Sentinel Colorado 2.19.2026

NO KIDDING

Trump administration falsehoods about Aurora gang takeover unravelling again

The Trump administration’s growing credibility problem mushroomed again over the past week, this time because of more lies, distortions and propaganda linked to immigrant issues in Aurora and Denver.

For months, federal officials have made vast, inflammatory claims about immigration raids and Venezuelan gang activity across the nation and here in Aurora. And for months, those claims have collapsed under even casual scrutiny or they even contradict one another.

The result is a mass-deportation campaign built only on rhetoric rather than facts, or even reality, and the public is increasingly aware of the campaign of lies.

Let’s start with last week’s congressional testimony from acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. Before a Senate oversight committee, on Feb.12, Lyons claimed unnamed local police in Aurora sabotaged their planned 2025 ICE raid at the Edge of Lowry apartments by “making notifications” that tipped off their targets. When tactical teams arrived, he said, protesters were waiting and the complex was empty. Duh.

He offered no evidence, as 9News reporter Marshall Zelinger first pointed out. Aurora officials denied the accusation, saying the city and its police department were not involved in planning or thwarting any federal immigration enforcement plans.

Lyons’ fable doesn’t just lack proof. It contradicts what other Trump administration officials previously said about the very same episode.

Last year, Trump Border Czar Tom Homan and U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks blamed the media for leaking word of Aurora raids, also without providing any evidence.

Now, Lyons blames the police.

Neither the Trump regime fabrication squares with the facts at the time. The Edge of Lowry complex was already in the process of being shut down by the city over abhorrent living conditions, caused by errant landlords, not gangs. During the raid, The Sentinel reported that only 23 of 60 units were occupied. A contractor working there during the operation said he “did not see them take anyone away.”

Lyons last week called the complex “full” of Tren de Aragua gang members, straining credulity.

Even immigrant rights advocates admitted that their protests and warnings at the time were simply based on information provided by the Trump administration itself. Trump officials warned before their raids that they were headed to the home of Trump’s “Operation Aurora” to make some arrests. So the groups warned everyone they could and told them what to do if they were home when ICE came knocking: Don’t answer the door. So they didn’t.

Duh.

This is not an isolated case of fantasy passed off as government facts and policy.

Last August, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly stood before a bank of cameras in Denver, flanked by federal agents and local police and declared a staggering takedown of Tren de Aragua in Colorado was underway.

He warned the gangsters not to use the state as its U.S. headquarters and vowed relentless pursuit.

Oy gevalt, you say?

The imagery was unmistakable. McNeilly described an organized, transnational criminal enterprise directing chaos and mayhem in Aurora from a notorious Venezuelan prison.

Seven months later, the facts have surfaced and another Trumpy narrative is overturned.

Of the 30 defendants charged in the much-touted sting, nearly half have taken plea deals that significantly reduce their potential sentences, according to reporting this week by Colorado Public Radio reporter Allison Sherry. Court records show the indictments mentioned the TdA gang only in passing. Defense attorneys describe a far different picture as the cases unfolded. There is no wanton cartel hierarchy. This was a loose collection of impoverished and desperate immigrants drawn into undercover sting operations by offers of cash.

Undercover federal agents repeatedly returned to the same men, offering thousands of dollars for guns and drugs. And sometimes, the men didn’t have any of it and had to scramble to make good on the enticing deals.

Even an alleged and much-touted murder-forhire plot appears, in court documents, to have grown out of government-initiated conversations and escalating cash lures.

Sure, none of this excuses criminal conduct. Guns and drugs were sold. Serious charges were

filed. Prison time will follow, and it should.

But it does undermine the apocalyptic rhetoric that cast Aurora as ground zero for a foreign gang invasion.

Remember this?

Now-former Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky helped start all this when she sounded the alarm, all over local TV and radio stations and national TV on Fox News, about an alleged, ghastly, gang infiltration in Aurora during the presidential campaign in the fall of 2024. She pushed back when police, along with many other state and local officials, claimed the situation was under control, The Sentinel wrote last August in stories about McNeilly’s Denver presser.

“The previous leadership knew exactly what this was, but like I said, they were so focused on protecting an image that they completely lied about it and denied the entire situation,” Jurinsky said. “So they knew. They knew the whole time.”

Yes, they did. They knew the truth, and they told the truth. And now, once again, we have more proof of that.

Aurora and Denver were infused with about 40,000 Venezuelan immigrants a couple of years ago, trafficked here by Texas state officials. Some of them were or became criminals. But they were few and far between the other criminals born and raised right here in the USA.

Trump, Homan, Lyons, McNeilly and Jurinsky helped make Aurora wrongly infamous for being TdA gansta central, which has hurt businesses, residents and, most importantly, immigrants and people of color.

There’s no doubt that the nation gas an immigration problem. But it needs to be solved in Congress with thoughtful, fair and effective legislation. It won’t be, and can’t be, solved by pounding the country with racist lies and rhetoric, especially in places like Aurora, which values diversity and its immigrant community.

Truth’s out, again, folks. Do with it what you will. But if you continue to believe that mountain bigoted bull these posers keep pumping out, you do it knowing it’s lies, and damned lies.

Follow @EditorDavePerry on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@SentinelColorado.com

ICE director, without evidence, accuses police of sabotaging 2025 Aurora raids

“WE

TRIED TO WORK WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THEY MADE NOTIFICATIONS. SO WHEN TACTICAL TEAMS ARRIVED, PROTESTERS WERE ALREADY THERE, AND THE APARTMENT COMPLEX WAS EMPTY.”

BY SENTINEL STAFF

Ac ting ICE Director Todd Lyons told a Senate committee last week that unnamed police officials scuttled ICE arrests at the notorious Edge of Lowry apartments in Aurora in 2025.

He gave no evidence of the allegations, and Aurora officials denied the accusation.

9News reporter Marshall Zelinger first reported the story last week after the Feb. 12 Senate committee hearing.

The accusations counter those previously made by Trump administration officials.

Last year, Border Czar Tom Homan and U.S. Border Control Chief Michael Banks told rightwing FoxNews personalities that it was the media that leaked information about the pending Aurora raids, not police.

Local activist groups countered the allegation. Numerous group leaders told the Sentinel last year that they had been organizing for potential immigration raids by federal agents for four months, anticipating the raids since Trump brought an anti-immigration campaign rally to Aurora in October 2024, according to members of the Colorado Rapid Response Network.

During that rally at the Aurora Gaylord Hotel, Trump said he would launch “Operation Aurora” if he were to be re-elected.

Lyons told members of the Feb. 12 Senate oversight committee last week that police “made notifications” to the public that the ICE arrests were imminent.

He gave no evidence for the allegation, and Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday.

“I’ll give you the example of Aurora Colorado, we were going to serve a criminal warrant on an apartment complex of known TDA game members that was full,” Lyons told members

of the Senate committee. The panel met amid accusations from Senate Democrats and some Republicans that ICE agents have acted violently and lawlessly, most recently in Minnesota, where two citizens were killed by ICE agents while protesting. “We tried to work with state and local government. They made notifications. So when tactical teams arrived, protesters were already there, and the apartment complex was empty.”

Marshall and Next on 9News host Kyle Clark reported that after Lyon’s comments to the Senate committee, ICE officials posted similar comments on social media.

“After 9NEWS reached out to ICE about the claims in front of Congress and the social media posts, the posts were deleted,” Zelinger reported.

The posts, preserved by 9News, said “local law enforcement made a public notification of our presence — a decision that could have cost American lives.”

City officials denied Aurora police or anyone associated with the city had any links to any planned ICE operations in Aurora.

“The city, including the Aurora Police Department, was not and has not been involved in the development and activation of any federal immigration enforcement plans in Aurora,” city officials said in a statement first provided to 9News. “As we have said numerous times previously, Colorado state law prohibits local governments from engaging in typical immigration-specific enforcement and detention. We focus on enforcing state and local law.”

The apartment complex garnered national publicity after former City Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky made claims, without evidence, that the complex was “overrun” with Tren de Aragua gang members from Venezuela.

Trump widely repeated and exaggerated the claims, at times saying that all of Aurora was overrun by TdA gang members, and even all of

Colorado.

Aurora police and city officials have repeatedly said that the apartments were made unlivable by malfeasant management, stipulating that there was evidence of limited gang activity at the complex, among a variety of crime problems.

Lyons repeated the unproven characterization last week, telling the Senate panel last week that the apartments were “full” of “TDA gang members.”

The February 2025 operation came among metrowide ICE operations at other widely publicized apartment locations as well.

Air Force officials said in January 2025, days before ICE raids came to the metro area, that Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, and other Colorado military venues, could become detention sites for arrested immigrants, 9News reported.

“The news of ICE’s set up at Buckley came as NBC News is reporting that ICE will round up migrants in Aurora as early as Thursday morning,” 9News reported on Jan. 28, 2025. “On Wednesday, NBC News reported that the Aurora operation was temporarily called off.”

Also, the complex was in the process of being shut down by the city because of abhorrent living conditions.

“The apartment complex is currently being shut down by the city and few residents are left,” The Sentinel reported hours after the raid. “A man working at the complex said only 23 units were now occupied of the Edge’s 60 units.”

Residents left inside said they saw few residents at the complex interacted with federal agents after immigrant activists warned people in targeted areas and buildings not to answer the door unless agents produced warrants.

A man working at the apartment last February during the operation, saying he was contracted by the City of Aurora, and asking not to be identified, said he “did not see them take anyone away.”

It’s not the first time ICE officials have made unproven allegations about Aurora Police causing operational problems for immigration agencies and officials.

On March 20, 2025, two inmates at the Aurora GEO ICE facility escaped through an open side door during a power outage in the area. ICE and other Trump administration officials linked Aurora police to their escape.

Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain pushed back on ICE’s unsubstantiated claim that local ICE raids that prison officials notified local police “immediately” after two inmates escaped from the ICE GEO facility, and that Aurora police were somehow responsible for the inmates getting away into the night.

Records show that it was hours after a power outage allowed the two detainees to escape that ICE officials notified Aurora police dispatchers of the escape.

Both men who escaped were being held on immigration retainers and re-captured days later.

Homeland Security officials characterized the incident as a case of a local “sanctuary city” law enforcement working against efforts to detain and deport immigrants, the Sentinel reported last year.

In pushing back against the allegation, Chamberlain raised eyebrows among state and local lawmakers and immigration advocates who want the state and local police to refrain and even refuse to work with ICE on immigration operations.

“The Aurora Police Department is ready and willing to help our federal partners, including those working at the ICE GEO facility,” Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain said in a statement last March.

City officials maintain that Aurora complies with state laws limiting cooperation with ICE officials.

METRO

AROUND AURORA

Aurora lawmakers push back on criticism for skipping council meeting but offer no details

Four conservative Aurora City Council members offered no explanation last week for all missing the previous regular meeting after Mayor Mike Coffman asked them to give him notice of their future absences.

“I just want to state how important I think it is for members to make the regular meetings,” Coffman said. “Virtual or in person is the same. If you cannot make it, I want you to contact me in advance and let me know why.”

During the previous Jan. 26 city council meeting, four right-leaning council members, Françoise Bergan, Angela Lawson, Stephanie Hancock, and Curtis Gardner, attended an executive session of the city council meeting but did not attend the regular meeting after.

Hancock attended the study session before the regular meeting, while the rest did not attend either. The only council person to respond to the Sentinel’s requests asking why they were all absent was Gardner, who said he was recovering from a scheduled knee surgery and had planned to miss the meeting.

“After the role is called during the regular meeting, if a member is not present in person or virtually, I will state whether I was contacted by that member and whether or not they gave me an excuse,” Coffman said during the study session Monday. “I don’t need to know in general, I don’t need to know specifics.”

Bergan responded to Coffman’s request by saying that she has rarely ever missed a meeting in her 10 years serving on city council, and that she wanted city council boards and commissions to come under the same scrutiny.

“I have been here for over 10 years and have very rarely missed a council meeting,” Bergan said. “So if we’re going to talk about this, and I understand, I think it is respectful to you to let us know. So I agree.”

Bergan said the accusation that they were boycotting the meeting for any reason was false. Neither Bergan nor any of the missing council members offered an explanation for why they missed the regular meeting after attending a closed session earlier.

Throughout the night, Feb. 9, Bergan said that other council members were absent from other boards and commissions meetings and that they should be held to account. Coffman said the chairs of the boards and commissions are responsible for their meetings as he is for council meetings.

Lawson said during the Feb.9 meeting that she did not need to explain her absence, referring to something about HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which allows employees to maintain medical privacy.

Singular council members miss meetings all the time, but never as a block after they were all in attendance earlier in the day, according to city records. Other members of the city council said the closed executive session was expected to be contentious, and that it was.

City lawmakers would not divulge details from the closed meeting, citing city council rules.

It is still unclear what caused frustration during the meeting and whether it was the direct reason for the group’s absence, but accounts from many other council members confirm it was likely.

There have been reports of growing tension among the conservative members toward the newly elected left-leaning members, and noticeable frustration from angry public speakers directed at

the republican minority, with many of them stating that they feel regularly criticized by the same members of the public at the council meetings. The two factions have recently publicly butted heads on topics like the city’s position on ICE raids and immigration, and on how the city should respond to the Democratic-controlled state legislature’s handling of issues related to local control.

Former City Council member Danielle Jurinsky on Jan. 26 posted her suspicion on social media that city council is planning to fire Police Chief Todd Chamberlain shortly after the executive session, saying they were making plans behind “closed doors,” which is the only meeting city council members are allowed to have that is not public.

