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ElbertCountyNews.net

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

April 30, 2015VOLUME 120 | ISSUE 13 | 7 5 ¢

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Rabid skunks spark alert for county Pet, livestock owners told to vaccinate animals Sta� report

Pet and livestock owners in Elbert County should be on the lookout for rabid skunks.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture and Tri-County Health Department have recent-ly confi rmed three rabid skunks in Adams, Arapahoe and Elbert counties.

Pet owners are encouraged to check records to ensure rabies vaccinations are up to date.

Tri-County Health Depart-ment staff members are notify-ing residents living near each of the skunk incidents about the benefi t of vaccinating their pets and livestock.

“The Department of Agricul-ture would like to stress two very important points,” State Vet-erinarian Keith Roehr said in a statement. “One, livestock own-ers need to be aware that rabies

Skunks continues on Page 7 Students get glimpse of government in action Commissioners meet at Big Sandy School By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media

Students at Big Sandy School in Simla had the opportunity to see local government in action when the Elbert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held its bimonthly meeting at the school as part of a civics lesson on April

22.The BOCC set up shop in the

school’s gym, and students fi led in and out of the two-hour meet-ing as class periods and testing permitted. They were exposed to governmental procedures, rules of order and voting as the BOCC completed its scheduled agenda, which included quarterly reports from various elected offi cials and staff.

In addition to conducting rou-tine county business, the BOCC voted on three agenda items of new business relating to building

applications and equipment re-placement.

The meeting at the remote site came as a follow-up to a visit to the school by newly elected Commis-sioner Kelly Dore in January. Dore thanked Superintendent Steve Wilson for his enthusiasm for host-ing the meeting and his fl exibility with the multiple dates proposed.

Dore is hoping that the pilot meeting will be the fi rst in a series of meetings held in high schools and middle schools throughout the county in the coming years. As the plan unfolds, the desired ex-

pectation is to schedule one BOCC meeting remotely each fall and spring.

Wilson took the opportunity during the public comment por-tion of the meeting to thank the commissioners for having the meeting at the school.

“We very much enjoy hosting this and getting to see all of you here,” Wilson said. “I hope you come back again sometime.”

Wilson also took the oppor-tunity to thank County Manager

Ed Ehmann, county manager, addresses the board of county commissioners while Simla students look on. Photo by Rick Gustafson

BOCC continues on Page 7

Values continues on Page 7

Elbert County Assessor Billie Mills briefs BOCC on improvement in housing valuations. Photo by Rick Gustafson

Values likely to drive property taxes upward Area around Parker has seen highest rate of price increase By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media

As the housing market im-proves in Elbert County, the num-ber of foreclosures has dropped, but the improvement in the mar-ket will most likely mean increased taxes for a majority of Elbert Coun-ty property owners when they re-ceive their 2015 revaluations next month.

“We’ve only opened fi ve new foreclosures the fi rst quarter of the year versus 16 last year,” said Rick Pettitt, treasurer/public trustee. “Compared to four years ago, when I came in, we had over 300. We’re talking 25 per month.”

Pettitt, who presented his quar-terly report to the Elbert County commissioners on April 22, said other counties in the state are see-ing a similar trend.

“Talking to some of the other treasurers and other trustees, they are seeing the same statistics. Foreclosures are way down com-pared to what they have been,” Pettitt said. “That’s a good sign for

the economy and for the people in the county who are not having to sell their homes because they are unable to make their payments.”

According to Billie Mills, Elbert County assessor, the median prop-erty value in the county has risen 10 percent over the past two years.

“The valuation for Elbert Coun-ty performed very well in terms of value levels and equity,” Mills told the commissioners during her

quarterly report at the meeting.The property revaluations are

based on 1,028 market transactions occurring within Elbert County during a 24-month collection peri-od from July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2014. The largest increase oc-curred within the Parker ZIP code, where the median valuation rose 13.6 percent. Properties within the Bennett zip code showed the

Median percentage changes in property values for Elbert County by ZIP code:

Agate: 8.5 percent

Bennett: 3.5 percent

Calhan: 8.7 percent

Deer Trail: 5.3 percent

Elbert: 7.8 percent

Elizabeth: 12.0 percent

Kiowa: 5.2 percent

Limon: 9.2 percent

Matheson: 9.1 percent

Parker: 13.6 percent

Ramah: 7.8 percent

Simla: 7.7 percent

Valuations are based on market transactions in Elbert County occurring between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2014.

Source: Elbert County Assessor’s O� ce

HOME VALUES INCREASE

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Scientists link earthquakes, drillingInjection of wastewater deep underground cited as main culpritBy Alicia ChangAssociated Press

With the evidence coming in from one study after another, scien-tists are now more certain than ever that oil and gas drilling is causing hundreds upon hundreds of earth-quakes across the U.S.

So far, the quakes have been mostly small and have done little damage beyond cracking plaster, toppling bricks and rattling nerves. But seismologists warn that the shaking can dramatically increase the chances of bigger, more danger-ous quakes.

Up to now, the oil and gas in-dustry has generally argued that any such link requires further study. But the rapidly mounting evidence could bring heavier regulation down on drillers and make it more difficult for them to get projects ap-proved.

The potential for man-made quakes “is an important and legiti-mate concern that must be taken very seriously by regulators and in-

dustry,” said Jason Bordoff, found-ing director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia Univer-sity.

He said companies and states can reduce the risk by taking such steps as monitoring operations more closely, imposing tighter stan-dards and recycling wastewater from drilling instead of injecting it underground.

A series of government and academic studies over the past few years — including at least two re-ports released this week alone — has added to the body of evidence implicating the U.S. drilling boom that has created a bounty of jobs and tax revenue over the past de-cade or so.

Last week, the U.S. Geological Survey released the first compre-hensive maps pinpointing more than a dozen areas in the central and eastern U.S. that have been jolt-ed by quakes that the researchers said were triggered by drilling. The report said man-made quakes tied to industry operations have been on the rise.

Scientists have mainly attributed the spike to the injection of waste-water deep underground, a prac-tice they say can activate dormant

faults. Only a few cases of shaking have been blamed on fracking, in which large volumes of water, sand and chemicals are pumped into rock formations to crack them open and free oil or gas.

The picture is very clear” that wastewater injection can cause faults to move, said USGS geophysi-cist William Ellsworth.

Until recently, Oklahoma — one of the biggest energy-producing states — had been cautious about linking the spate of quakes to drill-ing. But the Oklahoma Geological Survey acknowledged earlier this week that it is “very likely” that re-cent seismic activity was caused by the injection of wastewater into dis-posal wells.

Earthquake activity in Oklahoma in 2013 was 70 times greater than it was before 2008, state geologists reported. Oklahoma historically re-corded an average of 1.5 quakes of magnitude 3 or greater each year. It is now seeing an average of 2.5 such quakes each day, according to ge-ologists.

Angela Spotts, who lives out-side Stillwater, Oklahoma, in an area with a number of wastewa-ter disposal wells, said the shaking has damaged her brick home. She

pointed to the cracked interior and exterior walls, and windows and kitchen cabinets that are separating from the structure.

“There’s been no doubt in my mind what’s causing them,” Spotts said. “Sadly, it’s really taken a long time for people to come around. Our lives are being placed at risk. Our homes are being broken.”

Yet another study, this one pub-lished last week in the journal Na-ture Communications, connected a swarm of small quakes west of Fort Worth, Texas, to nearby natural gas wells and wastewater disposal.

The American Petroleum Insti-tute said the industry is working with scientists and regulators “to better understand the issue and work toward collaborative solu-tions.”

The Environmental Protection Agency said there no plans for new regulations as a result of the USGS study.

“We knew there would be chal-lenges there, but they can be over-come,” EPA Administrator Gina Mc-Carthy said at an energy conference in Houston.

For decades, earthquakes were an afterthought in the central and eastern U.S., which worried more

about tornadoes, floods and hur-ricanes. Since 2009, quakes have sharply increased, and in some sur-prising places.

The ground has been trembling in regions that were once seismi-cally stable, including parts of Ala-bama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

The largest jolt linked to waste-water injection — a magnitude-5.6 that hit Prague, Oklahoma, in 2011 — damaged 200 buildings and shook a college football stadium.

The uptick in Oklahoma quakes has prompted state regulators to require a seismic review of all pro-posed disposal wells. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry, has ordered dozens of disposal wells to stop operating or change the way they are run because of concerns they might be triggering earthquakes, said spokesman Matt Skinner.

“There are far more steps that will be taken,” Skinner said.

Last year, regulators in Colorado ordered an operator to temporarily stop injecting wastewater after the job was believed to be linked to sev-eral small quakes.

Colorado joins GOP’s federal lands e�ortSupporters say it could help battle wild�res

By Kristen WyattAssociated Press

Colorado Republicans are join-ing GOP colleagues in other West-ern states trying to exert more con-trol over federal lands.

The state Senate gave prelimi-nary approval last week to a bill giving state and local authorities so-called concurrent jurisdiction to federal forests and other lands. Re-publican sponsors say the bill could give local fire authorities the ability to act more quickly to fight fires on federal lands.

The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, cited confusion between local and federal

authorities during recent wildfires, including the damaging Waldo Can-yon and Black Forest blazes.

“We should have these discus-sions in a deliberate fashion before emergencies start,” said Lambert. “All you have to do is go back and look at ... some of the most dam-aging fires and loss of property in Colorado history to know that we’re not there yet.”

The effort echoes attempts in

other states to transfer federal lands. More than a third of Colorado’s land mass — about 24 million acres — is controlled by the federal govern-ment.

Democrats and environmental and sportsmen’s groups oppose the transfers as attempts to open more federal land to private develop-ment. The Colorado bill faces cer-tain death when it heads to the state House, which Democrats control.

“This bill begins the creep of us losing access to our public lands,” said Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail.

State legislatures in Alaska, Ari-zona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Ore-gon and Wyoming have considered similar measures this year.

Utah in 2012 passed a state law calling on the federal government to transfer federal lands there into state ownership.

Elbert County News 3 April 30, 2015

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Scientists link earthquakes, drilling about tornadoes, fl oods and hur-ricanes. Since 2009, quakes have sharply increased, and in some sur-prising places.

The ground has been trembling in regions that were once seismi-cally stable, including parts of Ala-bama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

The largest jolt linked to waste-water injection — a magnitude-5.6 that hit Prague, Oklahoma, in 2011 — damaged 200 buildings and shook a college football stadium.

The uptick in Oklahoma quakes has prompted state regulators to require a seismic review of all pro-posed disposal wells. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry, has ordered dozens of disposal wells to stop operating or change the way they are run because of concerns they might be triggering earthquakes, said spokesman Matt Skinner.

“There are far more steps that will be taken,” Skinner said.

Last year, regulators in Colorado ordered an operator to temporarily stop injecting wastewater after the job was believed to be linked to sev-eral small quakes.

Gun debate dwindles since Aurora attack Legislative action in Colorado on the issue has been quiet this session By Nicholas Riccardi Associated Press

When a gunman opened fi re inside a packed movie theater in July 2012, killing 12 and injuring 70, it did more than spread fear and heartbreak across the Denver sub-urbs. It helped revive the national debate over gun control.

That argument gained intensity fi ve months later when a gunman killed 20 chil-dren and six adults at Newtown Elementary School in Connecticut.

Democrats in Colorado’s state Legisla-ture in 2013 muscled through new laws re-quiring universal background checks and banning magazines that hold more than 15 rounds.

Gun control advocates boasted that they had found the formula to enact their poli-cies in a libertarian swing state. Then furi-ous gun rights supporters recalled two state senators who supported the measures.

But, as the trial of theater shooter James Holmes begins this week, Colorado’s gun debate has quieted down.

“It’s in a sort of gridlock,” said nonpar-tisan Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli. “The violence issue we’re playing out right now

is the Ferguson issue (of police shootings). You see nothing coming out in terms of gun control.’’

Part of the reason is that the two sides have essentially fought to a draw.

Though gun rights groups were success-ful in the recalls, the pro-gun state senators were voted out in the regular elections last year. And, despite big GOP victories, Demo-cratic Gov. John Hickenlooper won re-elec-tion despite signing the gun control laws.

Guns were rarely discussed in a cam-paign where Republicans attacked Demo-crats on the economy and President Barack Obama’s health care plan.

This year Republicans tried to roll back the new gun laws but failed because they only control one of the two state legislative chambers.

The gun debate is also shifting west-ward, away from Colorado.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloom-berg has vowed to keep the issue alive by spending $50 million to push gun control. Last year his group Everytown for Gun Safe-ty won a ballot fi ght in Washington state to establish universal background checks.

This year, Oregon’s Democrat-dominat-ed Legislature is on the verge of approving universal background checks, although, in a Colorado replay, some legislators have been threatened with recalls.

A universal background check ballot measure is scheduled in Nevada next year, which will make it the next western swing

state to test the volatile politics of gun con-trol.

John Feinblatt, president of Everytown, contended that his side still has momen-tum on the issue. He said six states, includ-ing Colorado, have adopted universal back-ground checks since Newtown.

“This would have been unimaginable a few years ago,” Feinblatt said. “I think we are actually winning.”

There have been plenty of high-profi le failures for gun control advocates, however.

A federal universal background bill couldn’t muster the 60 votes necessary in a Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate even in the months after Newtown.

And though new gun restrictions have passed in a few states that aren’t reliably lib-eral — Feinblatt pointed to a bill signed last year by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to take guns from people with restraining orders — expanding Republican control over state Legislatures has led to a fl urry of legislation weakening gun laws.

For example, Walker, a contender for the Republican presidential nomination, has indicated that he’ll sign legislation ending his state’s two-day waiting period on hand-gun purchases, which would be at least his third expansion of gun rights since his 2010 election.

The National Rifl e Association tallied 35 bills expanding gun rights that have been signed into law nationwide this year. No legislation the NRA has opposed has be-

come law.Dudley Brown, head of the National As-

sociation for Gun Rights, who is based in Colorado, said he thinks gun control ad-vocates have notched mostly incremental wins. “They seem to be able to pick up an occasional small victory in purple to blue states,” Brown said. “If you defi ne those as victories you’ve got a very low bar.”

