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Week of October 13, 2022
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 127 | ISSUE 35
Kiowa Schools seeking tax hike Money would go toward replacing outdated facility BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Paige and Zoey Fink smile following one of their Elizabeth Middle School football games.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENIFER FINK
Football isn’t just for boys
Paige and Zoey Fink tackle interview questions BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Paige and Zoey Fink are taking Elizabeth Middle School football by storm. The 12-year-old twins are in seventh grade at EMS and started playing tackle football this year. They started their football journey on the playground in elementary school, falling in love with the sport. Going on to play for the Parker Parks and Recreation
and Elizabeth Park and Recreation districts, they’ve been on wildly successful teams, having an undefeated team and winning the championships in 2021. More girls are playing football each year, shifting both the makeup and outward perception of the sport. Recently the Denver Broncos launched a girls high school flag football pilot program, aiming to help the sport become a sanctioned Colorado High School Activities Association sport statewide. More than 500 girls from three school districts — Cherry Creek, Denver and Jefferson County — are participating this fall.
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14
Paige, Zoey and their parents, Jenifer and Trevor Fink, shared their thoughts with the Elbert County News for a Q&A: Interview with Paige and Zoey Fink Why did you decide to start playing football? Paige: I decided to start playing football because I thought it was very fun. It is also different from what most girls do. I also like to prove people wrong. Zoey: I decided to start playing football because I love the sport SEE FOOTBALL, P6
On Nov. 8, the Elbert County School District C-2 (Kiowa) School Board will be asking voters in the district to approve a tax increase that would go toward funding a brand new K-12 school building. The Kiowa School Board will also seek a BEST Grant (Building Excellent Schools Today) through the Colorado Department of Education. The BEST Grant program supports capital investments in public schools around the state but requires school districts to provide partial financial contribution. The tax increase would go toward funding the issuance of a new bond to pay for the district’s portion of the project. The district says the monthly tax on residential property would increase by $9.20 per $100,000 assessed value ($110.44 per year). The tax increase would only impact residents within the ECSD C-2 school district. Commercial and agricultural property will also see an increase in tax at different rates (see infographic). • The total project budget is approximately $62 million • Kiowa would pay approximately 17%, or $10.6 million • The State of Colorado would pay approximately 83%, or $51.4 million SEE SCHOOLS, P2
GREEN THUMB, CALM MIND Neuroscientists and gardeners know the benefits of houseplants P14