Chamberlain’s tenure came up repeatedly Monday night from residents and Jurinsky — who appeared at the council meeting during a segment for the public to address the city council — while city council members made no comment about him.

Some council members have voiced concerns about Chamberlain’s past comments regarding Aurora police officer-involved shootings and police reform efforts in connection with a state-mandated consent decree. Others have raised questions about Chamberlain’s comments on local police cooperating with ICE and federal agents. In particular, Chamberlain took issue with a recent city council resolution rebuking ICE raids and underscoring a state law prohibiting police cooperation with ICE agents in most cases.

“Tonight, a resolution was passed by Aurora City Council,” Chamberlain said in a statement after the city council vote last month. “I understand there are strong political views on aspects of federal partnerships and collaboration in the law enforcement profession. I respect the autonomy of the city council. However, I believe it will come at a cost…We have and will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal levels to hold those who victimize members of our community accountable for their criminal actions.”

— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer

New ‘diverging diamond interchange’ opens in Aurora at I-70, Picadilly Road

The city’s former “diamond” in the rough is now shiny new and ready for northeast region motorists, city officials say.

The new “diverging diamond interchange” at Interstate 70 and Picadilly Road is now open in all directions, marking what officials say is a major milestone in a long-planned infrastructure project aimed at improving connectivity in the region.

City officials opened the interchange to all traffic Feb. 9. The opening represents one of the final major steps in the I-70-Picadilly Interchange Project, which began construction in August 2023.

The diverging diamond interchange, or DDI, is designed with enhanced safety features to reduce risks for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists, according to city streets officials. Improvements include advanced traffic signal systems, wider lanes, improved lighting and a new bicycle and pedestrian path through the interchange.

Although the interchange is open, intermittent lane closures in each direction are expected to continue into the spring as crews complete work requiring mild temperatures.

The bike and pedestrian pathway is scheduled to open this spring, too.

A newly constructed stretch of Pic-

adilly Road from East 19th Avenue to Smith Road will remain closed for several weeks while finishing work is completed.

City officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in November to celebrate substantial completion of the project. Since then, crews have finalized preparations to open the interchange fully to traffic. That work included widening the I-70 median and barriers, relocating utilities on the north part of Picadilly Road, connecting East 19th Avenue and driveway entrances, installing traffic signals and streetlights, linking East Colfax Avenue and the frontage road, building a new four-way signalized intersection at Picadilly Road, testing and smoothing concrete and asphalt paving, and placing pavement markings.

The project was supported through a partnership among the city of Aurora, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Adams County, the Aerotropolis Region-

• GreatBurgers

• GreatBurgers

• GreatCheesesteaks

• GreatCheesesteaks

• 20 TV’s

• 20 TV’s

• Open St age EveryThursday

• Open St age EveryThursday

• Saturdays:11:30AM-3PM

• Saturdays:11:30AM-3PM

FreeDomesticBeeror

FreeDomesticBeeror

Soda With SandwichOrder

Give us a call for entertainment questions

Soda With SandwichOrder

ARAPAHOE COUNTY

The Arapahoe County Mayors and Commissioners Youth Awards celebrate resilient teens who’ve faced challenges—and kept going. Scholarships help graduating seniors pursue vocational, two-year, or four-year education. Teachers, counselors, and administrators: nominate an outstanding senior by March 2 Visit arapahoeco.gov/youthawards.

al Transportation Authority and the Federal Highway Administration.

In 2019, Aurora received a $25 million federal grant from the Federal Highway Administration under the BUILD multimodal surface transportation grant program. The award was the maximum allowed per project and made the I-70-Picadilly Interchange Project one of six nationwide to receive that amount, city officials said in a statement. The funding helped accelerate construction of the long-planned project.

“By 2040, the Colorado Aerotropolis could see 74,000 new jobs, and the new Picadilly Road and I-70 interchange will serve as a vital corridor for accessing neighborhoods, job centers and the Denver International Airport,” Mayor Mike Coffman said in a statement.

Officials said the project is intended to reduce out-of-direction travel for residents and businesses along the growing I-70 corridor, while also improving safety and accessibility for non-motorized users in the northeast Denver metro area.

— Sentinel Staff

Disability activist Aly DeWills-Marcano joins HD 41 Democratic primary in Aurora

Aly DeWills-Marcano has announced a bid as the third candidate to run in the Democratic Primary for House District 41.

The seat is currently held by Rep. Jamie Jackson, who was appointed via vacancy committee last year after Sen. Iman Jodeh vacated the seat. Jackson has also announced that she is running for election to the seat, which encompasses parts of central Aurora.

“Simply electing Democrats is not

enough,” DeWills-Marcano said in a statement. “We need bold, passionate, experienced leaders who are ready to fight against fascism and take action to create a more equitable state for all of us.”

DeWills-Marcano describes herself as a disability activist and community organizer, and now plans to apply that knowledge and experience as a state house representative to fight for accessibility and immigration rights.

“This is a critical moment for our district, our city, our state, and our country as a whole,” she said in a statement. “It’s not the time to uphold the status quo or make excuses for the inhumane, for-profit detention of our own community members.”

DeWills-Marcano said she has built a career fighting for Colorado’s working families, including three years in Congressman Jason Crow’s office and three years at the Colorado Economic Defense Project and the CARE Center, which runs a hotline for people in housing crisis.

DeWills-Marcano and her husband, Colorado Transportation Commissioner and former Aurora City Council member Juan Marcano, regularly speak about their experiences as renters and have rented in House District 41 for the past decade.

“I grew up experiencing poverty, housing instability and homelessness, and now I work every day to break that cycle and prevent other Colorado families from falling into that spiral,”

DeWills-Marcano said in the statement. “I am a renter with a disability in a city that is increasingly less accessible and affordable; I work every day to break down barriers. I am ready to bring my life experience and professional experience to the table to create real solutions.”

Accountability, awareness, and transparency regarding the ICE’s for-profit corporation, the GEO Group facility in Aurora, are also something DeWills-Marcano said she feels strongly about.

“I was part of the team that demanded and enforced Congressional oversight of Aurora’s GEO immigration detention facility — and now I am running to stop GEO’s influence on our government,” DeWills-Marcano.

Aurora’s ICE facility has been running nearly at capacity and has long been criticized for a lack of transparency, sub-standard medical care and living conditions, and inhumane treatment of the immigrants detained there, according to the statement.

“Aurora is the most diverse city in our state, and one of the most diverse in the world,” DeWills-Marcano said. “Immigrants make our community better and richer, and it’s unacceptable that we also allow GEO to profit from the business of caging and degrading our neighbors. The whole world is watching ICE and their daily brutality right now, and I will not rest until they are held accountable and until GEO cannot manage a facility in our neighborhood.”

DeWills-Marcano, who is disabled by a degenerative health condition, uses a wheelchair and other mobility devices, and said she is already doing what she can to create change at a local level, the statement said.

During each regular Aurora City Council meeting, DeWills-Marcano condemns the council’s inaccessible chambers and demands renovations to make the chambers accessible to people with disabilities. At one recent council meeting, she was temporarily trapped inside the elevator that people with disabilities are required to use in the city council chambers.

“Every meeting, I ask our council members to make their chambers more wheelchair-accessible,” she said in the statement. “I will keep asking until they do. Like so many of my fellow disabled people, I’ve learned to break down all sorts of barriers, and I plan to bring those skills to our Capitol.”

About 11% of Coloradans are disabled, and none of the Colorado state legislature use mobility aids, according to the statement.

“We need representation for our entire community, not just some of us. We need representatives who know how to break down barriers instead of capitulating to corporate interests.”

Aurora Public Schools board director Anne Keke has also announced she is seeking the House District 41 seat.

— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer

Grand jury refuses to indict Rep. Jason Crow, Dem lawmakers in connection with illegal military orders video

A grand jury in Washington refused last week to indict Aurora Democratic Congressperson Jason Crow and other Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist “illegal orders,” according to a person familiar with the matter.

“Donald Trump’s DOJ just tried — and failed — to indict me in front of a grand jury,” Crow said in a statement Tuesday night. “Americans should be furious that Trump and his goons tried to weaponize our justice system again against his political opponents. His at-

tempts to intimidate and silence us will always fail.”

The Justice Department opened an investigation into the video featuring Crow, Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin and three other Democratic lawmakers urging U.S. service members to follow established military protocols and reject orders they believe to be unlawful. All the lawmakers previously served in the military or at intelligence agencies.

Grand jurors in Washington declined to sign off on charges in the latest of a series of rebukes of prosecutors by citizens in the nation’s capital, according to the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. It wasn’t immediately clear whether prosecutors had sought indictments against all six lawmakers or what charge or charges prosecutors attempted to bring.

Grand jury rejections are extraordinarily unusual, but have happened repeatedly in recent months in Washington as citizens who have heard the government’s evidence have come away underwhelmed in a number of cases. Prosecutors could try again to secure an indictment.

The FBI in November began contacting the lawmakers to schedule interviews, outreach that came against the backdrop of broader Justice Department efforts to punish political opponents of the president. President Donald Trump and his aides labeled the lawmakers’ video as “seditious” — and Trump said on his social media account that the offense was “punishable by death.”

Besides Crow, Slotkin and Kelly, the other Democrats who appeared in the video include Reps. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of

New Hampshire and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania.

In November, the Pentagon opened an investigation into Kelly, citing a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court-martial or other punishment. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has censured Kelly for participating in the video and is trying to retroactively demote Kelly from his retired rank of captain.

The senator is suing Hegseth to block those proceedings, calling them an unconstitutional act of retribution. During a hearing last week, the judge appeared to be skeptical of key arguments that a government attorney made in defense of Kelly’s Jan. 5 censure by Hegseth.

— AP and Sentinel writers

EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS

Colorado bill would let teachers with some old misdemeanors to be licensed

People applying for a teaching license in Colorado wouldn’t have to report a misdemeanor conviction that’s seven years or older unless it involves a young person or at-risk adult under a bipartisan bill that unanimously passed the House Education Committee last week.

The current law says that teacher licensure applicants must disclose most misdemeanor convictions regardless of the date of the conviction. The law exempts misdemeanor traffic offenses or traffic infractions.

Sponsors said House Bill 1090 aims to knock down barriers for prospective teachers who have made past mistakes. The bill could also help address a statewide teacher shortage. Colorado had about 2,800 vacancies to start the 202425 school year and about 600 positions were never filled, according to Colorado Department of Education data.

Many people feel embarrassed about previous legal issues, and that can stop them from getting a teaching license, said Rep. Matthew Martinez, a Monte Vista Democrat and bill sponsor. Before he became a lawmaker, he worked with incarcerated students at Adams State University.

He said many people who have committed crimes want to change their life.

“And sometimes they are the best teachers and the best mentors,” Martinez said.

Other bill sponsors include state Rep. Stephanie Luck, a Penrose Republican, and Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat.

Martinez and Luck said they chose the seven-year timeframe because it’s closer to what most private businesses use.

The bill uses the state’s definition of an at-risk adult, which is a person with a developmental or physical disability or a senior.

During last week’s meeting, Colorado Association of School Executives lobbyist Elisabeth Rosen said the bill makes sense, and there wasn’t any testimony against it. A legislative analysis says the bill wouldn’t require additional costs to the state.

“We all from the school district and teacher perspective hope to move this forward,” Rosen said.

Luck said qualified teaching candidates shouldn’t be prevented from becoming teachers for a misdemeanor such as joyriding or shoplifting. Most of the people that she’s heard from were young when they committed an offense, she said.

“Some of us have had bad days that

have resulted in criminal behavior. Some folks have been caught; other folks have not been caught,” Luck said. “I don’t think that after seven years, if it is a certain type of crime, we should continue to remind them of that bad day.”

Luck and Martinez amended the bill before its passage to remove a section that would have exempted private school educators who worked with a Colorado school for more than two years from having to apply for a professional license. Martinez said the amendment narrowed the focus of the bill, and the sponsors would try to take up the issue at another time.

— Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado

COPS AND COURTS

Second suspect charged in fatal Aurora streetracing crash last November

A second suspect in a fatal November 2025 street-racing crash now faces charges of vehicular homicide stemming from the Aurora rollover that injured two teenagers and killed a 20-year-old man, police said.

Carlos Cruz-Figueroa, 18, has been charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, reckless endangerment and engaging in a speed contest, Aurora police said in a Feb 12 social media post.

Investigators said he was the driver of one of two cars racing Nov. 1, which ended in a catastrophic crash just west of East Alameda Parkway and South Chambers Road.

Investigators said a BMW sedan driven by 19-year-old Edwin Rosales-Sandoval was racing east on Alameda from Sable Boulevard when he failed to make a curve in the road, hit a grocery store sign and rolled the car.

An unidentified 20-year-old man in the car died at the scene, police said.

Rosales-Sandoval and a 17-year-old female passenger were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said Rosales-Sandoval was driving under the influence of alcohol and on a revoked license from a prior DUI conviction.

safety of residents,” Moylan said.

Because there were numerous “unknown factors” linked to the gunfire, police called in the SWAT unit.

“SWAT Team officers were eventually able to make contact with the person involved and safely take him into custody,” Moylan said. Police said the shooting suspect is Ernest Delrio, 65. The man was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and issued a summons to face charges of reckless endangerment, police said.

