Elbert county news 1010

Elbert Co 10-10-2013

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October 10, 2013 75 centsA Colorado Community Media Publication

Elbert County, Colorado • Volume 118, Issue 37

Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.

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County mill levy increase: Yes or no?Ballot question seeking to raise property taxes flies under radarBy George [email protected]

In early September, county commission-ers gave final approval to ballot language for a proposed property tax mill levy increase. But a month before Election Day, not many folks around the county seem to be aware of the proposed tax hike.

An informal poll conducted Oct. 2 asked 25 county residents if they were aware of the proposed mill levy increase. Only two answered yes, and both were county em-ployees.

“I don’t know anything about it,” said Susan Troidl, who lives in Overland Estates outside Elizabeth. “But then I’m not a big political person. I think we need to get rid of everybody and start anew. I think there’s a lot of dead weight in our county govern-ment.”

Joshua McCarthey, a Kiowa resident, also had not heard about the proposed tax increase. “Where I come from in the Texas hill country, all the little towns are broke,” he said. “I’m not against raising taxes if that’s the only way to pay for keeping up the roads.”

At the September special meeting, Com-missioner Kurt Schlegel warned that the county was running out of money. “This is very serious,” he said. “We’re circling the drain.”

Hot-button issueTax increases of any kind tend to be a

hot-button issue in a conservative county where two of three county commissioners have a direct connection to the Tea Party — Board Chair Robert Rowland founded the Elbert County chapter, and Schlegel’s wife is its current president.

But Schlegel and Rowland ultimately supported the proposed mill levy hike, ar-guing that it was necessary to bolster the county’s anemic coffers and continue fund-ing critical public-safety services.

The county is currently facing an es-timated $194,000 shortfall in anticipated 2013 General Fund revenues and has al-ready instituted a number of cost-cutting measures including layoffs, pay cuts and the reduction of the work week for county employees from 40 to 36 hours.

Adding insult to injury, the county has just $20,000 in emergency reserve funds and county officials must also figure out a way to pay for at least $291,000 in projected new — and yet unbudgeted — expenses that will come due in 2014, outlays related, in part, to shoring up the county’s decaying infrastructure and hiring sorely needed ad-ditional county employees.

Officials warn of cutsBoth Rowland and Schlegel have warned

that if voters do not approve the mill levy in-crease, significant and immediate cuts will have to be made in county services, includ-ing decreased funding of both public safety (police and fire) and road maintenance.

“In 2009 the county receipts were $9.6 million and in fiscal 2012 those receipts had fallen to $7.4 million — a drop of over

Levy continues on Page 14

Veterans memorial taking shapeProject entirely funded by public contributionsBy George [email protected]

“Bricks of honor” will soon be laid on a star-shaped platform poured last week at the Elizabeth Veterans Memorial.

Located just past the entrance to the Elizabeth Cemetery, the Veterans Memo-rial project is a community effort and has been under construction for nearly a year.

“We came up with the idea last Sep-tember,” said Bill Mansell, who on the morning of Oct. 2 was helping pour con-crete at the site. “We didn’t have any sort of veterans memorial here in Elizabeth, so some of us got together and decided it was time to change that. It took some time, but we finally got the Elizabeth Cemetery Board to donate the piece of ground for the project and we’ve been building on it ever since.”

“My father was a veteran and a lot of my friends served in the military,” Man-sell said, pausing for a minute to compose himself, and then apologizing because “I get emotional just talking about it.”

“For me,” he added, speaking softly and slowly, “our veterans are very impor-tant. They’re the reason we have the free-dom to do things like this. They need to be recognized.”

Mansell is one of four Elizabeth Veter-ans Memorial board members, volunteers who have spent hundreds of hours so far on what is clearly a labor of love — and honor.

Built on a 5,000-square-foot parcel lo-cated at the northeast corner of the ceme-tery, the monument has been 100 percent funded by donations from area residents and businesses.

The still-evolving memorial features a set of tall flagpoles and a statue of an eagle perched atop a 6-foot-tall, curved white wall displaying five, 14-inch bronze me-morial service plaques.

Artifacts insideBefore the wall was stuccoed over, one

Vietnam veteran placed inside several ar-ticles from his tour of duty; another man put his father’s Korean War-era dog tags inside the wall.

Last week, Mansell and a half-dozen others worked in the bright 70-degree sunshine, putting the finishing touches on the “pentagon” — a star-shaped con-crete pad upon which a series of memo-rial walls, the project’s centerpiece, will be

laid brick by “honor” brick.To help finance the project, the group

is selling bricks for $150 each. Each will be inscribed with information about a vet-eran. When finished, the memorial walls will contain 275 bricks, honoring 275 vet-erans.

“So far we’ve sold about 90 bricks,” said Mansell, who lives adjacent to the cemetery and works as a welder or run-ning heavy equipment. In the summer of 2012, he and Lance Homer, the project’s board chair, “started throwing some ideas around” for a veterans memorial.

“We’d been talking about doing some-thing like this for a long time,” said Hom-er, a Vietnam veteran who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and uses oxygen and a wheelchair to get around.

“One day Bill and I started mapping out the project in some sawdust on my garage floor,” Homer explained. “Then Bill built a scale model, we made some drawings and then things just sort of took off from there.”

Companies pitch inBricks for the wall are being engraved

Volunteer Frank Carnesi smooths concrete on Sept. 2 on the pentagon base that will serve as the foundation for the bricks of honor. Photos by George Lurie

Elizabeth Veterans Memorial board member Bill Mansell stands at the site.

Memorial continues on Page 14

2 Elbert County News October 10, 2013

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State money is big help for libraries In the 2013 legislative session,

the Colorado Legislature included an appropriation of $2 million in the state’s budget to fund the State Grants to Libraries Act. The funds will be available to eligible publicly funded school, public and academ-ic libraries to fund grants for library materials as defi ned in the statute (see CRS 24-90-401). The purpose of the funds, as designated by the Joint Budget Committee, is for edu-cational materials in libraries that support or enhance opportunities for early literacy and early learning.

In Elbert County, this means that we will see close to $20,000 com-ing in to our county. All fi ve school districts — Agate, Big Sandy, Elbert, Elizabeth and Kiowa — will receive the minimum distribution of $3,000 each, while the public library will receive closer to $5,500.

I have been very excited to learn about this additional money com-ing into our county since the budget

was fi nalized at the end of the last legislative session. During a time when all of us have had to make re-ductions to our materials purchases for libraries, this additional funding is most welcome. At Elbert County Library District, it means close to an 8 percent increase in our budget for books and other library materi-als. District staff plan to spend the money on additional educational videos and easy reader and chapter books, which are popular parts of our collections.

For the Agate school district, serving less than 50 students total

in kindergarten through fi fth grade, it means being able to purchase 10 times the number of materials that they did this past school year. I spoke with Agate Superintendent Kendra Ewing, and she said that the students enjoy their library and use it frequently, but that she has not been able to add books to the col-lection in recent years due to fund-ing constraints.

Early literacy and early child-hood education are a cornerstone of our libraries throughout Elbert County. Many studies and reports indicate that reading readiness — pre-literacy skills gained before a child enters kindergarten — and third-grade reading scores are two of the best indicators of a student’s success throughout school.

Along with materials to sup-port early literacy, we host several programs at our libraries. We host weekly story times in Elizabeth, Kio-wa, and Simla. This fall we launched

1000 Books Before Kindergarten, a program that encourages parents to read to their children to help increase learning preparedness. At the Elizabeth Library, Wonder-ful Wednesdays feature a different topic on the fi rst Wednesday of each month, with a display and books re-lated to each theme.

The paperwork to receive the money has been fi led, and librar-ies can purchase materials between now and June 2014. Visit your lo-cal library, encourage your child to check out an extra book from school — we are pleased to be able to put more resources in the hands of our youth!

Kari May lives in Elizabeth and is the director of the Elbert County Library District. She can be con-tacted through the library at [email protected]. Visit the library at www.elbert-countylibrary.org.

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Elbert County News 3 October 10, 2013

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Costs uncertain in 51st-state ideaSecession might leave urban areas better offBy Burt HubbardI-News at Rocky Mountain PBS

Colorado could stand to benefit finan-cially and would see some improvement in the educational and economic standings of its remaining citizens if 10 northeastern counties should make good on their threat to secede and carve out a new state of North Colorado.

By those measures, Colorado’s attitude might be: Have fun out there, new state!

But what’s left of Colorado would also lose half of its lucrative oil wells, much of its prime farmland and some of the lowest crime areas in the state.

By those measures, Colorado’s attitude might be: Can’t we just all get along?

In addition to the 10 northeast Colorado counties that have a secession vote on No-vember’s ballot, Moffat County in far north-west Colorado also will vote on whether to leave. But Moffat apparently wants to be-come Baja Wyoming.

I-News at Rocky Mountain PBS ana-lyzed census, budget, crime and voter re-cords to develop profiles of a new 51st state and a truncated Colorado. Suffice it to say, Colorado would no longer be considered a square state. And, of course, neither would Wyoming, with its new Moffat County pan-handle.

Residents of the 11 counties will decide next month whether to start the fraught-with-difficulty political journey to leave Colorado and, in the case of the northeast counties, become a new state. West Virginia was the last state to manage such a separa-tion, in 1863, during the Civil War, a move validated solely by a proclamation from President Lincoln, according to a state web-site.

It isn’t that easy today. One impediment: Colorado and both house of the U.S. Con-gress would have to agree.

But proponents of secession said rural Coloradans are tired of having unpopular laws like stronger gun control and manda-tory alternative energy standards forced on them by a Front Range-dominated state Legislature.

“What has happened is the urbanization of America has disenfranchised the rural population,” said Jeffrey Hare, one of the organizers of the 51st State Initiative.

Bills caused angerJohn Straayer, political science professor

at Colorado State University, said bills from the last legislative session appear to have aroused animosity toward the legislature.

“In terms of the immediate trigger, guns and probably SB 252 (requiring use of al-ternative energy resources),” Straayer said. “They allege that it is more than that, not being treated properly by the Legislature on

a variety of issues for a long time.”The eventual exodus, if the constitu-

tional minefield could be navigated, would create a North Colorado of about 336,000 people, supplanting Wyoming as the least populous state in the U.S. It would leave Colorado with about 4.7 million residents, dropping it to the 23rd most populous state behind Alabama.

One of the key questions is the financial viability of a new state and its impact on the remainder of Colorado.

Financially, state government in Colo-rado would probably come out ahead if the 11 counties left, according to I-News estimates of how much revenue the state receives from the counties compared to ex-penditures there.

The counties generate between $360 million and $400 million yearly for the state in sales tax, state income tax and the state’s share of vehicle registration fees. That ac-counts for about three-fourths of the reve-nue Colorado receives from those counties each year from taxes and fees.

Extrapolating forward, that would be the equivalent of between $500 million and $560 million in revenue lost to the state from the 11 counties.

On the other side of the ledger, the state spends about $520 million in the 11 coun-ties for K-12 school funding, incarcerat-ing criminals from the counties, providing Medicaid, running the courts and the state’s share of running one university and three community colleges.

Those costs equal about 84 percent of the state’s overall general fund spending in the secession-voting counties. Extrapo-lating forward, that would come to total spending of about $620 million.

