could only have dreamed of when I first started diving.”

An example is called a Front Three-and-a-Half. It’s a forward dive with three-anda-half flips, which requires somersaulting really fast coming off the one-meter board.

“Sometimes I can feel the G-forces pulling my face up,” he says. “It’s pretty crazy.”

Ogren’s growing repertoire will be on display at this weekend’s state high school meet.

I’ll be doing most, if not all, of my most difficult dives,” he said, “because I need experience with those dives to do them in future meets. If I didn’t do them, there definitely are some divers who could get an edge on me and maybe beat me.”

As important as winning another high school state championship is, Ogren has other challenges coming up, too.

He recently qualified for the USA Diving zone meet in Novato, California at the end

He’s also reaching the point when he’ll decide which college scholarship he’ll accept. Front-runners right now are two military academies— Air Force and Naval—and Cal Poly. He’s already made campus visits to all three.

Attending one of the academies would require a Congressional appointment, but he’s been told that should not be a concern, given that he’s also a top student.

“I would like to decide when I start my senior year,” he said, adding: “I don’t want to make it too early because I don’t want to limit my options.”

Translated, that means there’s still a chance Duke will enter the picture.

Wherever he winds up, Ogren will be a collegian when the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles roll around.

“I could definitely see myself going to the Olympic Trials next time,” he says.

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 dennydressman @comcast.net

Given your military background; What lead you to open a Fit Body Boot Camp?

We Are Fit Body Boot Camp: The Popular International Personal Training Center Franchise

Mission: Fitness

At Fit Body Boot Camp, we specialize in 30-minute weight loss boot camps that challenge the body and deliver results in a positive, supportive atmosphere.

While my military background undoubtedly instilled in me discipline, determination, and a passion for physical fitness, it was actually my desire to continue serving others that lead me to open a Fit Body Boot Camp. Throughout my military career, I witnessed firsthand the transformative power of fitness in not only improving physical health but also enhancing mental resilience and overall well-being. I wanted to create a space where I could continue to positively impact people's lives by helping them achieve their fitness goals, just as I had seen the military do for many individuals. Fit Body Boot Camp provided the perfect platform for me to combine my passion for fitness with my dedication to serving others, allowing me to help people become the best versions of themselves both physically and mentally.

Tell me about your military career and background?

Our sessions combine high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and active rest, and we guarantee our clients results by adding nutritional guidance and personal accountability.

silience, and

The key to your fat loss success is our signature Afterburn workouts, support and motivation from our world-class coaches, and an easy-to-follow nutrition program to help you keep the fat off.

Tell me why did you choose Fit Body Boot Camp?

Opening a Fit Body Boot Camp appealed to me for several reasons. Firstly, I have a passion for fitness and helping others achieve their health goals. Fit Body Boot Camp provides a structured yet dynamic environment for individuals to challenge themselves physically and see tangible results.

Certainly! My military background as an Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot in the Army was both challenging and rewarding. Flying an advanced aircraft in high-pressure situations required a combination of technical skill, mental agility, and leadership capabilities. You must be able to think quickly and react decisively under pressure. As a pilot, I was responsible for not only operating the aircraft, but also leading my team effectively to accomplish our missions safely and efficiently. In addition to my role as a pilot & test pilot, I also served as a leader within my unit. This involved mentoring and guiding junior soldiers, making critical decisions under duress, and fostering a cohesive team environment where every soldier felt valued and empowered to contribute their best.

Transitioning from the military to becoming a fitness gym owner was a natural progression for me. The discipline, determination, and commitment to excellence that I cultivated in the military are directly applicable to the fitness industry. As a gym owner, I strive to create a supportive and motivating environment where individuals can achieve their fitness goals, much like how I fostered teamwork and camaraderie among my fellow soldiers.

My military background has instilled me with a strong work ethic, resilience, and a passion for helping others reach their full potential. These qualities have been instrumental in my journey as both a military leader and now as a fitness entrepreneur, where I continue to lead by example and inspire others to push their limits and strive for greatness.

Why choose fitness and nutrition as your new career?

