Fort Lupton Press 0505 by Colorado Community Media

FORT LUPTON PRESS S E RV I N G T H E C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 19 0 6

VOLUME 33

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2021

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 , 2020

VOLUME 117

THE SEASON FOR SHARING

75cI

ISSUE 18

‘Each phase of the disease was different’

ISSUE 48

Platte Valley doctors, nurses look back on COVID-19 BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Jonathan Seib is a Charge Nurse and Clinical Coordinator for the Intermediate Care and Medical Surgery unit at Platte Valley Medical Center for about three years. Seib was a news reporter before but always had an interest in the medical profession. “I had two goals, the first goal I became a reporter and writer for five years,” said Seib. Then one day Seib decided to reinvent himself and became a nurse. “I felt like I wanted to directly help people,” Seib said. “I was at a point in my life, with the support of my family, I wanted to go back to school full time, so I decided to go back to school for my other passion the medical field, and become a nurse.” The virus hit in multiple phases Ann Healey, former co-owner of Colorado Community Media, speaks during a meeting announcing the sale of the print and and it was overwhelming for Seib digital news company. At right, former publisher and co-owner Jerry Healey and reporter Thelma Grimes listen. and his team. PHOTO BY JOHN LEYBA/SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN In the first phase, the staff worked with Wendy Colon in the Incident Command Center on processes. The team started prepping for what was coming and planning contingencies as more and more patients were being admitted. “Each phase was different and you would change treatments, rooms, and finding physical beds. It was The acquisition is the first for Denver-area suburbs — includintimidating, I never had to plan NTLN, a nascent nonprofit that ing this one — and two shoppers for something like this before,” said seeks to leverage national foundahas been acquired by a local and Seib. tion funding to buy and bolster national partnership with the goal As patients continued to come in, local newspapers threatened by of building a sustainable business the frontline workers still considmodel for local news, its ownership faltering business models and the ered COVID a mystery virus. The encroachment of hedge funds and announced on May 3. staff was receiving reports from the Jerry and Ann Healey, the couple corporate conglomerates. hospitals in New York, China and The Colorado Sun, a statewide who built the company over the other countries overseas on treatnews outlet founded and run by past decade, sold the network of ments that could work. BY DAVID GILBERT Every DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank provide community former Denver Post journalists, papers that now spans eight coun“We were trying a lot of different members with food boxes. This will beties theand program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert with Change Change, will oversee daily operations at dozens of communities things and treating it like 4the flu at to afood jointdrive. partnership between the2. Colorado Community Media. first,” Seib said. “It was not the best Colorado Community Media, another organization that helps with the See more on Page National Trust for Local News, or the company that produces two NTLN, and The Colorado Sun. dozen newspapers around the SEE SOLD, P2 SEE HEALTH CARE, P8

‘Tell stories that matter:’ Colorado Community Media sold to news entity

Colorado Sun, national foundation to take the reins of two dozen Denver-area newspapers

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2 Fort Lupton Press

May 5, 2021

We were blessed with the opportunities to tell your stories New owners are committed to our brand of journalism

ur journey in journalism started in the early 1980s, as recent college graduates — me, as a reporter at The Miami Herald, then one of the country’s largest papers; Jerry in the newspaper’s advertising department. Back in those days, rarely did editorial and advertising departments cross paths. If it hadn’t been for a company softball team, we might Ann Macari never have met. Healey After we married, we moved to Rhode Island to work for the Providence Journal-Bulletin. After a few years there, we thought: Why not run our own paper? We seemed like an ideal partnership. I had editorial covered; Jerry Healey Jerry, the business end. So we moved to Chicago to run a community paper for a friend’s father — to learn, to see how it felt, to find out whether we could make the transition from larger publications to a hyperlocal endeavor. We decided we could. And after a year, in 1989, we rode a train to Denver, bought a small paper in Littleton and began a 22-year adventure that has defined much of our lives.

Today, our company publishes 26 newspapers and publications in metro Denver and beyond. Journalism in any place and at any level — large, medium, small — is exciting and purposeful for those of us who ply the profession. But for Jerry and me, it also has been about our bond to our readers and advertisers. It’s personal. We have cared deeply about the quality of your lives and success of your businesses. We were called to tell your stories with truth, accuracy, fairness and compassion. We still remember the excitement of longtime Littleton residents at having local ownership of their paper. They understood, better than us at that time, how important it is for those who run newspapers to know the communities they cover, to understand the historic, social and economic narratives that shape a place and its people. Between 2004 and 2020 in the United States, at least 1,800 communities lost their local newspapers, according to a recently published report. That leaves these communities without a voice, without government accountability — whether it be schools or city hall — or reliable means to connect with each other. The death of journalism in any community is a tragedy and a crumbling of our democratic foundation. That’s not happening here because the new owners of our company — a joint partnership between the nonprofit National Trust for Local News and The Colorado Sun — are committed to the same brand of journalism that we have brought you. (Please see accompanying story.) They are talented, innovative and mission-driven. They will not only

ensure the papers’ legacies in your communities continue, but also that community newspapers thrive in new and creative ways. And we ask you — our readers, businesses, advertisers and community leaders — to continue to support them as you’ve supported us. It is difficult to sum up this journey of ours in a few, good words. In the beginning, it was Jerry and me and a handful of passionate, part-time freelance reporters working out of a bookshop. When the opportunity arose to acquire the historic Littleton Independent and two other neighboring papers, we couldn’t find a bank to take a chance on us. Family stepped in and gave us a loan, like any bank, with interest and a strict, no-fudging repayment timeline. We stepped away for some years to explore other interests. But in 2011, the opportunity to help turn around a group of struggling community papers drew Jerry back. And little by little, more papers, some also struggling, were added. There were those who doubted the wisdom of investing financially and emotionally in an industry many have labeled as dying. And, certainly, some of the papers we acquired no longer had the reader and advertising support they once enjoyed. But they did have roots, deep roots, some going back more than 100 years —the Golden Transcript, for instance, is 153 years strong. How do you let such legacies go without a fight? The fight required perseverance, creativity, difficult decisions, a lot of energy for long days and — the key — a small army of editorial, advertising, production and business staff who believed fervently in commu-

SOLD FROM PAGE 1

With the Healeys looking toward retirement and hoping to leave the company in good hands, publisher Jerry Healey said the deal was the best he could have hoped for. “We were looking for new owners who understand the purpose of community newspapers,” Jerry said. “Someone who believed in our mission to tell stories that matter in our communities, not just in sending profits back East. They have the heart and vision for what could be a way to preserve and grow local papers everywhere, not just ours.” Ann said she has total confidence in the new owners. “They’re in it for the right reasons,” she said, “and they really care about journalism.” The acquisition charts a new path forward for family-owned legacy newspapers, said Larry Ryckman, the editor and co-founder of the Colorado Sun. “This is a cool opportunity to demonstrate to Colorado and the country that we can find a way to keep local journalism in local hands,” Ryckman said. “My expectation is we’ll hire additional people. Readers will keep seeing the journalism they trust and support, but we can