Brown said there is still great energy among activists to roll back Colorado’s re-strictions. But John Morse, one of the two Democratic state senators ousted in the 2013 recall, doubts that will happen.

“There’s a lot of folks looking around and saying ‘wait a minute, the sky didn’t fall,’ ” Morse said. “The more time goes under the bridge, the more these laws will stick.”

Laura Carno, an activist involved in Morse’s recall, isn’t sure. She noted a Pew poll from December that showed, for the fi rst time in 20 years, support for gun rights exceeds backing for gun control. But she agreed that the furor in Colorado has died down.

The questions Carno gets at gun gather-ings nowadays — including at the National Rifl e Association conference in Tennes-see earlier this month — no longer revolve around her state’s gun politics.

“The question I get is: ‘Oh, you’re from Colorado — didn’t you guys legalize mari-juana?’ ”

Theater shooting trial tests mental health network Some worry James Holmes’ trial could trigger � ashbacks, nightmares By Donna Bryson Associated Press

Pastor Chris Hill’s church has become a place where shooting victims and fi rst responders have found counseling and peace in the years since a masked gunman

opened fi re on a nearby movie theater.He and others say there will be a greater

need for such havens with James Holmes’ trial getting underway.

Graphic details, kept from the public by a court’s gag order, will surface during tes-timony, which counselors say could trigger fl ashbacks, nightmares and other trau-matic responses that test the mental health support networks Colorado has tried to strengthen since 12 people were killed and 70 others were wounded during a midnight

screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Au-rora.

“You can almost feel the community holding its breath,’’ Hill said.

Pierce O’Farrill, shot three times in the attack, anticipates testifying and is brac-ing. He thought he would die on the the-ater fl oor, his face covered with popcorn. O’Farrill has relied on faith and counseling to get through.

“I’m prepared to feel what I’m feeling and not hide my feelings,’’ he said. “I know

what got me in my darkest times was pre-tending everything was OK.”

Holmes’ lawyers have acknowledged their client was the theater shooter, but they say he was in the grips of a psychotic episode. He has pleaded not guilty by rea-son of insanity, and his mind state will be at issue during the trial, which will proceed as planned after a judge on April 23 denied defense attorneys’ longstanding request to

Holmes continues on Page 5

4 Elbert County News April 30, 2015

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THINGS TO DO EDITOR’S NOTE: Calendar submissions must be received by noon Wednesday for publication the following week. Send listings to calendar@coloradocommunitymedia.com. No attachments, please. Listings are free and run on a space-available basis.

EventsDeep Space Comedy

DEEP SPACE Theatre presents Comedy Night shows that feature improve, stand-up comedians, videos and more. The next show is from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, May 1, at 11020 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker. For these shows, reserve a table for your party, and then you bring your own dinner (or order from a local restaurant). Water and soda will be available for purchase. Call 720-675-7932.

Magician, Showroom Star

THEATRE OF Dreams presents Tony Clark, magician and casino showroom star, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, at 735 Park St., Castle Rock. In June, the theater welcomes Jeff McBride at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6, and at 3 p.m. Sun-day, June 7. Reservations required; buy tickets online at tickets.amazingshows.com or call 303-660-6799. Go to www.AmazingShows.com.

Zumbathon

THE THIRD annual Zumbathon charity event is from 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Elizabeth Fire Station.

Wild� re Mitigation, Prep Workshop

WILDFIRE SEASON has returned to Colorado, and Douglas County wants its residents to be prepared. A free workshop scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 2, at the Douglas County Events Center, 500 Fairgrounds Drive, Castle Rock, will provide information about wildfire hazard reduc-tion techniques, community wildfire mitigation and pre-paredness efforts, evacuation planning and insurance needs. Coffee and snacks will be provided. RSVP to jalexand@douglas.co.us by Friday, April 24. Go to http://www.douglas.co.us/land/wildfire-mitigation/wildfirepreparedness/.

Club Miami Concert

CASTLE ROCK Orchestra presents its Club Miami concert, a tribute to Latin American dance, at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at First United Methodist Church, 1200 South St., Castle Rock. Concert will feature several tangos, including the famous La Cumparsita. Dance music from Cuba, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil will be highlighted, including both popu-lar Danzon pieces by composers Marquez and Copland. Visit www.CastleRockOrchestra.org.

Pizza Day

BUZZARD’S PIZZA will donate 10 percent of sales on Tuesday, May 5, to the Elizabeth High School Track and Field Task Force, which is raising money to resurface the track and repair conditions of the pole vault area and jumps runway. Families can dine in, order take out or purchase gift cards. Mention the Citizen Impact Committee or Elizabeth Schools. Buzzard’s Pizza is at 344 E. Kiowa Ave., Elizabeth. Go to http://www.elizabeth.k12.co.us/EHSTrackResurfacing.aspx for information.

Cinco de Mayo Party

CASTLE COUNTRY Assisted Living will host a Cinco de Mayo party at each of its three houses at noon Tuesday, May 5. Join Castle Country residents, staff and friends for an afternoon of festive music and food. Cantril House is at 221 Cantril St., Castle Rock; Valley House is at 255 S. Valley Drive, Castle Rock; and Victorian House is located at 19600 Victorian Drive, Parker. This event is free and open to the public but space is limited. For more information or to RSVP, call 303-482-5552. Castle Country Assisted Living is a nonprofit organization serving seniors in Douglas County.

Ceramics Class

CASTLE COUNTRY Assisted Living offers a ceramics class at each of its three houses in May. Tracy Gingles will show residents and guests how to make ceramic tea cups at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, at Cantril House, 221 Cantril St., Castle Rock; at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 7, at Valley House, 255 S. Valley Drive, Castle Rock; and at 1 p.m. Fri-day, May 8, at Victorian House, 19600 Victorian Drive, in Parker. This event is free and open to the public but space is limited. For information or to RSVP, call 303-482-5552. Castle Country Assisted Living is a nonprofit organization serving seniors in Douglas County.

Open Communication with Your Teen

PARENTS IN Douglas County will get some useful tools and techniques to help improve communication with their teen during a free presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 7, at Fire Station 45, 16801 Northgate Drive, Parker. Program is presented by Lori Kelman, veteran TV/radio news anchor and reporter who has spent much of her career coaching teens. The presentation is a sneak peek into the nationally acclaimed Enhancing Teen Communication program, which provides communication skills training to teens to prepare them for employment, college and beyond.  The interactive program uses role-play and mock scenarios to teach teens resume writing, public speaking, interviewing, writing with impact, how to market themselves, body language, proper tone and inflection, verbal conflict resolution, and eye contact.

Elk Foundation Banquet

THE 14TH annual Castle Rock Chapter Banquet for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Douglas County Events Center. Dinner will be served followed by a live auction, silent auction, raffle and prize drawings. Contact Beth Hassett at 303-470-8219 for information and tickets.

Free Legal Clinic

A FREE legal clinic for parties who have no attorney is open from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at the Elizabeth Li-brary, 651 W. Beverly St., Elizabeth. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain processes and procedures for all areas of civil litigation, including family law, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law, small claims, veterans issues and civil protection orders. Walk-ins are welcome. Help offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Clinics are offered the second Tuesday of each month; future clinics are offered June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10, Dec. 8.

Sporting Clay Challenge

THE ELIZABETH High School Track and Field Task Force plans its Cardinals’ Sporting Clay Challenge on Friday, May 15, at Quail Run Sports in Kiowa. Participants may sign up as teams of four ($500) or as individuals ($125). Morning and afternoon flights are planned. For informa-tion, or to register, go to http://www.elizabeth.k12.co.us/EHSTrackResurfacing.aspx. Contact Clay Terry at 303-565-0335. The Clay Challenge also is looking for volunteers and donations of bottled water, soda, sports drinks and snacks. Proceeds from the Clay Challenge will go toward resurfacing of the school’s track, and to repairing conditions of the pole vault and jumps runway areas.

Track Initiative Golf Tournament

THE ELIZABETH High School Track and Field Task Force plans a golf tournament on Friday, May 29, at Spring Valley Golf Club. The fee is $100 per player and includes green fees, cart, range balls, lunch and prizes. Contests include longest drive, closest to pin, hole-in-one and longest putt. Proceeds will support the school’s track initiative, which is to resurface the track and repair the pole vault and jump areas. Go to http://www.elizabeth.k12.co.us/EHSTrack-Resurfacing.aspx or contact Lori McCoin at the school.

Coyote Creek Concerts

THE 17TH Avenue All Stars will perform Saturday, May 30, at Casey Jones Pavilion, Elizabeth. The concert is part of Coyote Creek Concerts, which has been presenting live music in Elbert County for 12 years. Go to www.coyotecreekcon-certs.com for lineup and more details. Schedule: June 27,

Bettman & Halpin; July 25, Sally Barris and Rebecca Folsom; Aug. 29, Katie Glassman & Snapshot; and Sept. 26, Small Potatoes.

ElizaBash Street Festival

MORE THAN 5,000 festival-goers attend the annual ElizaBash Street Festival, planned for Saturday, June 6, on Main Street in Elizabeth. The day begins with the Stampede Rodeo Parade, then the street is cleared for the festival including arts and crafts, food, live music and other fun activities.

Street Fair, Car Show

VENDORS ARE needed for the seventh annual Kiowa Street Fair, planned from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 27. Live music featuring Billie Owens, vendors, games, infor-mational booths and more are planned. In conjunction with the Street Fair will be a car show to benefit the Elizabeth Veteran’s Memorial. Booth cost for the Kiowa Street Fair is $20 per 10-by-10 space, Contact Michelle at 303-621-2366, or moeser@townofkiowa.com. 

Elbert Day Festival

HAVE FUN in the country at the Elbert Day Festival, open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11, on Elbert Road between Colorado 86 and 84. Features include country breakfast, beer garden with lunch, evening meal, pancake race, art booths, craft/food vendors, live music by Barry Ward, Jack O’Roses and more. A parade, old time games for all ages, antique cars, petting zoo, pony rides, roping, 5K run/walk and more. Call 303-648-3692 or email elberttown-committee@gmail.com.

Chamber Annual Events

ELIZABETH AREA Chamber of Commerce is planning its annual events, including the golf tournament on Friday, July 31; the Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 31; Olde Town Christmas on Friday, Dec. 4. Vendors and sponsors are needed; contact www.elizabethchamber.org for details about participating.

Prohibition Casino Night

ELIZABETH AREA Chamber of Commerce plans its first Prohibition Casino Night on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Spring Valley Golf Course. The event includes a poker tourna-ment, casino games, dancing and a silent auction. A portion of proceeds will benefit Elbert County Coalition for Outreach, which provides assistance to families in need. Contact www.elizabethchamber.org.

Man who dragged cop gets 38 years Lamb blames o� cer during sentencing hearing By Chris Michlewicz cmichlewicz@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The man who dragged a Parker police offi cer during a routine traffi c stop has been sentenced to a toal of 47 years be-hind bars.

Justin Wayne Lamb, of Salida, was sen-tenced to 38 years in prison April 23 for his attempted getaway during a routine traffi c stop in May 2014. Douglas County District Court Judge Richard Caschette ordered that his 38-year sentence run consecu-tive to a nine-year prison term in Chaffee County, said Michelle Yi, spokeswoman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Of-fi ce.

Elbert County News 5 April 30, 2015

5

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Wedding Anniversary HANK AND DONNA

SMITH’S 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY! The family of Hank and Donna Smith are celebrating a very special occasion. Please come and join us on June 13, 2015, Kiowa Community Church, Kiowa, CO from 1:00 p.m. To 4:00 p.m. No gifts please.

Bettman & Halpin; July 25, Sally Barris and Rebecca Folsom; Aug. 29, Katie Glassman & Snapshot; and Sept. 26, Small Potatoes.

ElizaBash Street Festival

MORE THAN 5,000 festival-goers attend the annual ElizaBash Street Festival, planned for Saturday, June 6, on Main Street in Elizabeth. The day begins with the Stampede Rodeo Parade, then the street is cleared for the festival including arts and crafts, food, live music and other fun activities.

Street Fair, Car Show

VENDORS ARE needed for the seventh annual Kiowa Street Fair, planned from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 27. Live music featuring Billie Owens, vendors, games, infor-mational booths and more are planned. In conjunction with the Street Fair will be a car show to benefit the Elizabeth Veteran’s Memorial. Booth cost for the Kiowa Street Fair is $20 per 10-by-10 space, Contact Michelle at 303-621-2366, or moeser@townofkiowa.com. 

Elbert Day Festival

HAVE FUN in the country at the Elbert Day Festival, open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11, on Elbert Road between Colorado 86 and 84. Features include country breakfast, beer garden with lunch, evening meal, pancake race, art booths, craft/food vendors, live music by Barry Ward, Jack O’Roses and more. A parade, old time games for all ages, antique cars, petting zoo, pony rides, roping, 5K run/walk and more. Call 303-648-3692 or email elberttown-committee@gmail.com.

Chamber Annual Events

ELIZABETH AREA Chamber of Commerce is planning its annual events, including the golf tournament on Friday, July 31; the Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 31; Olde Town Christmas on Friday, Dec. 4. Vendors and sponsors are needed; contact www.elizabethchamber.org for details about participating.

Prohibition Casino Night

ELIZABETH AREA Chamber of Commerce plans its first Prohibition Casino Night on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Spring Valley Golf Course. The event includes a poker tourna-ment, casino games, dancing and a silent auction. A portion of proceeds will benefit Elbert County Coalition for Outreach, which provides assistance to families in need. Contact www.elizabethchamber.org.

Man who dragged cop gets 38 years Lamb blames o� cer during sentencing hearing By Chris Michlewicz cmichlewicz@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The man who dragged a Parker police offi cer during a routine traffi c stop has been sentenced to a toal of 47 years be-hind bars.

Justin Wayne Lamb, of Salida, was sen-tenced to 38 years in prison April 23 for his attempted getaway during a routine traffi c stop in May 2014. Douglas County District Court Judge Richard Caschette ordered that his 38-year sentence run consecu-tive to a nine-year prison term in Chaffee County, said Michelle Yi, spokeswoman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Of-fi ce.

