16
A look at how clashes erupted in 1800s between settlers, Native Americans By Chris Michlewicz cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com Peaceful interactions were common be- tween settlers and Native Americans living in present-day Douglas and Elbert counties be- fore the bloody clashes in the 1860s put a stain on the history of that time period. Elizabeth Tallman, the wife of one the area’s first residents, John Tallman, wrote many arti- cles in her later years recalling her experiences with Native Americans, including tribes led by Chief Washington and Chief Colorow. She was often left alone while her husband tended to the cattle, and the Utes would travel along the Tallman Gulch corridor (it’s actually Sulphur Gulch, but a geological surveyor screwed up a few decades ago and mislabeled it, says Sandy Whelchel, whose ancestors moved to the area from Ohio in the 1880s) and pass the cabin, which still stands near Ave Maria Catholic Church, roughly a quarter-mile from its origi- nal spot. One night, Tallman was closing the chick- en coop for the night and walked through the door of her cabin to find several Native Ameri- cans sitting around her stove. They referred to her as a “heap Bueno squaw” and extended an invitation to her to attend a scalp dance that night, which she politely declined, Whelchel said. “She could hear them all night down there dancing,” Whelchel said, adding most tribes were “not terribly aggressive” with settlers. Another time, according to an article writ- ten by Tallman for The Colorado Magazine, Chief Washington wanted to barter for her son, who had red hair and was unique to them. He offered up to 20 Indian ponies, but Tallman continued to refuse. “He just couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t sell the kid,” Whelchel says with a laugh. Franklin Harn, who lived in Parker from 1933-39, recalled that his boss, a blacksmith who grew up near where Interstate 25 now meets Hampden Avenue, told him that Native Americans would peek inside the windows of his school as a boy. And when they were mourning the death of one of their own, he would “listen to the hooting and hollering all night,” Harn said. A story that has lived on through local his- tory is one in which a Native American entered a one-room schoolhouse full of children, who fell silent. “He picked up a book and was looking at it upside down,” Whelchel said. “None of the kids giggled. He was trying to fit in, showing them he could read, too.” The class remained completely still and quiet and the man calmly left. Conflicts arise There exists a headstone in the Parker Cem- etery that reads: “Jonathan Tallman - Killed by Indians.” And a monument in Elbert Coun- ty erected in 1939 by the Pioneer Women of Colorado pays tribute to the Hungate and Di- etemann families, who were murdered by Na- tive Americans. According to historians, it was a combina- tion of cultural misunderstanding, broken trea- ties and outright aggression that led to notori- ous massacres in Colorado in the 1860s. Some of the most hotly debated murders occurred in the backyards, literally, of some property own- ers in Douglas and Elbert counties. ElbertCountyNews.net ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO A publication of December 25, 2014 VOLUME 119 | ISSUE 47 | 75¢ POSTAL ADDRESS ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 11 a.m. Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 10 a.m. GET SOCIAL WITH US PLEASE RECYCLE THIS COPY Jeff Broome, a professor at Arapahoe Community College and a historian who has studied clashes between Native Americans and settlers in Colorado, points to the field where the Hungate murders took place in 1864. Photo by Chris Michlewicz A memorial to those killed in clashes with Native Americans was erected in 1939 and still stands in Elbert County. Courtesy photo A history of peace, violence Principal continues on Page 7 Agent continues on Page 15 Settlers continues on Page 7 District to renew search for principal Elizabeth High should have leader in place for 2015-16 By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media The Elizabeth School District an- nounced Dec. 8 that it plans to resume its search for a new principal for Eliza- beth High School this winter. According to an email from the dis- trict, Kin Shuman, director of human resources, expects to post the position for the 2015-16 school year by late Janu- ary and plans to invite qualified candi- dates for interviews beginning as early as February. Interviews could extend into March. Ahead of the posting, Shuman intends to hold a series of meetings to hear opin- ions from students, staff and the com- munity about the strengths, challenges and vision for the future of the school. Those same groups will have the oppor- tunity to participate in a conversation with the candidates invited to interview. Shuman said that the district will not be using a search firm to recruit, and once the interviews are completed, the final decision rests with Superintendent Douglas Bissonette. County extension office gains agent N.M. native fills position, which was vacant since 2009 By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media Kali Benson has been in her new job as Colorado State University’s Elbert County Extension Agent: Agriculture, Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Develop- ment, and Livestock for a little less than two months. If her job title sounds like a mouthful, try reading her to-do list. The Elbert County Extension Office’s ag agent position has been vacant since 2009, and Benson will be learning the nuances of her job on the fly. So far, she says she has not had a typical day since she started on Nov. 1. When she has not been in training to learn the details of the latest farm bill, she is spending time with the local conservation districts or escorting 4-H members to swine produc- tion seminars in Greeley. “The way I like to describe extension is that we were the Google, before there was Google,” Benson said. “If you have a question on something about agricul- ture, you can give us a call or come in to see us, and we can point you in the right direction.” Initially Benson will center much of her time on the 4-H program, mentoring, coaching and advising 4-H youths with their animal projects as she becomes more familiar her new community. The 4-H program “is a great leader-

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Page 1: Elbert County News 1225

A look at how clashes erupted in 1800s between settlers, Native Americans By Chris Michlewicz [email protected]

Peaceful interactions were common be-tween settlers and Native Americans living in present-day Douglas and Elbert counties be-fore the bloody clashes in the 1860s put a stain on the history of that time period.

Elizabeth Tallman, the wife of one the area’s first residents, John Tallman, wrote many arti-cles in her later years recalling her experiences with Native Americans, including tribes led by Chief Washington and Chief Colorow. She was often left alone while her husband tended to the cattle, and the Utes would travel along the Tallman Gulch corridor (it’s actually Sulphur Gulch, but a geological surveyor screwed up a few decades ago and mislabeled it, says Sandy Whelchel, whose ancestors moved to the area from Ohio in the 1880s) and pass the cabin, which still stands near Ave Maria Catholic Church, roughly a quarter-mile from its origi-nal spot.

One night, Tallman was closing the chick-en coop for the night and walked through the door of her cabin to find several Native Ameri-cans sitting around her stove. They referred to her as a “heap Bueno squaw” and extended an invitation to her to attend a scalp dance that night, which she politely declined, Whelchel said.

“She could hear them all night down there dancing,” Whelchel said, adding most tribes were “not terribly aggressive” with settlers.

Another time, according to an article writ-ten by Tallman for The Colorado Magazine, Chief Washington wanted to barter for her son, who had red hair and was unique to them. He offered up to 20 Indian ponies, but Tallman continued to refuse.

“He just couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t sell the kid,” Whelchel says with a laugh.

Franklin Harn, who lived in Parker from 1933-39, recalled that his boss, a blacksmith who grew up near where Interstate 25 now meets Hampden Avenue, told him that Native Americans would peek inside the windows of his school as a boy. And when they were mourning the death of one of their own, he would “listen to the hooting and hollering all night,” Harn said.

A story that has lived on through local his-

tory is one in which a Native American entered a one-room schoolhouse full of children, who fell silent.

“He picked up a book and was looking at it upside down,” Whelchel said. “None of the kids giggled. He was trying to fit in, showing them he could read, too.”

The class remained completely still and quiet and the man calmly left.

Conflicts ariseThere exists a headstone in the Parker Cem-

etery that reads: “Jonathan Tallman - Killed by Indians.” And a monument in Elbert Coun-ty erected in 1939 by the Pioneer Women of Colorado pays tribute to the Hungate and Di-etemann families, who were murdered by Na-tive Americans.

According to historians, it was a combina-tion of cultural misunderstanding, broken trea-ties and outright aggression that led to notori-ous massacres in Colorado in the 1860s. Some of the most hotly debated murders occurred in the backyards, literally, of some property own-ers in Douglas and Elbert counties.

1

ElbertCountyNews.net

E L B E R T C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D OA publication of

December 25, 2014VOLUME 119 | ISSUE 47 | 7 5 ¢

POSTA

L AD

DRESS

ELBERT COUNTY NEWS(USPS 171-100)

OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

PHONE: 303-566-4100

A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing o� ces.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to:9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 11 a.m.Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classi� ed: Mon. 10 a.m.

GET SOCIAL WITH US

PLEASE RECYCLETHIS COPY

Je� Broome, a professor at Arapahoe Community College and a historian who has studied clashes between Native Americans and settlers in Colorado, points to the � eld where the Hungate murders took place in 1864. Photo by Chris Michlewicz

A memorial to those killed in clashes with Native Americans was erected in 1939 and still stands in Elbert County. Courtesy photo

A history of peace, violence

Principal continues on Page 7

Agent continues on Page 15Settlers continues on Page 7

District to renew search for principal Elizabeth High should have leader in place for 2015-16 By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media

The Elizabeth School District an-nounced Dec. 8 that it plans to resume its search for a new principal for Eliza-beth High School this winter.

According to an email from the dis-trict, Kin Shuman, director of human resources, expects to post the position for the 2015-16 school year by late Janu-ary and plans to invite qualified candi-dates for interviews beginning as early as February. Interviews could extend into March.

Ahead of the posting, Shuman intends to hold a series of meetings to hear opin-ions from students, staff and the com-munity about the strengths, challenges and vision for the future of the school. Those same groups will have the oppor-tunity to participate in a conversation with the candidates invited to interview.

Shuman said that the district will not be using a search firm to recruit, and once the interviews are completed, the final decision rests with Superintendent Douglas Bissonette.

County extension o� ce gains agent N.M. native � lls position, which was vacant since 2009 By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media

Kali Benson has been in her new job as Colorado State University’s Elbert County Extension Agent: Agriculture, Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Develop-ment, and Livestock for a little less than two months. If her job title sounds like a mouthful, try reading her to-do list.

The Elbert County Extension Office’s ag agent position has been vacant since 2009, and Benson will be learning the nuances of her job on the fly. So far, she says she has not had a typical day since she started on Nov. 1. When she has not been in training to learn the details of the latest farm bill, she is spending time with the local conservation districts or escorting 4-H members to swine produc-tion seminars in Greeley.

“The way I like to describe extension is that we were the Google, before there was Google,” Benson said. “If you have a question on something about agricul-ture, you can give us a call or come in to see us, and we can point you in the right direction.”

Initially Benson will center much of her time on the 4-H program, mentoring, coaching and advising 4-H youths with their animal projects as she becomes more familiar her new community.

The 4-H program “is a great leader-

Page 2: Elbert County News 1225

2 Elbert County News December 25, 2014

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Undocumented woman unbowed, unbroken When she was 11 and caring for four

younger brothers and sisters in a rural Mexican town, Rocío Méndez looked into her heart for strength.

When she was 15, hiding in a dump-ster from immigration offi cers in Arizona after walking four days through desert and mountains, she looked into her heart for courage.

Last week, when she completed the last exam needed for her college degree, Rocío, now 22, again looked into her heart. This time, she found happiness.

“Education has always been my heart,” she said. “Education has always been my motivation. It has been my life.”

The passion to learn has been the fi re that propelled her through unimaginable adversity — drug-war violence, family trag-edy, poverty and hunger — and that lifted her when hope threatened to slip from her grasp.

“Her story is nothing less than a miracle,” her high school teacher Lisa Wille-Racine said. “She was relentless. … She is relentless. She didn’t ever lose sight of her dream.”

But the dream isn’t fi nished: It won’t be until she can live and work here legally.

Hope amid tumultThat goal could become reality under a

provision in President Obama’s proposed executive order, which includes revisions to the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA, as it is known, excluded Rocío because she arrived here in 2008, one year too late. The Nov. 20 proposal, however, expands the cutoff to 2010 and gives those children a three-year reprieve from deportation and the opportunity to apply for the needed permit to work.

Republicans have threatened to block the president’s immigration action when Congress reconvenes in January. But amid the political tumult, Rocío — who has lobbied with fellow students for the still-unpassed DREAM Act in Washington, D.C. — and Wille-Racine stay optimistic.

Regardless of how one feels about Obama, Wille-Racine said, “at least he sees the richness and the powerfulness and the extraordinariness of kids who don’t call their country home any more. These are

kids with no country who see the only way to rise above poverty is through educa-tion.”

Petite with black hair just beyond her shoulders and a wide but rare smile, Rocío is one of 1.4 million undocumented stu-dents in the U.S. brought here by parents who entered illegally. Many, as in Rocío’s case, were searching for a better life. Each year, according to studies, about 65,000 undocumented students graduate from American high schools. But, impeded by fi nancial hardship and lack of legal documentation, fewer than 10,000 enroll in college.

When Rocío graduated — with honors — from a Castle Rock high school in 2010, Colorado did not offer in-state tuition to undocumented students. So, with Wille-Racine’s help, she enrolled in New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M., where she met criteria for in-state tuition offered also to students in her situation.

Today, 18 states allow in-state tuition rates for undocumented students. Four-teen do so through legislation. The fi rst were California and Texas in 2001; New Mexico did so in 2005; Colorado joined the group in 2013.