Jerry and Ann Healey, left, sold Colorado Community Media to a national and local partnership between the National Trust for Local News and the Colorado Sun designed PHOTO BY JOHN LEYBA/SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN to bolster local journalism.

breathe some energy into both the print and digital operations.” The approach will be gradual and thoughtful, he said. “We don’t want to come in and say how to run the shop,” Ryckman said. “I want to be humble and listen to readers and employees and figure out the best way forward. Job one is to not break anything.” Newspapers for sale The Healeys began quietly hunt-

ing for a buyer around Thanksgiving 2020, Jerry Healey said. He approached Laura Frank, the executive director of the Colorado News Collaborative or COLab, a nonprofit statewide network that works to strengthen local journalism, asking if she knew of any potential buyers who would preserve and grow local news. Frank connected him to Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro, CEO and co-founder of NTLN.

nity newspapers. Colorado Community Media’s success belongs to its people. Our staff throughout the years has been incredibly talented. They have worked together through good times and bad to deliver the news to you every week. Jerry and I are profoundly grateful for their dedication, contributions — and friendships. We feel privileged to have helped local businesses achieve direct access to readers. We feel rewarded that we told the stories that otherwise would not have been heard. There are so many, but a few in recent years include the joyful drive-by pandemic celebration of a woman’s 100th birthday. Economic challenges of local shopping centers. Black students confronted by racism. Comprehensive local election guides. The quest of a man dying of cancer to complete his dream. A year-long look at the state of mental health in one county. Families’ struggles to pay the rent when jobs were lost. High school graduations. And all those triumphs and defeats in our community sports pages. Jerry and I are leaving for a few reasons: We are nearing retirement. We would like to spend more time with our children and granddaughter. We would like to see what else is in store for us. But we also felt it was time for new energy and vision for our papers and the communities they serve. We feel fortunate to have found new owners who can bring that. For Jerry and me, that means we can say goodbye, feeling secure about these papers’ future, and blessed for having had the opportunity to tell your stories.

The timing was serendipitous, Shapiro said. Just over a month earlier, NTLN had published its concept paper through Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. The situation in local news nationwide is dire, the concept paper says. Though many small familyrun operations remain profitable around the country, they face serious headwinds from declining advertising revenue and print subscriptions. Digital advertising struggles to make up the difference, especially as corporate behemoths like Facebook and Google have gobbled up much of the available online ad revenue. Waves of consolidation and acquisitions have left a third of America’s newspapers in the hands of 25 companies as of 2018, the paper says, with more than 1,800 newspapers shut down in the last 15 years. “The most powerful newspaper owners are now private capital holding companies whose expectations for profit and return have strongly influenced local newsrooms’ size, quality, and resource levels,” the paper reads in part. Corporate ownership entangles newspapers in a “downward spiral” that slashes newspapers’ legitimacy and capabilities, it says. SEE SOLD, P4

Fort Lupton Press 3

May 5, 2021

Our Family Helping Your Family

24-Hour Phone Lines 303-654-0112 • 303-857-2290 Brighton: 75 S. 13th Avenue Obituaries, Arrangements and Resources Online at

taborfuneralhome.com

FIKE

allieventcenter.com

PEARSON

Gertrude Louise (Trudy) Fike

Mildred Louise (Unrein) Pearson

1/29/1919 - 4/30/2021

Trudy passed away at her home in Brighton, Colorado on April 30, 2021 of natural causes at the age of 102. She was born January 29, 1919, the daughter of Leo and Elsie Nussbaumer of Alliance, Ohio. She graduated from Alliance High School and Alliance Business College. She married Harold E. Fike on August 11, 1940. He was a Reserve Army Officer and served in World War II and the Korean War. They had three children and the family accompanied him on tours of duty to Saipan, Hawaii, the Philippines and Puerto Rico. They retired in Boulder, Colorado in 1962. After her husband’s death, she entered the business world as an employee and associate of Martin T. Hart of Denver. They were the founders of Little

April 20, 1944 ~ April 27, 2021

Valley Wholesale Nursery in Adams County, Colorado. She is predeceased by her husband, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Harold E. Fike and daughter, Carolyn. She is survived by her daughter, Cynthia L. Thorngren of Brighton, Colorado and her son, Harold E. Fike, Jr. of Hendersonville, NC; her grandchildren John, Carl, Elyssa and Shaughnessy; and her great-grandchildren Alexandra, Henry and John. Interment will be May 5, 2021 at Fort Logan National Cemetery. There will be a celebration of life on June 19th at the Farm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to her favorite charities including Guide Dogs for the Blind, Salvation Army and Heifer International.

ROSALES

Naomi M. Rosales

July 6, 1978 ~ April 26, 2021 Naomi M. Rosales, 42, of Brighton, was born on July 6, 1978 in Boulder, Colorado to parents, Keith R. and Judith K. (Hartling) Hartman. Naomi was a 1996 graduate of Centaurus High School in Lafayette, Colorado and attended Metro State College and Front Range Community College. She married Jose Rosales on September 28, 2001 in Brighton, Colorado. Together with her husband, Jose, they owned and operated Rosales Landscape in Brighton. She was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church where she also volunteered and enjoyed teaching Sunday school. Naomi held her real estate license and was a substitute teacher for Brighton School District 27J. Naomi was an avid fan of the Denver Broncos, loved to travel and enjoyed the outdoors, boating and camping. One of her favorite places to spend time with friends was at Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins. She loved to work and was a leader, always organized and

took charge of any task put in front of her. Naomi was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, daughter, grandmother and friend. She touched many lives and will be dearly missed. Along with her husband, Jose, survivors include her mother, Judy Hartman of Lafayette, CO; sons, Luis and Ruben (Felicia); and daughter, Isabella all of Brighton, CO. She is also survived by grandchildren, Ruben, Jr., Nehemiah, Joey, Noah and Roman. Recitation of the Rosary was on Monday, May 3, 2021, at 6:00 p.m., with Funeral Mass on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., all at St. Augustine Catholic Church, in Brighton, Colorado. Interment followed at Fairview Cemetery, in Brighton. Please share memories of Naomi and condolences with her family by visiting her obituary online at www. TaborFuneralHome.com.