Exercise and proper nutrition are fundamental pillars of a healthy lifestyle, synergistically working together to enhance overall well-being. Regular physical activity not only strengthens muscles and improves cardiovascular health but also boosts mood and cognitive function. Complementing exercise with nutritious food provides the essential nutrients our bodies need to thrive, supporting optimal organ function and immune system strength. Together, they help manage weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and promote longevity. Embracing a balanced approach to fitness and nutrition fosters vitality, re-

Additionally, the group training format of Fit Body Boot Camp fosters a sense of community and accountability among members. This not only enhances the overall experience for clients but also creates a supportive atmosphere that encourages long-term commitment and success. At Fit Body Boot Camp, our fitness classes are not “classes” in the traditional sense, but results-driven, high-energy sessions focused on weight loss and body toning. Fit Body Boot Camp is not like your typical gym or fitness center. Our 30-minute workout sessions are professionally designed and led by certified coaches, who are driven to help you get the results you want.

Overall, opening a Fit Body Boot Camp aligned perfectly with my interests, business aspirations, and desire to make a positive impact on people's lives through fitness.

What other benefits could members expect from being part of Fit Body Boot Camp?

Well, our signature Afterburn workouts combine High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with Active Rest Training to produce 30-minute workouts that burn twice the calories in half the time and keep the metabolism running at a higher rate for up to 36 hours post-workout.

Compare our 30-minute sessions to other fitness classes, which typically last 45 minutes to an hour. With our Afterburn workouts, you don’t need to choose between results and convenience — you can have both! Research shows that shorter, more intense fitness classes (HIIT) and workouts that activate one set of muscles while others rest (Active Rest) lead to faster and more sustainable weight loss. It turns out, what’s best for your schedule is also best for your health. Best of all, our 30-minute sessions are scheduled throughout the morning and evening to fit your schedule!

We recognize the courage it takes to commit to a fitness journey. That’s why we’re committed to maintaining a trendy, clean, modern space where you can bond with others on that same journey. Members get to enjoy a brand-new built facility with state-ofthe-art equipment, and restrooms that include show-

ers that facilitate our busy professionals get ready to tackle their day after an effective, efficient, and fun 30 Minute workout.

Lastly, it’s valuable to mention that we offer all our new members a complimentary InBody Scan. A non-invasive, quick, and accurate body composition analysis that provides a detailed breakdown of your weight in terms of muscle, fat, and water. Check out this link for more details; https://inbodyusa.com/general/inbody-test/

Does Fit Body Boot Camp Offer Nutrition coaching?

Absolutely! one of the most important aspects of losing weight and unwanted fat outside of working out, is what you’re eating. We even say that the most important personal training happens in the kitchen, although not all gyms or personal trainers are ready to admit this! At Fit Body, we’re fully committed to your fat loss results, and that means we bring the same science-backed, lifestyle-friendly approach to your diet that we bring to our workouts.

We do NOT enforce calorie counting, restrictive dieting, crash dieting, or quick-fix “cleanses” that actually do the body more harm than good. It’s common for our members to eat more food after they sign up, not less. You might be asking yourself, “how is that possible?” Well, as it turns out, most problems relating to weight gain and poor health come from malnutrition which means you’re not getting enough REAL food. For that reason, we embrace a whole-food diet that gives you the power to express yourself and delight your family with a huge variety of tasty, fat-torching meals.

What can a new member expect at Fit Body after they sign up?

Great question! Our fitness coaches are experts at creating weight loss results and keeping you safe and motivated both on the floor and off the floor. They don’t stop at correcting form and demonstrating exercises — they get to know you. They learn your unique strengths, challenges, goals, and desires. They help tailor YOUR fitness classes to your own lifestyle and needs. Even when you leave boot camp, they’re available through email and social media private groups to provide healthy tips and inspiration. Our fitness coaches strive to make every boot camp session the best 30 minutes of your day. When you walk into a Fit Body Boot Camp, you’ll recognize in an instant that it’s more than just a fitness class. It’s a place where we recognize and celebrate each other’s victories. It’s a place where we donate to the causes that matter most to us. It’s YOUR place to meet positive, like-minded people who will hold you accountable to your dreams and motivate you every step of the way.

a higher quality of life. I correlate all of this to obtaining True personal Freedom!

I’m allergic to my muse

I used to think the only thing standing between me and great writing success was my cat allergy. It wasn’t true, but I still liked to think it.

A writer with a cat is almost a cliché. Search the internet for “author with cat,” and you’ll find a multitude of devoted cat lovers: Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Joyce Carol Oates and Truman Capote to name a few. I’m not sure why cats appeal to writers. Maybe because writers want a muse that mews. Or maybe because cats are quiet, so they don’t distract the writer from her work. Or maybe be-

cause they’re cats so they teach us to handle that staple of the writer’s life: rejection.

