AUGUST 23, 2018
ALL INKED UP Tattoo culture is evolving in the metro area P14
75 CENTS
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
Brewery plans hit bump that delays opening date
New farming community developing in Franktown 365-acre project will offer residents sustainable living without the heavy lifting
BY TOM MUNDS TMUNDS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Assuming that work progresses on the most recent schedule, Elizabeth Brewing Co. will open for business in September, after delays in construction prevented the planned August opening. Emily Briggs, a member of the development group behind the brewery taking shape on Main Street in Elizabeth, said the construction didn’t quite go as planned, but it is still moving forward so the business can open next month. The brewery will be located in the historic Carlson Building, and Briggs said adapting the 1890s-era building required additional work. “We plan to but the brewery on the first floor and set up a taproom on the second floor,” Briggs said. SEE BREWERY, P10
Locally Owned & Operated
BY NICK PUCKETT NPUCKETT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Work is underway that will make the historic Carlson Building on Main Street home to the Elizabeth Brewing Co. Plans are to be brewing beer that will be available in the Carlson’s second-floor taproom by September. TOM MUNDS
On the front porch of a farmhouse in Franktown, Paige McLaughlin paused to let the silence make her point for her. “It doesn’t get much better than this,” she said finally. The haze from nearby wildfires shielded the picturesque view of the mountains. From memory, McLaughlin pointed out exactly where Pikes Peak should be. Acres of farmland stretch to the western horizon and as far as the eye can see in each direction, north to south, along Flintwood Road. SEE FARMING, P10
Invest in a Money Market Account $1,000-$9,999 .50% APY • $10,000-$49,999 .60% APY $50,000-$99,999 .70% APY • $100,000 & up 1.00% APY Banking the way it used to be...
Call Today for more info! 303-840-8484
16790 Centre Court, Parker • TheChampionBank.com *Annual Percentage Yield is accurate as of 8/10/18. *Minimum balance to obtain APY is $1,000. *Fees may reduce earnings on account. *Each depositor is FDIC-insured up to applicable limits. *For additional terms and conditions, call 303-840-8484. *Rate may change after the account is opened.
PERIODICAL
DID YOU KNOW INSIDE
The median sales price of a single-family home in Elbert County in July was $492,950, up 7.1 percent over a year ago.
Source: Denver Metro Association of Realtors
VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 9 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 123 | ISSUE 30
2 Elbert County News
August 23, 2018A
‘He inspires people to have commitment’ New Superintendent Thomas Tucker sets high goals for the Douglas County School District BY ALEX DEWIND ADEWIND@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
major central Ohio district. He is the only superintendent in the country to earn both the American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent of the Year Award and the National Alliance of Black School Educators National Superintendent of the Year Award. Bobby Moore, founder of EPIC Impact Education Group, a national education consulting organization, nominated Tucker for the first honor. The two met more than 10 years ago when they were principals in Ohio school districts. Moore describes Tucker as an advocate for teachers and parents, a man of compassion and empathy, a sports junkie, a great listener. “Thomas is truly inspiring,” Moore said. “He inspires people to have commitment. He inspires people to be creative. He inspires people to want to work together. He’s the district’s biggest cheerleader.” In 2015, Tucker was named superintendent of the Princeton City School District, serving 5,633 students in the Cincinnati metro area. DCSD is 12 times that size, Colorado’s third-largest district with 68,000 students. The challenge doesn’t daunt him. “Leadership is leadership,” Tucker said. “If you are an effective leader in small or medium district, you can be an effective leader in a large district.”
SEE TUCKER, P8
Art in the Park August 25–26, 2018 • Parker, Colorado Saturday 10 am to 5 pm • Sunday 10 am to 4 pm Artisans will exhibit their original work for sale
Presented by the Parker Artists Guild Free Admission
Kids Art Station•Food Music by “Bad Candy” Victorian Dr.
O’Brien Park
parkerartistsguild.com
ad . Parker Ro
Hwy. 83/S
Painting, photo, glass, wood, metal, jewelry, pottery & more!
NORTH
E. Mains
treet
r.
sports, competing in baseball, football, basketball and track. Tucker graduated first in his class from college, receiving a bachelor’s degree in English education from Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas. He went on to earn a master’s in educational administration and a doctorate in higher education, student affairs and communication from Ohio State University in Columbus. Jardine Middle School in Topeka, Kansas, first hired Tucker as a reading and English teacher. He also coached football, basketball and track. From there, he went on to hold positions of assistant principal, principal, director of secondary curriculum and superintendent of three school districts in suburban and inner-city areas of Ohio. Those districts ranged in size and demographics, from a majority of white students to a majority of black students, to a large percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The largest district he previously led as superintendent was Worthington City School District in Columbus with about 9,900 students. “I’ve enjoyed all my jobs,” Tucker said, “but being able to work with young people on day-to-day basis and seeing them mature is what really excites me.” Tucker was the first African-American upper-level administrator in a
ak D
Becoming a leader in education Born and raised in Arkansas, Tucker was the youngest of 11 children. His mother and father were farmers. When it came to education, Tucker’s parents didn’t allow him to make excuses, he said. Failure was not an option. In high school, he excelled in
Superintendent Thomas Tucker says “being able to work with young people on a dayto-day basis and seeing them mature is what really excites me.” ALEX DEWIND
S. Pik es Pe
Thomas Tucker’s grandparents, both sharecroppers in rural Arkansas, taught themselves how to read. Then they taught their children to read the Bible. They learned math so they could negotiate the best price for their cotton. That educational drive, the determination to succeed, influenced Tucker to be a teacher. “Family,” Tucker said, “is everything to me. I’m called to do this job because of family.” On July 1 — 29 years after he started his career as a teacher — Tucker, 52, became the Douglas County School District’s newest superintendent. A man who exudes intensity and respect, Tucker lights up as he talks about his experience in public schools. In elementary school, his favorite teacher was Mrs. Babbs. She made sure every student in third grade knew how to count before moving to fourth grade. “Each teacher was a dream keeper,” paving the way for success, said Tucker, sitting in a conference room of the school district’s administrative building in Castle Rock earlier this month. “There is no greater thing that we can do in our lifetime than to empower others to be successful, to be self-sufficient, to be self-reliant.” His discussions about education always circle back to one priority: the students. “Teachers don’t go into education to get rich,” Tucker said. “We go into this profession to make a difference in the lives of young people.”
Looking back Douglas County School District had been on Tucker’s radar since 2006, when he was director of secondary curriculum at Hilliard City School District in Columbus. He had been looking across the country for school districts with innovative models of learning, he said, when he came across Douglas County. At the time, he was doing research for his own district. “This district for a long time didn’t settle with the state’s curriculum,” Tucker said of Douglas County. “People were not afraid to innovate and empower young people to achieve their dreams and successes. They were not afraid to look at curriculum as a starting point.” That was three years before a school board election in 2009, when Douglas County voters elected a majority of conservative members who introduced new policies that, to many critics, changed the district too severely and too quickly. The former board hired Elizabeth Fagen as superintendent in 2010, then enacted several reforms — including a controversial voucher program and an evaluation-based pay system — that community members say spurred an exodus of teachers. Last year, the district suspended the pay system and rescinded the voucher program. In 2015, the district saw a shift in direction when voters elected three candidates who opposed the reform policies: David Ray, Wendy Vogel and Anne-Marie Lemieux. The following year, Fagen left the district for a position in the Humble Independent School District in Texas. The district hired Erin Kane, the former executive director at American Academy in Parker, to serve as interim superintendent. Last November, four candidates who community members referred to as the “anti-reform team” — Anthony Graziano, Chris Schor, Kevin Leung and Krista Holtzmann — were elected to the school board, signaling a change in power. Among their first tasks was finding a permanent superintendent. On April 5, after a nationwide search, the board unanimously hired Tucker.
O’Brien Park Mainstreet & Parker Rd. Parker, CO
Elbert County News 3
August 23, 2018
Women’s 2018
Health and Beauty Expo Saturday, October 20, 2018 | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Belmar Shopping Center • 464 S. Teller St., Lakewood Presented by Colorado Community Media in coordination with Belmar Shopping Center
The Women’s Health and Beauty Expo includes: •Education and motivation •Health screenings provided by the Central CO Area Health Education Center •Entertainment •Food •Spa Treatments
Get e d and i ucated -Alte nformed rnativ in:
-Men e medicin tal e, -Weig health -Phys ht loss ical And M health ore
•Beauty services •Exclusive shopping with crafters and retailers •Nonprofits offering vital community services
Free
to the Public
We are looking for Sponsors and Vendors!
Non-profits can receive a free booth while space is available Contact your Event Producer Thelma Grimes at tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com www.coloradocommunitymedia.com/womens-health-expo/
4 Elbert County News
August 23, 2018A
HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Editor’s note: Send new listings or changes to hharden@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Deadline is noon Wednesday a week before publication. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide: Offers free tax filing help to anyone, especially those 50 and older. Need: Volunteers to to help older, lower-income taxpayers prepare their tax returns. Requirement: All levels of experience are welcome; training and support provided. Contact: 1-888-OUR-AARP (6872277) or www.aarpfoundation. org/taxaide Alzheimer’s Association, Colorado Chapter: Provides care and support to 67,000-plus families dealing with all kinds of dementing illnesses. Need: Walk to End Alzheimer’s committee members. Requirements: Individuals who love to help plan and execute. Our Walk to End Alzheimer’s attracts more than 10,000 people, so planning committee members are essential. Contact: Deb Wells, 303-813-1669 or dwells@alz.org. Animal Rescue of the Rockies: Provides foster care for shelter dogs and cats in Colorado Need: Foster families for animals on lists to be euthanized Contact: www.animalrescueoftherockies.org.
Arthritis Foundation, Colorado/ Wyoming Chapter: Helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to care, advancements in sciences and community connections. Need: Walk to Cure Arthritis committee members and general office volunteer support. Requirements: Individuals who love to help plan and execute Walk to Cure Arthritis. We combat arthritis every day, so support from volunteers so that we can serve people is crucial. Contact: Amy Boulas, aboulas@ arthritis.org, 720-409-3143. ASSE International Student Exchange Program: Organizes student exchange programs Need: Local host families to provide homes for boys and girls age 15-18 from a variety of coutries. Contact: Cathy Hintz, 406-4888325 or 800-733-2773 AYUSA: International Youth Exchange Program: Promotes quality exchange programs for high school students from around the world. Need: Host families for international high school students ages 15-18 studying in the Denver area. Requirements: To provide students with a safe home, meals and transportation for 5-10 months. All family types are considered. Must fill out onlilne application and pass background check.
Contact: Adrienne Bivens, 720-4676430 or abivens@ayusa.org. Go to www.ayusa.org. Castle Rock Senior Activity Center: Provides services to local seniors Need: Volunteer drivers to take seniors to appointments, the grocery store, pharmacies and more. Contact: Steph Schroeder, 303688-9498 Colorado Humane Society: Handles animal abuse and neglect cases Need: Volunteers to care for pregnant cats, dogs and their litters, as well as homes for cats and dogs that require socializing or that are recovering from surgery or injuries. Contact: Teresa Broaddus, 303-9613925 Court Appointed Special Advocates: Works with abused and neglected children in Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties Need: Advocates for children, to get to know, speak up for and ensure their best interests in court Contact: 303-695-1882 or www. adv4children.org. Douglas/Elbert Task Force: Provides assistance to people in Douglas and Elbert counties who are in serious economic need, at risk of homelessness or in similar crisis. Need: Volunteers to assist in the
food bank, client services and the thrift store Treasures on Park Street. Contact: Marion Dahlem, 303-6881114, ext. 32 Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center: Cares for homeless horses and other equines. Need: Volunteers to work with horses and other opportunities. Requirements: Must be 16 years old, pass a background check, and be able to commit to at least three hours a week for three months. Other Information: Two-hour orientation provides an overview of the services provided, learn about the volunteer opportunities, take a tour of the center, and talk with staff and volunteers. Contact: 303-751-5772 or go to www.ddfl.org. Elbert County Sheriff’s Posse: Supports the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of Emergency Management with detentions support, patrol, administrative duties, event security, emergency services support, and call-outs as need arises. Need: With proper training and clearances, volunteers help with patrol, fingerprinting, records keeping, community event security services, disaster response and management (wildfire, tornado, blizzard, flood, disaster relief, etc.). Requirements: Must be 21 years of age or older; retired individuals are great. Must complete
a employment application, pass a background check, and complete interviews. After being sworn in, in the first three months of membership, complete a minimum of 45 hours of orientation and training curriculum. After this 90-day probationary period, members must log a minimum of 10 hours of month and attend monthly training meetings. Persons ages 15-20, may join the Elbert County Sheriffs Explorer POST that is associated with the Posse. Contact: David Peontek at djp1911@ msn.com or 303-646-5456. Go to http://www.elbertcountysheriff. com/posse.html; print out and complete an employment application and turn it into the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office in Kiowa, “Attn: David Peontek.”