Lamb, 30, was discovered under mis-cellaneous items in the back seat of a ve-hicle and was confronted by Parker police offi cer Glenna Villers. He jumped into the front seat, and Villers ran around to the driver’s side window and tried to pull the keys from the ignition. Lamb, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest at the time, drove north on South Parker Road near Valley Hi Drive with Villers still hold-ing on.

At the sentencing hearing, he blamed Villers for the incident, saying she should have let go as he was driving. The sentence was handed down at the Douglas County Justice Center in Castle Rock.

Lamb drove for a quarter-mile with Vil-lers hanging onto the steering wheel. She testifi ed that Lamb attempted to pry her hands from the wheel and shouted at her to get out. The Toyota sedan went over a median, across oncoming traffi c, down

an embankment and through a fence be-fore coming to a stop. Lamb drove up to 30 mph.

After the vehicle came to a stop, Lamb fl ed on foot and was found hiding in a tree hours later.

He was convicted by a jury in January on numerous counts, including attempt-ed fi rst-degree assault with extreme indif-ference, second-degree assault on a peace offi cer and vehicular eluding with injury. Lamb was found not guilty of a felony charge of kidnapping.

Deputy District Attorney Brian Eck-hardt said Villers “survived due to her determination not to die at the hands of this defendant. The sentence the judge imposed recognizes the serious nature of the defendant’s actions.”

Parker Police Chief David King said the case had a signifi cant impact on the Parker Police Department and the offi cers

involved.“We are satisfi ed with the jury’s verdict

and comfortable in the fact the Mr. Lamb will be incarcerated for many years to come,” King said.

Lamb’s mother, Sherrie Breck, defend-ed her son in January, say-ing he had never been con-victed of a violent crime. She acknowledges that he made mistakes, but called Lamb a “good-hearted per-son.”

“They’re trying to say that because of the way he looks, he must be a bad person. Well, that’s not true,” she said, before say-

ing that there are “murderers and rapists and child sex offenders who won’t get as much (prison) time. That doesn’t make sense to me.”

Lamb

move the death penalty case out of Arapahoe County.

Jurors, who will be closest to the grisly pho-tos and testimony, will have access to counsel-ing, but only after the trial, because they can’t discuss the case until then.

The rampage put so much focus on mental health — of Holmes and of his victims — that the state stepped in with a $20 million expan-sion of services, which included a 24-hour hot-line and a dozen new drop-in crisis centers, an approach taken by public and private agencies in other states after mass shootings. Colorado mental health professionals hope to help at-risk people before they turn violent and those dealing with trauma and depression.

Liza Tupa, a behavioral health specialist with the state human services department, said the counseling hotline logged more than 14,000 calls in its fi rst four months.

Tupa is concerned that stigma surrounding mental illnesses keeps people from help, but she has seen progress.

“The tragedy in Aurora created a sense of urgency around the conversation, and more people are coming to the ta-ble to talk about mental health,” she said. People are curious. They want to know how to help.”

Carl Clark, a psychiatrist who heads the Mental Health Center of Denver, has one of the drop-in centers established with the infu-sion of state money at his facility. He worries the trial will dredge painful memories. He’s also concerned that mentally ill people will isolate themselves out of fear that coverage will lead others to consider them dangerous.

“How much support would everybody in the community have if it was just OK to talk about it?” Clark asked.

The Aurora Strong Resilience Center, a grassroots response, opened primarily to sup-port theater shooting victims, and its programs include Bible study, tai chi and massage ther-apy. The services are free and many were sug-gested by participants, said Kirsten Anderson,

a psychologist who helped develop the center.Anderson has seen theater shooting victims

come together at Aurora Strong with survivors of the 1999 Columbine high school rampage to share their experiences.

“One of the greatest ways to recover and heal is to give back,” Anderson said.

Hill has seen a similar community response through the programs at his 7,000-member church, which is part of the international Pot-ter’s House network.

In the aftermath of the attack, he opened his chapel round-the-clock for anyone who need-ed a place to pray or refl ect, making clear that his two professional counselors and 16 interns would help anyone — not just church mem-bers — for free.

Hill said fi rst responders have been particu-larly receptive, because many are concerned that seeking help through their police or fi re departments will lead peers to consider them unfi t. He considers therapy to be an essential part of healing.

“I believe in the power of prayer,” Hill said. “But I also believe in the power of counseling.”

Continued from Page 3

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Pulse Ox newborn screening would save lives I believe protecting our tiniest hearts

is one of our most important duties. The state Legislature is currently considering House Bill 1281, sponsored by Rep. Dianne Primavera and Sen. Mary Hodge. This bill would help babies live longer and fuller lives by ensuring that newborns receive a simple, and non-invasive screening to detect critical congenital heart defects before leaving the hospital, potentially saving lives.

Here is why we should support this bill:My whole life turned upside down in a

matter of fi ve hours the day my son Cooper was born. As soon as he was born he was rushed over to the doctor and nurse and they immediately began CPR on him. He had no pulse and was not breathing. After two minutes, which seemed like two days, he had a heart beat and we fi nally heard his fi rst cry. At about four the following morn-

ing, the nurse came in to take him back to the nursery for a few routine screenings. It was at that moment that our world changed forever.

The nurse completed the pulse oxim-etry test on my son. His oxygenation levels were much lower than they should be and there was a large discrepancy between the oxygenation levels in his upper and lower extremities. After further testing and evalu-ating, they discovered that he had multiple heart defects, one of which was a critical

congenital heart defect that needed surgical intervention in order for him to survive.His heart was not perfect and our hearts were completely broken.

I know all too well the benefi t of a Pulse Oximetry screening. I was fortunate that the hospital where I had my son made the deci-sion to perform this screening. Without the critical screening his defect would have not been detected and my son likely would have not lived to see his fi rst birthday.

Pulse Ox is an easy way to save hundreds of families from heartache. With your sup-port of House Bill 1281 we can decrease deaths associated with critical congenital heart defects, and give every Colorado baby the chance at a heart healthy start to life.

Gretchen Whitehurst is a Highlands Ranch resident and a volunteer for the American Heart Association.

6 Elbert County News April 30, 2015

6-Opinion

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The Elbert County News features a limited number of regular columnists, found on these pages and elsewhere in the paper, depending on the typical subject the columnist covers. Their opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.

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GERARD HEALEY

CHRIS ROTAR

ERIN ADDENBROOKE

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Major Accounts andClassi� ed Manager

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OPINIONY O U R S & O U R S

Sweating it over a change in weather I am in mourning this morning because

the sweater and sweatshirt season is almost over.

I am going to pull over a pullover one more time.

It’s not a new jersey, it’s an old jersey.I have had it these 11 years.It’s an olive turtleneck. It covers my aging

girth and warms me in more ways than one.I usually don’t get very sentimental about

my clothes.I know that a lot of people are very inter-

ested in fashion, and fi nd out what’s new, learn designers’ names, and want to hear all about the latest colors, fabrics and cuts.

Not me and not at all.I subscribe to blue jeans. And to old shirts

to paint in, and some alma mater sweat-shirts.

I have a few long-sleeved, button-down, Gatsby shirts that get worn when I need to make an appearance, which is seldom.

Suits don’t suit me, but I have one, and it’s good-looking.

Most of the time, I wear comfortable clothes. And seasonally that means sweaters and sweatshirts.

It’s past mid-April, and it’s snowing. I wore my turtleneck one more time. I had placed it away, and it gave me a stop be-cause I know I am facing months of warmer weather that will turn into infernal days, when my disposition is indisposed.

I bought the sweater at Nordstrom. I wish I had bought more than one. Five, maybe, in different colors.

They aren’t made anymore, but I have found a few used ones on eBay. That’s not an option.

When I lived in Arizona, I met a ceramist named Minnie, and we became friends.

I hadn’t thought about her in years, until I mentioned used sweaters just now.

Her brother lived in Colorado, and he died.

Minnie fl ew here for the funeral, and I met her at Stapleton when she was about to fl y back to Arizona.

She had something for me in a box.She gave me a couple of her brother’s

sweaters.I thanked her very much, and then do-

nated them right away without telling her.Something about wearing a dead man’s

sweaters.My alma mater was the fi rst in the coun-

try to turn school branded merchandise into an industry.

You used to be able to buy sweatshirts and T-shirts and decals at college and uni-versity bookstores. And that was about it.

Now you can buy anything under the sun

with your school’s logo on it. Thanks to my alma mater.

Ohio State’s bookstore sells University of Michigan toilet paper.

I have enough of my alma mater’s sweat-shirts to keep all of the Cowsills warm and dry.

You might have an old sweater or an old sweatshirt that has a sentimental meaning to you too.

I know it sounds a little too pleasant and agreeable for someone like me. But I have my moments.

My olive turtleneck is as old as my dog. Both of them shed.

There have been some very famous sweaters. Lana Turner’s in the 1937 fi lm “They Won’t Forget” earned her the nick-name “Sweater Girl.”

A Dutch-born fashion designer you have never heard of named Koos Van Den Akker designed sweaters that you have heard of. The Cosby sweaters.

And of course Mr. Rogers made his zip-pered cardigans famous. His mother, Nancy Rogers, knitted all of them.

One of them is on display in the Smithso-nian Institution.

I love my sweatshirts. Double XL, 100 percent cotton. They become friends, and I don’t like to see them placed away.

And I don’t like to see this time of year end either.

Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.

� e thought counts, but not that much Is it really the thought that counts? I

know many people who make light of a situation where perhaps they forgot to give a card or a gift to celebrate a holiday or special occasion, and they may laughingly say something like, “Well, it’s the thought that counts.”

Or maybe it’s the dream of starting our own company, or beginning to work out, lose weight, stop smoking, or completely and totally pursue a new job or career. Maybe there is that special someone whom we need to initiate a conversation with where we should ignite or maybe re-ignite that spark of passion. When we fall short of actually doing it, do we once again say, “Well, it’s the thought that counts”?

Let’s take it beyond those scenarios because that excuse has become tired and even cliche as we dance around the fact that we simply forgot the person’s birthday or our parents’ anniversary, or we just didn’t really want to pursue the other changes in our lives. What I am talking about here is the thought that we put into our pursuit of each and every thing that we do or desire to do.

Because it really is the thought that counts.

How often have we been too quick to leap into action, try to solve a problem or fi x a situation without carefully thinking through a solid game plan? You know how it goes, we shoot fi rst and ask questions later. We don’t worry about the collateral damage, we will

deal with that later because right now we have to act and act fast.

Of course there are situations that call for snap decisions and quick action. Things like life-and-death situations or something that can cause harm to others if we don’t act quickly. But what I am really talking about here is taking the time to be really thoughtful about what we do, why we do it, and how we go about getting it done.

The primary reason that people never re-ally achieve their goals or dreams is because they don’t take the time necessary or make the commitment to carefully thinking about all the reasons that they want to pursue their goals and dreams in the fi rst place. And it’s not just about the goals and dreams, we can even see it in the pursuit of a hobby and in the execution of a project or plan at work. I know I can share my own stories of things I have started only to have them left sitting on a shelf waiting for my return.

The reason: Not enough planning, pre-paring, and thought went into it in the fi rst

place.Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t want you

to get so wrapped up in the thought process that you suffer from what is called “paralysis by analysis,” where we overthink things so much that we fail to act on them. What I am referring to is becoming thoughtful and de-liberate about everything from our relation-ships to our jobs, our hobbies and our goals. It is the thought that counts, the amount of time and energy we commit to in our think-ing as we seek to accomplish anything we set out to do.

Part-time efforts lead to part-time results. When we go about any activity or pursue any dream and we take a part-time ap-proach, taking shortcuts, and not taking the time to plan, prepare and think through our action plan and objectives, this is when we set ourselves up for disappointment and failure.

It’s the thought that counts. So how about you, do you use the statement as an excuse or do you fully appreciate the meaning and how it can impact your personal and profes-sional success? Either way, I would love to hear all about it at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we put some serious thought behind what we want to accomplish, it really will be a better than good week.

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.

GRETCHEN WHITEHURST

GUEST COLUMN

Elbert County News 7 April 30, 2015

7

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In Loving Memory

can transfer from one species to another, so they should monitor their property for skunks; and two, local veterinarians are a valuable resource to help producers decide the best course of action to protect their herds from rabies.”

Rabies is a viral disease in mammals that infects the brain, and nearly all cas-es result in death. It is spread primarily

through the bite of rabid animals, resulting in the spread of the disease through their infected saliva. Once symptoms of rabies infection appear, no cure exists and it is vir-tually always fatal. People who have been exposed to rabies can receive medication to prevent illness. For pets and livestock, routine rabies vaccination of animals of-fers protection.

Between Jan. 1 and April 17 there have been six rabid skunks identified in Adams, Arapahoe and Elbert counties.

For statewide data, visit colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/rabies-data.

Continued from Page 1

Skunks

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BOCC

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Values

Ed Ehmann along with road and bridge crews for the quality of service the area has received.

“Sometimes when we have snow days or bad weather, Elbert County takes care of

the roads, especially on those days.” Wilson said.

Wilson has held the job as superinten-dent of the Big Sandy School District for the past 10 years and has been an educator for over 31 years. Wilson oversaw the school’s move into its new facility at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year. The location is home to about 300 students ranging from Pre-K to high school and approximately 30 faculty and staff.

smallest increase at 3.5 percent.“We measure performance based on

standards set by the State of Colorado and by International Association of Assessing Officers,” Mills said. “These are standard guidelines for mass appraisal valuation.”

Though the average value of property within the county rose, Mills stressed that this does not automatically translate into higher reappraised values or a 10 percent across-the-board increase for all property owners.

She also cautioned that the rates are median valuations, and said that some property owners may see higher valuations despite not having made improvements to their properties.

“A property’s valuation is assessed com-pared with the most comparable sales for location and the characteristics of the

property,” Mills told the commissioners. “All sales have been amended and adjusted for time to June 30, 2014. The reappraisal is designed to estimate the fair-market value of all the properties in the county and uses all available property characteristics and market data.”

