8-3-23 Villager

Future of Work: Well + Being & Balance

BY FREDA MIKLIN STAFF WRITER

Tara Parker-Pope, editor of the wellbeing desk at the Washington Post, recently interviewed Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global, and California U.S. Rep. Mark Takano on the topic of wellbeing as it relates to productivity in the workplace.

Thrive Global consults Fortune 500 companies on the impact of employee wellness on job performance. According to Huffington, “We are in the middle of a big cultural transformation. People need to feel that they have cultural permission to take care of themselves.” Thrive works with “many multinational companies,” including, “Salesforce, Pfizer, Accenture, CVS, Walmart,” where “these issues are not just HR issues, they’ve been elevated to the C-suite.”

She continued, “Since the Industrial Revolution, we’ve lived under this delusion that, in order to be successful and productive, you have to be ‘always on.’ First, we revered machines, then software, both of which are always on. Now we recognize that the human operating system is different. For the human operating system, downtime is not a bug, it’s a feature. That’s changing the way we approach employee well-being, productivity, and business metrics,” Huffington said.

Thrive’s philosophy is that overall wellness and

productivity emanate from integration of what they call the five pillars of daily life: sleep, food, movement, stress management, and connection. How one interacts between those five pillars provides the crucial balance that is appropriate for a person to manage stress and avoid burnout, the goal being to do one’s best at work and in other aspects of life, with the caveat that things always happen that you cannot control.

Huffington explained that people have different levels of needs and it’s important to recognize one’s own most important needs, e.g., whether that is a certain amount of sleep each night or exercise each day. “Everything is integrated,” she points out. “If you’re sleep deprived, you’re going to crave sugars and bad carbs. It’s going to be harder to manage stress and harder to

be empathetic and connected to others.”

Thrive encourages employees at companies it works with to take incremental “micro-steps” to improve their management of the five foundational behaviors, which increases their productivity at work and improved overall wellbeing.

As evidence of the in-process transformational status of Thrive’s system of beliefs, Huffington pointed out the World Health Organization only recognized burnout as a global epidemic in 2019.

Her advice, as a first micro-step to improved wellbeing? Turn off your phone and charge it outside your bedroom to get a good night’s sleep. Only 28% of the world does it.

California Rep. Takano has introduced a bill in the Congress that would make a

C NVERSATIONS

32-hour workweek a national standard. He explained that his intent is “to expand the conversation about…how long the workweek should be and how do we create a new work-life balance in America?” From his point of view, this change would increase employee productivity and lessen burnout.

Takano pointed out that the 40-hour workweek is a product of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which also gave non-exempt workers the ability to earn overtime pay after 40 hours of work. Under his proposal, overtime rates would kick in after 32 hours of work in one week.

Asked how the change would impact employers financially, Takano said, “It will vary from labor sector to labor sector…It could increase costs but it may not.” He pointed out that workers

would need to earn the same salary for working 32 hours each week as they presently earn for working 40 hours to be able to pay their bills, which, he conceded, is a huge concern for some companies.

Responding to the question of how he believes a change to a four-day workweek will improve employees’ wellbeing, Takano cited the example of Americans who are raising children while also taking care of aging parents, which he believes can create “enormous stress.” He also noted that the pandemic led to employees having a lot more flexibility as they worked from home. One example of that flexibility is that working from home allows people to get more sleep, a universally positive contribution to overall wellness and productivity. fmiklin.villager@gmail. com

We’ve been receiving some kudos this week over the Western Fantasy coverage, the I-70 update on Floyd Hill, and the drama at the Central City Opera. Nice to have some positive feedback on behalf of our hard-working newspaper team. We’re fortunate to have an excellent printing partner in the Prairie Mountain printing facility in Berthoud who print and label The Villager every week with color on every page and always on time. We deliver some complimentary papers to various locations. All our loyal readership is excellent, but we need those paid subscriptions to pay the bills. No matter how you receive, or read The Villager, consider dropping a check in the mail for $62 a year or call us at 303-773-8313. We have more price increases coming this month from the postal service. Can you purchase anything delivered to your home for $1.25 every week?

I’m glad the CU Buffaloes are back in the Big 12. I look forward to a good season for CU, CSU, and the Broncos. I’m also rooting for the US National Womens soccer team that tied Portugal this week.

***

BY BOB SWEENEY

I stumbled on a Netflix rerun show called “Suits.” I never saw this program while it was on before but what a blast. All the men wear suits and the women wear designer clothes at a law firm. The cast is well-played and the plot very entertaining. A genius underdog becomes a phony Harvard lawyer at a New York law firm. The acting is fast, entertaining, and captivating as new dramas occur weekly.

nation’s leading beer brewing states.

*** I am intrigued over the Colorado Speaker’s series selection announced in a fullpage ad in The Denver Post There is Liz Cheney, Stacy Abrams, former mayor of Atlanta; Dr. Anthony Fauci and to top it off (D) Senator Scott Kelly from Arizona, among others. This looks like the Democratic convention coming to Denver early. Why don’t they feature primary candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., running for president? I would like to hear him speak.

***

playing tennis at Denver city park with strangers because he had new tennis balls. A good Irishman, Broe has a good mind and a wonderful family. He’s another great American success story.

***

Many newspapers have gone out of business. We don’t want to be one of those vanishing newspapers. We have some major news looming in upcoming months, and we look forward to elections, school news, and charitable events. The printed word is still very important, no matter how it is delivered. The Hollywood writers’ strike will prove a point sooner or later. ***

Kudos to a local brewery. It appears that a local Denver brewery, The Bull and Bush, has scored 4th place out of 9000 entries in The U.S. Open Beer Championship. Erik Peterson, co-owner of the brewery, related it was the first time that his company had entered the competition. The Bull and Bush restaurants have been a big name in Denver for decades. Other local award winners were Los Dos Potrillos and Cerveceria, located in Parker, which earned five medals. And a new brewery in Centennial, Kodiak Brewery Bar and Grill, also earned a medal. Colorado is one of the

It’s my understanding that The Denver Post has announced that they will no longer run “Letters to the Editor” because they are too divisive and take too much time to handle. I always read those letters and enjoy the pro and con comments from the public. The Villager is working on updating our letter policies. We will be accepting letters, especially on issues.

***

I read where Pat Broe, of Cherry Creek business fame and fortune, has purchased the Seasons apartment complex. One of my daughters once lived in that complex. I go back many years with Pat Broe and our work for the American/Ireland Fund. He once told me that he arrived in Denver with few funds from Kansas. He related

Spotted a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal about the crisis ongoing in Israel with a plea from Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress to end the fighting and unite once again. He warns, “Today Israel’s future hangs in the balance. The Jewish people’s one-and-only state is facing imminent existential danger. A combination of unprecedented external and internal threats has brought Israel to the brink.” He warns of Iran’s amassing nuclear material, and other radical forces at work. He foresees that the West Bank is heading… “towards chaos and violence.” He pleads with Benjamin Netanyahu, Yair Lipid and Benny Gantz to unite and bring unity. We have some great Jewish leaders here in Denver who could likely help.

***

Did you notice that the Russians and the Chinese were all in North Korea last week, another very dangerous event.