— Sentinel Staff

Sheriff seeks help identifying couple accused of stealing puppy from Centennial pet store

Sheriff officials are asking for the public’s help in identifying a couple shown on security footage from a Centennial pet

store allegedly stealing a puppy.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office released a statement, photos and video showing a white female and a Black male inside the pet store and holding the dog.

“The woman is then seen picking up a Maltese/Shih Tuzi/Poodle mix puppy, crouching down, placing the puppy in her jacket, and leaving the store without paying,” the statement said. “The brown and black Malshipoo puppy is valued at $2,200.00.”

The two suspects are accused of stealing the dog at approximately 4:40 p.m. Jan. 26 from the Perfect Pets Pet Store, 6840 S. University Blvd.

The release said additional surveillance video shows the man and woman entering the store and walking around for about 10 minutes.

Both suspects appear to be in their 20’s.

The male suspect is tall and thin, wearing a black jacket, army-green sweatpants, black Crocs and a gray beanie.

The female suspect is wearing a black jacket, purple-and-black pants, black shoes, a white beanie, a white scarf and pink glasses, according to the statement. Their vehicle was not identified, and they remain at large. If caught, they face felony theft charges, according to the statement.

Anyone with information about the suspects or the puppy’s whereabouts should contact the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Tipline at 720-874-8477. Tips can be submitted anonymously.

— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer

Last week, police said they identified the driver of the second car linked to the crash as Cruz-Figueroa.

As of Feb. 16, Cruz-Figueroa was being held at the Arapahoe County jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.

“Street racing is dangerous and it kills,” police said last week in a statement on social media. “Parents, talk to your teens. Teach them that a car isn’t a toy, it’s a two-ton weapon that can destroy lives in seconds. A life was lost and two others were changed forever. This crash didn’t have to happen. It was 100% preventable.”

— Sentinel Staff

SWAT unit takes man, 65, into custody after Heather Gardens shooting in Aurora

A 65-year-old man faces reckless endangerment charges after being accused of firing a gun early Monday outside a residential building in Heather Gardens, police said.

Officers were called to the area of the Seville apartments building in the 13900 block of East Marina Drive at about 4:30 a.m., according to Aurora police spokesperson Joe Moylan.

“The incident was isolated to a specific building and officers initially focused on evacuating surrounding units for the

SEE YOURSELF ON STAGE

The Magazine

From yard to table

BACKYARD VEGETABLE GARDENS ARE HEALTHY FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET. HERE’S HOW TO START YOURS

BY CALEIGH WELLS, Associated Press

If you want healthy food, experts say to eat what’s local, organic and in-season. Those foods benefit the planet too, because they are less taxing on the soil and they don’t travel as far.

It doesn’t get more local, organic and in-season than a backyard vegetable garden.

At this time of year, many backyards across the country are still covered in snow. But it’s the perfect time to start planning for a garden because you’ll want to have supplies ready to start planting just after the last frost date in your area.

Below are some tips on how to plan a backyard garden and reasons why you should do it.

Homegrown vegetables have fewer emissions

Vegetable gardens benefit the surrounding ecosystem by adding diverse plant life, especially where they replace grass or cover a deck or patio. They also can provide flowering plants for pollinators.

The plants capture and store carbon in the soil, promote healthy soil by preventing compaction and can make the air cooler on rooftops and patios, according to Ellen Comeau, who chairs the advisory council for

the Cuyahoga County Master Gardener Volunteers with the Ohio State University Extension program.

Homegrown vegetables and fruits are responsible for fewer emissions than their store-bought counterparts because grocery store produce typically travels long distances on trucks.

“There’s this whole idea of a zero-kilometer meal, that I don’t have to travel anywhere, except my backyard, to make food. That certainly helps the climate,” said Carol Connare, editor of The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Gardening has health benefits

The health benefits from gardening are multifaceted, “social, emotional, nutritional, physical,” said Katherine Alaimo, an associate professor of food science and human nutrition at Michigan State University.

Gardening promotes physical health because it requires a lot of movement. The food is typically picked at the height of ripeness and eaten fresh so it tends to have more nutrients than grocery store produce.

Alaimo said most gardeners don’t use pesticides and grow their food organically. And of course, when you grow more produce, you eat more produce.

“That’s going to reinforce people eating more fruits and vegetables even in the off season when they’re not growing food. So they try new foods, they potentially increase creativity and their cooking skills,” she said.

Alaimo said gardening also connects people with nature, provides a sense of responsibility and accomplishment and encourages sharing harvests with friends. All of that can contribute to reduced stress, lower blood pressure and higher energy, she said.

Picking the right spot and budgeting

Sunlight is the biggest factor in choosing where to put your garden. Most produce wants at least six hours of sunlight per day. If sunny spots are few, save them for fruiting plants because leafy greens can tolerate more shade.

It also helps to have a nearby water source because you’ll get more food for less effort if you’re not lugging buckets of water a long way. If you’re growing in the ground, Comeau said to start with a soil test to determine its acidity and nutrient makeup. Soil samples, once bagged or boxed, can typically be sent to a cooperative extension office at a uni-

versity. The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers a list of extension offices by state. The results will give you an idea of what to grow and whether you need fertilizer or other amendments.

If you have barren soil or a concrete patio, you can buy or build raised beds with purchased soil.

Connare said raised beds have advantages such as controlling the soil, but the disadvantages include the cost and the likelihood of compacting soil and eventually needing to replace it.

After finding the right spot, Comeau said the next step is figuring out how much you have to spend. That determines how big the garden is, whether you sow seeds or buy baby plants known as starts and how many supplies you can afford.

Another major investment: fencing for pests. That means digging fences into the soil to stop burrowing animals like groundhogs, making them tall to deter deer or installing netting for climbing critters.

Choosing what to grow and when to start

What you can grow depends on what falls into your region’s plant hardiness zone. Californians can grow olives more easily than Ohioans, for example.

Connare recommends finding out what plants are working for your neighbors.

“They might be able to tell you, ‘I can’t grow a Cherokee tomato here to save my life, but these tie-dye ones do great,’” she said.

Once you’ve narrowed down what can grow, pick what appeals to you. Kevin Espiritu, founder of Epic Gardening, said he used to advise people to focus on what grows the fastest and easiest, but now he also emphasizes choosing what you like to eat.

Connare also recommends adding flowers to attract pollinators. Local garden centers are good sources of knowledge about what native plants will attract beneficial insects. Espiritu said to figure out the last frost date in your area and plan around that. Many fruits and vegetables are best planted after the frost threat has passed, but some can go in earlier. Cool-season crops like leafy vegetables can tolerate slightly colder temperatures. Seeds can get started indoors weeks before the last frost date.

Comeau said seed packet labels often provide instructions.

“The label will tell you when you can start it and when it can go into the ground. Some obviously go right into the ground and some can be started ahead of time,” she said.

storytelling, and audience engagement. Concessions are available before showtime.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Feb. 22, 6 p.m.–7 p.m.

Place: Roaming Gnome Theatre, 10255 E 25th Ave.

Tickets: Adults $15; Children 12 and under $10

scene & herd

“Stages of Love” Short Play Series at Vintage Theatre

A cabaret-style showcase of seven short plays exploring the multifaceted nature of love in its many forms. Created by local playwrights and performed with dynamic energy, this Valentine-season special highlights original storytelling through sharp dialogue, humor, and emotional depth.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Place: Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St.

Tickets: $25–$40

Details: www.vintagetheatre.org or call 303-856-7830

Spoon Circus Presents

“The Lost Treasure” at Roaming Gnome Theatre

Young families are invited to join Dusty and McKenna on an adventurous circus journey in this family-friendly show that blends acrobatics, playful

Details: www.roaminggnometheatre.org or call 303-696-6833

Film an Conversation Series — “Black Radio Days”

Live from the Aurora Fox Studio Theatre, this multimedia event blends historical context, audio clips, storytelling and community dialogue centered around the influential era of Black radio, its songs, voices, and cultural impact.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Feb. 24, 7 p.m.

Place: Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.

Tickets: $10

Details: www.aurorafoxartscenter.org or call 303-739-1970

Waiting for Godot at the Aurora Fox Arts Center

Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” arrives at the Aurora Fox in a thoughtfully staged production that leans into the play’s wit, melancholy, and enduring relevance. Often described as both absurdist comedy and existential meditation, the play follows two men, Vladimir and Estragon, as they wait endlessly for someone named Godot, filling the time with jokes, arguments, memories, and fleeting moments of hope. As the waiting stretches on, the play

becomes a reflection on friendship, purpose, and the human need for meaning in an uncertain world. Whether encountering Beckett for the first time or revisiting a classic, theatergoers will find plenty to laugh at — and plenty to ponder — in this stripped-down yet emotionally rich production.

IF YOU GO: Through Feb. 22, at the Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax. Tickets are $17–$42. Details and reservations at 303-739-1970 or www.aurorafoxartscenter.org.

Library Teen Roundup: Black History Jeopardy at Aurora Public Library

Teens ages 12-18 are invited to test their knowledge of Black history in a game-show style Jeopardy competition. Participants will play in teams or individually, answering questions drawn from Black history, culture and achievements, with snacks and prizes provided. This engaging activity builds knowledge and community among youth.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Thursday, Feb. 26, 4 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

Place: Aurora Public Library – Central Activity Room, 1 4949 E. Alameda Parkway

Cost: Free

Info: 303-739-6600 and auroraco.libnet.info/events

Tween Family Movie and Cultural Conversation at the Aurora Public Library

Although not exclusively listed as a Black History program on the library calendar, this Tween Movie Club screening is scheduled during the Black History

Month and specifically celebrates Black voices in film, making it a relevant cultural event for families and youth.

Black History Live 2026: African Americans in the West at the Aurora Public Library

This dramatic historical presentation brings to life the story of York, the only Black member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, through performance and interpretation. The program is part of Colorado Humanities’ Black History Live tour and is designed to educate all ages about underrepresented figures in Western history. It includes context, Q&A and an exploration of African American contributions to U.S. expansion westward.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Feb. 21, 2 p.m.–4:00 p.m.

Place: Aurora Public Library – Central Large Community Room, 14949 E. Alameda Parkway

Cost: Free Info: 303-739-6600; auroraco.libnet.info/events

The Long View: Making Art a Part of Life

Downtown Aurora Visual Arts opens its newest exhibition with a public reception celebrating the career of artist Linda Graham. “The Long View” examines how creativity evolves over a lifetime, featuring ceramic and mixed-media works that reflect decades of experimentation and personal growth. The opening reception invites visitors to meet fellow art lovers, engage with the artist’s themes of persistence and curiosity, and explore how art-making can be woven into everyday life. Light refreshments and informal conversation make this a welcoming entry point for both seasoned collectors and first-time gallery visitors.

IF YOU GO: Weekdays 10 am to 5 pm. through Feb. 23 at the DAVA studios, 1405 Florence St. No charge for admission. For details, call 303-724-0550 or go to www.davarts.org.

Winter Family Orchestral Experience — People’s Building

An interactive orchestral concert designed for children and families, blending music, movement, and bilingual narration so young audiences can physically engage with professional musicians encircling the listening space.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Thu., Feb. 19, 6p.m.–8 p.m. Place: The People’s Building, Aurora Tickets: $10–$15

Info: https://www.thepeoplesbuilding.com · 720-819-6680

Diasporic

Film & Food Series: El Maestro Laba Sosseh

This multisensory evening includes a curated Senegalese meal followed by the screening of El Maestro Laba Sosseh and a post-film cultural discussion. Celebrating cross-cultural heritage, the event invites deep engagement through global cinema and cuisine.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Fri., Feb. 20, 7p.m.–9:45 p.m. Place: The People’s Building, Aurora

Tickets: $35–$55 (includes food & film) Info: https://www.thepeoplesbuilding.com · 720-819-6680

BUZZ KILLER Aurora mulls new licensing, inspection tools to curb youth tobacco access

BY CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer

After months of testimony, a group of local teenagers, young adults and other advocates have apparently persuaded Aurora lawmakers to consider a new package of licensing tools aimed at keeping youth from getting tobacco products and other illicit substances.

“The primary purpose is to reduce youth access,” said Aurora Manager of Licensing, Trevor Vaughn.

The proposed ordinance, which was presented in a study session Monday, would establish city-level licensing for retailers selling tobacco, Kratom, certain hemp-derived THC products and related paraphernalia.

The primary goal is to prevent sales to minors, proponents say.

A group of young people with United for Better Futures, a branch of the Aurora Partners for Thriving Youth Coalition, has been working together for months to build awareness through regular testimony at “public invited to be heard” sessions during city council meetings.

Although the proposal is focused on youth access to tobacco and other substances that are illicit or age-restricted, some city council members felt that the measure goes too far by also addressing broader concerns around crime and neighborhood impacts.

Data from the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, showed that in a local survey of approximately 1,400 Aurora students reported not being refused a sale of tobacco products due to their age when attempting to obtain them.

The statistic does not necessarily mean that 85% of retailers sold to minors; rather, it indicates that most youth knew where to obtain products, Vaughn said while presenting details about the city bill.

The survey also found that one in four students who reported tobacco use obtained products directly from retailers. National research showing most smokers begin before the age of 18 was also cited in support of stronger local oversight.

If the ordinance passes, the city would conduct compliance checks twice a year, with a penalty structure more aggressive than the state’s current tobacco enforcement system, Vaughn said. A fourth violation within 36 months could result in a company losing its license to sell such products.

Filling Gaps in State Oversight

Colorado law already restricts the sale of tobacco, Kratom and certain high-THC hemp products to those 21 and older. Though Vaughn said that state licensing does not comprehensively cover all product categories.

