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November 29, 2018

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Denver budget spans broad range of goals $2.4 billion spending plan has priorities around making city more livable BY DAVID SACHS DENVERITE.COM

in 1984. But by then, the site had caught the attention of the EPA. Many people were drawn to the issue when parts of Shattuck, like the smokestack, began to be torn down. “They just demolished it and all kinds of radioactive dust went everywhere,” Orr said.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Denver is focused on housing, homelessness and transportation. Now stop me if you’ve heard this before: Denver still has serious problems with housing, homelessness and transportation. The Denver City Council unanimously passed Mayor Michael Hancock’s 2019 budget earlier this month with those priorities in mind, plus new funding for mental health services, public safety and an office to streamline partnerships with the private sector. It’s a $2.4 billion spending plan, a 3 percent increase over 2018. And it’s not enough. But lawmakers say it’s not really controversial, either. The gap of 30,000 or so in affordable homes won’t be filled next year. A substantial shift in trips from driving solo to walking, biking and transit, which is all a part of the mayor’s goals, probably won’t happen. But that’s the nature of the budget, Councilman Paul Kashmann said in an interview. It’s incremental.

SEE RESIDENTS, P4

SEE BUDGET, P7

The Encore at Evans Station development is being constructed on the former site of the Shattuck Chemical Company. Fonda Apostolopoulos, the project manager for the site with the state Department of Public Health and Environment, called the redevelopment “a great success story.” KAILYN LAMB

‘It was a big chunk of our lives’ Long after chemical waste was removed from Overland, residents still feel its impact BY KAILYN LAMB KLAMB@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

ore than 30 years ago, Helene Orr was spending every second of spare time reading documents on chemical waste. Often she would be up until 2 or 3 in the morning trying to make sense of legal papers dealing with the Shattuck Chemical Company — which planned, along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to leave nearly 6 acres of unsafe waste near her home in Overland Park.

TO LEARN MORE The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of documents and information regarding the Denver Radium Superfund sites, which included the former Shattuck Chemical Company location at 1805 S. Bannock St. To lear more information about the history of the site, as well as the cleanup process, visit https://bit.ly/2OenzlY. The EPA also has a website dedicated to Superfund sites and more information about what they are and how the sites are cleaned. To learn more about Superfunds, visit https://www. epa.gov/superfund/learn-about-superfund. Before the boom of Denver brought new developments to the southern part of the city, residents of Overland Park were fighting a battle to remove decades’ worth of chemical waste from their quiet neighborhood. Over the years Shattuck Chemical had worked with several materials in its factory nearby — leaving behind waste from lead, radium, uranium and more — before being shut down

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The average American shopper will spend about $638 on gifts this holiday season. Source: National Retail Federation

VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 10 | CALENDAR: PAGE 6 VOLUME 92 | ISSUE 4

2 Denver Herald

November 29, 2018

Colorado finalizes tough future emission standards Commission’s vote will affect new vehicles starting with 2022 model year BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Colorado is joining 13 other states and the District of Columbia in adopting Low Emission Vehicle Standards, requiring new vehicles starting with the 2022 model year to meet strict standards for fuel economy and exhaust emissions. The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission’s vote took place on Nov. 16. One of the nine commissioners was recused from the vote, and it passed 8-0. “This is a win for the state,” said Anita Seitz, a Westminster city councilor and the president of Colorado Communities for Climate Action, a coalition of Colorado governments that advocates for state and federal policies to protect Colorado’s climate. “Colorado has been a leader in this area, and it’s imperative that we continue. This is what our residents demand.” The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission’s decision will provide Coloradans with cleaner air and reduce the impacts of climate change, said Jacob Smith, the executive director of Colorado Communities

LEARN MORE Colorado Air Quality Control Commission — www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/apcd Colorado Communities for Climate Action — cc4ca.org/ Clear the Air Foundation — cleartheairfoundation.org/ for Climate Action. “The transportation sector is the largest contributor of carbon pollution,” Smith said. “By steadily improving fuel economy standards, we will continue to reduce damaging carbon pollution.” While advocates of the low-emission standards argue that it will provide consumers with savings at the fuel pump, opponents argue that it will cause a hardship on Colorado’s new vehicle buyer. In a press release, Tim Jackson, the president and CEO of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, said the biggest negative impact will be on working families and the economically disadvantaged. Jackson estimates that the lowemission vehicle standards will “add a $2,110 tax to the sticker price of average new vehicles in Colorado,” and that the tax amount will be even higher on “the SUVs and trucks that Coloradans prefer.” “The commission seemed to have made its mind up before this rule-

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program will be making process adopted into the even started — Colorado Code rapidly pushof Regulations. ing though this Ultimately, complex rule beginning with that will cost our state and model year 2022, citizens billions Colorado will of dollars withhave the stanout taking the dards already necessary time in place, and to fully evaluit will protect ate its impacts,” Colorado from Jackson said in having to adhere the press release. to Trump’s pro“Unfortunately, posed emissions it is Colorado’s rollbacks. consumers who The Colorado will ultimately Air Pollution pay the price for Control Divithis misguided sion estimates decision.” that the Trump One thing that administration’s the Colorado Auproposed rolltomobile Dealers back on emisAssociation and sion standards its members are would result in already doing to Bill Hellman, an additional make progress million chair of the Clear the Air 30.38 for cleaner air tons of carbon Foundation and owner of pollution beis the work of the Clear the Hellman Motor Company tween 2022-2031, Air Foundation. Smith said. The foundation “We are talkworks with state ing about a huge automobile dealamount of dirty ers to donate the vehicles, traded in emissions,” he said. “By adopting by consumers, that emit dirty emisthe Low Emission Vehicle Standards, sions and recycles them. we will prevent the same amount of “When you consider that the carbon pollution in Colorado that exhaust from just one 15-year-old we’d get in a decade from two of our vehicle is equal to that of 100 new largest coal power plants now runvehicles on the road today, new car ning in Pueblo.” dealers can put 350,000 new vehicles The next step Colorado needs to on the road and still have a net immove forward with for cleaner air provement in air quality,” said Bill is adopting zero-emission vehicle Hellman, chair of the Clear the Air standards, Seitz said. Zero-emission Foundation and owner of Hellman vehicles run on power sources such Motor Company in Delta. “Coloas electricity and hydrogen fuel rado’s new automobile dealers have cells. been walking the talk (and) making If adopted, this would “mandate concrete progress to clear Colorado’s an increasing percentage of all lightair.” and medium-duty motor vehicles The nation’s clean car standards, sold in Colorado to be Zero Emistrailblazed by California, were set sion Vehicles,” states the Colorado nationally in 2012 under President Department of Public Health and Barack Obama. These standards Environment’s website. “The Air require automakers to ensure that Pollution Control Division is explormotor vehicles including cars, ing approaches to a proposed rule pickup trucks and SUVs are more that would impose sales quotas on fuel-efficient and achieve ongoing vehicle manufacturers, thus increasimprovements, including lower emis- ing the percentage of zero emission sions. vehicles in Colorado.” On Aug. 2, President Donald Consideration of the zero-emission Trump’s administration announced vehicle standards is expected to plans to roll back emissions and fuel- begin relatively soon, Smith added, economy standards for car model and could wrap up as early as this years 2022-25 and attempt to override spring. the ability for states to set their own “Combine our air pollution stricter standards to protect clean problem with our outdoor Colorado air. lifestyle, and parents across the state However, Colorado Gov. John want to see real improvement in Hickenlooper signed an executive our air quality,” said Jen Clanahan, order on June 19 titled “Maintainthe “head mom” for Colorado Moms ing Progress on Clean Vehicles.” It Know Best, a statewide grassroots directed the Colorado Department group that advocates for children’s of Public Health and Environment health by protecting Colorado’s to develop a rule that establishes open spaces and clean air. “Several a Colorado Low Emission Vehicle other states follow the Low Emission program, then propose it to the ColoVehicle Standards, and we believe rado Air Quality Control Commisour children deserve those same sion for possible adoption. With the protections afforded to kids in other commission’s Nov. 16 decision, this states.”