The Federal Reserve, and many economists, seem confused

The Federal Reserve implemented its most confusing policies in its 100 year history. And they appear not to understand what they have done, nor why the economy reacted to their rapid interest rate increases in such a bipolar manner.

The Fed has two monetary policy tools: interest rates and money supply. Increasing interest rates depresses economic activity because the cost to borrow goes up. Conversely, increasing the supply of money stimulates economic activity because more liquidity is available to fund business transactions. The Fed implemented two contradictory

actions: High rates and increased money supply. But that’s not all. The Fed’s actions, to stop inflation by increasing rates, will not address the reason for inflation. It will only bludgeon the private economy with higher costs. In order for this approach to succeed,

the rate increases may place the private economy into recession.

The reason we have inflation today is Fed action from 15 years ago. In 2008 the Fed Reserve printed trillions of dollars (quantitative easing), thus increasing the supply of money in the economy and thereby both stimulating economic activity and, most importantly, devaluing the buying power of every dollar in circulation. Dollar devaluation is inflation because it takes more devalued dollars to buy the same commodity.

The members of the Fed’s FOMC would be embarrassed if they knew how naked are their contradictory

actions. We in the private economy certainly are aware, and are suffering because of the Fed’s contradictory actions. The Fed would better serve the private economy and reduce inflation should they reduce the supply of money.

Jay Davidson is Chairman, CEO, and the founder of a local commercial bank. He is a deficated capitalist and a student of the Austrian School of Economics. He believes the Constitution is the single Rule of Law and that it’s purpose is to keep the federal, state and local governments in check so that the individual citizen can live in liberty.

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 didn’t speak up because I 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 I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak for me!”

2020 Member

I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.

– Vincent Van Gogh

Traveling to the North End of the Hudson Bay

Another travel adventure this summer took my son and I to the north end of the Hudson Bay. Our long weekend trip had no particular goal other than to travel as far north as practically possible over a long weekend.

While it entailed a bit of flying, our nonrev status was kind to my wallet. We met at DIA, my son flying in from Atlanta, and we flew United to Edmonton. Despite being two hours north of Denver, it was warmer than Denver. We found a good steak house for dinner near our airport hotel.

The next morning, we flew Air North another 2 hours north to Yellowknife, in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Smoke was in the air, visibly and to our noses, due to Cana-

dian wildfires. It is a town of about 20,000 with parks and a lake and our resting point for a day.

Originally part of the gold rush a century ago, Yellowknife is now home to several diamond mining companies. It is also the starting point of the winter ice road featured in the Ice Road Truckers TV show.

BY BRIAN C. JOONDEPH

The next day we flew two hours east to Rankin Inlet, a small town at the north end of the massive Hudson Bay. It is an Inuit hamlet in the Nunavut province, home to about 3000 residents. Unlike Yellowknife rich in trees and forests, Rankin is north of the tree line, a rugged land of tundra and no trees.

Temperatures are below

freezing most of the year with long, dark, and cold winters. Originally a trading outpost, there is now a gold mine and it is a hub for petroleum storage and shipping. Most homes have an ATV for summer transportation and a snowmobile for winter.

There are a few general stores and one restaurant, which was our dinner stop. The day we arrived it was sunny with temps in the 60s but the next morning when we left, it was freezing rain with temps in the high 30s. And this was in June. Imagine January!

We flew back to Yellowknife, had a short layover then another flight south to Calgary where we spent the night at the airport before heading home, Chris to Atlanta and me to Denver.

Rankin Inlet was far off the beaten track but an interesting town to visit. While pretty far

2023 Golf GTI Turbo has Autobahn performance

In a parking lot a passing lady commented, “Great color,” referring to the King’s Red” metallic paint on the 2023 Golf GTI four-door sedan I was test driving. It was a bright red that goes with the stellar performance of the 2.L turbo-charged GTI “Autobahn” model with a 7-speed automatic “Tiptronic” transmission with front-wheel drive.

I’ve driven any number of VWs in my driving experiences and loved them all; going back to college days and having a stick shift, rear-engine “bug.” It was so much fun to drive and to coax heat out of that little rear engine in cold weather.

The GTI has always been a more spirited model, usually with a stick shift, but I was grateful to find the latest GTI with an excellent automatic transmission with steering wheel shifters. The drive mode offers an “S” drive beyond the normal drive selection.

The GTI has a VW appearance, somewhat square in design with two chrome tipped tail pipes extending from the rear as a symbol of performance. This GTI turbo does perform well at high freeway speeds and with four-wheel independent suspension. Keep in mind that VW and Porsche are long standing allies. German engineering has always been at the top level for planes, trains,

and cars .

By H. Throttle

This GTI is just fun to drive, smaller in stature, but large in performance, it can run down the highway with the big dogs. Fuel economy averages 28 mpg overall with the gasoline 4-cylinder engine. The final

awkward at first to work through the many controls, including steering wheel buttons. I would prefer some simple knobs for stations and volume, but these controls seem to have disappeared in most new car models. The challenge is to manipulate the screen while driving, that seems to take eyes off the highway and the result is many front-end crashes,

north, Resolute is even further north, above the Arctic Circle, and on our visit list for next summer. There are many remote

northern Canadian towns well worth a short visit if you want to see a land and lifestyle far different than in metro Denver.

assembly of this vehicle is at Wolfsburg, Germany with a German transmission with a Hungarian engine. Putting it all together the suggested manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $39,870 that includes a long list of safety and technology features. The price includes many options with the only additional charge is for the King’s Red metallic paint at $396.

VWs have always been relatively simple to operate but this GTI has an extensive computer driven center console that controls the radio, air conditioning, and vehicle functions. I found it rather

largely with cell phone usage, but some screen play.

This GTI has multiple smart phone charge pads, heated and cooled seats, but controlled from the center console screen buttons that seem a little fussy to operate.

Loaded with the latest safety features like the sunroof and Karman/Harden sound system, this is a car that needs to be driven, and perhaps by younger drivers seeking the thrill of a sports car at Volkswagen prices.

Young or old, driving this car, one won’t be disappointed.

THIS DICK TANNER DESIGNED EXECUTIVE HOME IS A SYMPHONY OF STYLE, QUALITY, VOLUME, AND LIVABILITY. ITS UNIQUE FLOORPLAN INCLUDES TWO STUDIES AND A LUXURIOUS GUEST BEDROOM ON THE MAIN FLOOR. WITH ITS SPACIOUS ROOMS, EXQUISITE FIREPLACES, AND EVERY IMAGINABLE AMENITY, IT IS TRULY IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN!! FROM ITS PERCH OVERLOOKING THE VERDANT PRESERVE, A NATURE PRESERVE IN PRESTIGIOUS GREENWOOD VILLAGE, ITS OVER 10,000 PLUS SQUARE FEET OF SPACE, INCLUDING ITS WALKOUT LEVEL, OFFERS AMENITIES AND PRIVACY THAT ARE RARE, EVEN IN THIS UPSCALE COMMUNITY. WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST FENCED YARDS, THE OWNERS HAVE CREATED A VIRTUAL PRIVATE OASIS ON THIS HEAVILY TREED 3/4-ACRE SITE. WITH FIRE PITS AND OUTDOOR KITCHENS ON THE MAIN AND LOWER LEVELS AN EXQUISITE WATERFALL, A POOL AND HOT TUB ONE STILL HAS THE USE OF THE OLYMPIC SIZED POOL, TENNIS COURTS AND WALKING TRAILS OF THE EXTRAORDINARY PRESERVE COMMUNITY. WITH 2 STAIRCASES TO ALL LEVELS, DRAMATIC VOLUMINOUS ROOMS WITH EVERY AMENITY IMAGINABLE, BRAZILIAN CHERRY FLOORS A FABULOUS STATE OF THE ART GOURMET KITCHEN, A WINE CELLAR, EXERCISE ROOM, EXTENSIVE STORAGE AND AN INTEGRATED THEATRE ROOM... WHY LEAVE HOME?