Property owners can expect to receive their 2015 notices of reassessment in May. The notice comes with a form allowing them to protest their revaluations. Protest forms must be either postmarked or re-ceived by the assessor’s office no later than June 1. The assessor’s office will follow up on all protests with a notice of determina-tion.

Mills was not able to comment on how a countywide increase in value will translate in terms of revenue for the county’s general fund, but said her office is working on those estimates.

“We will, later on, have a report from my office that gives you those figures,” she told the commissioners.

Under state law, counties are required to revalue properties every other year.

Lawmakers scrutinize over-budget VA hospitalKey Republicans and Democrats meet at Aurora facilityBy Dan ElliottAssociated Press

Leaders of the U.S. Senate Vet-erans Affairs Committee toured the pricey VA hospital under construc-tion in Aurora last week, asking why the project is more than $1 billion over budget.

The committee’s Republican chairman, Johnny Isakson of Geor-gia, and its top-ranking Democrat, Richard Blumenthal of Connecti-cut, were part of the morning tour April 24 of the half-finished com-plex in Aurora.

Also attending were Sen. Mi-chael Bennet, D-Colo., Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Republican Rep. Mike Coffman, whose district includes the hospital. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican on the

committee, also was attending.The hospital is expected to cost

$1.73 billion, up from $630 million estimated last year. Equipping the hospital and training the staff are expected to cost an additional $340 million, bringing the total to more than $2 billion.

The VA has asked Congress for another $830 million to finish the complex. It wants to take the money from a $5 billion fund Congress ap-proved to improve veterans’ access to care by building more facilities, hiring more medical professionals and improving efficiency.

Some lawmakers are refusing to go along with that plan, and some have asked whether the project should be scaled back.

Coffman and Gardner have proposed diverting the VA’s multi-million-dollar bonus budget to the Denver hospital until it’s complete.

Congress has been pressuring the VA to explain what went wrong and fire those responsible. Gibson

has said one of the problems was a badly flawed planning process.

The VA launched an internal investigation this year, but it came under criticism because it began without an outside construction expert. An expert joined the panel this week but some witnesses had already been interviewed.

The VA has said its former head of construction retired one day af-ter the internal investigators ques-tioned him under oath, and three other officials have been transferred or demoted, but no one has been fired.

A whistleblower has said he was fired from his VA job after telling department executives the hospi-tal couldn’t be built for the contract price.

The internal investigation will take into account separate reviews of VA construction problems by the Government Accountability Office and the Army Corps of Engineers, VA spokesman Paul Sherbo said.

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.)“I’m glad that members of the Committee on Veterans’ A�airs came to Aurora, toured the construction site, and held this �eld hearing. It’s important that leaders in Washington are aware of how the VA’s mismanagement of this critical project has harmed veterans in Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountain region. It is my hope that, following today’s hearing, the VA got the message that it’s long past time for this project to be completed.”

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.)“There is no question this medical facility needs to be built. Today we took a step forward on the path to get that done. We appreciate that the chairman and the ranking member came to visit the site and that they committed to its

completion.  The Colorado delegation will work with them every step of the way.  The VA still has work to do to justify its plan, but for the sake of Colorado and Rocky Mountain region veterans we have to �nish this in a timely manner and in a way that protects our taxpayers.”

Rep. Mike Co�man (R-Aurora)“Our veterans desperately need this replacement hospital, and failing to repair the problem that a shockingly inept VA bureaucracy handed us is simply not an option.  As chairman of the House Veterans A�airs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, and as a Marine Corps combat veteran, I take the VA’s primary mission quite personally: serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s veterans.”

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

AREA CLUBSOngoingDouglas-Elbert County Music Teachers’ Association 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 Sheri�’s Posse is a nonprofit volunteer organization that is part of the Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office. As volunteers we support the Elbert County Sher-iff ’s Office, all law enforcement in our county, and the community at large. For more informa-tion or a membership application, go to http://www.elbertcountysheriff.com/posse.html, or contact Dave Peontek at 303-646-5456.

The Elizabeth Food Bank, 381 S. Banner in Elizabeth (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.

Lawyers at the Library, a free legal clinic for parties who have no attorney, will be offered from 6-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Elizabeth Library, 651 W. Beverly St. Volunteer attorneys will answer questions, help fill out forms and explain the process and procedure for the areas of family law, civil litigation, criminal defense, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law and civil protection orders. Walk-ins are welcome. Everyone will be helped on a first-come, first-served basis.

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 during 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 farabe@elbertcountylibrary.org.

The Outback Express is a public transit service provided through the East Central Council of Local Governments 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 Center, 823 S. Banner St. Bring a dish for potluck on the first Monday of each month. Other Mondays, bring a sack lunch. Bingo, games and socializing. New leadership. Call Agnes at 303-883-7881 or Carol at 303-646-3425 for information.

Therapeutic riding. Promise Ranch Therapeutic Riding in Parker offers free thera-peutic riding for developmentally disabled adults and children. Scholarship money is available for Douglas County residents to provide 10 therapeutic riding lessons. Call 303-841-5007 or visit www.promiseranchtherapeu-ticriding.com.

Sky Cli� Adult Day Center Sup-port Groups: Stoke Victors meets from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the second and last Wednesday of each month. Lunch is provided. Contact Sue Parson, 303-814-2863. Evening Stroke Victors meets from 6-7:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month. Cookies and coffee provided. Contact Sue Parson, 303-814-2863. Caregivers Support Group meets from 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays. All groups meet at Sky Cliff Adult Day Center in Castle Rock. Contact Sky Cliff at 303-814-2863. Visit www.skycliff.org.

VFW Post 10649 meets monthly at 8:30 a.m. the first Saturday of every month at 24325 Main St., Elbert. Go to http://www.vfwpost10649.org. Contact Alan Beebe at 303-435-2560 for questions.

8 Elbert County News April 30, 2015

8

Help make the Parker Tennis Center a reality!To learn more visit www.parkertennis.com

Here’s how you can help!• Become an Investor • Become a Charter Member • Become a Crowd Funder

The Facility:• 8 Indoor tennis courts • 4 Outdoor lighted tennis courts

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Parker deaths spark community concern Town meeting, Facebook page � rst steps in e� orts to address suicide By Jane Reuter jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Douglas County Coroner Jill Romann has seen countless suicides in her 25-year career, and that repeated exposure has convinced her there is no one to blame for such tragedies.

“Suicide is a true disease just like can-cer or anything else,” she said. “Nobody sets out to victimize somebody else by taking their own life. It’s really uninten-tional.

“And it’s not poor parenting, or that the parents should have seen it coming and didn’t. This is a very dark, deep secret that the patient holds.”

Romann is among many who believe there may be genetic markers for suicide and mental illness. African-Americans, for instance, die by suicide at significantly lower rates than Caucasians.

“If a child has juvenile diabetes, we wouldn’t say ‘You’ll feel better tomorrow’ or ‘That’s selfish,’ ” said Sheri Cole, area director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Rocky Mountain re-gion. “We would literally be treating it like a disease. Suicide is a disease of the brain. It can be prevented.”

The issue is on the minds of many in Douglas County this month, and particu-larly in Parker, where the mayor called a town meeting April 14 to discuss teen sui-cide. During a one-week span earlier this month, a Chaparral High School student, a 30-year-old Parker man and a 19-year-old who graduated from Chaparral in 2014 each died by suicide.

Mayor Mike Waid called the standing-room-only meeting at the PACE Cen-

ter and also created a Facebook page, “A bright future for Parker,” as places “to be-gin the dialog on the current epidemic in Parker of both teen and adult suicide.”

“I felt compelled as Parker’s mayor be-cause now I can honestly say that every-one in Parker has been touched by this,” he said. “In the last week, I’ve had three citizens take their lives. Last year, we had 48 citizens in Douglas County take their lives.”

With Waid moderating, adults and teens lined up four deep on both sides of the room to speak into microphones about their experiences with suicide and depression.

Among the many who spoke during the Parker meeting was J.D. Nash, whose 16-year-old son Jonathon died by sui-cide in November 2014. Nash, who’s also struggled with depression and thoughts of suicide, said his son “gave no percep-

tible outward signs of his angst.”Nash wrote the word “stigma” on a

sandwich board at the front of the event room, and drew a red slash through it.

“There should be no more stigma at-tached to emotional pain … than a bro-ken leg,” he said.

Waid was gratified by the turnout but said more needs to be done. The next step in the process hasn’t yet been determined.

“One of the challenges I issued to everyone is that instead of waiting for someone above you — the town of Parker, Douglas County, the state — to present you with a solution they think is best, take charge and affect a change at your level,” he said. “Talk to one person today, help someone who might need it.”

A simple acknowledgement can make a difference, he said.

“The person working the line at Dis-neyland — people don’t notice them. They just walk by them,” he said. “When you stop and say thank you, you’ve just given them visibility. We all want that sense of purpose and acknowledgement in life.”

Cole, who lost her Highlands Ranch High School son David to suicide in 2009, said education also is key.

“There are lots of tools out there,” she said. “It’s not as though one is better than the other. So much is about execu-tion and awareness and really trying to get upstream. It’s great that we’re tipping the scales in terms of more knowledge; it’s unfortunate it takes tragedy to do that.”

Most of the time, people who kill themselves show one or more of these warning signs before they take action:

• Talking about wanting to kill themselves, or saying they wish they were dead

• Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as hoarding medicine or buying a gun

• Talking about a specifi c suicide plan

• Feeling hopeless or having no reason to live

• Feeling trapped, desperate, or needing to escape from an intolerable situation

• Having the feeling of being a burden to others

• Feeling humiliated

• Having intense anxiety and/or panic attacks

• Losing interest in things, or losing the ability to experience pleasure

• Insomnia

• Becoming socially isolated and withdrawn from

friends, family, and others

• Acting irritable or agitated

• Showing rage, or talking about seeking revenge

for being victimized or rejected, whether or not the

situations the person describes seem real

Individuals who show such behaviors should be

evaluated for possible suicide risk by a medical doctor

or mental health professional.

For help, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline

at 1-800-273-8255.

Source: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS

Suicide is highest among Caucasians, American Indians and Alaskans, and lowest among Asians, African-Americans and Hispanics.

At least 90 percent of all people who died by suicide had a mental illness at the time, most often depression.

In 2013, the highest suicide rate was among men 45 to 64 years old.

Suicide rates tend to be highest in the spring months, peaking in April. They are below average during the winter months, and lowest in December.

Source: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; www.afsp.org

SUICIDE FACTS

Parker classes will be led by two artistsCase, Bays to teach sessions in summerBy Sonya Ellingboesellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com

In conjunction with summer gallery ex-hibits, Parker’s PACE Center is offering two in-depth master classes by a very different pair of visiting artists this summer: G. Rus-sell Case on June 22-25 and Deb Bays Aug. 14-16.

• “Deconstructing the Landscape: Paint-ing on Location” with G. Russell Case:

Western painter Case’s class will begin with a presentation on painting out on lo-cation. Following a morning in a classroom on the first day (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), the class will head out to a location after lunch and spend two and a half days painting en plein air with Case. (Days two and three: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) On the final day (9 a.m. to noon), the class will meet at the PACE Center for a critique and final discussion

Case, a Utah resident, is inspired by na-ture and paints on site, but does not value realism. His work includes wide, sweeping, idealized visions of the Western landscapes he paints, in different seasons, different light. He focuses on simplifying, selecting which details he will emphasize, studying

spatial relationships.• “Understanding the Rhythm of Still

Life” with Deb Bays:Master pastelist and award-winning still

life artist Deb Bays, of Denver, will look at the world of lighting and design to bring a sense of design and movement to the ob-jects one is painting.

A veteran of set and costume design, she studied with artists at the Art Students League of Denver and has won numerous awards nationally and internationally at pastel society competitions.

On day one, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., she will demonstrate technique and show a Pow-erPoint on successful design. In the af-ternoon, artists will start with a charcoal drawing, working with values in black and white, and individuals will work with Bays to create their own still life composition. On day two, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Bays will dis-

cuss theatrical lighting techniques to cre-ate the mood and drama each artist is after. They will begin working in color. Day three, 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., artists will work in color, bringing “nature morte” to life. A critique and class discussion will follow.

‘Van Gogh’ ballet set for Lakewood

Ballet Ariel director Ilena Norton has created a new ballet to the music of Israeli composer Irena Scalerica. “Vincent Van Gogh” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. May 2 and 2 p.m. May 3 at Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood. Also on the program: the wedding scene from the classical ballet “Raymonda” and a contemporary Latin dance by Gregory Gonzales. Tickets start at $20, Lake-wood.org/Tickets, 303-987-7845.

Oh heck, it’s Shrek“Shrek the Musical” will be present-

ed at 7 p.m. April 30, May 1, May 2 and 2 p.m. May 2, May 3 at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree. Presented by Christian Youth Theatre, CYT, students ages 8 to 18. Tickets: $17 advance/$22 at the door: cytdenver.org/shows.

Heritage Fine Arts GuildNature-oriented paintings by

members of the Heritage Fine Arts Guild have been hanging at Littleton Adventist Hospital, sponsored by the Healing Arts Program. The collection will be moved to the Parker and Porter Adventist Hospitals from May 6 to June 6 — 12 paintings at Parker, 9395 Crown Crest Blvd., and eight paint-ings at Denver’s Porter hospital, 2525 S. Downing St. Fourteen HFAG artists are represented. Selected pieces will remain at Parker Adventist’s Cancer Center through Aug. 5

Powerful women to speakCentral City Opera is presenting a

series of events called “The Power of Women (POW) Project,” focused on the CCO’s 2015 production of “La Traviata.” On May 15, a panel discussion featur-ing powerful women who work in non-traditional roles will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center, Social Hall, 350 S. Dahlia St. (use south entrance by the Wolf Theatre), Denver. Featured: Patty Calhoun, Susan Griffin, Melanie Rosa, Lisa Goodbee, Theresa Marchetta. Free and open to the public.

