Serving the community since 1906
VOLUME 33 | ISSUE 20
WEEK OF MAY 18, 2023
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Howell said she noticed that the greenhouse at the school was empty about a year ago. It was 27 years old and had been vacant for years and was only used for storage. She asked her principal if they could use the greenhouse.
Colorado voters will decide in November whether to approve a 10-year plan to rein in skyrocketing property taxes, as well as whether the state should distribute about $2 billion in Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refunds checks next year in equal amounts rather than linking their size to people’s income level, with more money being sent to higher earners. The questions were placed on the November ballot on May 8 by Democrats in the Colorado legislature as the General Assembly wrapped up its 120-day lawmaking term. The legislature worked until about 10 p.m., just before its 11:59 p.m. deadline, to complete its work, when the Capitol carriage turns back into a pumpkin. The last few hours of the session were chaotic, with Republicans walking out of the House chamber in protest, Democrats in the House lambasting each other and the Senate limiting debate to stop a GOP filibuster. The property tax plan, pushed for by Gov. Jared Polis, will appear on the ballot as Proposition HH and
Sherry Corp transfers plants from the small sprawling pots into the four-by-fours. When the plant grows out of the four-by-fours, she PHOTO BY BELEN WARD transfers them to a bigger pot and waters the plants that don’t get watered by the automated system.
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Legislature asks voters to approve 10year property tax relief plan BY JESSE PAUL AND ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN
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Bluedevils’ greenhouse is planting for the future
Fort Lupton students growing, selling plants for the community. BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
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Fort Lupton High School students opened a greenhouse to provide plants for the community. “We started a school-based enterprise, the Devils Garden, which we call our greenhouse, to provide plants to our community from heir-
loom seeds and safe for the bees, said Judy Howell, Career Explore teacher. “It gives the kids some experience and ownership in something and some skills that they can apply to other aspects of their lives.” Career Explore is a grant-funded program throughout the state that seeks to reengage students at risk of dropping out. “It’s been around for about six years. This is my second year doing this,” Howell said. “For the plants we sell, the proceeds come back into the greenhouse to educate more students and run the program.”
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Howell said the program has 86 kids, either full-time or part-time this year. “The majority of the kids in the program are juniors and seniors, and we try to get them to the point that they can graduate,” she said. Empty greenhouse
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