‘When you consider that the exhaust from just one 15-year-old vehicle is equal to that of 100 new vehicles on the road today, new car dealers can put 350,000 new vehicles on the road and still have a net improvement in air quality.’

Denver Herald 3

November 29, 2018

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4 Denver Herald

November 29, 2018

RESIDENTS

A group of Overland Park neighborhood residents protesting the decision to leave waste from the Shattuck Chemical Company back in the ‘90s. The residents distributed flyers that read “funny, they don’t look like guinea pigs, but then neither does the rest of Denver.”

FROM PAGE 1

Shattuck first opened in 1918. The company processed chemicals for more than six decades. Both neighborhood residents as well as Denver city officials joined together in the 1990s to fight for clean soil and groundwater and to remove solid waste materials from Shattuck — a project which wasn’t completed until 2006. Now, a new development project is being built on the site. Although the legal battles of what to do with the waste have been settled for years now, the long-term impact has taken a toll on the community. ‘A remarkable fight’ In late 1982, the EPA began investigating the Shattuck land as part of a larger Superfund site connected to hazardous chemicals throughout Denver. Superfund sites allow the EPA to work with state governments to either clean the sites or have the responsible companies reimburse the government for cleanups led by the agency. The law was first put into place by Congress in 1980, and is called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Shortly after the agency’s investigation, the Denver Radium Site, which included Shattuck, was put on the National Priorities List in 1983. Orr lived a few blocks from the Shattuck buildings, which operated

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COURTESY OF HELENE ORR

at 1805 S. Bannock St., just north of Jewell Avenue. Once the EPA put the Shattuck site on a list of national Superfund locations, Orr and several other residents began to take action, going door-to-door alerting neighbors to a brewing problem. “It really was a remarkable fight,” Orr said of their efforts to get the EPA to remove waste materials from the neighborhood. After several years of struggling against both the state and federal governments, Orr said she is trying to move forward. She got rid of all the documents related to Shattuck, putting it out of sight and out of mind. “It was a big chunk of our lives. You kind of just want to forget about it at some point,” she said. “It’s all I lived for six or seven years.” A murky history When Shattuck first opened a century ago, it was part of the radium industry, extracting uranium materials and working with other chemicals like molybdenum. Radium was frequently prescribed as a medical treatment by doctors after World War I. In the 1950s, Shattuck transitioned into fully working to process uranium ore. At the time, Shattuck was one of the main producers of uranium in the world, said Shaun Sullivan. Sullivan was the assistant city attorney of Denver when the EPA and state government first came to clean up the Shattuck site in the 1990s. He worked in environmental law. In April, he became the city and county attorney of Broomfield. Uranium had been discovered in western Colorado, and ore was brought to Denver to be processed. The problem with uranium production, Sullivan said, is that it takes a lot of ore to extract a very small amount of uranium, leaving lots of waste materials. After the industry shifted to production in Belgium, Shattuck started going through less uranium until it closed in the 1980s.

‘It was a big chunk of our lives. You kind of just want to forget about it at some point. It’s all I lived for six or seven years.’ Helene Orr, a former resident of Overland Park “The industry started to die and people started to forget about the sites in Colorado,” Sullivan said — until the EPA put the site on the National Priorities List. Shattuck was the eighth location included in the Denver Radium Superfund site in 1983. While the EPA got to work cleaning up the other locations, it started reaching out to the Overland neighborhood as well as city and state officials to decide what to do with waste materials from the chemical company. In 1992 the EPA opted to keep the material on-site in a record of decision document released in January. Saloman Inc., which owned Shattuck, was required by law to pay for the cleanup. The company paid $26 million to mix clean soil and gravel with the contaminated materials, which was then piled into the center of the site into a tower structure and covered in concrete to prevent leakage. “It didn’t make sense to dig it all up,” said Fonda Apostolopoulos, a project manager for the state Department of Public Health and Environment who works on the Shattuck site. He added that the concrete later

WHERE DOES THE WASTE GO? The waste from the Shattuck Chemical Company site in the Overland Park neighborhood was removed and taken to U.S. Ecology Idaho Inc., a hazardous waste disposal site in the city of Grand View. While having the material removed from the neighborhood site was a good solution, taking it to another location is simply moving the problem, said Fonda Apostolopoulos, a project manager for the site with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Moving the waste can also create a future Superfund site, he added. Overland Park resident Helene Orr agreed, saying that at the time they were just fighting for the saftey of their neighborhood. “Hindsight’s 20/20, when you’re in the trenches you’re just looking at your neighborhood,” she said. “It was a good solution for us to have it removed, for sure. It doesn’t solve the ultimate problem, unfortunately.” was what was typically done in the 1990s to clean up similar sites. But the city of Denver had concerns about the solution, Sullivan said. That was 6 acres of land that could never be used by the city for hundreds, even thousands of years. “We thought it was an inappropriate remedy for that location,” Sullivan said. Residents also worried that leaving hazardous materials would have negative impacts on their health. Orr said several of the residents in the area have had some type of cancer, including a woman who lived almost directly next door to Shattuck and died of breast cancer. “Cancer of course is extremely prevalent and it’s really hard to prove causation,” she said. “But (the rates) still seemed really high.” It wasn’t until 2000 that the EPA reversed the decision — a first for agency, Sullivan said — and decided to move the waste offsite after it was found some of the material had leaked into the groundwater. By 2006 the waste material had been removed. Moving into the future Every five years, the state Department of Public Health and Environment performs surveys on the Shattuck land to make sure the groundwater leaks remain at safe levels. The results can be found on the EPA’s website, with the exception of a test that was done in September, Apostolopoulos said. The results from that survey will likely be done being processed in December, he added. Now that a new apartment complex is being built on the land, Apostolopoulos said he has helped the developers do additional tests to ensure the safety of the land. Dallas-based Encore Enterprises is building 226 units for the project. Apostolopoulos added that the developer added a radon gauge on the building as an extra precaution. Encore Enterprises did not respond to a request for comment. “It’s a great success story,” Apostolopoulos said. “Here’s a property that was basically worthless and now it’s productive.”

Denver Herald 5

November 29, 2018

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6 Denver Herald

November 29, 2018

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Opening Reception for Art Exhibit INDIVISIBLE: Expressions of Union and Divide: 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Zang Building, 1553 Platte St., Unit 100, Denver. The public is invited to attend the opening reception for this pop-up exhibit. Free admission. Visit facebook.com/ZeelArtistGroup. Holiday Gift Market: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2 at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia St., Denver. The market features homemade gifts, clothing, jewelry and food items from around the globe while supporting the work of local artists and groups. All proceeds directly benefit the organizations at the sale. Go to montview. org/announcements/ for more information. Join the Denver Chorale for a Holiday Tapestry of Song: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2 at Washington Park Center for Music and Arts, 400 South Williams St., Denver. O Holy Night, I Wonder as I Wander, Auld Lang Syne and Handel’s Messiah, including the Hallelujah Chorus, are among the favorites performed at this concert. Tickets: General: $20, Students/Seniors/Veterans: $17, Children: $10 (5 and under, free), Ticket prices increase by $3 day of concert. Visit denverchorale.org for more information. The Denver Magic Show Debuts New Performer: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3 at Avenue Theatre, 417 E. 17th Ave., Denver. While new to the Denver Magic Show, Scott McCray is not a newcomer to magic. McCray first became enthralled by the world of magic at the age of seven when he saw magic at Zeezo’s, a Denver area magic shop. Tickets are $20. Visit denvermagicshow.com. Marshall Plan: 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 at Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver. Join Active Minds 70+ years later as we review this historic initiative and discuss its relevance in the world today. This program is sponsored by Rosemark Senior. Event is free. RSVP: Not required; for info, call Lil Shaw: 303-316-6359.