Bottom line: Colorado spends between about $60 million and $120 million or more per year in the 11 counties than the revenue it receives.

“There’s still a lot of (state) money com-ing back to these counties,” said Brian Le-wandowski, economist with the Leeds Busi-ness School at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

By comparison, a similar analysis of Denver showed the county provides more tax and fee revenue to the state than it gets back in state funding for programs.

“You’ve got densely populated areas where there is a lot of wealth like Denver County and Douglas County,” said Lewan-dowski.

Figures in disputeHowever, advocates of secession dis-

agree with the I-News analysis and point to their own report that shows the coun-ties break even with state government on spending and revenue.

The differences between the two analy-ses involved spending figures on K-12 edu-cation, revenue from the state income tax and severance taxes from oil and gas devel-opment.

Gov. John Hickenlooper’s office had no comment on what financial impact the se-

cession would have on Colorado.The I-News analysis did not examine

how much money the counties currently receive directly from oil and gas operations. That’s money that would help run a new state.

More than half of Colorado’s oil and gas wells would reside in the new state, mostly in Weld.

“It’s pretty amazing the amount of dol-lars that it generates,” Lewandowsk said.

Weld County alone gets 55 percent of its property tax revenue from exploration. That has resulted in a current $100 million county contingency fund and no debt, said Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway, a leading proponent of secession who pre-viously was chief of staff to former U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo.

During the recent flooding, the county was able to reopen its roads on its own. “We’ve done this on our own,” Conway said. “We haven’t got help from the state.”

Not all politicians in Weld County want to secede. Tom Norton, the mayor of Gree-ley and former Republican president of the state Senate, wrote in a column in The Greeley Tribune last summer that, while some state decisions have hurt rural Colo-rado, collaboration with the state, not se-cession, is the solution.

Demographically and politically, the two states — North Colorado and Colorado —

A tractor motors past cornfields recently near Eaton in Weld County, which has been the epicenter of a movement to form a 51st state from 10 northeastern Colorado counties. Photo by I-News at Rocky Mountain PBS

State continues on Page 4


4

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Office: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129PhOne: 303-566-4100A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERI-ODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing offices.POSTMASTeR: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129DeADLineS: Display advertising: Thurs. 11 a.m.Legal advertising: Thurs. 11 a.m.classified advertising: Mon. 12 p.m.

elbert county news(USPS 171-100)

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would look quite different, the I-News analysis showed.

North Colorado would be predomi-nantly Republican, with the fifth highest ratio of Republicans to Democrats in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Democrats in Colorado would outnumber Republicans for the first time in years.

“We would have a red state and a blue state,” Straayer said.

Education disparityThe would-be exiting counties are gen-

erally poorer and less educated than the rest of Colorado, according to Census data. College education levels in North Colorado would be on par with those of Tennessee and Oklahoma, while college graduation rates would rise in Colorado to the second highest in the nation.

North Colorado would have among the lowest crime rates in the nation, ranking from fifth to 11th lowest among states for rape, robbery, burglary and car theft.

Colorado’s overall crime rates would go up, with motor vehicle theft rates almost three times higher than those of the 51st state.

North Colorado would have a higher percentage of families among its house-holds, be younger on average and have a higher percentage of Latinos.

In fact, the new state would have the sixth highest percentage of Hispanics in the U.S. But its black population would only be about 1 percent, the fifth lowest in the U.S.

And then, of course, there are the issues of marijuana and tornadoes.

Legal pot would stop at old Colorado’s borders. About half of the state’s tornados touch down every year in the counties that would leave Colorado.

Even if approved by the counties in-volved, secession would appear to remain a long shot, as it would require both Colo-rado and federal approval.

State ratification could come in a citi-zens’ initiative — such as the one that le-galized recreational marijuana — in a re-ferred ballot measure from the legislature, or in an act of the legislature, said Richard Collins, professor at the University of Col-orado School of Law.

If that happened, it would then need approval by both houses of Congress.

In the meantime, the effort has drawn national publicity and its share of political

quips.Last month, when Hickenlooper was

looking at flood damage in Julesburg, which would be part of the new state, he assured officials there that all Colorado would be working together to overcome the disaster, before quipping, “then you all can get back to seceding.”

And Conway could not resist a dig at his two least favorite counties when talking about interest in secession being voiced

elsewhere — including in some counties not involved in the current effort.

“When we’re done, we might be voting Denver and Boulder off the island.”

I-News is the public service journalism arm of Rocky Mountain PBS and collaborates with news outlets across Colorado. To read more, go to inewsnetwork.org. Contact se-nior reporter Burt Hubbard at [email protected].

Continued from Page 3

State

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5

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First Presbyterian Church of Littleton

1609 W. Littleton Blvd.(303) 798-1389 • www.fpcl.org

P.O. Box 2945—Parker CO 80134-2945www.ParkerCCRS.org

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Littleton

ParkerParker

Lone Tree

Franktown

Englewood

Hilltop United Church Of Christ

10926 E. Democrat Rd. Parker, CO

10am Worship Service www.hilltopucc.org

303-841-2808

Little Blessings Day Carewww.littleblessingspdo.com

First UnitedMethodist Church

1200 South StreetCastle Rock, CO 80104

303.688.3047www.fumccr.org

Services:Saturday 5:30pm

Sunday 8am, 9:30am, 11amSunday School 9:15am

Sunday Worship 10:304825 North Crowfoot Valley Rd.Castle Rock • canyonscc.org

303-663-5751

An EvangelicalPresbyterian Church

“Loving God - Making A Difference”A place for you worship Time

Welcome Home!Weaving Truth

and Relevance into Relationships and Life

9:00am Spiritual Formation Classes for all Ages

90 east orchard roadlittleton, co

303 798 6387www.gracepointcc.us

10:30AM sundays

To advertise your place of worship in this section, call 303-566-4091 or email [email protected].

GR AC E PR E S B Y T E R IA N

303-798-8485

w w w.gracecolorado.comAlongside One Another On Life’s Journey

Sundays at10:00 am

Grace is on the NE Corner of SantaFe Dr. & Highlands Ranch Pkwy.

(Across from Murdochs)

You are invitedto worship with us:

Saturday 5:30pm

Sunday 8:00 & 10:30am

Joyful Mission Preschool 303-841-37707051 East Parker Hills Ct. • Parker, CO

303-841-3739www.joylutheran-parker.org

JoyLUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA

Education Hour: Sunday 9:15am

S E r v i C E S :Parker evangelical

Presbyterian churchConnect – Grow – Serve

Sunday Worship8:45 am & 10:30 am

9030 Miller roadParker, Co 80138

303-841-2125www.pepc.org

60 W Littleton Blvd, Unit 101Littleton CO 80120

303 523 7332

Acts 2:38

Additional Meeting Times:Friday 6:30 pm PrayerSaturday 10:30 am—12:00 noonOpen Church (Fellowship/Canvassing)

Sunday School 9:00 am(for children and adults)

Morning Worship Service 10:30 amEvening Worship Service 6:30 pmBreakfast 8:15 am Prayer 6:00 pm

Bible Study 7:00 pmPrayer 5:45 pm Dinner 6:15 pm

Sunday Worship: 10:45AM & 6PMBible Study: 9:30AM

Children, Young People & Adults

www.parkerbiblechurch.org

4391 E Mainstreet, Parker, Colorado 80134

Church Office – (303) 841-3836

Where people are excited about God’s Word.Bible Study on The HarbingerAt 4200 South Acoma, Englewood

6pm Wednesday nights starting September 11th-October 16th

303-912-5939

Victory FellowshipSunday Worship - 10:00am

Bible Study immediately followingWednesday Bible Study - 7:30pm

Currently meeting at:9220 Kimmer Drive, Suite 200

Lone Tree 80124303-688-9506

www.LoneTreeCoC.com

Lone TreeChurch of Christ

CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVINGAffiliated with United Church of Religious Science

Sunday Services 10 a.m.Castle Rock Recreation Center

2301 Woodlands Blvd, Castle Rockwww.OurCenterforSpiritualLiving.org 720-851-0265

Marijuana tax no shoo-in Opponents claim levy could drive buyers back to black market By Kristen Wyatt Associated Press

Marijuana sellers and growers in Colora-do joke that it’s rare for an industry to seek a tax on its own product — in their case, a 25 percent tax rate that goes before voters next month.

Republicans, Democrats and large dis-pensary owners agree the taxes will boost state revenues and pay for the nation’s fi rst intense state oversight of the recreational pot business.

But not everyone is happy about the proposed sales and excise taxes, which, if approved, would go into effect when sales begin on Jan. 1.

A few dozen marijuana activists have banded together to oppose the tax rates, saying they’re too high and will keep peo-ple in the black market. They’ve organized three joint giveaways, events that don’t vio-late state law as long as the joints are free and recipients are over 21.

Their protests have been spirited. At a Denver joint giveaway last week, activists jeered dispensary owners who support the tax and even Democratic Gov. John Hick-enlooper, who attended a $1,000-a-person fundraiser to support the tax campaign.

“If we overtax it, just watch. The whole thing’s going to collapse and the black mar-

ket isn’t going anywhere,” said Larisa Boli-var, a former dispensary owner in Denver and executive director of the campaign against the tax measure.

If approved, Colorado pot taxes would be lower than taxes on tobacco but more than taxes on alcohol. Tobacco has a 34 percent excise tax. Colorado excise taxes for alcohol are 8 cents per gallon for beer, 7.33 cents per liter for wine, and 60 cents per li-ter for liquor.

The Nov. 5 ballot measure includes a 15 percent excise tax and an initial 10 percent sales tax. State enforcement has been esti-mated to cost about $7 million.

Still, all sides agree that there’s no way to know what the marijuana tax rate should be. Economists can only guess what pot us-ers are paying now and how much they’d pay to shop in a regulated store, not grow their own or shop on the black market.

Economists at Colorado State Univer-sity have warned the taxes may not raise enough money to pay for the state’s pro-posed enforcement scheme.

In an April report, Colorado State’s Col-orado Futures Center predicted the rates won’t make a big difference in the state

budget. The forecasters used a higher rate than the one proposed to voters — a 30 per-cent combined sales and excise tax — and put the post-legalization price at $185 an ounce, including taxes.

They said that marijuana demand may not spike just because it’s legal, depressing a possible tax windfall.

“Revenue from marijuana taxes will con-tribute little or nothing to the state’s general fund,” the report concluded.

“There are likely to be offsetting effects of those attracted to marijuana or inclined to consume larger quantities because it is now legal and those who lose interest in marijuana now that the `forbidden fruit’ aspect of marijuana use is eliminated.”

Washington state, the only other place in the U.S. that has legalized recreational pot, will tax retail pot at 75 percent. That rate was included in the ballot measure voters there approved last year.

Colorado’s rate requires separate voter approval because of state tax law. Up to $40 million in excise tax is designated for school construction, with the rest designated for marijuana enforcement.

The architects of Colorado’s marijuana

amendment insist the taxes are fair. They pointed to a recent U.S. Department of Justice memo that makes clear states need vigorous pot enforcement to avoid federal intervention.

“The country is looking at us, and we have an obligation to create the greatest regulatory scheme we can,” said Rick Rid-der, a political consultant who attended this week’s fundraiser.

