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

VOLUME 121 | ISSUE 4 | 75¢

February 25, 2016

ElbertCountyNews.net

A publication of

ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100)

OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 | PHONE: 303-566-4100

A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ELIZABETH, COLORADO and additional mailing offi ces.

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

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Elizabeth

Kiowa

Parker

49.2%

32.8%

15.8%

Median sale price Jan. 2016

$444,000


$297,500Median sale price Jan. 2016

$380,000


$286,225


$436,357


$376,850

On the riseLocal market experiences surge in median home prices

The trend of rising home prices around the metro area has been even more pronounced in eastern Douglas and western Elbert counties.

According to the real estate website Zillow.com, home values in Denver have risen 15.2 percent in the last year. Elizabeth, in comparison, has seen prices rise 49.2 percent between January 2015 and January 2016.

Source: Douglas Elbert Realtor Associationderarealtors.com

Incumbent backs Thayer for commissioner seat

By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media

When Elbert County Republicans as-semble for precinct caucuses on March 1, there will be one fewer candidate seek-ing the job of county commissioner than some might have expected. Commis-sioner Larry Ross announced last week that he would not run for a second term as the District 3 representative.

In an open letter to Elbert County residents sent to the Elbert County News on Feb. 19, Ross announced his inten-tions to sit out November’s election and thanked county residents for their “friendship and support.”

“Serving you as District 3 Commis-sioner has been both challenging and satisfying,” Ross wrote. “I have, however, chosen to not run for a second term. At the end of this year I will begin to pursue other opportunities.”

Ross said that, with the Republican caucuses approaching, letting everyone know his intentions was the right thing to do. He said he would likely return to work in real estate, a profession where he has 30 years of experience.

“I’m rooted here, and this is where I’m going to stay,” he said.

Ross notpursuingsecond D-3 term

Ross continues on Page 9

Staff report

A group of Elizabeth High School stu-dents met legislators at the Colorado Cap-itol on Feb. 18 to watch state government in action.

The Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented has been bringing students and legislators together for Legislative Day, held around Presidents Day for 17 years. But this year, for the fi rst time, EHS students were part of the mix of activities, which included an open forum with leg-islators.

And two of the EHS students, ninth-grader Scott Portsche and 10th-grader Seth Beebe, shadowed an assigned legisla-tor going through the duties of the Colora-do General Assembly, which is in session.

Portsche followed state Rep. Tim Dore, R-Elizabeth. Beebe shadowed state Sen. Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs.

While those students were shadowing the legislators, CAGT hosted a series of events, guest speakers and forums for the benefi t of other students, parents, teach-ers and advocates of gifted and talented programs.

In addition to Beebe and Portsche, eight other EHS students all ninth-graders — attended the Legislative Day events: Brandon Kohrt, Garrett Rutkowski, Tes-sa Smith, Jillian Williams, Brittany Vogl, Brooke Petersen, Savana Charlton and Corenna Broussard.

In a statement, the Elizabeth School District attributed the participation of lo-cal students in this year’s Legislative Day events to the work of EHS teacher Leanne Cook.

Students can apply to the annual Leg-islative Day shadow program by going online to coloradogifted.org, under the “events” tab.

State Sen. Bill Cadman speaks at the podium during the Colorado General As-sembly. Stand-ing to his left is Elizabeth High School student Seth Beebe, who was selected to shadow the state senator for the day. Courtesy photo

Elizabeth students shadow legislators

February 25, 20162 Elbert County News

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Planning areas show possible uses in draft of Pine Curve document By Chris Michlewicz [email protected]

Parker residents provided input on a development guide for land that’s consid-ered the eastern gateway to downtown.

Pine Curve, a 24-acre, town-owned property across from town hall, has been the subject of many discussions for nearly a decade. That’s partly due to its promi-nence in the future of development in downtown Parker and its proximity to a residential neighborhood.

A few dozen homeowners attended the latest public open house for the project Feb. 10 at the Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center and got their fi rst peek at a draft of the “Planned Development” guide. The document includes a map of “multiple planning areas which each have different zoning standards,” according to one of the boards displayed at the open house.

“Planning Area 1” is designated for commercial projects, including retail, of-fi ce and service-oriented uses, including drive-thru restaurants and gas stations. “Planning Area 2” will contain an exten-sion of Mainstreet and accommodate retail, offi ce and service-oriented busi-nesses that will face “an internal drive with a ‘Mainstreet feel,’” the documents say. Drive-thrus and gas stations are pro-hibited there. Corner buildings in “Plan-ning Area 2” will “frame” the intersection of Pine Drive and Mainstreet, the Planned Development guide says.

The Pine Curve property contains a total of fi ve planning areas, with less-intense uses near homes in the Parker Vista subdivision. The Town of Parker is gathering public feedback and determin-ing zoning before selling the land to a developer. Planners with the community development department have said that because the town owns the property, it has the ability to determine how develop-

ment will ultimately look and feel.Dave Denslow, a resident of Parker

Vista for 16 years, said he and his neigh-bors have become irritated because they haven’t been included in the design process.

“Don’t exclude us and then have us come in and tell us what it’s going to be and ask us if it’s OK,” he said. “That’s not the way you do it.”

Denslow said he would like to view studies that show there is enough de-mand to support another grocery store, which is expected to be the main anchor of Pine Curve. He says the argument that Parker Road acts as a barrier for those liv-ing east of the road is false. Denslow also said there’s “plenty of retail space avail-able in Parker.”

The town originally purchased the land

in 2002 with the intent of building a new police station and possibly headquarters for what was then the Parker Fire District. Then, town leaders proposed using the property to house the Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center — or PACE — but those plans also fell apart.

The town should have used the Pine Curve property to build the new Parker Library, Denslow said, instead of spend-ing $2 million on land across the street, where the library is now under construc-tion.

Nearby homeowners are concerned about noise, blocked views, additional traffi c and light pollution. Many have asked that the town rezone the land for a park or open space. According to infor-mation presented at the Feb. 10 open house, the land “does not meet criteria for

open-space preservation and is not a candidate for a park.”

Denslow said he wants a “guarantee that what they tell us is the truth and (the development) isn’t going to affect things like our property values.”

The town says the land will be used to further enhance downtown and create a destination. Future development on Pine Curve will incorporate a buffer between buildings and the Parker Vista neighbor-hood.

The town is proposing rezoning the property from a designation of “Greater Downtown District — Historic Center” to “Planned Development.” A fi nal deci-sion is expected by Parker Town Council in June. For more information and the latest map, go to www.parkeronline.org/pinecurve.

Residents go over the latest plans Feb. 10 for Pine Curve, a Parker-owned property directly across from town hall. Parker offi cials are having open houses to gather feedback from those who live near the land. Photo by Chris Michlewicz

Possible uses for town land unveiled

Elbert County News 3February 25, 2016

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Democrat sponsors measure to set meaningful standards

By Kristen WyattAssociated Press

Marijuana has attracted many labels in its time. Colorado lawmak-ers have begun debating whether the state should give the drug one more often associated with purple carrots than purple haze — certified organic.