The ordinance underwent amendments requested by industry lobbyists and small businesses, as well as by the Business Advisory Board.

The state licenses tobacco retailers, and Kratom is regulated through the public health department, and certain hemp products through the Attorney General’s Office. Vaughn said those agencies have limited resources for compliance checks, leaving enforcement gaps.

The proposed Aurora license would create local oversight and extend enforcement authority to psychoactive hemp products and paraphernalia, including items marketed with youth-oriented branding, such as Hello Kitty pipes.

Vaughn showed city council photos of seized products from local vape shops, including packaging that resembled children’s characters. Local industry representatives did not object to prohibiting copyright-infringing or youth-targeted packaging, Vaughn said.

While the state focuses primarily on sales to minors and advertising, this proposed city program also addresses public health, safety and neighborhood impacts by including:

• License regulation of Kratom and age-restricted hemp products with proactive retail enforcement.

• Compliance with the city’s nonscheduled psychoactive substances and drug paraphernalia ordinance.

• Restriction of marijuana and tobacco paraphernalia sales to licensed retailers.

• Prohibition of youth-targeted paraphernalia using cartoon or copyrighted characters such as Pokémon and Star Wars.

• Limiting marijuana paraphernalia sales to customers

Joy, who did not give her last name addresses the Aurora City Council Nov. 17, 2025, asking for legislation to prevent teen vaping.

SENTINEL SCREEN GRAB

21 and older.

• Operational standards prohibiting loitering for drug or prostitution purposes.

• Prohibition of SNAP/EBT fraud. Such benefits cannot be used to buy the targeted products.

• Authority to inspect books and records.

• Ability to source illegal psychoactive products.

• Licensee “good moral character” requirements.

The four strikes of penalties according to city information:

• First violation: Minimum $1,000 fine (vs. state’s $250 fine).

• Second violation within 36 months: $2,000 fine and 7-day suspension.

• Third violation within 36 months: $2,650 fine and 21day suspension.

• Fourth violation within 36 months: Revocation of license.

The ordinance includes new spacing restrictions: 1,500 feet from schools, 500 feet between “incidental” retailers, such as grocery or convenience stores, 2,000 feet between vape and smoke shops, and two miles between hookah lounges.

Vaughn said existing businesses would be grandfathered in and allowed to transfer licenses to new owners, provided they operate lawfully.

Aurora currently has six licensed hookah lounges and one pending application, Vaughn said, and three have been closed since September 2024 for unspecified violations.

“They’re kind of a perpetual issue for us with behavior,” Vaughn said about hookah lounges. “We’ve closed three since September 2024, due to violations. I’ve actually had some issues at four of these six. Kind of a perpetual thing nationwide.”

He said that many cities are restricting hours on hookah bars, linked to alleged late-night issues with crime.

Premium cigar lounges would face fewer restrictions than hookah bars and, under state law, cannot obtain liquor licenses because of the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act.

The ordinance could add additional enforcement and revenue.

Aurora has approximately 335 retailers affected by the proposal, including 272 incidental retailers and 55 smoke

shops, according to Vaughn.

A proposed $500 annual license fee is expected to generate roughly $170,000, Vaughn said. Enough to fund a new full-time supervisory position. Vaughn projected an additional $30,000 in potential fine revenue based on last year’s compliance failures under state enforcement.

Debate Over Scope and Enforcement

Councilmember Curtis Gardner said he had an issue with the ordinance’s additional language, which addresses loitering, nuisance activity, and SNAP/EBT fraud, and that they extend beyond the stated goal of preventing youth sales.

“Frankly, this is right up there with the 1950s film Reefer Madness. Pretty, pretty disappointing,” Gardner said. He disagreed with the language that could hold retailers accountable for loitering or criminal activity outside their businesses.

“It is not the job of a store owner to be a law enforcement officer,” Gardner said. “It’s the police’s job to enforce the law.”

Bergan said she was concerned about employee safety and the potential liability of asking clerks to confront loiterers late at night. Vaughn said that the intent is not to require confrontation but to encourage “good faith” measures, such as improved lighting, security cameras, calling the police and other crime-prevention strategies.

City Attorney Pete Schulte told city council members that any enforcement tied to federal SNAP violations would require objective standards and documented findings from federal authorities to avoid legal challenges.

Several council members hinted at possible amendments before the ordinance reached a formal vote. Proposed changes include removing or clarifying language on loitering and nuisance activity, reconsidering the inclusion of SNAP/ EBT fraud, adding more specific standards for “good moral character” requirements and clarifying license suspension or revocation.

The bill’s prime sponsors, Councilmember Ruben Medina and co-sponsor Councilmember Stephanie Hancock, were willing to listen and negotiate possible amendments from other council members when the bill comes to the city council floor for debate. A date for the measure’s introduction has not yet been set.

The Grandview boys and Eaglecrest girls have grand plans for the upcoming Class 5A state wrestling tournaments.

Both the Wolves and Raptors reinforced their respective confidence with performances at regional tournaments, as both Aurora area programs have a double-digit number of qualifiers for the Feb. 19-21 state tournament at Ball Arena.

The two programs form the backbone of a whopping 32 boys (from eight area schools) and 23 girls (at least one from all six area programs) in the state field.

to reach double digits were Pomona, Region 4 champion Brighton and Pine Creek, which finished 5.5 points behind Ponderosa in a close race at Region 3.

Leading the way for Grandview was a handful of regional champions — seniors Jonathan Montes Gonzales (157 pounds) and Gunner Lopez (165) and juniors JR Ortega (126), Kyle Menuez (132) and Leland Day (285) — many of who have state title aspirations as well.

Chief among them is Ortega, who has moved up to a new weight class this season from 113 pounds, where he won last season’s state title. With a sparkling 46-1 record, Ortega goes in as the top seed and with four more wins can join Fabian Santillan (2018 and 2019) as the program’s lone two-time state winners.

Stacked for state

BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor

Grandview finished third at last year’s 5A boys state tournament to match the best result in program history and the backbone of coach Ryan Budd’s team returned this season and has performed to an even higher level.

While powerhouse Pomona — winner of seven consecutive 5A state titles and heavy favorites to extend the streak and claim a 14th all-time crown —the Wolves have shown the firepower and depth to potentially bring home team hardware for the first time since the program made its debut when the school opened in 1998.

On The Mat has had Grandview ranked second — in front of perennial runner-up Ponderosa — for the majority of the season and the race for that position is likely to be one of the major storylines of the three-day tournament.

The Wolves come in off a commanding performance at the 5A Region 2 Feb. 13-14 at Broomfield High School, at which they accrued 270 points to finish well clear of runner-up Chaparral, which had 205.5, and came away with a total off 11 state qualifiers. The only other 5A teams

Montes Gonzales is a two-time state finalist who remains seeking his first state title — in addition to a fourth top-six place in as many seasons — and Day also made it to a state championship match last season before finishing second. Day won his second Top Of The Rockies title this season and is a sparkling 41-2 with only Legend’s Alexander Rose seeded ahead of him in the bracket.

Lopez — who has a combined 10 wins in three varsity state tournament appearances with three top-six places — is also a No. 2 seed as he seeks to better his career-best third-place result from a year ago. Menuez went 1-2 in his state tournament debut last season, but put himself in better position with his regional championship.

Grandview’s state contingent is rounded out by runners-up at 120 pounds (junior Dustin John Snider, who earned his third state tournament trip), 138 (junior Anthony Segura) and 175 (junior Christian Skov), plus senior Arturo Zepeda (150), junior Braxston Widrikis (144) and sophomore Marques Lawrence (215).

On the girls side, Eaglecrest is one of only three 5A programs with double-digit qualifiers out of the Region 2 tournament and will have 12 wrestlers in the 14 brackets.

Coach Horacio Vialpando’s Raptors — who finished with a 30-point cushion over Widefield, one of the two other teams with 10 or more qualifiers along with Chatfield — had seven finalists and three that emerged as regional champions in sophomores Maxime Lantz (140 pounds) and Olivia Fabbricatore (145) and senior Parice Jones (170).

Lantz and Jones — both returning state placers from last season — had relatively easy trips through their respective regional brackets (Jones recorded two pins in a total of 1 minute of match time and Lantz needed just 2:21 to get two wins by fall), while Fabbricatore added the highlight of the championship round for the Raptors.

Fabbricatore pinned top-seeded Annalie Carlson of Castle View in the semifinals and then face Widefield freshman Ellianna Kidwell in the championship match at 145 pounds. Fabbricatore built a six-point lead in the third period, but Kidwell earned a reversal and picked up back points in a wild finish that ended in a tie that required overtime. With wrestlers struggling for energy, Fabbricatore emerged from a scramble with a

that lifted her to a 15-12 victory.

Trail at 7 p.m., while Eaglecrest plays host to Arapahoe at 7 p.m.

Placing games will be Feb. 21 at Smoky Hill High School at 10 a.m. (seventh place), 11:30 a.m. (fifth place), 1 p.m. (third place) and 2:30 p.m. (championship).

FAR LEFT: Overland’s Michaela Halton (4) puts up a short shot for two of her game-high 29 points in the Trailblazers’ 63-59 double-overtime win at nial League Challenge first round game. Halton passed the 1,000-career point mark in the victory, while Kiarra Spellman passed 1,000 and Kennedy the Raptors in defeat, ABOVE: Overland’s Kobi Ali (0) tries to get a shot off over Cherokee Trail’s Jeremiah Shortis (23) in the Trailblazers’ 72-63 Centenni basketball first round win Feb. 13. ABOVE RIGHT: Regis Jesuit’s Remington Zimmerer, left, takes control of the Class 5A Region 2 120-pound match School. BELOW RIGHT: Danny Fisher, second from left, acknowledges the crowd as he is honored during the Overland boys basketball team’s game er is retiring after 14 seasons with the program. FAR RIGHT: Cherokee Trail’s Karson Chaney, top, elevates for a layup during the second half of the Hill in a Centennial League Challenge girls basketball first round matchup Feb. 13 played at Overland. (Photos

BOYS BASKETBALL

League championship tournaments close season

The boys basketball regular season comes to a close Feb. 21 and the majority of teams will play their last games in league tournament play and the Colorado High School Activities Association will release postseason brackets the next day.

The Centennial League Challenge — which decides the league champion — began Feb. 13 and half of the remaining teams hail from the Aurora area, as second-seeded Grandview and fourth-seeded Overland advanced.

The Trailblazers — playing for outgoing coach Danny Fisher, who is retiring after a successful 14-season run — have caught fire recently with wins in their final three games of the conference regular season followed by a solid 72-63 victory over No. 5 Cherokee Trail to open. Overland plays at top-seeded Cherry Creek at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in one of the championship semifinals, while the other features Grandview on its home floor at 6 p.m. against No. 6 Mullen. The Wolves handled No. 7 Arapahoe 63-47 in the opening round and now will face the Mustangs, who upset third-seeded Eaglecrest (last season’s league champion) 57-56 in the first round.

Consolation semifinals on Feb. 19 send No. 8 Smoky Hill to Cherokee

Rangeview is the top seed in the City League Gold Division tournament, which began Feb. 17 and concludes with a championship game Feb. 21 at Manual High School. Vista PEAK Prep plays in the Silver Division bracket and Hinkley in the Bronze Division.

Aurora Central plays host to the Colorado League tournament, which begins Feb. 18 and ends Feb. 20 with a championship game at 6:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Centennial League Challenge among regular season-ending tourneys

The Colorado High School Activities Association issues postseason brackets Feb. 22, which comes a day after the conclusion of the girls basketball regular season.

League tournaments will make a difference in the positions of area teams already in the mix and mark the conclusion of the season for others.

The Centennial League Challenge — which determines the league champion after a full round of play in the regular season — opened Feb. 13 and a trio of Aurora area programs remain in the four teams headed to the championship semifinals Feb. 19.

The lone upset of the opening round (and only game decided by fewer than 22 points) came from fifth-seeded Overland, which knocked off No. 4 Ea-

glecrest 63-59 in a double-overtime thriller. That vaulted the Trailblazers into a visit to top-seeded Arapahoe at 5:30 p.m., the same time tip-off is scheduled at Cherokee Trail, where the second-seeded Cougars (who downed No. 7 Smoky Hill 58-36 in the first round) will entertain third-seeded Grandview (a 69-45 winner over No. 6 Mullen). Placing games will be played Feb. 21 at Overland.

The City League Gold Division tournament opened Feb. 17 with third-seeded Vista PEAK Prep home to No. 6 Kennedy, while the Silver Division is topped by Rangeview, which plays a home game against eighth-seeded Lincoln. Hinkley and Lotus School For Excellence hold the No. 5 and 8 seeds, respectively, in the Bronze Division.

Aurora Central is the No. 2 seed and Gateway the No. 3 seed in the fourteam Colorado League tournament, which will be played Feb. 18 & 20 at Skyview. The Trojans and Olys meet in the opening round and the winner will play for the league title at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 20.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Milestones reached in Overland-Eaglecrest tilt

In an opening round contest of the Centennial League Challenge, a number of milestones were achieved in addition to determining which of the Aurora area programs — No. 4 Eaglecrest and No. 5 Overland —stayed in league title contention.

In the opening half of what would be a 63-59 double-overtime win for the Trailblazers Feb. 13, two players passed the 1,000-point mark for their careers. For Overland, it was junior Michaela

Halton, who came in seven points shy of the milestone and tallied 11 in the opening half — on her way to a game-high 29 — while Eaglecrest junior Kiarra Spellman did it on the other side with her sixpoint output in the first two quarters.