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Friends of Chamber Music presents Orion Weiss and Anna Polonsky, Piano Duo: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5 at Gates Hall, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave., Denver. Pianists Orion Weiss and Anna Polonsky open Friends of Chamber Music’s 2018-19 Piano Series performing, works for four hands. Visit friendsofchambermusic.com for more information. Walk Around Denver with Chef Joanna: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 at Euclid Hall, 1317 14th St., Denver. Join Chef Joanna as she takes you for a Walk Around Denver with food, lights and free wine tastings. Only $35 per person. Call 702-487-6008 for more information. Holiday Fine Art Bazaar: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 at PRISM Workspaces, 999 Vallejo St.,

Denver. Featuring original art work, apparel, accessories, stationery, jewelry, glass, sculpture and more, you’ll be sure to find one-ofa-kind pieces for your friends and family this year that will keep giving year after year. The event is open to the public. For more details, see www.prismworkspaces.com Holiday Traditions & Customs: 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 at Sam Gary Library, 2961 Roslyn St., Denver. Why do we have Christmas trees? Or for that matter holiday lights, egg nog, holly or mistletoe. Join us Active Minds we seek to explain the origins of a wide variety of holiday traditions and customs. Our focus will be mostly upon secular winter holiday traditions, many of which are associated with the winter solstice. This program is brought to you by The Grove at Stapleton and the Stapleton Master Community Association. China’s Economic Evolution: 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 at Brookdale Parkplace, 111 Emerson St., Denver. In 2010, China became the world’s largest exporter and in 2014 it became the world’s largest economy (based on GDP). Join Active Minds as we examine the rapid change in China’s economic stature and the effects it is having both domestically and internationally. Cost: Free. RSVP: 303744-1950 or dday@brookdale.com Union Station Holiday Market by Denver Flea hosts 12 days of shopping this holiday season: Through Dec. 13 at Denver Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop, Denver. Gather your family and friends for the Union Station Holiday Market by Denver Flea for four weekends of shopping, festivities and winter fun, all at the historic Denver Union Station. $5 entry fee. More information at denverflea.com. Chicago: Biography of a City: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 at Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center, 3334 Holly St., Denver. Join Active Minds for the story of the Windy City. We will cover the Great Chicago Fire and how it impacted the development of the city. And as we bring things all the way up to the present, we’ll cover the politics, crime, food, culture, and architecture of the “City of Broad Shoulders.” Cost: Free. RSVP: 720-865-0590 Coyote Poets of the Universe Celebrate CD release: 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 at Swallow Hill Music, 71 East Yale Ave., Denver. The Coyote Poets of the Universe will be celebrating the release of their epic two CD set “Strange Lullaby” with a concert at Swallow Hill Music. Contact Swallow Hill Music at 303-777-1003. Tchaikovsky’s Greatest Symphonies: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17 at Springbrooke, 6800 Leetsdale Dr., Denver. Tchaikovsky’s final trio of symphonies are among the greatest orchestral works ever composed. Their fascinating stories and gorgeous music will be explored in an Active Minds program recalling the triumphs and tragedy of this extraordinary composer. Cost: Free. RSVP Required (Limited Seating): Springbrooke: 303-331-9963 Free Fridays at Clyfford Still Museum: Free Fridays 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Clyfford Still Museum, 1250 Bannock Street. Minimalist showcase for the large-scale paintings & archives of the namesake Abstract Expressionist. SEE CALENDAR, P7

Denver Herald 7

November 29, 2018

Bike lane funding zooms The city will spend about $27 million to carry out the mayor’s “Mobility Action Plan” — about $4 million less than this year — that aims to reduce car dependency by bettering Denver’s walking, biking and transit options. Bike lane construction will receive about $7 million, more than three times the total in 2018. Another $7 million will go toward pedestrian improvements like sidewalks and better crosswalks. Public transit, traditionally the responsibility of the Regional Transportation District, will receive about $1 million to enhance reliability. That means things like bus-activated signals that give the mass-transit vehicles priority at intersections or slip lanes to separate transit from car traffic. The city will spend money to study a bus rapid transit line on Federal Boulevard, too. The Hancock administration released the city’s first-ever transit plan this year, but it remains unfunded. Its pedestrian and trails plan is a little better off, but it still lacks hundreds of millions of dollars to create a safe and complete walking network. According to sustainable transportation advocates at the Denver Streets Partnership, the city should probably start looking locally for more funding sources — particularly since Proposition 110, a statewide transport funding measure, failed on Election Day. “I think Denver is willing to be a player,” said Jill Locantore, executive director of WalkDenver and member

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CALM AFTER THE STORM

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CALENDAR

‘Equity platform’ touted In a press release, Hancock framed this budget as written proof of his “equity platform” that gives “an equal voice and place to those who are underserved.” “This budget reflects the maturity of those ideals in a comprehensive funding plan that breaks down the silos of city government and invests in the assets that will ensure a prosperous future for every Denver resident,” Hancock said in a statement. The Denver City Council has shaped those priorities — particularly affordable housing and mobility options — as well, Councilwoman Debbie Ortega said. “I think council has been very strategic in identifying priorities that we want the city to focus on, and I think we have pushed the administration in a direction that has addressed those priorities,” she said. Denver is loaded. And city jobs are sitting vacant. The city’s budget has grown each year since 2010 and kicked into high gear in 2014, according to Adams. That’s due in part to a voter-approved workaround that blunts the edge of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, but also because of the booming economy. That means essentially no cuts, but agencies have found ways to save money. “We’re not reducing dollars but I feel like our base itself is not growing significantly,” Adams said. The other side of the booming economy means few people are looking for jobs — only about 3 percent citywide. The City and County of Denver is missing an estimated 10 percent of its workforce (permanent, not-uniformed employees), according to the Denver Department of Finance. The city can’t fill positions across the board — lifeguards, engineers, technology services — because of the strong job market. It just so happens that Hancock floated the idea of raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour for city employees earlier this month. The move may or may not attract more employees to the city. Denverite is an online local news source for everything you need to know about Denver in 5 minutes. Visit denverite.com/subscribe for more.

“I mean the trick in the budget is that we could spend our entire budget on sidewalks or we could spend our entire budget on affordable housing, or any number of things.” Kashmann said. “But we can’t do that because we have so many things addressed this year — every year — so we have to Band-Aid stuff.” The budget calls for $50 million for affordable housing, raised in part by an increase to the city’s marijuana sales tax. The new funds will result in 6,000 new homes over the next five years that lower-income residents can afford, the budget states. About $15 million will aid people experiencing homelessness by improving facilities and connecting more people to services, according to the budget. The dollars for housing and homelessness will need to keep coming, though. “It’s the mayor’s call at the end of the day, but I find it hard to believe that the amount of dollars we’re supporting around these things will diminish significantly,” budget director Stephanie Adams said in an interview.

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FROM PAGE 1

of the Streets Partnership. “If state measures just continue to fail, Denver should take action at the city or metrowide scale.” Funding could come from fees, taxes or shuffling the budget, Locantore said. Other big chunks of the 2019 budget include funding for 31 new police officers and 37 firefighters, plus about $3 million for services and facilities for people suffering from mental health problems and addiction.