Colorado has started work on becoming the first state to regulate organic labels in its pot industry, with other legal weed states watching to see whether they too should step in to help consumers wondering what’s on their weed. Organic standards are regulated federally, and pot remains illegal at the federal level, meaning there’s nothing stopping commercial pot growers from calling their wares organic.

“Consumers have a right to know what they’re putting in their body,” said Colorado state Rep. Jonathan Singer, a Longmont Democrat sponsoring the bill to create the state-sanctioned labels. The bill was scheduled to have its first hearing Feb. 19 in the state House Public Health Care and Human Services Committee. The measure doesn’t specify what growers would have to do to get the certification; it instead directs the state’s agricultural de-partment to get a third party to draft the regulations. The bill also doesn’t say which pesticides would be off-limits for organic growers.

Consumer confusion over organic marijuana peaked in Colorado ear-lier this year, when Denver health authorities seized thousands of marijuana plants from growers sus-pected of using off-limits chemicals on their plants.

Most of the plants were ultimately released, but some were sold with names that suggested the products

were natural or organic.“That misleads people,” said

Larisa Bolivar, head of the Cannabis Consumers Coalition. “We don’t want to wait for someone to get sick. You need to know that when some-thing says organic, it’s organic.”

Colorado is likely just the first state to tighten the rules for advertis-ing marijuana products as organic, said Chris Lindsey, legislative analyst for the pro-legalization Marijuana Policy Project.

“This is not exactly a movement, but it’s not too much of a stretch to say we’re headed that way,” he said.

The only other pot state to even mention organic certification is California, which last year adopted a regulation requiring organic certi-fication for marijuana products by 2020, if permitted under federal law.

So far federal authorities that have weighed in on state marijuana experiments haven’t mentioned

Bill highlights organic labels for marijuana

Staff report

The U.S. Department of Agricul-ture announced Feb. 12. funding to help preserve prairie landscapes in and around the Town of Agate.

The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agri-cultural Land Trust works with Elbert County landowners to permanently conserve more than 60,000 acres as part of the Agate Prairie Conserva-tion Legacy.

The Agate project was the an-nounced recipient of $2.4 million in funding from the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, who serves on the Senate Agricultural Committee, announced the funding for the Agate project,

and two other Colorado projects: the Colorado Dairy and Irrigation Efficiency Program, and the Greater Outcomes for Greater Sage-Grouse initiative.

“Much of Colorado’s economy depends on the conservation of our farms and ranches in addition to the landscapes that serve our tourism industry,” Bennet said in a news release. “Each of these projects is crucial to supporting these local economies, while preserving the heritage that makes our state such a tremendous place to live.”

RCPP consolidated four pro-grams from the prior 2008 Farm Bill to create a system where private landowners can partner with local or state agencies, such as the Colorado

Cattlemen, to create permanent conservation easements to restrict development.

“The three ranches that comprise the Agate Prairie Conservation Lega-cy project possess abundant con-servation value,” said Erik L. Glenn, executive director of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust. “They do so because of the land and stewardship ethic that defines the ranching families that have man-aged these ranches for generations. The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricul-tural Land Trust is proud to partner with these families on this important grassland conservation project.”

The conservation easements remain in place even with changes in land ownership.

Funds to help preserve Agate prairie

Bill continues on Page 4


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accurate labeling standards, though a 2013 memo from the Department of Jus-tice warned states that federal authorities want “strong and effective” regulations.

Colorado’s marijuana industry gener-ally supports a state-level organic label-ing bill.

“It’s something that we need,” said Meg Sanders, CEO of Mindful, a com-pany that grows marijuana and produces marijuana concentrates. “Because of the federal illegality, to have a state standard would be incredibly helpful.”

Some pot producers are taking issue, though, with the fact that the industry would have to pay for the privilege of having regulators check to see if their plants are organic. Some organic mari-juana producers said the cost burden would hurt small organic growers in the so-called “craft cannabis” niche.

“I would be proud to advertise that our cannabis is organic,” said Julie Ber-

liner, CEO of Sweet Grass Kitchen, which makes marijuana-infused sweets. “My concern lies with the cost of this certifica-tion.”

A nonpartisan analysis prepared for lawmakers predicted that only about 5 percent of Colorado’s pot growers would apply for the certification, roughly the same percentage as food producers.

The analysis gave no estimate of how much pot growers would be charged for the certification, or what the organic labels might look like.

Still, just the prospect of one day hav-ing easy-to-understand organic labels for marijuana has consumer advocates cheering. States that allow commercial pot sales do require labels listing chemi-cals used on the plants, but they can be difficult to decipher.

A trustworthy symbol would be better, said Teri Robnett, head of the Cannabis Patients Alliance.

“That’s important to a lot of patients,” she said. “This is one reason some prefer marijuana rather than pharmaceuticals, because they want something organic. This will help patients know when that’s the case.”

Continued from Page 3

Bill

Drugs show promise in brain development

By Lindsey TannerAssociated Press

Two blood-building drugs injected soon after birth may give tiny preemies a lasting long-term edge, boosting brain development and IQ by age 4, a first-of-its-kind study found.

The study was small but the implica-tions are big if larger, longer studies prove the drugs help even the playing field for these at-risk children, the researchers and other experts say.

Babies who got the medicine scored much better by age 4 on measures of intelligence, language and memory than preemies who didn’t get it. The medicine group’s scores on an important behavior measure were just as good as a control group of 4-year-olds born on time at a normal weight.

The results are “super exciting,” said Dr. Robin Ohls, the lead author and a pediatrics professor at the University of New Mexico. She said it’s the first evidence of long-term benefits of the drugs when compared to no blood-boosting treat-ment.

Even though the treated youngsters didn’t do as well as the normal-weight group on most measures, their scores were impressive and suggest greater brain development than the other preemies, Ohls said.

They scored about 12 points higher on average on IQ tests than the untreated kids but about 10 points lower than the normal-weight group. On tests measur-ing memory and impulsive behavior, the treated kids fared as well as those born at normal weight.

Here’s how those differences would show up in a preschool setting: The untreated group would be the kids who

struggle a little in class, while those who got the medicines would do OK but not as well as those born at a normal weight, said Dr. Michael Schreiber, a prematurity ex-pert at the University of Chicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital.

Survival of extremely tiny preemies has improved dramatically in the past 50 years, but treatment for medical problems and developmental delays linked with prematurity has not kept pace, Schreiber said. He was not involved in the study.

He said larger studies including more diverse patient populations are needed to determine if the drugs can help a broader range of preemies.