$4,995,000

Chris and I on the shore of the Hudson Bay

4701 PRESERVE PARKWAY

South Suburban Board appoints Keith Gardner to fill vacancy

BY FREDA MIKLIN GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

At its regular meeting on June 14, the South Suburban Parks & Recreation Board of Directors announced it had selected Keith Gardner to fill the vacancy that arose from the untimely passing of board member David Lawful on May 10. Gardner will serve out the remaining two years of Lawful’s term.

The process that led to Gardner’s appointment began on May 24, when the board, consisting of incumbents Susan Pye and Pete Barrett, along with Pam Eller and Ken Lucas, who were elected eight days before the sudden loss of Mr. Lawful, decided to accept applications for the position to fulfill their duty to choose a new board member. They announced that applications would be accepted through June 6 at 5:00 p.m. and publicized it on the SSPRD website and social media, in addition to including it as an agenda item at their meeting.

Four people submitted applications, Alexis Barrere, Michelle Cutter, Keith Gardner, and Thomas Rundell. Of the four, only Barrere had been a candi-

date in the May 2 election, in which she finished fourth (Eller and Lucas came in first and second). The candidate who came in third on May 2, Elizabeth Watson, did not apply.

The Villager reviewed the applications of all four candidates. Although they all expressed dedication to SSPRD and creative ideas for its future, Gardner’s application stood out in his vast experience in elected and appointed positions related to SSPRD.

Mr. Gardner has lived in SSPRD for 24 years, during

which he spent eight years as an elected member of the Centennial City Council, including one year as its Mayor Pro Tem. During his time on Centennial City Council, he was the appointed liaison to SSPRD, Littleton Public Schools, Colorado Open Space Advisory Board, and Centennial Airport Community Roundtable. He also served on the board of the Littleton Fire Protection District for six years, including two as its president.

Of the other three candidates, one has served on their HOA,

Inequality and advantage discrimination

Returning from a national conference in Charleston, South Carolina, I was overwhelmed with the amount of research imparted regarding the economic and health benefits of relational stability fostered by committed couples who vow to do life together. This

summit was hosted by the National Alliance for Relationship and Marriage Education (NARME) where researchers, Healthy Marriage and Responsible Grantees, marriage and family therapists, military leaders, child welfare specialists, counselors, social workers and

TANF case managers gathered to network and learn the social science and best practices to promote human flourishing and to address social challenges. One speaker caught my attention. Not a social scientist but, rather, an economics professor and researcher outlined the

one has served on the Littleton Board of Adjustments, and the third serves on the Lone Tree Recreation Advisory Committee. They have lived in SSPRD two, four and one-half, and seven years, respectively.

The Villager spoke to recently elected SSPRD Board Member Pam Eller, who previously served in that role from 2010 to 2018. She told us, “We didn’t have a precedent for this situation, and when Dave (Lawful) died, everyone was caught off guard. We needed a process to fill his seat, so we came up with

marriage privilege outlined in the literature. Throughout her presentation she showcased how those who have a healthy marriage, Black, White, Asian, Hispanic and Native American are privileged economically, socially, and emotionally. She imparted the statistics regarding two-income households, access to one another as a job-share system to do the tasks of daily life with efficiency and assistance and overcome obstacles together. These couples, do better in several health indicators, suffer less from isolation, loneliness, depression, alcoholism, and addictions. If they have children, they do better academically, experience less behavioral challenges, need less services and resources from the school or the community, and have a distinct advantage over those who live outside a safe and stable committed union.

In one of the workshops for educators, the presenter asked attendees how many ever ask their students if marriage is one of their life goals? Out of approximately 100 workshop participants, only one raised her hand. This is shocking! When asked why the teachers did not broach the topic, they opined that many of their students come from generations of unhealthy relationships, single-parent families and grandparents raising their grandchildren. They told the presenter they were concerned that if they brought up marriage, the students would be triggered and feel bad. The presenter then asked this pro-

an application that contained questions we felt were most relevant.”

About Mr. Gardner, Eller told us she had never met him before, “but he is the only candidate who came to board meetings regularly after we announced the position. I also received calls from people who knew the applicants that gave me background information. Everything about him was positive.” She also shared that Gardner, “has jumped in and made an immediate positive impact.”

fmiklin.villager@gmail.com

found question, “What if your students resided in a family where, historically, none of their ancestors graduated from high school or went on to college, would you be concerned about talking about graduating from high school or college?” What we are witnessing is advantage discrimination and the base of inequality continuing the cycle of what came before. Many of these students have no idea of the privilege that awaits if they stabilize their lives with healthy committed connections.

What we know from national surveys administered by the Monitoring the Future Study of high school seniors, close to 85% list healthy marriages and families as one of their life goals. A professor at Auburn University shared that when he asked the life goals question, he calculated similar percentages of marriage and family as one of the top 3 life goals. He went a step further and asked, “Of those who desired to marry and have and family, how many felt prepared to have a lifetime with their same partner?” Only 40% declared that they felt they had the ability to be with one partner for a lifetime. This tells us that there is a gap of what young people long for and desire and what they think is possible. Let’s work together to fill this gap with relationship skills training, partner selection strategies and support. We must do this to increase equality and stop the advantage discrimination. joneen@myrelationship center.org

Current members of the SSPRD board of directors are, from left to right, Keith Gardner, Ken Lucas, Susan Pye, Pete Barrett, and Pam Eller. Photo courtesy SSPRD.org

Brian Shul: Pilot who flew world’s fastest plane - May 31, 2023

BY SAM ROBERTS

THE NEW YORK TIMES

Brian Shul, a retired Air Force major who modestly described himself as “a survivor” rather than a hero, after he was downed in a Vietnamese jungle, where he nearly died before rebounding to pilot the world’s fastest spy plane, died in Reno, Nev.

The cause of his death, in a hospital, was cardiac arrest, said his sister and sole survivor, Maureen Shul, a former mayor of Castle Pines, Colo. He had collapsed as he finished regaling the annual gala of the Nevada Military Support Alliance with his aerial adventures.

Major Shul flew 212 combat missions during the Vietnam War before his T-28 Trojan ground attack jet was struck by smallarms fire and crash-landed near the Cambodian border in 1974, as the war was nearing its end.