Mildred Louise “Millie” Pearson was born in Herington, KS on April 20, 1944 to her parents Marguerite (Chalker) and Celestine “Dempsey” Unrein. She was baptized into the Catholic Church on April 25, 1950 in Brighton, Colorado. As a young girl Millie learned to play accordion and piano. She had fond memories of her father bringing friends and having her play for them. As the oldest of eight children, she loved telling stories of her younger siblings running and sliding across the wood floor in their stalking feet. She attended Cathedral High School in Denver, Colorado and married Henry Swanson Jr. just after high school. Together they had four children: Robert A. Swanson (Michelle), Donald G. Swanson, Stephanie L. Neison, and Terence S. Swanson (Cynthia). Mildred was a loving mother who always encouraged her children to do their very best in everything they chose to do. She made sure they were able to participate in sports and private music lessons, even when it was hard financially. She always told them “you can do anything you want to do in life as long as you don’t hurt yourself or anyone else.” She taught her children the importance of attending church and prayed for them daily. She always made every skinned knee or scrape seem insignificant with the love that she treated them with. Holidays were always a special time for Millie and her family, with festive decorations, amazing food, and fun activities. She took pride in everything she had and everything she did, and she always made sure to take care of the things she had been blessed with. Millie spent many years as a teacher’s aid at Northeast Elementary in Brighton, Colorado and touched the lives of many children. She also spent several years as the manager of the Payless Shoe Store in Brighton, Co.

Mildred and Henry had a wonderful marriage of 36 years and together with their children made many great memories. They enjoyed trips to Estes Park for hiking and camping, spending time at home gardening, and spending quality time as a family. Henry passed away in 1997 and a couple of years later she met Richard W. Pearson. Richard and Mildred were married on April 28, 2002. They shared 19 amazing years of traveling the world, sharing the love of all their children and grandchildren, sharing stories of their childhoods, decorating their home, and loving each other in sickness and in health. Mildred is survived by her husband, Richard Pearson; three sons: Robert, Donald, and Terry; grandchildren: Fathom, Ryan, Dustin, Dylan, Brittany, Kayli, Aubrey, Breanna, Joshua, and Kira; great-grandchildren: Harper and Hattie; and siblings: Gene Unrein (Kathy), Linda Unrein, Shirley Schissler, Art Unrein (Leslie), and Phil Unrein. She is preceded in death by her mother and father; brother, Ken Unrein; sister, Sarah Anderson; late husband, Henry Swanson; and daughter, Stephanie Neison. Mildred will be loved and missed by all who knew her, but we can find comfort in knowing that she is forever at peace with our Father in Heaven. Recitation of the Rosary was on Sunday, May 2, 2021, at 6:00 p.m., at Tabor Funeral Home, in Brighton, Colorado. Funeral Mass was Monday, May 3, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Augustine Catholic Church, in Brighton, Colorado. Interment followed at Elmwood Cemetery, in Brighton. Please share memories of Millie and condolences with her family by visiting her obituary online at www. TaborFuneralHome.com.

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4 Fort Lupton Press

May 5, 2021

SOLD FROM PAGE 2

Though some newspapers have been preserved by local “angel investors” or billionaires who take them on — as is the case at the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and Colorado Springs Gazette — that model is not replicable on a large scale. NTLN draws inspiration from public radio, which in recent decades has built a diversified funding model built on grants, foundations, underwriting and listener support, while still retaining local control. “The new business model is ‘all of the above,’” Shapiro said. “It’s advertising, philanthropy and small-dollar giving. We’re pragmatists — let’s get the news funded as many different ways as we can. Multiple revenue streams preserve independence.” The CCM acquisition — the terms and price of which are confidential — brings together an array of funders. The deal was funded by FJC, a boutique public charity that specializes in nonprofit loans, Shapiro said. The loan is guaranteed by the American Journalism Project, a venture philanthropy organization; the Colorado Trust, a health equity organization; and the Gates Family Foundation, a philanthropic group with its roots in Denver’s Gates Rubber Company. A grant from the Colorado Media Project, a grant-funded initiative that advocates for journalistic innovation, supported a portion of the legal costs and connected NTLN to local funders. Operational support is being provided by the Knight Foundation, a national arts and journalism philanthropic group; the Google News Initiative, which partners with local news organizations; and the Democracy Fund, a nonpartisan foundation that seeks to strengthen civic engagement. None of the foundations will have any say over CCM’s content or editorial direction, she said. Acquiring CCM is an exciting chance to prove the NTLN concept, Shapiro said. “There has to be more to the story of American journalism in the 21st century than all the destruction we see,” she said. “This is setting up CCM for the long term. It’s not going to get sold to a conglomerate or hedge fund and shut down. We’re setting these papers up on strong footing, but it’s going to be up to the communities to keep them that way.” Here comes the Sun NTLN provided the funding for the acquisition and will provide consulting and business services, but the ultimate goal is to hand off control and ownership to The Colorado Sun, Shapiro said. The Sun was founded by former Denver Post journalists who left in 2018, following moves by Alden Global Capital, the newspaper’s hedge fund ownership, that slashed dozens of news staff and moved the newsroom from downtown Denver to the newspaper’s Adams County printing plant.

Jerry and Ann Healey, left, sold Colorado Community Media to a national and local partnership between the National Trust for Local News and the Colorado Sun designed to bolster local journalism. From left: Jerry Healey and Ann Healey, former CCM owners, Fraser Nelson and Marc Hand of the National Trust for Local News, Colorado Sun editors Dana Coffield and Larry Ryckman, National Trust CEO Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro, and Lillian Ruiz of the National Trust. PHOTO BY JOHN LEYBA/SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN

Since its founding, the Sun has proven to be resilient and well-supported, said Ryckman, the editor and co-founder. “Our business model is so simple it sounds naive,” Ryckman said. “Treat readers with respect. Don’t scam them with clickbait, autoplay videos or pop-up ads. Give them journalism worthy of their support. We’ve seen tremendous growth in readership and paying membership.” The Sun is in a growth phase, he said. “We started with 10 full-timers, and we’ll have 16 next month, and we’re aiming for 20 by midsummer,” he said. “We do have statewide ambitions, and our goal is to fill the gaps and do the stories others aren’t doing.” CCM fits nicely into that goal, he said. Like the Sun, CCM will be operated as a public benefit corporation, meaning while it remains for-profit, it has no obligation to maximize shareholder profits. “Strictly for-profit means you do whatever you can to make as much money as you can,” Ryckman said. “If that means layoffs or selling real estate, so be it. In a public benefit corporation, you need to treat it like a business, but the first goal is to serve the public. Journalism is too important to be in the hands of strip-mining hedge funds.” Ryckman said he hopes to bolster CCM’s existing strengths and connections to the communities it serves. “CCM will remain independent, but we can find ways to help and collaborate on the business and news side,” he said. The two already have an established working relationship — CCM reporter Jessica Gibbs and Colorado Sun reporter Jesse Paul recently