The study involved 53 children, most white or Hispanic, born more than a month premature and weighing less than 3 pounds at hospitals in New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Two dozen normal-weight children were also included.

Results were published Feb. 15 in the medical journal Pediatrics.

Shortly after birth, the preemies were randomly assigned to receive injections of either erythropoeitin (EPO) three times weekly; darbepoetin once a week for several weeks; or no treatment. The drugs build red blood cells and are approved to treat anemia caused by cancer treatment or resulting from other conditions.

Preemies lack the ability to make new red blood cells and often need frequent blood transfusions to replace blood taken for lab tests. The drugs are now some-times used to try to reduce their need for transfusions, in doses similar to the ones studied.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONPediatrics: www.pediatrics.org

Prematurity: tinyurl.com/pc8chdd

Blood-boosters may help tiny preemies


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Editor’s note: Calendar submissions must be received by noon Wednesday for publication the following week. Send listings to [email protected]. No attachments, please. Listings are free and run on a space-available basis.

EventsBroadway Musical

Douglas County High School presents “Mary Pop-pins: The Broadway Musical,” at 7 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, Feb. 25-27; Poppins and The Princess Tea is presented at 1 p.m. with the show starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. Tickets avail-able at www.SeatYourSelf.biz/dchs.

Parker Symphony Orchestra Goes to the Movies

Imagine your favorite films without their music. Would they have the same impact if their master-ful compositions were left out? The Parker Sym-phony Orchestra invites you to experience cin-ematic musical magic as they perform highlights from Oscar-Winning films. Show time is 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. For tickets and information, go to www.ParkerArt.org or call 303-805-6800.

Day with an Olympian

Anita Nall Richesson, Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalist, international swimming hall-of-fame member and former world record holder, presents Day with an Olympian, a day for teenage athletes ages 13-18. Program runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Parker Recreation Center, 17301 Lincoln Ave., Parker. Lunch is pro-vided. Go to www.morethanmedals.us for informa-

tion and to register.

Outback Express March Schedule

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 www.outbackexpress.tripod.com. To ensure that a seat is available, 24-hour advance reservations are appreciated. Go from Simla and Matheson to Colorado Springs on Monday, March 7, and Monday, March 21; go from Simla and Matheson to Limon on Thursday, March 24; go from Kiowa, Elizabeth and Elbert to Parker or Colorado Springs on Tuesday, March 1, and Tuesday, March 15; go from Elizabeth to Colorado Springs or Parker on Tuesday, March 8. Good Samaritan Nursing Home residents ride on Thursday, March 10.

Castle View Presents ‘Mother Hicks’

Castle View High School presents “Mother Hicks,” the story about three outsiders living in rural Southern Illinois during the Great Depression: A girl with so little she doesn’t even have a name, a deaf boy and an eccentric recluse who is suspect-ed of being a witch. Told through sign language and poetry, this play recounts the difficult journey we all make in life. Show is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, to Saturday, March 5, with a 1 p.m. matinee Saturday, March 5. Go to www.seatyour-self.biz/castleview for tickets and information.

Learn About Techno-Musicality

The Douglas Elbert Music Teachers Association will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 3, at Parker Bible Church. Following the business meeting will be guest speaker Sara McDaniel, speaking on

techno-musicality. Any music teacher is invited to attend at 4391 Mainstreet, Parker. Call Ann Riggs at 303-841-2976.

Monthly Adult Lecture Series

The Parker Cultural and Scientific Commission sponsors talks on topics that impact Colorado and Douglas County residents. The intent of these talks is to increase the understanding of how science and technology address issues facing the community. RSVP required; call the PACE Center box office at 303-805-6800. All lectures begin at 6:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Thursday, March 3, Human Viruses and Vaccines: Who wins the race? Guest speaker is Dr. Sonia Flores, professor of medicine, University of Colorado Denver. Viruses are small bags of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein shell. Viruses are re-sponsible for many serious, often deadly, diseases including AIDS, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, hepatitis, the flu and chicken pox. How can viruses cause so much trouble? What makes us so vulnerable to them, and what makes them spread? Lecture will focus on the biology of known human viruses and how they have evolved to escape our own defenses, and will conclude with a discussion of how vaccines trigger an immune response that will recognize the virus as a threat and neutralize it be-fore it can cause disease. Thursday, April 7, What Does Your DNA Have To Say? A general discussion on big data and biology with guest speaker Dr. Michael Edwards, assistant professor of medicine, University of Colorado Denver. The informa-tion contained in our DNA can be used to trace ancestry across the planet, to convict someone of murder or to predict the potential for a terminal disease later on in life. This lecture will attempt to summarize the state of genetic analysis and to explain how all this information will completely change the way we do science and medicine in the future. Thursday, May 5, Living with Wildlife. Mary K. McCormac, education and watchable wildlife coordinator (Northeast Region), will lead a discus-sion on how and why human-wildlife conflicts happen, how to minimize potential problems, and how to protect wild animals, people and pets.

South Metro Community Blood Drives

A number of community blood drives are planned in the South Metro area. For information or to schedule an appointment, contact the Bonfils Appointment Center at 303-363-2300, unless otherwise noted. Go to www.bonfils.org. Upcoming blood drives are: Thursday, March 3, 9:30-11:40 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m., Town of Parker, 20120 E. Mainstreet, Parker (Diane Lewis, 303-841-2332);

Friday, March 4, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker; Wednes-day, March 16, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Walmart, 2100 Legacy Circle, Elizabeth; Friday, March 18, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker; Sunday, March 20, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., ChristLife Community Church, 5451 CO-86, Franktown (Diana Brown, 720-224-1484); Friday, March 25, 10-11:40 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m., Parker Adventist Hospital, 9395 Crown Crest Blvd., Parker; Sunday, March 27, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., New Hope Presbyterian Church, 3737 New Hope Way, Castle Rock; Thursday, March 31, 9-10:40 a.m. and noon to 2:30 p.m., Castle Rock Adventist Health Campus, 2350 Meadows Blvd., Castle Rock.

Juried Art Show

Local artists’ works are featured in the Greater Castle Rock Art Guild’s 11th annual “Romancing the Arts” juried art show, which runs until Satur-day, March 5, at the Philip S. Miller Library, 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock. Information at 303-791-7323 or www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org.

Movie Showing

A community showing of the movie “Just Eat It!” is planned at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at Elizabeth United Methodist Church. Admission is free. Do-nations will support the church’s food outreach programs, and a panel discussion and Q&A will follow the movie. The film follows Canadian film-makers Jen and Grant as they dive into the issue of food waste, from farm through retail. Realizing that billions of dollars of good food is tossed each year in North America, they pledge to quit grocery shopping cold turkey and survive only on foods that have been discarded. Food waste is right under our noses, and it’s a seemingly insignificant problem that is having shockingly massive global impacts.