Rocío, who has always wanted to be a teacher, remembers sitting in the offi ce at Highlands’ School of Education: “The adviser … told me you can get an educa-tion, you can study to be a teacher. At the end, you’re not going to be eligible to teach because you have no legal status.”

The words shattered Rocío. She turned to Wille-Racine, tears in her eyes. “There is nothing for me here,” she said.

Wille-Racine reassured her there would be something. “Politics are changing quick-ly,” she said. “In four years, we can decide if it was worth it or not.”

Accident changed allTo fully understand the price of that

leap of faith, you have to go back to the beginning of Rocío’s story.

The family lived in a town of fewer than 500 people about two hours southeast of Mexico City. Her father, who fi nished two years of elementary school, grew fl owers to sell in the city. Her mother, who completed sixth grade, cared for the children.

Tragedy struck when Rocío’s 18-month-old sister was critically injured in a car accident. To provide the best medical care, her father borrowed money and sold everything he could, including the land on which he grew his fl owers, to send her to a private hospital. Her sister eventually recovered, but her father could no longer earn enough to support the family.

“You have to have money to pay — if you don’t, that person is going to die,” Rocío said. After two months “we didn’t have any money. In Mexico, we couldn’t survive anymore.”

Her parents crossed the border in 2001 and ended up in Castle Rock, where he

worked construction and landscaping and she cleaned hotels and businesses. The children stayed behind with grandparents, but Rocío — beginning at age 11 — essen-tially became the mom.

She bought groceries, cooked, got them ready for school, talked to teachers about their progress.

Most importantly, she said, she kept them safe, including from drug dealers who wanted payments for security.

All the while, she excelled in her studies, winning top prizes in her classes.

“I was so anxious to learn, to know stuff,” she said. “I was happy because going to school was going to make a difference.”

But when it came time for high school, the family didn’t have the money to pay for the better private education in Mexico. And the culture discouraged girls from continu-ing school. That included her family.

A teacher recommended Rocío study in the United States. It’s better over there, he said.

THE PRESIDENT’S ACTION On Nov. 20, President Obama announced an executive immigration order to create a program that would allow 4 mil-

lion to 5 million immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally to apply to work legally — as long as they have no criminal re-cord, have lived in the U.S. for at least � ve years and have children. They could also qualify to become eligible for Medi-care and Social Security.

The executive action also revises the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals by allowing children brought here illegally before 2010 to stay — previously, the year was 2007. It also removes the 30-year-old upper age limit and ex-tends the two-year relief from deportation to three years. Under DACA, anyone with deferred action can apply for a work permit.

To qualify, children must:

• Have come to the U.S. before their 16th birthday

• Have continuously lived in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2010

• Be in school, have graduated from high school, obtained a GED, or have been honorably discharged from the armed forces

• Have not been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanors

The DREAM Act, which Congress still has not passed, is bipartisan legislation that would permit certain immigrant students who have grown up in the U.S. to apply for temporary legal status, and eventually permanent legal status, and become eligible for U.S. citizenship if they attend college or serve in the military. It would apply to most students who came here at age 15 or younger, have lived here continuously at least � ve years before the bill’s enactment and have no criminal record.

Healey continues on Page 6

Page 3: Elbert County News 1225

Elbert County News 3 December 25, 2014

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Undocumented woman unbowed, unbroken

worked construction and landscaping and she cleaned hotels and businesses. The children stayed behind with grandparents, but Rocío — beginning at age 11 — essen-tially became the mom.

She bought groceries, cooked, got them ready for school, talked to teachers about their progress.

Most importantly, she said, she kept them safe, including from drug dealers who wanted payments for security.

All the while, she excelled in her studies, winning top prizes in her classes.

“I was so anxious to learn, to know stuff,” she said. “I was happy because going to school was going to make a difference.”

But when it came time for high school, the family didn’t have the money to pay for the better private education in Mexico. And the culture discouraged girls from continu-ing school. That included her family.

A teacher recommended Rocío study in the United States. It’s better over there, he said.

State’s top court hears voucher argumentsJustices could take up to nine months for decisionBy Jane [email protected]

Colorado Supreme Court justices asked pointed questions about the potential impact of voucher programs on public schools, among other issues, during the long-awaited oral arguments surrounding the Douglas County School District’s choice scholarship program.

The court could take up to nine months to issue its decision, though it has ruled in as little as a month on some cases. The rul-ing will apply to all other courts in the state.

The chambers were packed Dec. 10, with requests for seats exceeding the room’s 195-seat capacity. The demand prompted the court to livestream the proceedings.

Among those with a front-row seat for the arguments were John Carson, who was president of the DCSD board when the pro-gram was implemented in 2011, former board member Justin Williams, current board president Kevin Larsen and board member Rich Robbins.

Justices hit both sides with questions during the hour-long session, which in-cluded 30 minutes of argument each from attorneys for DCSD and plaintiffs Taxpayers for Public Education.

The parent-led Taxpayers for Public Education initially filed the suit in 2011 against DCSD and the Colorado Depart-ment of Education after the district imple-mented its pilot program designed for 500 students. It allowed the students’ parents to use state-provided per-pupil revenue toward tuition at private, mostly religiously affiliated schools. A Denver judge ruled the program violated both the Colorado Con-stitution and school finance act in August 2011, halting the program.

The Colorado Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s decision in February 2012. Taxpayers for Public Education then ap-pealed to the Supreme Court.

On Dec. 10, Justice Gregory Hobbs asked if money used for the program could im-

pact the Founding Fathers’ intent to pro-vide a free, universal education.

“What happens to our fine public school system?”

James Lyons, attorney for the school dis-trict, said the funds parents would use in the program already are set aside for stu-dents. Under the pilot program, 75 percent of the funding could be used toward private tuition, with the remainder staying with the virtual charter school established by the district to administer the program.

(Parents) “are simply being given the choice here to take state money, public money that is available to them, and use it as they see fit,” he said.

Chief Justice Nancy Rice said Lyons’ ar-gument suggests a paradigm shift has oc-curred in the view of public education.

“Now what you’re saying is public edu-cation is almost a funding mechanism,” she

said.Lyons said that shift follows changes in

education and its delivery.“It was little red schoolhouses located

right down the street in the same township,” he said. “That’s been gone for a long time. The founders never could have considered things like charter schools, online school, home school, the whole digital revolution.”

A parent’s decision to use public funds toward private school tuition doesn’t affect the district’s responsibility “to provide a full and free public education for those who choose not to be in the program,” Lyons said. “And it doesn’t diminish by a nickel the school’s ability to do that.”

The Court of Appeals ruled Taxpayers for Public Education lacked standing to bring the suit, noting it is the responsibility of the Colorado Department of Education, but Taxpayers’ attorney Matthew Douglas said

the state department was “a compromised enforcer.”

“The administrative agency who’s sup-posed to stand at arm’s length and be the enforcer of the school finance act had al-ready expressed an inclination to approve the program,” he said. “If the department of education is going to abdicate its respon-sibility, those regulations cannot be a basis on which to deny standing.”

Lyons said the CDE wasn’t given time to raise any concerns about the program.

“This program was enjoined in August,” he said, which also prevented the depart-ment from using any enforcement mecha-nisms.

“Yes, they were consulting as this was being developed; that doesn’t make them complicit.”

Attorney Michael Bindas, who repre-sents the families of students who partici-pated in the program, said public funding can’t be limited based on religion.

“The equal protection clause prohibits government from making it more difficult for one class of citizens to seek aid from the government,” he said. “Government may not draw distinctions between religious and non-religious. When government chooses to provide this type of public benefit, it has to do so evenhandedly.”

Douglas said the state’s guiding docu-ment is clear.

“Parents are free to choose religious education for their children,” he said. “But under the plain language of the Colorado Constitution, public taxpayer money can-not fund that choice.”

Because tuition was passed to private schools not by the district, but by parents who chose from among the qualifying schools, Lyons said the program is legal.

“Parental choice breaks the link,” he said.

Taxpayers for Public Education director Anne Kleinkopf declined to comment.

The school district issued a brief emailed statement.

“We look forward to the decision of the Colorado Supreme Court and remain confi-dent that the program will be upheld.”

Michael McCarthy, center, an attorney representing Taxpayers for Public Education, argues their case against the Douglas County School District’s voucher program during a packed Dec. 11 hearing at the Colorado Supreme Court. Pool photo/RJ Sangosti, Denver Post

Page 4: Elbert County News 1225

4 Elbert County News December 25, 2014

4

To feds, pot business smells suspicious�e handling of money is a conundrum for shopsBy Katie KuntzRocky Mountain PBS I-News

The federal government is stockpiling hundreds of “suspicious activity reports” that could provide federal agents with suf-ficient evidence to shut down any state-legalized marijuana business.

While it may appear that federal author-ities have taken a wait-and-see approach to marijuana legalization in the 23 states that now allow either medical or recreational use, these reports are poised like a blade over the budding industry should federal laws be enforced.

This risk of federal prosecution has led some cannabis companies to literally laun-der their money.

“You used to be able to just smell it,” said Jennifer Waller, vice president of the Colorado Bankers Association, speaking of the cash from marijuana shops. “But now they are using Febreze a lot, putting the money in dryers, a lot of different things to try to disguise the scent because marijuana has such a distinct odor.”

And that distinct odor is considered a red flag by federal authorities who require that banks file a suspicious activity report for every transaction that might be associ-ated with illegal activity, including selling marijuana, even for state licensed busi-nesses.

“It’s because of the illegal nature of it,” Waller said. “In banking, if you are ac-cepting the funds from a marijuana com-pany and you are aware of it … you can be charged with money laundering yourself.”

Banks fear the repercussions of holding deposits related to marijuana, still a Sched-ule I illegal drug under federal law. That could mean prison time for individual tell-ers, fines for the bank, and the bank could even lose its federal deposit insurance,

meaning it could be also be closed.

If a mari-juana store is charged with money laundering, it

could lose everything.“Even before a conviction, the feds

could freeze your assets,” said Chris Mykle-bust, commissioner of the Colorado Divi-sion of Financial Services. “And if there is a money laundering conviction, the feds can seize the assets, too.”

The federal government has already collected more than 1,100 reports that im-plicate different cannabis companies in fi-nancial crimes nationwide.

“Just in a moment’s notice, the U.S. Jus-tice Department could literally take down every single dispensary in Colorado, prob-ably within about a day.” said Rob Corry, a Denver attorney and marijuana advocate.

Corry has worked on several cases where federal agents have seized assets — cars, cash, bank accounts — though many of the records are sealed and it’s hard to gauge just how often this occurs.

More often, banks simply shut down marijuana-related accounts. Between Feb-ruary and August 2014, banks filed more than 475 “Marijuana Termination” suspi-cious activity reports — indicating they

closed hundreds of accounts because of possible criminal activity.

“I’ve lost my personal bank account, my brothers have lost their personal bank ac-counts,” said Sally Vander Veer, operator of Medicine Man dispensary in Denver. The dispensary also lost its account in August.

She says that without a bank account, all Medicine Man employees are paid in cash.

“I can’t protect them. They walk out of here with a pocket full of cash and, in es-sence, they become another target and a potential victim of not having banking in the marijuana industry,” Vander Veer said.

The dilemma has resulted in private businesses like Blue Line Protection Group that employ former military or law enforce-ment officers equipped with handguns, bulletproof vests, tactical training and ar-mored trucks to transport cash and prod-uct to undisclosed locations for safekeep-ing.

“When we started, the clients we were picking up had a manager taking (cash) in a Honda Civic or some kind of Subaru, un-armed, no vests, no tactics, no skills,” said

Dominic Powelson, who works for Blue Line Protection Group. “People are gladly saying, ‘Yeah, just go, we will pay you some money to do it for us.’ ”

State regulators in Colorado and Wash-ington have also tried to ease access to banking. Mycklebust, the Colorado finan-cial services commissioner, issued a char-ter to the first ever marijuana-focused credit union in November. The new credit union will not immediately have federal credit insurance, although it has applied.

Mycklebust said the new credit union must also file suspicious activity reports.

The so called “SARs” stem from the guidelines set forth by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department. The guidelines were meant to ease access to banks.

“Banks are required by law to report when they think that a business is making money from something illegal, and mari-juana is still federally illegal,” said Steve Hudak, spokesman for FinCEN. “We at-tempted to provide guidance that would help to get cash off the streets and some of the public danger that is associated with that, so we went about as far as we could.”

But the guidelines didn’t actually legal-ize banking for marijuana businesses — only Congress can do that. And so far, Con-gressional leaders have been opposed.

“(FinCEN’s) guidance is dangerously misleading,” wrote U.S. Sens. Chuck Grass-ley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in a letter of reprimand to the agency. “In-deed, following the guidance may expose financial institutions to civil or criminal li-ability.”

Still, some U.S. representatives from Colorado and other states have introduced legislation to federally legalize state-ap-proved marijuana, or at least legalize the industry’s access to banking. But those bills have not advanced.

As is, state-approved marijuana busi-nesses operate solely as a matter of federal discretion. And that could change at any time.