BUDGET

C o m m u nit

8 Denver Herald

LOCAL

November 29, 2018

VOICES When products are sealed, there’s a failure to yield

admit there were no witnesses. I hope by now, however, you can trust me, even though I did steer a lot of investors in the wrong direction on that chicken-flavored chewing gum project of mine. Earlier today, I opened a new jar of (creamy) peanut butter with my bare hands. I did it on the first try. I did it without going into training for a week. I opened it without grunting or groaning, tapping it first with a knife, or holding it under hot water. I held the jar in my left hand, and used the fingers on my right hand to twist the top and remove it. This exposed the product, some of which I consumed on a small sheet of bread. It was a historic moment in my kitchen. The dog went to a neutral corner when I shouted, “Godfrey Daniel.” Just about everything else, every cheese, every cracker, every box, tin,

container, takes my complete focus, and tests my will. “EZ Open”? There is no such thing. As I have said in the past, if it says “EZ Open” it isn’t. QUIET They put “EZ Open” on the label DESPERATION because they know it isn’t, and that it puts the onus on me. If it says it’s easy to open and I can’t open it, it’s my fault, not theirs. It’s reverse psychology. As I said, I didn’t Craig Marshall have to go into training to open the Smith peanut butter. But when it comes to my favorite pickles, I do reps for a week while the jar sits on the counter and waits for me. My mother — may she rest in peace

— used to give jars a try and then ask her strapping husband to take care of it. This went on for years when I was growing up. Later on, they told me the truth. It was a set-up. Mom could open the jars, but it was her way of giving my father a moment of glory. It was the 1950s, and that’s what wives did back then. Once Helen Reddy came along, however, everything changed. Cheese singles are the inglorious contempt of matter against humanity. There is nothing more infuriating to open. It cannot be done barehanded. Cheese singles should come with cheese singles scissors. Likewise bacon. I don’t buy bacon because someone who calls himself a doctor told me not too. When I did buy bacon, the package it came in always won. I’d wind up with shredded paper and plastic and greasy fingers.

Packaging today is designed to be difficult to open, so packages are nearly impossible to tamper with in stores. And in homes. An aspirin bottle comes in a box. The bottle has a child-proof cap that doubles as an adult-proof cap. There’s a plastic wrap around the cap that has to be removed, then arrows have to be lined up, then a lid cover has to be peeled off, then cotton wadding has to be removed. It always gives me a headache. These are trifles in life. Understood. But enough of them in a day become more than that. If you collage a struggle with cheese singles with heavy traffic, with the boss forgetting your name, and with your pen running out of invisible ink, it makes for a Bad Tuesday. Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.

The Thanksgiving habit is something to stick with

ou may be asking yourself why you are reading a Thanksgiving article the week after Thanksgiving. The reason is that too often, the minute after we say goodbye to family and friends with whom we just shared our holiday, the feeling of gratitude escapes us as if it were Harry Houdini himself. After all, it is now “game on” for Christmas and Hanukkah. As a matter of fact, we may even hear, “Thanks for dinner, save me some pie, I will be back for dessert and family time right after I hit a couple of these stores that are open tonight.” Research shows that it could take anywhere from 18 days to 254 days to create a new habit. One study in particular states that it takes 66 days, and then there is another finding that claims that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. It is subjective in that the variables are the people and their behaviors. Well, this was a three-part series, and is my third and final column about Thanksgiving, gratitude and appreciation. For those of you counting, that was three weeks or about 21 days, depending on when you read each column, and just about enough time to start forming a new habit. The reinforcement

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of this topic is so important because it feels like gratitude has become a momentary emotion or a fleeting feeling as we are already anxiously awaiting the next thing that is coming our way. What’s next? Or: What’s in it for me? Many of us, myself included, really look forward to the Thanksgiving Day meals. I mean everything from breakfast WINNING through the mulWORDS tiple courses served throughout the day, and of course the desserts. Notice I said desserts, plural. But there is something that is more important than our meals, because isn’t it true most of us tend to Michael Norton eat pretty well every day? What is more important is the gratitude that others who aren’t so well-off feel when they too get to have a meal. The appreciation they have for the meals that must be provided for them. And whether we funded those meals, made those meals, served those meals, or delivered those meals, my hope would be that we all felt grateful for having had the opportunity to serve others in some way.

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You see, being grateful isn’t just reserved for when we get things or assistance, it is also about having gratitude and appreciation for when we have the opportunity to bless and serve others. It is an incredible feeling to give, to give cheerfully and thankfully. You know the feeling I am talking about don’t you? The smile on someone’s face when we help, the firm handshake of the people we are lifting up, the tears of joy in their eye, the warm embrace and hug. And remember what “HUG” stands for, Having Unbelievable Gratitude. What I am talking about here is developing and maintaining the spirit of Thanksgiving and creating a habit of gratitude and appreciation that goes far beyond the holiday. I hope that it is a habit that we will never want to break. We can all show our appreciation more, we can all demonstrate gratitude, we can do it through the simplest of ways too. A simple thankyou, a quick note, a card, a smile, a call, a text, and maybe just doing something to help out in return or pay it forward. Our world could use more people with an attitude of gratitude. Our community could use more people developing a habit of gratitude and

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appreciation. Our families can all become stronger and closer when we recognize each other and share how blessed we are to be a family. A habit starts when we do. What if today, we all set a goal to live out Thanksgiving each and every day? What if we could change someone’s minute, hour, day or life by showing them a little more gratitude and appreciation? I know that you already know the answer, we would be living in a world that has just a little more love and kindness, a little more love and gentleness, and a little more love and forgiveness. So how about you? I hope you won’t be too surprised if I say Happy Thanksgiving if I run into you somewhere in February, or April, or next September. And I do hope that you will try and create a new attitude of gratitude habit for yourself. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com and when we are successful at creating that new habit, it really will be a better than good life. Michael Norton is a resident of Castle Rock, the president of the Zig Ziglar Corporate Training Solutions Team, a strategic consultant and a business and personal coach.

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Denver Herald 9

November 29, 2018

Parkour creates caring community As sport booms in Colorado, gyms promote inclusivity, safety BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CASEYVANDIVIER@YAHOO.COM

Ken Arrington, founder of parkour gym Path Movement, knows that parkour — in which athletes often scale walls, make 9-foot leaps and traverse rails 10 feet off the ground — has a bad reputation for being dangerous. That’s why he keeps close tabs on the safety at his gym. He’s managed to keep injuries to a minimum. He said that out of 17,289 customer visits at the Littleton gym, there have only been three instances of broken bones. “All people see is these kids running around on rooftops and breaking the law,” he said, “but when parkour is done correctly and taught correctly, it is safer than most sports.” In Arrington’s 6,000-square-foot facility at 8000 S. Lincoln St., students can try their hand at a variety of feats. The gym is a collection of boxes, rails, rings and a 14-foot “warped wall,” all of which Arrington built himself. He often rearranges the equipment so students can have new experiences. Path Movement is one of many parkour gyms in Colorado, a state which several outlets have called a hotspot for the top sites at which to practice parkour. American Parkour, for instance, named the University of Colorado at Boulder the fourth best location for parkour athletes in America. APEX Movement also named Colorado one of the top 10 states for parkour based on the number of times Coloradans have searched for the terms “parkour” and “freerunning” on Google. Colorado was one of the first adopters of the sport in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, the first parkour classes on this side of the world were taught in 2006 by APEX Movement on the CU-Boulder campus. APEX has since opened three gyms in Colorado and two in California. “APEX was definitely the first gym in Colorado, and the second gym in America,” said Vinny Fiacco, who is co-owner and general manager at APEX Movement’s gym in Denver, 700 W. Mississippi Ave. Athletes now recognize Colorado as home to one of the most thriving parkour communities. “I stole a couple coaches from gyms in different states, and it’s because they wanted to be a part of a community that’s growing,” Arrington said. As for why the Colorado parkour community started growing to begin with, he suggested the state’s reputation for progressiveness may have something to do with it. “We’re pretty forward when it comes to the way that we think,” he said. “We have a state that’s very accepting of the outliers.” Although the increase in popularity is focused in states like Colorado, the