Girl Scouts of Colorado Need: Troop leaders, office support, administrative help and more Age requirement: Men and women, 18 and older Contact: www.girlscoutsofcolorado. org, inquiry@gscolorado.org or 1-877-404-5708 Hospice at Home Need: Volunteers help patients and their families with respite care, videotaping, massage and other tasks. Home study training is available. Contact 303-698-6404 SEE VOLUNTEERS, P6
Elbert County News 5
August 23, 2018
More and larger homes present ‘bigger target for hailstorms to hit’ SM
Andreas Prein, Climate modeling scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research
INSURANCE PREFERRED CLAIM EXPERTS MANUFACTURER PREFERRED
www.JKRoofing.com Serving the greater Denver Metro area and the foothills.
Best of the Best!
ia
Thank you for voting us or
do
a
Prein said. But it will inhibit two hail-producing conditions, he said. Warmer temperatures will expand higher into the atmosphere, so falling hailstones have more time to melt before hitting the ground. And differences in wind speed and direction will subside, he said. Climate change will make the atmosphere more moist, but the effect that will have on hailstones isn’t clear, he said. Kristen Rasmussen, an assistant professor at Colorado State University, said the combined effects of climate change will probably inhibit the number of weaker storms but increase the number of severe ones. “So we actually think that’s why we’re seeing a decrease in the number of weak to moderate storms and an increase in the most severe storms,’’ she said. “If those storms are able to break through this inhibition, they ... have the potential to be more severe, and they can tap into more energy when they do so.” The researchers said they need more data to understand the relationship between climate change and hailstorms. Improved science could also help predict hailstorms and calculate risks better, they said. The Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Andes in South America and the Himalayas all have conditions that make them hotspots for hail, Rasmussen said. A May 2017 hailstorm in the Denver area caused $2.3 billion in insurance losses. Earlier this month, hail injured 14 people in Colorado Springs and killed at least five animals at the city zoo. Damage estimates were still being compiled.
C ol
Hailstorms inflict billions of dollars in damage yearly in North America alone, and the cost will rise as the growing population builds ,more homes, offices and factories, climate and weather experts said. The role of climate change in hailstorms is harder to assess, the experts said Aug. 14 at a conference at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. Climate change will likely make large hailstorms worse, but population growth is more of a certainty, said Andreas Prein, a climate modeling scientist at the atmospheric research center. “We know pretty certain that we will have more people in the future, and they will have more stuff, and this stuff can be damaged,” Prein said. “I think this component is more certain than what we can say about climate change at the moment.” This year is expected to be the 11th in a row in which the damage from severe storms exceeds $10 billion in the United States, and 70 percent of that cost comes from hail, said Ian Giammanco, a research meteorologist for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. “It’s such a huge driver of the dollar loss each year,” he said. Costs are rising in the U.S. because homes are getting bigger, from about 1,700 square feet in the early 1980s to 2,500 square feet in 2015, he said. New subdivisions also pack homes in more tightly, Giammanco said. “So it’s a bigger target for hailstorms to hit,” he said. The effects of climate change on hail and the resulting damage are harder to calculate because hailstorms require distinct ingredients, and global warming affects them in different ways, Prein said. To form, hailstorms require moisture, an updraft, variable winds and freezing temperatures at lower levels of the storm cloud, he said. Updrafts lift water droplets into the clouds, where they attract other droplets and freeze together, scientists say. Winds of varying speed and direction keep the droplets suspended in the cloud long enough to grow into hailstones. When they eventually fall, freezing temperatures in the cloud keep them from melting before they hit warmer air closer to the ground. Climate change will likely increase updrafts, helping hailstones form,
CALM AFTER THE STORM
Call for a FREE INSPECTION!
303-425-7531
ed
BY DAN ELLIOTT ASSOCIATED PRESS
‘We know pretty certain that we will have more people in the future, and they will have more stuff, and this stuff can be damaged.’
M
Experts search for reasons behind increasing costs of damage from hail
C o m m u nit
y
6 Elbert County News
August 23, 2018A
Education tax measure makes November ballot Initiative 93 would get more school funding from state’s top earners STAFF REPORT
Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams announced Aug. 9 that a proposed constitutional amendment that would boost income taxes to raise money for education made the ballot. Initiative 93, also known as Great Schools, Thriving Communities or Amendment 73, is the first citizen-initiated ballot measure to make the Nov. 6 general election ballot. It involves a complex formula for raising income taxes among the state’s top earners to raise money for education. Colorado law requires that ballot-measure backers turn in
98,492 valid voter signatures — 5 percent of the total of votes cast for all candidates in the last Secretary of State general election, which was in 2014. In addition, the voter-approved Amendment 71 in 2016 changed the requirements for proposed constitutional amendments. The education measure must pass with a 55-percent majority rather than a simple majority in November, and supporters were required to collect signatures of 2 percent of registered voters in each of the state’s 35 Senate districts. Amendment 73 would raise $1.6 billion a year in additional, sustainable revenue for Colorado’s public schools, bringing them closer to the national average in school funding. Revenue will be deposited in the Quality Public Education Fund, a new, dedicated state education fund that would allocate revenue equitably to every Colorado school district. Six other initiatives are still under review. The results of the review must be announced by Sept. 5.
VOLUNTEERS FROM PAGE 4
Hospice of Covenant Care: Nonprofit, faithbased hospice Need: Volunteers to support patients and families Contact: 303-731-8039 Meals on Wheels: Delivers meals to residents in Englewood, southern Jefferson County and western Arapahoe County Need: Drivers to deliver meals; volunteers to help prepare, box and label meals Requirements: Must dedicate one to two hours a week Contact: Phil or Mary at 303-798-7642 (from 8 a.m. to noon Mondays through Fridays) Neighbor Network: Nonprofit that helps older adults stay independent. Serves all of Douglas County Need: Volunteers who can provide transportation, light housekeeping, handyman and companion services to seniors. Requirements: Must be at least 21 years old and have a valid driver’s license and auto insurance. Contact: 303-814-4300, neighbornetwork@ douglas.co.us or dcneighbornetwork.org. Parker Senior Center: Provides services to local seniors. Need: Volunteer drivers to take seniors to the center for a hot meal, to appointments, to the grocery store, and more. Contact: Louise West at 303-841-5370. PeopleFirst Hospice: Denver hospice
Need: Volunteers to provide companionship to hospice patients and their families. Contact: Rachel Wang at 303-546-7921 Red Cross: Supports the elderly, international causes and social services Need: Volunteers to provide support Contact: 303-607-4768 or 303-266-7855 Sunset Hospice: Provides end-of-life support Need: Volunteer training is from 6-10 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesdays; they also meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every first and third Saturday Contact: Jami Martin at 303-693-2105 The Right Step Inc.: Therapeutic horseback riding program for children and adults with disabilities. Based in Littleton. Need: Volunteers to help with horses before, during and after lessons, as well as to walk alongside clients as they ride to help keep them securely on their horses. Volunteers also needed to help with administrative tasks and fundraising. Requirements: Volunteers who help with lessons must be at least 14 years old and attend a three-hour training session. Contact: volunteercoordinator@therightstepinc.org or go to www.therightstepinc.org. Volunteers of America, Foster Grandparent Program: Foster grandparents volunteer in early childhood centers and public schools focusing on literacy and numeracy for at-risk children and youth. Need: Seniors on a low, fixed income who enjoy working with children. Volunteers work 15-40 hours a week. Contact: 303-297-0408 or www.voacolorado.org.
Holiday
Craft Show and Mini-Market Admission is free to the public Saturday Nov. 24
10am - 5pm
Sunday Nov. 25
10am - 4pm
Jefferson County Fairgrounds
15200 W. 6th Ave. Golden, CO.
Come shop for unique gifts and special items during the first-ever Colorado Community Media Holiday Craft Show and Mini-Market; With more than 100 exhibitors filling the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, this is the best place to find that special, personal gift for friends and family. The show will feature handmade crafts in all areas from metal and leather, to flowers, baskets, ceramics, and so much more.
Vendors Needed | Interested in selling your handmade crafts??
Contact Event Producer Thelma Grimes at tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com All applications must be approved to participate
Elbert County News 7
August 23, 2018
Helicopter that battles wildfires must find new home Cost to move company could be $1 million, owner says
Douglas County offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 3 in observance of Labor Day. Many county services are available online at www.douglas.co.us
BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Jeff Armstrong knows he has less than 90 days to pick up his firefightinghelicopter business, Rampart Helicopter Services, and move it from its location near Castle Rock. Armstrong’s dilemma, he said, is he doesn’t know where to go. The Douglas County man has run Rampart from unincorporated land north of Crystal Valley Ranch since 2005 and has a long-standing relationship contracting with Douglas County to provide air support during fires and wildland emergencies. But a 2016 citizen complaint revealed his business was violating the property’s zoning. His property is zoned agricultural, which does not permit operating a commercial helicopter. It sparked an emotional discussion about the company’s future in Douglas County. After years of fighting fires in the community, could Rampart stay, and if not, could it continue working in the county? Armstrong applied to rezone, hoping to bring Rampart into compliance, and agreed to certain mitigation efforts like planting trees to shield his property from neighbors’ views and limiting the number of flights to 75 a year. But county commissioners denied the application July 24 after twice continuing the agenda item, which first arose in May. Commissioner Diane Holbert voted against the motion to deny in a 2-1 vote. In its decision, the county was sticking to its rules: A zoning violation was brought to commissioners’ attention and in two of their opinions, Armstrong couldn’t meet the requirements to rezone. That’s partially because Armstrong’s neighborhood has grown more residential and a commercial zoning could change its character, Commissioners Roger Partridge and Lora Thomas said. Commissioners also heard complaints from Armstrong’s nearest neighbors, Ken and Laurel Maupin, who have lived in their home next door since 1999. Their complaints ranged from noise to dust to traffic on Armstrong’s property. Holbert said the board’s decision should not be based on the emotional testimony from either the Maupins or Armstrong. “It is about the particular zoning request that is being presented to us,” Holbert said. Armstrong believes the board has more leniency in interpreting zoning regulations than it used in deliberating the issue, but he’s respecting the decision. He estimated the cost of relocating could be near $1 million — to purchase
Labor Day
Youth Congress seeks youth delegates Rampart Helicopter Services has been operating out of land in unincorporated Douglas County since 2005. FILE PHOTO a commercial property, transport hazmat materials like the helicopter’s fuel, move equipment and construct a hanger if one does not exist on the new site. “I’ve got to move stuff that you don’t just move overnight,” he said. Armstrong hopes to relocate “anywhere in Douglas County that will take me” and doesn’t have plans to sever ties working with the county, he said. He’s looked near Franktown and said he is in talks with the county about county-owned land near Moore Road. Still, he has concerns about that location as well, predicting development will continue through the county and the Moore Road location will eventually shift residential. “It’s just a matter of time before somebody complains about the helicopter,” he said, “and we do this all over again.” If Armstrong doesn’t find a location in Douglas County he’s considering Elbert County but also locations near Canyon City, Salida and Rifle. He’s not comfortable asking his pilot to fly over the Rockies, and any location of that sort could mean the end of his time working in Douglas County, he said. Speaking from inside his empty hangar on Aug. 15 — his pilot, Brian Toomey, and the Rampart helicopter were responding to a fire near Aspen — Armstrong said he’s grateful for community members who rallied around him as news of the decision spread. Days after the board’s decision, a Change.org petition racked up thousands of signatures calling on the county board to let Armstrong stay at his current location. By the morning of Aug. 15 approximately 3,900 people had signed, and the number climbed to over 4,100 the following morning. The petition was started by Mindy Hernandez, a resident of Cobblestone Ranch in Castle Rock, who said she thinks it’s unfair to make Armstrong move. “I would like them to figure out how to zone Jeff ’s property for commercial use,” she said, “because that’s what the issue is right now.” She plans to bring her petition before the board of commissioners at its next meeting on Aug. 28 and keep it going, depending on the board’s response. “It’s going to stay open,” she said, “until the voice of the community is heard.”