Colorado Community Media brings you this report in partnership with Rocky Moun-tain PBS I-News. Learn more at rmpbs.org/news. Contact Katie Kuntz at [email protected].

Cash is collected at a Strainwise marijuana store in Denver on Nov. 17, 2014. Legal marijuana businesses are a cash-heavy operation and many stores rely on armored car services like Blue Line for cash transportation and protection. Photo by Rocky Mountain PBS I-News

Page 5: Elbert County News 1225

Elbert County News 5 December 25, 2014

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� e gi� of a second chance Parker Adventist doc performs free surgeries for uninsured By Chris Michlewicz [email protected]

Next summer, Andrea Cisneros is look-ing forward doing something Coloradans both love and dread: walking the hill up to Red Rocks Amphitheater.

It can be a grueling climb for concert-go-ers, but she is nonetheless up for the chal-lenge. It has been a long time since Cisneros has been able to conquer the steep grade.

Her hip socket was crushed in a terrible car accident when she was 21. She had fi nished basic training for the U.S. Army and was celebrating her new job as a para-trooper and helicopter mechanic. She had been drinking before she struck a semi. That night changed the course of her life. Cisneros never set foot on the Army base, was discharged, and left to deal with the consequences of a debilitating injury that doctors thought would prevent her from having children.

Ignoring her doctor’s orders to do physi-cal therapy only made things worse and the pain became excruciating. Cisneros has spent recent years limping around. Run-ning and swimming, two of her favorite ac-tivities, were no longer an option.

Now, at the age of 48, Cisneros has re-ceived a new lease on life, thanks to the generosity of strangers. She was among three people selected to participate in Operation Walk USA, an annual event in which surgeons volunteer their services to perform operations on patients who don’t have health insurance. She underwent hip replacement surgery at Parker Adventist Hospital Dec. 1, a procedure that would normally cost around $40,000.

As the mother of three was being prepped for surgery, the reality of the situ-ation was still sinking in. Cisneros didn’t al-low herself to believe it would happen until the morning of the operation. Even though she felt undeserving, she described her

gratitude for the gift, which came two days after her birthday.

“It’s frustrating because it’s my own stu-pid fault that I’m in this position, so I don’t feel like I should have sympathy, much less this fabulous blessing that I got,” she said.

She was especially thankful to Dr. Derek Johnson, the orthopedic surgeon who has

donated his time and expertise to OpWalk for the last three years. It was not only her urgent need for a hip replacement, but Cis-neros’s selfl essness that stuck out to John-son.

“She blamed herself for (the accident) and told us if there were other people that needed it, she didn’t want her hip replaced. She didn’t want to take the spot of someone else,” he said. “So it was not just a matter of helping her hip pain, but helping her re-solve this one mistake she made 30 years ago.”

Aside from walking up the hill at Red Rocks for the fi rst time in ages, Cisneros is looking forward to chasing her two young grandchildren around, walking her dog

more than one block and taking a stroll on the beach in California. She’s also eager to “walk and not look like I’m 108 years old at 48,” she said.

Her rehabilitation is expected to last a few months, and the Arvada resident has vowed to follow every instruction for recov-ery given by Johnson. She also has pledged to become a vocal advocate for OpWalk, a program she found online one day when she was in immense pain. Now the woman who says she was once afraid of doctors calls them “superheroes.”

“Dr. Johnson is amazing. To do this for me— he doesn’t know me and he made me feel like I was his best friend from years ago,” Cisneros said.

Arvada resident Andrea Cisneros shares a laugh with pre-op nurse Carol Cooper before undergoing surgery for a hip joint-replacement at Parker Adventist Hospital. Photo by Chris Michlewicz

ABOUT OPWALKThrough Operation Walk USA 2014, an estimated 120

patients across the country received free joint replace-ments from 85 volunteer orthopedic surgeons, Dec. 1-6.

AREA CLUBS DOUGLAS-ELBERT COUNT Y 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 ELBERT County Sheriff’s Posse is a nonprofit volunteer organization that is part of the Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office. As volunteers we support the Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office, all law enforcement in our county, and the community at large. For more information or a membership application, go to http://www.elbertcoun-tysheriff.com/posse.html, or contact Dave Peontek at 303-646-5456.

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.

LAW YERS 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.

MYSTERY BOOK Club meets at 9:30 a.m. the first Saturday of each month at the Simla Public Library. The group enjoys talking about a variety of mystery authors and titles. We also periodically host a Colorado author dur-ing our meetings. Everyone may join us, and registration is not required. Visit the Simla Branch of the Elbert County Library District at 504 Washington Avenue, call 719-541-2573, or email [email protected].

THE OUTBACK Express is a public transit service provided through the East Central Council of Local Govern-ments is open and available to all residents of Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson and Lincoln counties and provides an economical and efficient means of travel for the four-county region. Call Kay Campbell, Kiowa, at 719- 541-4275. You may also call the ECCOG office at 1-800-825-0208 to make reservations for any of the trips. You may also visit http://outbackexpress.tripod.com. To ensure that a seat is available, 24-hour advance reservations are appreciated.

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.

SENIORS MEET in Elizabeth every Monday at 11 a.m. for food, fun and fellowship at Elizabeth Senior Cen-ter, 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.

C YCLE CLUB meets at 9 a.m. Saturdays in the parking lot of Southeast Christian Church. Tour the streets of Parker, Elizabeth and Castle Rock. Call John at 720-842-5520.

PARKER ARTISTS Guild presents free art classes for kids and teen on the second Saturday of each month at Hobby Lobby at Parker Road and Mainstreet. Lessons and Lemonade classes for ages 10-12 are at 9:30 or 11 a.m., and the Teen Art Studio for grades 7-9 are at 1 or 3 p.m. Reservations required by the Wednesday before class. Go to www.parkerartistsguild.com and click on Youth Programs. 20 students maximum.

HILLTOP SOCIAL Club has been an active women’s club in the Parker area since 1921. We meet the second Thursday of each month at noon at the Hilltop School-house at Flintwood and Democrat Roads. The ladies have maintained the schoolhouse since 1954 for community use, and the preservation of the history of the Hilltop area. For more information please call Be at 303-841-4581, or Fran at 303-841-9655.

PARKER SCOTTISH Country Dance meets from 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at Parker Mainstreet Center, 19650 E. Mainstreet. The cost is $4 per class. Call Sam Reynolds at 303-805-1446 or [email protected].

THE PARKER Sunrise Lions Club is a service club that supports the Parker community. Meetings are at 7 a.m. the first and third Wednesdays of each month at Fika Coffee House on Mainstreet, in the old section of Parker. Join us. We have fun while doing good. For information, contact Lonnie Farmer at 303-841-3332.

PARKER TOASTMASTERS Club “Where Leaders Are Made” meets from 7-8 p.m. every Thursday in Room 206 on the second floor at Southeast Christian Church, 9560 Jordan Road, Parker. Club is open to all. For information, visit www.parkertoastmasters.com, or call Eric Dunham at 303-386-6119. 

Clubs continues on Page 7

Page 6: Elbert County News 1225

6 Elbert County News December 25, 2014

6

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Castle Rock gets dialysis clinicFacility o�ers training for at-home treatmentsBy Mike [email protected]

A new Castle Rock clinic will pro-vide in-patient and at-home dialysis treatment for those suffering from kidney failure.

Liberty Dialysis Castle Rock, part of Fresenius Medical Care North Amer-ica, has opened a new clinic at 4352 Trail Boss Drive.

According to the clinic, more than 3,800 Colorado residents suffer from kidney failure and rely on some form of dialysis as a life-sustaining treat-ment option.

“Basically we deal with outpatient dialysis. Generally, patients come here three times per week. The average treatment time is about four hours. We also offer the home therapy dialy-sis where we work with patients who do it themselves at home,” said Genna Hirsch, the registered nurse in charge of the clinic. “(At-home treatment) is a little bit less restrictive on their sched-ules. Here they’re stuck to coming ev-ery Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6 a.m., for example, but at home there’s a little more leeway.”

The clinic is small, serving fewer than 20 patients, with Hirsch and two others providing the majority of the care, though she said they are equipped to take care of up to 100 pa-tients.

“(Dialysis patients’) kidneys have shut down to the point where they no longer able to remove fluids and tox-ins from their bodies. You and i, our kidneys are basically working 24 hours a day to just keep our bodies healthy,” Hirsch said. “These guys, their bodies

don’t do that anymore, so they’re do-ing in about four hours what our bod-ies do in a full day.”

The clinic offers training in two types of at-home dialysis, pertaniel di-alysis and home-hemo dialysis.

Pertaniel dialysis can be done by oneself and at any time or place, mak-ing it one of the most flexible therapy options. Hirsch said she even had a patient who was a truck driver and did it in the cab of his semi.

“Think of it as using the abdomen as a coffee filter,” she said. “They have a little catheter that comes out of their stomach and they connect to a solu-tion that they then drain into their belly and then they disconnect. The solution hangs out in their belly for four to five hours and then they con-nect to a drain bag and drain it out. That solution pulls all of the toxins and fluids through the abdomen and

then it’s drained out.”Home-hemo dialysis is more like

the treatment given at the clinic.“They have a machine that sits on

a tabletop; it’s a real simplified version of what we use here basically,” Hirsch said. “They do have to have a trained partner, a husband or wife or child.”

Home hemo must be done five to six days a week for two or two and a half hours.

Training for Pertaniel takes about 10 days and training for home hemo is more complicated, taking about three to four weeks.

“We try and sit down with them and ease whatever fears our patients have,” Hirsch said. “They’re going to have a lot of questions. Their families will have a lot of questions. Usually af-ter a while you settle into a routine. It is a lifetime thing.”

Nurse Genna Hirsch adjusts a dialysis machine at the newly opened Liberty Dialysis Castle Rock. Photo by Mike DiFerdinando

“Since that day,” she said, “I want to go to school. I want to go to school. I want to go to school … I didn’t know I was going to walk. I didn’t know it was so dangerous. I just knew I wanted to go to school.”

Rocío’s parents had returned to Mex-ico in 2004 when her grandmother died. A year later, her dad went back to Castle Rock. And in February 2008, her mother decided to rejoin him and bring Rocío and her then-five younger siblings. They tried to get student visas to emigrate le-gally, Rocío said, but didn’t have enough money. So, with a guide and Rocío’s uncle, they crossed the border on foot.

Rocío and the adults carried the heaviest of six bags, which held tuna, bread, beans and gallons of water — enough, they thought, for four days. They walked mostly at night and slept under bushes during daylight. They crossed deserts, mountains, highways and ranches. They skirted an airport. They ran out of water on the second day. By the third day, the two men gave up their food portions so the children could eat.

On the fourth day, as the group walked along train tracks near a factory in Arizona, a man saw them and began talking on his phone.

“Ya nos echaron la migra — they’ve called immigration,” her uncle yelled. “Scatter and run!”

Her uncle covered Rocío’s mother, two sisters and a brother with sand in a nearby dry creek bed. Another brother climbed up a tree. Rocío jumped into a dumpster filled with trash. She heard dogs barking and police talking. She stayed there for hours, until her uncle came for her.

“It was something I hope I never have to live again,” she said.

That evening, they reached a hotel in a town called Guadalupe, south of Phoenix where her father — who in 2010 received a work permit — picked them up.

He took them to Walmart to buy food and clothes.

“Oh, my God,” Rocío said, as she wandered through the store. “This is amazing.”

Strange new worldIn Castle Rock, Rocío entered school

in March as a sophomore — 14 credits transferred from her high school in Mexico.

“The first day I was so scared, I didn’t talk to anyone,” she said. “The only thing I knew how to say was `Hi.’ I was happy to be able to continue my education. I was eating lunch and I told myself, `You have to work hard — this isn’t going to be easy.’”

It wasn’t.Many days, the frustration of being

unable to communicate in English, the struggle academically, the isolation socially, left her in tears.

That’s how Wille-Racine met her, crying, huddled in a corner behind a teacher’s desk.

“I saw those little eyes looking at me and I said, `Well, hello,’” Wille-Racine said. “That moment changed the rest of my life.”

That moment threw Wille-Racine, a Spanish and English as a Second Lan-guage teacher and mother of 15-year-old twins, into an unfamiliar world she would come to know intimately — the limbo and uncharted territory of un-documented students.

And Rocío’s determination to suc-ceed in school, despite the unceasing obstacles, moved her deeply.

“She was fierce,” Wille-Racine said. “So I decided to be fierce right along her side.”

When it came time for college, the teacher and the student figured it out as they went: whom to call, where to go, what to do.

On her end, Rocío scrambled to find ways to pay for the education she so desperately wanted. She worked two jobs during summers, including clean-ing hotels.

She borrowed money from friends, which she later repaid. She won a $6,000 scholarship. She cleaned and cooked in return for room and food.

At times, she gave up food money for tuition money.

Teachers and friends of Wille-Racine also helped by contributing money,

clothes, transportation and, sometimes, simply a helping hand.