Students practice their parkour skills during a class at Path Movement. Like many parkour gyms, the Littleton operation consists of a mixture between classes taught by coaches and “open train sessions” in which students have more freedom to choose what to practice. PHOTOS BY CASEY VAN DIVIER sport is gaining momentum all across the nation, Fiacco said. “Ten years ago, there was nothing, and now there’s 100,000 people doing it,” he said. Staying safe For both gyms, the increase in popularity means more customers, but it doesn’t have to mean an increase in injuries. Fiacco and Arrington, whose gyms often see 100 customers per day, said the best way to minimize risk is to educate athletes on safety. “I made sure everybody who walked through the gym took our introductory class,” Arrington said. “We teach you how to fall, we teach you how to roll, we teach you how to learn to be safe.” Parkour athletes Julian Frazier and Shae Perkins, who often train together at APEX Movement, said out of all the sports they’ve tried, parkour has been one of the least dangerous. “I’ve been able to manage risk a lot better in parkour because I have a lot more autonomy in how I interact with the space,” Frazier said. “I’ve broken some fingers and ribs, nothing that was too big of a deal,” Perkins said. “Maybe it should have taken me out. I just kept training.” As the sport works its way into the mainstream, many of the newer athletes have different aspirations than their predecessors, Perkins said, which may also lessen the risk of injury. “It used to just be young men who wanted be reckless, and now it’s everyone,” he said. “There’s a lot of people who their life is not necessarily parkour,” Frazier agreed. “This is a power hobby or something that contributes to their work-life balance.” A tight community Perkins estimated that there are 10 times more women training in the sport than there were when he started 12 years ago. Additionally, he said the age range of the sport’s practitioners has expanded significantly — a trend

Ayden Perkins, 14, scales Path Movement’s warped wall, a replica from the popular television show “American Ninja Warrior.” Perkins has been training at Path Movement in Littleton for around four years. that Arrington has also noticed. “I’d say our youngest participant is about 5, and our oldest participant is 68,” he said. “You can have them in the same building doing the same thing, and that’s what makes it wildly unique and amazing.” The sport also appeals to athletes who are on the spectrum or have a learning disability, a group that makes up 10 percent of the customers at Path Movement. “The people that thrive in parkour are the people who love individual sports,” Arrington said. “You can have somebody with a strong learning disability who enjoys it and is in the same class as a top-tier athlete.” Ayden Perkins, a freshman at ThunderRidge High School — and Arrington’s stepson — he has become one of the best athletes at Path Movement in the few years he has been training there. As somebody who has ADHD, he always has a lot of energy, he said, and parkour is one way he can channel that energy. “It makes you focus on this one thing, parkour, and nothing else,” he said. “It just calms you down.”

Beyond being a fun hobby, the sport has positive benefits for him after he leaves the gym. “This gets all the energy out, so then I can focus on my homework,” he said. For everyone in the parkour world, one of the greatest rewards is the sport’s one-of-a-kind community and the strong bonds between coaches and students, Arrington said. “My coaches are very protective of the kids,” he said. “They’re the unsung heroes of our community. My business would be worth nothing without them.” Likewise, the athletes are supportive of one another in a way that isn’t common to other sports, Fiacco and Arrington said. “It’s only about 10 years old, so everyone remembers what it’s like to not be able to do the challenge you’re trying,” Fiacco said. “No one wants to see you fail. Everyone wants to help.” “We had a competition last weekend and there wasn’t a dry eye in the whole building, because everybody was rooting for everybody,” Arrington said. “Parkour, in its core, is all about the community.”

10 Denver Herald

LOCAL

November 29, 2018

LIFE

Bryan Austin, 60, primps his mustache before a Nov. 9 Christmas party hosted by a local Mothers of Preschoolers group. It takes about 30 minutes for Austin to sculpt his beard and mustache to look like Santa’s. PHOTOS BY NICK PUCKETT

Local St. Nicks talk about their unusual trade BY NICK PUCKETT NPUCKETT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

ryan Austin didn’t have to wait for his beard to turn white to become Santa. The 60-year-old Austin has been performing as Santa for 11 seasons and wore the red suit while his hair was still, actually, red. When he’s not wearing the suit, the Highlands Ranch resident does computer security work for IBM. He was just 49 years old when he began as a mall Santa, developing an entire act to sell his Santa-ness. And he has Santa down to a science. “If I come into your house and I don’t leave you with a strong memory,” Austin said, “I’ve not done my job.” Austin’s coordinated performance includes all sorts of creative acts — from singing to performing an illusional disappearance act with his Elf on a Shelf and thoughtfully scripted commentary for his reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” It helps that he has a perfectly round belly so he can tell kids to poke it if they ask if he’s real. Before a Nov. 9 performance for a Mothers of Preschoolers group in

Mike Cawthra, 64, sits at a bench at Addenbrooke Park in Lakewood dressed as Santa after a Nov. 10 event at the local Goddard School. Cawthra said the best part about the job is all the joy and love your receive and give on a daily basis. Highlands Ranch, Austin laid out the contents of his bag across his bed for a final check to make sure everything was there: His naughty-and-nice list, a small “magical” chest wired with lights and lined with glitter, his favorite version of “The Night Before Christmas,” his Elf on a Shelf, and other trinkets and accessories to complete the Santa look. “Everybody adds their own

personality. You just can’t help it,” Austin said. “But the important qualities aren’t that so much as you being jovial. You have to be jovial the entire time.” In his younger years, Austin was trim and athletic. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in aerospace engineering. He always loved kids and is involved with youth leadership at his church. He even

graduated from high school in North Pole, Alaska. The shoe fit. He will see about 150 clients through November and December and charges between $225 and $300 an hour, depending on how close to Christmas it is. He visits hospitals for free and offers discounted appearances for those in need as well. Becoming Santa Claus is not as simple as donning a red-and-white coat. It’s not destined for any man with a long white beard, blue eyes and a round stomach, and not everyone who can “ho, ho, ho” can do it correctly: Exactly three “hos” — not two or four. No pause. From the stomach. There’s also the hat, the rosy red cheeks, the glasses, the boots (brown or black) and the gloves (black or white). Anyone can look like Santa. Developing the persona is a skill that takes years to master. “You learn that. It’s kind of like a professional actor,” Austin said. “They’ve got to learn their craft and get to a point where they learn what it’s like and how to overcome certain obstacles. “They want to keep that belief going as long as they possibly can.” SEE SANTA, P15

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12 Denver Herald

November 29, 2018

‘The Humans’ mines rich ore of family life Regional premiere of solid new play is on stage at Curious Theatre BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“This is the second holiday show in 21 years,” said Chip Walton, Curious Theatre’s artistic director, as he welcomed the Nov. 3 opening-night audience to a performance of “The Humans” by Stephen Karam — a regional premiere. While the scene is a family Thanksgiving dinner, “The Humans” stays on the path of openness to different ways of thinking/ living/working — Curious Theatre’s trademark theme. “The Humans,” a strong new play, the type which Curious consistently chooses to deliver, won the 2016 Tony Award for Best New Play and was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer drama award, setting audience expectations high. With a fine cast and direction by Dee Covington, it is a pleasure to watch. The spare set, designed by Markas Henry, shows the small, sparsely furnished two-story apartment in Chinatown, New York City, where young musician Brigid Blake (Anastasia Davidson) and her fiancé, Richard Saad (Antonio Amadeo) have recently moved. Furniture is yet to arrive in general … and strange, loud bumps persist from the apartment upstairs, where an older Chinese woman lives. Readers may be reminded of a first visit to a beloved offspring’s new home and trying so very hard to feel “at home.” Brigid’s attorney/sister Aimee (Susan McLeod) has arrived and soon, their parents: Dierdre (Anne F. Butler)