Douglas County youth, in grades 9-12, have an opportunity to become involved as youth delegates at the Douglas County 2018 Youth Congress on Monday, September 24, 8:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the State Capitol building in Denver. To complete your online registration or to learn more about the 2018 Youth Congress visit www.douglas. co.us and search for Youth Congress.
Discover Douglas County Outdoors Summer is in full swing. It’s time to get outside and discover one reason why Douglas County has been named the healthiest County in Colorado and second healthiest in the nation. Visit DCOutdoors.org to learn more.
Funds available to serve at-risk Veterans Emergency assistance is available to veterans struggling with housing (mortgage and rent payments), transportation, employment, healthcare or other emergency needs. To apply for the veterans assistance funds visit www. douglasveterans.org or call 303-663-6200.
What’s happening with your County Government? Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about all public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view agendas for various public meetings, visit www.douglas.co.us and search for Meetings and Agendas.
Online Engagement Tool of the Week
View wait times, renew your driver license, identification card or vehicle registration; update your address, request a driving record, and more.
Visit www.douglas.co.us
8 Elbert County News
TUCKER FROM PAGE 2
“He has already demonstrated his incredible desire to `build bridges’ with everyone who has an investment in the success of our schools,” school board President David Ray said in an email correspondence. “He also brings a great deal of credibility to the position as not only an experienced superintendent, but also one who began his career as a teacher.” Board members said they selected Tucker because of his leadership style and experience in education. Of the three finalists, he best fit a leadership profile created by the school board, which outlined desired qualifications of a permanent superintendent, including a commitment to a “student first” philosophy, strong communication skills and previous experience that would benefit the district’s financial health. “Certainly one aspect why Dr. Tucker was selected was for his experience within all facets of education, but even more important to me was his vision and belief of what the Douglas County School District could be,” board member Anthony Graziano said. “He was very impressed with its achievements, but deeply and truly believes we can be an even greater school district.” Not all community members agreed with the school board’s decision to conduct a national search and hire Tucker. Smith Young used to work at IBM as a senior executive architect. Now retired, the Parker resident spends his free time following the school district.
August 23, 2018A
‘He has already demonstrated his incredible desire to ‘build bridges’ with everyone who has an investment in the success of our schools.’ David Ray, Douglas County School Board president
He would have liked to have seen Kane named permanent superintendent. She applied for the position, but the school board did not select her as a top-three finalist. “I don’t think it was justified to go spend the time and money or the resources,” Young said of the national search. “But of course, it was political and for a specific purpose.” That purpose, Young said, is to pass a tax measure, which he would not support. Young also worries about the difference in size of Tucker’s past districts and Douglas County School District. “To come from such a small school district, realistically, your expectations can only be so high,” Young said. But others are excited about having Tucker at the helm. Les Lilly, who has worked at the district for 37 years as a bus driver, is hopeful that under Tucker’s leadership, the district’s unity will be restored. He believes politics has played a part in district and community strife. “I think I see Dr. Tucker as being able
to stand up to some of that political pressure,” Lilly said. “The checks and the balances will be there. It’s not about politics. It’s about kids.” Mark Caldwell, also a bus driver at the district, spent about six hours with Tucker on one of his visits to Douglas County, driving him to interviews and schools. They ate lunch together a few times. “He is a wonderful listener,” Caldwell said. “When you are speaking, he is listening to what you are saying. He’s not reformulating anything.” Challenges ahead Besides restoring community trust, another challenge Tucker faces is funding. The last time Douglas County passed a local bond or mill levy override for additional funding was in 2006, when voters approved a $200 million bond and $5 million mill levy override. In 2008 and 2011, however, voters rejected bond and mill levy override measures that would have gone toward construction of new schools, teacher pay and technological advances. Neighboring districts, such as Jefferson County Public Schools and Cherry Creek School District, have passed tax measures in the past 10 years. The increase in funding has allowed those districts to pay teachers a notably higher amount than Douglas County: Jeffco’s average teacher pay for the 2017-18 school year was $57,154, according to the Colorado Department of Education. Cherry Creek’s was $71,711. Douglas County’s was $53,080. Not only are salaries lagging, but schools are suffering as well, officials say. According to DCSD’s master capital plan, the district needs between $303 million and $403 million in building repairs. Douglas County High School, for example, requires more than $17 million in repairs to its original plumbing and heating, pipes, carpets and windows. In his former roles as superintendent, Tucker successfully helped his districts pass every mill levy override and bond measure put on the ballot. He credits community engagement with a focus on student achievement. “We’ve never failed an MLO (mill levy override) or bond because of engagement, being able to make the case for the need,” he said. “We plan on doing the same thing here.” At the Aug. 7 school board meeting, Tucker recommended a $250 million bond and a $40 million mill levy override. Board members will vote on the recommendation at an Aug. 21 meeting beginning at 6 p.m. at the district’s administrative building in Castle Rock, 620 Wilcox St.
In upcoming weeks, Thomas plans to visit school buildings and businesses in the county to build rapport with district staff, students and residents. “We are going to ensure that (teachers) feel like empowered, valued, trusted members of our school community,” Tucker said. “We also need to take care of the financial part to ensure folks can afford to live in Douglas County and won’t have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet.” Tucker’s presence in the community is refreshing, several teachers said. Kim Clever, who teaches at Douglas County High School, met Tucker at a meet-and-greet on July 13 at the district’s administrative building. His effort to connect with teachers sets him apart from the last permanent superintendent, she said. “He is going to be in our buildings,” Clever said. Room for improvement When he’s not leading a school district, Tucker enjoys reading, watching sports, playing board games. He plans on joining an Episcopal church. “He is a man of faith,” his longtime friend, Moore, said. “There is a really soft human side to Thomas. He has always been a person that puts family first.” Tucker is married with four children, ages 27, 16, 14 and 10. His wife, Janae, is an elementary school teacher. Tucker found a home in Highlands Ranch, but his wife and kids will stay in Ohio until his two middle children graduate from high school. They are being recruited for college academic and athletic opportunities, Tucker said. It’s important that his kids have a voice in their education, he said. He takes that belief into his workday: Tucker describes his leadership as collaborative — a team player who listens and respects everyone in the district from students to classified employees to members of his cabinet. “It’s important that our students know me and that I know as many of our students and staff members as possible,” Tucker said. “It’s important that I have an understanding of what is going on in the classrooms, what is going on in each of my buildings. If I don’t understand, I can’t articulate to parents what is going on.” He said he recognizes the existing academic challenges: a shortage of funding nationwide, preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, prepping students for success after high school. “Every student should not feel as if he or she has to attend a two- or four-year college after high school,” he said. “We have a moral and educational obligation to ensure that each student is prepared to go to higher education and to demanding careers without remediation.” He wants the district’s 90.4 percent graduation rate to reach 100 percent. He foresees more partnerships with local business, colleges and universities. He wants staff to have more professional development opportunities. Douglas County School District embodies a “culture of excellence” with high student achievement, Tucker said. But, he added, there is always room for improvement. “Our goal,” Tucker said, “is to get better each year.”
August 23, 2018
Parker Knit-a-Thon to Benefit Breast Cancer Survivors: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25 at Parker Library, Event Room B, 20105 Mainstreet. Needle workers gather to make Knitted Knockers to donate to post-mastectomy breast cancer survivor. Pastel Paintings Dazzle at Mile High National Pastel Exhibition: on display through Aug. 27 at Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center. 20000 Pikes Peak Ave. in Parker. The Mile High National Pastel Exhibition features 80 pastel paintings. Visit www. pastelsocietyofcolorado.org. Lessons and Lemonade: 9:30-11 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturday Sept. 8 at Hobby Lobby, 10901 S. Parker Road, Parker. Parker Artist Guild classes for children in grades 4-8. All teachers are professional artists and members of the Parker Artists Guild. Registration required; Contact judypendleton4@gmail.com. The Fundamentals of Improv Comedy: Sept. 13 to Nov. 15 at The PACE Center, 20000 Mainstreet, Parker. An 8-week course in the basics of improv comedy, helping students grow in self-confidence and creativity while having a ton of fun. Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2652180?pid=4951.
THINGS to DO HSE Prep Class: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27 at Douglas County Libraries in Parker, 20105 East Mainstreet. Instruction, assessment and practice for those preparing to take high school equivalency exams. Ages 17-plus. Registration is required at 303791-7323 or DCL.org. Hilltop Schoolhouse Welcomes You to “Back to School” Open House: 10 a.m to 3 p.m, Sept. 16 at Hilltop Schoolhouse, 5748 Flintwood Road, Parker. The 1898 Hilltop Schoolhouse opens each September to the surrounding communities to learn about Hilltop, the once thriving railroad stop halfway between Parker and Elizabeth, in fun ways. Free event.
Book Clubs: sci-fi/fantasy book club, 5:30-6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays at the Elizabeth Library; Kiowa book club, 7-8 p.m. the fourth Monday at the Kiowa Library; Elizabeth book club, 7-8 p.m. the third Tuesday at Elizabeth Library; Brown Bag book club, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the fourth Thursday at Elizabeth
Library; Elbert book club, the last Thursday of the month at the Elbert Library; Diverse & Rowdy book club, 9:30-10:30 a.m. the second Saturday at the Simla Library. pplibraries.org Anime Nights: Watch and discuss anime, snacks provided. 7-9 p.m. the first and third Mondays at Kiowa Library; second and fourth Mondays at the Elizabeth Library. pplibraries.org. Garden Clubs: Seedy Ladies, 1-3 p.m. the fourth Monday at the Elbert Library; Gardeners/ Homesteaders, 11 a.m. to noon the third Saturday at the Simla Library. pplibraries.org GED Preparation & Career Online High School: GED preparation and coaching throughout. COHS allows students 19-plus to earn a certified high school diploma. Call 303-646-3416; pplibraries.org Movie Night: Popcorn and movie. Every Friday night 5-7 p.m. at the Kiowa Library. pplibraries.org Knitting & Crocheting Groups: Simla Witty Knitters, 3:30-5 p.m. Tuesdays at the Simla Library; Close Knit Crochet Group, 2-3 p.m. Wednesdays at the Kiowa Library; Hats for the Homeless 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays at the Elizabeth Library. pplibraries.org
STEAM Activities: Science/Technology/Engineering/Art/Math fun for kids. Mondays 1:30 to 3 p.m., Wednesdays 4:14 to 5:45 p.m. and Fridays 4 to 5:15 p.m. at the Simla Library; Wednesdays 4-6 p.m. at the Kiowa Library. pplibraries.org Story Time: Help your little one build literacy skills by interacting with engaging stories, followed by a craft. Kids and adults alike make new friends. Mondays at 2 pm at the Elbert Library; Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at the Elizabeth Library; Wednesdays at 1:30 pm at the Simla Library; Fridays at 11 a.m. at the Kiowa Library. pplibraries.org Playing Cards: Go fish, slap jack, black jack you name it. Mondays 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Elbert Library; Thursdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Elizabeth Library. pplibraries.org Teen Game Night: Enjoy table top and video games. Mondays 5 to 6 p.m. at the Simla Library; Thursdays 6-9 pm at the Kiowa Library; Fridays 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Elizabeth Library. Want pure competitive gaming? Teen Tournament League every Tuesday 6-9 pm at the Kiowa Library. pplibraries.org Trading Card Club: Bring your cards (Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic the Gathering) and have fun. Every Monday 3:30-7 pm at the Kiowa Library. pplibraries.org
Elbert County News 9
We Create: Make art and more from old books 4-5 p.m. Thursdays at Simla Library. pplibraries.org Elizabeth Library Book Sale: gently used books, at the Elizabeth Library. Stocked by Friends of the Elizabeth Library. All sales benefit the library. Outback Express: public transit service provided by the East Central Council of Local Governments; 24-hour notice appreciated. Call Kay Campbell, 719541-4275, or 800-825-0208 for reservations. Go to www.eccog. com for reservations, information and each month’s schedule. Lawyers at the Library: 6-8 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at the Elizabeth Library. Free legal clinic. Volunteer attorneys answer questions, help fill out forms and explain process and procedure for the areas of family law, civil litigation, criminal defense, property law, probate law, collections, appeals, landlord-tenant law and civil protection orders. Walk-ins welcome. First-come, first-served basis. pplibraries.org Editor’s note: Calendar submissions must be received by noon Wednesday for publication the following week. To place a calendar item, go to eventlink. coloradocommunitymedia.com.