Whenever an obstacle appeared, Wille-Racine would take a deep breath and wait until, she said, God would work some magic.

“I always felt responsible to make something happen,” Wille-Racine said. “She was just looking to me for all the answers, and half the time I didn’t have them.”

Said Rocío: “Lisa, she always, always had hope.”

Blossoming in collegeCollege changed everything for

Rocío.In high school, she’d often felt alone,

invisible. At Highlands, she realized there were many people like her — un-documented, fighting to attend college, working two or three jobs just to be able to go to school.

“I found a family,” she said.That newfound community helped

her gain confidence, to believe she could make a difference and give back to a society that had given her so much.

She joined student organizations that worked with immigration issues at local, state and national levels.

They trained administrators about immigration laws, provided legal help to students applying for deferred status, protested and lobbied for change, trav-eled to conferences to educate them-selves about undocumented issues in other states.

In November 2013, Rocío traveled to Washington, D.C., with a student organization to lobby for immigration reform.

The group staged a mock Thanksgiv-ing dinner in the early morning hours in front of House Speaker John Boehner’s house to show how the holiday would be sad for children separated from families because of deportation.

Then students headed to the Capitol to talk to senators and protest for im-migration change.

“I’ve become an activist,” Rocío said. “I’ve become a fighter for my undocu-mented community. I’ve become a person unafraid …”

The opportunities that college has provided her, Rocío said, solidified her willingness to step into the open despite

possible legal consequences.“I’m still insecure in this country,”

she said. “They can deport me any time. But we have to make a difference. If we are afraid, nothing is going to happen and we will be the same — invisible people living here. If we the students don’t make the change, nobody is going to make it for us.”

She is proud of what she’s accom-plished, particularly that she’s set a path for others to follow. Two brothers, also undocumented, are also at Highlands.

“I don’t know how to describe how I feel,” Rocío said. “I just feel special, lucky to go to college, to be the first per-son in my family to finish high school, to finish college. It makes me feel I should work even more.”

Last spring, her sister Miriam, who graduates from high school in May, wrote this for her high school publica-tion:

“My sister, Rocío, is my hero, be-cause when my parents had to come to the United States to work to be able to … buy what we needed, she was 15 years old. She took care of me, my sister and two brothers, and she had to go to school, too … When we moved here … a lot of people would tell her she wouldn’t go further in school because she didn’t understand English. But … she never gives up. Now, she is almost done with college.”

On Dec. 12, Rocío received her de-gree in Spanish with a minor in Native American-Hispano studies. She would like to pursue a master’s in education in curriculum and instruction.

She would like to teach.But she can’t — she doesn’t have a So-

cial Security number or a work permit.So she waits. And hopes.And continues to look into her heart

for the truth she has carried with her al-ways: “Education is the only key to suc-cess.”

Ann Macari Healey’s column about peo-ple, places and issues of everyday life appears every other week. Her column earned first place in the 2013 Colorado Press Association Better Newspaper con-test. She can be reached at [email protected] or 303-566-4110.

Continued from Page 2

Healey

Page 7: Elbert County News 1225

Jeff Broome, a professor at Arapahoe Community College who has written ex-tensively on those skirmishes, led a tour of the sites in August 2013, bringing along the ancestors of the area’s first settlers. They included Linda Vannostrand, the great-great granddaughter of Apollinaris Dietemann, who found his wife and son scalped and shot in present-day Elbert County in 1868.

“I’m hoping to learn everything I can, what really happened,” said Vannostrand, who explained that the story has been passed on through her family. “To have that in your own family is amazing.”

Dietemann remarried and Vannostrand descends from a child from that marriage.

Although the woman who owns the property on which the Hungate massacre occurred on June 11, 1864, no longer al-lows people on the site, Broome stood on a dirt road in western Elbert County and pointed to the spot in an undistinguish-able field. What transpired depends on whom you ask — former Colorado State Historian David Halaas, Ph.D, says there is a wealth of disinformation out there — but there is little doubt that the Hungate massacre ratcheted up the tension and was a factor in Gov. John Evans’ decision to order Gen. John Chivington to assem-ble the 1st Colorado Volunteers, which later took part in the Sand Creek massa-cre.

It should be noted that John Tallman, the brother of Jonathan Tallman and hus-band of Elizabeth Tallman, served in that group.

“John was one of the first to reach the scene of the Hungate massacre in 1864, and witnessed its horrors,” according to the Parker Area Historical Society. “When news of it spread, it inflamed the hearts and minds of the people throughout the area.”

Newspaper accounts from the time say the bodies of the Hungates were displayed in downtown Denver. Broome believes that because rustling was common in those parts at the time, Hungate caught a

Native American stealing a horse and shot him, causing the tribe to retaliate and burn the Hungate family from their home before scalping and killing Hungate, his wife and two daughters.

Halaas, who has acted as a consultant for the Northern Cheyenne for two de-cades, said most stories are pure specula-tion and cast doubt on the suspected cul-prits, the Arapaho.

“We don’t really know what set this off and we don’t know who did it,” Halaas said, adding that a series of treaties were violated by the settlers.

Halaas says he is glad the woman who owns the Hungate site shut it down be-cause “amateurs” were allowed to remove artifacts and were “ruining things.”

Seeking the full storyMeanwhile, Broome continues to dig

into records, including American Indian Annuity Rolls at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., and witness accounts taken at the time. His extensive research has led him to the conclusions contained in his writing.

Whelchel calls the theory “believable” because the Native Americans “didn’t have any concept of things belonging to people,” leading to conflicts.

“It was very strange for them,” she says. “If they saw it and liked it, they took it. Ev-erything was free.”

The attacks left pioneers unnerved. One document uncovered by Sandy Whelchel says that classes were suspend-ed at one local school because of fears for child safety, especially in the wake of re-taliation for Sand Creek.

Harn recalls an infamous story from Parker’s past that he heard directly from a man he knew as Uncle Billy Newlin, who later owned the Tallman cabin. In 1870, John Tallman’s brother, Jonathan, was killed by Native Americans while he and a friend were riding between the ranch in present-day Canterberry Crossing and Ki-owa. The story is also documented in the historical society’s guide.

“Jonathan Tallman was riding a mule he had just purchased and the friend was riding a horse,” the guide says. “When at-tacked by a roving band of Indians they made a run for it, but the mule was no match for the Indian ponies.”

Elbert County News 7 December 25, 2014

7

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PARKER WRITERS Group memberships and monthly work-shops are free and open to anyone interested in writing. Our members range from new writers to internationally published authors. The group meets from 2-4 p.m. the second Sunday of each month at the Parker Library, 10851 S. Crossroads Drive, Parker. Go to www.

parkerwritersgroup.org or contact [email protected] for event details.

THE SOUTH East Beekeeping Club. This Beekeeping Club meets the � rst Wednesday of every month at the North Pinery Firehouse, Parker, at 6:30-8:30 p.m. We welcome all levels of beekeep-ing from no-bees to wanna-bees to tons of bees. Our meeting time is spent solving beekeeping challenges, networking and refreshments. There is no fee for this meeting and a lending library is available. The South East Beekeeping Club was formerly called the High Prairie Bee Club. For more information, call Louise at 303 840 7184.

Continued from Page 5

Clubs

Continued from Page 1

Settlers

Linda Vannostrand is a descendent of the Dietemann family, which was murdered by Native Americans in Elbert County in 1868. Photo by Chris Michlewicz

Continued from Page 1

PrincipalRod Blunck, the former superinten-

dent of the Elizabeth School District for three years and professor at the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Education

and Human Development, has been the acting principal at Elizabeth High School since the start of the current school year.

Blunck agreed to step in temporarily last fall following the departure of Greg Wieman, who resigned at the end of the 2014 school year to accept a position as superintendent with the Eureka County School District in Nevada. Wieman had held the job as principal for five years.

“We need a leader who is willing to carry on the school’s traditions and care about the employees and the kids who walk through those doors every day,” Blunck said when asked what qualities his successor might have.

Blunck, whose leave of absence from CU-Denver is temporary, said that he has no plans to apply for the position.

“I serve at the pleasure of the superin-

tendent,” Blunck said. “When I’m no lon-ger needed, I will go back to that position (at CU).”

The district had initially posted the position late in the summer, and accord-ing to Blunck the district had some very talented candidates apply, but decided to delay hiring for the position until after the beginning of the academic year and the “hiring season” had started.

Page 8: Elbert County News 1225

8 Elbert County News December 25, 2014

8-Opinion

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OPINIONY O U R S & O U R S

All the fun of a cage, plus seat-kicking My neighbor fl ies somewhere just about

every week. He even has an airport car. It looks a little like the gutted-out rental in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.”

“It gets us where we want to go.”If you are low on oil and know how to

extract it from asphalt, there’s some waiting for you across the street.

I call the car “Valdez.”I don’t fl y anywhere. As I have said before,

I am sedentary. I miss out. I would love to see Paris, France. Or even Paris, Texas.

The peat bogs of Laphroaig.The Lesser Antilles. The Grampian hills. I

would settle for Pismo Beach.I remember smoking and non-smoking

sections. If one person on an airplane smoked, we all smoked.

Shooters were either free or a dollar. Flight attendants were called “stewardesses” or “stews,” and some of them looked like go-go dancers.

Then things changed.It’s an obstacle course just to board a

plane, and once I do I am in greater proxim-ity with more disconcerting people for an extended period than at any other time in my life.

Expedia released its annual list of “on-board etiquette violators.” I will let you think about it before I share it with you.

I will give you mine fi rst.Number one on my list of violators is sim-

ply what Sartre referred to as “other people.”I’d fl y all by myself on a private jet if I

could. No fl ight attendants. No pre-fl ight directives. No pilot pointing out the Monon-gahela.

I might allow a harpist.OK, Expedia, here we go: Seat kickers have

moved into the top spot, bumping “inatten-tive parents” into second place.

Seat kickers will kick you if your seat is reclined, and if you two go at it, the fl ight might be diverted, and you could be led off by marshals.

Small talkers. It’s easier to ixnay small talk-ers these days than it used to be.

Now you can just listen — or pretend to listen — to your headphones instead. (You youngsters don’t remember the days before there were headphones.)

There was a time when you might be a captive, next to a shower ring representative, who just made a big sale in Wichita.

I have never been very gracious.If someone tried to bend my ear, I tried

to bend their ear right back. I would start to sing.

“There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow.”

If they persisted, I would add, “The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye.”

That was usually all it took.If you smell like a bowl of cologne, well,

you make the list of violators. I sat next to a woman who had been embalmed the day before.

Drinkers who drink and drink make the list. You hear about some of them. One had to be taped down by nearby passengers. A picture showed him looking like a duct tape mummy, with tape over his mouth.

His eyes were wild, and so was his hair.Sitting in coach isn’t much fun. It’s a little

inhumane, unless you are the size of a ferret, but who is?

And perhaps the worst of all is to be as ornery as I am, as tall as I am, and as ornery as I am — or have I already mentioned that? — and to be seated between two complete strangers. The Middle Seat.

It’s torture. I mean it.I sat next to a woman who boarded with a

greasy, brown bag of fried chicken parts. I’m telling you.

There are other options, but fl ying is still worth it.

If I were to board a Greyhound in Denver tonight at 7:15 p.m., I would arrive in New York City the day after tomorrow at 4:20 p.m.

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

Designated drivers keep holidays safe It seems that we can fi nd a top 10 list or

the top 10 reasons to do just about anything these days. I mean, everything from places to live, cars to purchase, gadgets to own, ratio-nale to drink coffee or tea, favorite vacation spots, and so many more. If you have ever caught David Letterman’s show, there was a Top 10 list every night, usually designed to make a satirical point.

Now, with the holidays upon us, I thought I would encourage us all to drink responsibly, and if we are going to take advantage of the festivities and celebrate with our favorite spirits, to not just consider having a desig-nated driver, but to make the commitment and ensure that we have a designated driver or safe ride home whether it is a taxi, bus, or chauffeured ride of some kind.

Maybe it’s our turn to be the DD, the des-ignated driver, or maybe it’s someone else’s turn, but either way, let’s not just celebrate the season, let’s celebrate the fact that we are driving safely and soberly and celebrate all of the DDs out there, especially during this time of year.

So here it goes, the Top 10 list — Reasons to Celebrate Having a Designated Driver:

10. Bragging rights (That’s right, I have a

designated driver, don’t you?)9. Convenience of a ride anywhere we

need to go (Isn’t it really all about conve-nience?)

8. Others will see us as really, really smart (Women and men both love the DDs)

7. Eliminate the worry about how we will get home (Or waking up in some very strange place)

6. Freedom to celebrate as we would like to this year (Jail time is not freedom)

5. Respect from our peers (R.E.S.P.E.C.T. equals coolness!)

4. Avoidance of expensive tickets, legal fees, and fi nes (If you can’t pay the fi ne. don’t do the crime)

3. Avoidance of jail time (Freedom is not

jail time)2. We live to celebrate another day (Party

on!)… and the number-one reason is …1. Safety for ourselves and everyone else

on the road (Every day is a good day, just try missing one)

If we really take a look at the list above, wouldn’t you agree that we should do every-thing we can to celebrate and appreciate our DDs? I am not sure about you, but I have the utmost respect for the person who volunteers to be the safety net and make sure that their family and friends arrive home safely. I also have immense respect for the people who are smart enough to plan in advance to have a designated driver in their group when they plan on partying.