Lenten Fish Fry

The Knights of Columbus will have a fish fry every Friday night through March 18. Food is served from 4-6:30 p.m. Fried fish, baked fish or nuggets with coleslaw, fried or baked potato, mac and cheese, and dinner rolls are on the menu. Bever-age choices include iced tea, lemonade and coffee. Cost for dinner is $5 for ages 5-12; $10 for 12 and older; $29 for the family; free for children younger than 5. Homemade desserts cost from 50 cents to $1. Takeout and drive-through are available. Dinner is available in Brownstein Hall at Ave Maria Church, Parker.

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8-Opinion

VOICESLOCAL

We welcome event listings andother submissions. Please visit our website, click on the Submit Your News tab and choose a category from the drop down menu.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

The Elbert Co. 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 Co. News.

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

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GUEST COLUMN

Craig Marshall Smith

QUIET DESPERATION

Michael Norton

WINNING WORDS

Imagine for a moment that someone very close to you, maybe a family member or friend, called you and during your conver-sation they said something like, “Do you know my favorite thing about you is that you are always smiling, always optimistic, and you just make my day every time we talk or meet.”

Now it can be anything, right? Someone’s favorite thing about you could be your lis-tening skills, your patience, your kindness, your confi dence, your ability to stay calm, your quiet strength, or any number of other things.

How would you feel? I’ll bet most of us would feel pretty darn good, and whatever trait or characteristic they pointed out would probably become a focal point for us for the rest of the day or maybe even the week. And if something we do consistently day in and day out is recognized by some-one else or perhaps many others, it just means that our transparency around that trait or characteristic is just a part of who we are and is in alignment with our core values. It’s real.

Have you ever received such a compli-ment? Better yet, have you ever given such a compliment? You know the old saying, “It is better to give than to receive.” Well it’s not just about giving of money or material gifts, it is also about how we give and receive sin-cere compliments. Sincere compliments are not to be mistaken for manipulative fl attery;

sincere compliments come from the heart with no expectation of receiving anything in return.

The other day I had an opportunity to ski with a friend and colleague who was in from New York. We skied with his wife and their friend Doug and his son James who are locals. We had an incredible “blue sky” day, and one of my favorite parts of the day was the way that

Doug couldn’t seem to stop smiling. He had a big wide smile on his face all day, while we skied, while we ate, and while we talked. So as we were traversing back to our starting point at the end of the day and cruising along a catwalk, I said to Doug, “My favorite thing about skiing with you today was your smile.” His happiness and joy were conta-gious as we all had just an incredible ski day.

Too often we get caught up with the things we hate, or things about people we dislike. Or we get focused and caught up in what other people are doing that really get under our skin. And when those traits become the focal point of our attention, we simply miss the opportunity to see the

amazing gifts and talents that others have and that they could bring to our relation-ships if we would only look for our favorite things about them instead of only those things that irk us.

I encourage you to try it, make an effort to create a positive habit by looking for the good and pointing out your favorite things about your friends and family members to them. And as you share the good things you are seeing in each one of them, watch as they own those traits and repeat those behaviors, actions, and attitudes. And don’t be shocked when they turn around at a later time and let you know what their very favorite thing is about you through a sincere compliment and sincere appreciation.

Who knows, maybe your favorite thing is that this column is almost over. But maybe, just maybe, there is something in here that resonates with you as you are someone who already does this. Or maybe it makes sense and it has provided you with something to think about and practice. Either way, I would love to hear all about it at [email protected]. And when we fi nd and share our favorite things about situations and people, 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.

Look for the good, then share it

What a relief.Today’s headline was not about the Bron-

cos.The front page story was about as far from

the National Football League as it gets.And I didn’t understand a word of it.Unfortunately it’s probably too late.I think it was too late when I was in high

school. I came to the fork in the road, and I took it.

Art and science can meet from time to time, but it’s rare.

I have accepted my ignorance in science and in mathematics.

I try to shield myself from exposing it by excusing myself and asking, “Uh, where’s the men’s room?”

If someone starts a conversation about Einstein or Tesla, I bail.

Today’s article was about Einstein.“Scientists’ discovery proves Einstein’s

theory 100 years later.”I could have “excused” myself, simply by

turning the page, or feeding the dog.But I decided to soldier on, knowing I was

lost to begin with.“It was just a tiny, almost imperceptible

‘chirp,’ but it simultaneously opened human-ity’s ears to the music of the cosmos and proved Albert Einstein right again.”

I think the Associated Press writer was trying to provide the reader with a poetic introduction before getting to the gist.

The gist was inaccessible to a sod like me.But I tried.“Scientists announced that they have fi -

nally detected gravitational waves, the ripples in the fabric of space and time that Einstein predicted.”

The article said, “The news exhilarated astronomers and physicists.”

I wonder how many astronomers and physicists were among the million-plus who celebrated the local football squad recently.

My own choices are somewhere in be-tween.

You couldn’t have paid me to celebrate the Broncos in public.

You couldn’t pay me enough to explain why the scientists are so happy.

There is a diagram that goes along with the article. It’s titled “Detecting Gravitational Waves.”

Huh?I said that art and science rarely meet.Years ago, I had a solo exhibition at the

National Center for Atmospheric Re-search in Boulder.

It was long be-fore artists simply applied for exhibi-tion opportunities online.

(If you are an artist and you are interested in lo-cal, regional and national exhibition opportunities, go to CaFÉ, which is a Web-based service for artists.)

I drove a carload of framed drawings

to NCAR in the morning, stayed around town all day, and then picked up the pictures in the late afternoon after they had been juried.

I was accepted. The exhibition came later.Those were the days when I applied for

everything, which I don’t do now.I think I applied partly because I had seen

NCAR in Woody Allen’s “Sleeper.”It was all very oblique to an art gallery or

an art museum.I took a shirt pocket protector with me,

just in case I started to get the odd glance.Everyone was very welcoming, but I knew

in my heart that they could see right through me.

They had the home fi eld advantage.The article continued: “Some physicists

said the fi nding is as big a deal as the 2012 discovery of the sub-atomic Higgs boson, known as the ‘God particle.’ Some said this is bigger.”

If I knew what that meant, what would I do with the knowledge? I would have to keep it to myself.

Or turn it into a somewhat dull and aca-demic column perhaps.

On the other hand, if I knew what it meant, it would further swell my ego.

I co-exist with some brilliant men and women, who are out of this world.

Rather, they are out of my world.

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

Scientists explain world from within their own

School safety is not a topic my parents ever wor-ried about. Un-fortunately, today parents do worry about it because tragic events have captured the atten-tion of the entire community. Safety in our schools is now top-of-mind for teachers, parents and students. I agree with this priority.