MAKE WAVES TO FIGHT CANCER
MORE THAN A SWIM. WE ARE A CAUSE. Swim to Fight Cancer in Colorado! Join us along with 15 Olympians, including Colorado’s own Missy Franklin & Susan Williams, at Swim Across America Denver’s Open Water Swim at Chatfield Reservoir on August 26th! Go to www.swimacrossamerica.org/denver for information to register to swim half mile, mile or 5K, Volunteer or Donate! There are events for all ages including a Balloon Splash for kids. All funds raised by SAA Denver will benefit pediatric cancer research & clinical trials at Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION AND SUPPORT
10 Elbert County News
August 23, 2018A
FARMING FROM PAGE 1
The 106-year-old farmhouse has since been converted into a sales office for the Fox Hill community development. The 365 acres of farmland and open space just south of Parker used to be mostly hay farms in the late 1980s. Now, Fox Hill is being developed into a community of 92 $1 million homes, about 1 to 4 acres each. The tranquility of the land, in the age of constant connection through social media, could be enough to attract potential homebuyers, McLaughlin said. But people are beginning to pack their bags and move to Fox Hill for another reason: a farming lifestyle without much of the work behind it. Fox Hill opened April 22, Earth Day, of this year with a different kind of community in mind. Instead of a typical community surrounding parks and public pools, Fox Hill will offer its residents the option to join in community agriculture. “It’s the culture of agriculture, that’s what it really is,” McLaughlin said. “It’s about the lifestyle that it provides — the healthy way of living but also for the heart, soul and mind.” A community orchard, vineyard, hopfield, berry patch and an aquaponic greenhouse will eventually be developed on five acres near the original farmhouse. Residents will have the option to participate in several community events like egg harvesting, picking berries and learning to brew from locally grown hops. The optional farm
Doug and Paige McLaughlin and their children live in the Fox Hill community. Doug’s father, Jack, bought the land in the 1980s, when it was mostly hay farms. They have turned the development into a new agrarian community revolving around a sustainable farm, orchard, hopfield and berry patches. COURTESY PHOTO program will be for an additional price yet to be determined. Residents who opt-in will also receive a box of fresh, seasonal produce delivered to their houses weekly. Residents can help farm as much as they like, but are not required to as part of the program. The farming will be left up to a hired hand. “When you think about that, it’s similar to the idea of living in a maintained golf course community,” said Elizabeth Craft, owner of Growing Up Green, the landscape consulting firm designing the farm. “You are paying for the beauty and landscape of the
community already, and some of them may be golfers themselves, but we would never ever require them to go mow those greens.” McLaughlin and her husband, Doug, are partnering with Elizabeth and Kory Craft, who are consultants of Growing Up Green to develop Fox Hill into a shared farming community. Elizabeth and Kory Craft came up with the idea after seeing a similar project they consulted on in Austin, Texas, succeed. “I think because you have the guidance of having professionals there developing it, you can learn as much
RED ROCKS CONCERTS BREWERY
1964
THE #1 BEATLES SHOW
"
IN THE
The The Tribute Tribute
WORLD
"
August 24
September 27 1-888-9-AXS-TIX
FROM PAGE 1
“We found we had to work out a way to strengthen the floor on the first floor to make it strong enough to support the brewing equipment. We have the design and have applied for the building permit from the city and once we get that we will begin work.” The Carlson Building was constructed in the 1890s. Not a lot of information about the building’s history is available. Research information from the Elizabeth Library indicates the building had a variety of uses. For example, it was the Watt and Worthinham General Merchandise store that also sold farm machinery. It was also once home to the Elizabeth Library. Research indicates that in the 1960s and 1970s it was home to artist George Carlson. He was a sculptor and had his studio on the main floor. Later it was a coffee shop, bar and, at one time, it was the offices of the Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce. “There will, of course, be a bar in the taproom, there will be seating at the bar, plus we will have tables set up around the room,” Briggs said. “The room isn’t huge, but the occupancy limit for the building is 64, which will include staff and customers.” Once Elizabeth Brewing Company is up and running Briggs said plans are to have eight microbrews on tap. “We plan to have five brews that are always available, like a pale ale, a brown and a red,” she said. “We also
or as little as you like,” Elizabeth Craft said. “You can reap the benefits of the produce, or you can be part of the production.” This Franktown community is part of a growing trend of similar communities centered around community gardens or agriculture, which are popping up all around the country, according to Becca Jablonski, a food systems economist at Colorado State University. Communities around Colorado, even in more urban areas have sprouted. It’s an attractive way for people to live healthier lifestyles, even if they don’t have a farming background. “There’s a lot of these more innovative models of community agriculture that have emerged over the past decade,” Jablonski said. “This is just another kind of hybrid model for this.” A community of hundreds of acres along the I-76 corridor in Adams County is being developed into several one-to-10-acre farms for sustainable living. People in cities like Detroit and Chicago are making use of vacant lots by farming sustainably. Jablonski said that while these community gardens and farms are not very profitable, they offer a larger social and educational impact to its residents. “For people being able to participate, they’re more likely to support Colorado Proud products,” Jablonski said. “There’s something around the educational and health benefits that really resonates with people. “As we have 80 percent of our population that live in urban areas,” Jablonski said, “they want some connection to the land.”
‘We plan to have five brews that are always available, like a pale ale, a brown and a red.’ Emily Briggs, member of development group behind Elizabeth Brewing Co. plan to have three brews that will change with the seasons.” The brewery is a family project. Emily said her brother Tony has talked about starting a brewery in Elizabeth for a while. “We got together as a family and decided it was time to make it happen,” Emily said. “Together we decided the Carlson Building would be a good location and began working to make it happen.” The building is a registered historic structure and the family wants to preserve that heritage, so no modifications are planned on the outside of the building. Briggs did say that plans are to level an area adjacent to the building to provide convenient parking for customers.
Elbert County News 11
August 23, 2018
‘The fastest 30 seconds of your entire life’ Parker woman brings home Soap Box Derby in final race of career BY NICK PUCKETT NPUCKETT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
By the time Allison Pankoff approached the starting line for the championship rally master’s race of the All-American Soap Box Derby Championship in Akron, Ohio, on July 21, she already felt content. ” This was Pankoff ’s sixth appearance in Akron, the mecca for derby racers, and would be her last. She already achieved more than she expected. Last year she said her goodbyes to Soap Box Derby racing. At the insistence of a close friend, she decided to make one last run in Akron. She quickly collected the required number of victories from races around the Midwest to qualify for the race. Days before her final race, the 19-year-old from Parker, then 18, won her very first heat in the national derby. And that would have been enough, she thought. In her next heat she posted what would be the fastest time of the weekend. That helped with the nerves. In Round Three she defeated Savannah Fitzgerald, a prominent racer whose family was featured on the
Allison Pankoff won the 2018 Rally Masters world championship Soap Box Derby Race in Akron, Ohio, July 21. TruTV reality show “Kart Life.” “`I can go home now,’” she recalled thinking, lounging on her living room couch two weeks later. “`I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to.’”
All in the family Pankoff started racing, well, because she was born to do it. Her father, Buzz, raced as a child and heads the local Soap Box Derby organization.
NICK PUCKETT
Her older brother, J.P., started racing when he was old enough and Allison followed after him when she turned 8. SEE DERBY, P20
12 Elbert County News
LOCAL
August 23, 2018A
VOICES Wishing it were earlier in the late-night world
I
am drifting into obscurity and irrelevance, and there is no known cure, except to lie about it, and to pretend I know what is going on. I used to be current. I used to know QUIET these people, these DESPERATION “personalities,” but that’s all changed, and I blame David Letterman. When he retired, I retired. I began to watch late night talk shows in 1954, when Steve Allen originated “The Tonight Show.” Craig Marshall Admittedly, I rarely Smith watched it because I was rarely allowed to watch it. I liked the format. It seemed live and unscripted, although I learned that it was never live, and that some conversations were prearranged. Late-night talk shows introduced me to just about everyone I now appreci-
ate and quote and refer to, from 1960 until Letterman packed up on May 20, 2015. I haven’t watched late night programming since then, and it shows. Who are these people? Who is Ariana Grande? Or is that a large coffee? As a barometer of my irrelevance, I take a look now and then at the upcoming guest lists for Kimmel, Fallon, Colbert, Meyers and Corden. (Who is Corden?) Week by week, year by year, I recognize fewer and fewer of the guests. I never see Orson Bean’s name anymore. Eventually, I will be referring to personalities my young readership has never heard of, and when that happens, I might as well grow a Civil War general’s beard and join Letterman on the sideline. I guess I could subscribe to “People,” but I don’t have the stomach. Who is Meghan Markle? The poor girl. Every headline I read about her is
frightful. Carson had the newest acts, but he also brought out relics like The Mills Brothers, and at first I was disinterested. Until I heard them sing, and did a little research. Sure, “Up a Lazy River” in 1965 didn’t do much for me, but when they were at their peak in the 1930s, they were incredible. They were “Four Boys and a Guitar,” but seemed like a small orchestra because they made musical instrument sounds with their voices. Bob and Ray? Professor Irwin Corey? I met them on “The Tonight Show,” along with a character named Brother Theodore, who was parts Boris Karloff and Salvador Dali. He called his act “stand-up tragedy.” Now? I don’t recognize names, and that makes my references dated and stale. Maybe I could hire a personal trainer to rejuvenate me, and bring me up to date. Let’s start with Bruno Mars. Maybe on the Twelfth? The Twelfth
of Never. Today’s music has passed me by. I let it play through. I wave it on ahead. I can’t stand it, is what it amounts to. And I know exactly what that means. I am the chaperone at the dance who separates the boys and girls who are rubbing up against each other. Before my warm milk and a nap, I just wanted to admit the truth about my condition. I don’t want to wind up like Joe Franklin, who was still interviewing people five years after he died. But seriously. I guess there is some good news. Except for Corden, I still recognize the names of the late-night hosts. Eventually, I won’t and then I know it will be time to wander off with Larry “Bud” Melman. Who?
Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.