took home an award from the Society for Professional Journalists for a series on how COVID affected public health workers. “We can be great resources,” Ryckman said. “We’re run by journalists. We’ve got Pulitzer Prize winners on staff. The Sun is the most collaborative place I’ve ever worked, and that’s the spirit I want to bring to this endeavor.” It’s too soon to say what staffing will look like going forward, but Ryckman said they have no plans to fire anyone, and a new digital editor is likely. The Sun will also begin a search for a new permanent publisher for CCM, though Jerry Healey will stay on for a time as a consultant. The Sun’s leadership plans to listen to readers to figure out a path forward, said Sun editor Dana Coffield. “These are changing times, and we need to listen to what news consumers are telling us,” she said. “There’s great journalism being produced, but it may not be presented in the ways readers want to receive it. We’re looking at web platforms that are more readerfriendly, email newsletters, more of a social media presence. We’ll start with the basics, and can get more excited and ambitious from there.” That doesn’t mean print editions are going away, she said. “We hope to do print for a very long time,” she said. “But a robust internet product is important too.” In good hands For the Healeys, the deal is a great outcome for the crowning achievement of their professional lives. “We’ve taken this company as far as we can take it, and it’s time for someone else to take it to the next

level,” Jerry said. The company wasn’t in danger of closing, he said, though the past year has been tough. Half the company’s advertisers either backed out or cut ads last spring, and reporters each took a week of furlough. Several salespeople who left weren’t replaced. CCM received $255,800 in Paycheck Protection Program loans last year, according to federal records. “I’m not afraid to say PPP money got us through last spring,” he said. “The government stepped up. We would have gone into our savings to keep it going, but we wouldn’t have closed the newspapers. It gave us the ability to focus on the company and pay the bills.” The company had strong showings in the third and fourth quarters of 2020, Jerry said. “Advertisers were coming back, and I’m most proud of my management during COVID,” he said. The company stayed bullish, with the Healeys buying seven newspapers from Landmark Community Newspapers in October. Ann said the acquisition is a win for the newspapers, some of which date back more than a century — or in the case of the Golden Transcript, to the Gold Rush. But it’s also a win for readers, she said. “These days people can get lost in the cacophony of social media and snap judgments, and it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important,” she said. “We’re making sure these communities still have their voices heard through active, high-quality journalism. We feel like we’re just a small part of the history of these papers and these communities, but we’re so excited for this opportunity to hand them off and make them better and stronger.”

Fort Lupton Press 5

May 5, 2021

Marijuana ordinances coming into focus BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The latest marijuana ordinance update for Fort Lupton City Council includes a lot more nuts and bolts. And a timeline. City Clerk Mari Pena was in charge of presenting the proposed guidelines during an April 27 town hall meeting. Three in five voters approved retail sales for medical and recreational marijuana in the November election. The city will limit the number of applications to four. The city won’t accept applications until councilors approve the ordinances, the process to accept applications and the date the ordinances take effect. As presented on April 27, none can

be in the downtown area (Denver Avenue between First and Ninth streets), in residential areas, within 1,000 feet of a school or 500 feet of a public park with a playground. If everything continues according to plan, the earliest effective date for enforcement is July 23. There will be a hearing before the planning commission to add the ordinances to the city code. It’s scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, May 13. Council’s first public hearing is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 18, for a zoning ordinance and the addition of marijuana businesses in certain parts of town. “The ordinance we have been working on will go into Chapter 6 (the licensing section) of the Fort Lupton Municipal Code,” Pena said.

“The tax ordinance for marijuana will go into Chapter 4 (revenue and finance section) of the municipal code. We have to incorporate marijuana into several sections.” The state will continue to collect the city sales tax rate of 4 percent. The city will collect an extra 3.1 percent from marijuana sales. “The rate can increase or decrease, as long as it doesn’t exceed 10 percent,” Pena told the council. Voters agreed to the 10 percent cap in November. Lupton Village Public Works Director Roy Vestal asked councilors to approve a series of agreements to the subdivision improvements for Lupton Townhomes.

Council approved the preliminary and final replatting for a segment of the Lupton Village planned unit development on March 16. The section takes in about five acres of land and 73 single-family units near the development at Weld County Road 12 and Rollie Avenue. The cost of the improvements is $528,000, which takes in the construction of water and sanitation services. The council couldn’t decide because it was in a town hall format. Vestal also said the developer, Baessler Homes, is planning to come to the council’s next town hall, which is May 18. “They are going to tell you the tap fee is too much,” Vestal said. “My response was, ‘It’s over my head.’”

Meeting. Meeting. Who can come to the meeting? BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Fort Lupton City Council and the Weld Re-8 board of education are planning to talk about the relocation of the Fort Lupton Public & School Library on May 25. But during an April 27 council town hall, there was some discussion about whether the library board of directors could have a seat during the talks. The library board wants to buy land behind the new Dale’s Pharmacy. The total area is less than the 1,100 feet the library occupies inside Fort Lupton High School. Though

the library is inside the school, the Weld Re-8 School District is not a negotiating partner. But the library board is, and Councilman Tommy Holton didn’t think the board should be part of the discussion. “They are a self-governing board. This needs no interpretation,” Holton said. “They have their own revenue source. You just don’t take over another revenue source.” After earlier consultation with the library legal counsel, City Attorney Andy Ausmus said the library board served in an advisory role. “Their attorney isn’t their attorney,” Holton said.

“I respectfully disagree,” Ausmus said. Community involvement Council’s recent decision to turn down a 30-inch pipeline belowground for transferring raw water from Fulton Ditch to the South Platte River isn’t sitting well with resident Mike Brashear. His father-in-law told the council early in April that the applicant, United Water and Sanitation District, wouldn’t negotiate a price for his land because it was a utility company. “A lot of people don’t know all the legal jargon,” Brashear said. “Some-

times, if the common people are told how the deal works, that’d be good. A lot of people come here and boom, things have been pushed through.” “Citizens need to be more engaged,” Holton said. “We have a very active website,” Mayor Zo Stieber said. Legal staff didn’t let Brashear relitigate the council’s decision about the pipeline. “If you could put eminent domain in laymen’s terms, that would be really helpful,” Brashear said. “I’d like to see more people get involved. I don’t know how to do that.” “I don’t know either,” Holton said.

Events aplenty coming to Fort Lupton soon BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Perhaps it’s a sign that the pandemic is loosening its grip. The City of Fort Lupton has a new website touting events it plans to host the balance of the year. “We revamped it,” said city events coordinator Christy Romano. “It’s more user-friendly. Residents and citizens can make their plans to attend. There’s a volunteer applica-

tion link online with the waiver built-in. There’s also a special application for food vendors.” It includes the annual Memorial Day program at Hillside Cemetery (it didn’t take place last year because of coronavirus), the city-wide yard sale July 9 and 10, Trapper Days Sept. 10-12, Apple Days Oct. 18, the Field of Honor program Nov. 10-13, a Turkey Burn run Nov. 23 and Winterfest Dec. 4. Concerts in the park will be part

of the calendar for this summer. One event that won’t return is the farmers’ market at Koshio Park. The city’s Independence Day event (with a Ninja Warrior course, games, bounce houses, food trucks, shaved ice, craft vendors, a concert and fireworks) is in line to take place. Romano said the city would like to staff an entry point near the food trucks. “It allows us to ID check instead of people piling up at the beer sta-

tion,” she told council during an April 27 town hall meeting. “We want to make sure people are over 21 and have the proper wrist bands. It also gives us an opportunity to get a count. When you’re trying to sell event sponsors, you want to give them a count.” The concert is due to begin around 6:30 p.m. After that, there will be a fireworks display. Visit https://www.fortlupton. org/172/Events-Programs.