Arapahoe PhilharmonicThe Arapahoe Philharmonic’s

“Beethoven’s Message” will include “Symphony No. 9” with the Cherry Creek Chorale and a new work, “The End of Humanism,” by composer in residence Edgar Girtain, commissioned by the orchestra. The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. May 15 at Mission Hills Church, 620 Southpark Drive, Littleton. At 6:45 p.m., AP music director Devin Patrick Hughes will be joined by Cherry Creek Chorale director Brian Patrick Leatherman and Girtain for an explo-ration of the program, in Room M12 off the lobby. Concert tickets: $25/$20/$5. 303-781-1892, arapahoe-phil.org or at the door.

Art at ACCA “Multimedia, Graphic Design and

Illustration Student Showcase” will be presented in Arapahoe Community College’s Colorado Galley of the Arts from April 30 to May 8. A reception is planned for May 1, 5-7 p.m. Gal-lery hours: noon to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, Tuesdays until 7 p.m. The gallery is on the first floor in the annex building of the Main Campus, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Infor-mation: John Hall, 303-797-5916, john.hall@arapahoe.edu.

Elbert County News 9 April 30, 2015

9-Life

LIFES O U T H M E T R O

Parker deaths spark community concern

A simple acknowledgement can make a difference, he said.

“The person working the line at Dis-neyland — people don’t notice them. They just walk by them,” he said. “When you stop and say thank you, you’ve just given them visibility. We all want that sense of purpose and acknowledgement in life.”

Cole, who lost her Highlands Ranch High School son David to suicide in 2009, said education also is key.

“There are lots of tools out there,” she said. “It’s not as though one is better than the other. So much is about execu-tion and awareness and really trying to get upstream. It’s great that we’re tipping the scales in terms of more knowledge; it’s unfortunate it takes tragedy to do that.”

‘Shark Tank’ pays o� for local momsNeatcheeks face wipes are now in 69 Colorado Walgreens locationsBy Mike DiFerdinandomdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Castle Rock moms Danielle Stangler and Julia Rossi appeared on the April 17 epi-sode of ABC’s “Shark Tank” to try to make a deal for their company, which makes Neat-Cheeks flavored face wipes.

The company was born when Dani-elle accidently dipped a napkin into what she thought was her husband’s water, but turned out to be lemonade, to wipe her ba-by’s face. The sweet treat was a big hit.

She soon reached out to idea buddy Rossi and the pair went about creating a company. Research revealed that stevia was a good alternative to other sweeteners be-cause it didn’t leave hands and faces sticky.

By February 2014 the company had in-ventory and NeatCheeks were soon being sold in two local Walgreens stores.

Stangler and Rossi entered “Shark Tank” later that year hoping to receive an invest-ment of $150,000 for 20 percent of their company. They walked away with a deal with investor Barbra Corcoran for $150,000

for 25 percent of the company.Colorado Community Media caught up

with the two for the following Q&A.

How did you end up on “Shark Tank?”Danielle Stangler: We submitted an au-

dition video in April 2014. We just did an iPhone video of our heads. We talked about our product and two days later they called us. It’s the secret life of TV. We had our audi-tion and then we couldn’t talk about any-thing. We pitched them in June and then just found out our air date 10 days before we were on TV. They overfilm. We didn’t know it was going to make the cut until right before it aired. It was very exciting.

How did you prepare for the show?Julia Rossi: We were preparing a couple

weeks beforehand. Going over our num-bers and making sure we had all of our bas-es covered. What do we think they’re going to ask? What will their objections be? Our pitch.

What is it like pitching to the Sharks?JR: Just because you go out there doesn’t

mean you are going to film or meet the sharks. You have to pitch twice. There’s a pre-pitch. When you go into the tank, it’s the real deal. Sure, they edit it, but they re-ally come at you. They try to throw you off. It’s not a typical, staged, reality TV show.

What you see is what you get. If it doesn’t go well, it doesn’t go well. Some companies are in there a very long time. We were in there for two, two and a half hours.

What did it feel like to walk away with a deal?

DS: It felt really good. We went on there with a little bit of sales ($4,000). So, if you watch the show, you know the chance of us getting a deal was very slim. So, the fact that Barbra believed in us was a wonder-ful thing. I think she saw our honesty. We didn’t try and act bigger than we were. We said why we needed the money. They knew what they were getting into. I think because of that, they gave us a deal.

What has the reaction been since the show aired?

JR: We’ve seen a huge spike (in sales). People are really excited to try the product. Before, we were in our own little niche and it was great to hear, “I got a sample from Dickey’s BBQ or Monkey Business and I loved your product.” Now, all of that has been magnified because of the viewership. The orders keep coming in. We are now in 69 Colorado Walgreens and we will place with Babies ‘R’ Us in September and that will be a national order.

Castle Rock moms Danielle Stangler and Julia Rossi made a deal for their �avored face wipe business Neatcheeks on ABC’s Shark Tank. Neatcheeks is now in 69 Walgreens locations in Colorado. Photo by Mike DiFerdinando

“Ironing” by Pastelist Deb Bays, who will teach a master class in August at the PACE Center. Courtesy photo

Both classes will be held at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. The Case class, June 22-25, costs $475, and the Bays class, Aug. 14-16, costs $300. For information, contact k�etcher@parkeronline.org. To register, visit recreation@parkeronline.org.

IF YOU GO

Buntport comes through again‘Middle Aged People in Boxes’ is another winnerBy Sonya Ellingboesellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A clothesline full of drying garments hangs across the backdrop. Four large rectangu-lar shapes are draped in black or white fabric and a stack of small cardboard cartons is next to the farthest one. What — or who — will be inside?

Stage lights go up and an unseen hand pulls the drapes in through a hole in each box — and who should we find but Erik Edborg, Erin Rollman, Hannah Duggan and Brian Colonna — the four onstage members of Buntport Theater Company. (The fifth, SamAn-Tha Schmitz, is behind the scenes operating lights and sound.) Thus begins “Middle Aged People in Boxes.”

Rollman, seated on a stool in an upright box. begins with a discourse on middle age. “It’s hard to define. If you lived in Sierra Leone, you’d have to consider yourself middle aged at 18 …” She is in charge of a class reunion. “I’m doing my thing — was a class officer 25 years ago — did it to spruce up my college application …”

Edborg, seated cross-legged in a lower, wider box and endlessly unpacking unre-lated items he has just moved, chimes in with “I distrust signs of aging — it’s only true because you declare it about yourself ...” He spouts enter-taining comments on what he

finds in his boxes as the eve-ning progresses: kitchen uten-sils packed with a decorative pillow, etc. “Is this a mid-life crisis? I might have too many kitchen gadgets …”

In the meantime, from the first breath, Brian Colonna, clad in shirt and underpants, is on terminal hold on the phone, trailing around the long white cord as he searches for his socks. (One must put socks on first, then pants!) “They say they can’t find me in their system,” he mutters as he tries to file a complaint. He can stick his feet through a hole in the bottom of his box and walk it around.

Hannah Duggan is intent on her laptop, “checking For-tune 500 companies for di-versity …. It’s my job.” She is able to reach out and operate a vacuum on the carpet.

The quartet keeps talking for about 90 minutes, referring to things like card catalogs that date them clearly. This as the clever kind of original produc-tion Buntport creates and per-forms so well — it’s why they have built a large following over the years. But you have to be there to fully appreciate.

10 Elbert County News April 30, 2015

10

‘Pillowman’ doesn’t help one sleepHaunting production on stage in Bug �eatreBy Sonya Ellingboesellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com

I have been fairly consistent for many years in avoiding books, films and plays that verged on horror. But, Martin McDonagh is one of our el primo playwrights — so seeing his play, “The Pillow-man” seemed like the thing to do.

It is presented through May 2 at the Bug Theatre by the rela-tively new 11 Minutes Theatre Company, directed by Janine Ann Kehlenbach.

It’s been a week since I saw it and it’s still haunting me. The production was so good, despite the small stage and sound limi-tations of the aging Bug, that it stays with one. I can hear my late friend Carolyn Peterson reassur-ing me that “it’s just a story.”

But … it really is a play about storytelling and its power over the listeners.

“The Pillowman,” which won the Olivier Award in Britain for best new play, is set in an inter-rogation room in an unnamed eastern European country. Katu-rian (Kevin B. Leonard), the pro-tagonist, is author of some 400 stories — only one published. They are stacked in a box and threatened with burning.

Many deal with gruesome murders of children. The stories have caused his arrest and that of his mentally defective brother Michal (Christian Munck). The policemen — calm but frighten-ing Tupolski (Patrick Brownson) and angry, explosive Ariel (An-drew Neary) — have good reason to suspect Katurian of similar murders that have occurred in the area.

Projections designed by Leon-ard add to the staging.

Each character has stories to

tell that explain the adult he is now and they lead the audience up and down, in and out — add-ing more facets to a splintered work.

Katurian’s relationship with Michal is bound up with story-telling as well.

As the play crashes to an end, one is uncertain about what re-ally might have happened. And that’s probably McDonagh’s point.

“The Pillowman” plays through May 2 at the Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St., Denver Highlands. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and industry night, April 30. Tickets: $20, $12 on industry night. For mature audiences. 11minutestheatre.com, 720-230-3304.

IF YOU GO

“Middle Aged People in Boxes” plays through May 2 at Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St., Denver. Performances: 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays; 3 p.m. April 26. Tickets: $16/$20 closing night. Reservations recommended, 720-946-1388, buntport.com.

IF YOU GO

Christian Munck plays the intellectually-challenged Michal and Kevin R Leonard is his older, storytelling brother, Katurian in “The Pillowman,” presented by 11 minutes Theatre Company at the Bug Theatre through May 2. Courtesy photo

Elbert County News 11 April 30, 2015

11

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PARKERCHORALEMAGICALMUSICAL TOURMay 2 at 7:30 p.m.

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Review: ‘Age of Ultron’ is an Avengers overdose By Jake Coyle Associated Press

It will surely stand as one of the most peculiar and possibly ironic entries in a director’s fi lmography that in between Joss Whedon’s two “Avengers” fi lms there reads “Much Ado About Nothing”: a low-budget, black-and-white Shakespeare adaption sandwiched between two of the most gargantuan blockbusters ever made.

In “Avengers: Age of Ultron,’’ there is defi nitely aplenty ado-ing. Too much, certainly, but then again, we come to the Avengers for their clown-car excess of su-perheroes, their colorful coterie of capes.

What binds Whedon’s spectacles with his Shakespeare are the quips, which sail in iambic pentameter in one and zigzag between explosions in the others. The original 2012 “Avengers” should have had more of them, and there’s even less room in the massive — and massively over-stuffed — sequel for Whedon’s dry, self-referential wit.

As a sequel, “Age of Ultron” pushes further into emotionality and complex-ity, adding up to a full but not particu-larly satisfying meal of franchise build-

ing, and leaving only a bread-crumb trail of Whedon’s banter to follow through the rubble.

The action starts predictably with the Avengers assaulting a remote HYDRA base in the fi ctional Eastern European repub-lic of Sokovia. They are a weaving force: Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, Chris Hem-sworth’s Thor, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, Chris Evans’s Captain America, Scarlett Johans-son’s Black Widow and Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye.

Their powers are as various (supernat-ural, technological, mythological) as their fl aws (Iron Man’s narcissism, the Hulk’s rage, the Black Widow’s regrets). Downey’s glib Tony Stark/Iron Man is the lead-sing-er equivalent of this super group and, I suspect, the one Whedon likes writing for the most. “I’ve had a long day,” he sighs. “Eugene O’Neill long.”

What the fi lm has going for it, as such references prove, is a sense of fun, a lack of self-seriousness that persists even when things start going kablooey — something not always evident in other faux-serious superhero fi lms.

In Sokovia, they encounter duplici-tous twins: the quick-footed Quicksilver

(Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and the mystical Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). The real villain, though, is the titular Ultron, an ar-tifi cial intelligence that the Scarlet Witch slyly leads Stark to create, birthing not the global protection system he hopes, but a maniacal Frankenstein born, thankfully, with some of his creator’s drollness.

Ultron (James Spader) builds him-self a muscular metallic body and begins amassing a robot army to rid the planet of human life. Spader plays Ultron, who is too similar to other mechanical mon-sters to equal Tom Hiddleston’s great Loki, the nemesis of the last “Avengers” fi lm. But Spader’s jocular menace adds plenty. He wickedly hums Pinocchio melodies: “There are no strings on me.’’

But the drama of “Age of Ultron” lies only partly in the battle with Ultron. The fi lm is really focused on the fraying dys-function of the Avengers and their exis-tential quandaries as profi cient killers now untethered from the dismantled S.H.I.E.L.D. agency.

There’s not a wrong note in the cast; just about anything with the likes of Spad-er, Ruffalo, Johansson, Hemsworth and Downey can’t help but entertain. But the dive into the vulnerability of the Avengers doesn’t add much depth (is the home life of an arrow slinger named Hawkeye im-portant?) and saps the fi lm’s zip.

All the character arcs — the Avengers, the bad guys and the new characters — are simply too much to tackle, even for a mas-ter juggler like Whedon. The movie’s hefty machinery sucks up much of the movie’s oxygen.

In the relentless march forward of the Marvel juggernaut, “Age of Ultron” feels like a movie trying to stay light on its feet but gets swallowed up by a larger power: The Franchise.

“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” a Walt Disney release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Pic-ture Association of America for “intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction.” Running time: 141 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. ‘Pillowman’ doesn’t help one sleep

tell that explain the adult he is now and they lead the audience up and down, in and out — add-ing more facets to a splintered work.

Katurian’s relationship with Michal is bound up with story-telling as well.

As the play crashes to an end, one is uncertain about what re-ally might have happened. And that’s probably McDonagh’s point.

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Fax 303-566-4098Mail to 9137 Ridgeline Blvd., Ste. 210Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

12 Elbert County News April 30, 2015

12

Calendar of EventsFor a complete list of South Metro Denver

Chamber events visit our website

www.bestchamber.com or call

303-795-0142.