They also point out that most folks don’t use marijuana, so voters need an incentive to approve the drug that doesn’t relate to their personal use.

“It’s one of the primary reasons people support marijuana, to get the tax revenue to take this product out of the hands of cartels,” said Brian Vicente, a lawyer who helped write the legalization measure.

Some lawmakers this spring feared that Coloradans would reject a tax measure, leaving the state with a hefty tab for enforc-ing pot sales but little cash to pay for it.

Despite the debate, the campaigns for and against taxes won’t be too visible to most.

Campaign fi nance reports fi led with the state show the pro-tax side with just about $10,000 raised by the end of September. Those numbers don’t include the recent fundraiser but likely won’t allow television advertising, campaign managers said.

Pot tax opponents had less than $2,000 by the end of last month. That fi gure doesn’t include an important “in-kind” donation — hundreds of free joints protesters say have been donated by an anonymous supporter. Protesters plan to keep handing out the joints until the vote Nov. 5.

‘If we overtax it, just watch. The whole thing’s going to collapse and the black market isn’t going anywhere.’

Larisa Bolivar, former dispensary owner


6-Opinion

opinions / yours and ours

Elbert County News Colorado Community Media9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 Phone 303-566-4100 • Fax 303-566-4098

gerard healey President and Publisher

Chris rotar Editor

sCott gilBert Assistant Editor

erin addenBrooke Advertising Director

audrey Brooks Business Manager

sCott andrews Creative Services Manager

sandra arellano Circulation Director

ron ‘MitCh’ MitChell Sales Executive

Columnists and guest commentariesThe Elbert County News features a limited number

of regular columnists, found on these pages and else-where in the paper, depending on the typical subject the columnist covers. Their opinions are not necessar-ily those of the Elbert County News.

Want your own chance to bring an issue to our read-ers’ attention, to highlight something great in our com-munity, or just to make people laugh? Why not write a letter of 300 words or fewer. Include your full name, ad-dress and the best number to reach you by telephone.

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After all, the News is your paper.

we’re in this togetherWe welcome event listings and other submissions. news and Business Press releases Please visit ourcoloradonews.com, click on the Press releases tab and follow easy instructions to make submissions.Calendar [email protected] notes [email protected] accomplishments, honor roll and dean’s list [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] subscribe call 303-566-4100

We love letters, but stay within linesIn an era in which readers are more

likely to post comments at the bottom of an online article or on a blog or on Face-book, we believe there is still a place for the good old-fashioned letter to the editor.

Unlike online commenting, letters to the editor must go through something of a vetting process before being published. Largely, this is in order to maintain a mea-sure of civility that, sadly, is often lacking online.

On our opinion pages, we aim to pro-vide a forum to stir community conversa-tion. We appreciate diversity of thought and do not pick which letters run or don’t run based on our viewpoint.

If you’re wondering why your letter wasn’t printed or are hoping to have one that is, read what follows. These do’s and don’ts will make the process easier for you and our editors.

Do:• Your homework. In other words, check

your facts. We have a small staff and can’t

do this for you. If you’re unsure of some-thing, look it up. If you include a nugget of information that is not widely known, include where you found that fact.

• Express your opinion. Tell us what you like or dislike. We particularly appreciate it when you comment on our articles and opinion pieces regarding local issues. But state, national and world issues are also on the table, if they are of relevance to our readers.

• Keep it short. Our policy calls for let-ters of 300 words or fewer. Sure, we try to be a little flexible, and from time to time, you might see a letter a little longer but still in the ballpark. If you must go way over the limit, it won’t run, at least not as a letter to the editor. Consider requesting a guest

column instead — but we have limited space for these.

• Email your letter to [email protected]. You can also email one of our editors, but it is more efficient to send your letters to the address specifically desig-nated for them.

• Let us know who you are. Include your full name, address and phone number with your letter. We won’t publish your digits, don’t worry. We just need to give you a call to make sure the letter was actually written by you. Yes, “letter-to-the-editor fraud” does happen.

Don’t:• Put words in someone’s mouth. You

can write in support — or opposition — of another person, such as a candidate for public office, but don’t assign any thoughts, opinions or actions to an indi-vidual that haven’t been publicly docu-mented. If you do so, we may consider it a news tip and investigate the validity of your claim, but we won’t run it as a letter to

the editor.• Buy a stamp. “Snail mail” isn’t efficient

when it comes to letters to the editor. As mentioned, we have a small staff and can’t take the time to retype your letter (which, we’re guessing, was written on a computer anyway). Email your letter to the address mentioned earlier. It will get to us faster, something you will appreciate if you want to see it published in the upcoming edition of the newspaper.

• Inundate us with letters. By this, we mean from one person. We want everyone to have their say, so don’t expect to see more than two of your letters printed in any given month.

• Be surprised if we edit for grammar or punctuation. We approach this very judiciously, however. A tip: DON’T WRITE IN ALL CAPS or use a lot of !!!

• Use profanity or call someone a word you wouldn’t use in front of your mother.

Your letters really do matter. We look forward to seeing more of them.

our view

What was the most unusual gift you got?People give gifts of all types, some mundane and some very different. Colorado Com-munity Media asked people in a variety of local locations about an unusual gift they had received.

“The most unexpected gift I ever received was several years ago at Christmas. I expected the usual gifts but my husband surprised me with a very nice camera and a vacation in Hawaii.”

— Cheryl Adamson, Englewood

“I have been thinking and I don’t think anyone has ever given me an unusual gift. I get gifts but they are pretty stock items like socks, shirts and ties.”

— Joe Sack, Highlands Ranch

“The most exciting gift I ever received was when my mother gave me a horse for Christmas when I was 13 or 14.”

— Vicky Gordon, Phoenix

“It was a shirt from my girlfriend that was wrapped in four boxes, in a bag and the shirt was folded up in a box. The shirt was nice and the wrapping made me laugh.”

— Victor Limon, Sheridan

question of the week In-between is really middle of nowhere

Some of you may remember the Gerry Rafferty song, “Stuck in the Middle,” and then again, since it was written and first performed in 1972 by Stealers Wheel, maybe there are more of you who don’t have a clue about what I am referring to.

That’s OK. The point is this: Are you stuck in the middle?

Are you in the middle of a project, the middle of a decision, the middle of a quar-rel, or just stuck in the middle of anything?

You see, it’s the middle that gets us. It’s not the “yeses” or the “noes” that derail us, it is the “maybes” that bring us the greatest frustration. It’s when we get paralyzed by indecision or suffer paralysis by analysis as we overthink each and every single thing we do.

You know what I mean, right? It’s that in-between stuff that really muddles the middle. Those “tweener” situations where we do not know if we are in or out, or on which side, or whose side we will fall. The real questions are why and how we find ourselves in this position.

Is it because we are over-accommodat-ing and work so hard at pleasing everyone that we find ourselves in the middle so that we do not offend anyone? And you know what happens when we are in a relation-ship, friendship, or partnership and both people strive to accommodate the other

person, it’s like ending up in a reverse arm wrestling match. Instead of strenuously trying to “push” our opponent’s hand to the table, both sides try and let the other person win and end up in an extreme game of tug of war as we “pull” our own hands toward our side of the table.

What are we afraid of? Are we fearful that we may make the wrong decision? Here’s the deal, we can make and will make a million wrong decisions in our life. But there is nothing we can ever do, within reason, that will torpedo our lives or our relationships or any business venture that we are pursuing that cannot be overcome as long as our decisions are in alignment with our values. And as Roy Disney said, “It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”

Prank is anonymous, but it leaves paper trail

The neighbors’ trees were toilet- papered last night. This is what is known as a prank.

What toilet-papering accomplishes I do not know. And I have never known if it is a malevolent exercise or not. Are the victims disliked or embraced? It could be just a way of letting someone know that you were thinking of them when you walked past the 12-rolls-half-off display.

It’s a fairly benign prank, and certainly doesn’t carry as much heft as, say, having your home and trees littered with mud or seafood. If you went out some morning and found hundreds of carp on your roof, that might hold much deeper implications.

How did this — toilet papering — get started? It is most commonly associated with Halloween and graduation, which are just about the same thing.

Maybe you know the story of the Fris-bee. In 1938 Fred Morrison and his future wife Lucile were offered a quarter for the cake pan they were tossing back and forth on the beach in Santa Monica, Calif.

At the time, cake pans were a nickel, so

Fred had an idea. I think you know exactly where this is going, so I will fast-forward to the first Frisbees, which were called Pluto Platters. The name was changed to Frisbee after Wham-O bought the rights, and it was learned that Northeastern college students were calling them Frisbies. The Frisbie Pie Co. was located in Bridgeport, Conn.

What began as a cake pan on the beach became a multimillion-dollar success, and a major American pastime and sport, for people and dogs of all ages.

Norton continues on Page 7

Marshall continues on Page 7


7-Color

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We love letters, but stay within lines the editor.

• Buy a stamp. “Snail mail” isn’t effi cient when it comes to letters to the editor. As mentioned, we have a small staff and can’t take the time to retype your letter (which, we’re guessing, was written on a computer anyway). Email your letter to the address mentioned earlier. It will get to us faster, something you will appreciate if you want to see it published in the upcoming edition of the newspaper.

• Inundate us with letters. By this, we mean from one person. We want everyone to have their say, so don’t expect to see more than two of your letters printed in any given month.

• Be surprised if we edit for grammar or punctuation. We approach this very judiciously, however. A tip: DON’T WRITE IN ALL CAPS or use a lot of !!!

• Use profanity or call someone a word you wouldn’t use in front of your mother.

Your letters really do matter. We look forward to seeing more of them.

D.C. should follow Colorado example As Congress wastes time in endless de-

bate over shutting down the government and allowing the nation to default on its debt, Coloradans are working together and recovering in the aftermath of unprece-dented fl ooding. The heroism and gener-osity we’re seeing in Colorado both dur-ing and after the fl ood is in stark contrast to the ideology and bluster coming out of Washington.

In Colorado, we had a year’s worth of rainfall in one day alone. It led to historic fl oods that caused unimaginable destruc-tion. The disaster damaged more than 18,000 homes, forced tens of thousands of Coloradans to evacuate, fl ooded hundreds of agricultural fi elds and pastures, and crippled infrastructure. Roughly 50 bridges and more than 200 miles of major road-ways were destroyed. In total, the fl ood-waters consumed more than 2,000 miles across 17 counties. Most tragic of all, we

lost nine lives.In the face of this tragedy and destruc-

tion we witnessed the resilience, courage, and selfl essness of Coloradans from across the state. It has been inspiring. From the fi rst responder who rescued Lyons resident Cheron Boland in the bucket of an excavator to the Boulder Flood Relief volunteers who have been going door-to-door helping homeowners shovel mud from their houses, we have seen Colora-

dans of all different ages, backgrounds, and beliefs pull together to overcome this tragedy.

In the small town of Jamestown, resi-dents who were cut off from the outside world pooled their resources to ensure that no one in their community went without food or shelter. They rigged a makeshift pulley system to carry food, medicine, and supplies to people stranded on the other side of Little James Creek and built im-promptu bridges with donated lumber. In Boulder, the University of Colorado foot-ball team swapped helmets for hairnets and served hot meals to fi rst responders and families who had been evacuated. In Greeley, local businesses organized a Fam-ily Fun Night for children who were forced to leave their homes, and in Miliken, a self-less farmer turned a fl oodgate valve to di-vert overfl owing waters away from homes and into his own crops.