RE-8, city council to talk about library relocation BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Fort Lupton City Council and the Weld RE-8 board are scheduled to meet May 25 to talk about a new home for the Fort Lupton Public & School Library. The council piece of the forum is at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave. The school board’s business meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. RE-8 Superintendent Alan Kaylor told the board April 22 the library board planned to offer a proposal to

buy land behind Dale’s Pharmacy, which recently moved across state Highway 52 from the Safeway store. Council will get to decide whether to go through with the purchase. “We are not a fiscal entity in terms of representation,” Kaylor told the board. “When City Manager Chris Cross and I got together, we talked about wanting to have the groups meet and to talk about what happens to the 11,000 square feet of space they vacate (inside Fort Lupton High School). I don’t want to see it turn into a cave.”

Board member Cody LeBlanc wondered about the cost of potential upgrades to the present library location. Kaylor said there were no retainer fees for such services. He estimated the cost at $1.5 million “... to turn it into usable spaces.” LeBlanc asked if the board and council could talk about not moving the library. In response to a Facebook question, LeBlanc said he was concerned about the cost to the district to update the present space and whether the new library could provide “the full spectrum of

services” to students.” “A large point of confusion to me is the fact the new library plans are considerably smaller than the current space,” he said. “I am not opposed to a new library structure if all of my concerns can be satisfactorily addressed. Many community members have come and shared many of these concerns with me, and it is my duty to ask questions and stand for the most fiscally responsible position.”

6 Fort Lupton Press

May 5, 2021

Thu 5/06

Colorado Vibes Vol.6 | Art Extravaganza

Featured

Editor's Voice

Monday May 10th

Women of Spirit @ 6:30pm Armory Performing Arts Center, 300 Strong Street, Brighton. rexngingerbell@msn.com, 720-980-9006

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Featured Colorado Rapids @ 8pm / $18-$100 DICK'S Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City

“Women of Spirit (a special event for women) will resume at 6:30 p.m. May 10. A delightful program will be presented by “The Legendary Ladies”, a women’s historical performance organization. Five women characters from the past will be presented in costume with a special stage set. Due to covid restrictions, a meal will not be served. Reservations essential to attend.

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Sun 5/09

Town of Erie Spring Cleanup @ 6am / Free Front Range Land�ll, 1830 County Road 5, Erie

Getting Started With Essential Oils - Thornton @ 9am / Free DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Denver Thornton, 83 East 120th Avenue, Thornton

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Mother's Day at Ironton @ 10am / Free-$50 Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse, 3636 Chestnut Place, Denver

Sunprinting @ 4:30pm Anythink Commerce City Library, 7185 Monaco Street, Commerce City. rcardenas@anythinkli braries.org, 303-287-0063

Music Bingo Every Thursday at Pour Tap House

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Mother's Day Succulent & Crystal Terrarium Workshop @ 11am / $65 Barquentine Brewing Company, 5505 West 20th Avenue, #Suite 178, Edgewater

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Thu 5/13

DIY Garden Stepping Stone Mosaics @ 5pm Anythink Wright Farms, 5877 East 120th Avenue, Thornton. rbowman @anythinklibraries.org, 303-4053200

Tue 5/11 Featured

Comedy Night at Abbott & Wallace

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Fri 5/07 Featured

Getting Started With Essential Oils - Westminster @ 2pm / Free The Westin Westminster, 10600 Westminster Boulevard, Westmin‐ ster Mother's Day Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Silver Vines Winery

May 7th - Free Concealed Carry Course @ 6pm / Free Guns For Everyone, 8520 Wash‐ ington Street, #Unit K, Thornton

Sat 5/08

@ 2pm / Free Silver Vines Winery - Arvada, 7509 Grand‐ view Avenue, Arvada

Mon 5/10 Featured

Outdoor Storytime Virtual Dance Party @ 11am Anythink Wright Farms, 5877 East 120th Avenue, Thornton. rbowman @anythinklibraries.org, 303-4053200

Wed 5/12

Denver Nuggets vs. Brooklyn Nets

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@ 4pm Offsite, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings @ 7pm / $49-$999 Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

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Picnic In the Park- Veteran's Memorial Park (5/13)

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Luxury Ladies Vintage Fashion Show & Wine Event

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Nontra's Singles Meet Mix and Mingle Puja

Birding by Canoe Family Program - Monday, May 10, 9a @ 9am / Free May 10th - May 9th Barr Lake State Park, 13401 Pica‐ dilly Road, Brighton. 303-659-4348 ext. 49

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Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings @ 7pm / $49-$999 Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

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Fort Lupton Press 7

May 5, 2021

Frederick High School may need to change mascots BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When it comes to mascots, Frederick High School is like a number of other schools in the state. Its teams are the Warriors. When it comes to mascots, Frederick High School might be like a number of other schools in the state and be forced to change its mascot. FHS Principal Brian Young posted a letter to Facebook midweek. In it, he described a bill making its way through the Legislature that would prohibit the use of American Indian mascots, including names and symbols that represent Native American culture and traditions. Young told parents the proposed law came from a 2016 state report on studying American Indian representations in public schools. “Based on feedback from legislators and the advice of our legal counsel, the name ‘Warrior’ in association with the traditional logos and imagery used to represent our school is inconsistent with the proposed legislation,” Young’s letter said. “While I am proud of the culture we have built at Frederick High School, Senate Bill 21-116 may

A GRENADIER MEETS A HIGHLANDER

require us to identify a new mascot name and imagery for our high school.” According to the Colorado High School Activities Association directory of state schools in 2019-2020, there are eight schools that use Warriors as their mascot. Online reaction ranged from “sad” to “stupid.” “Dumbest thing ever,” said Kandra Becker Villani on Facebook. “Seriously, it’s going way too far. This has been on the agenda before but got voted down. Now people voted to put the people in office that want this in place. People do not pay attention when voting anymore.” “Is this really the biggest issue this state has?” asked Shane Durben online. “Couldn’t the Warrior name be kept and the mascot changed? A warrior is well-defined as an experienced and brave soldier,” said Steve Bell on Facebook. “I think it would be a great salute to our troops.” Young said more information would be forthcoming, including ways for the community to have input in the future. Call 303-833-3533 with questions.