He underwent 15 operations and spent well over a year as, he once put it, “119 pounds of blood and gauze,” recuperating from burns that covered half of his body and left his hands and face disfigured. But two days after being released from the hospital, despite doctors telling him that he would never walk again, Major Shul was back in an Air Force cockpit.

His final assignment, before he retired in 1990 after a two-decade military career, was piloting the SR-71, the world’s highest-flying jet.

The aircraft, nicknamed the Blackbird and deployed to monitor Soviet nuclear submarines and missile sites, as well as undertake reconnaissance missions over Libya, could soar to 85,000 feet, fly at more than three times the speed of sound and survey 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface in a single hour.

“To fly this jet, and fly it well, meant establishing a personal relationship with a fusion of titanium, fuel, stick and throttles,” Major Shul wrote in his book “Sled Driver: Flying the World’s Fastest Jet” (1991), invoking the detractive nickname U-2 pilots pinned on their Blackbird counterparts. “It meant feeling the airplane came alive and had a personality all her own.”

Major Shul piloted the Blackbird for 2,000 hours over four years. He was armed with a personal camera that he used to capture the photographs that illustrate “Sled Driver” and another book.

The Lockheed Martin SR71 soared so high into the mid-stratosphere that its crew was outfitted in spacesuits, and it flew so swiftly that it could outpace missiles.

“We were the fastest guys on the block and loved reminding our fellow aviators of this fact,” Major Shul wrote.

Major Shul often recalled a radio exchange with air traffic controllers monitoring the ground speed of planes within their jurisdiction as his aircraft screamed 13 miles above Southern California: “I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its ground speed. ‘90 knots,’ Center replied. Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same. ‘120 knots,’ Center answered.

“We weren’t the only ones proud of our ground speed that day,” Major Shul recalled, “as almost instantly an F-18 transmitted, ‘Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests ground speed readout.’ There was a slight pause, then the response, ‘620 knots on the ground, Dusty.’”

Major Shul and his crew member couldn’t resist asking, too. “‘Center, Aspen 20, you got a ground speed readout for us?’

There was a longer than normal pause ‘Aspen, I show 1,942 knots’” — or 2,234 m.p.h.

“No further inquiries were

heard on that frequency,” Major Shul recalled

In addition to “Sled Driver,” he wrote “The Untouchables” (1994), about flying the SR-71; “Summer Thunder” (1994), about the Air Force Thunderbirds; and “Blue Angels: A Portrait of Gold” (1995), about the Navy’s precision flying squadron.

After he was released from the hospital, he flew in air shows with the first A-10 Thunderbolt demonstration team, became the chief of air-to-ground academics for the Air Force and volunteered for a training program to fly the SR-71.

He was an avid photographer of aviation and nature, and ran a photo studio in Marysville, in Northern California.

Brian Robert Shul was born in Quantico, Va. His father, Victor, was the director of the Marine Corps band.

When he was 9 and saw the Navy’s Blue Angels per-

form at an air show, “I’m like, ‘Whoa,’” he told the Museum of Flight in Seattle. “It reached in, grabbed my soul, never let go.”

He graduated from East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1970 and joined the Air Force later that year.

In Vietnam, he was a foreign air adviser during the war, piloting support missions in conjunction with the Central Intelligence Agency’s Air America, which flew reconnaissance, rescue and logistical support missions for the military.

When his aircraft was attacked, he crash-landed in the jungle, where he was rescued by a Special Forces team and evacuated to Okinawa, Japan, where doctors predicted that his burns would prove fatal. He underwent two months of intensive care before he was transferred to the Institute of Surgical Research at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, where surgeons performed 15 operations over a year.

“I kept saying, ‘God, just please let me die. I can’t do this. You picked the wrong guy. I’m not strong enough. I’d have nothing to fight with now. It hurts too bad. I don’t even want

to wake up each morning,’” he told the Museum of Flight.

But one day, while lying in bed, he heard children playing soccer and as he remembered being their age, the radio began to play Judy Garland’s “Over the Rainbow.”

“You listen to the words to that song — it’s all about daring to dream,” he said in a speech at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California in 2016.

“I heard the words of that song for the first time that day,” he continued. “They penetrated my brain sharper than any scalpel they were using, and I could look out the window and see the other side of the rainbow and those kids, and I made a choice. I made a decision right then. I am going to try to eat the food tomorrow. I want to live. I’m going to try to survive.”

“I don’t want you to confuse me with anyone that’s heroic or famous or did anything great,” he said, adding: “Leaving your jet in the jungle does not qualify as heroic. I am a survivor.”

Sam Roberts, an obituaries reporter, was previously The Times’s urban affairs correspondent and is the host of “The New York Times Close Up,” a weekly news and interview program on CUNY-TV.

Brian Shul

Brian Shul and sister Maureen Shul

Top Hogs Performance Petting Zoo Food Trucks

Live Music

Becky Lipsky and Rory the Aussiedoodle checked out the John Deere tractor.

Levi Cleveland, 6, a rising first grader who is home-schooled, made it to the top of the climbing wall and rang the bell.

Tenley Bear, 9, a rising fourth grader at High Plains Elementary, loved the bungee cord ride.

Everyone loves a hula hoop contest.

There’s nothing like a water slide on a hot summer day.

There were food trucks for every palate.

Bodie Bryant,1, was enjoying his first Greenwood Village Day with his family. He is pictured here with dad Reg.

GV City Council Member Tom Stahl and his wife Susan never miss Greenwood Village Day.

Blow-up games are always a big hit at Greenwood Village Day

Photos by Freda Miklin

Career Advance Colorado is a new program created with wide bipartisan support

The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) recently introduced Career Advance Colorado, a program that will provide money for “tuition, fees, course materials and other covered costs while funding is available,” beginning in August 2023, for students enrolled in:

• Construction

• Education

• Early Childhood Education

• Firefighting

• Forestry

• Law Enforcement

• Nursing

It is up to students to enroll in applicable schools to be eligible for this funding

but CCCS is available to help them find the right program to meet their needs.

Career Advance Colorado is funded by HB23-1246

Support In-demand Career Workforce.

Sponsored by leading

Democrats Speaker of the House Rep. Julie McCluskie and Majority Caucus Chair Sen. Janet Buckner, accompanied by distinguished Republicans Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Rose Pugliese and Sen. Perry Will, this

new law appropriates $38.6 million for the state board of community colleges and occupational education “to administer the in-demand short-term credentials program to support expanding the number of available and qualified professionals able to meet Colorado’s in-demand workforce needs.”

Funds will go to community and technical colleges, local district colleges, and Colorado Mesa University “to provide assistance to students for eligible expenses that support their enrollment in eligible programs.” Any money left over will be used to pay for student housing, transportation, or food expenses.

Also included in this workforce-centered bill focused on shorter-term higher education is a separate ap-

propriation of $5 million “to create two short-term degree nursing programs at community or technical colleges.”

Another section of HB231246 requires the Colorado Office of the Future of Work, which is part of the Department of Labor and Employment, “to provide grants to registered apprenticeship programs that provide training in the building and construction trades at no cost to apprentices.” This program also has its own separate funding of $1.4 million.