IF YOU GO “The Humans” runs through Dec. 22 at Curious Theatre, 1080 Acoma St., in Denver’s Golden Triangle. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays (Thanksgiving excepted); 2 p.m. Sundays. Adequate free parking. Tickets: curioustheatre.org, 303-623-0524. and Erik (Kevin Hart) appear — a bit frazzled after a trip from their home in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (The playwright grew up there.) With the parents is the grandmother Fiona, “Momo,” who has dementia (Kathryn Gray). The concept of the conflicted dinner party, where strong opinions clash, is certainly there, with underlying stories about each character woven together and assorted problems pretty much unresolved. No question, however, about how strongly this family loves one another. Karam’s script is beautifully written and carries the story along through dialogue. The cast is skilled and all the characters carefully crafted. Brigid, a composer in the making, is working two jobs as a bartender while she seeks a professional path as composer and Richard works at a job, wanting to return to school, while looking forward to a family inheritance sometime soon. Tense Aimee has recently lost her girlfriend/partner and is in pain with ulcerative colitis, but unable to afford needed medical care, unwilling to undergo surgery … The Irish Catholic parents, of course don’t approve of her lifestyle, nor of Brigid’s. “When are you getting married?” the mom asks Brigid, more than once … SEE HUMANS, P15

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Holders of first mortgages (as shown on the recorded deeds of trust or assignments in Denver County, Colorado records) on units in Provincetown Landing Townhome Condominiums Phase VI are hereby advised of a proposed third amendment to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions of Provincetown Landing Townhome Condominiums Phase VI recorded December 29, 1986 at Reception No. 00069648 with the Denver County Clerk and Recorder. This notice has been sent by certified mail to first mortgagees along with a consent form and a copy of the proposed third amendment. A copy of the proposed third amendment and consent form can be obtained by contacting Lauren C. Holmes, Orten Cavanagh & Holmes, LLC, 1445 Market St., #350 Denver, CO 80202. (720) 221-9780.

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Real Deal Towing & Recovery, 303/960-1449, will be applying for title to the following vehicle, abandoned:

Notice is given to "JOHN DOE" that you have been identified by Saudah Muhammad, the natural mother, as a potential father of a child to be born on or about 03/18/2019, in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. Pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes § 8-106(G), you are hereby notified that: 1. Saudah Muhammad plans to place her child for adoption. 2. As a potential father, you have the right, under Arizona Revised Statutes, Sections 8-106 and 8-107, to either consent or withhold your consent to the adoption. 3. If you give your written consent to the adoption, your consent is irrevocable once you give it. 4. If you are not in agreement with the adoption plan, and want to withhold your consent to the adoption, you have thirty days from the date that this notice is served upon you to complete both of the following tasks: a.) You must initiate paternity proceedings under Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 25, Chapter 6, Article 1; and b.) You must have the mother served with the paternity paperwork in compliance with Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.

1997 GMC 3500 Vin #1GDKC34JXVJ506632 and disposing of Legal Notice No.: 8688 First Publication: November 8, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: Denver Herald Public Notice DEMAND FOR ISSUANCE OF LOST STOCK CERTIFICATE TO THE UNITED WATER COMPANY [Fred Palermo and Zuma Palermo] PURSUANT TO §7-42-114, C.R.S. SS. STATE OF COLORADO CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER The undersigned Stockholder states under oath the following: The undersigned Stockholder notified THE UNITED WATER COMPANY that Certificate Number 373 for 3 shares of the stock of the Company has been lost, mislaid, or destroyed; and

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8. Your failure to initiate paternity proceedings under Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 25, Chapter 6, Article 1 and to serve the mother with the paternity paperwork within thirty days of completion of service of this notice upon you, and to pursue the action to judgment, bars you from bringing or maintaining any action to assert any interest in the child.

9. A potential father who fails to file a paternity action and who does not comply with all applicable service requirements within thirty days after completion of service as prescribed in A.R.S. §8-106(G) waives his right to be notified of any judicial hearing regarding the child’s adoption or the termination of parental rights and his consent to the adoption or termination is not required. 10. The Indian Child Welfare Act may supersede the Arizona Revised Statutes regarding adoption and paternity.

11. Service of a paternity action under title 25, chapter 6, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes may be made on the mother's attorney, Heather M. Strickland, MYERSSTRICKLAND, PLLC, 3180 E. Grant Rd, Tucson, AZ 85716.

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The certificate has not been transferred or hypothecated by the Stockholder, or otherwise; and The undersigned hereby demands the issuance of a duplicate certificate in accordance with §7-42-114 to 7-42-117, C.R.S. Fred Palermo and Zuma Palermo 10365 CR 7, Longmont, CO 80504 303-356-7997 Legal Notice No.: 8689 First Publication: November 8, 2018 Last Publication: December 6, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice Real Deal Towing & Recovery, 303/960-1449, will be applying for title to the following vehicle, abandoned: 1940 Lincoln VIN #H95571 and disposing of Legal Notice No.: 8723 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: December 6, 2018 Publisher: Denver Herald Public Notice Real Deal Towing & Recovery, 303/960-1449, will be applying for title to the following vehicle, abandoned: 1975 Chevy Impala VIN #1N67H5S162114 and disposing of Legal Notice No.: 8724 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: December 6, 2018 Publisher: Denver Herald PUBLIC NOTICE

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Date: November 29, 2018 and December 6, 2018 Holders of first mortgages (as shown on the recorded deeds of trust or assignments in Denver County, Colorado records) on units in Provincetown Landing Townhome Condominiums Phase VI are hereby advised of a proposed third amendment to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions of Provincetown Landing Townhome Condominiums Phase VI recorded December 29, 1986 at Reception No. 00069648 with the Denver County Clerk and Recorder. This notice has been sent by certified mail to first mortgagees along with a consent form and a copy of the proposed third amendment. A copy of the proposed third amendment and consent form can

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Legal Notice No.: 8732 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 6, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch PUBLIC NOTICE: Cellco Partnership and its controlled affiliates doing business as Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless) proposes to build a 31-foot tall Stealth Communications Tower. Anticipated lighting application is medium intensity dual red/white strobes. The Site location is 931 N. Sherman Street, Denver, Denver County, CO 80203, Lat: [39-43-52.03], Long: [-104-59-5.87]. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Antenna Structure Registration (ASR, Form 854) filing number is A1119480. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS – Interested persons may review the application (www.fcc.gov/asr/applications) by entering the filing number. Environmental concerns may be raised by filing a Request for Environmental Review (www.fcc.gov/asr/environmentalrequest) and online filings are strongly encouraged. The mailing address to file a paper copy is: FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. Legal Notice No.: 8734 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch

Notice To Creditors PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Joseph Carsh, a/k/a Joseph Berkowitz, Deceased Case Number: 2018 PR 31150 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado or before April 1, 2019 or the claims may be forever barred. Charlotte E. Carsh Personal Representative 300 E. 17th Ave., Apt. 1019 Denver CO 80203 Legal Notice No: 8731 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 13, 2018 Publisher: Denver Herald Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Elaine M. Sas, a/k/a Elaine Sas, and Elaine Marcuson Sas, Deceased Case Number: 2018 PR 31105 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. Ronald W. Way, Co-Personal Representative 3780 S. Broadway, Suite 102 Englewood, CO 80113 Neil A. Harris, Co-Personal Representative 1021 Isaac James Ave. Chico, CA 95928 Legal Notice No.: 8711 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Joanne Moe Johnson, a/k/a Joanne M. Johnson, a/k/a Joanne Johnson , Deceased Case Number: 2018PR31312 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to

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Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Joanne Moe Johnson, a/k/a Joanne M. Johnson, a/k/a Joanne Johnson , Deceased Case Number: 2018PR31312

Notice To Creditors

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. Jessica Keegan, Personal Representative c/o Goddard & Hawkins, PC 1444 Blake St. Denver, CO 80202 Legal Notice No.: 8712 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Geraldine Spear, a/k/a Geraldine E. Spear, Deceased Case Number: 2017PR31044

Notice To Creditors

Benjamin F. Sloat, IV c/o Keith L. Davis, JD Attorney for the Personal Representative Davis Schilken, PC 7887 E. Belleview Ave., Suite 820 Denver, CO 80111 Legal Notice No.: 8721 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 15, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate LESTER R. WOODWARD, also known as Lester Ray Woodward, Deceased Case Number: 2018PR31300

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Probate Court City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred.