Jason Smith, left, reenacting a Grenadier from the 23rd Regiment on foot from the battle Breeds Hill in 1775. Right, John Hockley is wearing a Highlands Kilt from Irish PHOTO BY BELEN WARD Scotland reenacting a colonist in 1776.

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8 Fort Lupton Press

May 5, 2021

HEALTH CARE FROM PAGE 1

way to go and we were doing our best. Our unit was taking COVID-19 patients plus added challenges. The nurses, myself included, were also training to take ICU patients. If there were too many sick patients we took the entire Intermediate Care population from ICU to free up ICU.” Seib and his team had to make quick decisions, educating peers on how to care for the COVID-19 patients which had become an entirely new population in the unit. “It was very overwhelming at first and honestly, it’s been the hardest thing I’ve had to do. It is still a confusing virus because it hits some people so hard,” said Seib. The team and Seib watched patients for days wondering if they were going to tip one way or the other - for better or worse. The nurses leaned on each other for support. “It was hard every step of the way watching these patients and waiting. Ultimately, sometimes it pans out. A lot of times it didn’t, and the patients didn’t make it. It was extremely difficult for all of us and taking a toll on our team, our charge nurses and myself personally,” said Seib. Family safety Seib’s family lives with his Mom and Stepdad, both in the high-risk group. Seib had conversations with his family on the best way of keeping a distance away from each other in their small house. His routine when he got home was to change his clothes in the garage every night and shower. He would not let his wife in the bathroom when she would come up to ask about his day. “I was just nervous all the time, especially because we didn’t understand a lot about the virus,” Seib said. “We didn’t know how long it lived on surfaces. We also backed up all my clothes, leaving them for a couple of days, and then washing them,” said Seib. He came to rely on others, from his co-workers to his family. “We learned about helping each other as a team and watching out for each other. There were a lot of people giving and opening up their hearts and sometimes their wallets. It’s finding the little ways to say thank you and be grateful. I hope the lesson that we can take away from this, is we learn to take care of each other,” said Seib. The impact of the pandemic hits the Emergency Department Dr. Scott Hackman has been an emergency physician for more than four years at Platte Valley Medical Center through the Brighton Community Emergency Physicians Group. Hackman grew up in the rural health systems moving around a lot with his family in the Midwest Kansas, and Nebraska area. His Dad was a hospital administrator. “I learned from him that there’s a definite need in the rural areas for healthcare. So initially, I thought I’d go into family practice,” said Hackman. But towards the end of Hackman’s training, he learned that he liked emergency medicine better. “I fall in love with it as a career choice, as well as a lot of opportunity with patients in a variety of situations. It was an evolution, though,

Dr. McNitt and his team wore heavy equipment for hours while taking care PHOTO BY JOLEEN GOYINS RN of patients.

it wasn’t like a light went off,” said Hackman. When the virus hit, Hackman and his colleagues were just starting to learn about the virus and were not sure just how it was evolving. “It was rather shocking. Then it became very apparent in the latter stages of March into April of 2020, it’s going to be a very big problem,” said Hackman. Patients were coming in with massive amounts of oxygen requirements that he’d not seen in his career. Many didn’t have huge underlying health problems to explain how they had become so ill. “We didn’t quite know how to handle it other than just by increasing their oxygen requirements, Hackman said. “Initially, we are intubating a lot of these patients early on. Then we kind of evolved and figured out a little better strategy.”. The doctors were challenged because there not any studies to follow and had to use whatever information that was coming out of New York, with its high volume of patients early on compared to the rest of the country. “The critical care doctors our hospital, and pulmonologist were all trying to get out as much information to the rest of the country as they could,” Hackman said. “We figured out there was a better strategy than just ventilating. We used a better strategy called flow nasal canula, a heated high flow which is a lot of oxygen coming through but allows the lungs to remain elastic. It’s’ a little less stress on the lungs than a ventilator.” The ER doctors found other ways to treat their patients. Three months into the pandemic they tried another type of treatment called a Bipap - a mask that forces air in using higher pressure versus the more invasive ventilator management. “We kind of went back and forth a little bit as a group, our ER group met with the sound doctors to hear their stories on the floor, because they are the hospital critical care people managing the patients and telling us kind of what we can do in the Emergency Department to help the survival rates in ICU for these people,” said Hackman. After trying different treatments, Hackman and his team determined the right strategy was to stick with the heated high flow for patients requiring large amounts of oxygen. “Some of those patients eventually had to be intubated, but a large majority did not. They just had very long hospital stays eventually discharged

Wendy Colon, the director of the Emergency Department and also the emergency manager for Platte Valley Medical Center, played a big role in processes to keep the staff and patients safe from COVID-19, and opened an Incident Command Center. COURTESY OF PLATTE VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER

either to home or like a skilled nursing facility,” said Hackman. Hackman said many of those patients still are not back to their baseline. Second stage of the pandemic. “We are still seeing the acute patients coming in occasionally and not as often. What we are seeing largely now is secondary effects from the pandemic from when a patient was admitted a while back, but still is having difficulties, we’re starting to determine the gravity of what this virus has done to people,” said Hackman. Hackman took care of Brighton Police Chief Paul Southard when he was admitted to the hospital for three weeks with COVID on a ventilator. Southard recovered and was released but Hackman said it had a profound effect on the hospital, the community, and the police. “I think his case was the initial shockwave that went through the department and for me, it impacts every aspect of our life,” Hackman said. “The gravity hadn’t hit me until I saw how his case evolved, he recovered and it was a success.” Not every case went as well. “We’ve had a few patients that did not succumb in the Emergency Department, but they did not survive in the hospital. Try to explain it to people, and they kind of get it, but it’s hard,” he added. Hackman recently had one patient pass away before he could get the vaccine. “I do feel since the vaccine has been readily available that this is becoming a preventable illness. The high-risk population, most of the deaths that I saw were over 65-yearsold,” said Hackman. “I did have a few sicker patients, but not a lot of death under that age group. That group now I think, has largely been vaccinated, and I’m not seeing those high-risk cases anymore. So that’s, good, said Hackman. Hackman lives alone so he isolated himself to keep himself and others safe. “Now it’s just second nature. I can’t imagine walking into a room with

a patient without wearing a mask, it the new normal, at least in the hospital for quite some time,” said Hackman.

Great support matters Hackman has friends he trained with working at other hospitals that not only have high cases but had PPE storages. “We always had adequate PPE and I felt safe, we only had one (Emergency Department) physician who got COVID out of all those hundreds COVID patients which were amazing and he did fine,” said Hackman. “It’s a testament to how careful we were and built protocols very early on to protect ourselves,” Hackman said. Future Dr. William McNitt, the Emergency Physician at Platte Valley Medical Center is hoping for the future that people continue getting vaccinated. He and his peers are looking forward to not being so worried when people are being admitted for appendicitis, heart attack, or unrelated issues, because they are getting a COVID swab so the staff will know who has it or not. “People could get back out and start enjoying life, kids can go back to school safely and just get back to normalcy,” said McNitt. “The community supported this hospital in such away. I have a lot of work over the next 18 months. The beauty of this hospital is the same as the beauty of the community of Brighton. We all pulled together and found ways to do it with the Incident Command Center,” said Colon. Caitlyn Major, Platte Valley Medical Center Communications Manager released a statement, “as our associates begin to process their collective experience over the past year and continue to navigate COVID-19, Platte Valley SCL Health recognizes the importance of providing resources to foster resilience and well-being. A variety of mental health services and support groups are offered to associates, free of charge, and leadership is currently evaluating new programs to help combat compassion fatigue.”