These stories of teamwork and resil-ience are ones that politicians in Wash-ington would do well to follow. Congress has failed to pass a farm bill or take action to fi x our broken immigration system. It has not made progress on an energy plan or taken serious steps to improve our in-frastructure or education system. Now the debate has spiraled into a shouting match risking the full faith and credit of our country and we’ve had the fi rst shutdown of our government in 17 years.

When Coloradans faced a crisis they came together, rolled up their sleeves, and went to work. Washington should do the same and reach across the aisle to fi nd common-sense, middle-ground solutions on issues like immigra-tion and our debt and defi cit.

Democrat Michael Bennet has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2009.

In-between is really middle of nowhere

person, it’s like ending up in a reverse arm wrestling match. Instead of strenuously trying to “push” our opponent’s hand to the table, both sides try and let the other person win and end up in an extreme game of tug of war as we “pull” our own hands toward our side of the table.

What are we afraid of? Are we fearful that we may make the wrong decision? Here’s the deal, we can make and will make a million wrong decisions in our life. But there is nothing we can ever do, within reason, that will torpedo our lives or our relationships or any business venture that we are pursuing that cannot be overcome as long as our decisions are in alignment with our values. And as Roy Disney said, “It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”

It’s when we don’t put our stake in the ground and waffl e about everything we need to do that places us in a perpetual state of limbo and unable to move for-ward.

And we usually choose not to take a stand or make a decision because we are operating out of a mode of fear or scarcity

rather than a mode of growth or abun-dance.

What are you waiting for? What’s the big or even little decision that is holding you back? I would love to hear all about it at [email protected] and when we re-solve to leave the “tweener” in us behind, it really will be a better than good week.

Michael Norton, a resident of Highlands Ranch, is the former president of the Zig Ziglar organization and CEO and founder of www.candogo.com

Even though there is no money to be made in toilet-papering, I assume, it too has endured. It was going on when I was in grade school. Ike was in offi ce.

But it had to start somewhere. I picture one of two things. A workers’ riot at Char-min.

My father sold ball bearings, or more exactly, he sold the balls for ball bear-ings. They came in all sizes, and some of them, used as projectiles in a factory riot, could be mighty dangerous. And that’s exactly what happened, and the factory was closed.

But a workers’ riot at Charmin would be laughable. And that’s what might have happened. It went from a riot to a good time, and the hilarity went off-campus, and employees started to see their homes and trees being toilet-papered by co-work-ers, perhaps as a symbol of unity.

My other theory is that some of em-ployees got intoxicated, and on their lunch break took some rolls outside and began tossing them back and forth. The employ-ees tried to throw to each other, but half the time the toilet paper landed in the

trees and streamed down. Too drunk to clean up their mess, it was left.

It being homecoming weekend, some local high school kids thought it was Char-min’s way of saying “Go Mechanicsburg!” and a tradition was born.

Do you have a better idea?I have never been on either end — he

said — of toilet papering, but I am certain that the application is a lot more enjoyable than the removal.

I said that I assumed that there was no money to be made in toilet papering, but there is money to be made in almost anything. There could be TP hit squads for hire. If you are my age and wanted to TP the Waterhavens, you could just hire someone to do it for you.

It’s not a lot of fun to read the news today, is it? It’s very frustrating, adult-stuff, unfortunately. But I think we all can get a moment’s reprieve by seeing something as silly as a home that has been papered. For some reason, it has been passed along, generation to generation, and there is no end in sight.

Forgive me.

Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at [email protected]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Amendment 66 is wrong course

Referendum C set TABOR’s tax baseline at the highest amount collected between 2005 to 2010. Ref C’s big-spending advo-cates promised that its tax burden would last only fi ve years. But Coloradans still pay $1 billion each year.

Now our state wants Amendment 66, an additional $1 billion annually.

Rather than its ever-expanding bloated budget, the state should eliminate inef-fi ciencies and consolidate or privatize government functions.

Education consumes 37 percent of the budget, roughly $10,000 per pupil.

Still, despite billions of tax dollars spent

on education, pupil achievement remains essentially fl at.

Moreover, the state will impose more regulations, taking yet more control of their children’s schooling away from par-ents.

High taxes stifl e the economy, reduce the amount individuals have to spend, and limit the ability of businesses to expand or to maintain employee benefi ts.

Amendment 66 carries a $1 billion price tag that will grow every year.

Its goals cannot be measured. Colorado taxpayers deserve better.

Peg BradyCentennial


Marshall


Norton

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8-Life-Color

Flu vaccine widens range of protectionThis year’s treatment covers four strainsBy Lauran NeergaardAssociated Press

More children than ever got vaccinated against the flu last year, and health officials urged families to do even better this time around.

Far too many young and middle-aged adults still forgo the yearly protection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Sept. 26.

And this year, Americans have an un-precedented number of vaccine options to choose from: The regular shot; the nasal spray; an egg-free shot for those allergic to eggs; a high-dose shot just for those 65 and older; and a tiny-needle shot for the squea-mish. The bigger change: A small number of the regular flu shots, and all of the Flu-

Mist nasal vaccine, will protect against four strains of influenza rather than the tradi-tional three.

“There’s something for everyone this year,” said CDC’s Dr. Anne Schuchat.

A severe flu strain swept the country last winter, sparking a scramble for last-minute vaccinations. There’s no way to predict if this year will be as bad. But it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to take effect, so health officials say early fall — before flu begins spreading widely — is the best time to start immunizations.

“Now is the time to get vaccinated,” said Dr. Paul Biddinger of Massachusetts Gen-eral Hospital in Boston. “Don’t wait until it’s in your community.”

Boston declared a public health emer-gency last January when hospitals were filled with flu patients, and Biddinger said he treated many who openly regretted not having been vaccinated.

January and February typically are the peak flu months in the U.S. But small num-

bers of flu cases circulate for much of the year, and Biddinger said a couple of people have been hospitalized already.

“That first cough or fever is not the time to think about influenza vaccine,” Schuchat said.

Flu vaccine is recommended for nearly everyone ages 6 months and older. Yet just 45 percent of the population followed that advice last year. Flu is particularly risky for seniors, children, pregnant women and people of any age with asthma, heart dis-ease and other chronic diseases.

Two-thirds of adults 65 and older were vaccinated last year. So were nearly 57 percent of children, an increase of 13 per-centage points over the past two years. The number is even higher among babies and toddlers — 77 percent — and Schuchat said pediatricians get the credit for pushing flu vaccination in recent years.

About half of pregnant women are vac-cinated, a number also on the rise since the 2009 flu pandemic illustrated that popula-

tion’s vulnerability.But only 42 percent of adults younger

than 65 were vaccinated, Schuchat said, with rates even lower among 18- to 49-year-olds.

It’s not clear why. But “there are no good reasons to skip the influenza vaccine,” said Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt Uni-versity and past president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The flu shot cannot give anyone the flu, he stressed. But while it’s estimated to cut by about 60 percent the chances of getting the flu, Schaffner said it’s “a good vaccine, but it’s not a perfect vaccine.”

How to choose among the vaccine op-tions, including the new four-strain ver-sion? The CDC doesn’t recommend one type of flu vaccine over another. All flu vac-cine protects against two strains of Type A flu, typically the most severe kind, and one strain of Type B. The new so-called quadri-valent versions protect against two Type B strains.

Education tax plan debated in discussion held at librarySchool-finance proposal includes two-tiered hikeBy Jane [email protected]

Opponents call it the biggest income tax increase of our time, and say it’s a dispro-portionately designed, untested proposal. Proponents say Amendment 66 exacts a minimal fee that in the long run will trans-late into an improved economic scenario for all.

Four people, including the co-author of the amendment, argued on both sides of

the issue during a Sept. 26 Highlands Ranch library forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters as the upcoming election nears.

The ballot question will ask voters to approve a two-tiered income tax hike that would raise about $950 million for public school funding. Colorado’s current flat in-come tax of 4.63 percent would change to 5 percent for those earning $75,000 or less.

Those above that mark would pay 5 per-cent on the first $75,000 and 5.9 percent on earnings above that.

State Sen. Mike Johnston, who also led the charge for Colorado educator effective-ness law in 2012 — also known as Senate

Bill 191 — said Amendment 66 will trans-form Colorado’s education funding.

“Not just where those dollars go, but the results we get from those dollars,” he said during the forum.

The money would fund full-day kinder-garten, allow for schools to extend school days and/or calendar years, expand tech-nology and education options, restore pro-grams lost to budget cuts and change the funding formula to avert looming future financial snags.

But opponent Steve Durham, a former Colorado senator, said there’s no proof the proposed changes will work as intended, adding that higher income taxes could de-

ter productivity and ding the economy.“I’ve always come from the school that if

you tax something, you’ll get a little less of it,” he said.

Great Education Colorado director Li-ane Morrison said the amendment will more equitably distribute education funds so children in poorer communities have opportunities similar to those in Douglas County.

“You want (your children’s) colleagues to have an equal experience like you’re trying to get your kids,” she said.

“We either put it in at this end, or the other end. If you put it in early, society reaps great benefit.”

Want more neWs?For breaking stories, more photos and other coverage of the community, visit our website at www.OurElbertCountyNews.com, the online home of the Elbert County News.


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Flu vaccine widens range of protection tion’s vulnerability.

But only 42 percent of adults younger than 65 were vaccinated, Schuchat said, with rates even lower among 18- to 49-year-olds.

It’s not clear why. But “there are no good reasons to skip the infl uenza vaccine,” said Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt Uni-versity and past president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The fl u shot cannot give anyone the fl u, he stressed. But while it’s estimated to cut by about 60 percent the chances of getting the fl u, Schaffner said it’s “a good vaccine, but it’s not a perfect vaccine.”

How to choose among the vaccine op-tions, including the new four-strain ver-sion? The CDC doesn’t recommend one type of fl u vaccine over another. All fl u vac-cine protects against two strains of Type A fl u, typically the most severe kind, and one strain of Type B. The new so-called quadri-valent versions protect against two Type B strains. Gardener program seeks participants

By Sheila G. Kelley CSU Director, Elbert County

Do you enjoy working with plants, soil, insects, trees, wildlife, fl owers and people? Then the Colorado State University/Elbert County Master Gardener program is for you.

The Master Gardener Program in Elbert County is made up entirely of volunteers. These volunteers help the local CSU Ex-tension offi ce provide unbiased, research-based gardening and horticulture informa-tion to Elbert County residents.

Master gardeners are also involved in many community activities and projects such as writing articles for newspapers and newsletters, offering and facilitating edu-cational workshops and seminars, staffi ng informational booths at special events and assisting with community-based garden projects.

Anyone with an interest in gardening and helping others can apply for the Master Gardener Program. No particular gardening skill level is required. Applications may be obtained from the Elbert County Extension Offi ce. Upon returning your application, you will be contacted to set up a time for an interview.