To be heard we must first learn to listen
H
ave you ever had a one-sided conversation? You know what I mean, the kind of conversation that is more of a monologue than a dialogue, where one of the parties is talking “at” the other party WINNING instead of engaging WORDS in a discussion. These never feel good, do they? Perhaps if we are the person delivering the monologue and we feel like we had to get something off our chest, we just might take a little satisfaction in thinking we Michael Norton were heard. There are two primary problems with this approach. The first is that even though we initially feel good about what we said, the reality is that in most cases the feeling is only temporary and we may even have some regrets. The second problem, and maybe the more important problem is that we actually believe
that we were heard, when in fact the majority of the time the person that we were talking “at” had shut down and stopped listening within the first few sentences that we uttered. Now we probably had a very compelling reason to be talking “at” someone. In our own minds we were completely justified, and they certainly had it coming. After all, this has been going on too long and we were now forced to say something and take action. Whether it was something that they did that hurt us and we needed to bring it to the forefront, or it was something we see them doing that is possibly causing damage to themselves or others, either way we felt like we needed to say it. We see this happening at home and in the workplace, and we see it happen on television as we watch analysts and panelists, reporters and pundits talk at each other and over each other instead of having a real conversation. And when we dissect this problem and look at the root cause of why it is happening, we find that it is because each person or party has their own agenda. Sometimes these agendas are
JERRY HEALEY President
A publication of
750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ElbertCountyNews.net To subscribe call 303-566-4100
out in the open, and in other cases, they are hidden agendas and that is where a potentially meaningful conversation gets hijacked and turned into a monologue with one person talking “at” and over the other person. What would you think about this very simple, yet common-sense practice as a way to fix this problem? Keeping in mind of course that common sense is not always common practice. The potential fix is to make sure that a very clear agenda is agreed upon before the conversation takes place. Even if we feel so strongly about wanting to talk “at” someone. If we are to be heard, we need to make sure that the playing field is level, and that the other person will be in active listening and participation mode. And we need to be in active listening mode too. The agenda is really very simple. First, we agree on the topic that we will be discussing. Secondly, we set the stage that we both might have questions about the topic or incident or subject and that we are both given permission to ask those questions. The third part of our agreed-upon
MEREDITH THOMPSON Marketing Consultant
agenda is that we will stay on topic and not drift into other areas that aren’t really relevant to the conversation we want to have. And lastly and most importantly we set the stage for a positive outcome at the end of our time together. Here’s how it might sound, “Mary, thanks for meeting with me today. Today I was hoping we could talk about the last few association meetings we o attended together. I would love to hear a more about what you were thinking t and some of your actions and responses, so is it okay if I ask you some u c questions while we are talking? e I would also like to share a little l about how that made me feel and I am sure you might have some of your own questions too. I really do appreci- t p ate our friendship, so I hope we can stay focused on this topic today and that by the end of our coffee time and conversation that we will both have a better understanding of how each other is feeling about our projects and our association meetings.
Columnists & Guest Commentaries
jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com
mthompson@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.
ANN MACARI HEALEY Executive Editor
AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager
We welcome letters to the editor. Please Include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
ahealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com
CHRIS ROTAR Managing Editor crotar@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN ADDENBROOKE Majors/Classified Manager eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com
abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Fri. 5 p.m. for the following week’s paper.
SEE NORTON, P13
ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
Elbert County News 13
August 23, 2018
CLUBS Editor’s note: Send new listings or changes to hharden@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Deadline is noon Wednesday a week before publication. Sky Cliff Center Caregiver Support Group: 10-11:30 a.m. the third Tuesday of each month at 4600 E. Highway 86, Castle Rock. Caregiving for adults can be challenging at times, and you’re not alone. For information, or to let the center know if you’re coming, call 303-814-2863 or email skycliffctr@skycliff. org. Go to www.skycliff.org Sky Cliff Center Stroke Support Group: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the second and last Wednesday of each month at Christlife Community Church, 5451 E. Highway 86, Franktown (lunch provided). Also, 10-11:30 a.m. the third Wednesday of each month at Sky Ridge Medical Center, 10101 Ridge Gate Parkway, Lone Tree. Call Sky Cliff Center at 303-814-2863. Southeast Beekeeping Club meets from 6:30-8:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month at the North Pinery Firehouse, Parker. All levels of beekeeping welcome, from no-bees to wanna-bees to tons of bees. Our meeting time is spent solving beekeeping challenges, networking and refreshments. There is no fee for this meeting and a lending library is available. Call Sue Huseby, 970-3765236 or email sebcbeemail@gmail.com. Go to southeastbeekeepingclub.com. Teen Tuesday: 5 p.m. Tuesdays at the Elbert Library. Play card and video games. Call 303648-3533 or go to pplibraries.org. Therapeutic riding: Promise Ranch Therapeutic Riding in Parker offers free therapeutic
NORTON FROM PAGE 12
Would you like to add anything to our list of topics? Does this sound fair and like a good way to talk through this?” Equal time for both parties, mutual understanding of what is to be discussed, and agreement on the rules of engagement will always turn a monologue into a meaningful conversation. Everyone’s agenda is important to them, and as long as both people or parties have a chance to express their
riding for developmentally disabled adults and children. Scholarship money available to provide 10 therapeutic riding lessons. Call 303-841-5007 or visit www.promiseranchtherapeuticriding.com. VFW Post 10649: 8:30 a.m. the first Saturday of every month at 24325 Main St., Elbert. Go to http://www.vfwpost10649.org. Contact Alan Beebe at 303-435-2560 for questions. VFW Post 4266: 7 p.m. the third Monday of every month at the Pinery Fire Station, Community Room Lower Level, 8170 N. Hillcrest Way, Parker. Serving veterans of foreign wars in Parker, Castle Pines and Castle Rock areas. Go to www.vfwpost4266.org. P.O. Box 4266, Parker, CO 80134. On Facebook at VFW Post 4266, Parker. Waste Not Wednesdays: 4:15 p.m. Wednesdays, at Simla Library. Kids craft and learn with repurposed stuff. Call 719-541-2573 or go to pplibraries.org. Widowed Men and Women of America, a nonprofit organization of the state based in Denver, has more than 5o0 members. The group sponsors social events for members to make new friends and have fun with people who have shared life experiences. Members live in the Denver metro area and surrounding communities. Contact Dorothy at 303-794-7547 or Les at 303-797-1209, or go to www.widowedamerica.org.
AA If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, that’s ours. More than 1,000 AA meetings are offered in the Denver area every week. If you think you may have a problem with alcohol, come see us. To find a meeting near you, call 303-322-4440, or go to www.daccaa.org. Affordable Colleges Online: guidebook includes a collection of scholarships for women, including due dates and award amounts; insight into the financial aid application process; and other funding opportuni-
ties, such as industry-specific scholarships and funding for special groups. Go to http:// www.affordablecollegesonline.org/womensguide-paying-for-college/ Camping Singles: 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month. Membership ranges from 40s to 60-plus. Colorado single adults who enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, biking, sightseeing, photography, the camaraderie of others, and starry nights around the camp fire. We usually camp in designated forest service or state park campgrounds within 2 to 5 hours of Denver. Contact campingsingles@gmail.com Castle Rock Bridge Club: 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Plum Creek Golf Club, 331 Players Club Drive, Castle Rock. Friendly, ACBL-sanctioned duplicate games. For assistance in finding a bridge partner, call Georgiana Butler at 303-810-8504. Go to www.castlerockbridge.com. Chess: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the Simla Library. All skill levels and ages welcome. Call 719-541-2573.
What’s up Wednesdays: 4 p.m. Wednesdays at the Elbert Library; 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Kiowa Library. Free STEAM activities for kids and parents. Call 303-648-3533 (Elbert) or 303-621-2111 (Kiowa) or go to pplibraries.org.
thoughts in a safe environment, it will give room for both agendas to be discussed. So how about you? Have you ever been talked “at”? Have you ever found yourself being the one to talk “at” someone else? Either way I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@ gmail.com and when we can learn to listen first in order to be heard, it really will be a better than good week. 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.
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep in mind the following rules: • Submit your letter in a Word document or in the body of an email. No PDFs, please. • Letters must be limited to 250 words or fewer. • Do not use all caps, italics or bold text. And keep the exclamation points to a minimum! • Keep it polite: Do not resort to name calling or “mud slinging.” • Include a source — and a link to that source — for any information that is not common knowledge. We will not publish information that cannot easily be verified. • Only submit ideas and opinions that are your own — and in your own
Women’s Divorce Workshop: 8:30 a.m. to noon the fourth Saturday of each month at Southeast Christian Church, 9650 Jordan Road, Parker. Check in from 8-8:30 a.m. Register online at www.divorceworkshopdenver.com. Legal, financial and social issues of divorce. Volunteer presenters include an attorney, mediator, therapist and wealth manager. Discussion items include co-parenting, child support, family coping, tax consequences, property division, hostile spouses and more. Contact 303-210-2607 or info@divorceworkshopdenver.com.
words. Colorado Community Media will not publish any letter that is clearly part of a letter-writing campaign. • Letters may be edited for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length. • Letters will not be published from the same writer on consecutive weeks. • Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Friday in order for it to appear in the following week’s newspaper. • Include your full name, address and phone number. We will publish only your name and city or town of residence, but all of the information requested is needed for us to verify you are who you say you are. • Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Thank you, and we look forward to your letters.
In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. Private 303-566-4100 Obituaries@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
Funeral Homes Visit: www.memoriams.com
14 Elbert County News
August 23, 2018A
Evolving tattoo culture on display in Denver area
BODIES OF ART
BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A
• Take the time to research shops
• It’s important to thoroughly think out what you want, but it’s recommended to rely heavily on the artist’s professional guidance. Bring an idea
or theme and two or three reference images so the tattoo artist can work with you to ensure the best art possible and a tattoo true to what you want.
TRAINING 2018 DOWNTOWN PARKER
The Aurora-South Metro SBDC helps existing and new businesses grow and prosper through workshops and consulting.
“ p h N m t t e a
AT TE NT S IO O ME U TH N TR OA BU RE SI NE A SS ES !
i s c u o t
BUSINESS
WANT A TATTOO? so you’re as comfortable as possible with the atmosphere. Get to know the artist’s individual personality to make sure you have a friendly connection.
o w J b “
lthough Ryan “Cactus Jack” Clement was nervous about T his first tattoo, it was nothing as nerve-wracking as jump- d ing out of a plane — which he did in c a his military training. That’s when he got a biohazard cross a m symbol tattooed on his calf. “I dealt with nuclear biological and 3 chemical weapons” in the military, he w said. So “I felt it was something I had t to have.” s Today, Clement, 38, has spent 309 hours “under the needle” getting tat- p toos, which cover about 75 percent of c his body. He has been a tattoo artist for s nearly 15 years and is owner of Castle C p Rock Tattoo and Laser Removal Co. Tattoos are a life-changing experience and a way of expressing yourself with t adornment, he said, and “they’re becom-J I ing more accepted as a work of art.” s Where once tattoos were typically w associated with bikers, sailors and outlaws — a rough-and-tough side of T life — they have over recent decades become a form of artistic self-expres- s a sion that is showing up on everyone from the waitstaff in the local neigh- a borhood diner to business executives. t a L SEE TATTOO, P15 T a
Ryan “Cactus Jack” Clement, 38, has owned Castle Rock Tattoo and Laser Removal Co. for about three years, but has been tattooing for about 15. Tattoos are one of the oldest art forms, he said, and the craft of tattooing is “never going away.” COURTESY PHOTOS
Tattoos should be thought of as a permanent addition to your body. Here are some pointers.
F
c
Cash Flow Fundamentals
Marketing Fundamentals
Tuesday, September 18 Monday, September 24 Presented by:
Downtown Parker • 5 p.m.–8 p.m. Cost: $20 Purchase tickets online at: ParkerChamber.com
May 18th • June 29th • July 27th Aug. 24th • Sept. 28th Oct. 26th • Nov. 30th
6:30—8:30 PM | FREE
6:30—8:30 PM | FREE
Parker Library
Koelbel Library
Ask about free and confidential one-on-one consulting.
Questions? (303) 326-8686 Register: Aurora-SouthMetroSBDC.com/training Start-Ups: Please take two workshops prior to consulting.
A nationally accredited program Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Elbert County News 15
August 23, 2018
TATTOO
Billi CarwileBraukoff, 39, of Centennial gets asked all the time what she does for a living. She has been in business management consulting for the past 13 years but has been modeling on the side since she was about 17 — some of her modeling jobs were booked because she has so many tattoos.