Only three of the House’s 19 GOP members voted against the final measure, including Arapahoe County’s Rep. Rod Bockenfeld. Five of 12 GOP senators voted no, including Minority Caucus Chair Sen. Jim Smallwood and Sen. Kevin Van Winkle, both from nearby Douglas County.

Gov. Polis signed the bill into law on May 16. fmiklin.villager@gmail. com

JEWISHcolorado names Renée Rockford as next president & CEO

JEWISHcolorado, Colorado’s largest philanthropic organization solely focused on supporting the state’s Jewish community, named Renée Rockford as its next President & CEO. Rockford, formerly JEWISHcolorado’s Chief Advancement Officer, has been serving as interim President & CEO since November.

Search Committee head and JEWISHcolorado ViceChair Ben Lusher said, “We conducted an extensive and comprehensive eight-month search that included 62 applicants, ten first round interviews, and three finalists. We appreciate the many people who expressed interest in this role, and we are delighted to select Renée as the organization’s next leader.” Rockford becomes the first woman in the organization’s more than 75-year history to serve as non-interim President & CEO.

Rockford, a Colorado native, joined JEWISHcolorado in May 2021 after two decades in fundraising and communications in private education and foundation work. A daughter of a Holocaust survivor, she is the author of the award-winning book, The Triumphant Spirit, profiling the lives of nearly 100 survivors who came to the U.S. She has just returned from the first leg of this year’s Joyce Zeff Israel Study Tour accompanying 65 students to Poland before the trip continues in Israel for four more weeks.

Said Board of Directors Chair Rob Kaufmann, “JEWISHcolorado could not be better positioned to continue our vital and relevant work of convening, connecting, and building our Jewish community, and advocating for and enriching the lives of the Jewish people here at home and

PEACH CRUMBLE

4 large peaches, pitted and sliced thin

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ cup sugar

Topping:

2/3 cup unsifted flour

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

1/8 tsp mace

¼ tsp salt

½ cup butter or margarine, softened to room temperature

Preheat oen to 350. Arrange peaches in an ungreased 9” piepan, sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar. Mix topping ingredients and pat on top of peaches. Bake, uncovered about 45 minutes, until

around the world.”

“I am honored to have stepped into this role and now to have the opportunity to continue as President & CEO. I am indebted to Chair Rob Kaufmann and ViceChair Ben Lusher for their tremendous amount of work, support, and guidance through this process,” said Rockford.

“And it is a privilege to partner with our dedicated Board of Directors, generous donors, community partners, and host of lay leaders who so passionately work to build community for today and for future generations.”

“Also, I am extraordinarily grateful to the professional staff at JEWISHcolorado and delighted to be able to work with and lead a group of people so dedicated to supporting and growing Jewish life in Colorado,” said Rockford.

lightly browned and bubbly.

Because I needed a larger serving, I used 6-7 peaches in a 9x13 pan and doubled the topping. Enjoy!!

Grecian dreams – Thirty years later

Our memories were hazy as we stepped off the ferry in Parikia, the port city on the isle of Paros in the heart of the Aegean. It had been thirty years since my wife and I walked down a similar ramp amidst a group of travelers scanning the lot for taxis, cafes, or just a place to stretch. As we made our way past the windmill in the roundabout and headed toward the town center, we serenely drifted back into our past, all the while holding hands with our daughter’s future.

The impetus for our summer trip to Greece started for our daughter back in middle school when she and a friend began planning their European trip for the summer after senior year. As seven years flew by, and they entered the last year of high school, the plan narrowed to the Greek isles, and soon we were researching plans to rent a house, serving as home base for the girls to island hop. And, then, we were

back in Greece, thirty years after our first trip.

In the summer of 1992, my wife and I moved abroad following our college graduation and spent years working and traveling. Living in southeast Asia, we

knew many young expats who regularly headed to the beaches of Thailand or the Philippines or Indonesia. But during a lull between two work contracts, we instead headed west to Europe and Paros, which we heard was “where the Greeks vacation.” Initially planning to island hop, we rented a small villa on Paros fifty feet from the beach and stayed a month.

This summer, as in 1993,

we began with a couple days in Athens. The city is noticeably different, following the 2004 Olympics which greatly extended the infrastructure. Yet it’s still a quaint European city filled with delightful cafes, inviting restaurants and bakeries, endless galleries and shops. As I stood one evening on our balcony, looking at the Parthenon rising from the Acropolis, I was struck again with the historical magic. I then grinned, glancing down on the Plaka, wondering if it was the same place where we had divine moussaka while also getting scammed as we struggled to mentally convert our drachmas to dollars.

These days, the euro makes things much easier, and once we reached Paros we were comfortably home again. Paros is centrally located and perfect for island hopping, but we spent weeks there before and chose to again. With more than forty named beaches, there was more than enough to keep us busy, though

relaxing was the goal. This time we stayed outside the fishing village of Naoussa where our host Kariakos has several villas surrounded by his vineyard. He produces a wonderful boutique Greek white wine, light and refreshing with hints of lemony citrus and mellow melon accents, and gifted us a bottle.

The gem of the trip came at Golden Beach, near the village of Drios where we’d lived. Curiously walking along the coast, I spotted a vaguely familiar villa. As I walked toward it, a voice came from behind me. “Can I help you?” A young man, mid-twenties, had come from the restaurant. I hesitated, then turned around. “Hi, I, uh, think I rented this place thirty years ago.” He nods, as I go on. “The owner’s name was “George?” A huge smile comes across his face, as he places his hand over his heart. “That was my father! “Come, come inside.”

As we chat I realize, Paros thirty years later is really me thirty years later. A return to Paros

is a return to myself as I sat on the cusp of becoming the person I would be. This time, sitting in a cafe as my daughter logged on to her university website to schedule fall classes, I rested in a sense of contentment. As I’m embraced by my past, she’s getting ready to move on with her future. It’s with fond nostalgia that I listen to my daughter’s desire to travel and live internationally, and I couldn’t imagine a better plan.

On our last day, as we spent an evening picnicking on the beach and watching the sun melt into the Aegean, I think Paros has given us again a serene reminder of what life really is. Vacation at times can feel like life, an escape from the dailiness that distracts us from who we really are.

It won’t be another thirty years before we return to our Grecian dreams.

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

Photos by Michael Mazenko

DMV honors Colorado history, announces 150th anniversary license plates now available

Colorado, the wait is over.

The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles is proud to announce the state’s 150th anniversary license plates are now available to purchase on Colorado Day, August, 1, 2023, until July 2027.

Coloradans can purchase either license plate online at myDMV.Colorado.gov or at a county-operated motor vehicle office. The license plates will cost $8.06 per pair, in addition to local fees.

The two license plates are based on the Historic Colorado Contest’s winning submissions, which were determined in a statewide competition to design, then choose the

winners in two divisions — Under 13 and Over 13. More than 34,000 Coloradans voted in the contest.

“Colorado’s awe-inspiring beauty was well reflected in the hundreds of great designs submitted by talented Colorado artists as we celebrate 150 years of Colorado history,”

Gov. Jared Polis said during an event announcing the con-

test winners in March. "I am proud to congratulate the winners whose beautiful license plates will be on vehicles across the state starting this August."