A larger milestone came in the second overtime, when Eaglecrest senior Kennedy Spellman — who played her first three seasons at Mountain Vista — made two free throws to push past the 2,000-point mark.

Grandview junior Ava Chang scored 21 points in a tournament-opening win to get to 975 with two more chances in the regular season to reach the 1,000-point milestone.

GIRLS SWIMMING

Class 5A state meet gets underway with prelims

The Class 5A girls state swim meet opened with prelims Feb. 17 at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton with a total of 51 individual swimmers/divers and 15 relay teams from six Aurora area programs.

The complete 1-meter diving competition and swim finals were scheduled for Feb. 18. Results were unavailable at press time, but visit sentinelcolorado.com/preps for complete prelim and finals results from the 5A girls state swim meet.

Regis Jesuit — the runner-up at each of the past three state meets to Cherry Creek, which is again the state title favorite —had 19 individual swimmers/divers in the field, while Grandview had 12, Cherokee Trail and Smoky Hill nine apiece while Eaglecrest (which also qualified all three relays) and Overland had individual qualifiers.

ICE HOCKEY

Bruins, Raiders have 1st round byes in 5A playoffs

The Colorado High School Activities Association put out the bracket for the Class 5A state ice hockey playoffs, which were set to begin Feb. 19-20.

Neither of the Aurora area qualifiers had to play in the first round, as the third-seeded Cherry Creek co-op team (15-3-1) and fourth-seeded Regis Jesuit (11-7-1) received byes and passage to the Feb. 24-25 quarterfinals.

The Bruins and Raiders will play a doubleheader at South Suburban Sports Complex, as Cherry Creek will take on the winner of a first round game between No. 11 Lewis-Palmer and No. 7 Monarch at 5:10 p.m., while Regis Jesuit skates at 7:40 p.m. versus either No. 12 Castle View or No. 5 Denver East. Visit sentinelcolorado.com/preps for updated 5A state ice hockey scoreboard and schedule.

WEEK PAST

The week past in Aurora prep sports

MONDAY, FEB. 16: There were no events scheduled for Aurora prep sports teams with schools closed for the Presidents Day holiday. ...SATURDAY, FEB. 14: The Grandview boys wrestling team rolled to the Class 5A Region 2 championship behind a handful of bracket champions in JR Ortega (126 pounds), Kyle Menuez (132), Jonathan Montes Gonzales (157), Gunner Lopez (165) and Leland Day (285) and also came away with 11 state qualifying spots. Among the other Aurora area teams in the same region, Smoky Hill (which had two qualifiers) had a cham-

at Eaglecrest Feb. 13 in a CentenKennedy Spellman went over 2,000 for Centennial League Challenge boys match Feb. 14 at Lewis-Palmer High game against Smoky Hill Feb. 11. Fishthe Cougars’ 58-36 win over Smoky Sentinel)

pion in Jovani Galvan (138), while Regis Jesuit also had two state qualifiers and Overland one. ...The Cherokee Trail and Eaglecrest boys wrestling teams finished second and third, respectively, at the Class 5A Region 4 tournament on the Cougars’ home mats. Regional champions among Aurora area programs in the field were Cherokee Trail’s Elijah Van Horn (106), Cooper Mathews (132), Renzo Lubuguin (150) and Ryan Everhart (157), plus Eaglecrest’s Cade Picone (138) as well as Vista PEAK Prep’s Ian Bacon (120). ... The Eaglecrest girls wrestling team got 12 Class 5A state qualifiers out of the Region 2 tournament at Lewis-Palmer High School — led by champions Maxime Lantz (140), Olivia Fabbricatore (145) and Parice Jones (170) — and won the team title. Vista PEAK Prep had a bracket champion in Amelia Bacon (125) as did Regis Jesuit in Remington Zimmerer (120). ...The Regis Jesuit ice hockey team ended the regular season in style with a 3-2 road victory over top-ranked Poudre School District. Sam Wessel scored in the third period for what turned out to be the game-winning goal for the Raiders, who also got scores from Andrew Brennick and Dylan Nash, while Easton Sparks made 17 saves. ...FRIDAY, FEB. 13: The Regis Jesuit boys basketball team downed rival Valor Christian 62-48 at home as Eric Fiedler’s 25 points led the way and Michael Price added 15. ...The Grandview boys basketball team got off to a 21-7 start against Arapahoe and went on to a 63-47 victory to open the Centennial League Challenge. ...Four players scored in double figures and another had nine for the host Overland

boys basketball team in a 72-63 Centennial League Challenge first round win over Cherokee Trail Darian Proctor tallied 19 points, while Kymani Eason and Mehki McNeal had 13 apiece and Lawrence Amedor added 11 for the Trailblazers, while Jordan Mitchell had a game-high 23 for the Cougars, while Jeremiah Shortis added 10. ...The Lotus School For Excellence boys basketball team has a 14-game winning streak working after an 81-38 win over Union Colony Prep. ...The Cherokee Trail girls basketball team played on a neutral site at Overland due to a wrestling regional tournament on its home floor and came away with a 58-36 win over Smoky Hill to begin the Centennial League Challenge. Chloe Cain’s 13 points led the way, while Karson Chaney and Milania Gutierrez had 12 apiece and Aaliyah Broadus 11. ...The Overland girls basketball team pulled off a road upset of Eaglecrest in the Centennial League Challenge first round with a 63-59 double-overtime victory. Michaela Halton tallied 29 points, Jalena Flores had 12 and Sasha Davis 10 for the Trailblazers, who overcame Kennedy Spellman’s 20 and Kiarra Spellman’s 16. ...Ava Chang’s 21 points, 12 from Sorrelle Kamgang and 10 from K’Dence Thomas paced the Grandview girls basketball team to a 69-45 win over Mullen in a Centennial League Challenge first round contest. ...The Vista PEAK Prep girls basketball team downed Rangeview 49-37 as Laila Armstrong tallied 18 points and Knakai Starks had 11. ...Beau Paton

For more on these stories, visit sentinelcolorado. com/preps

tallied a whopping five goals, while Charlie Grall had a goal and three assists for the Regis Jesuit ice hockey team in a 9-1 road win over Resurrection Christian. ...THURSDAY, FEB. 12: The Rangeview boys basketball team completed a City League sweep of Vista PEAK Prep with an 83-50 victory that included a 24-point outing from Archie Weatherspoon V. Marceles Duncan added 17 points and Anthony Andrew 14 for the Raiders. ...Alex Flores tallied 17 points, while Sohaieb Sufi-Mohamed and Deon Davis Jr. added eight apiece for the Aurora Central boys basketball team in a 4642 non-league road win at Thomas Jefferson. ...The Gateway boys basketball team edged Adams City 45-44 in Colorado League play behind 14 points from Elion Croft and 13 apiece from Nickalus Smith and Colt Wenzel (who added 17 rebounds). ...The Lotus School For Excellence boys basketball team won its 13th game in a row with a 66-55 home win over Englewood. ...The Aurora Central girls basketball team rode 28 points from Jamaea Johnson-Gonzalez, 16 from Bella Lumba and eight from Ana Lua in a 65-54 non-league road win at Thomas Jefferson. ...WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11: The Rangeview boys basketball team honored its seniors and coach Shawn Palmer for his recently achieved 400th victory in the midst of a 79-74 City League home win over Denver East. Aidan Perez dropped 30 points to lead the Raiders, while Marceles Duncan added 15 and Archie Weatherspoon V 11. ...The Eaglecrest

boys basketball team had a strong second half on its way to a 50-36 Centennial League win over Arapahoe. Lawrence Amedor, Palmer Bass and Darian Proctor tallied 11 points apiece for the Overland boys basketball team in a 49-42 victory over Smoky Hill in the Centennial League regular season finale for both teams. Cruz Valdez paced the Buffs with 16. ...London Moore darted inside for a putback inside the final two seconds of regulation to lift the Cherokee Trail boys basketball team to a 52-51 Centennial League home win over Mullen. Moore finished with 12 points and joined Jordan Mitchell (14) and Caleb Jensen (11) in double figures for the Cougars. ...The Vanguard Classical East boys basketball team downed Nederland 61-38 behind 23 points from James Coleman, plus 17 from DeKimbae High and 10 from Landen Campbell. ...The Grandview boys basketball team dropped a 54-50 Centennial League regular season finale at Cherry Creek in a game that decided the top seed for the Centennial League Challenge. ...Despite 33 points from Eric Fiedler, the Regis Jesuit boys basketball team dropped a 71-60 Continental League home game to Mountain Vista. ...The Cherokee Trail girls basketball team secured the No. 2 seed in the Centennial League Challenge with a 60-47 home victory over Mullen that featured 18 points from Chloe Cain, 16 from Aaliyah Broadus and 14 from Hannah Hazim. ...The Overland girls basketball team got a 30-point effort from Michaela Halton on its way to a 57-38 Centennial League home win over Smoky Hill Sasha Davis added 14 for the Trailblazers, while the Buffaloes had

double-digit scorers in Ari Boyd (17) and Leilani Gordon (11). ...The Grandview girls basketball team finished the Centennial League regular season with a 70-48 road win at Cherry Creek. Ava Chang had 25 points and dished out six assists, Sorrelle Kamgang had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Brooke Sullivan tallied 17 for the Wolves. ...Tiana Rogers’ 18 points, plus 13 from Izzy Davies, 11 from Molly Schimmer and 10 from Khloe Miller (who had five blocked shots) helped the Regis Jesuit girls basketball team to a 66-39 Continental League road win at Mountain Vista. ...The Aurora West College Prep Academy girls basketball team downed Two Roads Charter School 33-21. ...The Cherry Creek co-op ice hockey team got goals from Ari Gelfand in the first and third periods of a 2-0 road win over Cheyenne Mountain. Mason Banks needed to make just five saves for the shutout. ...TUESDAY, FEB. 10: The Aurora Central boys basketball team got double-digit scoring efforts from Alex Flores (18 points) and Sohaieb Sufi-Mohamed (16) on its way to a 65-47 Colorado League road win over Thornton. ...The Gateway boys basketball team earned a Colorado League regular season split with Skyview with a 43-40 home win in which Conrad Littlejohn scored 12 points, Colt Wenzel added 11 (plus 15 rebounds) and Nickalus Smith had 10. ... The Aurora Central girls basketball team had 25 steals and rolled past Thornton 60-20 with the primary scoring coming from Jamaea Johnson-Gonzalez (17 points) and Bella Lumba (16).

well, while senior Sydney Babi (120), juniors Alyssa Apolinar (190) and Brenna Brummet (235), sophomore Paula Esmeral Ulles (135) and freshman Sailor Matejovsky (105) round out the Raptors’ state contingent.

Also in 5A boys, Cherokee Trail has also held a lofty place in the 5A team rankings for the majority of the season and comes into the state tournament off a second-place finish on its home mats in Region 4. Among the Cougars’ cadre of seven state qualifiers is four regional champions in sophomore Elijah Van Horn (106), junior Cooper Mathews (132), senior Renzo Lubuguin (150) and senior Ryan Everhart. All save Lubuguin finished last season on the medal podium at the state tournament as Mathews had a runner-up finish, Everhart a fifth and Van Horn a sixth.

Mathews has put together a 46-4 season — which includes standout performances in several out of state tournaments — and is the top seed in his bracket as seeks to make a third straight state final. He was the state champion at 106 pounds as a freshman and lost an all-Aurora area final to Vista PEAK Prep’s Ian Bacon in the 120-pound title match last season.

Eaglecrest also has seven qualifiers highlighted by a regional champion in sophomore Cade Picone — who won the Region 4 138-pound bracket — while also coming out of Region 4 as a champion is Bacon, who earned the chance to defend the title he won in the 120-pound bracket last season.

Smoky Hill had the last regional champion from the Aurora area in junior Jovani Galvan — the 138-pound Region 2 winner — and has a total of two qualifiers, as does Regis Jesuit, while Overland and Rangeview joined Vista PEAK Prep with one state qualifier apiece.

The 5A girls state tournament will include at least one wrestlers from all six Aurora area programs, including Aurora Central, who got two through in its first season with a team. Senior Dryllyne Joseph and junior Tremoni Scaggs (who got in via a wrestleback in Region 4) will represent the Trojans. Two state champions from last season — Regis Jesuit junior Remington Zimmerer and Vista PEAK Prep senior Amelia Bacon — won Region 2 titles at 120 and 125 pounds, respectively, and both return to Ball Arena with a chance to repeat. Bacon is one of nine qualifiers for the 5A girl state tournament who go in undefeated, as she takes in a 430 mark. Zimmerer (whose freshman sister Alexandra is the Raiders’ other state qualifier) is close behind at 43-2.

Vista PEAK Prep had four qualifiers, but senior Idaly Garcia had to drop out due to injury, so the Bison will take two returning state placers in Bacon and junior Khloe Yizar (235) along with senior Hailey Brown (100). Garcia’s spot went to Overland’s Vera Welte, who joins Dureti Abdulkadir (145) and Jackelyne Torreblanca Oseguera (170) for a trio, while Smoky HIll also has an individual in Maria Pascual Francisco.