FROM PAGE 14
“Your doctor or banker, even a police officer, could have a tattoo and nobody would give it a second thought,” said Jill Raynor, 45, of Centennial, who has been getting tattoos since she was 17. “It’s just not so taboo anymore.” The rise of tattoos The Smithsonian suggests tattoos date back more than 5,000 years, discovered on mummified humans from ancient Egypt; and on Ötzi, also known as the Iceman, a well-preserved natural mummy of a man who lived between 3,400 and 3,100 BCE. Sixty-one tattoos were found on Ötzi’s body. In the U.S., tattoos can be connected to mid-18th century Native Americans, states TIME magazine, and became part of Western culture in the mid-19th century when Martin Hildebrandt set up shop in New York and tattooed Civil War soldiers for identification purposes. Modern tattoos might be attributed to Norman Keith Collins and his Sailor Jerry tattoos during the World War II era, said Bart Leonard, 28, a professional tattoo artist for nearly five years who recently started working at Adroit Tattoo in Golden. They started to become more mainstream during roughly the 1960s-1990s, associated with rock-n-roll and punk, and gained momentum into pop culture in the 2000s, he said. The internet and social media may have helped, Leonard added, but especially reality TV shows such as “Miami Ink,” which aired from 2005-2008. Being a good tattoo artist used to be a “secretive craft,” in the sense that it was part of a subculture, and tattoo artists held onto their secrets, Leonard said. Nowadays, he said, perhaps because more of the public is excited about getting tattoos, more people are pursuing the trade. “It’s starting to open people’s eyes to the possibilities and all the cool artwork others are doing.” But downfalls do exist, he said. The increased accessibility to the profession — he points out all the equipment can now be bought online — contributes to people tattooing others without proper training or sterilization techniques. And, of course, there’s always the chance of a lack-luster tattoo. Tattoos are addictive — it’s rare for
COURTESY PHOTO
a person to have just one, said Billi Carwile-Braukoff of Centennial who, at 39, has tattoos on about 40 percent of her body. Anybody who has many tattoos has at least one he or she isn’t fond of or would have rather done without, she said. “Some people get them covered up,” Carwile-Braukoff said, “but some people keep them because they’re a conversation starter. They’re a part of a story.” Finding the right tattoo artist is key Part of what’s cool about the experience of getting tattooed is that it’s a permanent change, said Russ Pearson, who opened True Blue Tattoo in Lakewood in 2008. “With a little effort — and a bit of pain and money,” he said, “you’ve made a forever change to your body.” Everybody has his or her personal reason for getting a tattoo, Raynor said, and the experience for each person is just as diverse as buying a car, choosing a neighborhood to live in or pursuing a career path. Tattoos can be a way of self-expression, a life guidance such as a biblical quote, a work of art, a tribute or a way to remember an experience, Raynor said. Raynor points to her sugar skull tattoo — a tribute to loved ones she’s lost. Sugar skulls are a representation of death and mortality and traditionally used to decorate the gravestones on the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos. “Every time I look at it,” Raynor said, “I remember and celebrate their lives.” No matter if it’s your first tattoo or your 50th, it should be a fun experience, said Samantha Schneider, 27, of
Come Gather with Old Friends & Make New Ones
NOW SERVING DINNER
ENTREE BUY ONE DINNER % 50 OFF GET ONE With coupon. Expires 09/01/2018
Thornton who got her first tattoo — a small treble clef — as a birthday gift from her parents when she was 16. Therefore, she said, it’s important to research the tattooist’s artistic style as well as his or her personality. “You’re going to be there for hours, so you want to be super-comfortable
and make sure you vibe with them,” she said. Not only that, a person should lean on the artist’s professional input, so “you want to make sure the artist is going to guide you in the right direction for a tattoo that’s true to what you want.” Carwile-Braukoff admits the actual experience of getting a tattoo is unpleasant — it hurts and being in the shop for a lengthy amount of time can get uncomfortable. “But that doesn’t keep me away,” she said. “I love the way they look when they’re done. Lakewood resident William Ryan, 48, got his first tattoo in 1996. It is a symbol that represents his name. “For me,” he said, “it was rediscovering my identity after my divorce.” Since then, he’s gotten some tattoos that he’s “extremely proud of ” and others that he regrets— all are “windows” of his journey. “They are permanent benchmarks of milestones in my life,” Ryan said. “They let you look into a past experience and remember when and why you got it.”
Award winning. Colorado Community Media was the proud recipient of 54 awards at the 140th Convention of the Colorado Press Association.
You’re local. We’re local.
THURSDAY - MONDAY TIL 9PM
We proudly publish 20 local newspapers and websites across the front range.
A Kiowa Tradition
Find your local community or explore new ones at
230 Comanche Street, Kiowa (303) 621-8008 PattyAnnsCafeKiowa
303-566-4100 ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
16 Elbert County News
LOCAL
August 23, 2018A
SPORTS
Putting a focus on fuel Eating right, staying hydrated are crucial elements of high school sports success BY JIM BENTON JBENTON@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Athletes and coaches are paying more attention to the role of nutrition, with an eye toward improving sports performance. “We just used to eat meat and potatoes,” said Amy Faricy, manager of Menu Services for the Douglas County
VALID MON-TUES-WED ONLY August 27, 28 & 29
Dinner for Two
$27
* Onion Ring Appetizer * Choice of Two Dinners:
• Certified Angus Sirloin Steak • Full Rack Rib Dinner • Fried Catfish or Grilled Salmon
Not valid with any other coupon, Special or Groupon. Not good for delivery or online orders. Must present coupon. Parker store only. VALID: Mon. Aug. 27, Tues. Aug. 28, & Wed. Aug. 29 Good all day: Open to close
DINE-IN ONLY 10335 S. Parker Rd., Parker 303-805-9742
School District, “but people have really come around.” Athletes must eat enough calories, while consuming the right types of foods and avoiding the wrong ones, stay hydrated and not succumb to the quick-fix promises of supplements, coaches and nutrition experts say. Being smarter about what they eat doesn’t mean all teenage athletes have nutrition down to a science. One of the biggest problems is simply not eating enough, which often includes skipping the day’s first meal, said Jenna Moore, a performance dietitian for the Panorama Wellness and Sports Institute in Highlands Ranch. “Breakfast is essential,” she said. “If these kids are going from dinner to lunch the next day, that could be 18 hours without any food. These (athletes) with very fast metabolisms need to be eating frequently.” In a sport like cross country, in which endurance is critical and calories are burned at a high rate, nutrition’s role can’t be overlooked. “We talk about proper nutrition and fueling your body like an athlete frequently,” said Mountain Vista cross country coach Jonathan Dalby. “Most of what we teach our athletes are basic principles of good eating. “We emphasize with the kids that they should eat plenty of calories, good fats, carbohydrates and protein. Keep things like sugar, bad fats and empty calories in moderation. If our athletes are hungry, we want them to eat. This is their bodies’ way of telling them that they need more fuel.” Faricy said eating frequently during the day with small snacks can avoid gaps in energy levels. Meals hours before competition are important, and helping muscles recover after a competition with a meal, snack or a drink like chocolate milk is also crucial. Christina Chisler, a registered dietitian with Jefferson County Public Schools, said the timing of a pregame meal is important. “It is recommended an athlete eat a meal two to three hours before the competition or practice to supply energy to their muscles and delay fatigue,” she wrote in an email. Another tip from Chisler: “A good rule of thumb is also never to introduce a new food on a race/game day.” Horizon football coach Frank Ybarra said athletes have plenty to learn about good eating habits.
Highlands Ranch High School football players hydrate during a recent practice. Drinking plenty of water and eating the right foods are critical to players’ success, coaches and nutrition experts say. JIM BENTON “To a point, I think high school athletes are smarter but that may be more because the parents are better informed on good nutrition,” Ybarra said. “A lot of athletes are still looking for the next great quick fix that they can purchase at a supplement store.” Some supplements, such as multivitamins, protein and some recovery drinks, can be beneficial, Ybarra said. But popular supplements purported to build muscle and boost performance, like creatine and nitric oxide, are not needed, he said. Moore agrees that knowing which supplements are helpful and which are harmful is integral to young athletes’ success — and that ultimately, pills and powders can’t replace what’s on a plate. “There are a lot of good supplements like vitamins, especially vitamin B,” she sad. “Then there are supplements that are pre-workout that are basically energy drinks in a powder form. That’s not doing anything for your energy level except giving you a blast of caffeine. What is happening is, athletes are not dealing correctly with their food and their energy levels are low, and instead of trying to get food, they go to the nutrition stores looking for help for their energy levels.” Perhaps as important as anything athletes put in their bodies is water. “Being hydrated is essential for
peak performance,” Dalby said. “Our athletes typically have a water bottle with them wherever they go.” Valor Christian golf coach Jason Preeo is no stranger to performing at the highest level — he played in the 2010 U.S. Open. To him, nutrition is more of a mental matter than a physical one. “The effort and energy to hit any one shot is not great, but as energy levels drop the ability to continually make good decisions diminishes,” he said, “and golfers tend to make mental mistakes that are typically much more costly.” While coaches in all sports today emphasize the importance of eating right, they are dealing with teenagers, and that means candy bars and chips are still going to be part of the equation at times. Highlands Ranch softball player Taryn Dragseth, a senior, admits she sometimes eats junk food. But overall, she’s says she’s focused on eating right and has noticed the increased importance coaches put on that. “Definitely eating right is more important now,” she said. “Like two years ago, it was never mentioned. Now, we have certain things we are supposed to eat throughout the day. I’ve noticed that a lot more recently, especially as we get older. I think it is a maturity thing, too.”
Take the next step to giving your child a Christ-centered education. Christ-Centered: Service Leadership Excellence
Schedule a tour today! Call 303.841.5988
Still Enrolling for 2018/2019 School Year!
9650 Jordan Rd. • Parker, CO 80134 • sechristianschool.org
Elbert County News 17
August 23, 2018
Broncos rookie Chubb hitting all right notes BY PAT GRAHAM ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Denver Broncos are singing the praises of rookie outside linebacker Bradley Chubb — even if carrying a tune isn’t necessarily his specialty. The No. 5 overall pick recently paired with fellow rookie Courtland Sutton to perform a duet in front of the team. “I messed up the lyrics a little bit,” Chubb said. No big deal. They didn’t bring him in for his voice, just his voracious intensity. In that respect, he’s hitting all the right notes. Chubb believes this group of pass rushers can create quite a bit of “chaos” this season. The defense even has a scheme dubbed “NASCAR’’ to take advantage of the speed and power of Chubb, Von Miller, Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett. Simply put: It gets all of them on the field at the same time to wreak havoc. “Now that will be dangerous,’’ Ray said. “You can’t block any of us one-on-one. It would be too tough, especially if you have all four of us in the game. We have the guys to get a lot of sacks this year.” Chubb was a surprise pick by the Broncos mainly because he wasn’t predicted to fall to them. Miller even posted his reaction on Insta-
gram — complete with a scream. So far, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound Chubb has been just as advertised through training camp. “What we saw in college we’ve seen some out here,’’ coach Vance Joseph said. Watching him play versus NFL tackles and tight ends, it hasn’t been a setback for him. He’s a strong guy. He can set an edge. He can rush the passer.” The pressure to produce out of the gate doesn’t faze Chubb in part because he has Miller & Co. next to him. The 22-year-old is all ears these days in meetings and on the field. He’s taking in every piece of advice offered to him to get up to speed. “I just need to keep coming out and working,” said Chubb, who had 26 sacks, 203 tackles and eight forced fumbles while at North Carolina State. “Having a lot of rushers and a lot of good players who can get to the quarterback out there on the same field and at the same time, I feel like it’s going to be chaos. “That’s what we’re trying to do, cause chaos.” Chubb’s versatility allows defensive coordinator Joe Woods to get even more imaginative with his schemes. Woods plans to use Chubb at outside linebacker, defensive end and even drop him into coverage. Chubb is looking forward to is rushing quarterbacks. “We’re all coming out here with the same mindset,” Chubb said. “We all want to be great and we’re pushing each other to be great. When we’re all going, it’s going to be pretty special.”
Answers
Solution © 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.
Linebacker ready to put the heat on opposing QBs
THANKS for
PLAYING!