13+ Division winning design and artist

Evan Griesheimer, of Denver, won the 13+ Division of the Historic Colorado Contest with 15,697 votes or 46.13% of the total.

Griesheimer said the inspiration for his design came from simplicity and colors of the Colorado State Flag, the Rocky Mountains and mining.

U13 Division winning design and artist

Calista Blaschke, of Denver, won the U13 Division of

the Historic Colorado Contest with 21,633 votes or 63.58% of the total.

She said the inspiration for her design included Pikes Peak, fortune hunters, the State Bird (Lark bunting) and the State Tree (Blue spruce).

About the Historic Colorado Contest

The Historic Colorado Contest launched Sept. 19, 2022 with the goal of helping Coloradans honor and make history through license plate design, and it closed with more than 300 entries from 216 entrants. Of the 216 entrants, 133 were 13-years-old or older and these contestants submitted 215 license plate

designs. The other 82 were younger than 13, and these Coloradans entered 97 submissions.

Three finalists per division were selected by a committee that included motor vehicle administrators, artists and Gov. Polis, followed by a final, public vote on the top three designs. In addition to the two $1,000 grants, winners were awarded commemorative license plates during a reveal of the Historic Colorado Contest winning designs at the State Capitol.

Coloradans can visit DMV. Colorado.gov/HistoricColorado for more information.

The Historic Colorado Contest was a low-cost effort to honor Colorado’s history and celebrate the 150th anniversary with a commemorative license plate.

learn about job opportunities at Cherry Hills and other caddie jobs in the metro area including the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, as well as financial support for posthigh school academic and trade programs through the Palmer Scholarship and Evans Scholarship.

A Caddie & Course guide is also included with an overview on “How to Caddie”, a glossary of golf terms, a scorecard to practice keeping score, and a detailed caddie “yardage book” of Cherry Hills. Register here: https://denver.firstteecolorado rockymountains.org/civicrm/ event/register?reset=1&id=2135

“Attention to detail, dedication and a commitment to perfection is why we chose First American State Bank for our banking partnership.”

Dr. Ron Yaros, Aspenwood Dental

Dr. Aaron Sun, Dr. Lisa Augustine, Dr. Ron Yaros, Aspenwood Dental, Jay Davidson, Scott Yeoman, First American State Bank, Dr. Daniel Zeppelin, Aspenwood Dental

CU returning to Big 12 latest Deion dividend

Another return is in on University of Colorado athletics director Rick George’s bold move hiring Deion Sanders—and the Buffs still haven’t played a real game under their new head football coach.

First, it was the local and national publicity of bringing Coach Prime to Boulder.

Next was selling out season tickets for the 2023 home season, which begins against Nebraska on Sept. 9.

Then, the Spring Game—if you can call that a game— attracted a capacity crowd.

And amid all of that, blue-chip high school recruits and collegiate transfers were tripping over each other to secure spots on the vastly revamped roster.

Now, we have the Big 12 Conference approving membership in its club EVEN BEFORE Colorado formally applied!

Why would the 12-team league make CU its lucky 13th university, especially after recently adding four schools to offset the losses of Texas and Oklahoma (in 2024)?

Why are schools oncescorned so willing to forget?

Two words: Neon Deion.

Or, if you prefer, Coach Prime.

Collegiate athletics these days, particularly college football and basketball, is all (OK, at least largely) about the money.

And until the spotlight on the Flatirons is reduced once again to just brilliant Colorado sunshine, Deion’s last name is spelled $andere$—in this case, in the form of TV ratings.

The Big 12 is willing to serve Colorado a full piece of its new television rights pie, a share estimated to be $37.1 million per year, in return for being able to claim Coach Prime’s star power as part of its lineup.

At the time of CU’s move from the Big 12 into what was then the PAC 10—the same year Coach Prime was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame—it was billed as a positive for CU in many ways, especially concerning football: better paydays because of a superior TV deal . . . regular appearances in front of a large alumni contingent in southern California . . . a chance to enhance recruiting in a preferred location (Cali-

fornia) . . . better travel destinations . . . etc.

And institutionally, went the justification, CU Boulder would fit right in, especially with Cal-Berkeley and Stanford.

But comments by Chancellor Phil DiStefano and AD George at last week’s press conference announcing the shift had a similar ring.

“CU Boulder is a national university,” DiStefano said, “and by spanning three time zones, the Big 12 is very much a national conference. The national exposure that joining the Big 12 provides will shine a spotlight not only on our incredible student-athletes but also on our groundbreaking research that really changes the world.”

“Let me state up front,” insisted George when it was his turn to speak, “that this move was not just based on money or finances. Decisions this big have a lot to do with more than just money.

“At the forefront . . . in all of our decisions (are) our student-athletes and their experiences as both. We’ve done our analysis, and they’ll be traveling less in the Big 12, and playing in more favorable time slots, where we believe they can get greater national exposure, and returning to Boulder after away games at earlier times.”

Others have mentioned that

Coach Prime prefers recruiting in Texas and Florida, over California. (The Big 12 has four members in Texas, one in Florida.)

“Certainly, revenue and expenses are a part of the equation,” George finally conceded. “We have looked at the cost that we will be incurring from the team traveling in the Big 12, as well as the initial rebranding. And when we consider the Big 12 revenue, we believe it’s a great win for the University of Colorado.”

Left unsaid was the wobbly state of the Pac 12, which will lose both UCLA and USC to the Big Ten next year and could see the University of Arizona follow CU into the Big 12 if rumors prove correct. That’s not to mention that the Pac 12 is still working on its next media rights deal—which surely was a factor for CU, too.

It also should be noted that the Pac 12 was no bargain on the gridiron for the decade-plus that Colorado interloped on the West Coast. In 12 seasons, the Buffs won only 27 conference games and had a .262 winning percentage.

So it’s time to say, Welcome Back!

Whatever the reasons.

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 15 books, nine of them sports-related. You can write to Denny at dennydressman@ comcast.net.

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The hidden danger of untreated heartburn

Dear Savvy Senior, Is regular heartburn or acid reflux anything to worry about? I eat a lot of Rolaids throughout the day to help manage it, but it’s gotten worse with age and it keeps me up at night too. What can you tell me?

Belching Bob

Dear Bob, Almost everyone experiences heartburn or acid reflux from time to time, but frequent episodes can signal a much more serious problem. It’s estimated that more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, with around 15 million people who suffer from it daily.

Heartburn symptoms show up in a variety of ways – as a burning pain behind the breastbone, indigestion, or a sour or burning taste in

BY DONALD PETERSON

Dear Readers, What are tax-free “1035” exchanges?

Section 1035 of the U.S. tax code allows you to exchange an existing variable annuity contract for a new annuity contract without paying any tax on the income and investment gains in your current variable annuity account. These tax-free exchanges, known as 1035 exchanges, can be useful if another annuity has features that you prefer, such as a larger death benefit, different annuity payout options, or a wider selection of investment choices.

You may, however, be required to pay surrender charges on the old annuity if you are still in the surrender charge period. In addition, a new surrender charge period generally begins when you exchange into the new annuity. This means that, for a

the back of the throat. Other symptoms may include chest pain, excessing belching, a long-term cough, sore throat or hoarseness.