Parties happen, partying takes place, overindulging is a given in some cases as we celebrate during the holiday season or really at any time of year. And I am amazed and truly appreciative of the people who recog-nize that they have had too much and leave their car in the parking lot or at a friend’s house, call a taxi or arrange another ride, and

Norton continues on Page 9

Page 9: Elbert County News 1225

Elbert County News 9 December 25, 2014

9

To place an Obituary for Your Loved One…

[email protected]

Funeral HomesVisit: www.memoriams.com

come back in the next day or two to pick up their car. What a great decision and defi nitely one worth celebrating as we celebrate.

According to CDOT there have already been 435 traffi c related fatalities here in Colo-rado in 2014, with 150 of those fatal accidents involving alcohol. As the years winds down, let’s not invite any more unwanted tragedy

into our lives and into our communities. Instead, let’s celebrate, appreciate, and love on our designated drivers.

How about you? Are you up for some partying this holiday season? And if so, do you have your DD plan in place? I would love to hear all about your designated driver plans at [email protected], and when we all take the time to make our roads safer, it really will be a better than good holiday season.

Michael Norton is a resident of Castle Rock, the former president of the Zig Ziglar Corpo-ration, a strategic consultant and a business and personal coach.

Continued from Page 8

Norton

Leaders get experience of lifetime Coalition had ‘robust business agenda’ in nation’s capital By Christy Steadman csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com

It was a bustling three days in the na-tion’s capital — people were protesting the Keystone XL pipeline project and the World Health Organization was having a function on Ebola.

Amid it all was a group of south metro Denver’s elected offi cials, educators and two graduate students, chamber of commerce members and business leaders.

The trip to Washington, D.C., was very successful, said Jeff Wasden, president of the Colorado Business Roundtable, because there was something for everybody.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those who had never gone before,” he said, “and the veterans to D.C. got to experience something new.”

The 24 attendees visited Washington for three days Nov. 18-20. The main purposes in-cluded building relationships, increasing vis-ibility locally and nationally, gaining knowl-edge and providing input to national leaders.

“An understanding of the issues critical to our representatives at the federal level, and how those can end up affecting us locally, is key,” said Josh Martin, Parker mayor pro tem.

The group had a full itinerary with a “very robust business agenda,” Wasden said, which included meetings with the National Business Roundtable, the White House Business Coun-cil and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The trip was also signifi cant because the local participants had opportunities to net-work with each other, said Wasden, a High-lands Ranch resident.

“All the lunches and dinners are my favor-ite part,” said Katia de Orbegoso, president of the Roxborough Business Association. “The unstructured environment was the perfect time to get to know each other, share ideas and comment on the different briefi ngs.”

And there was some time for fun, Wasden said.

The group went bowling at the Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley, and they enjoyed an evening monument tour. Being able to tour the monuments in the evening, away from the rest of the tourists and people tending to business matters at the capital, provides a person with a different feel of their signifi -cances, Wasden said.

“It becomes more reverent and refl ective,” he said. “You can refl ect in solitude on some of the great leaders.”

One highlight of the trip was a meeting with U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, said David Schlatter, corporate real estate adviser, of Centennial.

Bennet is in favor of the Keystone XL pipe-line project — an $8 billion Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline — and there were protesters dem-onstrating their disagreement. A Senate vote

was occurring that day, and Schlatter said, “We were there at the moment of truth.”

“It went from a fi ve-minute meeting to a 40-minute intimate conversation with him,” Wasden said. “That really provided some of the wow-factor to the trip.”

In addition to their time with Bennet, the group was able to meet with Congressmen Ken Buck of Colorado and Ted Yoho of Flori-da, and Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum.

“We got to engage with people in D.C. and meet the people that make a difference,” said Englewood-based Steve Roper, president and CEO of Roper Insurance. “Get our voice heard on a national level.”

Overall, the trip was “a great opportunity to learn fi rst-hand about what’s going on in Washington,” said Natalie Harden, director of public policy and economic development for the South Metro Denver Chamber of Com-merce.

“And we were demonstrating that we care enough to be willing to physically meet with them,” she added. “They appreciate us mak-ing that effort.”

It’s important for people to be engaged, Roper said. The people in Washington are also “normal people trying to do the best job they can,” and getting involved can make a differ-ence, he added, because they do listen.

“It’s hard to say if we did move the needle at all,” Roper said, “but we hope that it does.”

A group photo of attendees on the Washington, D.C., trip Nov. 18-20. Pictured are 21 of the 24 attendees who consisted of South Metro Denver’s elected o� cials, educators and two graduate students, chamber of commerce members and business leaders. Courtesy photos

The South Metro Denver group receives a brie� ng at the National Business Roundtable in Washington, D.C. Topics discussed at this meeting included election results and information and technology.

A group picture of the South Metro Denver group outside of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the chamber is to create jobs and workforce stability, hence the permanent sign, said Je� Wasden, President of the Colorado Business Roundtable.

Page 10: Elbert County News 1225

10 Elbert County News December 25, 2014

10-Life

LIFES O U T H M E T R O

Families lined the streets of downtown Parker to get an up-close view of the entries in the town’s annual Christmas Carriage Parade Dec. 13. Jingling bells dangled from the harnesses of horses big and small. Some equines even donned Santa hats as a prelude to Saint Nick’s end-of-the-parade appearance.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS MICHLEWICZ

An entry in the Parker Christmas Carriage Parade makes its way down Mainstreet.

Complete with teddy bear cargo, a miniature horse totes a tiny carriage down Mainstreet.

Sam High, 4, of Parker, feeds a hungry goat at a petting zoo at the parade.An ice sculptor sprays snow as families look on.

WARNING: HIGH CUTENESS FACTOR

Page 11: Elbert County News 1225

Elbert County News 11 December 25, 2014

11

Holiday HoursThe South Metro Denver Chamber will be CLOSED December 24th, 25th, 26thandDecember 31stJanuary 1st and January 2nd

Located at 2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 342For more information about South Metro Denver Chamber events visit our website www.bestchamber.com or call 303-795-0142

Mayor Tisdale to Head up Economic Development at South Metro Denver Chamber Doug Tisdale, mayor of

Cherry Hills Village and a respected attorney, has assumed a new role: Ex-ecutive Vice President for Economic Development at the South Metro Denver Chamber. �e newly-cre-ated position is intended to lead the Chamber in its vision to be an e�ective partner in the continuing development of the Denver Metro area as a competi-tive, world-class region.

Tisdale, who holds leadership posi-tions in the Denver Regional Council of Governments, the Metro Mayors Caucus and Colorado Municipal League, is well-known as a champion of regionalism and collaborative economic develop-

ment. “I’ve been called a one-man chamber of commerce throughout my career in government, so I thought I should �nally make it formal,” Tisdale quipped.

Tisdale, in tandem with Chamber CEO Bob Golden and EDG Chair Norm Stucker, will work with regional, national and international groups and companies in promoting

new and expanded opportunities within the South Metro Denver area. “Business retention, expansion and attraction has always been part of the Chamber’s focus, but we want to reinvigorate those ac-tivities now, and to add an international dimension as well,” Tisdale continued.

“We see Doug as an experienced and enthusiastic agent for positive and col-laborative change in the Denver region, who can help build regional coalitions for growth and development,” said EDG Chair Tucker.

Tisdale, a graduate of �e University of Michigan Law School, was a long-time partner at Brownstein Hyatt & Farber before joining the international law �rms of Popham Haik and then Baker & Hostetler. For the past dozen years he has represented a select group of interna-tional clients through Tisdale & As-sociates LLC, along with serving on the Cherry Hills City Council for two terms and serving as Mayor for another term.

For more information contact: Doug-las M. Tisdale, 303.589.0758 [email protected] or Hillary Klemme at [email protected]

Mayor Doug Tinsdale

New Hires at South Metro Denver Chamber

Je� brings Commercial Real Estate broker and Business Development with 17 year of experience in cli-ent relationships and all aspects of deal-making.  Direct experience with real estate, sales, �nance, managing

multiple projects, consulting and de-termining customer needs and devel-oping strategies in order to provide a favorable customer experience.  It is Je� ’s interest to monitor customer needs and customize approaches to

better serve clients. Je� graduated with a BS in Market-

ing from Auburn University. Contact Je�

at [email protected]

Je� Brandon – Business Development Manager

Hillary Klemme – Marketing and Events ManagerPrior to joining South Metro Den-

ver Chamber, Hillary served as the Director of the Madden Museum of Art for the past �ve years, where she was responsible for museum market-ing, planning and managing special events/exhibits and all museum operations.  Her previous experience includes working for Representative Frank McNulty as his Legislative Aide, working with the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce in their Mar-

keting and Event Department and serving as Castle Rock ArtFest’s Jury Chair for the past four years. 

She possesses a strong ability to bring consensus in order to achieve objectives by relying  on a solid background in management, event planning and cultural community involvement. She brings relationships within the commercial/arts commu-nities from community leaders   and o�cials and a proven track record of

success managing multiple priori-ties in fast-paced environments that make her a strong contributor to South Metro Denver Chamber’s suc-cess.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art, minor in Marketing from William Woods University, and a Master’s degree in Museum Studies from Regis University.

Contact Hillary at [email protected]

Je� Brandon

Hillary Klemme

Review: ‘Exodus’ plagued by casting, script issuesBy Jake CoyleAssociated Press

To what do we owe the second coming of the bibli-cal epic?

A genre that was once as moldy as stale commu-nion wafers has been reborn this year, first with Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah’’ and now with Ridley Scott’s “Exo-dus: Gods & Kings.”

The resurrection is partly to capitalize on the faith-based moviegoing audience and partly because the Bi-ble offers stories suited to this blockbuster era, offering both spectacle and name-brand familiarity.

More than 50 years after “The Ten Commandments,” sandals are back in style. We can only hope the trend will culminate in a seemingly ordained bit of casting: Someone has got to make a Jesus film with Jared Leto.

But big-tent Old Testament tales are no easy sell in times marked by both religious discord and secular disbelief.

“Noah” was interesting because it saw the arc-build-er as hero of environmentalism, a protector of both morality and animals.

The 3-D “Exodus” also refashions Moses (Christian Bale) for modern times, giving us an elite, action-film combatant who’s less a conduit for God than a strong-minded individual whose beliefs mostly jibe with the deity who secretly appears to him. (God is seen here as an impatient child, played by the 11-year-old Isaac Andrews.)

“Exodus” begins promisingly, with a bald John Tur-turro in makeup.

As the Egyptian pharaoh Seti, the father of Ramses (Joel Edgerton) and king to Moses’ prince, Turturro (and the brilliant Ben Mendelsohn’s louche viceroy) gives the film a touch of camp, a necessary ingredient to any successful biblical epic.

Scott ought to have kept it up.However, the director of “Gladiator” and “Blade

Runner” isn’t known for his lightness of touch, but rather a monochrome masculinity.

His “Exodus” is action-heavy and more interested in the sheer computer-generated scale of the airy Egyp-tian palaces, the grotesque visitation of plagues (from the bloody Nile to the locust swarms) and the mass movements of the Hebrews.

Yet after Seti’s death and Ramses’ ascendance to the throne, “Exodus” seems to lessen in scope, turning into a mano-a-mano drama between the stepbrothers Ramses and Moses, who’s exiled after the discovery of his Hebrew birth.

For an epic, there are, at best, only two clearly seen characters in “Exodus,” with supporting players like Ben Kingsley (as a Hebrew elder), Sigourney Weaver (as Seti’s wife) and Aaron Paul (as a Hebrew slave) all but inconsequential. Let our people go?

The leads, you may have noticed, are uniformly white, which has spawned a good deal of deserved con-troversy not abetted by Scott’s defense that his stars were necessary for financing.

The skin color of the ancient Egyptians, it should be noted, isn’t known certainly, and historical accuracy is never much a consideration to biblical epics. But that “Exodus” chose to ignore this issue of representation

— which has a long dubious history in Hollywood — speaks to the film’s general lack of curiosity. It’s after spectacle, not questions.

“Exodus’’ — written by the team of Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Jeffrey Caine and Steven Zaillian — does indeed supply the big scenes.

Slowly accepting his destiny and his Hebrew heri-tage, a bearded Moses rallies the Israelites and leads them to the climactic moment at the Red Sea (which isn’t as sumptuously rendered as you’d expect).

Throughout, Edgerton’s Ramses (who in the film’s best image, wraps a python around himself ) is gener-ally befuddled by the happenings.

Bale’s Moses is a reluctant, weary prophet. He may be the only actor who would barely bat an eye in scenes with the Almighty. Burning bushes don’t impress this Batman.