Fort Lupton Press 9

May 5, 2021

News Briefs Clean Up Day extension The city of Fort Lupton extended the voucher program for its cleanup day to Saturday, May 8. City residents get one free drop off at Front Range Landfill, 1830 Weld County Road 5, Erie. Vouchers are available at City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave. Show proof of residency. The landfill is open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Call 303673-9431, Ext. 1. Chamber safari The Fort Lupton Chamber is embarking on a sarafi at the Wild Animal Sanctuary this Safari as we enjoy the Wild Animal Sanctuary from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 21. Dinner and dessert are provided with each ticket purchase. This is not a banquet event and dress code is casual. To order tickets direct through the Chamber or if you have any questions, call Natalie at 303-857-4474 or email at fortluptonchamber@gmail.com FLHS all-class barbecue Any and all classes from Fort Lupton High School are welcome to attend a barbecue from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at the recreation center, 203 S. Harrison Ave. Bring a dish to share. ‘In Memory’ display for Wall That Heals event extended The city of Brighton said the deadline to submit names for the “In Memory” display (part of “The Wall That Heals” program coming to Brighton over Labor day week-

end) is July 31. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s In Memory program honors those who returned from the war and later died. The wall will be in Carmichael Park, 650 E. Southern St. To apply online, visit www.VVMF. org/In-Memory-Program. Gummball rally The fourth annual Gummball Rally is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at Riverdale Regional Park, East 124th Avenue and Brighton Road. The 5K run is in memory of Adams County sheriff’s deputy Heath Gumm, who died in the line of duty in January 2018. The fee is $30 for racers 13 years of age and older (T-shirt guaranteed with a paid entry by Sunday, Aug. 6), and older, $10 for those 12 and under with a T-shirt guaranteed with a paid entry by Aug. 6 and free for racers 12 and under (no T-shirt). Visit https://gummball5k.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=11277. Senior meals Eagle View Adult Center and Volunteers of America are offering a box of five frozen meals delivered to your home. You must be 60 or older and be a resident of Brighton. The suggested contribution for the meals is $2.50 meal / $12.50 per box, although the ability to pay is not the deciding factor if you are eligible. Call 303-655-2075 and leave your name and phone number.

Coffee fundraiser The Fort Lupton High School chapter of DECA is teaming up with School Spirit Coffee for a fundraiser for club supplies. Orders greater than $50 include free shipping. Visit schoolspiritcoffee.com for details. COVID-19 vaccines The Salud clinic in Fort Lupton, 1115 Second St., is offering COVID-19 vaccinations to those 70 years of age and older, healthcare workers and workers in the state’s 1b category. You don’t need to be a patient Register at saludclinic.org. Historical society seeks volunteer The South Platte Valley Historical Society needs a volunteer coordinator or co-coordinator for The Independence School. Necessary skills include advertising, student registration and teacher recruitment. Email lwatson@spvhs.org. Free short-term radon test kits Weld County residents can receive a free radon test kit (one per household, while supplies last). Test kits can be requested online at www.drhomeair.com/weld, according to a statement. Call the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment at (970) 400-2226 or visit: www.weldgov.com/go/radon. Legal self-help clinic The Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic

from 2 to 3:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month. The program is for customers who don’t have legal representation and need help navigating through legal issues. Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss such topics as family law, civil litigation, property and probate law. Call 303-405-3298 and ask for the Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours in advance. Warm Line up and running Community Reach Center is offering a Warm Line (303-2806602) for those who want to talk to mental-health professionals about anxiety, lack of sleep and strained relationships, among other topics. The professionals can facilitate referrals to other programs for assistance. A press statement said the line is not for crisis intervention. Those feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services (1844-493-8255) or text 38255 or visit the Behavioral Urgent Care Center, 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster. Also, the center’s COVID-19 Heroes Program is set up to assist healthcare workers during the pandemic. Those who live or work in Adams County can receive up to six free counseling sessions. Use the Warm Line for support and free counseling. Brighton’s community intake location is at 1850 E. Egbert St., on the second floor. It’s open from 8 SEE BRIEFS, P12

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If you choose, you can wait to repay your loan when you permanently leave your home. Although a reverse mortgage requires no monthly mortgage payments, you are still responsible for paying for the maintenance of your home, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and, if required, HOA fees. “Working with Jarred Talmadge and AAG was a very nice experience,” said AAG customer Angela Pendergraft. “No pressure or feelings of anxiety. He answered all our questions and concerns leaving us feeling comfortable with our decision to do a reverse mortgage.” If you want to learn how a reverse mortgage can specifically improve your retirement, AAG Market Sales Manager Jarred Talmadge, NMLS# 1842043, and his team are ready to assist you. Jarred can also address all your questions and concerns by calling (303) 957-3653 today.

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10 Fort Lupton Press

May 5, 2021

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Fort Lupton celebrated Cinco De Mayo with a 5-K race on May 1. After the race, the runners celebrated with music and food by Ay Dios Mio Burritos. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Fort Lupton was unable to have the rest of the Cinco De Mayo activities. PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

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Fort Lupton Press 11

May 5, 2021

Vintage baseballists take to the park ‘The striker is dead’ BY PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH

Vintage baseball from the 1860s came to the South Platte Valley Historic Park in Fort Lupton May 1. There were parts of the game that looked the same; others not so much. The Colorado Vintage Base Ball Association plays its games according to the rules of the day. That meant no gloves, fielders could catch fly balls on one hop to record an out and fair or foul balls depending on where the ball landed first, not where it touched after it passed first or third base. Players used monikers instead of their real names. Batters were “strikers.” If they made an out, the arbiter (today’s umpire) announced, “The Striker is Dead.