Tuesday, April 28

TABOR: Why it Matters & What it Means

to You

7:30 – 9:00 am – SMDC WhippleWood

CPAs Conference Center

2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342,

Centennial

Friday, May 1

Women in Business Speaker Series:

Kristie Keever, Brand Strategist

7:30 –9:00 am – SMDC WhippleWood

CPAs Conference Center

2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 342,

Centennial

Saturday, May 2

12th Annual Pathways Client

Achievement Awards

5:30 pm – Denver Marriott Tech Center

4900 S. Syracuse St., Denver

Monday, May 4

Living in the State of Slim/Tour of

Health & Wellness Center at CU

Anschutz

10:00– 11:30 am – Anschutz Health &

Wellness Center

12348 E. Montview Blvd., Aurora

TABOR : Why it matters and What it means to youTABOR (Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights)

and potential TABOR refunds is the subject of the Tuesday, April 28 meeting of the Chamber’s Business Leaders for Responsible Government (BLRG) committee. �is is their second monthly meeting and will be held from 7:30 am – 9:00 am. All members of the South Metro Denver Chamber are welcome to attend. For insight into TABOR and how your personal tax dollars are spent, click here to go to the Colorado Taxpayer Receipt tool.

Speakers will encompass sev-eral viewpoints on the controversial amendment, and will include:

Former Colorado Representative Todd Saliman will begin the program by providing a brief explanation of TABOR and its history in Colorado, as well as insight into current TABOR-related issues, including potential refunds. Todd serves the University of Colorado as the vice president of budget and finance and chief finan-cial officer for the CU System. He is a former Colorado legislator and former director of the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting under Governor Bill Ritter.

Former Colorado House speaker Frank McNulty will provide the sec-ond presentation with his perspective on TABOR based on his experience in the Colorado House of Representa-tives, including the challenges this amendment creates within the legisla-ture.

Last, former Colorado Senator Norma Anderson will provide infor-mation regarding pending TABOR litigation at the U.S. Supreme Court in which she is involved, as well as her perspective on the limitations created by the amendment.

�is TABOR meeting’s presentations have been coordinated by Michael Sutherland and David Bear, both active members of the BLRG Steering Com-

mittee who have been instrumental in procuring the speakers for this event.

Background: TABOR refers to a 1992 Colorado Constitutional amendment that restricts revenues for all levels of government (state, local and schools). Under TABOR, state and local govern-ments cannot raise tax rates without voter approval and cannot spend rev-enues collected under existing tax rates without voter approval if revenues grow faster than the rate of inflation and population growth. Revenue in excess of the TABOR limit, commonly referred to as the

“TABOR surplus”, must be refunded to taxpayers, unless voters approve a revenue change as an offset in a refer-endum.

An easy and informative advocacy opportunity that directly contributes to our Tabor conversation on April 28 was published this morning in the Denver Business Journal:

“�e Colorado Office of State Plan-ning and Budgeting is hoping a new tool will give taxpayers some insight into [how exactly is your own tax pay-ment being used].

�e online tool, called the Taxpayer

Receipt tool, generates a breakdown of where individuals’ tax dollars go based on their age, annual income and how much they drive. It is part of an interactive website called Balancing Act, launched last week in Colorado to give citizens an interactive way to find out where their tax money goes.

Once the numbers are plugged in, the tool shows a breakdown of the way their tax dollars are spread across 30 categories, which include K-12 and higher education, courts, environmen-tal resources, public safety, transporta-tion, even TABOR refund.”

A�er completion, it also links you to another page where you can rec-ommend each budget be raised or lowered, and advocate for increases or decreases in taxes. According to the site, your submissions will be related to the legislature. For those interested in easy business advocacy opportuni-ties, this is a great opportunity to make your voice heard within the Colorado State Legislature. For more informa-tion visit http://co.abalancingact.com/taxreceipt

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‘Promposal’ gets Old Spice’s attentionLegend High School senior’s spoof goes viralBy Chris Michlewiczcmichlewicz@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The evolution of the prom proposal has reached new heights in Parker.

It was pretty high up, Felipe Prado re-calls of sitting shirtless atop a horse for the first time. It was part of the Legend High School senior’s elaborate plan to ask his best friend, Kara Wachsmann, to the prom.

Today’s “promposals,” as they are called, require a level of intricacy that can wow an audience. One Legend student asked his date by hiring a goat to wear a sign that said “Will you goat to prom with me?” Another student filmed a spoof of the hit TV show “The Office” to woo his date.

Prado, 18, wanted to do something similarly clever and began researching ideas during a slow day at work on Easter Sunday. He found a teen in California who involved a horse. That got Prado to think-ing about the Old Spice ads featuring actor Isaiah Mustafa doing manly things.

He enlisted a group of friends to recre-ate a commercial in which Mustafa rides a horse backwards. Wachsmann knew Prado’s “promposal” was coming, but she didn’t have a clue how he was going to ask.

“The horse surprised her a lot,” he says

while telling the story hours before getting ready for the April 24 prom at Infinity Park.

He made a path out of dozens of Old Spice items that led her behind a barn and to a pasture. Wachsmann laughed uncon-trollably as Prado presented flowers and a sign that read: “Although I’m not the Old Spice guy, going to prom would be fly.” She stopped laughing long enough to tell him yes.

“You want to make an impression! It’s not a competition, but you want to outdo yourself and do something big,” he said. “That way the other person knows you care for them and that they’re important.”

Prado then posted a photo on Twitter that got some quick attention. It had more than 1,100 favorites as of April 24 and got the attention of Old Spice, which offered to pay for the couple’s limo and dinner at The Broker.

Since then, Prado has accepted numer-ous media requests for interviews and has become a sensation at Legend High School. He received a video message from Mustafa that was played during an assem-bly leading up to prom. Mustafa got into character to tell Prado that his “chivalrous deed has touched my handsome heart” and to offer the “chariot” ride to the dance.

It’s a fresh-scented way for Prado to mark his first and last prom.

“I never thought it would be this big,” he says of the idea. “My original goal was to get, like, 50 favorites from my friends. I wanted Old Spice to see it, but I never thought they would.”

Legend High School senior Felipe Prado used a little �air to ask his date to the prom. His clever spoof of an Old Spice ad got the company’s attention on social media, and it paid for his dinner and limo. Courtesy photo

Elbert County News 13 April 30, 2015

13-Sports

‘Promposal’ gets Old Spice’s attention

Creative arts meld with socialization for a unique evening out

Metro Creative Connection

A night out on the town means differ-ent things to many people. Taking in a movie or dining at a favorite restaurant make great nights out for many people. But men and women

looking to stray from the norm are increasingly combining seemingly unrelated activities for a night out that is both social and creatively rewarding.

“Paint-and-sip” or “paint-and-snack” busi-nesses have grown increasingly popular in re-cent years. The premise is quite simple. Patrons reserve a spot (and canvas) and work their way through a painting, all the while conversing with friends and enjoying a spirited beverage or two along the way. Painting events have helped many men and women tap into their inner

artist and make a few new friends along the way. The goal of such events is to have fun and teach adults about painting, and many men and women find the relaxed atmosphere encourages them to express their individuality and artistry.

Paint-and-sip events come in various styles. One of the more popular scenarios has people working at an established painting studio, which provides the necessary artistic equipment while guests provide their own drinks and appetizers.

Some bars and restaurants also host social painting evenings. Easels and canvasses may be brought into a venue, where participants can paint as they relax with a drink. Food and bever-age specials may be part of the package price, or guests may buy items a la carte. Painting events can be organized for private parties, and such parties may take place at private residences or

at restaurants or bars.Painting parties have begun to replace more

traditional party themes. Some find such parties an entertaining alternative to traditional bach-elor or bachelorette parties, while others host birthday parties or baby showers with painting themes. Painting parties also can be a fun way to get friends together for a girls’ or guys’ night out. In addition to a fun night out, participants get to take home their own work of art, which can be gifted or displayed for years to come. To find a painting party by you, simply inquire about companies such as Paint Nite, Paint Along or Pinot’s Palette. Prospective Picassos also can inquire with local restaurant or bars if they will be hosting upcoming painting events or even encourage such establishments to do so if no they do not have any events on their schedules.

14 Elbert County News April 30, 2015

14

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Lineman returns to his comfort zone for BroncosLouis Vasquez moving back to his favored guard positionBy Arnie StapletonAssociated Press

Louis Vasquez is at once comfortable and restless.

After serving as Denver’s emergency right tackle over the last half of last season, Vasquez confirmed last week that he’s moving back to his natural position at right guard.

More change is afoot, though.Not only is Vasquez adjusting to a new po-

sition coach in Clancy Barone and to the zone blocking scheme that coach Gary Kubiak and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison are rein-

troducing in Denver, but he’ll also be playing between two new starters in 2015.

The Broncos allowed center Will Mont-gomery and left guard Orlando Franklin to leave via free agency, and right tackle is high on general manager John Elway’s wish list heading into the draft.

“Obviously, the center’s going to be the guy that makes all the calls up front and it kind of trickles down from there. But I’d say it’s equally as challenging playing next to two new guys,” Vasquez said. “But I’m excited to see who’s go-ing to take over the spots.”

The Broncos traded for center Gino Grad-kowski this offseason and he’ll compete with Manny Ramirez, who served as Den-ver’s snapper for 1 1-2 seasons before being benched over the last half of 2014.

Chris Clark, who started almost an entire season at left tackle when Ryan Clady was hurt in 2013, and second-year pro Michael Schofield, are in the mix at right tackle along with, in all probability, a high draft pick.

There will also be a new man at left guard. Ben Garland and newcomer Shelly Smith are vying to replace Franklin, who signed a five-year, $35.5 million deal with rival San Diego.

Vasquez is returning to a position where he was an All-Pro in 2013, allowing no sacks while playing every one of Denver’s 1,207 of-fensive snaps.

He was asked to slide over to tackle midway through last season when the former coach-ing staff made wholesale changes along the line in what turned out to be a futile attempt to salvage their Super Bowl hopes.

“My mentality is I’m a guard,” Vasquez said. “I would love to stay inside the trenches. That’s just how my mentality is. I’m a big, strong guy and I like to get physical and being on the out-side, it’s more finesse. The guys want to rush the passer and things of that nature and that’s not my forte.”

Vasquez, who was already bothered by a balky back last season, had to learn tackle on the fly as he tried to keep pass-rushers away from Peyton Manning.

“I had to put my work in because it wasn’t easy,” Vasquez said. “And it strained us as a unit up front.”

The Broncos are in the midst of remaking their offensive line again this offseason, but at least their best lineman is back in his comfort zone.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

Girls SoccerElizabeth 11, Alameda 1 - The Cardinals responded from

their first league loss with a demolition of Alameda on the road in league play on April 23.

Skyview 4, Elizabeth 2 - Tegan Alexander scored twice to up her season tally to 19 goals, but Elizabeth dropped its first league game of the season on the road at Skyview on April 21.

Elizabeth 6, Fort Lupton 1 - The Cardinals turned a one-goal halftime lead into four unanswered second-half goals in a convincing league win at home on April 21. Summer Hatch scored twice and Kayla Kagan, Kelsey Snow, Meri Sandy, and Caelyn Rittenhouse each found the net once in the win.

BaseballKiowa/Simla 12, Stratton/Liberty 2 - The Cubs moved

into the tenth spot in CHSAANow.com’s Class 2A Baseball rankings and won a non-league contest in six innings on April 20 to celebrate. In a balanced offensive showing, Maclain Smiley, Kasey Nusbaum, Cody Norris, and Matt Thieman each drove in two runs. Smiley struck out eight and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits in four innings for the win

on the mound.Fort Morgan 7, Elizabeth 3 - League-leaders Fort Morgan

defeated Elizabeth in league play at Fort Morgan on April 22. Ryan Schaeffer doubled home a run in a 2-for-3 day and Dusty Lawson went 2-for-2 with a run scored.

Fort Morgan 2, Elizabeth 1 - Fort Morgan and Elizabeth were both 9-0 in league when they met for a thriller at Eliza-beth on April 20. Elizabeth’s Jackson Wherry drove in Grant Si-mon in the bottom of the fifth to even the game at 1-1 before Fort Morgan scored in the sixth inning to take the win and the lead in the 4A Colorado 7 league. Sean Herr took the loss on the mound allowing six hits and two unearned runs.

Cornerstone Christian 10, Elbert 0 - Elbert allowed all 10 runs in the third inning and fell to No. 9 Cornerstone Christian in a five-inning league contest at home on April 23. Shawn Graves finished with two hits in the loss.

Elbert 11, Pikes Peak Christian 1 - Elbert won a league game in six innings on the road on April 20. Ross Millard went 4-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs and Jacob Miller added a triple, three RBIs, and two runs scored in a 2-for-3 day at the plate. Wyatt Swenson scored a team-high four runs.

Denver Jewish Day 15, Elbert 9 - Four Elbert pitchers combined to strike out 13 batters but issued 13 walks as they fell to Denver Jewish Day at home on April 20. Joel Smith struck out 9 over 4.1 innings, but gave up five runs on three hits. Smith, Jacob Miller, and Ross Millard each drove in two runs in the loss.

Boys Track and FieldAkron Invitational - Simla - 17th - Ryland Howard finished

in fourth place in the 1600m to record the only points as Simla finished 17th at the 21-team Akron Invitational on April 18.

Holly Invitational - Kiowa - 13th- The Kiowa Indians re-corded two top-five finishes, one individual and one relay, to finish in 13th place at the 17-team Holly Invitational on April 18. Wyatt McKnight provided the individual top finish as he came in fifth in the 400m. The 4 x 400m relay team finished in third for the best finish of the meet for Kiowa.

Girls Track and FieldAkron Invitational - Simla - 10th- Simla recorded four top-

eight individual performances and three top-eight perfor-mances from relay teams to finish in the top half of the field at the Akron Invitational on April 18. The 4 x 100m relay team finished third, the 800 sprint medley team came in fifth, and the 4 x 200m relay team finished in seventh place. Jerraldawn Rector won the high jump and finished fourth in the 100m. Kaitlyn Erickson finished sixth in the long jump and Kaelynn Montague added an eight-place finish in the triple jump.