Mary Ann Woodward Personal Representative 111 Emerson Street, Apt. 864 Denver, CO 80218

Victor Kritz Personal Representative 8125 Sehome Road Blaine, WA 98230

Legal Notice No.: 8722 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch

Legal Notice No.: 8715 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Betty I. Neale, aka Betty Irene Neale, aka Betty Neale, Deceased Case Number: 2018PR31270 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 25, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. Scott P. Neale Personal Representative 920 N. Cedar Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Legal Notice No.: 8716 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Merry C. DeBoer aka Merry Corinne DeBoer, aka Merry DeBoer, aka Merry C. De Boer, aka Merry Corinne De Boer, aka Merry De Boer, Deceased Case Number: 2018PR031310. All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to The Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. Katz, Look & Onorato, P.C. Attorney to the Personal Representative 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 1100 Denver, CO 80203 Legal Notice No.: 8720 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Benjamin F. Sloat, III, Deceased Case Number: 2018PR31255 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. Benjamin F. Sloat, IV c/o Keith L. Davis, JD Attorney for the Personal Representative

Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Matilda O. Pacheco, Deceased Case Number: 2018PR31318

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims maybe forever barred. Barbara Pacheco Johnson Personal Representative 228 W. 1st Ave. Denver, CO 80223 Legal Notice No.: 8726 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Norris N. Requist, Deceased Case Number: 2018PR30655

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Co-Personal Representatives or to the Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 22, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. Niall Benton Requist Co-Personal Representatives PO Box 359 Fraser, CO 80442 Lane Hardin Requist Co-Personal Representatives 14665 W. Vassar Drive Lakewood, CO 80228 Legal Notice No.: 8728 First Publication: November 22, 2018 Last Publication: December 6, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of David H. Darnell, a/k/a David Darnell, Deceased Case Number: 2018PR031324

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 22, 2018, or the claims may be forever barred. Linda Scarbrough, Personal Representative c/o Goddard & Hawkins, PC 1444 Blake Street Denver, CO 80202 Legal Notice No.: 8729 First Publication: November 22, 2018 Last Publication: December 6, 2018

Denver Herald 11.29.18 * 1

Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, 14 Denver Herald Colorado on or before March 22, 2018, or the claims may be forever barred.

the Personal Representative or to the Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 29, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred.

Linda Scarbrough, Personal Representative c/o Goddard & Hawkins, PC 1444 Blake Street Denver, CO 80202

Stan Obrey Personal Representative 33009 Alpine Meadows Drive Trinidad, CO 81082

Legal Notice No.: 8729 First Publication: November 22, 2018 Last Publication: December 6, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch

Legal Notice No.: 8733 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 13, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch

Notice To Creditors

Sara S. Price Personal Representative 4704 Harlan Street, Suite 250 Denver, Colorado 80212

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of David Lee Haley, a/ka David L. Haley, a/k/a David Haley, Deceased Case: 2018PR31302

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Suzanne Louise Beer, aka Suzanne L. Beer, aka Suzanne Beer, Deceased Case Number: 2018 PR 31358

Shannon Haley Personal Representative 1337 S. Drew Way Lakewood, CO 80232

Vincent Andre Beer c/o Katz, Look & Onorato, P.C. Personal Representative 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 1100 Denver, Colorado 80203

Legal Notice No.: 8730 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 13, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch

Case Number: 2018 PR 031222 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred.

Legal Notice No: 8710 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Golden Transcript PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Karen Virginia HadleyDike, aka Karen V. HadleyDike, aka Karen V. Hadley-Dike, aka Karen V. Hadley, Deceased Case Number: 2018 PR 31182 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. R. Jerome HadleyDike Personal Representative 925 Lincoln Street, 3C Denver, Colorado 80203

Legal Notice No.: 8736 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 13, 2018 Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Denver County, CO 1437 Bannock St., Room 230 Denver, CO 80202 In the Matter of the Estate of: Dorothy J. Nosek, Deceased

Notice To Creditors

/s/ signature on file Gage J. Fellows, Esq. Fellows & Quenzer, LLC Attorney for Personal Representative, Ms. Maria Theresa Soares McBride 1600 Jackson Street, STE 350 Golden, CO 80401 Ph: 303-278-1605 Case Number: 15 PR 30060

NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION PURSUANT TO 15-10-401, C.R.S., NOTICE OF HEARING WITHOUT APPEARANCE ON PETITION FOR FINAL SETTLEMENT PURSUANT TO C.R.P.P. 24 To: The unknown heirs of Dorothy J. Nosek AND All Interested Persons, AND Persons whose ancestor is Joseph E. Nosek and/or Katherine Nosek Last Known Address: Unknown A Hearing Without Appearance on the PETITION FOR FINAL SETTLEMENT PURSUANT TO § 15-12-1001, C.R.S, for Request to Court to approve complete final settlement and distribution of the estate, including determination of heirs will be held at the following time and location or at a later date to which the hearing may be continued. Date: December 27, 2018 Time: 8:00 A.M. Courtroom or Division: 3

sonal representatives, attorneys, and others, and the distribution of estate assets. The court will not review or adjudicate these or other matters unless specifically requested to do so by an interested person.

November 29, 2018

Notice To Creditors

Any interested person wishing to object to the petition must file a specific written objection with the court on or before the hearing and must furnish a copy of the objection to the person requesting the court order and the personal representative. JDF 722 (Objection form) is available on the Colorado Judicial Branch website (www.courts.state.co.us). If no objection is filed, the court may take action on the petition without further notice or hearing. If any objection is filed, the objecting party must, within 14 days after filing the objection, contact the court to set the objection for an appearance hearing. Failure to timely set the objection for an appearance hearing as required will result in further action as the court deems appropriate. Actual distribution of estate assets normally does not occur at the hearing. Copy of PETITION FOR FINAL SETTLEMENT PURSUANT TO § 15-12-1001, C.R.S is available for review at the offices of Fellows & Quenzer LLC and the Denver Probate Court. Legal Notice No: 8735 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 13, 2018 Publisher: Denver Herald Dispatch PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of William C. Hall, a/k/a William Carleton Hall, Deceased Case Number: 2018 PR31271

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Myron J. DeLong, Jr., Deceased Case Number: 2018PR31333

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 29, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. Stan Obrey Personal Representative 33009 Alpine Meadows Drive Trinidad, CO 81082

Legal Notice No.: 8733 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 13, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Bonita Jean Busekrus, aka Bonita J. Busekrus, aka Bonita Busekrus, aka Bonnie Busekrus, Deceased Case Number: 2018 PR 031222

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver on or before March 15, 2019, or the claims may be forever barred. Sara S. Price Personal Representative 4704 Harlan Street, Suite 250 Denver, Colorado 80212

Legal Notice No: 8710 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Golden Transcript

Legal Notice No: 8719 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice

Denver Probate Court, Denver County, CO 1437 Bannock St., Room 230 Denver, CO 80202

In the Matter of the Estate of: Dorothy J. Nosek, Deceased

***** IMPORTANT NOTICE***** Interested persons have the responsibility to protect their own rights and interests within the time and in the manner provided by the Colorado Probate Code, including the appropriateness of claims paid, the compensation of personal representatives, attorneys, and others, and the distribution of estate assets. The court will not review or adjudicate these or other matters unless specifically requested to do so by an interested person.