The most emotional moment of the film comes after it ends. Before the credits roll, Scott dedicates the film to his late brother, Tony Scott. It adds a tender dimen-sion to the brotherly psychodrama of “Exodus.” But as a self-proclaimed agnostic, Scott would be better to leave Moses to a believer.

WARNING: HIGH CUTENESS FACTOR

THE LOWDOWN“Exodus: Gods & Men,” a 20th Century Fox release, is rated PG-13

by the Motion Picture Association of America for “violence including battle sequences and intense images.” Running time: 142 minutes. Two stars out of four.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NEAR YOU? Want to know what news is happening in your area and the areas around you? Visit our website at ColoradoCommunityMedia.com.

Page 12: Elbert County News 1225

12 Elbert County News December 25, 2014

12

OF GAMESGALLERYc r o s s w o r d •   s u d o k u

& w e e k l y h o r o s c o p e

GALLERY OF GAMESc r o s s w o r d •   s u d o k u & w e e k l y h o r o s c o p e

SALOME’S STARSFOR THE WEEK OF DEC 22, 2014

ARIES (Mar 21 to Apr 19) Your love of the holidays creates a special bond between you and the people in your life. Use this as a way of building stronger relation-ships that will carry over well beyond this time.

TAURUS (Apr 20 to May 20) A new approach could go a long way toward resolving a painful estrange-ment, especially at this holiday time. And since your aspects favor friendship this week, why not go ahead and try it?

GEMINI (May 21 to Jun 20) Your positives continue to dominate, and any negative factors that squeeze in can be dealt with easily. The secret is to tackle them at once and not allow them to benefit by your neglect.

CANCER (Jun 21 to Jul 22) Good news: A col-league’s remarks could help you move toward ulti-mately resolving that persistent workplace situation. Meanwhile, enjoy the holidays with loved ones.

LEO (Jul 23 to Aug 22) No one reflects the bright holiday more than all you Leos and Leonas who love the shimmer and glimmer of the season. P.S.: There just might be a very special something from Santa.

VIRGO (Aug 23 to Sept 22) Celebrate the holidays by being more receptive to new experiences. Overriding the Virgo reluctance to try new things could be the best gift you’ve given yourself in a long while.

LIBRA (Sept 23 to Oct 22) Good news about a loved one makes the holidays even more festive. Expect some unexpected gifts, so be prepared with a few nicely wrapped packages of goodies to offer in return.

SCORPIO (Oct 23 to Nov 21) The holiday season provides an opportunity to meet new people, some of whom you might even consider “worthy” enough to join the Scorpio’s select group of friends.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 to Dec 21) You always bring your own wonderful sparkle and light to the holidays, and don’t be surprised if this year someone special reaches out to respond to your warmth in kind.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 to Jan 19) Togetherness is the dominant theme for the Goat’s holiday celebrations this year. That means reaching out to bring everyone you care for into your very own special circle of light.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 to Feb 18) A reminder of a very special moment from the past makes the holidays more memorable for the romantic Aquarian. New friendships hold the promise of a romantic future as well.

PISCES (Feb 19 to Mar 20) Getting into the swim of things for all you party-loving Pisceans is easy enough this holiday season. And, of course, you can expect to impress people wherever you go.

BORN THIS WEEK: Your dedication brings you the success you strive for, and your generosity impels you to reach out and help others on their way up.

© 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

West highlighted in museum exhibitMatthews has long career as watercolor painterBy Sonya [email protected]

Working cowboys, ranches, rural architec-ture and the landscape are William Matthews’ subjects.

His work is featured in connection with the National Western Stock Show in the Ninth Annual Petrie Institute of Western American Art Symposium on January 7, when a group of distinguished speakers will take a look at “Western Character: Expressions of Identity and Place in Portraiture.” (Registration re-quired.)

Colorado-based Matthews is known for his paintings of contemporary cowboys — versus depictions of the historic American West. But he is not a cowboy himself.

He says he’s a “trespasser,” viewing their work from the outside, although through the four decades he’s been painting, he has formed close friendships.

“William Matthews: Trespassing” includes 27 works from Matthews’ early career until today.

He was born in New York City in 1949 and grew up in the Bay Area. He said his mother was an oil painter. “She took me to a muse-um show when I was a young boy. I saw the watercolors of Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth,” and he decided he wanted to learn to do that. Watercolor has been his medium of choice since.

His professional career began in Los Ange-les, according to his website, designing album covers for Warner Brothers and Capitol Re-cords. He lived in Europe from 1975 to 1980, then returned to Colorado and ran a graphic design studio, dedicating himself to full-time painting in 1990.

Two monographs have been published about his work: “Cowboys and Images: the Watercolors of William Matthews” (1994) and “William Matthews: Working the West.”

His work is widely exhibited, including the collections of the Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa; Joslyn Museum, Omaha; Autry National Cen-ter, Museum of the American West, Los An-geles; Buffalo Bill Historical Center and Mu-seum, Cody; and many more.

The DAM will screen a new feature-length documentary on Matthews: “William Mat-

thews: Drawn to Paint,” from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23. It follows Matthews as he prepares for his solo exhibition at the DAM, revisits some of his favorite subjects and reflects on the world of Western art. Tickets cost $10 for members and $13 for non-members and can be purchased on the DAM website, denverar-tmuseum.org.

LEFT: “Bottle Tops” by William Matthews, 2005. Watercolor on paper. ABOVE: “Hopalong Henry” by William Matthews, watercolor on paper 2013. Courtesy photos

IF YOU GOThe Denver Art Museum is on 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock Street downtown. The parking garage is entered from 12th Avenue, just west of Broadway. The Matthews exhibit is in the Gates Family Gallery on Level 2 of the Hamilton Building and is included in the price of admission. denverartmuseum.org, 720-865-5000.

Page 13: Elbert County News 1225

Elbert County News 13 December 25, 2014

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Application Process / Requirements - To be considered an applicantyou will need to provide a cover letter, professional resume, completedapplication, copy of current license, and three current letters of recom-mendation. The cover letter must detail why your qualifications wouldmatch the standards for this position. Application can be found on ourwebsite – ecboces.org.

Application Deadline - January 9, 2015Interviews will be January 22, 2015Employment Start Date: July 1, 2015Submit Application Materials to:

Don Anderson, Executive DirectorEast Central BOCES

P.O. Box 910, 820 Second Street Limon, CO 80828719-775-2342 extension 116 or email at [email protected]

East Central BOCES does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race,color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disabilities in admission or ac-cess to, or treatment or employment in its educational programs or activit-

ies. Inquiries regarding East Central BOCES compliance with Title IX,Section 504, Title VI, Title VII, American Disabilities Act – 1990, and Af-firmative Action may be referred to the Equal Opportunity Affirmative Ac-tion Compliance Office for East Central BOCES, P.O. 910, 820 Second

Street, Limon Colorado, 80828.

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Itinerant Part-Time School SocialWorker, EC BOCES west areaschool districts - Grades Pre-12.Must have or be eligible for appro-priate Colorado licensure. Salarybased on experience. Exc bene.Access to company vehicle ormileage reimb. To apply for this po-sition, please complete the Certi-fied Application for Employmentavailable for download on our web-site @ecboces.org, under Employ-ment Opportunities. Questions con-tact Tracy at (719) 775-2342, ext.101. Please fax completed applica-tion and supporting documents, in-cluding resume, to (719) 775-9714or email [email protected].

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SPORTS

Undrafted Harris now paid like elite cornerbackBronco making quarterbacks pay in breakout yearBy Pat GrahamAssociated Press

The photo emblazoned on the front of Chris Harris Jr.’s navy sweat shirt was a tribute to his favorite Denver Broncos cornerback: himself, of course.

And the “No fly zone” caption underneath the image was fitting, too, since his side of the field has certainly become restricted air space, with quarterbacks shying away from him.

Still, Harris’ cover skills fly under the radar, hardly mentioned in the same breath as other elite defensive backs around the league. But he certainly got paid like one in mid-December when the Broncos rewarded him with a five-year contract extension worth $42.5 million.

That’s actually a hometown discount for an organi-zation that took a chance on the undrafted college free agent out of Kansas in 2011. Had Harris hit free agency in the offseason, he would’ve earned more.

Just ask him.“I definitely could have gotten more off the open mar-

ket,’’ laughed the 25-year-old Harris, who had his wife and infant daughter in the audience Dec. 15 at a news conference to announce his extension. “I know that, we all know that, but it’s not all about money at the end of the day. It’s about being happy, and I’m satisfied.”

Well, satisfied everywhere but on the field, anyway. Because he plays with an attitude after going undrafted, which he thinks is the root cause as to why he doesn’t receive as much recognition as, say, a Richard Sherman or a Darrelle Revis or even his teammate, in Denver and at Kansas, Aqib Talib.

This could be the season where Harris gains more no-toriety, though, possibly make his first Pro Bowl team. He’s having that kind of year for the AFC West champion Broncos, with three interceptions and a team-leading 15 passes defended in limited chances through the first 14 games.

“I always thought once you get your contract, I think that’s when the accolades and all that stuff comes,” said Harris, the protege of recently retired and future Hall of Famer Champ Bailey. “But I think people are still going to see me as an underrated player just because of my size and the way I came into the league.

“That’s just something where I know my whole career I’m going to have to deal with that.”

Broncos boss John Elway certainly saw something in him. And after only a handful of practices, too.

“He stood out and I said, `We have something here,’ Elway recounted. “Since he’s been here, he’s shown what he can do.”

Especially last season, when he turned in a standout campaign before tearing his left ACL in the Broncos’ di-visional playoff against the Chargers. He watched the Super Bowl from the sideline and then underwent sur-gery.

He was back in less than seven months. Hasn’t missed

a step, either.“Chris just has something in his head and

his heart. He don’t like to lose,” Tal-ib said. “He’s one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever come across in my life.”

“The Broncos have now made quite an investment in their secondary, locking up Harris and Talib to the tune of nearly $100 million.

A hefty price, but neces-sary in this quarterback-sav-vy league.

“The passing game’s a big part of the game right now and so you can’t have enough good cover guys,’’ Elway said. “To be able to have two guys like we have in Aqib and now Chris under contract, it’s very, very important.”

Next up for Elway is working out deals for receiver De-

maryius Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas. Looming on the horizon is hybrid linebacker Von Miller as well.

“We’re hoping that we can get everybody,’’ El-way said. “It’s never going to be easy, but

Chris was the target to start with and we were thankful to get that done, so we

hope that we can continue to do that and keep this team together.

“I’m happy for guys like Chris. I’m happy for him because he’s the type of guy you want around, a great competitor, tough. It just

gives him confidence to know what we think of him but also know

that he’s got that ability to step up and be that kind of leader.”

AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed to this report.

Cardinal wrestlers win invitationalVictory over 15 other teams boosts young grapplersBy Scott StockerSpecial to Colorado Community Media

The hopes are high for an exciting season for the Elizabeth wrestlers — a team that was hit fairly hard by graduation.

Hopes and aspirations grew even higher on Dec. 13 as Elizabeth, coached by Garry Martin, came through to win the Denver North Invitational against 15 other teams from four classifications.

“We graduated a lot last year, but have good kids up from the JV team,” Martin said. “They have to make the transfer up to varsity and get going. We lost to Lewis-Palmer last week and we just chilled. We have to get back to basics. It’s tough, but I think we’re going to get things together. We are young.”

Leading the way for Elizabeth this season will be the senior trio of 152-pound Rob Leonard and Kyle Prario at 170, who are team captains, and Ryan Shambling, 138. It’s certainly important to the Cardinals that they take their wrestling leadership seriously.

“Rob is a fine leader for the younger guys,” said Mar-tin. “He’s helping them to get better and encourage them.

He was a state qualifier last year and has high hopes of moving up. Kyle was a state qualifier last season and he works hard in the practice room and he pushes his teammates. He is just like having another coach in the room and the kids are looking up to him.”

Shambling doesn’t have a load of varsity experience, as he moved up from the JV, where he was a leader. Suc-cess rates high on the list of this trio and their team-mates.

“I like to think how we are going to improve,” Leonard said. “We are young, but I think we are gaining in our ex-perience. Our key is to wrestle hard in all our meets and to wrestle smart. I’ve always felt that I can help lead this team and I’m excited to where we can take our team.”

“We’ve got a young team overall, but some of guys have a lot of potential,” said Prario. “Our key is to work hard in practice. I’m sure happy with who we have on the team. I just hope to go downtown to state this year and we are working on the positive side.”

Shambling has the lesser experience of the two state qualifiers, but he’s looking for an exciting season on his part, too.

“This is a solid team and I think we can make it far this season,” Shambling said. “We work hard in practice and we are getting our conditioning up. Our key is to be strong on the mats. Rob and I have been wrestling to-gether since eighth grade. We’re looking forward to put-ting together a fine and successful season.”

While youth is apparent for Elizabeth this season, the Cardinals have been able to put the first few weeks of the season in a fine perspective.