If accepted into the program, master gardener apprentices are required to attend college-level classes covering topics such as plant growth and development, soils, plant nutrition, insects, disease and diagnosis, fl oriculture, vegetables, turf management,

xeriscaping, houseplants, wildlife and more.

The classes begin in January and run through the end of March. They are held once a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Douglas and Arapahoe county extension offi ces.

Upon completing the classes, master gardener apprentices are required to spend 50 hours working from the Elbert County Extension Offi ce between mid-March and October. Thirty-six of those hours are spent working in the master gardener offi ce, an-swering questions and assisting customers with samples of plants or insects for diag-nosis. The remaining 14 hours are to be spent on outside projects.

There is no fee to submit an application. However, once accepted into the program, participants are charged a fee to cover the one-time cost of resources provided during training. Financial assistance is available, if needed.

This is a great way to increase your gar-dening skills, meet some wonderful people and be of service to the community all at the same time.

If you are interested in becoming an El-bert County master gardener, please call 303-621-3162 to obtain further informa-tion and an application. Applications are due Oct. 25 to the extension offi ce in Kiowa. The offi ce is in the Ag Building at the Elbert County Fairgrounds, located at 95 Ute Ave.

The Master Gardener Program is a co-operative venture between Colorado State University and Elbert County.

This moose was spotted by Elbert County resident Jenny Kusmider the afternoon of Oct. 2 near the town of Elizabeth. She said the moose seemed very hungry and did not mind the people around him. Moose are rare this far from mountainous areas. Elbert County Sheri� Shayne Heap said there have been two moose spotted and they have been seen in the south Elizabeth area. “They’ve been pretty docile and haven’t caused any prob-lems,” Heap said. “They’re just eating people’s � owers.” Courtesy photo by Jenny Kusmider

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New urbanism doesn’t always mean lots of concrete and no backyards. At RidgeGate, it means walkable shopping, dining, and cultural venues. Plus over 1,000 acres dedicated to preserved natural open space. Three new neighborhoods are coming to life with a variety of home options. Naturally, we’d love for you to come visit. RidgeGate is just south of Lincoln Avenue in Lone Tree.

Apartments might bump plans for retailProposal eyes northeast corner of Parker Road, Cottonwood DriveBy Chris [email protected]

As many as 900 apartments and 40,000 square feet of commercial space could be built on a highly visible, undeveloped prop-erty near E-470 and South Parker Road.

The owner of 46 acres of land on the northeast corner of South Parker Road and Cottonwood Drive, just north of Costco, earned a recommendation for approval from the Parker Planning Commission Sept. 26 on an amendment to overhaul the original plan for Vantage Point.

Edward K. Fitzpatrick, the landowner and executive vice president of the Shop-off Group, is asking the town to reduce the amount of previously approved com-mercial space from approximately 280,000 square feet and 306 residential units to roughly 40,000 square feet of commercial uses and 900 apartment units.

The planning commission recommend-ed 5-0 that Parker Town Council approve the amendment. Council will consider the proposal during a meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at town hall.

StackLot Development Services and the Stanton Group, who are representing the project on behalf of the Shopoff Group, said

the “weak market for commercial at the moment” puts an emphasis on the need for residential development to create a popu-lation to support the planned commercial uses within Crown Point, an area that in-cludes Parker Adventist Hospital. Accord-ing to the proposal, “it would be unwise to attempt to duplicate the overwhelming amount of commercial area within Crown

Point.”“Land use is all a balance,” Fitzpatrick

said. “I’ve seen it before in other locations: There’s too much retail land available and it’s not supported by enough rooftops near-by.”

The Shopoff Group is a real estate ven-ture capital and investment firm. The com-pany’s mission, as stated on its website’s

home page, is “creating wealth through real estate investing.”

Multifamily housing would occupy 26 acres, at 22.5 units per acre, while the com-mercial components would be reduced to 6.5 acres. Roughly 12 acres of park space is required, but with town council’s approval, the developer could dedicate park land elsewhere in Parker or pay an “in lieu fee per acre.”

Although the E-470 Character Area al-lows for a higher intensity of uses, and is likely where Parker’s skyline will take shape, the proposed project is adjacent to the Val-ley Hi subdivision, with homes on one-acre lots. The Town of Parker’s senior planner on the project, Patrick Mulready, said there ini-tially was no response from the neighbors when they were asked in March to com-ment on the proposal.

“History tells me this will be a controver-sial request. I was not satisfied by the fact we didn’t get a response from this, so I in-structed the applicants to have a neighbor-hood meeting with them,” Mulready said.

Valley Hi residents are concerned with traffic, noise and building heights, which would be capped at 45 feet. At least three homes on Valley Hi Drive are up for sale.

Bryce Matthews, comprehensive plan-ning manager for the town, said single-family detached residences are not recom-mended in the E-470 Character Area, but the applicant can use single-family homes as a transition between the proposed mul-tifamily uses and the large lot residential to the north.

The Parker Planning Commission recommended approval of an amendment to Vantage Point, a proposed development on the northeast corner of South Parker Road and Cottonwood Drive that includes up to 900 apartments and 40,000 square feet of retail. Photo by Chris Michlewicz

Road project underway from Franktown eastStaff report

The Colorado Depart-ment of Transportation has begun upgrading Highway 86 in the Franktown area.

The project, which start-ed Oct. 4, includes rotomill-ing the old surface and pav-ing the six-mile segment between Highway 83 in Franktown and the Doug-las/Elbert county line.

Project hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The work was sched-uled to begin in Franktown and proceed east. A pilot car and flaggers will alternate eastbound and westbound traffic through the work zone, requiring stops of up to 15 minutes. The speed limit will be reduced to 40

mph in the project area dur-ing work hours.

“This is primarily for preventive maintenance that’ll extend the lifespan of the road surface about an-other 10 years and provide the traveling public with a much smoother roadway,” says CDOT project engi-neer Brock Johnson. “The new striping also will en-hance safety by improving highway visibility and lane delineation, especially after dark.”

The $1 million project, contracted to Westminster-based Martin Marietta Materials, is scheduled for completion next month. Information about this or other CDOT projects can be found at www.cotrip.org or by calling 511.

Sur La Table coming to areaSeattle-based retailer will employ 20, provide culinary programBy George [email protected]

Billing itself as “the retail destination for those with a passion for cooking and a love for food,” Seattle-based Sur La Table is coming to The Streets at SouthGlenn.

The company’s new Centennial store will en-compass 5,727 square feet and be staffed with 20 full- and part-time employees — “many of them serious cooks themselves (who will) share their expertise and enthusiasm for cook-ing every day,” according to a company press release announcing the store open-ing.

Sur La Table’s South-Glenn location is scheduled to open Oct. 23.

The company, a favor-ite with “foodies,” began in Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1972 and now has more than 100 stores across the country, with 40 of those stores offering cooking classes as well as a leading selection of global food and cooking brands.

Sur La Table’s South-Glenn store will have a “res-ident chef” and also offer cooking classes.

“From essential basics to hard-to-find specialty tools and cookware, Sur La Table is sure to have something for every cook,” the compa-ny press release states.

The store will be man-aged by Danielle Vorth-mann and will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

South Metrolife

11-Life

South Metrolife Elbert County News 11

October 10, 2013

17 Mile House fest goes the distance

Arapahoe County’s historic 17 Mile House will be open for tours as the county hosts a Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 19 on the grounds at 8181 S. Parker Road in Centennial. A pumpkin patch, blacksmith shop, gold panning, antique farm implements, kids’ pioneer crafts and games will be featured, as well as a tour of the house, which was a stop for westbound wagon trains. Also, there will be a petting farm, food trucks (one with waffles, one barbecue) and a horse-drawn trolley ride to/from Tagawa Gardens along historic Cherry Creek. Pumpkins and food/bever-ages can be purchased. Admission is free.

Library hosts craft fairBemis Library will host its annual In-

ternational Craft Fair from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 19 at 6014 S. Datura St., Littleton. Pro-ceeds from sales benefit poor craftspeople in many countries. Items and jewelry will be for sale from Indonesia, India, Egypt, Nepal, Uganda, South Africa, Asia, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Peru, Brazil, Haiti and more. New vendors are added to this year’s event. From 2 to 3 p.m. the Kutandira Marimba Experi-ence will perform in Sophie’s Place. 303-795-3961.

Fresh EyreHighlands Ranch-based Performance

Now begins its new season with the Re-gional Premiere of “Jane Eyre” from Oct. 11-20 at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays; 2 p.m. Satur-days and Sundays. Tickets: $28/$25/$21; 303-987-7845, performancenow.org.

Ephron sisters“Love, Loss and What I Wore” by Nora

and Delia Ephron will be performed by Backstage/Breckenridge Oct. 18-27 at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., down-town Littleton. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $25, 303-794-2787, ext. 5.

Heritage Fine Arts“This is Colorado,” an annual juried ex-

hibit presented by the Heritage Fine Arts Guild, will be held this year from Oct. 21 to Nov. 15 at the Colorado Gallery of the Arts, Arapahoe Community College. Well-known local artist and teacher Phyllis Vandehaar is the 2013 juror. The gallery is in the Annex at the northeast side of the main campus, 5800 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Hours: noon to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays; noon to 7 p.m. Tuesdays. An artists’ reception for the public will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 25.

Scottish Book ClubAuthor Corinne Joy Brown, who wrote

“MacGregor’s Lantern,” will speak at the 1 p.m. Oct. 20 meeting of the Scottish Book Club of the St. Andrew Society at Highlands Ranch Library, 9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Highlands Ranch. Copies can be purchased from Brown’s website: corinnejoybrown.com. Light refreshments will be served dur-ing the presentation and discussion. Please RSVP to [email protected] or 303-795-9677. There will be a drawing for an-other of Brown’s books.

Littleton Symphony“Great Stories in Music, With Narration”

is the theme for the 2013-2014 Littleton Symphony season, which begins by featur-ing the Colorado Chorale at 7:30 p.m. Oct.

Halloween events pop upHaunted holiday offers fun for allBy Sonya [email protected]

Choose a pumpkin, get lost in a maze and enjoy ghost stories in October:

• Under the watchful eye of John Mar-chetti, pumpkins have been growing big-ger and bigger at Hudson Gardens in the patches on the west side of the garden near the Mary Carter Greenway. Now it’s time for FestiFall on Oct. 26, when the Gardens will host a family event to sup-port the ongoing education programs planned by Melanie Feddersen. Children from across the metro area want to visit the Gardens and sometimes, scholarship help is needed. FestiFall, with a $3 admis-sion charge, runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a Giant Pumpkin Sale, starting at 11 a.m. (prices start at $5, based on weight); live owl demonstrations presented by Wild Wings Education; a straw bale maze; meet the beekeeper; craft stations; sto-rytelling; music by DJ Da Boogieman; and local food trucks. Bring a wagon or wheelbarrow to haul away that pump-kin! Proceeds will help with outreach throughout the Denver metropolitan area. Hudson Gardens is at 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Hudsongardens.org. 303-797-8565.

• Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, at C-470 and Wadsworth, hosts its Corn Maze Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 27, with extra haunting af-ter dark on Fridays and Saturdays. Also at Chatfield: the Pumpkin Festival Oct. 11-13 with a pumpkin patch, music by Stray Dog, Colorado arts and crafts, pony rides, food and more. Admission is charged. bo-tanicgardens.org.