Ambassador64 –

Notes from El Paso County

Rocky Mountain Public Media, the home of Rocky Mountain PBS, KUVO Jazz, and TheDrop303 has developed a partnership with Colorado Ethnic Media Exchange to launch this monthly essay series, as part of our vision to co-create a Colorado where everyone feels seen and heard. These stories are sourced from community members across the state—told in their own words and selected from our 64-county community ambassador program. They are not editorial products of our journalism team, but are first-person reflections on life in Colorado - building bridges through empathy. To learn more about all of our brands and content, check us out at https://www.rmpbs.org/about.

I am James Proby, the founder and proprietor of The Men’s Xchange in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Before that, I was the son of Rev. Milton Proby and Mildred Proby. Both were civil rights activists. My father was known as the state’s leading authority on civil rights, and my mother was, by my account, the first African American school teacher in School District 11.

Civil rights and equality were commonplace discussions in our home, and they are the reason both sides of my family ended up in Colorado Springs, leaving the segregation and oppression of the Jim Crow South. Colorado Springs presented itself as a place without the same blatant levels of segregation and racism found throughout much of the Southern United States. However, we were not completely free from it here either.

It is important to note that as a 56-year-old man, my sister, my cousins, and I are the first generation of Americans to live in a federally enforced desegregated society. This matters because we often think the Civil Rights Movement was eons ago, when in fact I am the first generation of Americans to live under equal opportunity protections by the federal government. I am also the first generation to go from kindergarten through high school in desegregated schools.

While federally regulated segregation had ended after more than 400 years, the social aspects of segregation existed then and persist today. All the schools I attended were touted as integrated, and they were. Yet in virtually every class I was in, from kindergarten through the completion of my undergraduate degree, I was usually the only African American face in the room. In my elementary school, I was one of only three African Americans in the entire building.

How often are you the only person of your color, race, or ethnicity in the room?

My father led the largest Black Baptist church in the state of Colorado, and most of the time there were no Caucasian congregants. If you attended First Presbyterian, St. Mary’s, or First Baptist Church, there were also no African Americans inside those walls either. Dr. King said that the most segregated hour in America is 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. So while segregation was rendered illegal by the federal government in 1963 and 1965, the reality is that the practice of segregation continued for decades to come.

Growing up in this environment allowed me to spend a great deal of time in school and social settings with my white brothers and sisters, seeing their souls and not their skin. While we formed meaningful friendships at school, most of my friends were not permitted to have me over to their homes after school. I could sit with them at the same lunch tables and study from the same workbooks, yet I could not enter their homes. Socially, you could develop a crush on someone in your class, and even if those feelings were reciprocated, there was a generation above you that would not allow that relationship to flourish. The vestiges of centuries of separation persisted even in a place without the storied history of the Jim Crow South.

So how do we address this? We do it at a personal level, a professional level, a spiritual level, and a social level. Take stock of your own relationships and be brutally honest with yourself. Do not point to the one Black friend you have. Instead, ask why you do not have more, and question the depth of the relationships you do have.

Look at your professional spaces and ask why there are not more people of color in your office and in your industry. If you choose to worship, notice the level of diversity in the spiritual spaces you believe are inclusive. Equity and inclusion are not buzzwords. They mean equality and safe spaces for everyone.

What are you doing today to be part of the solution that ensures equality and safety? What are you doing today to help create a nation that has never fully existed, one truly rooted in the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that also ensures liberty and justice for all?.

We Want to Hear from You

We’re inviting community members across the state to share their own stories of living in Colorado — of identity, discovery, and what it means to belong.

Tell us about a moment or a place in Colorado that changed how you see yourself or your community. Share your reflections at ambassador64@rmpbs.org

This is part of Ambassador64, our statewide listening initiative to ensure public media reflects the voices of all 64 counties in Colorado—starting with yours.

Because the people must know

COMBINED NOTICE

PUBLICATION CRS §38 38 103 FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0678 2025

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice

is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:

On November 18, 2025, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

CONDOMINIUM UNIT NO. 184, CLUB VALENCIA CONDOMINIUMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DECLARATION

RECORDED ON DECEMBER 12, 1979 IN BOOK 3135 AT PAGE 443. AND CONDOMINIUM MAP RECORDED ON DECEM-

BER 12, 1979 UNDER RECEPTION NO.

1922030, OF THE ARAPAHOE COUNTY RECORDS, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO.

Purported common address: 1306 S Parker Road Unit 184, Denver, CO 80231. THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

If applicable, a description of any changes to the deed of trust described in the notice of election and demand pursuant to affidavit as allowed by statutes: Which has the adress of: 1306 S Parker Road Unit 18 more correctly known as Unit 184, Denver, CO 80231

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/18/2026, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication 1/22/2026

Last Publication 2/19/2026

Name of Publication Sentinel Colorado IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 11/18/2025

Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Alexis R. Abercrombie #56722

Scott D. Toebben #19011

Aricyn J. Dall #51467 David W Drake #43315 Randall S. Miller & Associates PC 216 16th Street, Suite 1210, Denver, CO 80202 (720) 259 6710

Attorney File # 25CO00491 1 The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt.

COMBINED NOTICE PUBLICATION CRS §38 38 103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0713 2025

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust: On December 5, 2025, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records. Original Grantor(s) Gwendolyn Finley Original Beneficiary(ies) Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as beneficiary, as nominee for Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Inc., its successors and assigns Current Holder of Evidence of Debt Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Deed of Trust June 01, 2023 County of Recording Arapahoe Recording Date of Deed of Trust June 05, 2023 Recording Information (Reception No. and/ or Book/Page No.) E3037469

Original Principal Amount

$241,559.00

Outstanding Principal Balance $235,442.14

Pursuant to CRS §38 38 101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

Attached as Exhibit “A” Exhibit “A” LEGAL DESCRIPTION UNIT 205, CONDOMINIUM BUILDING 4, LIV CITY CENTER CONDOMINIUMS, ACCORDING TO THE CONDOMINIUM MAP OF LIV CITY CENTER CONDOMINIUMS BUILDING 4 RECORDED ON APRIL 15, 2020 UNDER RECEPTION NO. E0045462, IN THE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF THE COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO, AND AS DEFINED AND DESCRIBED IN THE DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS OF LIV CITY CENTER CONDOMINIUMS, RECORDED ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2019, AT RECEPTION NO. D9094712, AND ANNEXATION RECORDED JUNE 19, 2020 UNDER RECEPTION NO. E0073372 IN SAID RECORDS, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO. Purported common address: 14341 E Tennessee Ave Unit 205, Aurora, CO 80012. THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 04/08/2026, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication 2/12/2026 Last Publication 3/12/2026 Name of Publication Sentinel Colorado IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED; DATE: 12/05/2025

Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By:/s/ Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Amanda Ferguson #44893

Heather Deere #28597

Toni M. Owan #30580 Halliday, Watkins & Mann, PC 355 Union Blvd., Ste. 250, Lakewood, CO 80228 (303) 274 0155

Attorney File # CO24360

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees’ Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015

COMBINED NOTICE

PUBLICATION CRS §38 38 103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0671 2025

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust: On November 14, 2025, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

Original Grantor(s)

Fdbl Tp LLC, a Colorado Limited Liability

Company

Original Beneficiary(ies)

Capital Fund I, LLC ISAOA, an Arizona

Limited Liability Company

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt

Capital Fund REIT, LLC

Date of Deed of Trust

October 31, 2023

County of Recording Arapahoe

Recording Date of Deed of Trust

November 06, 2023

Recording Information (Reception No. and/ or Book/Page No.)

E3075794 Book: N/A Page:

Original Principal Amount

$270,000.00

Outstanding Principal Balance

$270,000.00

Pursuant to CRS §38 38 101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

Lot 16 Except the North 5 feet thereof.

Block 1 Park Village Subdivision Filing No. 2, County of Arapahoe, State of,,Colorado.,, Purported common address: 480 S Kingston Cir, Aurora, CO 80012. THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/18/2026, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication 1/22/2026

Last Publication 2/19/2026

Name of Publication Sentinel Colo-

rado

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED; DATE: 11/14/2025

Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: /s/ Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Alexis R. Abercrombie #56722

Scott D. Toebben #19011

Aricyn J. Dall #51467

David W Drake #43315

Randall S. Miller & Associates PC 216 16th Street, Suite 1210, Denver, CO 80202 (720) 259 6710

Attorney File # 25CO00346 1

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees’ Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015

COMBINED NOTICE PUBLICATION CRS §38 38 103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0673 2025

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following de-

scribed Deed of Trust:

On November 14, 2025, the undersigned

Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

Original Grantor(s) Sharon Hanany

Original Beneficiary(ies)

Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as Beneficiary, as nominee for Able Financial, Inc., its successors and assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt

Freedom Mortgage Corporation

Date of Deed of Trust

November 17, 2022

County of Recording Arapahoe

Recording Date of Deed of Trust

November 21, 2022

Recording Information (Reception No. and/ or Book/Page No.)

E2113249

Original Principal Amount

$216,000.00

Outstanding Principal Balance

$210,494.01

Pursuant to CRS §38 38 101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as fol-

lows: Failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

Attached as Exhibit “A” Exhibit “A”

LEGAL DESCRIPTION

Condominium Unit 132, Condominium Building 1, Sable Landing, Arapahoe County, Colorado according to the Condominium Map for Sable Landing Subdivision Filing No. 1 recorded October 18, 1979 in Book 41 at Page 81 in the record of the office of the Declaration for Sable Landing recorded October 18, 1979 in Book 3100 at Page 471 of said record and amendment recorded April 16, 1980 in Book 3203 at Page 106, County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado.

Purported common address: 14701 E Tennessee Drive Unit 132, Aurora, CO 80012. THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST. NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/18/2026, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication 1/22/2026

Last Publication 2/19/2026

Name of Publication Sentinel Colorado

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED; DATE: 11/14/2025

Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: /s/ Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

Amanda Ferguson #44893

Heather Deere #28597

Toni M. Owan #30580

Halliday, Watkins & Mann, PC 355 Union Blvd., Ste. 250, Lakewood, CO 80228 (303) 274 0155

Attorney File # CO25773

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees’ Association of Colorado

Revised 1/2015

COMBINED NOTICE

PUBLICATION CRS §38 38 103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0675 2025

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:

On November 14, 2025, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records.

Original Grantor(s)

Todd S. Schmitz

Original Beneficiary(ies)

Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as beneficiary, as nominee for Pacific Republic Mortgage Corporation, its successors and assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt

NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage

Servicing

Date of Deed of Trust

October 15, 2003

County of Recording

Arapahoe

Recording Date of Deed of Trust

October 28, 2003

Recording Information (Reception No. and/ or Book/Page No.)

B3234538

Original Principal Amount

$118,400.00

Outstanding Principal Balance

$41,074.84

Pursuant to CRS §38 38 101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

LOT 56, BLOCK 1, HAMPDEN HILLS AT AURORA SUBDIVISION FILING NO. 9, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO.

Purported common address: 3770 South Genoa Circle #C, Aurora, CO 80013. THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST. NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/18/2026, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration

Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication 1/22/2026

Last Publication 2/19/2026

Name of Publication Sentinel Colorado

IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED; DATE: 11/14/2025

Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado By: /s/ Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Amanda Ferguson #44893

Heather Deere #28597

Toni M. Owan #30580

Halliday, Watkins & Mann, PC 355 Union Blvd., Ste. 250, Lakewood, CO 80228 (303) 274 0155

Attorney File # CO25778

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees’ Association of Colorado

Revised 1/2015

COMBINED NOTICE

PUBLICATION CRS §38 38 103

FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 0676 2025

To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Deed of Trust:

On November 18, 2025, the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in the County of Arapahoe records. Original Grantor(s)

Mark R. Satchell II Original Beneficiary(ies)

Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as Beneficiary, as nominee for Broker Solutions, Inc., dba New American Funding, its successors and assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt

New American Funding LLC f/k/a Broker Solutions, Inc., d/b/a New American Funding Date of Deed of Trust December 30, 2022

County of Recording

Arapahoe

Recording Date of Deed of Trust

January 09, 2023

Recording Information (Reception No. and/ or Book/Page No.)

E3001915

Original Principal Amount

$477,411.00

Outstanding Principal Balance

$463,750.08

Pursuant to CRS §38 38 101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

Lot 4, Block 5, Horizon Uptown Filing No.

1, County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado. Purported common address: 21862 East 8th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80018. THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/18/2026, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. First Publication 1/22/2026 Last Publication 2/19/2026 Name of Publication Sentinel Colorado IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE

A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED; DATE: 11/18/2025 Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado By: /s/ Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Amanda Ferguson #44893 Heather Deere #28597 Toni M. Owan #30580 Halliday, Watkins & Mann, PC

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose. ©Public Trustees’

and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 03/18/2026, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication 1/22/2026 Last Publication 2/19/2026 Name of Publication Sentinel Colorado IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED; DATE: 11/18/2025 Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado By: /s/ Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Erin Croke

ARAPAHOE AND STATE OF COLORADO.

BEING THE SAME PROPERTY AS CONVEYED FROM KEITH GRAHAM TO VIRGINIA NELL GRAHAM AS SET FORTH IN DEED INSTRUMENT #B5047084 DATED

03/18/2005, RECORDED 04/01/2005, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO. Purported common address: 18395 E Mexico Pl, Aurora, CO 80017. THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE DEED OF TRUST.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given

that I will at public auction, at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 04/15/2026, at The East Hearing Room, County Administration Building, 5334 South Prince Street, Littleton, Colorado, 80120, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication 2/19/2026

Last Publication 3/19/2026

Name of Publication Sentinel Colorado IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE

A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;

DATE: 12/16/2025

Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee in and for the County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado

By: /s/ Michael Westerberg, Public Trustee

The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Erin Croke #46557

Steven Bellanti #48306

Holly Shilliday #24423

Ilene Dell’Acqua #31755

McCarthy & Holthus LLP 7700 E Arapahoe Road, Suite 230, Centennial, CO 80112

(877) 369 6122

Attorney File # CO 25 1026713 JH

The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt. Any information provided may be used for that purpose.

