Issuu

STANDARD BLADE B R I G H T O N

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1903

75cI

VOLUME 119

Issue 52

WEEK OF DECEMBER 29, 2022

HONORS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Group A strep causing concerns in Denver metro area Complicates trifecta of viruses BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Storinsky. The couple are living with parents, constantly keeping their eyes open for a good deal. The couple isn’t alone. While the number of available metro area houses shot upward in a year, so has the number of days those homes are sitting on the market until they sell, according to the latest report by the Colorado Association of Realtors. One sign of the cooling real estate market are For Sale signs outside homes, an indication realtors are no longer overwhelmed

With a trifecta of illnesses already hitting the Front Range hard with spikes in COVID, RSV and the flu, state health officials are now concerned with the increasing number of group A strep cases in children. Brian Spencer, with the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, said the state health department is closely monitoring the increase in pediatric hospitalizations caused by group A strep. Group A strep is a bacteria that can cause many different infections. Group A strep infections most commonly cause sore throat, a mild and common condition that doctors say can be easily treated. While rare, group A strep infections may be severe and cause diseases like pneumonia, sepsis, toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis. “We are working with hospital partners in a coordinating role to ensure resources are available for those who need them,” Spencer said in the Dec. 15 news release. According to the state health department, two school-age children with group A strep died in the Denver metro since Nov. 1. The total number of invasive group A strep cases reported in Colorado among pediatric patients since Nov. 1 is now 11. Typically, Spencer said there are one or two cases reported per month in patients under 18 years old. Local health officials are concerned because kids and adults can get strep along with other viral respiratory illnesses like COVID, flu and RSV at the same time. While strep is a common infection kids get each year, Dr. Sam Dominguez, an infectious disease specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, said 2022 has seen a higher number of “invasive” cases of bacterial infections. “It is common and easy to treat,” he said. “The invasive cases are relatively rare to see.” For health officials at local hospitals and clinics, this is another complication to an already stressed system dealing with higher-

SEE PRICES, P2

SEE VIRUSES, P4

The City of Brighton Veterans Memorial at Elmwood cemetery decorated with wreaths for Christmas, a part of the national Wreaths Across America effort. See more on page 3.

BELEN WARD

Small drop unlikely to reverse skyrocketing home prices Sellers, buyers play waiting game BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Danielle and Stephan Storinsky “saw the writing on the wall.” It foretold how the housing market might change. So, earlier this year, the married couple sold their Arvada townhome. They timed it just right. They capitalized before concerns about inflation took center stage. They sold their home when the metro

area was gripped by historically high housing prices. They bought their townhome about five years ago for $285,000. They sold for $521,000. “That part’s pretty nice because now we have a decent amount of money to put down on something,” Stephan Storinsky said. But now, on the other side of cashing in, they find themselves playing a waiting game. Even with the tidy profit they hauled in, they are struggling to find a home at a good value. Houses on the market today “are just not worth the price that people are asking,” said Stephan

LOCAL CALENDAR VOICES OBITUARIES CULTURE CLASSIFIEDS LEGALS

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2 5 •27J teachers, staff 6 geetting a raise 7 8 • Page 3 12 14

SPORTS • CHSAA readies its 2023 to-do list

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