• Harvest Festival at the Littleton Museum, 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. October 12 and offers pumpkins for sale, wagon rides, games, music and food. Tickets for some events. 303-795-3950.

• Victorian Halloween at the Littleton Museum, 6026 S. Gallup St., Littleton. Vis-it the 1890s Farm from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 26 for games, pumpkin carving and spooky activities. Free. Children must be accom-panied by an adult. 303-795-3950

• Walking With the Dead is an after-dark tour on Oct. 26 of the Littleton Mu-seum’s 1860s farm, beginning at 6 p.m. Walks will start every 20 minutes until 9 p.m. Timed tickets are required — avail-able now at the museum. Appropriate for age 10 and older. Children must be ac-companied by an adult. 303-795-3950.

• Frightful Friday: An Evening With Edgar Allan Poe at Bemis Library, 6015 S. Datura St., Littleton, from 7 to 9 p.m. October 25. David Skipper will perform as Poe, with accomplice in horror Joan Mat-tey. Enjoy free popcorn and lemonade.

303-795-3961.• Reinke Brothers Haunted Mansion at

5663 S. Prince St. in downtown Littleton draws folks from across the metro area with its special effects and creepy char-acters. Lights-on tour for children from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 3. Hours: 6 to 10 p.m. Mon-days to Thursdays; 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays; 3 p.m. to midnight Saturdays; 3 to 10 p.m. Sundays. Admission: $15 ($1 discount with canned food donation.)

• Hauntings at the Hangar — Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum is haunted from noon to 4 p.m. Octo-ber 27. Lowry Air Force Base Hangar near Alameda and Quebec. Admission: $11/$9/$6. Free under 4. Wingsmuseum.org, 303-360-5360, ext. 105, [email protected].

• Festival of Scarecrows in Olde Town Arvada on Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vote for your favorite scarecrow between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. To enter a decorated scarecrow, find application at historicar-vada.org or call 303-420-6100. Also, a dec-orated pumpkin contest. (Do not carve or puncture.) Applications: arvadafestivals.com. Pumpkins can be purchased at the Pumpkin Patch, with proceeds to the Ar-vada community Food Bank. Pumpkin seed spitting, pie eating, potato sack and three-legged races, pumpkin dish cook-ing contest (no pies here). Face painting, hayrides, alpaca petting zoo, games. Kids costume parade at noon.

A pumpkin patch at Hudson Gardens, near the Mary Carter Greenway. Courtesy photo by Ian Ross

PACe Center is truly a pacesetterProgramming for fall covers a lot of basesBy Sonya [email protected]

Parker’s PACE Center of-fers audiences a menu of en-tertainment plus classes of all sorts through the fall. A sam-pler of Main Stage program-ming plus a couple of chil-dren’s shows follows:

• Scottish folk singer Ju-lie Fowlis appears on Oct. 17. Many have heard her voice in Disney’s film “Brave.”

• A troupe from Chicago’s gift to us all, Second City, will present “Happily Ever Laugh-ter” on Oct. 18, ready to in-volve the audience in their clever improvisation.

• Denver Brass ensemble brings fanfairs, flourishes, classics and contemporary hits to the stage on Oct. 19.

• Wonderbound, formerly Ballet Nouveau, performs “A Gothic Folktale,” a new full length ballet that explores American myth, folk culture and magic realism. Director Garrett Ammon developed it in cooperation with illusion-ist/mentalist Professor Phelyx

and singer/songwriter Jesse Manley. Shows: Oct. 26, 27.

• The Parker Symphony Orchestra will join forces with Legend High School’s Can-tores Choir to present Verdi’s “Requiem” to mark the 200th anniversary of Guiseppe Ver-di’s birth on Nov. 1.

• Nov. 2 brings Modern Jazz with an Urban Twist by New Orleans native Jon Batiste, who has collaborated with Wynton Marsalis, Prince…

• At the Mainstreet Center: Classic Acts presents “Char-lotte’s Web” on Oct. 19 (2 and 6 p.m.) and the Missoula Chil-dren’s Theater presents “Alice

in Wonderland” on Nov. 9 (2 and 6 p.m.). For kids at loose ends over fall break, the Park-er Theater Company is direct-ing a weeklong theater camp Oct. 14-19, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will include choreographed numbers from “Matilda” and “Newsies,” and a show based on individual talents at 11 a.m. Oct. 18.

The PACE Center’s Renais-sance Guild will celebrate New Year’s Eve Motown Style this year, but this show sold out by mid-November in 2012.

For tickets and informa-tion: pacecenteronline.org, 303-805-6800. Sonya continues on Page 12


12

Name Changes PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Notice of Petitionfor Change of Name

Public notice is given on September 13,2013 that a Petition for a Change of Nameof an adult has been filed with the ElbertCounty Court.

The Petition requests that the name ofWalter Armell Fox Sr. be changed toSebastian Josiah Fox Sr.Case No.: 2013 C 39

Cheryl A. LayneClerk of CourtBy: JoLeen JenkinsDeputy Clerk

Legal Notice No: 927778First Publication: October 3, 2013Last Publication: October 17, 2013Publisher: Elbert County News

Notice To Creditors PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORSEstate of Marie A. Myrick, Deceased

Case Number: 2013 PR 30016

All persons having claims against theabove-named estate are required topresent them to the Personal Represent-ative or to the District Court of ElbertCounty, Colorado on or before January30, 2014 or the claims may be foreverbarred.

Berton C. MyrickPersonal Representative1025 Linda LaneEvergreen, Colorado 80439

Legal Notice No: 927771First Publication: September 26, 2013Last Publication: October 10, 2013Publisher: The Elbert County News

Government Legals Public Notice

NOTICE OF PURCHASE OF REALESTATE AT TAX LIEN SALE ANDOF APPLICATION FOR ISSUANCE

OF TREASURER’S DEEDTSC# 2009-00914

To Every Person in Actual Possession orOccupancy of the hereinafter DescribedLand, Lot or Premises, and to the Personin Whose Name the Same was Taxed orSpecially Assessed, and to all Personshaving an Interest or Title of Record in orto the said Premises and To Whom It mayConcern, and more especially to:

Rhonda Y Moore: You and each of youare hereby notified that on the 17 day ofNovember A.D. 2009 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to Cameron D Mee the following de-scribed real estate situate in the County ofElbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

Section: 25 Township: 6 Range: 64Subdivision: SUN COUNTRY MEAD-OWS FIL 4 (PUD) Lot: 012B 08291 CON-ESTOGA CT

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to Cameron DMee. That said tax lien sale was made tosatisfy the delinquent taxes assessedagainst said real estate for the year 2008;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of RhondaY Moore for said year 2008.

That a treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said Cameron DMee at 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 8th dayof January, A.D. 2014, unless the samehas been redeemed.

Said property may be redeemed from saidsale at any time prior to the actual execu-tion of said Treasurer’s Deed. Witness myhand this 18th day of September, A. D.

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 927773First Publication: September 26, 2013Last Publication: October 10, 2013Publisher: The Elbert County News

Government Legals

Public Notice




Rhonda Y Moore: You and each of youare hereby notified that on the 17 day ofNovember A.D. 2009 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to Cameron D Mee the following de-scribed real estate situate in the County ofElbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

Section: 25 Township: 6 Range: 64Subdivision: SUN COUNTRY MEAD-OWS FIL 4 (PUD) Lot: 012B 08291 CON-ESTOGA CT


That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of RhondaY Moore for said year 2008.


Said property may be redeemed from saidsale at any time prior to the actual execu-tion of said Treasurer’s Deed. Witness myhand this 18th day of September, A. D.



Public Notice




Perry Leyden: You and each of you arehereby notified that on the 9th day ofNovember A.D. 2010 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to HGT ENTERPRISES the followingdescribed real estate situate in the Countyof Elbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

Section: 32 Township: 6 Range: 64Sub-division: SPRING VALLEY RANCHPHASE 1 Block: A Lot: 31 42071 NPINEHURST CIR

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to HGT EN-TERPRISES. That said tax lien sale wasmade to satisfy the delinquent taxes as-sessed against said real estate for theyear 2009;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of PerryLeyden for said year 2009.

That a treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said HGT ENTER-PRISES at 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 8thday of January, A.D. 2014, unless thesame has been redeemed.

Said property may be redeemed from saidsale at any time prior to the actual execu-tion of said Treasurer’s Deed. Witness myhand this 18th day of September, A. D..



Government Legals

Public Notice












Public Notice












Government Legals

Public Notice












Public Notice




Pioneer Plastics Inc: You and each ofyou are hereby notified that on the 9th dayof November A.D. 2010 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to Cameron D Mee the following de-scribed real estate situate in the County ofElbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

Section: 7 Township: 8 Range: 64Sub-division: ELIZABETH GARLANDS AD-DITION Block: 008 Lot: 0016 THRU:-Lot: 0018 372 N BANNER ST


That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of PioneerPlastics Inc for said year 2009.





Government Legals

Public Notice




Pioneer Plastics Inc: You and each ofyou are hereby notified that on the 9th dayof November A.D. 2010 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to Cameron D Mee the following de-scribed real estate situate in the County ofElbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

Section: 7 Township: 8 Range: 64Sub-division: ELIZABETH GARLANDS AD-DITION Block: 008 Lot: 0016 THRU:-Lot: 0018 372 N BANNER ST


That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of PioneerPlastics Inc for said year 2009.





Public Notice




SJR REAL ESTATE COLORADO LLC:You and each of you are hereby notifiedthat on the 9th day of November A.D.2010 the then County Treasurer of theCounty of Elbert, in the State of Colorado,sold at public tax lien sale to Cameron DMee the following described real estatesituate in the County of Elbert, State ofColorado, to wit:

Section: 30 Township: 7 Range: 64Section: 25 Township: 7 Range: 64Sub-division: RUNNING BROOK ESTATESTHIRD AMENDMENT Lot: 58B-1


That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of SJRREAL ESTATE COLORADO LLC for saidyear 2009.

That a treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said Cameron DMee at 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 8th dayof January, A.D.2014, unless the samehas been redeemed.




Government Legals


SJR REAL ESTATE COLORADO LLC:You and each of you are hereby notifiedthat on the 9th day of November A.D.2010 the then County Treasurer of theCounty of Elbert, in the State of Colorado,sold at public tax lien sale to Cameron DMee the following described real estatesituate in the County of Elbert, State ofColorado, to wit:

Section: 30 Township: 7 Range: 64Section: 25 Township: 7 Range: 64Sub-division: RUNNING BROOK ESTATESTHIRD AMENDMENT Lot: 58B-1


That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of SJRREAL ESTATE COLORADO LLC for saidyear 2009.

That a treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said Cameron DMee at 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 8th dayof January, A.D.2014, unless the samehas been redeemed.




Public Notice

NOTICE OF VACANCIESON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OF THE SPRING VALLEYMETROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1-3

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and par-ticularly to the electors of the Spring Val-ley Metropolitan District Nos. 1-3 of ElbertCounty, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant toSection 32-1-808, C.R.S., that vacanciescurrently exist on the board of directors ofthe Spring Valley Metropolitan DistrictNos. 1-3 (“Districts”). Any qualified, eli-gible elector of the Districts interested infilling such vacancies and serving on theboard of directors should file a Letter of In-terest with the board on or before theclose of business on October 21, 2013.