My son also had a cat allergy when he was growing up, so whatever the benefits, it was best if we didn’t have one. In lieu of a cat—or a dog, which was what he really wanted—we welcomed a menagerie of critters including fish, a canary and several hamsters. I tolerated the fish and adored the hamsters and the canary. Several successful writers have kept birds. Charles Dickens apparently had his pet raven, Grip, stuffed after its passing. I didn’t do that with Mr. Tweeters when he

died, though I did keep him in a small box in the freezer until the ground had thawed enough to give him a proper burial.

In my research, I couldn’t find any evidence of writers with hamsters but one author named Katie Davies did write a children’s book called The Great Hamster Massacre. It didn’t matter anyway. At that point it was less about me having a muse and more about trying to keep my son from wanting a dog. It didn’t work, by the way.

At one point we took in a rabbit while her owner was away. Her ears were longer than a cat’s and she showed no interest whatsoever in our canary, but otherwise she was almost like having a writer’s cat. Her feelings toward us ranged from affectionate to

neutral to contemptuous. She lounged at my feet when I was at my desk. And she was quiet and prone to hair balls. Who knows how my career would have blossomed if I’d refused to return her to her owner. Eventually my son grew up and left home as children do. But first he rescued a kitten knowing that, allergy or no allergy, my husband and I would never turn away a homeless kitty. So at last I had my writer’s cat. His name is Sebastian which sounds like a fine name for a muse that mews. Of course, I mostly call him Kitty which doesn’t say much for my creativity as a writer. You might think this would confuse him, but it makes no difference what we call him. He only comes if we say, “treat.” Maybe we should call him that.

And just like I’d hoped, having a cat has been an immense help to my writing career. Not really. Not only does he make me sneeze, he regularly jumps onto my computer keyboard. And while he types very fast, he also makes a lot of errors— much like I do. When he’s not walking across the keyboard, he’s sitting in front of the screen. In that way he’s less muse and more writer’s block. Nowadays I like to think the only thing standing between me and success is my cat. It’s not true, but I still like to think it. 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.dorothy rosby.com or contact at www. dorothyrosby.com/contact.

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 303-913-1394.

OBJECTIONS TO REAL PROPERTY CLASSIFICATIONS & VALUATIONS

Beginning MAY 1, 2024 and no later than JUNE 10, 2024 Assistance: County Assessor’s office at 303-795-4600.

DISCOVER OUR HISTORY

- CHERRY CREEK VALLEY

MAY 11. Take a look at 17 Mile House’s beginnings and other historic locations along the Cherry Creek with local authors Lee and Jane Whiteley. Make a lavender sachet to take home! A FREE event, but reservations are required. Register: arapahoeco. gov/17milehouse

CHERRY CREEK REPUBLICAN WOMEN LUNCHEON MEETING

MAY 14, 11:00 a..m. Social; 11:30 Luncheon. Speaker: Jake Jabs- “the One, the Only.” Will honor past CCRW President, June Robinson who passed away April 10, 2024. Wear a hat - just as June would. Double Tree by Hilton Denver Tech Center, 7801 E. Orchard Rd., Greenwood Village. RSVP by May 7 deadline to www. cherrycreekrepublicanwomen.org.

Cost $36. Questions: Marcia Saas 303-475-9148.

GREATER ENGLEWOOD 35TH ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS BANQUET

MAY 16, 5-8:00 p.m. Holiday Inn Lakewood. Tickets available thru May 3- Lindsey@ myenglewoodchamber.org

INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE TO AWARD BICKEL AWARD TO WRITER CORY GAINES

MAY 16, 5-8 p.m. at the Independence Institute. Whine about the legislative session and enjoy wine pairings and appetizers. Register at https://i2i. org/whine/ or call 303-279-6536 x 119.

FERMENTATION CLASS: YOGURT

MAY 16, 7-8:30 p.m. at the CSU Extension-Arapahoe County Office in Centennial. Learn the history and science of fermenting milk into tangy yogurt. Registration fee is $5. Register: https://bit. lyCSUYogurt.