Adding to the depth this season for Elizabeth is Josh Hernandez, at 113 pounds, who transferred last year from New Mexico, and first-year grappler Matt Rutkows-ki, at 160.

“We feel that Josh has a lot of potential to excel this season,” Martin said. “He can surprise a lot of people. Matt never wrestled before, but he is certainly learning fast and works hard in practice. He’s just getting better and having fun.”

Good things are expected from Chase Turner (182), Anthony Goetz (126), Riley Davis (132), Trenton Davis (145) and Wes Boone (220).

“Chase wrestled at 195 last season, but dropped to 182 this time around,” said Martin. “It’s a move we feel will be very beneficial this year. Anthony is also up from the junior varsity and he’s hoping to have a good season, as we all are.

“Riley has a lot of drive to do the right things for us,” the coach continued. “The potential is certainly there. Trenton has a lot of potential and we’re looking for good things. Wes is also starting to realize that he can do it as well.”

After the victory in the Denver North tournament, it appears that Elizabeth is a wrestling team that can get the job done.

Page 14: Elbert County News 1225

14 Elbert County News December 25, 2014

14-Sports

Wreaths are synonymous with the holiday season, and they can range from intricate to simple to flashy

to rustic. Creating festive wreaths does not necessarily require a lot of skill, and wreaths

can be fashioned from a variety of different materials.

The first step to crafting wreaths is to gather the foundation pieces. This usually involves a sturdy

material that will serve as the wreath round. It can be vine, foam, branches, or even wire.

You’ll also need decorative items that fit the theme of your wreath. These may be berries, ornaments, ribbons, bows, and other trinkets that will be attached to the wreath. Florist wire and tape can be used to attach the ornaments to the wreath.

“Say cheese” wreathPurchase a premade evergreen

wreath or wrap boughs of pine around a wreath frame to make your own. Glue or tie on small wooden

frames with photos of the family to the wreath. Fill in the barren spots with

small bows and ornaments.

Fruitful wreathInstead of an evergreen wreath,

create something festive and edible. Fruit and vegetables in vibrant

colors can be used to fashion a wreath. Use picks or wire to attach oranges, lemons, limes,

clementines, and any other produce desired to a foam wreath. Use leaves to fill in sparse areas and a thick ribbon to hang the wreath.

Holly vine wreathPurchase a plain grapevine wreath and

decorate it with sprigs of holly leaves and stems with berries. Simple and festive, this wreath should take only a

few minutes to make and then hang.

Metallic wreathAdd a glamorous touch to an evergreen wreath with faux fruit and pine

cones that you paint with glimmering metallic colors. Intersperse items in gold, copper and silver for an eye-catching piece that can adorn any spot in

your home. Add a few twinkling lights to reflect off of the metallic elements to add even more appeal.

Bells or glass ornament wreathUse flexible wire to string a wreath of metal bells or glass ornaments

together in a ring shape. Bells not only look nice but also lend a gentle twinkling sound anytime the door is opened.

Floral wreathMake a fresh flower wreath from a florist’s wreath and fresh blooms. Soak

the foam wreath in water according to the packaged directions. Trim flower stems (carnations are durable) and insert the stems into the wreath. Attach a bow to the bottom of the wreath and then hang. This is one wreath that is best displayed the day of the festivities because it has a short shelf life.

Cinnamon wreathThis wreath looks

beautiful and gives off that quintessential holiday aroma. Begin with a foam wreath and wrap with a two-inch wide ribbon to cover. Use hot glue to secure cinnamon sticks all around the wreath. For more color, add sprigs of holly, bows or mistletoe.

Easy ideas for holiday wreaths

Page 15: Elbert County News 1225

and growth opportunity for the kids,” she said, “but it also provides them with positive adult relation-ships outside of immediate family.”

Born in New Mexico’s Sandoval County, Benson became involved with 4-H by judging as a youth and while in college. She is a large-ani-mal expert and earned both a bach-elor of science in animal science industry with emphasis in equine management in 2009 and a master of science in animal science in 2011 from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

While completing her master’s thesis, she worked full-time as a quality assurance coordinator at Alltech, a privately held animal health company headquartered in Kentucky with a manufacturing fa-cility in Clovis, N.M.

During her three years with the company, she tested the dairy cow supplements the company manu-factures and advised on the design of a small-scale, prototype produc-tion line based on a larger operation located near the company’s head-

quarters in Lexington, Ky.Mentoring 4-H members is a little

different from her work at Alltech, but Benson sees the carry-over of skills from her previous job as essen-tial, especially in the area of people management and coordination with others.

Benson will need her 4H skills to work with landowners seeking help with animal husbandry and graz-ing management, to assist growers with noxious weed control or crop production, and to oversee the CSU Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

Her duties will also include gen-erating financial support for educa-tional programs through grant writ-ing, fundraising, and contracting.

Benson received a warm welcome at the Dec. 10 meeting of the Elbert County commissioners, where she was introduced.

“I very much appreciate your sup-port,” she told the commissioners. “I look forward to joining this wonder-ful community and helping as much as I can.”

Benson says that the door to the extension office in Kiowa is open, and encourages people to come by to get to know her.

Elbert County News 15 December 25, 2014

15

NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesTo advertise your public notices call 303-566-4100

Public NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesPublic NoticesMisc. Private Legals

PUBLIC NOTICE

COMBINED NOTICE OF SHERIFF’SSALE 2013CV30CRS §38-38-103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO.14-0100 :

Original Grantor(s): RCI DevelopmentPartners, Inc., a Colorado CorporationOriginal Beneficiary(ies): New FrontierBankCurrent Holder of Evidence of Debt:2010-1 RADC/CADC Venture, LLC, aDelaware limited liabilitycompanyDate of Deed of Trust: 3/18/2009County of Recording: ElbertRecording Date of Deed of Trust :4/23/2009Recording Information (ReceptionNumber and/or Book/Page Number):501363Book: 710 Page: 813Original Principal Amount: $12,643,868.55O u t s t a n d i n g P r i n c i p a l B a l a n c e :$ 1 2 , 6 4 3 , 8 6 8 . 5 5

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(1), youare hereby notified that the covenants ofthe deed of trust have been violated asfollows: failure to pay principal and in-terest when due together with all otherpayments provided for in the evidence ofdebt secured by the deed of trust and oth-er violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BEA FIRST LIEN.See attached Exhibit A.Also known by street and number as:Elbert County Vacant Land.THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREINIS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CUR-RENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIENOF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at publicauction, at 10:00am, on February 13,2015, at 751 Ute Avenue, P.O. Box 486,Kiowa, Colorado 80117, phone number:303 805-6125, sell to the highest and bestbidder for cash, the said real property andal l interest of the said Grantor(s),Grantor(s)' heirs and assigns therein, forthe purpose of paying the indebtednessprovided in said Evidence of Debt se-cured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys'fees, the expenses of sale and other itemsallowed by law, and will issue to the pur-chaser a Certificate of Purchase, all asprovided by law.First Publication: December 18, 2014Last Publication: January 15, 2015Name of Publication: Elbert County News

NOTICE OF RIGHTS

YOU MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THEREAL PROPERTY BEING FORE-CLOSED, OR HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTSOR SUFFER CERTAIN LIABILITIESPURSUANT TO COLORADO STAT-UTES AS A RESULT OF SAID FORE-CLOSURE. YOU MAY HAVE THE RIGHTTO REDEEM SAID REAL PROPERTYOR YOU MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TOCURE A DEFAULT UNDER THE DEEDOF TRUST BEING FORECLOSED. ACOPY OF SAID STATUTES, AS SUCHSTATUTES ARE PRESENTLY CONSTI-TUTED, WHICH MAY AFFECT YOURRIGHTS SHALL BE SENT WITH ALLMAILED COPIES OF THIS NOTICE.HOWEVER, YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE DE-TERMINED BY PREVIOUS STATUTES.DATE: November 14, 2014

The name, address, business telephonenumber and bar registration number of theattorney(s) representing the legal holder ofthe indebtedness is:Cristel D. Shepherd #39351Polsinelli PC 1515 Wynkoop, Suite 600,Denver, CO 80202 (303) 572-9300Attorney File # 064612-434906The Attorney above is acting as a debtcollector and is attempting to collect adebt. Any information provided may beused for that purpose.

SHAYNE HEAPSHERIFF, ELBERT COUNTYSTATE OF COLORADO

EXHIBIT AALL SECTION 25, TOWNSHIP 6 SOUTH,RANGE 65 WEST OF THE 6TH P.M.,COUNTY OF ELBERT, STATE OF COL-ORADOTOGETHER WITH ALL RIGHTS, EASE-MENTS, APPURTENANCES, ROYAL-TIES, MINERAL RIGHTS, OIL AND GASRIGHTS, CROPS, TIMBER, ALL DIVER-SION PAYMENTS OR THIRD PARTYPAYMENTS MADE TO CROP PRODU-CERS, ALL WATER AND RIPARIANRIGHTS, WELLS, DITCHES, RESER-VOIRS AND WATER STOCK AND ALLEXISTING AND FUTURE IMPROVE-MENTS, STRUCTURES, FIXTURES,AND REPLACEMENTS THAT MAYNOW, OR AT ANY TIME IN THE FU-TURE, BE PART OF THE REAL ESTATEDESCRIBED (ALL REFERRED TO ASPROPERTY).

Legal Notice No.: 231105First Publication: December 18, 2014Last Publication: January 15, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Misc. Private Legals

PUBLIC NOTICE

COMBINED NOTICE OF SHERIFF’SSALE 2013CV30CRS §38-38-103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO.14-0100 :

Original Grantor(s): RCI DevelopmentPartners, Inc., a Colorado CorporationOriginal Beneficiary(ies): New FrontierBankCurrent Holder of Evidence of Debt:2010-1 RADC/CADC Venture, LLC, aDelaware limited liabilitycompanyDate of Deed of Trust: 3/18/2009County of Recording: ElbertRecording Date of Deed of Trust:4/23/2009Recording Information (ReceptionNumber and/or Book/Page Number):501363Book: 710 Page: 813Original Principal Amount: $12,643,868.55O u t s t a n d i n g P r i n c i p a l B a l a n c e :$ 1 2 , 6 4 3 , 8 6 8 . 5 5

Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(1), youare hereby notified that the covenants ofthe deed of trust have been violated asfollows: failure to pay principal and in-terest when due together with all otherpayments provided for in the evidence ofdebt secured by the deed of trust and oth-er violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BEA FIRST LIEN.See attached Exhibit A.Also known by street and number as:Elbert County Vacant Land.THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREINIS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CUR-RENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIENOF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at publicauction, at 10:00am, on February 13,2015, at 751 Ute Avenue, P.O. Box 486,Kiowa, Colorado 80117, phone number:303 805-6125, sell to the highest and bestbidder for cash, the said real property andal l interest of the said Grantor(s),Grantor(s)' heirs and assigns therein, forthe purpose of paying the indebtednessprovided in said Evidence of Debt se-cured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys'fees, the expenses of sale and other itemsallowed by law, and will issue to the pur-chaser a Certificate of Purchase, all asprovided by law.First Publication: December 18, 2014Last Publication: January 15, 2015Name of Publication: Elbert County News

NOTICE OF RIGHTS

YOU MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THEREAL PROPERTY BEING FORE-CLOSED, OR HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTSOR SUFFER CERTAIN LIABILITIESPURSUANT TO COLORADO STAT-UTES AS A RESULT OF SAID FORE-CLOSURE. YOU MAY HAVE THE RIGHTTO REDEEM SAID REAL PROPERTYOR YOU MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TOCURE A DEFAULT UNDER THE DEEDOF TRUST BEING FORECLOSED. ACOPY OF SAID STATUTES, AS SUCHSTATUTES ARE PRESENTLY CONSTI-TUTED, WHICH MAY AFFECT YOURRIGHTS SHALL BE SENT WITH ALLMAILED COPIES OF THIS NOTICE.HOWEVER, YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE DE-TERMINED BY PREVIOUS STATUTES.DATE: November 14, 2014

The name, address, business telephonenumber and bar registration number of theattorney(s) representing the legal holder ofthe indebtedness is:Cristel D. Shepherd #39351Polsinelli PC 1515 Wynkoop, Suite 600,Denver, CO 80202 (303) 572-9300Attorney File # 064612-434906The Attorney above is acting as a debtcollector and is attempting to collect adebt. Any information provided may beused for that purpose.

SHAYNE HEAPSHERIFF, ELBERT COUNTYSTATE OF COLORADO

EXHIBIT AALL SECTION 25, TOWNSHIP 6 SOUTH,RANGE 65 WEST OF THE 6TH P.M.,COUNTY OF ELBERT, STATE OF COL-ORADOTOGETHER WITH ALL RIGHTS, EASE-MENTS, APPURTENANCES, ROYAL-TIES, MINERAL RIGHTS, OIL AND GASRIGHTS, CROPS, TIMBER, ALL DIVER-SION PAYMENTS OR THIRD PARTYPAYMENTS MADE TO CROP PRODU-CERS, ALL WATER AND RIPARIANRIGHTS, WELLS, DITCHES, RESER-VOIRS AND WATER STOCK AND ALLEXISTING AND FUTURE IMPROVE-MENTS, STRUCTURES, FIXTURES,AND REPLACEMENTS THAT MAYNOW, OR AT ANY TIME IN THE FU-TURE, BE PART OF THE REAL ESTATEDESCRIBED (ALL REFERRED TO ASPROPERTY).