Holly Invitational - Kiowa - 10th- A win by the 4 x 800m relay team propelled Kiowa to a tenth-place finish, out of 18 teams, in completion at the Holly Invitational on April 18. The 4 x 400m relay team finished in fourth place. Melanie Deering finished fourth in the high jump and Jessi Dodge finished sixth in the discus.

Elbert County News 15 April 30, 2015

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

DISTRICT COURT, ELBERT COUNTY,COLORADO

Court Address: 751 Ute StreetP.O. Box 232, Kiowa, CO 80117

ELBERT COMBINED COURTDOMESTIC CASES

CONSOLIDATED NOTICEOF PUBLICATION

Notice is hereby given that in the follow-ing proceedings filed in the Court August25, 2014 under the Uniform Dissolution ofMarriage Act, the above Court has foundthat due diligence has been used to ob-tain personal service of process within theState of Colorado and that efforts to ob-tain same would be to no avail, C.R.S. 14-10-107(4)(a) has ordered five publica-tions of a Consolidated Notice of said pro-ceedings:

Case No.: 2014DR65Name of Parties:Katarina Eva Buesking-Villanuevaand Richard Anthony VillanuevaNature of Action:Dissolution of Marriage

You are further notified that a copy of thePetition and Summons may be obtainedfrom the Clerk of the court during regularbusiness hours (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) andthat default judgment may be enteredagainst that party upon whom service ismade by this notice if he or she fails to ap-pear or file a response within thirty (30)days after the date of publication.

Dated this 1st day of April 2015.

Cheryl A. LayneClerk of Combined Court751 Ute Avenue, P.O. Box 232Kiowa, Colorado 80117

By: Kathy Notary, Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No.: 23160First Publication: April 9, 2015Last Publication: May 7, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Misc. Private Legals

PUBLIC NOTICE

DISTRICT COURT, ELBERT COUNTY,COLORADO

Court Address: 751 Ute StreetP.O. Box 232, Kiowa, CO 80117

ELBERT COMBINED COURTDOMESTIC CASES

CONSOLIDATED NOTICEOF PUBLICATION

Notice is hereby given that in the follow-ing proceedings filed in the Court August25, 2014 under the Uniform Dissolution ofMarriage Act, the above Court has foundthat due diligence has been used to ob-tain personal service of process within theState of Colorado and that efforts to ob-tain same would be to no avail, C.R.S. 14-10-107(4)(a) has ordered five publica-tions of a Consolidated Notice of said pro-ceedings:

Case No.: 2014DR65Name of Parties:Katarina Eva Buesking-Villanuevaand Richard Anthony VillanuevaNature of Action:Dissolution of Marriage

You are further notified that a copy of thePetition and Summons may be obtainedfrom the Clerk of the court during regularbusiness hours (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) andthat default judgment may be enteredagainst that party upon whom service ismade by this notice if he or she fails to ap-pear or file a response within thirty (30)days after the date of publication.

Dated this 1st day of April 2015.

Cheryl A. LayneClerk of Combined Court751 Ute Avenue, P.O. Box 232Kiowa, Colorado 80117

By: Kathy Notary, Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No.: 23160First Publication: April 9, 2015Last Publication: May 7, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

PUBLIC NOTICE

BEFORE THE OIL AND GASCONSERVATION COMMISSIONOF THE STATE OF COLORADO

IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGA-TION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELDRULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONSFOR THE LANSING, MARMATON,CHEROKEE, ATOKA, MORRO W(PENNSYLVANIAN AGE), ST. LOUIS,SPERGEN, WARSAW, HARRISON,GILMORE CITY (MISSISSIPPIAN AGE),ARBUCKLE AND REAGAN FORMA-TIONS, UNNAMED FIELD, ELBERTCOUNTY, COLORADO

CAUSE NO. 550DOCKET NO. 150500329TYPE: SPACING

NOTICE OF HEARING

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES AND TOWHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

APPLICATION LANDSTownship 12 South, Range 58 West,6th P.M.Section 34: NE¼

APPLICATIONOn March 19, 2015, Mustang Creek Oper-ating, LLC, a Colorado limited liabilitycompany, Operator No. 10446 (“Mustang”or “Applicant”) filed a verified applicationpursuant to §34-60-116, C.R.S., for an or-der to:

1) Establish an approximate 160-acredrilling and spacing unit for the Applica-tion Lands for the production of oil, gasand associated hydrocarbons from theLansing, Marmaton, Cherokee, Atoka,Morrow, St. Louis, Spergen, Warsaw, Har-rison, Gilmore City, Arbuckle, and Re-agan Formations; and

2) Approve one vertical well within theunit.

APPLICABLE RULES AND ORDERS(available online at:http://cogcc.state.co.us,under “ORDERS”)

● Rule 318.a. of the Commission Rulesprovides a well that is to be drilled 2,500feet or greater shall be located not lessthan 600 feet from any lease line, andshall be located not less than 1,200 feetfrom any other producible or drilling oil orgas well when drilling to the same com-mon source of supply, unless authorizedby the Commission upon hearing.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to:1) the general jurisdiction granted to theOil and Gas Conservation Commission ofthe State of Colorado under §34-60-105C.R.S.; 2) specific powers granted pursu-ant to §34-60-106 C.R.S.; 3) the State Ad-ministrative Procedures Act at §24-4-105C.R.S.; and 4) the Commission’s Series500 Rules at 2 CCR 404-1, that the Com-mission has scheduled the above-entitledmatter for hearing on:

Date: Monday, May 18, 2015Tuesday, May 19, 2015Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place: Aims Community CollegePlatte Building,Room PL111 and PL113260 College AvenueFort Lupton, Colorado 80621

In accordance with the Americans withDisabilities Act, if any party requires spe-cial accommodations as a result of a dis-ability for this hearing, please contact Mar-garet Humecki at (303) 894-2100 ext.5139, prior to the hearing and arrange-ments will be made.

At hearing, the Commission will considerthe Application and enter an order pursu-ant to its authority under the statute. Anyinterested party desiring to protest or inter-vene should file with the Commission awritten protest or intervention in accord-ance with Rule 509., no later than May 4,2015. Such interested party shall, at thesame time, serve a copy of the protest orintervention to the person filing the applic-ation. One electronic(cogcc.hearings_unit@state.co.us), oneoriginal and two copies shall be filed withthe Commission. Anyone who files aprotest or intervention must be able to par-ticipate in a prehearing conference duringthe week of May 4, 2015. Pursuant toRule 511., if the matter is uncontested, itmay be approved without a hearing.

OIL AND GAS CONSERVATIONCOMMISSIONOF THE STATE OF COLORADO

By: Julie Murphy, SecretaryDated: April 13, 2015

Colorado Oil and Gas ConservationCommission1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801Denver, Colorado 80203Website: http://cogcc.state.co.usPhone: (303) 894-2100Fax: (303) 894-2109

Attorneys for Applicant:James Parrot & Jillian FulcherBeatty & Wozniak, P.C.216 16th Street, Suite 1100Denver, Colorado 80202(303) 407-4499jparrot@bwenergylaw.comjfulcher@bwenergylaw.com

Legal Notice No.: 23175First Publication: April 30, 2015Last Publication: April 30, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Misc. Private Legals

PUBLIC NOTICE

BEFORE THE OIL AND GASCONSERVATION COMMISSIONOF THE STATE OF COLORADO

IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGA-TION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELDRULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONSFOR THE LANSING, MARMATON,CHEROKEE, ATOKA, MORROW(PENNSYLVANIAN AGE), ST. LOUIS,SPERGEN, WARSAW, HARRISON,GILMORE CITY (MISSISSIPPIAN AGE),ARBUCKLE AND REAGAN FORMA-TIONS, UNNAMED FIELD, ELBERTCOUNTY, COLORADO

CAUSE NO. 550DOCKET NO. 150500329TYPE: SPACING

NOTICE OF HEARING

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES AND TOWHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

APPLICATION LANDSTownship 12 South, Range 58 West,6th P.M.Section 34: NE¼

APPLICATIONOn March 19, 2015, Mustang Creek Oper-ating, LLC, a Colorado limited liabilitycompany, Operator No. 10446 (“Mustang”or “Applicant”) filed a verified applicationpursuant to §34-60-116, C.R.S., for an or-der to:

1) Establish an approximate 160-acredrilling and spacing unit for the Applica-tion Lands for the production of oil, gasand associated hydrocarbons from theLansing, Marmaton, Cherokee, Atoka,Morrow, St. Louis, Spergen, Warsaw, Har-rison, Gilmore City, Arbuckle, and Re-agan Formations; and

2) Approve one vertical well within theunit.

APPLICABLE RULES AND ORDERS(available online at:http://cogcc.state.co.us,under “ORDERS”)

● Rule 318.a. of the Commission Rulesprovides a well that is to be drilled 2,500feet or greater shall be located not lessthan 600 feet from any lease line, andshall be located not less than 1,200 feetfrom any other producible or drilling oil orgas well when drilling to the same com-mon source of supply, unless authorizedby the Commission upon hearing.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to:1) the general jurisdiction granted to theOil and Gas Conservation Commission ofthe State of Colorado under §34-60-105C.R.S.; 2) specific powers granted pursu-ant to §34-60-106 C.R.S.; 3) the State Ad-ministrative Procedures Act at §24-4-105C.R.S.; and 4) the Commission’s Series500 Rules at 2 CCR 404-1, that the Com-mission has scheduled the above-entitledmatter for hearing on:

Date: Monday, May 18, 2015Tuesday, May 19, 2015Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place: Aims Community CollegePlatte Building,Room PL111 and PL113260 College AvenueFort Lupton, Colorado 80621

In accordance with the Americans withDisabilities Act, if any party requires spe-cial accommodations as a result of a dis-ability for this hearing, please contact Mar-garet Humecki at (303) 894-2100 ext.5139, prior to the hearing and arrange-ments will be made.

At hearing, the Commission will considerthe Application and enter an order pursu-ant to its authority under the statute. Anyinterested party desiring to protest or inter-vene should file with the Commission awritten protest or intervention in accord-ance with Rule 509., no later than May 4,2015. Such interested party shall, at thesame time, serve a copy of the protest orintervention to the person filing the applic-ation. One electronic(cogcc.hearings_unit@state.co.us), oneoriginal and two copies shall be filed withthe Commission. Anyone who files aprotest or intervention must be able to par-ticipate in a prehearing conference duringthe week of May 4, 2015. Pursuant toRule 511., if the matter is uncontested, itmay be approved without a hearing.

OIL AND GAS CONSERVATIONCOMMISSIONOF THE STATE OF COLORADO

By: Julie Murphy, SecretaryDated: April 13, 2015

Colorado Oil and Gas ConservationCommission1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801Denver, Colorado 80203Website: http://cogcc.state.co.usPhone: (303) 894-2100Fax: (303) 894-2109

Attorneys for Applicant:James Parrot & Jillian FulcherBeatty & Wozniak, P.C.216 16th Street, Suite 1100Denver, Colorado 80202(303) 407-4499jparrot@bwenergylaw.comjfulcher@bwenergylaw.com

Legal Notice No.: 23175First Publication: April 30, 2015Last Publication: April 30, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Misc. Private Legals

PUBLIC NOTICE

BEFORE THE OIL AND GASCONSERVATION COMMISSIONOF THE STATE OF COLORADO

IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGA-TION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELDRULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONSFOR THE LANSING, MARMATON,CHEROKEE, ATOKA, MORROW(PENNSYLVANIAN AGE), ST. LOUIS,SPERGEN, WARSAW, HARRISON,GILMORE CITY (MISSISSIPPIAN AGE),ARBUCKLE AND REAGAN FORMA-TIONS, UNNAMED FIELD, ELBERTCOUNTY, COLORADO

CAUSE NO. 550DOCKET NO. 150500329TYPE: SPACING

NOTICE OF HEARING

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES AND TOWHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

APPLICATION LANDSTownship 12 South, Range 58 West,6th P.M.Section 34: NE¼

APPLICATIONOn March 19, 2015, Mustang Creek Oper-ating, LLC, a Colorado limited liabilitycompany, Operator No. 10446 (“Mustang”or “Applicant”) filed a verified applicationpursuant to §34-60-116, C.R.S., for an or-der to:

1) Establish an approximate 160-acredrilling and spacing unit for the Applica-tion Lands for the production of oil, gasand associated hydrocarbons from theLansing, Marmaton, Cherokee, Atoka,Morrow, St. Louis, Spergen, Warsaw, Har-rison, Gilmore City, Arbuckle, and Re-agan Formations; and

2) Approve one vertical well within theunit.

APPLICABLE RULES AND ORDERS(available online at:http://cogcc.state.co.us,under “ORDERS”)

● Rule 318.a. of the Commission Rulesprovides a well that is to be drilled 2,500feet or greater shall be located not lessthan 600 feet from any lease line, andshall be located not less than 1,200 feetfrom any other producible or drilling oil orgas well when drilling to the same com-mon source of supply, unless authorizedby the Commission upon hearing.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to:1) the general jurisdiction granted to theOil and Gas Conservation Commission ofthe State of Colorado under §34-60-105C.R.S.; 2) specific powers granted pursu-ant to §34-60-106 C.R.S.; 3) the State Ad-ministrative Procedures Act at §24-4-105C.R.S.; and 4) the Commission’s Series500 Rules at 2 CCR 404-1, that the Com-mission has scheduled the above-entitledmatter for hearing on:

Date: Monday, May 18, 2015Tuesday, May 19, 2015Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place: Aims Community CollegePlatte Building,Room PL111 and PL113260 College AvenueFort Lupton, Colorado 80621

In accordance with the Americans withDisabilities Act, if any party requires spe-cial accommodations as a result of a dis-ability for this hearing, please contact Mar-garet Humecki at (303) 894-2100 ext.5139, prior to the hearing and arrange-ments will be made.