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION COLORADO CHAPTER PRESENTS PURPLE GALA

SATURDAY, MAY 18, 6:00 p.m. A night in flight to end Alzheimer’s. Cocktails, Silent Auction, Dinner, Program, Live Auction. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver. Purple Tie admired, but not required. RSVP: ALZGALACO. org or 720-699-9291

ARAPAHOE COUNTY WINE & CHALK ART FESTIVAL

4TH ANNUAL - MAY 18 & 19 at the Fairgrounds. Visit arapahoecountyeventcenter.com

25TH VETERANS

MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE

MAY 25, 10 a.m. - noon at Bethany Lutheran Church (4500 E. Hampden Ave., Cherry Hills Village. Honor servicemen and women who gave their lives in service and those that lost a battle with post-traumatic stress at home. View images and biographies of Colo. fallen heroes; show support for Gold Star families, military officers and Veterans in attendance. Free event.

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 720208-2220.

SOUTH METRO CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT

JUNE 10 7 a.m.-3 p.m. at Meridian Golf Club. 8:00 a.m. Shotgun start. Four player scramble followed by an awards reception. Light breakfast, BBQ lunch, hors d’oeuvres during the awards ceremony. RSVP: jKeener@bestchamber.com or call 303-795-0142.

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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: 720524-2061.

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

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

2024 Santa Fe Calligraphy is family friendly

I was having dinner recently at an Indian restaurant with a friend who has an all-electric EV Mustang. He loves his car and uses it for a daily commute to his business. However, for any longer trip he has a Buick for road trips. That about sums up the EV challenge, short range trip, nighty charge, a very efficient package. However, the best choice for overall transportation, short daily drive, or long-range trips, the combination hybrid system with a 2.5L engine and eight-speed transmission, in my opinion, is a more practical choice.

I owned a Mustang, once upon a time, and I loved it on the open road.

This week’s drive was a 2024 Santa Fe “Calligraphy” with the name referring to the specially designed 21” designer alloy wheels. This model features a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine with an 8-speed versatile transmission

with steering wheel paddle shifters. Final assembly for this Santa Fe is Montgomery, Alabama, with a USA engine and Korean transmission. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is loaded with options included is $50,375. The only separate options are “Serenity White Pearl” paint at $475 and carpeted floor mats at $210.

Hyundai goes all-out for safe-

ty features and have engineered some excellent new features, starting with a blind spot view monitor that appears on the speedometer panel when changing traffic lanes. They also have a red wavy speedometer traffic alert on vehicle passing in either lane, and trail gating rear traffic. Another interesting feature is a speedometer alert if the vehicle notes irregular driving and in-

forms the driver to take a rest. This can happen when fooling with the many dials and computer controls that are a plethora on the center digital screen. Kudos to Hyundai for having radio dials for volume and station choices. Other improvements are rear cross traffic alerts with side mirror light warnings and sound, so useful in crowded grocery store parking lots. Overall ,the Santa Fe has all the safety features of forward collision avoidance and lane keeping assist. No safety ratings yet but should be in the five-star category.

Along with the elaborate safety features, Hyundai has some of the best warranties in the industry with a 5-year, 50,000-mile new vehicle warranty and 10year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

The vehicle is spacious with heated and cooled front captain chairs and extended second row

CANCER LEAGUE OF COLORADO GOLF TOURNAMENT

JUNE 17 at The Ridge of Castle Pines North, 1414 Castle Pines Parkway, Castle Pines. RSVP: jreece11@mac.com

SAVE THE DATE - JULY 25-28 ARAPAHOE COUNTY FAIR

A.C. FAIRGROUNDS - REGIONAL PARK - 11:00 a.m. www. aprapahoecountyfair.com

CLUBS: DENVER LIONS CLUB MEETINGS

Meets 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 12 noon at the American Legion Hall, I-25 & Yale. Interested in joining? Call Bob, 720-313-9741.

ENGLEWOOD LIONS CLUB MEETINGS

Meets 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 7:00 p/m. At Mango Tree Coffee, 3498 S. Broadway, Englewood. Info: Gail 720-377-7682.

passenger seating with leg space and third row 50/50 folding seating with large rear trunk for seat space or cargo. Exterior has roof side rails and a dual pane sunroof , and rear power liftgate.

Finally, the drive is powerful and comfortable with two UBS smart phone charging pads conveniently in the center section between the leather trimmed seats, really a smart feature. Hyundai has expanded the basic Santa Fe from earlier years with many additional features in all areas that has raised the price to a higher level than earlier year models. This is a smart vehicle with exciting new safety features and classy interior and seating.

An excellent drive and a well-rounded overall family vehicle.

By H. Throttle