If you’re plagued by heartburn two or more times a week, and it’s not responding well to over-the-counter antacids you need to see your doctor, who may refer you to a gastroenterologist. Frequent bouts may mean you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERDs, which can severely irritate and damage the lining of your esophagus, putting you at risk of Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer if it’s not treated.

Lifestyle Adjustments

Depending on the frequency and severity of your heartburn, there are a number of lifestyle adjustments you can make that can help provide relief

significant number of years (as many as 10 years), you typically will have to pay a surrender charge (which can be as high as 9 percent of your purchase payments) if you withdraw funds from the new annuity. Further, the new annuity may have higher annual fees and charges than the old annuity, which will reduce your returns.

Caution: If you are thinking about a 1035 exchange, you should compare both annuities carefully. Unless you plan to hold the new annuity for a significant amount of time, you may be better off keeping the old annuity because the new annuity typically will impose a new surrender charge period. (Remember - exchanging your original variable annuity contract for a new annuity contract generally is considered a withdrawal.) Also, if you decide to do a 1035 exchange, you should talk to your financial professional or tax adviser to make sure the exchange will be tax free. If you surrender the old annuity for cash and then buy a new annuity you will have to pay tax on the surrender.

Other Tax Considerations

Other investment vehicles, such as IRAs and employer-sponsored 401(k) plans, also may provide you with

and avoid a more serious problem down the road, such as:

· Avoid trigger foods: Some foods can trigger heartburn symptoms like citrus fruits, tomatoes, fatty foods, chocolate, garlic, onions, spicy foods, mints, alcohol, coffee and sodas. You should keep a food diary to track which foods cause you the most problems and avoid them.

· Eat smaller, slower and earlier: Smaller portions at mealtime and eating slower can help reduce heartburn symptoms. You should also wait at least three hours after eating before lying down or going to bed.

· Lose weight: Having excess weight around the midsection puts pressure on the abdomen, pushing up the stomach and causing acid to back up into the esophagus.

· Quit smoking: Smoking

tax-deferred growth and other tax advantages. For most investors, it will be advantageous to make the maximum allowable contributions to IRAs and 401(k) plans before investing in a variable annuity.

In addition, if you are investing in a variable annuity through a tax-advantaged retirement plan (such as a 401(k) plan or IRA), you will get no additional tax advantage from the variable annuity. Under these circumstances, consider buying a variable annuity only if it makes sense because of the annuity’s other features, such as lifetime income payments and death benefit protection. The tax rules that apply to variable annuities can be complicated; before investing, you may want to consult a tax adviser about the tax consequences to you of investing in a variable annuity.

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 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

can increase stomach acid and weaken the valve that prevents acid from entering the esophagus.

· Sleep elevated: To help keep the acid down while sleeping, get a wedgeshaped pillow to prop yourself up a few inches. If that’s not enough, try elevating the head of your bed six to eight inches by placing blocks under the bedposts or insert a wedge between your mattress and box spring. Wedges are available at drugstores and medical supply stores. Sleeping on the left side may also help keep the acid down.

Treatment Options

If the lifestyle adjustments don’t solve the problem, or if antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta or AlkaSeltzer) aren’t doing the trick, there are a variety of over the counter (OTC) and prescription medications that can help, including:

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 you, both during your lifetime, and at the time of passing. The Power of Attorney documents allow you to designate those agents whom you

H-2 Blockers: Available as both OTC and prescription strength, these drugs (Pepcid, Tagamet, Axid and Zantac) reduce how much acid your stomach makes but may not be strong enough for serious symptoms.

Proton-Pump

Inhibitors (PPI): If you have frequent and severe heartburn symptoms PPIs are long-acting prescription medications that block acid production and allow time for damaged esophageal tissue to heal. They include Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Zegerid, Protonix, Aciphex and Dexilant. Prevacid, Nexium, Prilosec and Zegerid are also available OTC. But be aware that long-term use of PPIs can increase your risk for osteoporosis and chronic kidney disease.

If the medications aren’t enough, there are also surgical procedures that can tighten or strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter so gastric fluids can’t wash back up into the esophagus.

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.

Selected information in this column has been taken with permission by Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc., from the Colorado Senior Law Handbook, 2020 Edition (Chapter 17: Annuities, Rebecca L. Franciscus, Esq.), which is a copyrighted publication and may be accessed and downloaded for free at: www.cobar.org/Forthe-Public/Senior-Law-Handbook. A

Donald Glenn Peterson, Esq.

PARK MEADOWS SUMMER SUNSET SERIES

Thursdays, 4- 9 p.m. AUG. 10, AUG. 24.

Enjoy a summer sunset stroll in the Vistas at Park Meadows with a cocktail in hand, live music, shopping, photo ops, activities for kids and a chance to win a summer get away.

CENTRAL CITY OPERA ROMEO & JULIET

William Shakespeare’s famous love story told through the romantic melodies of Charles Gounod. Performances Aug. 2, 4 at 7 p.m. Buy tickets from centralcityopera.org

PARIS STREET MARKET

AUG. 5, SEPT. 2, OCT. 7 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Aspen Grove, 7301 S. Santa Fe Dr., Littleton. Open-Air, Vintage, Boutique, Artisan.

SHINING STARS FOUNDATION

EVENT

AUG. 5 at the home of Arlene Mohler Johnson in Cherry Hills Village. 5-9 p.m. Presentation of the “Life is Looking Up” award to honor the legacy of Gerry McKenna and Noel Cunningham - great supporters of the Shining Stars Foundation. Honory Chair: Judi McKenna, Arlene Mohler Johnson & Michael Ditchfield. Event Chairs: Holly Reef, Chris Gunplay, Julie Stovroff, L& Robin Brown. Tickets: https:// secure. give lively.org/event/shining-starsfoundation/starry-starry-night. Valet parking by Rocky Mountain Valet. All proceeds benefit pediatric cancer patients & their families.

COLORADO FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN DISTRICT 4 & 6 MEETING

Aug. 5 – 11:30am. Come to hear The Honorable Rose Pugliese, Colorado State House Assistant Minority Leader tell us what happened at the last Legislative Session. Location Double Tree Hotel – I-25 and Orchard. Contact Evie Ashmore 303-746-4608 for registration information.

59th ANNUAL COLORADO

SCOTTISH FESTIVAL

AUG. 5-6. Sat. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 9 am.-5 p.m. at Denver Polo Club, 6359 Airport Road, Sedalia. Discover aspects of Scottish culture, traditions and history. The festival offers something for all cultures and every age group. Experience the exciting sports of polo also. Festival Website: http://www.scottishgames. org. Tickets/Parking: https://scottishgames. tickets-ice.com/admissions. Sponsors: St. Andrew Society of Colo., SCFD, Renaissance Scots, Denver Polo Club, Belhaven Scotch Ale, Edrington Brands, Scottish Kings Gin.

17 MILE HOUSE OPEN HOUSE

SAT. AUG. 12, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Learn about the property’s dairy history (1880-1950). Visit the milking parlor in the barn, milk house, and butter churn display. Make and taste your own butter! FREE event, but registration is required. Visit: arapahoegov.coCentennial.