The good news: Schools and districts

across the 6th Congressional District have made safety a priority and are implement-ing new techniques and policies to keep our students safe. There are also things we can do at the federal level to assist. That’s why I joined the newly formed, bipartisan Congressional School Safety Caucus.

The School Safety Caucus brings to-gether education, law enforcement, gov-ernment and private sector leaders to dis-cuss ways to protect our nation’s schools. The caucus will focus on sharing best practices, increasing awareness of avail-able solutions, and developing strategies and legislation that promotes school safe-ty and security.

In addition to joining the School Safety Caucus, I have already taken a number of actions to address this issue. Specifi cally, I have co-sponsored several bills to improve safety in our schools, including:

• The School Safety Act: This bill would reauthorize appropriations for the match-ing grant program for school security through fi scal year 2020. The program was created in 2001. But funding for it lapsed in 2011. It is past time that we fund this

Student safety is crucial for nation

Coffman continues on Page 9


9

Place an Obituary for Your Loved One.

Private303-566-4100

[email protected]

Funeral HomesVisit: www.memoriams.com

In Loving Memory

highly effective program once again. Grants would be used to achieve one or more of the following: placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; security assessments; security training of per-sonnel and students; coordination with local law enforcement; acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and any other measure that may provide a significant improvement in security.

• Mental Health First Aid Act: This measure requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administra-tion (SAMHSA) to award grants to initi-ate and sustain mental health first aid training programs. The programs would

train individuals like police, nurses, and teachers — who are often the first to en-counter people struggling with mental illness — in safe de-escalation of crisis situations, recognition of the signs and symptoms of mental illness, and timely referral to mental health services in the early stages of developing mental disor-ders.

• Safe Schools Improvement Act: This is an anti-bullying bill that would require schools to collect data regard-ing bullying and harassment incidents and allow schools to teach students about the consequences of bullying and harassment as well as develop and implement programs to reduce these consequences.

Keeping our students safe must be a priority for everyone.

U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman represents the 6th Congressional District, which in-cludes Aurora, Centennial, Littleton and Highlands Ranch.


Coffman

Larry Ross, shown at a board of county commissioners meeting last year, will not seek re-election as the District 3 commissioner. File photo

As for the future of Elbert County politics, Ross sees plan-ning, development and manag-ing water resources as the key issues facing his successor. Ross also wrote that his re-placement should be invested in the county, have the relevant education and “be engaged in our vital agricultural economy.”

“A person whose decisions will be well grounded in the best interest of Elbert County,” Ross wrote in his letter. “I want to be assured that our best interests are served well in the future and that the special heri-tage, character and beauty of Elbert County be preserved for many generations to come.”

This position has led Ross to endorse, “wholeheartedly,” re-tired petroleum engineer Grant

Thayer as his successor.“Grant is a self-made busi-

ness success … he put himself through college, had a suc-cessful career in petroleum … an MBA,” Ross said, listing Thayer’s accomplishments. “He embodies those attributes I outlined.”

Thayer is one of two can-didates who have announced candidacies for the District 3 seat.

Former Elbert County Re-publican Chairman Scott Wills will face Thayer for the Repub-lican slot on the ballot and was not surprised by Ross’ endorse-ment of Thayer.

“Many of Ross’ supporters have been working on Thayer’s campaign,” Wills said.

He said that his decision in November to run for the seat held by Ross had been a diffi-cult one: “Larry is a good guy.”

Ross was elected in 2012, and his four-year term expires at the end of this year.


Ross

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

The Elbert County Sheriff’s Posse is a non-profit volunteer organization that is part of the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office. As volunteers we support the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, all law enforcement in our county, and the community at large. For more information or a membership application, go to www.elbert-countysheriff.com/posse.html, or contact Dave Peontek at 303-646-5456.

Elizabeth American Legion Post 82, a 96-year veterans association supporting veterans, their families, their survivors and the com-munity, meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at the Legion Post Hall at South Banner Street and Elm Street in Elizabeth. All veterans are invited to attend these meetings to learn of their eligibility for membership in the National American Legion Organization.

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.

Finding Our Way Together, a brand new group for anyone who is alone, left out, picked on or overwhelmed by life. Since it is just forming, the group will evolve to fit the needs of the participants. Group will meet at 10 a.m. Saturdays at 34061 Forest Park Drive, in the lower level of Elizabeth Family Health. Leaders are Mary, 720-638-9770, and Karen, 303-243-3658, and both welcome phone calls. Group participation is free, and building is accessible.

Kiowa Creek Food Pantry is a distribution site for the State of Colorado TEFAP food program. Food is distributed monthly to low income individuals/families that qualify. We also distribute low income senior food boxes for the state; those 60 and older may qualify for a monthly supplement. If you are in need of food assistance or know someone who is, we may be able to qualify you for one of these programs. Call the food pantry for more infor-mation at 303-621-2376, or come by from 8:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays; we are located in the Fellowship Hall at 231 Cheyenne Street, Kiowa.

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 liti-gation, criminal defense, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law and civil protection orders. Walk-ins are wel-come. 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 registra-

tion is not required. Visit the Simla Branch of the Elbert County Library District at 504 Washington Avenue, call 719-541-2573, or email [email protected].

The Outback Express is a public transit ser-vice 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 eco-nomical 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 www.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.

Parker-Franktown-Elizabeth Paper Craft-ing Club is open to anyone interested in card making and scrapbooking. We meet regularly throughout the month on various weekday evenings and weekends. Club events take place at 7786 Prairie Lake Trail, Parker (in the Pinery). Contact Alison Collins at 720-212-4788 for information or find us online at www.meetup.com/Parker-Franktown-Elizabeth-Paper-Crafting-Club/

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.

Sky Cliff Adult Day Center Support 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. Con-tact 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.

Therapeutic riding. Promise Ranch Thera-peutic Riding in Parker offers free therapeutic 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.promiseranchtherapeuticriding.com.

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

VFW Post 4266, serving veterans of foreign wars in Parker, Castle Pines and Castle Rock areas, meets at 7 p.m. the third Monday of every month at the Pinery Fire Station, Com-munity Room Lower Level, 8170 N. Hillcrest Way, Parker. Go to www.vfwpost4266.org. P.O. Box 4266, Parker, CO 80134. On Facebook at VFW Post 4266, Parker.

10-Life

Parker resident Chrissy Morin jumped feet first into the adult coloring craze. She has close to 20 different coloring books. Photos by Shanna Fortier

Zen between the linesAdult coloring books catch on as people look for relaxing activity

Coloring books targeted to adults are avail-able at all major book stores and art supply stores.

Coloring connects people to their child-self and it brings back some really great memories for people.”

— Jennifer Lepke, licensed creative art therapist“

By Shanna [email protected]

Chrissy Morin took her first leap into the adult coloring world through a cat coloring book. As a self-proclaimed cat

nut, the book caught her eye. She grabbed some old colored pencils lying around the house and decided to give it a try.