Letters of Interest are available and canbe obtained from the Spring Valley Metro-politan District Nos. 1-3, c/o Lisa A. John-son at Special District Management Ser-vices, Inc., 141 Union Boulevard, Suite150, Lakewood, CO 80228, (303) 987-0835.

SPRING VALLEY METROPOLITANDISTRICT NOS. 1-3

By: /s/ Lisa A. JohnsonSecretary

Legal Notice No.: 927782First Publication: October 10, 2013Last Publication: October 10, 2013Publisher: The Elbert County News

18 at Littleton United Methodist Church, 5894 S. Datura St., Littleton. It will be repeated at 3 p.m. Oct. 20 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden Ave., Cherry Hills Village. The chorale will sing Poulenc’s “Glo-ria” and Randall Thompson’s “Testa-ment of Freedom.” Monika Vischer will be guest narrator for the “Lieuten-ant Kije’ Suite” by Prokofieff. The or-chestra will also perform the dramatic “Siegfried’s Death and Funeral March” in commemoration of Wagner’s 200th birthday. Tickets cost $15, $12 and can be purchased online at littletonsym-phony.org; at the Gorsett Violin Shop, 8100 S. Quebec St., Centennial; or at the door. Information: 303-933-6824, [email protected].

Sweet Charity AffairThe annual Alpha Xi Delta alumnae

fundraising event, Sweet Charity Af-fair and Luncheon, will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 19 at Calvary Baptist Church, 6500 E. Girard Ave., Denver. Proceeds from the bake sale, live and silent auction, boutique and lunch, ca-tered by Taste of the Season, will fund a number of local charities. Purchase tickets ($20) from Barbara Vietti, [email protected], 303-979-7561.

CD releaseThe Reunited Young Adult Choir of

St. Andrew United Methodist Church will celebrate the release of its first CD at its Fall Concert at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at St. Andrew, 9203 S. University Blvd. Highlands Ranch.

Admission is free. The group of a dozen 20-somethings formed in 2009, led by Nathan and Matthew Grooms, who wanted to reconnect with old friends to sing after college. Music di-rector Mark Zwilling is accompanist and music adviser.

Acclaimed author has humble backstoryTurano pens four novels within 18-month stretchBy Chris [email protected]

Within weeks of beginning her career as an author, Jen Turano’s friends had her con-vinced she should be on Oprah’s couch discussing the finer points of her latest book.

While publishers didn’t im-mediately see it that way, the up-and-coming historical ro-mance writer has found herself much closer to the coveted sit-down than she ever imagined. Turano, 48, has developed a devoted audience, selling tens of thousands of books world-wide since November, a near-impossible feat for an unknown author. This month, she is cel-ebrating the release of her third novel, “A Talent for Trouble.”

Things didn’t start out so easily. The decision to change from department store manag-er to stay-at-home mom hit her over the head, literally.

“I worked in retail for years,” she said. “One day, a lady hit me in the head with her handbag because I wouldn’t take her re-turn. That’s when I hung up my heels forever.”

Her transition into the lit-erary world a few years later wasn’t quite as violent. Eschew-ing the traditional children’s tales, the Parker mom made up her own stories for her then-9-year-old son. His rave reviews led the duo to create their own

book about smelly lizard crea-tures called “Fanglers,” and the reaction from Turano’s Parent-Teacher Organization friends boosted her confidence.

What she didn’t anticipate was the level of competition for such material; publishing companies were being flooded with sci-fi/fantasy manuscripts. Turano changed genres once again when she discovered his-torical romance. Shortly after her father passed away, Tura-no plunged into writing and penned a 170,000-word wom-en’s fiction saga. Upon receiving advice to pare it down by 90,000 words and direction to improve her author point of view, she took off.

In a three-week period, she wrote another book, “Almost a Lady,” and received 18 requests from interested publishers who wanted to learn more. Her ini-tial discouragement all but evaporated.

“I didn’t realize it was odd for agents to contact you,” she said. “Most people don’t hear back.”

Turano was cleaning the shower when, out of the blue, she came up with the outline for all four books in her first se-ries. That series has earned her acclaim from prominent blog-gers, and most recently, a spot on Book List’s Top 10 Romanc-es for 2013 for her work on “A Most Peculiar Circumstance,” the second installment in the series. She is now writing the fourth and final book of the se-ries, “A Match of Wits,” due out next year. She despises house cleaning, but admits it’s her source of inspiration.

“If something’s not working

and I need to change it, I pull out the vacuum,” she says.

Turano writes for the “in-spirational market” and has a “faith-element thread” in her novels, but they are not reli-gion-based and simply tend

to “appeal to people who want to share the book with their daughter and not be embar-rassed.” She refuses to include sex scenes.

For more information, visit www.jenturano.com.

“A Talent for Trouble” is Jen Turano’s third book to released in the last year. Courtesy image


Sonya ElbertSportS

13-Sports

ElbertSportS Elbert County News 13October 10, 2013

Cardinals wrap up golf seasonPair of Elizabeth players compete at stateBy Scott StockerSpecial to Colorado Community Media

Overall, the 2013 golf season was con-sidered a success by Elizabeth coach Dave Strang and his Cardinals. They just wish it could have ended on a higher note.

Elizabeth won the Colorado Seven League title. But when it came to state, only two team members were able to qualify for the tournament held Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen.

Thus, leading the way for Elizabeth were Ross Galmon and Sean Herr. Galmon shot 92 on his first round then followed with an 84 for a 176 total to finish 57th in the 84-player field. Herr shot 97 on the first round and 99 on the second for a 196.

Galmon, who will head for the Univer-sity of Colorado in Colorado Springs in the Fall, capped his high school career going out as the league champion.

“It certainly was a good season and I en-joyed it,” Galmon said. “State was fun, but I just wish we all could have been there as a team. The Evergreen course was tough, es-pecially when it came to putting. We had a couple of practice rounds and felt we could do well, but it just didn’t turn out that way.

“League was really good for us. I was the conference champion and all four of us were all-league. That’s good. Again, I just wish we all could have been at state. My long game was good, but putting was just crazy. I’m not going to play golf on the col-lege team.”

Herr felt confident heading into state, but his results were not what he had hoped.

“I felt I was prepared but I didn’t per-form well,” said Herr, a junior. “I had more

strokes putting than I did on the fairways. It’s a tough course and it certainly tested your abilities as a golfer. We had a couple of practice rounds. It was a course that tests your abilities.’

Indeed, it was a tough go for Herr. He started on the 10th hole on day two and shot a heart breaking 10 strokes on the hole to open the day.

“You have to show up on a course like this and I just wasn’t too ready to play,” Herr said. “We won all our league meets this season and I thought our whole team would make it to state. We gave it our best all season, we were in the right mind set, we worked together and we did what need-ed to be done. We thought we would go to state as a team, but it didn’t work out. It felt good to win league, I just wish we could have carried our season to a much better conclusion.”

While the regular season was solid for Elizabeth, Strang had also hoped for a bet-ter finish.

“It was a great season winning the league,” Strang said. “We almost had the team qualify for state, but Dave Walstrom and Adam Eveleth just missed for us. The kids looked forward to state with great anticipation, but they did struggle. It was a tough course, but one that was in great shape. Yet, it was tough on everyone, not just us. Being in the mountain, the course was up and down, too.

“Sean had a tough second day, getting a 10 on his first hole,” Strang continued. “But he showed a lot of character and con-tinued to play hard after that. It was good competition overall for all the golfers. We’re looking forward to next season. We have a fine junior varsity and I think we have a fine outlook for next year.”

Coronado’s Isaac Peterlilie won medal-ist honors with a score of 144. He shot a 70 on opening day then followed with a 74 on

his second round. That first round proved to be the winner as runner-up Wilson Belk of Cheyenne Mountain carded a first round 71 then also followed with a 74.

The bronze medal was won by Pueblo West’s Glen Workman with a 147. He had been tied with Petersilie after the first round, but zoomed to a 77 over his second round.

Valor Christian, out of Highlands Ranch, came through to win the team champion-

ship with a score of 454. Silver Creek fin-ished in second with a score of 456, fol-lowed by Cheyenne Mountain with 463.

Jake Staiano led Valor Christian with his fourth-place finish, carding a 148. Team-mates Ross McDonald and Josh Seiple fin-ished seventh and ninth, respectively. Mc-Donald finished with a score of 152, Seiple, 154. The fourth member of the team, Cody Welch, tied for 13th in the individual stand-ings with a 156.

Sean Herr lines up a putt during the boys 4A state golf championships at Hiwan Golf Club. Courtesy photos

Ross Galmon watches his ball fly at the boys 4A state golf championships.


14

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OCTOBER 12-13

HUGESWAP MEET

Group appeals ruling on killing of wildlife USDA program was created to protect livestock interests Associated Press

Conservationists with ties to Colo-rado have appealed a federal judge’s rejection of their lawsuit in Nevada aimed at shutting down a federal program that spends more than $100 million a year to subsidize the killing of coyotes, mountain lions and other predators that threaten livestock.

The appeal fi led Oct. 3 targets a ruling in March by U.S. District Judge Miranda Du of the U.S. District Court for Nevada, who dismissed most of the WildEarth Guardians lawsuit that claims the Depression-era program of the U.S. Agriculture Department is il-legal because it relies on scientifi c and environmental data that is nearly two decades old.

Among other things, Du said the harm cited by the conservationists would not be alleviated by shutting down the Wildlife Services operation in Nevada — where 6,000 coyotes are killed annually and federal offi cials spend about $1.5 million a year — be-cause the state has said it would carry out the killings itself.

Lawyers for WildEarth Guardians, which has offi ces in Denver and Boul-der, said in its appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that Nevada doesn’t have the resources to continue all the work.

A state wildlife offi cial agreed.“We wouldn’t have the manpow-

er,” Nevada Department of Wildlife

spokesman Chris Healy said Oct. 4. “They are in some wild places in Ne-vada doing that kind of predator work where we have zero personnel. We al-ready have a full plate.”

The conservationists said the pro-gram that spent $127 million to exter-minate more than 5 million animals in 2010 should be suspended nationally until USDA updates its scientifi c anal-ysis that’s based largely on an environ-mental impact statement conducted in 1994 when the program was much smaller.

In 1988, Wildlife Services spent $26 million to control 17 target species, compared to 2010 when it spent $126 million on a list of about 300 species, court documents state.

New research includes “scientifi c analysis on the critical ecological role of carnivores, the proven ineffective-ness of trapping and availability of non-lethal alternatives,” group lawyer Ashley Wilmes, of Boulder, wrote in the appeal.

She also said recent studies show it is more cost-effective to compensate livestock producers for losses than to pay for expensive methods, such as aerial gunning.

The nonprofi t group based in Colo-rado has failed to win similar lawsuits during the past 20 years mostly be-cause courts have ruled they lacked legal standing due to failure to dem-onstrate actual harm.

