GRAND OPENING JULY 18TH

Hi, we’re Sweetgreen. We’re on a mission to show the world that Green Feels Good™. With local partners, in-season vegetables, and unprocessed ingredients, this is farm-to-table fast food.

8423 Park Meadows Center Dr. #E160 In the Vistas, across from White Chocolate Grill

For every meal sold on opening day, we will donate a meal to Backpack Society to nourish families in Douglas County experiencing food insecurity.

The catch of the day

For some reason I feel compelled to pick up litter when I’m out walking. It’s odd really. I don’t always feel the need to do it in my own home. And if I were to hazard a guess I would say plastic bags are the trash item I pick up the most often outdoors. Junk mail is the trash I pick up most often in my house. But that’s a rant for another day.

When it comes to litter outdoors, plastic bottles are a close second to plastic bags. On the bright side, the bags give me something to carry all the plastic bottles home in. How convenient!

Actually it makes me a little cranky. I can’t tell you how often I’ve gotten fed up with picking up trash and decided to quit. Then I walk by a plastic bag or the wind blows one by and it feels like a sign from God or the universe that picking up trash is my reason for being.

You can see why I might be a little preoccupied with litter in general and plastic in particular.

According to the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut, if we don’t change our plastic ways, there may be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. The article I read on the subject didn’t mention it, but I suspect there may be more plastic bags than people on land too.

I know how it happens.

Rainwater and wind carry plastic trash out of road ditches into streams and rivers—if I don’t get to it first. Then streams and rivers carry it to the oceans. And that’s why I worry that the plastic bottle I didn’t pick up will soon be the catch of the day at an ocean-front restaurant.

I’m carrying on about this issue now because it’s Plastic Free July, when people around the world pledge to avoid buying single-use plastic items for a month. It’s not easy. Single use plastic is the dandelion of consumer society, except dandelions are prettier and you can eat them. And speaking of eating, July is also Picnic Month. If you’re planning on observing it, stop by and I’ll give you some of my plastic cutlery for your picnic. Also some dandelions.

I’ve saved every plastic knife, fork and spoon I’ve received at fast-food restaurants since the invention of the spork. And I’d be happy to share them.

Naturally I also use canvas bags—when I remember to take them to the store. And when I forget them, I stuff my purchases into my pockets and purse and haul the rest out in my arms while carrying the receipt in my teeth so I won’t be accused of shoplifting.

I carry a stainless-steel mug everywhere I go so I won’t have to buy beverages in plastic bottles. And I’ve been using the same straw since I got it at a fast-food restaurant in 1998. I think the cleaning brush for reusable straws is the greatest invention since, well, the straw.

I’ve even been known to remove plastic bottles from other people’s trash and take them home to my recycling bin. I have to be sneaky about it because people don’t ap- preciate it as much as you’d think they would.

Of course, I do all of this year-round, not just in July. Plastic Free July is just the beginning. It won’t do much good if, come August 1, we stock up on plastic everything. I dream of a day when stores are filled with barrels of ketchup, cooking oil and shampoo. We’ll walk in with our refillable jugs and say, “fill ‘er up.”

Until then, I’m trying to convince everyone I know to observe Plastic Free July. Then maybe I won’t have to pick up another plastic bag until August 1.

Dorothy Rosby is the author of I Didn’t Know You Could Make Birthday Cake from Scratch: Parenting Blunders from Cradle to Empty Nest and other books. Contact her at www.dorothy rosby.com/contact.

The sight and sound of fireworks lighting up the sky and new drone light shows reminded us of our freedoms. It is not linked to car ads, furniture, or mattress promotions, “The more you buy, the more you save,” that blast out July 4th sales. However, it is the Constitution that guarantees these freedoms to advertise them far and wide.

BY BOB SWEENEY

This patriotic holiday comes at a time in history when the Supreme Court is making some major decisions. Rulings are coming down of major importance on affirmative action, forgiveness of student loans, Indian issues, and freedom of speech and services rendered. The most recent court rulings passing on a 6-3 vote. The Supreme Court is the third house of government, the executive branch is first, then the legislative, and judicial branches follow. There is one more branch of unofficial government called the 4th estate that is the media. First, described as a watchful force on government in 1821, by Edmund Burke. The First Amendment continues to protect the 4th estate. Newspapers are the pillars of the 4th Estate. That’s one of the major reasons you should subscribe and read this newspaper. We are one of the last windows of transparency in local government and good government begins at home. The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) is sometimes misunderstood, their job is to interpret and enforce the Constitution of The United States. We celebrate the document adoption on July 4, 1776; one hundred years before Colorado became a state and joined the Union.

About one year ago, SCOTUS reversed Roe vs. Wade, a controversial decision. The majority opinion ruled that it never should have been protected by the law in the first place. It isn’t mentioned in the Constitution, and therefore shouldn’t be protected or rejected by federal laws. The court simply tossed abortion back to the individual states and voters to decide what they wanted to do about abortion.

Colorado is a leading state in pro-choice legislation.

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Colorado native, has voted numerous times in favor of Indian Rights, defending tribal sovereignty, and recently his latest vote protected the rights of Indian children to be placed with family members.

The latest freedom of speech issue goes back to the Colorado cake baking ruling that service people don’t have to do things against their religious beliefs. The latest case was similar with a graphic designer not wanting to do a gay wedding web page. SCOTUS overruled a Colorado court decision otherwise, deciding in her favor. The bottom line is that one can’t be forced to do, or say, something against one’s belief, or will. This is proclaimed a historic victory for freedom of speech by national jurists and First Amendment scholars.

Regarding student loans, that issue isn’t in the Constitution either, maybe under the “pursuit of happiness” clause, but otherwise President Biden attempt to write off 400 billion dollars of student debts failed. The court wisely ruled that the president didn’t have the authority to make that decision. Congress controls the purse strings. Former Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi is on record supporting Congress having power of the purse. Her speech was used as evidence in the court case to defeat the President’s student loan proposal.

Not to be easily defeated, President Biden is turning to The U.S.

Department of Education to seek some form of relief for the students to start paying back the debts in future months.

It would make sense to give students, who would volunteer to join the military, become nurses, pilots, or key vocational trades, that portions of their debts be applied to the training. It is my belief that students have been charged too high a rate of interest and the money has been doled out too liberally by lenders and higher education institutions who eagerly received most of the funds. Biden would do well to ask Congress to lower the interest rates.

Lastly, the court was color blind about affirmative action. They didn’t see white students, black students, or brown students. The majority vote of justices just saw students eager to learn and receive higher education regardless of race.

Women’s Title lV sports, and transgender participation, is still on tap. What will the Constitution have to say about that issue? Having three daughters, who all played sports, I object to birth males competing in women’s sports. Do a separate league for transgenders. Being a judge and parent today is a tough job.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Gerri Sweeney gerri@villagerpublishing.com

PUBLISHER Robert Sweeney bsween1@aol.com

CREATIVE MARKETING DIRECTOR Susan Sweeney Lanam 720-270-2018 susan@villagerpublishing.com

VICE PRESIDENT/MARKETING

Sharon 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

Linda Kehr — 303-881-9469 linda@villagerpublishing.com

Valerie LeVier — 303-773-8313 valerie@villagerpublishing.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Susan 720-270-2018

PHOTOGRAPHER

Stefan Krusze — 303-717-8282 octaviangogoI@aol.com

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!”

2020 Member