Legal Notice No: 8713 First Publication: November 15, 2018 Last Publication: November 29, 2018 Publisher: The Denver Herald-Dispatch

James R. Hall, Personal Representative 2525 56th Avenue Greeley, CO 80634 970-576-4302

Local ads, coupons & deals are just one click away! NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION PURSUANT TO 15-10-401, C.R.S., NOTICE OF HEARING WITHOUT APPEARANCE ON PETITION FOR FINAL SETTLEMENT PURSUANT TO C.R.P.P. 24

C HECK I T OUT AT:

ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

To: The unknown heirs of Dorothy J. Nosek AND All Interested Persons, AND Persons whose ancestor is Joseph E. Nosek and/or Katherine Nosek Last Known Address: Unknown

A Hearing Without Appearance on the PETITION FOR FINAL SETTLEMENT PURSUANT TO § 15-12-1001, C.R.S, for Request to Court to approve complete final settlement and distribution of the estate, including determination of heirs will be held at the following time and location or at a later date to which the hearing may be continued.

Legal Notice No: 8735 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 13, 2018 Publisher: Denver Herald Dispatch

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.

Douglas County Fairgrounds • 500 Fairgrounds Drive, Castle Rock, CO 80104 - Aldous Huxley th th Saturday, December 8 10am – 5pm • Sunday, December 9 11am – 4pm Date: December 27, 2018 Time: 8:00 A.M. Courtroom or Division: 3

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Every day, the government makes decisions that can affect your life. Whether they are decisions on zoning, taxes, new businesses or myriad other issues, governments play Any interested person wishing to object to the petition must file a specific written objection with a bigtherole your life. the court on or before hearing in and must furGovernments have relied on newspapers like this one to publish public notices since the birth of the nation. Local newspapers remain the most trusted source of public notice information. This newspaper publishes the information you need to stay involved in your community.

nish a copy of the objection to the person requesting the court order and the personal representative. JDF 722 (Objection form) is available on the Colorado Judicial Branch website (www.courts.state.co.us). If no objection is filed, the court may take action on the petition without further notice or hearing. If any objection is filed, the objecting party must, within 14 days after filing the objection, contact the court to set the objection for an appearance hearing. Failure to timely set the objection for an appearance hearing as required will result in further action as the court deems appropriate. Actual distribution of estate assets normally does not occur at the hearing. Copy of PETITION FOR FINAL SETTLEMENT PURSUANT TO § 15-12-1001, C.R.S is available for review at the offices of Fellows & Quenzer LLC and the Denver Probate Court.

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Legal Notice No: 8735 First Publication: November 29, 2018 Last Publication: December 13, 2018 Publisher: Denver Herald Dispatch

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November 29, 2018

SANTA FROM PAGE 10

Training is intense Susen Mesco has been training Santas for 37 years. She’s the president of American Events and Promotions in Denver and is de facto instructor for all things Santa. On the first day of class, Mesco hands her aspiring Santas a piece of paper and asks them to write down the top 15 speed-dial contacts on Santa’s phone. Most come up with the typical Mrs. Claus and maybe the head elf. The first lesson Mesco teaches them is to think outside the box. How about Santa’s dentist? Or the people working in the “distribution department”? It’s an exercise to get the men who look like Santa to start thinking like Santa. “Santa starts to see himself as this alter-ego that pulls him into a 3-D life,” Mesco said. “Pretending is exhausting. Being is not. You don’t put on your costume, you put on your outfit.” To Mesco, a Lafayette resident, details are vital. The authenticity of the Santa depiction is what can leave a child with a lasting memory. And Mesco leaves no stone unturned. She teaches courses in sign language and child development psychology. Santas go to the toy store to learn about the hottest toys available. Santas learn how to speak differently to a 3-year-old than to a 5-year-old, how to interact with autistic children and how to answer the impossible questions like “Santa, are you real?” “Virtually nothing blindsides them because they’ve learned to think like

Santa,” Mesco said. “It is the highlight of the child year, spending time with this magical creature. It should matter to you as much as it matters to the child.” With a great beard . . . Mike Cawthra’s favorite color is blue. It’s the color he wears most often in the spring and summer, and it’s the color of his 2009 Ford Mustang with the license plate that reads SLEIGH2. Cawthra, of Lakewood, graduated from Mesco’s Santa school in 2008. A retired elementary school teacher of 31 years, Cawthra’s Santa is one that loves to tell stories. Expressing the personality of the men performing as Santa can make a child’s experience special, Mesco said. Of course, Cawthra’s beard is real. His makeup has touches of glitter in it. Even his fake eyelashes are white. It’s a detail Mesco proudly claims as part of her “spare-no-detail” mentality. Cawthra is Santa during the Christmas season. The rest of the 10 months, he’s just Mike — Mike who wears blue and drives a blue Mustang and happens to have a long white beard and white hair. “God gave me white hair and I use my powers for good,” Cawthra said. “It’s incredibly rewarding, but it’s not who I am 365 days a year. It’s fun, but it’s not all of life.” Though he’s not “Santa” all year, Cawthra still bears the responsibility of being Santa to any child who asks. That’s why he always carries with him special-made coins that say “Santa caught me being good” to reinforce his character, even if he’s wearing blue instead of red.

“Every once in a while, in the summer, when somebody says something to ‘Santa,’ you’ve got to be able to come up with an answer,” Cawthra said. “If you do something rude or crude, people will say ‘That’s not very Santa-like.’ ” Retaining the Santa character is often more work than the performance itself. Santas have to stay in shape, lest their legs become too weak for children to sit on (in one recent 2 1/2hour photo session, Cawthra saw 150 children) or Santa catches the flu from a child (Mesco said most Santas go through five pairs of gloves a day). There’s the Society of Santas and the International Brotherhood of Real-Bearded Santas — social Santa meet-up groups for Santas to trade notes and join in fellowship. Some men choose to be Santa all the time. One man, Cawthra recalled, changed his legal name to Santa Claus. Once the Christmas season is over, Santa Mike will go back to Mike Cawthra. Some Santas, like Austin, will work well until New Year’s for the Russian Orthodox Christmas — which requires a completely different look. For most it will spell the end of another year of photo shoots, performances and readings of “The Night Before Christmas.” “Dec. 25, it’s a little bit of a letdown, because you’ve been going and going, and you’ve been getting all of this positive energy, and then it’s over,” Cawthra said. “I’m back to being just me. It takes a little while to readjust. It’s very rewarding, and the reward isn’t all money, either. It’s all of the emotions you get from people — and the smiles.”

HUMANS FROM PAGE 12

Money for Momo to move into assisted living isn’t available either — Erik has worked in maintenance at St. Paul’s school for years and doesn’t have savings, nor does Dierdre, who has an office job. During the play, Gray’s Momo sleeps a lot, babbles some and perks up to participate in a family prayer — until near the end … Nicely portrayed by Gray, a veteran local actor, educator and frequent dialogue coach, who keeps a lid on it. Hart, as father Erik, often dominates a scene. On edge, in his first visit to New York City since 9/11, he tends to discount his daughters’ opinions — and/or fails to understand them. I found myself getting angry with him — which is exactly the desired response. And the widely experienced Butler, as Dierdre, tries to hold things together, relying on her faith to make things right. She’s the familial glue … The legendary mother figure — sure she’s right, not willing to accept her daughters’ choices, but loving them. Strong delivery here. I felt that later in the 90-minute play, actors were shouting at each other fairly consistently, which diluted the effectiveness of the well-crafted dialogue — we wondered about director Dee Covington’s reasoning for that increased noise level, especially when each cast member was so skilled at expressing Karam’s words and feelings. The ending, by contrast, is quiet and spooky! The air leaves the room …

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