Judge Du concluded a Nevada member of the group, Don Molde, had in fact established actual harm as a re-sult of a reduction in his ability to view coyotes, mountain lions and ravens. But she agreed with the government’s argument that “there’s no relief they can obtain that would redress their al-

leged injury.”Brian Collins, a Justice Department

lawyer representing USDA, likened it to a case involving the Goat Ranchers of Oregon in 2010, when the 9th Cir-cuit held that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife would trap and kill cougars if federal offi cials didn’t do the job.

“Nevada has unequivocally stat-ed its intent to carry out its wildlife management activities regardless of whether it receives assistance from Wildlife Services,” he said in court documents.

Du agreed, ruling that Molde’s “in-juries” would continue to occur as a result.

She based her conclusion on a 2010 letter from then-Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Kenneth Mayer who stated that without federal par-ticipation, “NDOW would, by statute, carry out the management of wildlife with existing personnel or contract the work to other capable entities.”

Healy said that wasn’t meant to suggest there would be no impact on predator management in Nevada.

Of the $1.5 million USDA spends on the program in Nevada, only about $300,000 to $400,000 annually goes to predator control aimed at protecting wildlife such as mountain lions feed-ing on mule deer herds or ravens rav-aging sage grouse nests.

The state would continue to do its best to carry out that work with a por-tion of the money collected from big game tags because “we still have some statutory responsibilities we can’t ig-nore,” Healy said.

“But would we be able to fi ll the void? Not the whole void created by their actions,” he said.

by a fi rm in Denver. Local companies that have contributed money or ser-vices to the project include American Legion Post #82, CW Hauling, Winche-lo Hauling, Gaither Hauling and Ser-vices, Will White, Bank of the West, Haas Excavating, Outback Liquor, Franks Feed, Greenlee’s Pro Auto Care,

Frank Conte, Bender Menders, Bob Holt (Big O Tires), the Elizabeth Fire Department, Ogan Painting, Cosen-tio’s Diner, Elizabeth True Value and Advanced Auto Repair.

“This is a bare-bones deal,” said Mansell, while watching volunteer Frank Carnesi smooth out freshly poured concrete. “People like Frank have donated their time and money. There’s no government backing for this. It’s strictly a community effort.”

The group plans to have honor

walls fi nished before year’s end. As the project continues to take shape, Homer said people driving past the cemetery on Highway 86 “stop by all the time to look at it, pay their respects and tell us what a great job we’re do-ing.”

To learn more about the project or to buy a “brick of honor,” call Mansell at 720-300-4927.

For more information about the Elizabeth Veterans Memorial, go to www.EVMF.WEBS.com.

$2 million,” said Tim Buchanan, who lives in the town of Elbert and runs a consulting fi rm called Timotheos Inc. He is also a professor at Regis Univer-sity and teaches a course in behav-ioral economics.

Buchanan was hired last month as a consultant to the board of county commissioners and is being paid $15,000 through November 15 to help shepherd the proposed mill levy in-crease and with “organizational lead-ership issues — one of my special-ties.”

On Oct. 2, Buchanan and the three commissioners held a community fo-rum at the Rattlesnake Fire Training Facility in northwest Elbert County. About 20 people attended the meet-ing, which was called “to discuss the county revenue shortfalls and its in-creasing impact on county services.”

Two more public meetings are scheduled for later this month: one on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at Legacy Acad-emy in Elizabeth and another on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at the county fairgrounds in Kiowa.

“The county has laid off personnel, delayed maintenance and trimmed expenses to the point it is no longer

sustainable,” Buchanan said. “The current mill levy will only

partially replace this loss of receipts for the county.”

Buchanan estimated the proposed mill levy increase, if approved, would add about $63.68 annually to the tax-es on a $200,000 property.

“This means that in order to keep the county fi nancially strong and re-place the lost revenue over the last

several years, the average homeown-er will invest less than 20 cents a day,” he said.

Employees at riskA proposed repeal of the “tool tax

exemption,” which applies mainly to oil, gas and wind energy producers, will also be on the Nov. 5 ballot, and Buchanan pointed out that if voters OK the repeal, the additional rev-enue “will assist the (county’s) Road and Bridge (department) in replacing some of their lost revenue.”

Although county commissioners are prohibited by law from publicly lobbying for or against the mill levy hike, Buchanan said last week: “If it doesn’t pass, it’s going to be a devas-tating thing for county employees.”

Contacted on Oct. 2 outside the Elizabeth library, Elizabeth resident Giget LoManto said that she was not aware of the proposed mill levy in-crease but would support it “as long as the county does something with the money and doesn’t just pocket it.”

“The roads are awful around here,” said LoManto.

“Every time it rains, even with new tires, you just about slide off the road. And when you go to the build-ing department, the people who work there don’t seem to know what they’re doing. Whenever I go to Kiowa to the courthouse, everything is just so slow.”


Memorial


Levy BALLOT QUESTION DETAILS

Here is the ballot question Elbert County voters will see regarding the proposed mill levy increase:

Shall Elbert County taxes be increased $1,045,374.60 annually (� rst full � scal year dollar increase) by such amounts as may be generated an-nually thereafter by the imposition of an additional mill levy of not to exceed four mills for General Fund purposes and applied for the purpose of funding Elbert County General Fund operating ex-penditures, and shall Elbert County be permitted to collect, retain and expend all revenues derived from such taxes and any earnings thereon, regardless of whether the annual revenues from such taxes in any year after the � rst full � scal year in which it is in e� ect exceed the estimated dollar amount stated above, either as a voter-approved revenue change or an exception to limits on revenues and spending, and without limiting the collection or spending of any other revenues or funds by the County under Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution or any other law?

THINGS TO DO


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walls finished before year’s end. As the project continues to take shape, Homer said people driving past the cemetery on Highway 86 “stop by all the time to look at it, pay their respects and tell us what a great job we’re do-ing.”

To learn more about the project or to buy a “brick of honor,” call Mansell at 720-300-4927.

For more information about the Elizabeth Veterans Memorial, go to www.EVMF.WEBS.com.

Oct. 10

Business after hours. Welcome Tim and Renee Brown at a business after hours, ribbon cutting and open house from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 10 at Tim Brown Jewel-ers, 210 S. Elizabeth St., in the Safeway Center. Refresh-ments will be served. Call Beverly at the Elizabeth Area Chamber of Commerce at 303-646-4287 or [email protected]. Visit www.elizabethchamber.org.

Oct. 11

GOlf tOurnament. The Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce golf tournament was rescheduled to Oct. 11 at Spring Valley Golf Course. Tournament starts at 8 a.m. Visit www.elizabethchamber.org.

Oct. 26

Harvest festival. The Elizabeth Area Chamber of Commerce presents the Harvest Festival from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 26 on Main Street in Elizabeth. Food, music, games and more. Spend an afternoon in Elizabeth for a safe Halloween by coming for trick-or-treat street throughout the town and enjoying games, vendors, food, and more on Main Street. Visit www.elizabeth-chamber.org.

OnGOinG

DivOrce anD Post-Decree Clinic. Elbert and Lincoln County Pro Se Divorce Clinic is offered from 9 a.m. to noon the third Friday of each month at the Elbert Coun-ty Justice Center, 751 Ute St., in Kiowa. For information, call 303-520-6088 or email [email protected]. The

clinic is free for parties who have no attorney and who are going through dissolution of marriage, legal separa-tion, or post-decree cases. All walk-ins are welcome, and will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis.

DOuGlas-elBert cOunty Music Teachers’ As-sociation meets at 9 a.m. every first Thursday at Parker Bible Church, between Jordan and Chambers on Main Street. All area music teachers are welcome. Call Lucie Washburn, 303-814-3479.

tHe elizaBetH Food Bank, 381 S. Banner in Eliza-beth (next door to Elizabeth Presbyterian Church) needs to let the public know that we are available to help anyone who needs food. The hours are Friday 12:30-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 9-11:30 a.m. Other times by appointment.

elizaBetH Guitar Group. Elizabeth guitar circle will meet on the first and second Wednesday of each month at the Elizabeth Library. Traditional protocol/courtesy. Country, pop, bluegrass, cowboy, Beatles, 50s, 60s, 70s, blues, jazz and more. We who play for pleasure would love to meet more of same. Acoustic or power down. Come prepared to share a few songs, perform, play along, sing along with others. Enjoy new guitar friends to jam with. Gerry Vinson hosts on the first Wednesday from 6:30-9 p.m., and Laurie Smith hosts on the second Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. Uncertain? Drop by and observe. Banjo, ukelele, mandolin welcome. Call Laurie at 720-363-3531.

lawyers at the Library, a free legal clinic for parties who have no attorney, will be offered from 6-9 p.m. the

second Tuesday of every month at the Elizabeth Library, 651 W. Beverly St. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain the process and procedure for the areas of family law, civil litigation, criminal defense, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law and civil protection orders. Walk-ins are welcome. Everyone will be helped on a first-come, first-served basis.

Overeaters anOnymOus meets from 10-11 a.m. and from 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays in the Sedalia Room at New Hope Presbyterian Church, 2100 Meadows Parkway, Castle Rock.

saturDay GenealOGy Fun meets at the Elbert Public Library at 1 p.m. on the seocnd Saturday of each month. Beginning to advanced genealogy enthusiasts are invited to attend. The Elbert Public Library is in the Elbert School library at 24489 Main Street in Elbert. Call 303-648-3533 for more information.

seniOrs meet in Elizabeth every Monday at 11 a.m. for food, fun and fellowship at Elizabeth Senior Center, 823 S. Banner St. Bring a dish for potluck on the first Monday of each month. Other Mondays, bring a sack lunch. Bingo, games and socializing. New leadership. Call Agnes at 303-883-7881 or Carol at 303-646-3425 for information

eDitOr’s nOte: Calendar submissions must be re-ceived by noon Wednesday for publication the following week. Send information to [email protected], attn: Elbert County News. No attachments. Listings are free and run on a space-available basis.

Things To do

CurTain Timec.s. lewis and Joy Davidman

“Shadowlands” by William Nich-olson is a love story about British author C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman, based on Nicholson’s book. Directed by Craig Bond and Lorraine Scott at Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Au-rora. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $25 ($20 advance). 303-856-7830, vintagetheatre.org.

three generations “Door to Door” by James Sher-

man is a tribute to American women of three generations, with a Jewish

perspective. It plays through Nov. 10 at Pluss Theater, MACC, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19, 26, Nov. 2, 9; 8 p.m. Oct. 12; 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $20-$25, 303-316-6360, maccjcc.org.

Korean-american family story“99 Histories” by Julia Cho, plays

Oct. 24 to Nov. 16 at Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora, presented by Theatre Esprit Asia, TEA, Colorado’s only Asian American Theatre Compa-ny, in its second year. Performances: 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays; 7 p.m. Sun-days Oct. 24-Nov. 16. Tickets: $25/$23

advance/$20 seniors, students. 303-856-7830, theatre-esprit-asia.org.

Puppets for adults“Avenue Q” features the original

Denver cast from the original Vin-tage Theatre run in this clever show, populated with sometimes-raunchy puppets. Directed by Bernie Cardell, it plays through Nov. 3 at the Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave, Aurora. Per-formances: 7:30 Fridays, Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Produced by Ignite Theatre. Tickets: $28/$19, 720-362-2697, Lucent_Performing_ [email protected].


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