Legal Notice No.: 231105First Publication: December 18, 2014Last Publication: January 15, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Government Legals Public Notice

NOTICE OF PURCHASE OF REALESTATE AT TAX LIEN SALE AND

OF APPLICATION FOR ISSUANCE OFTREASURER’S DEED

TSC# 2011-01452

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 Persons having an Interest orTitle of Record in or to the said Premisesand To Whom It may Concern, and moreespecially to:

Haynes Family Limited PartnershipYou and each of you are hereby notifiedthat on the 8th day of November A.D.2011the then County Treasurer of the Countyof Elbert, in the State of Colorado, sold atpublic tax lien sale to Uemco Real EstateFund LLC the following described real es-tate situate in the County of Elbert, Stateof Colorado, to wit:

Section: 33 Township: 6 Range: 64 PARIN E2Subdivision: RURALA Tract: X

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to HaynesFamily Limited Partnership. That said taxlien sale was made to satisfy the delin-quent taxes assessed against said realestate for the year 2010;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of HaynesFamily Limited Partnership for said year2010.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issuedfor said real estate to the said UemcoReal Estate Fund LLC at 3:00 o’clockP.M., on the 9th day of April, A.D.2015,unless the same 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 11th day of December, 2014 A.D..

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 231109First Publication: December 25, 2014Last Publication: January 1, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PURCHASE OF REALESTATE AT TAX LIEN SALE AND

OF APPLICATION FOR ISSUANCE OFTREASURER’S DEED

TSC# 2011-01453

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 Persons having an Interest orTitle of Record in or to the said Premisesand To Whom It may Concern, and moreespecially to:

Haynes Family Limited PartnershipYou and each of you are hereby notifiedthat on the 8th day of November A.D.2011the then County Treasurer of the Countyof Elbert, in the State of Colorado, sold atpublic tax lien sale to Uemco Real EstateFund the following described real estatesituate in the County of Elbert, State ofColorado, to wit:

Section: 33 Township: 6 Range: 64 PARY (20.749 ACRES) Subdivision: RURALATract: Y

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to HaynesFamily Limited Partnership. That said taxlien sale was made to satisfy the delin-quent taxes assessed against said realestate for the year 2010;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of HaynesFamily Limited Partnership for said year2010.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issuedfor said real estate to the said UemcoReal Estate Fund LLC at 3:00 o’clockP.M., on the 9th day of April, A.D.2015,unless the same 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 11th day of December, 2014 A.D..

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 231110First Publication: December 25, 2014Last Publication: January 1, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Government Legals Public Notice

NOTICE OF PURCHASE OF REALESTATE AT TAX LIEN SALE AND

OF APPLICATION FOR ISSUANCE OFTREASURER’S DEED

TSC# 2011-01453

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 Persons having an Interest orTitle of Record in or to the said Premisesand To Whom It may Concern, and moreespecially to:

Haynes Family Limited PartnershipYou and each of you are hereby notifiedthat on the 8th day of November A.D.2011the then County Treasurer of the Countyof Elbert, in the State of Colorado, sold atpublic tax lien sale to Uemco Real EstateFund the following described real estatesituate in the County of Elbert, State ofColorado, to wit:

Section: 33 Township: 6 Range: 64 PARY (20.749 ACRES) Subdivision: RURALATract: Y

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to HaynesFamily Limited Partnership. That said taxlien sale was made to satisfy the delin-quent taxes assessed against said realestate for the year 2010;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of HaynesFamily Limited Partnership for said year2010.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issuedfor said real estate to the said UemcoReal Estate Fund LLC at 3:00 o’clockP.M., on the 9th day of April, A.D.2015,unless the same 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 11th day of December, 2014 A.D..

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 231110First Publication: December 25, 2014Last Publication: January 1, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF PURCHASE OFREAL ESTATE AT TAX LIENSALE AND OF APPLICATION

FOR ISSUANCE OF TREASURER’SDEED TSC# 2001-00026

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:

Jackie Scheidler You and each of youare hereby notified that on the 18th day ofNovember A.D. 2002 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to Elbert County the following de-scribed real estate situate in the County ofElbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

SEVERED MINERALSAKA 0SW4; S2SE4: 27 8 62 1/54 INT OF 30MRASE4; W2W2: 28 8 62 1/54 INT OF 40MRAE2NE4; SE4: 29 8 62 1/54 INT OF 30MRAE2: 32 8 62 1/54 INT OF 40 MRAW2: SE4: 33 8 62 1/54 INT OF 60 MRAMINERAL RIGHT ACRES 3.70

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to ElbertCounty. That said tax lien sale was madeto satisfy the delinquent taxes assessedagainst said real estate for the year 2001;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of JackieScheidler for said year 2001.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said Elbert Countyat 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 9th day ofApril, A.D.2015, unless the same hasbeen 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 15th day of December, 2014 A.D..

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 23111First Publication: December 25, 2014Last Publication: January 8, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Government Legals PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF PURCHASE OFREAL ESTATE AT TAX LIENSALE AND OF APPLICATION

FOR ISSUANCE OF TREASURER’SDEED TSC# 2001-00026

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:

Jackie Scheidler You and each of youare hereby notified that on the 18th day ofNovember A.D. 2002 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to Elbert County the following de-scribed real estate situate in the County ofElbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

SEVERED MINERALSAKA 0SW4; S2SE4: 27 8 62 1/54 INT OF 30MRASE4; W2W2: 28 8 62 1/54 INT OF 40MRAE2NE4; SE4: 29 8 62 1/54 INT OF 30MRAE2: 32 8 62 1/54 INT OF 40 MRAW2: SE4: 33 8 62 1/54 INT OF 60 MRAMINERAL RIGHT ACRES 3.70

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to ElbertCounty. That said tax lien sale was madeto satisfy the delinquent taxes assessedagainst said real estate for the year 2001;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of JackieScheidler for said year 2001.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said Elbert Countyat 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 9th day ofApril, A.D.2015, unless the same hasbeen 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 15th day of December, 2014 A.D..

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 23111First Publication: December 25, 2014Last Publication: January 8, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Public Notice

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

OF TREASURER’S DEEDTSC# 2001-00025

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:

Vaughn B Nowlin You and each of youare hereby notified that on the 18th day ofNovember A.D. 2002 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to Elbert County the following de-scribed real estate situate in the County ofElbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

SEVERED MINERALSAKA 0SW4; S2SE4: 27 8 62 30 MRA 1/18 INT1.67 MRASE4; W2W2: 28 8 62 40 MRA 1/18 INT2.22 MRAE2NE4; SE4: 29 8 62 30 MRA 1/18 INT1.67 MRAE2: 32 8 62 40 MRA 1/18 INT 2.22 MRAW2: SE4: 33 8 62 60 MRA 1/18 INT3.33 MRAMINERAL RIGHT ACRES 11.11

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to ElbertCounty. That said tax lien sale was madeto satisfy the delinquent taxes assessedagainst said real estate for the year 2001;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of VaughnB Nowlin for said year 2001.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said Elbert Countyat 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 9th day ofApril, A.D.2015, unless the same hasbeen 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 15th day of December, 2014 A.D..

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 23112First Publication: December 25, 2014Last Publication: January 8, 2015Publisher: 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# 2001-00025

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:

Vaughn B Nowlin You and each of youare hereby notified that on the 18th day ofNovember A.D. 2002 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to Elbert County the following de-scribed real estate situate in the County ofElbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

SEVERED MINERALSAKA 0SW4; S2SE4: 27 8 62 30 MRA 1/18 INT1.67 MRASE4; W2W2: 28 8 62 40 MRA 1/18 INT2.22 MRAE2NE4; SE4: 29 8 62 30 MRA 1/18 INT1.67 MRAE2: 32 8 62 40 MRA 1/18 INT 2.22 MRAW2: SE4: 33 8 62 60 MRA 1/18 INT3.33 MRAMINERAL RIGHT ACRES 11.11

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to ElbertCounty. That said tax lien sale was madeto satisfy the delinquent taxes assessedagainst said real estate for the year 2001;

That said real estate was taxed or spe-cially assessed in the name(s) of VaughnB Nowlin for said year 2001.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said Elbert Countyat 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 9th day ofApril, A.D.2015, unless the same hasbeen 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 15th day of December, 2014 A.D..

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 23112First Publication: December 25, 2014Last Publication: January 8, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Continued from Page 1

Agent

New Elbert County Extension Agent Kali Benson is introduced at the Dec. 10 meeting of the county commissioners. Photo by Rick Gustafson

Page 16: Elbert County News 1225

16 Elbert County News December 25, 2014

16

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Graduation goes to the dogs Freedom Service Dogs clients, canines receive their diplomas By Tom Munds [email protected]

Jan James said her rescue dog rescued her.“I have a balance disorder. I have good

days and bad days. On bad days, I didn’t want to get out of bed,” the Parker resident said. “Since Freedom Service Dogs teamed me up with Whimsy, I have a reason to get up in the morning. She helps me with my balance, re-lieves my depression and stress. Whimsy is my medication of choice. She made me happy and complete again.”

Terms like “my dog changed my life” and “my dog enabled me to make adjustments so I can live a normal life again” were among frequent comments made when James and 26 other clients and dogs were honored at the Dec. 13 Freedom Service Dog Graduation Cer-emonies at the University of Denver’s Craig Hall.

Freedom Service Dogs, located at 2000 W. Union Ave., is a nonprofi t organization that rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to provide specialized services to people with disabilities.

Sharan Wilson, Freedom Service Dogs di-rector, said normally the graduations are held at Hampden Hall in the Englewood Civic Cen-ter, but, because of a need for a larger audito-rium because of the number of graduates, the ceremony was moved to DU.

Wilson thanked about 250 people in the audience for attending. Rescuing a dog from a shelter and training the animal to be ser-vice dog takes almost a year and costs about $25,000, she said.

The process begins with basic training and testing to see if a dog is a candidate to be a ser-vice dog. Only about 50 percent of the rescued dogs qualify to continue service dog training. But good homes are found for all the dogs that don’t complete training.

Early in the process, each dog in training is matched with a client, Wilson said. That makes it possible to train the dog to perform

specifi c and sometimes specialized services for that person. The client attends training sessions to develop a relationship with the new best friend and learn how to direct the dog to perform needed services. Once the training is completed, the dog is given to its new master free of charge.

Three groups graduated Dec. 13, military members or veterans, traditional clients and dogs trained for the University of Denver ther-apy dog program.

Rick Steward, former Arapahoe County Veteran’s Service Offi cer, graduated with his dog, Chase, as a member of the military group.

“Chase has helped me in more ways than I can count,” the Douglas County resident said. “I suffered a serious injury when I was in the service. Chase helps me with balance when I walk, picks up things for me and does about anything I ask.”

In addition to the tasks Chase performs, the dog’s devotion and dedication reminds him that everyone should be considerate and care for others, he said.

Josh Cartier and his dog, Posie, were also military graduates. Posie helps him physically and mentally so he can live a fairly normal life, he said.

“Posie is phenomenal, so she and I bonded almost instantly,” he said. “During training I drove up at least once a week from Colorado Springs to visit. We did some things together, and I even sometimes took a nap with her.

Shaun Miller was among the traditional clients graduating.

The 13-year-old sat in his wheelchair with his dog Velcro lying at his feet.

“We have only had Velcro a short time, but the dog has made a world of difference in Shaun,” his mother Misty said. “The dog has

helped him keep calm and picks up thing for him.”

Her son adores the dog, and Velcro adores Shaun. The dog is at the window and goes out to meet the boy when he gets off the bus from school, she said.

Matt Mock and Pawnee were among the nine DU teams graduating.

“I am in my second year with the Uni-versity of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, and, last year, I got an internship with Freedom Service Dogs,” Mock said. “I bonded with Pawnee immediately. Pawnee is gentle and calm and fi t perfectly for our therapy ses-sions with troubled adolescents.”

Starting in January he and Pawnee will be part of the team that will work one-on-one with children in the Sheridan School District, he said.

LEFT: Jan James and Whimsy take a little break after they took part in the Dec. 13 Freedom Service Dogs Graduation Ceremonies. The Parker resident and her dog were among the 27 teams receiving certi� cates upon completing training. RIGHT: Rick Stewart, former Arapahoe County Veterans Service O� cer, and his dog, Chase, take a break after going through the Dec. 13 Freedom Service Dogs Graduation Ceremonies. Stewart and Chase were among the 27 teams that graduated during the ceremonies. Photos by Tom Munds