At hearing, the Commission will considerthe Application and enter an order pursu-ant to its authority under the statute. Anyinterested party desiring to protest or inter-vene should file with the Commission awritten protest or intervention in accord-ance with Rule 509., no later than May 4,2015. Such interested party shall, at thesame time, serve a copy of the protest orintervention to the person filing the applic-ation. One electronic(cogcc.hearings_unit@state.co.us), oneoriginal and two copies shall be filed withthe Commission. Anyone who files aprotest or intervention must be able to par-ticipate in a prehearing conference duringthe week of May 4, 2015. Pursuant toRule 511., if the matter is uncontested, itmay be approved without a hearing.

OIL AND GAS CONSERVATIONCOMMISSIONOF THE STATE OF COLORADO

By: Julie Murphy, SecretaryDated: April 13, 2015

Colorado Oil and Gas ConservationCommission1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801Denver, Colorado 80203Website: http://cogcc.state.co.usPhone: (303) 894-2100Fax: (303) 894-2109

Attorneys for Applicant:James Parrot & Jillian FulcherBeatty & Wozniak, P.C.216 16th Street, Suite 1100Denver, Colorado 80202(303) 407-4499jparrot@bwenergylaw.comjfulcher@bwenergylaw.com

Legal Notice No.: 23175First Publication: April 30, 2015Last Publication: April 30, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

Misc. Private Legals

PUBLIC NOTICE

BEFORE THE OIL AND GASCONSERVATION COMMISSIONOF THE STATE OF COLORADO

IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGA-TION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELDRULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONSFOR THE LANSING, MARMATON,CHEROKEE, ATOKA, MORROW(PENNSYLVANIAN AGE), ST. LOUIS,SPERGEN, WARSAW, HARRISON,GILMORE CITY (MISSISSIPPIAN AGE),ARBUCKLE AND REAGAN FORMA-TIONS, UNNAMED FIELD, ELBERTCOUNTY, COLORADO

CAUSE NO. 550DOCKET NO. 150500329TYPE: SPACING

NOTICE OF HEARING

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES AND TOWHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

APPLICATION LANDSTownship 12 South, Range 58 West,6th P.M.Section 34: NE¼

APPLICATIONOn March 19, 2015, Mustang Creek Oper-ating, LLC, a Colorado limited liabilitycompany, Operator No. 10446 (“Mustang”or “Applicant”) filed a verified applicationpursuant to §34-60-116, C.R.S., for an or-der to:

1) Establish an approximate 160-acredrilling and spacing unit for the Applica-tion Lands for the production of oil, gasand associated hydrocarbons from theLansing, Marmaton, Cherokee, Atoka,Morrow, St. Louis, Spergen, Warsaw, Har-rison, Gilmore City, Arbuckle, and Re-agan Formations; and

2) Approve one vertical well within theunit.

APPLICABLE RULES AND ORDERS(available online at:http://cogcc.state.co.us,under “ORDERS”)

● Rule 318.a. of the Commission Rulesprovides a well that is to be drilled 2,500feet or greater shall be located not lessthan 600 feet from any lease line, andshall be located not less than 1,200 feetfrom any other producible or drilling oil orgas well when drilling to the same com-mon source of supply, unless authorizedby the Commission upon hearing.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to:1) the general jurisdiction granted to theOil and Gas Conservation Commission ofthe State of Colorado under §34-60-105C.R.S.; 2) specific powers granted pursu-ant to §34-60-106 C.R.S.; 3) the State Ad-ministrative Procedures Act at §24-4-105C.R.S.; and 4) the Commission’s Series500 Rules at 2 CCR 404-1, that the Com-mission has scheduled the above-entitledmatter for hearing on:

Date: Monday, May 18, 2015Tuesday, May 19, 2015Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place: Aims Community CollegePlatte Building,Room PL111 and PL113260 College AvenueFort Lupton, Colorado 80621

In accordance with the Americans withDisabilities Act, if any party requires spe-cial accommodations as a result of a dis-ability for this hearing, please contact Mar-garet Humecki at (303) 894-2100 ext.5139, prior to the hearing and arrange-ments will be made.

At hearing, the Commission will considerthe Application and enter an order pursu-ant to its authority under the statute. Anyinterested party desiring to protest or inter-vene should file with the Commission awritten protest or intervention in accord-ance with Rule 509., no later than May 4,2015. Such interested party shall, at thesame time, serve a copy of the protest orintervention to the person filing the applic-ation. One electronic(cogcc.hearings_unit@state.co.us), oneoriginal and two copies shall be filed withthe Commission. Anyone who files aprotest or intervention must be able to par-ticipate in a prehearing conference duringthe week of May 4, 2015. Pursuant toRule 511., if the matter is uncontested, itmay be approved without a hearing.

OIL AND GAS CONSERVATIONCOMMISSIONOF THE STATE OF COLORADO

By: Julie Murphy, SecretaryDated: April 13, 2015

Colorado Oil and Gas ConservationCommission1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801Denver, Colorado 80203Website: http://cogcc.state.co.usPhone: (303) 894-2100Fax: (303) 894-2109

Attorneys for Applicant:James Parrot & Jillian FulcherBeatty & Wozniak, P.C.216 16th Street, Suite 1100Denver, Colorado 80202(303) 407-4499jparrot@bwenergylaw.comjfulcher@bwenergylaw.com

Legal Notice No.: 23175First Publication: April 30, 2015Last Publication: April 30, 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 DEED

TSC# 2011-01336

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:

GERALD L BAIR You and each of youare hereby notified that on the 8th day ofNovember A.D. 2011 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to DANIEL C JORDAN the followingdescribed real estate situate in the Countyof Elbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

Section: 35 Township: 9 Range: 65Subdiv is ion: KELLY AIR PARKAMENDMENT IV Lot: 55 (TOTAL 5.060A)24428 BEN KELLY RD

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to DANIEL CJORDAN. That said tax lien sale wasmade to satisfy the delinquent taxes as-sessed against said real estate for theyear 2010;

That said real estate was taxed orspecially assessed in the name(s) ofGERALD L BAIR for said year 2010.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said DANIEL CJORDAN at 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 30thday of July, A.D.2015, unless the samehas been redeemed.

Said property may be redeemed from saidsale at any time prior to the actual execu-tion of said Treasurer’s Deed. Witness myhand this 8th day of April, 2015 A. D.

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 23168First Publication: April 16, 2015Last Publication: April 30, 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 DEED

TSC# 2011-01336

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:

GERALD L BAIR You and each of youare hereby notified that on the 8th day ofNovember A.D. 2011 the then CountyTreasurer of the County of Elbert, in theState of Colorado, sold at public tax liensale to DANIEL C JORDAN the followingdescribed real estate situate in the Countyof Elbert, State of Colorado, to wit:

Section: 35 Township: 9 Range: 65Subdiv is ion: KELLY AIR PARKAMENDMENT IV Lot: 55 (TOTAL 5.060A)24428 BEN KELLY RD

and said County Treasurer issued a certi-ficate of purchase therefore to DANIEL CJORDAN. That said tax lien sale wasmade to satisfy the delinquent taxes as-sessed against said real estate for theyear 2010;

That said real estate was taxed orspecially assessed in the name(s) ofGERALD L BAIR for said year 2010.

That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued forsaid real estate to the said DANIEL CJORDAN at 3:00 o’clock P.M., on the 30thday of July, A.D.2015, unless the samehas been redeemed.

Said property may be redeemed from saidsale at any time prior to the actual execu-tion of said Treasurer’s Deed. Witness myhand this 8th day of April, 2015 A. D.

Richard PettittCounty Treasurer of Elbert County

Legal Notice No.: 23168First Publication: April 16, 2015Last Publication: April 30, 2015Publisher: The Elbert County News

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 RELEASE WEEK OF APRIL 27, 2015

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You still might have to deal with some lingering confusion that marked a recent workplace situation. But for the most part, you should now be well on your way to your next project.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A new commitment might demand more time than you’d expected to have to give it. But rely on that special Bovine gift for patience, and stick with it. You’ll be glad you did.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You’re earning the ad-miration of a lot of people who like the way you handle yourself when your views are on the line. Even one or two of your detractors are being won over.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Taking your responsi-bilities seriously is what you do. But ease up on the pres-sure gauge, and make time for much needed R & R. Start by making this weekend a “just for fun” time zone.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Some recently uncovered information might make a change of plans inevitable. If so, deal with it as quickly as possible, and then find out what went wrong and why. What you learn might surprise you.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Aspects favor moving carefully and deliberately when making any significant changes. Could be there are more facts you need to know, which you might overlook if you rush things.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A problem neighbor might be looking to goad you into an action you don’t want to take. Ask someone you both respect if he or she would act as an impartial arbitrator for both of you.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A recent workplace accomplishment hasn’t been overlooked by those who watch these things. Meanwhile, start making travel plans for that much-too-long-deferred trip with someone special.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Those money matters continue to move in your favor. Now would be a good time to start putting some money back into the house, both for esthetic as well as eco-nomic reasons.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A chang-ing workplace environment can create job pressures. But, once again, follow the example of your birth sign and take things a step at a time, like the sure-footed Goat you are.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Cheer up. You could soon have the funds you need for your wor-thy project. Your generous gifts of time and effort are well known, and someone might decide it’s time to join with you.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your inner scam-catcher is right on target, and you’re absolutely right to reject that “too good to be true” offer. Meanwhile, some-thing positive should be making its way to you.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are generous, and also sym-pathetic to people who find they need the help of others.

© 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

Lineman returns to his comfort zone for Broncos“My mentality is I’m a guard,” Vasquez said.

“I would love to stay inside the trenches. That’s just how my mentality is. I’m a big, strong guy and I like to get physical and being on the out-side, it’s more finesse. The guys want to rush the passer and things of that nature and that’s not my forte.”

Vasquez, who was already bothered by a balky back last season, had to learn tackle on the fly as he tried to keep pass-rushers away from Peyton Manning.

“I had to put my work in because it wasn’t easy,” Vasquez said. “And it strained us as a unit up front.”

The Broncos are in the midst of remaking their offensive line again this offseason, but at least their best lineman is back in his comfort zone.

Denver Jewish Day 15, Elbert 9 - Four Elbert pitchers combined to strike out 13 batters but issued 13 walks as they fell to Denver Jewish Day at home on April 20. Joel Smith struck out 9 over 4.1 innings, but gave up five runs on three hits. Smith, Jacob Miller, and Ross Millard each drove in two runs in the loss.

Boys Track and FieldAkron Invitational - Simla - 17th - Ryland Howard finished

in fourth place in the 1600m to record the only points as Simla finished 17th at the 21-team Akron Invitational on April 18.

Holly Invitational - Kiowa - 13th- The Kiowa Indians re-corded two top-five finishes, one individual and one relay, to finish in 13th place at the 17-team Holly Invitational on April 18. Wyatt McKnight provided the individual top finish as he came in fifth in the 400m. The 4 x 400m relay team finished in third for the best finish of the meet for Kiowa.

Girls Track and FieldAkron Invitational - Simla - 10th- Simla recorded four top-

eight individual performances and three top-eight perfor-mances from relay teams to finish in the top half of the field at the Akron Invitational on April 18. The 4 x 100m relay team finished third, the 800 sprint medley team came in fifth, and the 4 x 200m relay team finished in seventh place. Jerraldawn Rector won the high jump and finished fourth in the 100m. Kaitlyn Erickson finished sixth in the long jump and Kaelynn Montague added an eight-place finish in the triple jump.

Holly Invitational - Kiowa - 10th- A win by the 4 x 800m relay team propelled Kiowa to a tenth-place finish, out of 18 teams, in completion at the Holly Invitational on April 18. The 4 x 400m relay team finished in fourth place. Melanie Deering finished fourth in the high jump and Jessi Dodge finished sixth in the discus.

Technical foul: Man shoots computer, police sayAssociated Press

For killing the source of his frus-tration and abandoning the body in an alley, a Colorado man could be considered lucky for just receiving a citation — except his victim was his computer.

The Colorado Springs Gazette re-ports that 37-year-old Lucas Hinch was slapped with a ticket for dis-charging a weapon within city limits after he took his computer outside

and shot it eight times.Colorado Springs police Lt. Jeff

Strossner, who issued the citation, says Hinch told him he had been fighting his computer for months be-fore he decided to exact his revenge.

Hinch accepted his citation with-out problem and told Strossner he did not realize he was breaking the law.

The penalty for the citation will be up to a judge.

CURTAIN TIMETime for stories

“Game Changers” is the ti-tle of the next Stories on Stage performance. Readers are: Robin Moseley, “axis” by Alice Munro; Betty Hart, “North Country” by Roxanne Gay and “I Regret to Inform You that My Wedding to Captain Von Trapp Has Been Cancelled” by Melinda Taub; and special guest Evan Weissman from Buntport Theater will read a selection to be announced. Performances: 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. May 3 at El Centro Su Teatro Cultural and Per-forming Arts Center, 721 Santa

Fe Drive, Denver. Tickets: $28, 303-494-0523, storiesonstage.org.

That’s Fronkensteen!“Young Frankenstein” plays

May 15 to June 14 at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Littleton. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: townhallartscenter.org, 303-794-2787, ext. 5.

Summer production“Mary Poppins,” based on

P.L. Travers’ classic, will play at

BDT Stage (Boulder’s Dinner Theatre), 5501 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, May 16 through Sept. 5. Performances: Wednesdays through Sundays. Call for tick-ets and information: 303-449-6000, bdtstage.com.

On stage at Curious“Detroit” plays at Curi-

ous Theatre, 1080 Acoma St., Denver, May 14 to June 19. Directed by Chip Walton. Performances: 8 p.m. Thurs-days through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: curiousthe-atre.org, 303-623-0524.

16 Elbert County News April 30, 2015

16

Reach higher. Choose UCCS.Learn more at uccs.eduor call 719.255.8227

“I chose UCCS because of the opportunities within the College of Business — internships, scholarships, and exploring different careers. The smaller class sizes have given me the personal assistance I need to be successful. UCCS is building prestige in its programs and is becoming one of the best schools in the state. You should check it out.” — Thaddeus Bland, Jr., Sophomore, Business

Thank you for walking with us for stronger, healthier babies. marchofdimes.org/colorado

our localsponsors

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Thank You Through March for Babies,Colorado corporate teams, walkers and sponsors helpthe March of Dimes provide lifesaving programs.