18 Elbert County News
August 23, 2018A
Harris tackles new role for Broncos with Talib gone Cornerback assumes task of top player, leader in Denver’s secondary BY ARNIE STAPLETON ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chris Harris Jr. is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. For the first time in his eight-year NFL career, he’s actually the top cornerback on his own team. Harris has played alongside Champ Bailey, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Aqib Talib during a stellar career that began with him as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas and includes three trips to the Pro Bowl and two All-Pro honors to go with a Super Bowl ring. The Broncos traded Talib, whom Harris first played with in college, to the Los Angeles Rams in a cost-cutting move this offseason, ending the duo’s four-year run together in Denver and thrusting Harris into a new, leading role. Now, he’s not only being asked to lock down opponents’ top receivers but serve as the unquestioned leader at his position. He’s handling those responsibilities “really well in my opinion,” coach Vance Joseph said. “As a leader, I’ve been really impressed with Chris.
‘I think he’s done well the first few weeks. There’s still a lot of stuff we have to get on the same page with just chemistry-wise that me and ‘Lib did so easily.’ Chris Harris Jr., Broncos cornerback, on Bradley Roby
He’s grabbing those guys and leading those guys in the (secondary). He’s helped (Bradley) Roby a lot this training camp. Chris is a very, very smart player, so he helps our guys with the football IQ part of the game. He can really explain football. He understands football. I’ve been pleased with him. He’s playing good and he’s also leading well for us.” Long considered the top slot cornerback in the NFL, Harris is preparing for expanded duties in 2018, moving around a lot during training camp. “I’m not just playing the slot. I’m playing left corner. I’m playing right corner. Some days, I don’t even play the slot,” Harris said. “They’re getting me used to playing everywhere
because that’s how it’s going to be during the season.” When Talib was traded, he said he’d miss playing with Harris, his college teammate at Kansas, and Harris is certainly having to adjust to life without Talib next to him. Right now the Broncos’ cornerbacks corps is a work in progress. With Talib owed $11 million this year and $8 million next season, the Broncos needed to clear both salary cap space and room for Bradley Roby, a former first-round pick who’s getting a big pay raise from about $1 million in 2017 to $8.526 million this year in the final season of his rookie contract. “I think he’s done well the first few weeks. There’s still a lot of stuff we
have to get on the same page with just chemistry-wise that me and `Lib did so easily,” Harris said. “It was just so easy that you never realized that you have to work for that with someone else. Right now we’re getting out there. I think we’ve been pretty on point with it so far.’’ Asked how long it will take to get that chemistry with Roby, Harris laughed. “As soon as Roby gets it,” he said. “It shouldn’t take long as long as he gets it. Once he gets it we’ll be on the same page. Me and `Lib used to come out on the field — bam! If he sees something, I see it. We kind of talked to each other fast and then we can start playing ball. Once Roby and I get there, then I know we’re fully ready.” The Broncos brought on veteran Tramaine Brock, but he’s been dealing with a pulled hamstring, opening up opportunities for rookie Isaac Yiadom, who’s been taking more of the snaps from second-year pro Brendan Langley as the third cornerback. “I’m not surprised,” Harris said. “Isaac, he’s been able to make plays. He’s working his tail off every day, listens. He’s a smart player, so I’m not surprised at all. B-Lang, he hasn’t been playing corner his entire life. It’s kind of like he’s still learning a lot. It just has to be consistent and I know he’s doing a lot of extra work with the coaches to make sure he’s consistent. They both have freakish talents.’’
Classifieds
Classifieds Concrete/Paving
Advertise: 303-566-4100
Carpet/Flooring
Painting
Quality Painting for Every Budget • Exteriors • Interiors • Decks • Insured • Free Estimates • No Money Down
Concrete Work
Patios • Sidewalks • Driveways Garages • Stone & Brick Work FREE ESTIMATES & DESIGN! Call Ray 303-915-3703 hardscapes@andraosconstruction.com
TEXT or Call 303-901-0947
Licensed & Insured
Concrete/Paving
TLLC Concrete Ty Barrett
Local Focus. More News.
18 newspapers. 20 websites. Connecting YOU to your LOCAL community. 303-566-4100
ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
303-646-2355 Specialize in barn floors, Driveways, Remove and replacement Any job over 400 SF give us a call!
www.lovablepainters.com Tile
ANYTHING TILE
● Marble ● Repairs ● Granite Counter Tops Remodeling is my specialty! Call now for free estimate
(303) 646-0140
Please Recycle this Publication when Finished
Advertise your business here Contact Karen at 303-566-4091
August 23, 2018
Attorney (Name and Address): Myka Marie Landry 133 County Road 17, Ste. E2E / PO Box 2276 Elizabeth, Colorado 80107 Phone Number: 303-802-4672 E-mail: mykalandry@mykalandrylaw.com FAX Number: 303-646-2020 Atty. Reg. #: 20430 Case Number: 2018PR030035
Public Notices NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION INTERESTED PERSONS AND OWNERS BY INHERITANCE PURSUANT TO § 15-12-1303, C.R.S.
Notice to Creditors Public Notice District Court Elbert County, Colorado Court Address: 751 Ute Street / PO Box 232 Kiowa, Colorado 80117 In the Matter of the Estate of: ROBERT JAMES ANDERSON; aka Robert J. Anderson AND MARIE C. ANDERSON, Deceased Attorney (Name and Address): Myka Marie Landry 133 County Road 17, Ste. E2E / PO Box 2276 Elizabeth, Colorado 80107 Phone Number: 303-802-4672 E-mail: mykalandry@mykalandrylaw.com FAX Number: 303-646-2020 Atty. Reg. #: 20430 Case Number: 2018PR030035 NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION INTERESTED PERSONS AND OWNERS BY INHERITANCE PURSUANT TO § 15-12-1303, C.R.S. To All Interested Persons and Owners by Inheritance: Robert J. Anderson Jr.; and Janet M. Lonski. A Petition has been filed alleging that the above Decedent died leaving the following property:
A 1/2 interest in minerals; 80 net acres mineral rights in SE 1/4 Section 6, Township 7 South, Range 58 West of the 6th P.M., County of Elbert, State of Colorado. The Petition asks that the Court determine heirs and/or devisees as well as decedent’s interests in the property.
To All Interested Persons and Owners by Inheritance: Robert J. Anderson Jr.; and Janet M. Lonski.
Notice to Creditors
A Petition has been filed alleging that the above Decedent died leaving the following property: A 1/2 interest in minerals; 80 net acres mineral rights in SE 1/4 Section 6, Township 7 South, Range 58 West of the 6th P.M., County of Elbert, State of Colorado. The Petition asks that the Court determine heirs and/or devisees as well as decedent’s interests in the property. The hearing on the Petition will be held at the following time and location or at a later date to which the hearing may be continued: Date: October 25, 2018 Time: 8:00 A.M. Courtroom or Division: 1 Address: 751 Ute Street, Kiowa, CO 80117 The hearing will take approximately 15 minutes. Note: You must answer the Petition within 35 days after the last publication of this Notice. • Within the time required for answering the Petition, all objections to the Petition must be in writing and filed with the Court. • The hearing shall be limited to the Petition, the objections timely filed and the parties answering the Petition in a timely manner. Date: 8/2/2018 Robert J. Anderson, Jr. /s/ Signature of Person Giving Notice Legal Notice No.: 24107 First Publication: August 23, 2018 Last Publication: September 6, 2018 Publisher: The Elbert County News
The hearing on the Petition will be held at the following time and location or at a later date to which the hearing may be continued: Date: October 25, 2018 Time: 8:00 A.M. Courtroom or Division: 1 Address: 751 Ute Street, Kiowa, CO 80117
The hearing will take approximately 15 minutes. GENERAL FUND 010 $841,091.70 HEALTH FUND 015 $3,310.32 Note: You must answer ROAD & BRIDGE FUND the Petition within 35 020 $249,176.21 days after& the publication of this Notice.025 SALES USElast FUND $452,279.97 • Within the time required for answering the 040 LEAF FUND $817.00 Petition, all SERVICE objectionsFUND to the Petition must be 050 in HUMANS $25,852.72 writing and filed with the Court. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND 075 $4,779.77 • The hearing shall be limited CHAPPARAL VALLEY FUND to the Petition, the 082 $21,167.00 objections timely filed and the parties answering IMPACT FUND 085 $18,375.00 TRUST FUND 090 $12,447.29 theCONSERVATION Petition in a timely manner. TOTAL ALL FUNDS $1,629,296.98 Date: 8/2/2018 VENDOR DESCRIPTION AMOUNT Robert J. Anderson, Jr. JUDICIAL DISTRICT BLACK & GRAY MJ /s/18TH Signature of Person Giving Notice GRANT EXPENSE $201,972.70 A AND E TIRE TIRES $494.68 Legal Notice No.:INC 24107 AARMS SOFTWARE SUPPORT $175.00 First Publication: August 23, 2018 HHS CLIENT ONFIDENTIAL COUNTY ADMINISTRATION $79.04 Last Publication: September 6, 2018 ADVANCED AUTO News REPAIR AUTO REP $506.00 Publisher: TheQUALITY Elbert County AFD PAVEMENT MARKING LLC PAINT $16,995.54 AIRBOUND COLORADO FAIR ENTERTAINMENT $10,200.00 AIRGAS INTERMOUNTAIN SUPPLIES $1,492.70 ALAN KRENEK JUDGE $310.00 ALL ACCESS INC CAPITAL OUTLAY $4,779.77 ALL RENTAL CENTER EQUIPMENT RENTAL $1,008.22 AMERICAN FIDELITY ASSURANCE COMPANY BENEFITS PAYABLE $17,952.26 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION DUES $47.75 AUTO CHLOR SYSTEM OF DENVER MAINT. AGREEMENT $169.50 BANK OF THE WEST CREDIT CARD $17,719.30 BARRY MITCHELL RADIO PAGER $1,570.45 BASELINE ENGINEERING CORP OPERATING $38,522.50 BEACON 85 UTILITIES $118.81 BERG HILL GREENLEAF AND RUSCITTI CONTRACT $3,715.00 BETH MCKNIGHT REIMBURSEMENTS $567.48 BEVERLY SUSAN SHICK JUDGE $532.50 BIG R OF ELIZABETH SUPPLIES $409.99 BLACK HILLS ENERGY UTILITIES $750.28 BOBCAT OF THE ROCKIES EQUIPMENT PARTS $8.15 BRADFORD EIDT JUDGE $276.70 CAFCA CHILD WELFARE $100.00 CALAVERA RANCH FAIR ENTERTAINMENT $750.00 CAROL HINDS JUDGE $160.80 CAROLYN BURGENER CONTRACT $400.00 CARPET EXCHANGE CHILD WELFARE $971.00 CDAC OPERATING $168.00 CDW GOVERNMENT EQUIPMENT $3,513.22 CENTENNIAL MENTAL HEALTH CENTER INC MEDICAL SERVICES $380.00 CENTURYLINK TELEPHONE $149.58 CERTIFIED LABORATORIES OTHER FLUIDS $285.93 HHS CLIENT ONFIDENTIAL COUNTY ADMINISTRATION $89.68 CHEMTOX BLOOD/ALCOHOL $824.70 CHILDRENS HOSPITAL COLORADO EVAL $800.00 CHRISTIAN CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT PARTS $13,134.80 CINTAS UNIFORMS $1,141.28 COBITCO ASPHALT REPAIR $385.82 COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF TAX APPRAISERS TRAINING $735.00 COLORADO BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION CONCJ1522 CHILD WELFARE $118.50 COLORADO COMMUNITY ADVERTISING $89.50 COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT FEES $1,638.00 COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY CCW CBI FEE $2,685.00 COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH AND ENVIROMENT VITAL STATISTICS $17.25 COLORADO GARDEN TRACTOR PULLERS ASSOCIATION FAIR EVENTS $550.00 COLORADO GOLF AND TURF INC CONTRACT $650.00 COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION PAYROLL REIMBURSED $3,425.00 CONSOLIDATED COMMUNICATIONS UTILITIES $311.05
Notices
Elbert County News 19
son AND MARIE C. ANDERSON, Deceased
BE Informed!
To advertise your public notices call 303-566-4100
Read the Legal Notices!