©Public Trustees’ Association of Colorado Revised 1/2015

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO DATE:

February 12 and 19, 2026

PURCHASE ORDER NO. 24P0904K

PROJECT NO: 6026A

PROJECT TITLE: Cherry Creek Wells

PFAS Treatment-WP NO. 1

CONTRACTOR: Garney Companies, Inc.

7911 Shaffer Parkway Littleton, CO 80127

Notice is hereby given that the City of Aurora intends to start processing the Final Payment to the above-named Contractor on March 2, 2026, provided no claims are received.

Any person or firm having debts against the Contractor must file a proper written notice with the Contract Coordinator, City of Aurora, Purchasing and Contract Services Division, 15151 East Alameda Parkway Suite 5700, Aurora, Colorado 80012, on or before the above date.

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO BY: Nathan Jones, Procurement Supervisor

First Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO DATE: February 12 and 19, 2026

PURCHASE ORDER NO. 24P013K

PROJECT NO: 5981A

PROJECT TITLE: Eagle Park Improvements

CONTRACTOR:

AD Miller Services, Inc.

7006 S. Alton Way Bldg. E-100 Aurora, CO 80012

Notice is hereby given that the City of Aurora intends to start processing the Final Payment to the above-named Contractor on March 2, 2026, provided no claims are received.

Any person or firm having debts against the Contractor must file a proper written notice with the Contract Coordinator, City of Aurora, Purchasing and Contract Services Division, 15151 East Alameda Parkway Suite 5700, Aurora, Colorado 80012, on or before the above date.

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO BY: Angie Young, Senior Procurement Agent

First Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO DATE: February 19 and 26, 2026 PURCHASE ORDER NO. 23P0654K PROJECT NO: 5829A

Notice is hereby given that the City of Aurora intends to start processing the Final Payment to the above-named Contractor on March 9, 2026, provided no claims are received.

Any person or firm having debts against the Contractor must file a proper written notice with the Contract Coordinator, City of Aurora, Purchasing and Contract Services Division, 15151 East Alameda Parkway Suite 5700, Aurora, Colorado 80012, on or before the above date.

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO BY: Nathan Jones, Procurement Supervisor

First Publication: February 19, 2026

Final Publication: February 26, 2026 Sentinel NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO DATE: February 19 and 26, 2026

PURCHASE ORDER NO. PO1112

PROJECT NO: 6064A

PROJECT TITLE: Aurora Reservoir Structural Repairs

CONTRACTOR: Whitestone Construction Services, Inc. 5375 Western Ave., Ste. B Boulder, CO 80301

Notice is hereby given that the City of Aurora intends to start processing the Final Payment to the above-named Contractor on March 9, 2026, provided no claims are received.

Any person or firm having debts against the Contractor must file a proper written notice with the Contract Coordinator, City of Aurora, Purchasing and Contract Services Division, 15151 East Alameda Parkway Suite 5700, Aurora, Colorado 80012, on or before the above date.

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO BY: Cyndi Winner, Senior Procurement Agent

First Publication: February 19, 2026

Final Publication: February 26, 2026 Sentinel NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

As required by the Colorado Liquor Code, as amended, notice is hereby given that an application for a Retail Fermented Malt Beverage and Wine Retailer Liquor License has been received by the Local Licensing Authority for the granting of a license to sell at retail, malt, and vinous liquor for consumption off premises only. Murphy Oil USA Inc dba Murphy USA 7961 for a location at 15147 E Mississippi Ave., Aurora, CO 80012 filed the application on January 15, 2026. The Corporation members do not reside in Colorado.

Written protests with reasons must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on March 24, 2026, to Miranda Garcia, Licensing Officer 2, at 15151 East Alameda Parkway, 5th Floor, Aurora, CO 80012.

Provided either the applicant or protestant(s) desire to use petitions to prove the needs of the neighborhood, and the desires of the inhabitants, the petitions may not be circulated before February 19, 2026, and must be returned by 12:00 noon March 13, 2026, for review and verification by the City of Aurora Liquor Licensing staff. Information as to the application, procedures, or remonstrances, may be handled with the Liquor Licensing staff up to and including March 24, 2026.

Miranda Garcia Licensing Officer 2 303-739-7214 mgarcia@auroragov.org

Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Local Licensing Authority for the City of Aurora has adopted updated rules and regulations as authorized by A.C.C. 26443 relating to nonscheduled psychoactive ingredients and drug paraphernalia implements that may be sold at smoke shops and convenience stores. A copy of these rules and regulations are available on the City’s website at www.auroragov.org/ tobacco and on file with the Offices of the City Clerk and City Attorney.

Lisa Keith Licensing Officer 303-739-7568

Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

ADAMS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, COLORADO SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION Case No. 2025CV31570

Plaintiff: ELVA ELAINE CAMARENA, an individual; v. Defendant(s): NANCY CAMARENA, an individual; JOEL A. IBUADO, an individual; EVA L. IBUADO, an individual; ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC fka QUICKEN LOANS, INC., a Michigan Limited Liability Company PUBLIC TRUSTEE OF ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO

TO: NANCY CAMARENA 1217 W. 132ND PLACE WESTMINSTER, COLORADO 80234

You are hereby directed to enter your appearance in the above-entitled case within twenty-one (21) days from the last issue of publication hereof in The Sentinel, a general circulation in Adams County, Colorado, once a week for five (5) consecutive weeks. You must answer or otherwise re-

spond to the Complaint, filed by the Plaintiff Elva Elaine Camarena, wherein the Plaintiff seeks Partition by Sale of the real property informally known as 1217 W. 132nd Place, Westminster, Colorado 80234. Your answer and/or response must be accompanied with the applicable filing fee(s).

Should you fail to file your answer or other response to the Complaint in writing within the applicable time, the Court may enter judgment by default against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint without further notice.

/s/ Christopher H. Wisher, Esq. Christopher H. Wisher - Attorney 355 S. Teller St., Ste. 300 Lakewood, CO 80226

First Publication: January 29, 2026

Final Publication: February 26, 2026

Sentinel

DISTRICT COURT, ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION TO RESPONDENT Case No. 2025JA30047

In the Matter of the Petition of: ERIK JAMES GIESE (name of person seeking to adopt)

For the Adoption of a Child TO: RYAN LEE HAUSLADEN, RESPONDENT

You are notified, pursuant C.R.C.P. 4(g) that an action, has been filed involving you: In re the Mattern of the Petition of Erik James Giese, et al. and Respondent Ryan Lee Hausladen.

Petitioner and Co-Petitioner Biological Mother have filed a Petition to Terminate the Parent-Child Legal Relationship Pursuant to §§ 19-5-101 and 203, et seq., C.R.S. and a Petition for Stepparent Adoption, District Court, Adams, County, Colorado, Case No. 2025JA30047.

You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of Petitions referenced above, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication.

You are further notified that a copy of the Petitions and Summons may be obtained from the Clerk of the court during regular business hours and that a Default Judgment may be entered against you if you fail to appear or file a response within 35 days after the date of publication.

Dated this 9th day of February, 2026.

Attorney for Co-Petitioner Biological Mother Lydia Redden: René Capron, Reg. No. 40207 Capron Law, LLC 15200 E. Girard Avenue, Suite 4400 Aurora, CO 80014

Phone: (303) 481-4270

E-mail: rene@capronlawllc.com

First Publication: February 19, 2026

Final Publication: March 19, 2026

Sentinel DISTRICT COURT, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO NOTICE OF HEARING Case No. 2025JA102

In the Matter of the Petition of: Kyle E. Chatman For the Adoption of a Child: Jordan Elizabeth Martinez

If applicable, an Affidavit of Abandonment has been filed alleging that you have abandoned the child for a period of one year or more and/or have failed without cause to provide reasonable support for the child for one year or more.

You are further notified that an Adoption hearing is set on March 26, 2026 at 2:00 pm (time) in the court location identified above.

First Publication: January 22, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026

Sentinel

DISTRICT COURT, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION Case No. 2025CV32792

Plaintiff: CENTENNIAL LUTHERAN CHURCH v. Defendants: A. L. JOHNSON, L. E. CLARIDA, AND E. J. DEMPSEY

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT(S): A. L. JOHNSON, L. E. CLARIDA, AND E. J. DEMPSEY, and All Unknown Persons Who Claim Any Interest in The Subject Matter of This Action.

You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the Complaint filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after the service of this Summons upon you. Service of this Summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the Complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court.

If you fail to file your answer or other response to the Complaint in writing within 35 days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the court for the relief demanded in the complaint without further notice.

This is an action to quiet the title of the

Plaintiff in and to the real property situated in Arapahoe County Colorado, more particularly described as:

LOTS ONE (1) THROUGH FIVE (5), INCLUSIVE, EXCEPT THE NORTHERLY 120 FT. OF EACH SAID LOT, BLOCK FORTY-SIX (46), CENTENNIAL ACRES SEVENTH FILING, COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE, STATE OF COLORADO

Dated: January 13th, 2026.

Attorneys for Plaintiff: John D. Coaty, Atty. # 24513

Dylan Woods, Atty. #46731

Tony Basile, Atty. #43782

Jayna Patel, Atty. #60229

Coaty and Woods, P.C. 1202 Bergen Parkway, Suite 110 Evergreen, CO 80439

Phone: 303-674-0800

Fax: 303-674-8492 jcoaty@evergreenco.law; dwoods@evergreenco.law; tbasile@evergreenco.law; jpatel@evergreenco.law

First Publication: January 22, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026

Sentinel NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED AMENDED 2025 BUDGET AND HEARING GREEN VALLEY RANCH EAST

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 14

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed amended budget will be submitted to the GREEN VALLEY RANCH EAST

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 14 (the “District”) for the year of 2025. A copy of such proposed amended budget has been filed in the office of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 2001 16th Street, Suite 1700, Denver, Colorado, where same is open for public inspection. Such proposed amended budget will be considered at a hearing at the meeting of the District to be held at 10:00 A.M., on Friday, February 27, 2026.

The location and additional information regarding the meeting will be available on the meeting notice posted on the District’s website at https://gvremd.specialdistrict. org/ at least 24-hours in advance of the meeting.

Any interested elector within the District may inspect the proposed amended budget and file or register any objections at any time prior to the final adoption of the amended 2025 budget.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DISTRICT:

By: /s/ ICENOGLE | SEAVER | POGUE A Professional Corporation

Publication: February 19, 2026

Sentinel

NOTICE OF ABANDONMENT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the dwelling unit located at 1919 S. Hannibal Street, Unit A, Aurora, Colorado 80013 (the “Premises”) has been determined to be abandoned by the tenant, Atnafu Asefa. Pursuant to C.R.S. § 38-20-116, any personal property remaining at the Premises must be reclaimed by contacting the landlord, Daniel Woldu, at (408) 859-9358, by February 20, 2026.

If the personal property is not reclaimed within that time period, it may be disposed of in accordance with Colorado law, and any reasonable costs associated with the removal, storage, or disposal of such property may be assessed.

Publication: February 19, 2026

Sentinel

NOTICE OF FINAL PAYMENT

On or after February 26, 2026, THE CHERRY CREEK SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 5 of ARAPAHOE COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO, will make final payment to AP Mountain States, LLC (dba Adolfson and Peterson Construction) as the general contractor for the relocation project at Smoky Hill STRIDE Clinic, 16100 E. Smoky Hill Road, Aurora, CO 80015. All claims relating to this contract must be filed with David Henderson, Deputy Chief of Operations, Cherry Creek School District No. 5, 9301 E Union Avenue, Greenwood Village, Colorado, 80111 before February 26, 2026.

Board of Education

Cherry Creek School District No. 5 County of Arapahoe State of Colorado

first Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026

Sentinel

NOTICE OF FINAL PAYMENT

On or after January 29, 2026, THE CHERRY CREEK SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 5 of ARAPAHOE COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO, will make final payment to Facilities Contracting Company, LLC as the general contractor for the renovation project at Falcon Creek Middle School, 6100 S. Genoa Street, Aurora, CO 80016. All claims relating to this contract must be filed with David Henderson, Deputy Chief of Operations, Cherry Creek School District No. 5, 9301 E Union Avenue, Greenwood Village, Colorado, 80111 before February 20, 2026.

Board of Education

Cherry Creek School District No. 5 County of Arapahoe State of Colorado

First Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026

Sentinel

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Notice is hereby given that PODS Enterprises, LLC, located at 21110 E 31st Circle, Aurora, CO 80011, will sell the contents of certain containers at auction to the highest bidder to satisfy owner’’s lien. Auction will be held online at www.StorageTreasures. com starting on March 5, 2026 and ending on March 12, 2026. Contents to be sold may include general household goods, electronics, office & business equipment, furniture, clothing and other miscellaneous personal property.

First Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026

Sentinel

STATE OF CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT JUVENILE MATTERS ORDER OF NOTICE

NOTICE TO: Robert Humphrey

D.O.B. 09/15/1990 of parts unknown who fathered a minor child born on 03/21/2013 in Torrington, CT To Jessica H.