That was just the beginning.“I color at least three days a week,” said

Morin, who now has about 20 coloring books. “I like to do it while I’m watching TV — I’m a multitasker. It also helps keep you from snacking.”

Coloring is not just for kids anymore.Intricate adult coloring books are the

latest lifestyle craze with millions of fans, booming sales and libraries jumping in to host workshops.

They are often the first books seen while walking into bookstores and are topping the Amazon best-seller list each month — six adult coloring books are on the list for 2016.

“Coloring connects people to their child-self and it brings back some really great memories for people,” said Jennifer Lepke, a

licensed creative art therapist.But it’s not just a national trend. The adult coloring craze has taken off in

the Denver metro area over the past nine months:

The books have been top sellers at the Michael’s

on South Broadway in Highlands Ranch for

the better part of the past year.

Morin,

who lives in Parker, created a Facebook group, Coloring Book Addicts of Colorado, and a blog, coloringbookaddict.com, where she talks all things coloring.

The Parker Library held a coffee and color-ing event in November to address the craze.

“I saw a trend with adults, in particular, and wanted to introduce coloring to adults who may not have known of its meditative benefits,” said Brittni Ehrhart, branch pro-gram liaison at the Parker Library.

The event, held again in January, drew 34 men and women, with more people on a waiting list. Because of its popularity, Ehrhart said she will host a monthly coloring event at the library beginning in May.

The Bemis Public Library in Littleton

also jumped in and started a monthly adult coloring event.

But why are so many adults connecting with this childhood pastime?

Morin turns to coloring to fuel her need to create without the mess of traditional craft-ing. But many adults are hoping to find zen between the lines of their coloring books.

“It is a stress releaser,” said Lepke, who studied people’s moods before and after col-oring. It “has therapeutic qualities because it can be meditative, repetitive in nature, and requires focus.”

But Lepke, who is in the process of creat-ing a coloring book with a group of creative art therapists, warned that some books can be too detailed and actually create pressure for some people.

“But sometimes the detailed ones can create the flow experience — when you’re highly focused on something and the world fades away — and it becomes meditative,” she said.

No matter why adults are coloring, Lepke said it’s great they are connecting with their creative side.

“Art-making is often geared toward kids, and I always find that so odd that there isn’t more art happening that’s geared toward adults,” she said. “I think we all have a desire to be creative. We all have a desire to engage in some sort of creative outlet. And I think the coloring book is a simple and contained way to tap into that.”


Check back NEXT WEEKfor voting information.

Vote once per day March 1, 2016 – April 10, 2016.To provide the most accurate results by geographical area, Colorado Community Media does not require, but does encourage readers to vote for businesses in their immediate local community. All nominated businesses have an equal opportunity of winning, no purchase required. Please see voting website for complete contest rules and regulations.


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On Lakewood stage“Getting Out” by Marsha Norman

plays March 4 to April 3 at the Edge Theater, 1560 Teller St., Lakewood. Di-rected by Rick Yaconis. Performances: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 6 p.m. Sundays (no show March 13); 8 p.m. Monday, March 21. Tickets: theedge-theater.com, 303-232-0363.

Athena winner“Ghosts of Us,” the Athena Festival

winner from last year, is given a full production at the Byron Theatre/Newman Center at the University of Denver, 2344 E. Iliff Ave., Denver. Per-formances: 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays (no show March 27), 8 p.m. Monday, March 28. Tickets: athenaprojectfestival.org.

Prequel“Peter and the Starcatcher” plays

March 4 to May 14 at BDT Stage, 5501 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder. A musi-cal prequel to the Peter Pan story. Performances: Wednesdays through Sundays. Call for tickets and sched-ule, 303-449-6000, or look online: bdtstage.com.

American classic comedy“The Man Who Came to Dinner”

by Kauffman and Hart plays through March 20 at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Littleton. Directed by Bob Wells. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays and Saturday, March 5; 6:30 p.m. March 13. 303-794-2787, ext. 5; townhallartscenter.org.

Musical in Aurora“Heathers: The Musical” by

Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy plays Feb. 26 through March 20 at the Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. Directed by Keith Rabin Jr., with choreography by Reace Daniel.

Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $28/adult, $26/senior, $20/student; ignitetheatre.com, 866-811-4111.

For young theater lovers“Art Dog,” based on the children’s

book by Thatcher Hurd, is a profes-sionally staged production in the Elaine Wolf Theatre at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver, from March 11 through May 6. Presented by the excellent Denver Children’s Theatre, directed by Steve Wilson, with musical direction by Donna Debreceni. School perfor-mances at 10 a.m. most Tuesdays to Fridays; public performances Sundays at 1 p.m. Tickets: School group performances: $8 with two adults free; public performances: $10/children; $12 adults and seniors. 303-316-6360, maccjcc.org. (Theatri-cal workshops are available after the school shows.) Recommended for ages preschool to 10 years old.

CURTAIN TIME


12-Sports

SPORTSLOCAL

ELIZABETH CARDINALSGIRLS BASKETBALLElizabeth 40, Weld Central 29Elizabeth won the Feb. 18 conference game against Weld Central, ending the regular-season schedule.

Elizabeth 59, Englewood 35Elizabeth outscored Englewood in the Feb. 16 conference game.Key performers: Olivia Whit-worth scored 21 points, Rachel Rucker scored 13 points and Tegan Ross had eight rebounds.

Pueblo South 60, Elizabeth 36Junior Olivia Whitworth scored 19 points in the Feb. 13 nonconference game.Key performers: Kelly Sweigart had eight rebounds and Tegan Ross had five.

Elizabeth 40, Fort Morgan 39Junior Olivia Whitworth scored 12 points and had eight steals in the Feb. 12 confer-ence game.Key performers: Rachel Rucker scored eight points and Alyssa Acosta had four steals.

BOYS BASKETBALLWeld Central 54, Elizabeth 44Zach Neelley scored 11 points in the Feb. 18 conference game.Key performers: Garett Hawkins scored

nine points.

Elizabeth 66, Englewood 51Jordan Minch scored 14 points in the Feb. 16 conference game.Key performers: Wyatt Theis scored 12 points and had 12 rebounds.

Pueblo South 77, Elizabeth 46Elizabeth was outscored in the Feb. 13 nonconference game.Key performers: Cameron Moon scored eight points. Garett Hawkins had six re-bounds and five blocks.

Fort Morgan 61, Elizabeth 35Elizabeth was outscored in the Feb. 12 conference game.Key performers: Garett Hawkins scored 10 points. Garett Hawkins and Cameron Moon each had five rebounds.

SIMLA CUBSGIRLS BASKETBALLEvangelical Christian 39, Simla 37The Cubs lost a road conference game Feb. 12, dropping to 7-10 on the season.Key performers: Simla did not enter player stats for the game.