95th WESTERN WELCOME WEEK

EVENTS AUG. 11-20

AUG. 11, Concert & laser show 5:30-10 p.m.

AUG. 12- 9:30 a.m. Gold Panning on the South Platte Park. l6:30-9:30 p.m. Fishing Derby by the Littleton Elks for the children. AUG. 12, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Littleton Elks Car Show.

AUG. 12, 8-11:59 p.m. Perseids Meteor Shower to be viewed from Carson Nature center in South Platte Park.

AUG. 13 - 8 a.m. Pancake Stampede 5K Fun Run & Walk last Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton.

Aug. 13, 8-11 a.m. Pancake Breakfast at the Geneva Lodge Lawn at the Littleton Center.

AUG. 15, 6-7 p.m. Hawk-Quest’s Family Night Out at Carson Nature Center in South Platte Park.

AUG. 15, 6-8:30 p.m., RiverPointe Senior Living Swing Dance with Zing, the Great Big Band.

AUG. 16, 4-8:30 p.m. Cycling Without Age Littleton-Rock and Roll Roundup at RiverPointe.

AUG 17, 5-6 pm. Historic Littleton’s Inc.’s Downtown Historic District Walking Tours. (Meet at the old courthouse on Littleton Blvd.)

AUG. 18, Opening of the Annual Quilt Show and used book sale at First Presbyterian Church of Littleton. Also the Elks Hometown Pig Roast and Dance at the Elks Lodge.

AUG. 19 10-11:30 a.m., Western Welcome Week Grand Parade. View the Craft and Home Improvement Fair on Downtown Littleton’s Main St. and adjoining streets.

AUG.19, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. A Day at the Elk’s Lodge. 12 noon to 4 p.m., The Honor Bell, a tribute for Colorado’s heroes to be held downtown.

AUG. 20, 12:00 noon -2:30 p.m., rubber duckies race along Little’s Creek, starting at the War Memorial Rose Garden.

AUG. 14-19, 10-5 p.m. “Home on the Range”

art show at Town Hall’s Stanton Gallery presented by the Littleton Fine Arts Guild. “Best of Colorado” also to be presented at the Depot Art Gallery, 2069 W. Powers Ave., Littleton.

CENTENNIAL UNDER THE STARS

AUGUST 12, 5-9 p.m. Centennial Center Park, 13050 E. Peakview Drive. Live music featuring Libelula and 6 Million Dollar band, Local vendors and food trucks, activities.

DENVER LYRIC OPERA GUILD DLOG

SUMMER PARTY

AUGUST 12. A French-themed Luncheon at Columbine Country Club. Tickets available at the DLOG website in mid-June. SAVE THE DATE!

DOUGLAS COUNTY REPUBLICAN

WOMEN

LINCOLN DAY PICNIC

AUGUST 19. 11:00 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Wiens Ranch. Couples $60.

CANCER LEAGUE 5K RUN & WALK

SUNDAY, AUG. 20. 27th Annual Race 4 Research at Washington Park. Register www. cancerleague.org or call 303-281-9864.

PUBLIC HEARING FOR SOUTH

SUBURBAN 2024 BUDGET

AUG. 23, SEPT. 27, OCT. 4 Provide input on projects and priorities. Meetings to be held in the Board Room at the Sports Complex (4810 E. County Line Rd., Littleton. Info: Call 303-7985131. Mon.-Fri from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

5K ARAPAHOE COUNTY TRAIL RUN

THURS., AUG. 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Begin at Tagawa Gardens and run along the Cherry Creek Regional Trail. Funds support trail maintenance and Arapahoe County Open Spaces. Includes dinner, craft beer or sports drink, and live music at the finish line. Walkers and all ages welcome. Details: arapahoecountyeventcenter.com/5ktrailseries

CANCER LEAGUE OF COLORADO

OVER THE EDGE

SEPT. 7-9. Join in the fight against cancer by

repelling down McGregor Square. Registration now open for 2023. www.cancerleague.org or Call 303-281-9864.

TAPS: TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS WESTERN-THEMED GALA

SEPT. 9 at Wings Over the Rockies. Founders, Lynne and Bo Cottrell, in 2005 will be honored. The Cottrell’s will be stepping down as directors of the event. The event raises funds for military survivors. Featuring country legend Pam Tillis and singer/songwriter Gary Morris. Also a special performance by Frank Moscato, an American Idol Gold Ticket winner. INFO: visit TAPS.org/Colorado

MS. COLORADO SENIOR AMERICA

- QUEEN’S TEA

SUN, SEPT 10, 2 p.m. -5 p.m. At Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Course, Antero Ballroom. It will be a fun afternoon of sipping tea and tasting the delights of an assortment of finger sandwiches, canapés, appetizers, and desserts. You will be entertained by the Ms. Colorado Senior America Pageant Queen 2023 Joanie Ryan and club members including the dance group, The Bella Donna’s! Silent auction and Live auction! This is an annual fundraiser that should not be missed. For tickets contact Cyndy Oberdier at: 720-217-3560 colosramerica.com

AUTHORS HALL OF FAME DINNER

SEPT. 11 at the Double Tree Hilton DTC. 12 New Inductees. For the list of all inductees, and tickets to attend the gala visit ColoradoAuthorsHallofFame.org

CHERRY CREEK REPUBLICAN

WOMEN

Cherry Creek Republican Women are taking a break from monthly meetings for July and August. Programs resume on Sept. 12. Contact Evie Ashmore at 303-746-4608 for information.

CHALK ART FESTIVAL

SAT., SEPT. 16, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at The Streets at SouthGlenn, 6851 S. Vine St. Watch local artists create sidewalk masterpieces using only chalk and their imaginations. Shopping, live music featuring Some Sweet Day, Family Activities, outdoor concert.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CENTER GALA

SAT., SEPT. 16, Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. Live Music, Auction, Dancing, Casino Gaming. “The Nacho Men” presented by 5 Star Talent & Entertainment. Tickets: MSCenter. org/gala

CITY OF AURORA WARD VI TOWN HALL MEETING

SEPT. 20, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club. Hosted by Council Member Franchise Bergan. Info: Call 303-739-7015 or visit AuroraGov.org/ TownMeetings

RODEO ALL STAR RODEO COMPETITION

OCT. 6-7. NEW Denver dates. Three rodeo competitions and a Friday night All-Star Concert.. Also the RAS Mutton Bustin’’ Sheep Stampede. Registration open. Tickets: rodeoallstar.com

WHAT’S NEW? Break Bread LOOKING FOR

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteer to serve two warm, freshly cooked meals each week. Options include food prep, serving meals, walking meals to neighbors close by driving meals stop families without transportation access, or hosting a table. Call 720-335-5525 or sign up online at breakbread.org/volunteer. Check them out on Wednesday evenings for to-go meals or Sat. evenings from 4-6 p.m. at 5894 S. Datura St., Littleton. Money donations are also needed for the 400 meals provided every week. $145 feeds a family of 4 twice a week for a month. $1750 nourishes 1 table once a week for an entire year.