“Traveller” is the “hurler,” or pitcher, for the Blue Stockings. In the 1860s, pitches were thrown underhanded, and balls and strikes were not continuously counted. Hurlers got one warning for not throwing hittable pitches. Once that happened, then the customary rules about bases on balls were in play. Batters got one warning for “not swinging at hittable pitches.” After three more strikes, the batter was called out. PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH

Above: “Cannibal” is the Blue Stockings manager and first baseman. Here, he makes a bare-handed grab of a pop fly. PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH

Left: Colorado Springs Denver & Rio Grande’s Ed “Not so Fast” Evans leans back from a high pitch. PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH

Left: This is an 1860s- style “rhubarb,” minus replay. The discussion was whether a ball went fair or foul. The arbiter ruled that the two captains agreed the runner, “Soda Boots” (second from right) was out. PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH

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May 5, 2021

Becerra becomes a piece of Fort Lupton history FLHS female wrestler is first to sign a college letter of intent BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With a stroke of the pen, Fort Lupton High School’s Alondra Becerra became the first female wrestler from the Bluedevils to sign a college letter of intent to continue in the sport. She signed on with Hastings College during a ceremony in Fort Lupton on April 30. “I really wanted to wrestle. I was accepted to other places, but they didn’t really have a wrestling program,” Becerra said. “They were my first choice. I was like, ‘Let’s go somewhere far but not too far from home.’” “When you’re dealing with things

BRIEFS FROM PAGE 9

a.m. to noon Tuesdays. Here’s a list of locations where you can receive a test for COVID-19: Brighton Advanced Urgent Care, 2801 Purcell St. Call 303-659-9700 or visit https://advurgent.com/locations/brighton/ Brighton Salud, 1860 E. Egbert

inside school, chasing kids, this fulfills me at the end of the day, to honor kids, to see all of you on a Friday night after you’ve put in your work for the day. It means a lot,” said FLHS athletic director Jim Roedel. Becerra won 14 of her 16 matches this season. She finished sixth in the regional tournament at FLHS. “I was set on going on Hastings since they offered. It was the first college where I was accepted, the first college to offer me anything,” Becerra said. “I’ll take it. Everyone was like, ‘Apply here, apply here as a back-up.’ I got accepted into those, and now I have options. But after seeing those options, I ended up coming back to Hastings.” “The first year, it was a rough year,” said coach Chris Tijerina. “The second year, she did better. She did well enough that Hastings recognized that and reached out to her.” Becerra wants to study criminology and become a psychiatric nurse.

“I took a psychology class in high school. I’ve always had an interest in criminology, so I thought, ‘Let’s put those two together,’ and then add nursing. I have a lot of nurses in my family,” she said. “I can go into nursing as well.” Roedel said 7 percent of highschool athletes get the chance to play college sports at any level -- NCAA Division I, Division II, Division II I -- or even at the NAIA level. “Every other kid was in the top 7 percent of their class,’ Roedel said. “It’s an amazing opportunity for you. It shows the commitment inside the wrestling room and in the classroom.” Becerra’s feelings about her future run the table. “There will be some days when I’m so excited to leave. There are other days when I’m terrified, what if I don’t like it over there? What if things go wrong?” Becerra said. “One of my biggest lessons from

wrestling and softball is you just do it right now. There’s no unknown.” Recruiting during a pandemic was strange for a lot of high-school athletes, and Becerra’s experience was no different. “We didn’t have a lot of people come (to Fort Lupton’s matches), and it was mostly duals,” she said. “There were no tournaments. So, they came out and looked at me before the pandemic. It was a good thing. We were so scared our wrestling season wasn’t going to happen. All we were focused on was building muscle to get into shape.” “When Alondra had an off day, the whole team practiced like crap. The team wrestlers like crap,” Tijerina said. “Everyone clings to her.” “You are and always will be the first female wrestler from Fort Lupton to sign a college letter. That can never be taken away from you,” Roedel said.

St. Testing is available on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Call 303-6972583 or visit https://www.saludclinic.org/covid-testing Fort Lupton Salud, 1115 Second St. Testing is available on Tuesday and Thursday. Call 303-697-2583 or visit https://www.saludclinic.org/covidtesting

and 7:30 p.m. Sundays, noon and 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 6 p.m. Thursdays and 9 p.m. Fridays. Call 303-659-9953 or visit www. brighton1aa.org.

trained to become qualified listeners. Visit qualifiedlisteners.org/volunteerapp and fill out the form or call 720-600-0860.

Volunteers needed Qualified Listeners needs volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, handyman services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries and veterans to be

Relief funding Small businesses can apply for up to $35,000 in relief funding through a mix of grants and low-interest loans. Visit EnergizeColorado.com. It’s available to businesses with less than 25 full-time employees.

Alcoholics Anonymous The Brighton chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 147 S. Second Place. Meeting times are 10 a.m.

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Fort Lupton Press 13

May 5, 2021

C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E

Solution

TRIVIA 1. GEOGRAPHY: Once known as the Gilbert Islands, what is the current name of the island nation? 2. ADVERTISING SLOGANS: What product’s slogan is, “It gives you wings”?

Marsh? 9. MATH: What Arabic number is represented by the Roman numerals DCIX? 10. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What does a cytologist study?

3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the first president to die in office?

Answers

4. MOVIES: What was the town’s name in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”?

2. Red Bull

1. Kiribati 3. William Henry Harrison

5. ANATOMY: In what part of the human body is the ulna located?

4. Bedford Falls

6. TELEVISION: Which 1960s sitcom featured the catchphrase, “Sorry about that, chief ”?

6. “Get Smart”

7. HISTORY: In which century did England’s War of the Roses take place? 8. LITERATURE: The setting of which children’s book is a place called Puddleby-on-the-

Crossword Solution

14 Fort Lupton Press

May 5, 2021

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Legals Metropolitan Districts NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED SERVICE PLAN IN RE THE COTTONWOOD HOLLOW RESIDENTIAL METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, TOWN OF FIRESTONE, COUNTY OF WELD, STATE OF COLORADO NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to § 32-1-204(1), C.R.S., a Second Amended and Restated Service Plan (the “Service Plan”) for the Cottonwood Hollow Residential Metropolitan District (the “District”) has been filed with the Town of Firestone, Weld County, State of Colorado. A public hearing on the Service Plan will be held by the Town of Firestone Board of Trustees (the “Board of Trustees”) on May 26, 2021, at 7:00 p.m., at Firestone Town Hall, 151 Grant Ave., Firestone, Colorado 80520, or as soon thereafter as the Board of Trustees may hear such matter. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the Service Plan and to form a basis for adopting a resolution approving, conditionally approving or disapproving the Service Plan. A general description of the land contained within the boundaries of the proposed District is as follows: parcels of land centralized on Sable Avenue east of I-25, west of Colorado Boulevard, north of Bella Rosa Parkway, and south of Firestone Boulevard, Town of Firestone, County of Weld, State of Colorado. Pursuant to § 32-1-203(3.5), C.R.S., any person owning property in the proposed District may request that such property be excluded from the District by submitting such request to the Board of Trustees no later than ten days prior to the public hearing. BY ORDER OF THE TOWN OF FIRESTONE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Legal Ad No.: FLP222293 First Publication: May 5, 2021 Last Publication: May 5, 2021 Published In: Fort Lupton Press

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May 5, 2021

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