BOYS BASKETBALLEllicott 46, Simla 45The Cubs lost by the narrowest of margins

Feb. 13 during a conference home game. Ellicott outscored the Cubs 16-10 in the fourth quarter.Key performers: Simla did not enter player stats for the game.

Simla 41, Evangelical Christian 38The Cubs notched a victory in a road conference game Feb. 12, improving to 5-3 on the road.

Key performers: Simla did not enter player stats for the game.

SPORTS ROUNDUPELBERT BULLDOGS

GIRLS BASKETBALLElbert 35, Edison 21The Bulldogs won a home conference game against the Eagles Feb. 18. Edison was held to four points in the second half.Key performers: Freshman Graycee Lay scored 14 points and had 13 rebounds. Sopho-more Mercedez Sells scored six points and had 10 rebounds.

Elbert 30, Shining Mountain 24The Bulldogs took a nonconfer-ence road game Feb. 13, improving to 12-6 on the season.Key performers: Sophomore Mercedez Sells was the team’s top scorer, putting in 12 points. She added six rebounds and three steals. Freshman Graycee Lay had 13 rebounds. Freshmen Casey

Cornelius and Siera Poulson each had five rebounds.

BOYS BASKETBALLElbert 41, Edison 38

The Bulldogs edged the Eagles in a home conference game Feb. 18, improving to 8-1 on their home floor.Key performers: Elbert did not enter player stats for the game.

Shining Mountain 59, Elbert 25 The Bulldogs lost a noncon-

ference road game Feb. 13 against the Lions after being held to eight points in the first half.Key performers: Senior Wyatt Swenson and junior Joel Smith combined for 15 points and 14 rebounds. Sophomore Chase Atkins had six rebounds.

KIOWA INDIANSGIRLS BASKETBALLKiowa 55, Peyton 27Kiowa outscored Peyton in the Feb. 13 conference game.Key performers: Julie Smith scored 20 points and Helen Janes scored 11.

Kiowa 57, Calhan 49Junior Helen Janes scored 23 points in the Feb. 12 confer-ence game.Key performers: Tawna Upchurch scored 18 points. Ashlea Carothers had six rebounds and 10 assists.

BOYS BASKETBALLKiowa 55, Peyton 44

Kiowa won the Feb. 13 conference game against Peyton.Key performers: Logan Link scored 18 points and had nine re-bounds. Landon Morehead score 16 points and Jacob Gabriel had seven rebounds.

Kiowa 57, Calhan 38Landon Morehead scored 14

points in the Feb. 12 conference game.Key performers: Baylie Brogger scored 11 points and Logan Link had 12 re-bounds.

Whatever the road to redemption looks like, one thing’s for certain: It is not paved

By Jeremy [email protected]

It’s late afternoon along the Morrison Slide Trail at the north end of Red Rocks Park and the sun is starting to disappear behind the foothills to the west.

A beautiful February day by most stan-dards, it’s perhaps a little bleaker than nor-mal for the Front Range, with the setting sun slightly obscured by monochromatic clouds to create a steely backdrop not quite as memorable as some of the more impressive, Broncos-esque blue-and-orange twilights Coloradans have come to enjoy so regularly.

To top it off, the trails are a little sloppy, a combination of mud, snow and — in some of the shadiest places along the trail — ice. Conditions are fair; they could be better.

Not that it really matters. Snow, sleet, rain or ice, there’s just no such thing as a bad day for a trail runner. Except, maybe, those days when they don’t get to run.

Running for a reasonThat’s not to say trail runners don’t have

good days at home or the office, too. But Eastlake’s John LaCroix, president and CEO of Human Potential Running Series and a seasoned ultra runner — the name given to trail runners who compete in long-distance races that go beyond mere marathons — suspects most trail runners run because they have to.

“First, I think people just like long days in the mountains,” LaCroix said. “And you don’t even have to be in the mountains, just on the trail, because it’s hard to be in a bad mood on the trail. It’s hard to be angry there, and so I think it’s about the

peace of it all.”That meditation in motion, that inner

peace, is a common theme in a sport where pure focus and concentration is vital. Go too deep in your own thoughts and you could find yourself at the bottom of a ravine or face flat in some rocky juts. But done just right, trail running can “clear the mind and tire (the) body,” said Shaun Schafer, a Thornton resident and associate chairman of the Department of Journal-ism at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

“I find that being exhausted at the end of the day is liberating and relaxing,” he added. “Running takes me there.”

Similarly, Ben Bergstrand, of Denver, a teacher for Aurora Public Schools, enjoys that famous “runner’s high” and the relief that comes with it.

“Mentally, running provides stress relief, a break from the day or the week,” he said, adding that he also finds himself planning lessons or finding solutions to personal and professional problems when running.

Physical health matters, too.

Successful amateur bowler Greg Wobbema chose trail running as a pre-ventive measure against the middle-age physique embodied by so many of his colleagues at the lanes.

“I started running one morning when I woke up and decided I didn’t want to ever have any weight or flexibility issues,” said the gangly and quick-footed Lakewood resident. “Most of my bowling friends were starting to get out of shape and heavy, and I wasn’t going to be like that.”

What’s more, Wobbema said trail run-ning improves leg strength, balance and flexibility, helping him stay competitive on the ball-and-pin circuit.

As for LaCroix, he believes, for many, running is an answer to an endless, nag-ging question, a solution to something, to everything. To him, it’s the best available cure for his severe depression.

“But maybe it’s an alcohol addiction or a drug addiction — whatever it is, (trail runners) are trying to replace bad habits with better habits,” he said. “What I’ve learned is that just about everybody in this sport is dealing with something. And if it

makes us kind of sound like a bunch of whack jobs, well, I guess we are.”

A state of mindCall a trail runner a “whack job” and the

response will likely be a positive one.A large part of what drives an ultra

runner might be the sheer audacity of it all, the idea of doing something that many people find cruel, pointless, masochistic or even downright derelict. After all, who really enjoys running until ragged, over rugged, jagged terrain that’s waiting to tear at elbows and knees and leave the chal-lenger weak and dizzy from peak to valley and back again?

People like Laurie Nakauchi, that’s who. An ultra-running trail veteran with a host of 100-mile races as part of her expansive running repertoire, Nakauchi thinks of trail running as less a hobby and more a way of life.

“It’s a part of who I am,” she said.The stylish Nakauchi embraces much

about trail running that appeals most to outsiders, like fearless fashion sense, fierce determination and the ability to grin and bear it when most people would break down and sob.

“I’m biased, but I’d say trail runners are more laid back,” she said. “I’d also say trail runners are heartier, sexier, tougher and overall more fun.

“Of course, the longer you run, the more this is true,” Nakauchi added, “which makes ultra runners the toughest, sexiest runners on the planet.”

In that way, there’s a certain “us and them” aspect to trail running, even com-pared to their road-running cousins.