A petition has been filled seeking: Termination of Parental Rights

The petition, whereby the court’s decision can affect your parental rights, if any, regarding minor child(ren) will be heard on: 3/4/2026 at 12:00 P.M. at SCJM, 50 Field St., 3rd fl., Torrington, CT 06790.

Therefore, ORDERED, that notice of the hearing of this petition be given by publishing this Order of Notice once, immediately upon receipt, in the Sentinel Colorado, a newspaper having a circulation in the town/ city of Aurora, CO.

Hon. Erik Lohr, Judge

Signed: Catherine Sullivan, Admin Asst. Signed: 2/3/2026

RIGHT TO COUNSEL: Upon proof of inability to pay for the lawyer, the court will make sure that an attorney is provided to you by the Chief Public Defender. Requests for an attorney should be made immediately in person, by mail, or by fax at the court office where your hearing is to be held.

Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

VEHICLE FOR SALE

2018 NISSAN ROGUE VIN 155679

Extreme Towing 303-344-1400

Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR17

Estate of Mody Diop, Deceased.

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before June 19, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

Salimatou Diop

Personal Representative 49160 Antelope Dr. W Bennett, CO 80102

First Publication: February 19, 2026

Final Publication: March 5, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR30888

Estate of Alice Lorraine Wilson, Deceased.

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before June 12, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

Attorney for Personal Representative Catherine Anne Seal Atty Reg #: 26908

The Gasper Law Group LLC 101 N. Cascade Ave., Ste. 100A Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone: 719-227-7779

First Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 26, 2026

Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR31100

Estate of Richard Cenedella, Deceased.

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before May 31, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

Attorney for Personal Representative Chris McGowne PO BOX 1659 Hays, KS 67601 720-878-7688

First Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 26, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR31193

Estate of Dianna G. Lonergan, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before May 26, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

Jeremiah James 2515 Warren Ave., Ste. 500 Cheyenne, WY 82001

First Publication: February 5, 2026 Final Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR462

Estate of Nettie Mae Alexander, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before June 8, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Cheyenne Williams Personal Representative 27892 E. 7th Ave. Aurora, CO 80018

First Publication:

Estate of Aiham Alyasiri, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before May 30, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Assir Basim Alyasiri Personal Representative 2784 S. Jebel Way Aurora, CO . 80013 First Publication: February 5, 2026 Final Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2026PR30059 Estate of Janet Sue Young aka Janet S. Young, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Arapahoe County District Court

Transparency, oversight can set course for Navigation center

It’s clear that Aurora’s long-awaited homeless Navigation Campus is not only off course in following its own lofty map, but it’s unable to consistently and safely provide shelter and aid to some of the region’s most vulnerable and troubled residents.

Since opening in November, the $38 million project has been plagued with problems affecting the former 255-room Crowne Plaza Hotel at I-70 and Chambers Road. The hotel was refashioned to provide shelter, medical, legal, employment and rehabilitation services to hundreds of homeless people.

There is no question that the need is great in Aurora and the surrounding area.

Local homelessness officials and advocates reported that during the 2025 “point in time” homeless census, 10,774 people across the metro area were homeless during the annual count last January. About 80% of those people are utilizing some kind of public shelter, and as many as about 35% facing chronic homelessness across the seven-county metro area, according to reporting by Metro Denver Homeless Initiative.

And there’s no question that the potential challenges in the undertaking of the Aurora shelter project are immense.

But problems reported by residents and others go beyond an expected bumpy start and point toward a project overwhelmed by the volume of residents and their needs, and unprepared for either.

The capacity of the entire Aurora project is about 600 people, spread among three levels of service: cots in a common shelter room, semi-private “pods” in a separate shelter room, and private rooms, previously hotel rooms.

The philosophy of the center is based on a “work first” and “hybrid” approach to treating homelessness. There are few restrictions for an overnight cot in the main shelter room that comes with food. Participants in the shelter must, however, work, or seek work, and be sober to qualify for pods or private rooms.

Recent reporting by the Sentinel and other local media, as well as comments made to city lawmakers at city council meetings, have illustrated a bevy of problems at the center. In December and January, residents complained that entire sewer systems for the main, cot-provided shelter had malfunctioned, forcing shelter officials to shut down toilets and provide portable toilets outside the shelter.

Among other complaints linked to the center, according to previous Sentinel reports, residents have reported: Widespread illness and respiratory issues; Allegations of black mold on upper floors and concerns about overall building conditions; No respite beds, quarantine area or on-site medical recovery space, despite frequent reports of sickness; Regularly changing shelter rules and offering unclear policies, leaving residents confused and fearful of being expelled; Drug use and dealing inside and around the building, with complaints that security screenings are ineffective; Delays advance residents up the tier-system for benefits, even when beds are available in higher tiers; Insufficient staff, especially case managers, slowing progress and leaving Tier 1 overcrowded; Staff described as under-trained, particularly in handling mental health crises and physical disabilities; Promised amenities not available to shelter residents, including dog kennels, laundry access, computer room access and recreation space.

It’s unclear who or what is actually responsible for some or all of the issues plaguing the center, and that’s part of the problem.

The center is operated by a newly created private contractor, Advance Pathways, a 501(C) (3) organization, linked to Step Denver, a 12-step sobriety program.

But the city is clearly responsible for some aspects of the center, including public safety and maintaining the building and grounds.

Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain recently told city officials his department has placed two police-officer units at the center full-time after the center received 141 calls for police service in a month. That’s in addition to numerous issues on-site security staff are required to handle each day.

Part of the problem stems from the foundation of the program mandated by the previous city council. The “hybrid” premise of the $38 million project focuses on a philosophy grounded in idealism, not science and reality. The causes of homelessness and the forces that perpetuate it for a growing number of Americans are complex and prolific. Economics, mental and physical illness and addiction are among just some of the causes and contributors to the nation’s crisis of homelessness. Proponents of the Aurora Navigation Campus turned away from current science, making clear that “housing first” programs are most successful in resolving chronic homelessness, rather than “work first” programs.

The science is clear that, especially for people with addiction problems, those issues are best treated and resolved by providing a safe and stable home first, rather than using safety and security as an enticement to quit drinking or using drugs and get a job.

Time, accountability and transparency will reveal how successful the city’s expensive and unproven experiment will be.

On the journey to that point, however, the city must immediately provide the accountability and transparency shelter residents, as well as taxpayers in Aurora, and across the region, deserve. The city council should immediately create an independent Navigation Center commission. This board, advisory or empowered, should be composed of city residents, business officials and area experts able to ensure critical details, costs and criteria are first made public as well as completed. The board should also include ex officio city officials, shelter residents and contractor officials.

Just as critical, the city council should require Advance Pathways and city employees to create a public transparency portal that would report a wide variety of details about those served at the shelter. The portal should report how many have been elevated to programs and the costs associated with the program.

What the city, the city council and the contractor cannot do, however, is wait. Hundreds of lives are at stake here, as well as millions of public dollars.

Aurora lawmakers and city officials should be lauded for undertaking such a large and potentially successful approach to addressing the region’s acute homelessness crisis. But the Navigation Center has clearly gone off track already, and only transparency and accountability, mandated by the city council, can fix that.

Bennet’s secret Senate replacement plan will sink his guv campaign

Isuggest we get used to saying the words, “Governor Weiser.”

The election for Colorado’s next governor does not take place in November. It’s in fewer than five months, on June 30. That’s the state’s primary election. Whoever wins the Democratic primary is the next governor (with all apologies to the seeming 328 Republicans running for the seat). So, out of a state of 6 million people, we must choose between an affable socialist and a tired Washington, DC liberal. Aren’t we the lucky ones.

Yes, yes, Michael Bennet has all the name recognition and an independent expenditure cash tsunami (it’s good to be the senator). That’s not enough.

There are a bunch of small factors tilting toward Attorney General Phil Weiser, but one big hairy monster that will sink Bennet’s ship if he doesn’t change course: he refuses to say who he’ll appoint to replace him in the U.S. Senate.

This is a do-not-pass-go, do-not-collect-$200 kind of obstruction. And the obstacle is only going to grow like Joe Biden’s prostate the closer we get to the primary.

Bennet has pledged not to resign his Senate seat until after he’s sworn in as governor — months after winning the primary, months after winning the general. In Colorado, the sitting governor appoints the replacement. So should he win, in this brave moment of “democracy is in danger,” He’s going to handpick his own successor, Castro-style. But who? He won’t tell us.

In fact, Bennet’s wife informed his campaign team he won’t talk about it while he’s campaigning. So don’t bring it up. And if someone asks, she ordered this response, “There will be some really great, young Democrat who is there to vote exactly the same way that Michael votes.”

If Bennet is going to replace himself with his clone, only younger, to vote EXACTLY the same way he does, you’d think he’d have just the tiniest idea who this doppelgänger might be. Or at least a short list. Or a dartboard.

As the primary gets closer, Michael is going to be thrashed at every town hall, debate, and media interview with this obvious question. It’s gonna stick to him like lint on a black sweater. As it should.

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY believes

he doesn’t know who his replacement will be. Voters will smell the oldest political cliché: the “another lying politician” truism. Give the man an Academy Award, he’s gonna look into the cameras and say, “I haven’t thought about it yet, so I can’t even give you a list of names I’d consider.” That doesn’t pass the pants-on-fire test. I’ll answer for him. It’s Jared Polis, Jason Crow, Joe Neguse, or maybe Brittany Petterson. See, not that hard.

And if he did announce his choice before the primary? That wouldn’t save him either. Every campaign stop would suddenly include a second race: not just “why should you be governor,” but “why should this person be senator?” No matter who he chose, it would anger some factions of his own coalition, and they’d meander over to Weiser.

We little people kind of like knowing who we’re voting for. But one guy who knows but won’t tell us gives off a distinctly Trumpy vibe — which is ironic, given the number of Democrats who can smell Trumpism from three counties away.

And let’s remember the backdrop to this sham — “democracy is under assault!” Colorado voters who see anti-democratic evil lurking everywhere are not going to vote for a guy who is pulling a Trump-styled power play.

Coloradans like voting. It’s one of the reasons an attack on our Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (the ultimate in democratic institutions) at the ballot box will face headwinds. We like knowing what we’re voting on. Mystery packages don’t pass.

These same headwinds, even if voters don’t articulate them out loud, will blow in the primary. It will blow voters toward Weiser

For voters who like Bennet as senator, the problem is even worse. Why throw away 17 years of hard-to-get seniority — real power in Washington — for a mystery senator? That’s not bold leadership. We’re being asked to marry a blind date.

Bennet will lose unless he resigns his Senate seat before the primary — or at least promises to resign immediately after the general election so Gov. Polis can choose his replacement.

JonCaldaraispresidentofIndependence

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No.2026PR28

Estate of Margaret Lucille Webb aka Margaret L. Webb aka Margaret Webb, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before June 26, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Jamie Christine Medina Personal Representative 4927 Rocky Mountain Dr. Castle Rock, CO 80109 First Publication: February 19, 2026 Final Publication: March 5, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2026PR30042

Estate of Barbara E. Weigle, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before June 8, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Karin E. Weigle-Sollender Personal Representative 5205 Linden Court Greenwood Village, CO 80121 Robert K. Weigle

Personal Representative 63 Ridge Ct. Woodside, CA 94062

First Publication: February 5, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2026PR30068 Estate of Vivian S. Lamb aka Vivian Lamb aka Vivian Sue Lamb, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before June 12, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Karen L. Fleeger

Personal Representative 304 Timber Ridge Road Marysville, PA 17053

Attorneys for Personal Representative Charles E. Rounds Atty Reg #: 37786 Kirch Rounds & Bowman, P.C.

Marketplace Tower II 3025 S. Parker Rd., Ste. 820 Aurora, CO 80014 Phone: 303-671-7726

First Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 26, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2026PR30091

Estate of James Scott Denig aka James S. Denig aka James Denig aka Jim Scott Denig aka Jim S. Denig aka Jim Denig, Deceased.

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before June 12, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Martin Alfonso Armenta Becerra

aka Martin Alfonso Armenta

Personal Representative 8761 Galen Court Denver, CO 80229

Attorneys for Personal Representative Charles E. Rounds

Atty Reg #: 37786

Kirch Rounds & Bowman, P.C.

Marketplace Tower II 3025 S. Parker Rd., Ste. 820 Aurora, CO 80014

Phone: 303-671-7726

First Publication: February 12, 2026

Final Publication: February 26, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2026PR030003

Estate of Ronald William Carey aka Ronald W. Carey, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are re- quired to present them to the Per- sonal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before June 5,2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

Jeff Conrad Gilbert

Personal Representative 395 Joliet St. Aurora, CO 80010

Attorney for Personal Representative John F. Cook

Atty Reg #: 75 John F. Cook, LLC 12101 E. 2nd Ave., #102 Aurora, CO 80011

Phone: 303-363-6200

First Publication: February 5, 2026

Final Publication: February 19, 2026

Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2026PR030004

Estate of Gerard Roger Bourque aka Gerard R. Bourque, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are re- quired to present them to the Per- sonal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before June 5, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Patricia Bourque

Personal Representative 14124 E. 32nd Pl. Aurora, CO. 80011

Attorney for Personal Representative John F. Cook Atty Reg #: 75 John F. Cook, LLC 12101 E. 2nd Ave., #102 Aurora, CO 80011 Phone: 303-363-6200 First Publication: February 5, 2026 Final Publication: February 19, 2026 Sentinel