Elbert County Warrants Public Notice PAYMENTS FOR PUBLICATION JULY 2018 CORRECTIONAL HEALTHCARE MEDICAL SERVICES $20,197.92 COUNTY HEALTH POOL BENEFITS PAYABLE $102,680.74 COUNTY SHERIFFS OF COLORADO OPERATING $275.00 CURBSIDE DATACONTROL SHREDDING CONTRACT $889.00 DALLA SCHROEDER REIMBURSEMENTS $142.10 DANS TRASH UTILITIES $1,065.82 DEEP ROCK SHOP SUPPLIES $84.05 DENVER INDUSTRIAL SALES AND SERVICE CO INC ASPHALT REPAIR $636.16 DESIGN WORKSHOP MASTER PLAN $235.40 DJ PETROLEUM INC FUEL $49,110.22 DOUGLAS COUNTY DETENTIONS DIVISION INMATE HOUSING EXPENSE $3,426.57 DOUGLAS COUNTY TREASURER DISPATCH SERVICE $40,634.00 DRAGON ESP LTD EQUIPMENT $89.46 E470 PUBLIC HWY AUTHORITY OPERATING $79.40 ELBERT COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE PREMIUMS $2,700.00 ELBERT COUNTY FAIRBOARD FAIR EVENTS $5,050.00 ELBERT COUNTY ROAD AND BRIDGE AUTO REP $586.39 ELBERT COUNTY ROAD AND BRIDGE FUEL $10,467.80 ELBERT COUNTY TREASURER POSTAGE $260.94 ELBERT COUNTY TREASURER INTRAGOVERNMENTAL FUND TRANSFER $44,045.63 ELBERT WATER AND SANITATION CAPITAL OUTLAY $2,279.97 ENERTIA CONSULTING GR LLC CDS $31,504.00 ERIC GUTHRIE REIMBURSEMENTS $1,220.00 FRONT RANGE KUBOTA EQUIPMENT $68.96 FRONTLINE SECURITY BLDING REPAIRS $233.75 GALLS INC UNIFORMS $810.80 GRAINGER SUPPLIES $233.06 GREAT WEST LIFE AND ANNUITY BENEFITS PAYABLE $70,237.87 HEATHER HARCOURT IV-E WAIVER $685.00 HOME DEPOT CREDIT SERVICE BLDING REPAIRS $1,196.65 HONNEN EQUIPMENT COMPANY EQUIPMENT PARTS $1,593.23 HOUSE OF FLAGS OPERATING $99.50 ILENE ALLISON GRAVEL $1,832.83 INTEGRATED VOTING SOLUTIONS INC BALLOTS/POSTAGE $22,927.24 INTERMOUNTAIN RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION UTILITIES $9,706.49 INTERSTATE BILLING SERVICE INC EQUIPMENT PARTS $4,092.52 INTERVENTION CHILD WELFARE $45.00 JAMES DUVALL JUDGE $160.80 JESSE DONELLY CULVERTS $175.00 JILL DUVALL JUDGE $205.00 JIM RAYFIELD CAPITAL OUTLAY $5,000.00 JOHN DEERE FINANCIAL BLDING REPAIRS $1,846.22 JOHNSON SUMMONS DELIVERY SERVICE LLC CHILD SUPPORT $50.00 KAREN SUCHAN JUDGE $216.80 KIEWIT INFRASTRUCTURE CO ASPHALT REPAIR $58,892.85 KIOWA WATER & WASTE WATER AUTHORITY UTILITIES $2,801.93 KUBAT EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE CO EQUIPMENT PARTS $161.12 LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS CHILD SUPPORT $114.00 LEGAL SHIELD BENEFITS PAYABLE $747.55 LEWAN & ASSOCIATES, INC. COPIER EXPENSE $106.32 LEXISNEXIS RISK SOLUTIONS CHILD SUPPORT $138.50 LYLE SIGN INC NM 7165 SIGNS $1,226.96 MACDONALD EQUIPMENT CO. INC ASPHALT REPAIR $525.00 MARJORIE F. WHITE JUDGE $383.80 MARY DENTON REIMBURSEMENTS $199.28 MARYROBIN B. WILLS WAGES - JUDGES $427.50 MATT MARTINICH IV-E WAIVER $765.25 MAUREEN PELLOWSKI OPERATING $240.00 MHC KENWORTH-DENVER FUEL/EQUIPMENT $1,166.59 MILTON HAYNES JOHNSON JUDGE $827.50 MINES & ASSOCIATES PC BENEFITS $609.12 MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC UTILITIES $186.80 NANCY E HARRIS JUDGE $262.70 NATIONAL TIRE WAREHOUSE TIRES $1,666.60 NEXTEL COMMUNICATIONS UTILITIES $2,548.08 OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY 18TH DISTRICT DA $146,540.25 PARKER PORT-A-POTTY INC. EQUIPMENT RENTAL $227.00 PARKER TRAILER SERVICE INC AUTO REP $1,591.93
Notice to Creditors
PATTY LAMPMAN PETER HOOGENDYK PITNEY BOWES POWER EQUIPMENT COMPANY INC POWER MOTIVE CORP POYSTI AND ADAMS PRAIRIE TIMES PRO AG SOLUTIONS PROCESS SERVICE OF WYOMING, INC PROF TREE & TURF EQUIP PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS, PC PUREWATER DYNAMICS INC RATTLESNAKE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT ROBERT THOMASSON ROBIN YOUNG ROBS SEPTIC SERVICE AND PORTA POT RENTAL ROCK PARTS COMPANY RUBIN BROWN LLP SAFARI AUTO GLASS SAM ALBRECHT SAVANNAH MCFADDEN SHERWIN WILLIAMS CO SHERYL BORDEN SNAP-ON INDUSTRIAL SOUTHWEST MOBILE STORAGE SPRINT SPRINT LEGAL COMPLIANCE STACEY RINEHART STAPLES ADVANTAGE STATE OF COLORADO STATE WIRE & TERMINAL INC STERICYCLE STOKES AND WOLF STONE OIL CO INC STORMY PRODUCTIONS SUBURBAN PROPANE SUNDANCE PRINTING SYSCO FOOD SERVICES TASHA GOMEZ TAYLOR HUTSON TEXAS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY THE LAW OFFICE OF JEFFREY J TIMLIN TODD PEDERSON TOWN OF SIMLA TRACY DUCHARME TRANSDEV ON DEMAND YCCOS TRI COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TUFF GARCIA ULTIMATE OUTDOOR MOVIES ULTRAMAX AMMUNITION UNITED REPROGRAPHIC SUPPLY INC UPS US BANK EQUIPMENT FINANCE VERIZON WIRELESS VERIZON WIRELESS WAGNER EQUIPMENT CO WAXIE SANITARY SUPPLY WEAR PARTS & EQUIPMENT COMPANY INC. WENDY WALP WERNER SCHREIBER WESTERN CONTROL SERVICES INC WESTERN SLING AND SUPPLY WHITAKER BROTHERS BUSINESS MACHINES WOLD ARCHITECHTS AND ENGINEERS WRIGLEY ENTERPRISES XEROX CORPORATION Y TIME
JUDGE JUDGE POSTAGE INVENTORY EQUIPMENT PARTS SUPPLIES FINANCIAL ADVERTISING WEED CONTROL CIVIL PROCESS EQUIPMENT PARTS OPERATING EQUIPMENT RENTAL WATER JUDGE REIMBURSEMENTS
$197.70 $613.80 $6,313.58 $2,920.09 $285.93 $1,942.50 $295.00 $16,593.85 $19.00 $127.59 $200.00 $75.00 $390.00 $698.30 $167.09
EQUIPMENT RENTAL $195.00 AUTO REP $4,879.89 FINANCIAL $14,250.00 EQUIPMENT PARTS $220.00 TRAVEL $54.28 FB ROYALTY PREMIUM $250.00 BLDING REPAIRS $222.85 REIMBURSEMENTS $71.05 SUPPLIES $264.78 CHILD WELFARE $306.00 TELEPHONE MAINT $403.68 UTILITIES $50.00 REIMBURSEMENTS $38.80 OFFICE SUPPLIES $2,038.37 OFFICE SUPPLIES $270.21 EQUIPMENT PARTS $106.81 HAZ WASTE REM $126.89 CIVIL PROCESS $6.00 FUEL $21,216.49 SOFTWARE SUPPORT $570.00 EQUIPMENT RENTAL $78.20 OFFICE SUPPLIES $295.98 PRISONER MEALS $2,695.99 REIMBURSEMENTS $1,253.87 FB ROYALTY PREMIUM $150.00 BENEFITS PAYABLE $1,610.45 CONTRACT SERVICES 16,144.62 CONTRACT SERVICES 800.00 UTILITIES 102.16 JUDGE 380.00 COUNTY ADMINISTRATION 440.20 PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 975.00 FAIR EVENTS 1,000.00 FAIR ENTERTAINMENT 348.55 TRAINING 1,075.00 COPIER 629.75 POSTAGE 15.69 COPIER 169.00 TELEPHONE 5,757.49 UTILITIES 960.26 SUPPLIES 450,551.72 SUPPLIES 357.79 SUPPLIES 32,161.94 JUDGE 270.00 ADVERTISING 330.00 CIVIL PROCESS 15.00 EQUIPMENT PARTS 352.00 EQUIPMENT 1,515.00 SUPPLIES 13,375.00 OPERATING 718.00 COPIER 3,028.14 CONTRACT 77.30
Legal Notice No.: 24106 First Publication: August 23, 2018 Last Publication: August 23, 2018 Publisher: Elbert County News
Elbert County August 23, 2018 * 1
20 Elbert County News
DERBY FROM PAGE 11
None of the Pankoffs had ever felt what it was like to win in Akron. But almost every year they went. Allison’s final race would also be the Pankoff ’s final race, that is until Allison and J.P. have kids of their own. And as Allison crossed the finish line, Buzz and J.P. hugged each other and cheered. Allison won by .026 seconds with a time of 29.208. “I had dreamed about it for a while,” Buzz said. ““But you don’t want to get caught up in the moment, thinking about all that stuff … And as soon as they called her name, the emotion completely overwhelmed me.” Buzz, J.P. and Allison’s mother, Judy, rushed down the track to celebrate. Allison, in tears, said it was the perfect ending to the family’s racing days. “I felt like there was a monkey on
August 23, 2018A our back,” Buzz said. “But the weight and pressure of performing, we actually achieved more than anybody expected us to, or more than we expected us to. “The fact your dreams come true through your children is an indescribable feeling.” Winning ways Winning was always important to Allison and J.P. Whichever sibling had the better day had bragging rights — and rights to the back seat of the family car, a worthy prize given the family’s long hours on the road. The only way to practice for Soap Box Derby races is by competing, and to compete means to travel across the county for the best tracks and the best hills. At each stop the Pankoff family grew. They added to their derby family in Iowa, Kansas and Ohio. It grew so big that when Allison posed with the First Place trophy in Akron for
a family photo, more than 20 people squeezed into the shot surrounding the 3-foot-tall trophy. And it grew in Ogallala, Nebraska, where they met Dave Barrett, the local race director who became Allison’s mentor. Barrett pushed Allison to the starting line each time she raced in Akron, and each time he told her not to cry. The tradition goes back to when Allison was 8 and was so scared to go down the track she cried the whole way. Since then, she’s gotten used to it. “She didn’t like losing,” Barrett said. “When she lost, it really, really crushed her…A lot of times the tears came out there, too.” And like her first run, the tears came on her last run, when she looked up and saw she had won the rally masters world championship. “I was there from the first to the last race,” Barrett said. “It was the first time I’d been around someone who was a champion at nationals.”
The last race Allison approached this starting line in Akron the same way she always had dozens of times before, only this time her gratitude for the sport subsided the nerves. Dozens of old friends and even a few strangers gave her final words of encouragement moments before her the starting gun. But derby racing is an individual sport, and in the final moments of her career, she sat in her car, the one painted like the Colorado flag, alone. And soon it would all be over. Barrett pushed her to the starting line and told her not to cry one last time. Allison recited her favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13, which she would repeat to herself the entire way down the track — “I can do all things.” It would take just 30 seconds. For Pankoff, it went by in a blur: “It’s the fastest 30 seconds of your entire life.”