“I started as a road runner and almost quit running,” LaCroix said. “A huge mass of people running for up to four hours at a time without so much as a ‘Hello’ or a friendly conversation — what a bore, and

Trail runners defy conventionLaurie Nakauchi, with a host of 100-mile races as part of her run-ning repertoire, is author of the blog “Guts, Gams and Grit,” espousing the values of trail and ultra running. Here, Nakauchi mounts the early, steep climb of the Morrison Slide Trail Feb. 11 at Red Rocks Park. Photo by Kurt Hardester

Trail continues on Page 13


13

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a shame.“But trail running,” he added, “Man, I

felt like I had found my lost brothers and sisters.”

For Schafer, the magic of the trails trumps the sterility of the road, creating special bonds between people and with Mother Nature herself.

“I think we all appreciate other runners that much more because we know we are

all competing against ourselves, against each other and against Mother Nature,” he said. “There are more challenges to trail running, especially on single-track trails, and the camaraderie in a group of runners only increases when trails are involved.”

Refl ective of lifeLaCroix said he believed rock climbing

was not so long ago among the fastest-growing sports in the nation and the state, “but I’m pretty certain trail running has taken that over.”

“It’s a completely different culture, where ‘competition’ takes a back seat to

simply being communal,” added the New Hampshire native, who started his Human Potential Race Series for that very reason — to bring the community aspect back to trail running, so that everybody is “chal-lenging yourself and accomplishing great things together.”

And accomplishing great things doesn’t require a grand investment. In fact, Nakauchi attributes the popularity of the sport to its everyman (and woman) quality.

“Anyone can do it because it doesn’t take a lot of coordination or special equip-ment,” Nakauchi said. “You don’t need a lot of money and you can do it anywhere,

anytime. It can be a solitary sport great for clearing your mind and relaxing, or a very social sport.”

In the end, there’s no real way to es-tablish one, defi nitive reason for why trail runners do what they do. Ultimately, it’s most likely a combination of things, much like the same trail over and over and over again can provide a completely new expe-rience every time.

“Trails are refl ective of life,” Schafer said. “Even when you think you know what you are doing, there will be a surprise.”


Trail


14

Elbert * 1

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

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Continued to Next Page No.:23360 and 23361


15

Elbert * 2

Legal Notice No.:23360 and 23361 * First Publication: February 25, 2016 * Last Publication: February 25, 2016 * Publisher: Elbert County News

Continued From Last Page Elbert County Report

Misc. Private Legals

Public Notice

ESTRAY - One black wf heifer, no brand,white tag 17, 4-4 in left ear, 300 to 350lbs. Livestock must be claimed by legalowner within 10 days or will be sold byColorado Brand Board. For informationcall 303-648-3469 or 303-869-9160.

Legal Notice No.: 23362First Publication: February 25, 2016Last Publication: February 25, 2016Publisher: The Elbert County News

Government Legals

Elbert * 2

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTTO THE ELBERT COUNTY ZONINGREGULATIONS AND PROPOSED

AMENDMENTS TO THE ADOPTEDCOMMUNITY AND DEVELOPMENTSERVICES FEE SCHEDULE, THE

ADOPTED BUILDING PERMIT FEESCHEDULE, THE ADOPTEDENGINEERING REVIEW FEE

SCHEDULE AND THE ADOPTEDIMPACT FEE SCHEDULE

Notice is hereby given that on March29, 2016 at 7:00 P.M., or as soon aspossible thereafter, in the HearingRoom of the Elbert County Commis-sioners at 215 Comanche Street,Kiowa, Colorado, or at such other timeand place as this hearing may be ad-journed, a public hearing will be held be-fore the Planning Commission for a pro-posed amendment to the Elbert CountyZoning Regulations. Notice is hereby giv-en that on April 27, 2016 at 9:00 A.M., oras soon as possible thereafter, in theHearing Room of the Elbert County Com-missioners at 215 Comanche Street,Kiowa, Colorado, or at such other timeand place as this hearing may be ad-journed, a public hearing will be held be-fore the Board of County Commissionersfor a proposed amendment to the ElbertCounty Zoning Regulations and proposedamendments to the following: The Adop-ted Community and Development Ser-vices Fee Schedule, the Adopted Engin-eering Review Fees, the Adopted Build-ing Permit Fees and the Impact Fees. Theproposed amendments will be on file withthe Elbert County Community and Devel-opment Services after March 29, 2016 at215 Comanche Street, Kiowa, Colorado80117. Telephone: 303-621-3136.

Legal Notice No.: 23363First Publication: February 25, 2016Last Publication: February 25, 2016Publisher: The Elbert County News

Government Legals

Salomes StarsSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomeSalomes Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss StarsSalomeSalomeSalomes Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss StarsSalomeSalomeSalomes Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss Starss StarsFOR RELEASE WEEK OF FEB. 22, 2016

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Time is on your side in the early part of the week. But anything left undone by midweek will need to be put into rush mode. The weekend offers choices for you and someone special.

TAURUS (April 30 to May 20) Finally getting credit for a contribution is nice for all you idea-generating Ferdinands and Fernandas. But don’t sit on your laurels under the cork tree. Use it as a first step to a bigger opportunity.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Despite the prog-ress made, a hint of doubt might set in. That’s OK. You need to stop and consider not only what you’re doing but also how you are doing. Make adjustments where needed.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The dreamer is dominant in the Moon Child’s aspect, but a dollop of hardheaded practicality is coming up fast and jockeying for space. The challenge is to make room for both modes.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) It’s a good week for Leos and Leonas to start assessing what they’ve done and what they plan to do. Moving to a new environment -- home or job-related -- is a possibility for some Cats.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) The week calls for Virgos to make tough decisions, but in a way that leaves the door open for changes. Ask for advice from someone who has been in the position you’re in now.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Disap-pointments are never easy to take, but you have the ability to learn from them and go on to success. Meanwhile, continue to build up your contacts. You’ll need them soon.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Things might still be going much too slowly to suit you. But you need the time to make sure they’re going in the right direction. It’s easier to make a course correction now rather than later.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Showing some temperament at the way things are going is one way of getting your point across. Just don’t overdo it, or you risk turning away more-moderate supporters.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Things could change more quickly this week than you like. But don’t fret; you’ll most likely find that you’re up to the challenges. The week-end offers much-needed relaxation.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Big challenge coming up? Uncross those fingers and believe that you’re going to do well. And keep in mind that so many people have faith in your ability to succeed.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Testing the waters is a good way of learning about an opportunity before plunging right in. Ask more questions and be alert to any attempts to avoid giving complete answers.

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a gift for mak-ing people -- and animals, too -- feel special and loved.

(c) 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

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TO SOLVE SUDOKU: Numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!


16

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USE US to help pay for a cozy upgrade.

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