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Sentinel Colorado 7.2.2026

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AURORA VOTERS MAKE PRIMARY CONCERNS

Besides one likely House district upset, few surprises amid fierce fighting and losts of outside campaign cash

Stop, you’re killing me — and thousands of other

Colorado victims of the Big Beautiful Bill

Colorado healthcare and political leaders agreed last week that President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” has become the bloated catastrophe experts warned it would be.

During a press call held by accessible healthcare proponents, Colorado Democratic members of Congress and top health officials across the state detailed the damage inflicted so far after Trump and Republicans in Congress pushed through HR 1.

Experts and lawmakers said that unless Congress and Trump back off inane cuts to Medicaid imposed by HR 1, the worst is yet to come, for everyone.

The biggest misconception surrounding HR 1 is that only poor people will suffer, as if that would be a good thing.

In reality, Trump and his allies, who regularly talk the talk about standing behind the working poor, always walk right over the top of them in their rush to help the nation’s well-heeled.

The idea, however, that HR 1 cuts to Medicaid only means it sucks for poor people is a mega MAGA myth.

The healthcare executives, physicians and elected officials gathered this week by Protect Our Care described something way more troubling. They detailed a healthcare system where everyone in Colorado, and across the nation, eventually pays a higher price for Washington’s detour to disaster.

The math isn’t hard.

When people lose Medicaid coverage, they don’t suddenly stop getting cancer or appendicitis. They don’t stop having strokes, broken arms, heart attacks or pregnancies.

Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper said, “Health doesn’t stop being a necessity.”

Instead, uninsured patients wait until manageable illnesses become crises. Then they head to the only place federal law guarantees treatment without the ability to pay: the emergency room.

Kevin Stansbury, CEO of Lincoln Community Hospital in Hugo, explained the absurdity.

“These policy decisions force patients to move from the most effective and efficient care setting, the primary care clinic, to the most expensive care setting, the hospital emergency department.”

Hospitals legally, and morally, can’t just refuse those patients.

The dilemma that the three-jobs-working poor are already facing because of what Trump and his pals have done to the healthcare system brought Lakewood Democratic Congressperson Brittany Petterson to tears in her car as she joined the remote press conference last week.

“So the Republicans should be absolutely ashamed of the bill that they passed that put the ultra wealthy ahead of everyday Americans,” Pet-

Quidnunc, whose name comes from the Latin “what now,” is out and about as often as possible to bring you news overheard in elevators, rest rooms and spied in various e-mail boxes.

terson said. “We’re going to continue to remind people what they did.”

So what’s happening now is that hospitals in the metro area and the far reaches of the state treat people with no money and no insurance and no way to handle a stroke or heart attack. They absorb the loss. Then they pass those losses on to everyone else. Private insurance companies respond by raising premiums. Employers pay more. Families pay more. Taxpayers pay more. All of us do.

But wait. It gets worse.

Thousands of people have already lost affordable coverage after Congress failed to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. They’re now trapped in the U.S. healthcare growing dead zone. They earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but nowhere near enough to afford private health insurance. They either work for themselves or an employer that doesn’t offer group health insurance. There will be more of those to come as rates continue to skyrocket.

This week, federal data revealed that about 3 million fewer people in the United States had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year.

QUID HAS HEARD that the deafening silence you’ve been hearing over the past few weeks around town after dark is the sound of the success of Trump’s tariffs. Seems that one of the loudest voices in the “no fireworks ever” melee has long come from those who just hate, hate, hate the snap, crackle, pop and “BOOM” of fireworks, usually starting not long after Memorial Day and lasting until well after July 4. But those who appeared at city council meetings for years to plead for their fretful dogs and their own raw nerves were dismissed several councils ago when city lawmakers said everyone in the city should let freedom ring, sparkle, shower and kaboom. It appears, however, that $15 packs of sparklers, $4 a gallon gas to get to Cheyenne for the big-bang illegals and skimpy family packs of cones and whizzers for upwards of $200 — credited to Trump’s Tariff-ic tax move — has got folks either saving their personal proclamation for the night of the Fourth, or just skipping the beckoning tents on Havana Street altogether this year.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, run by a vaccine denier who used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats, suggested the 13% drop in enrollment from 22.1 million people in 2025 to 19.2 million this year could be attributed to a federal crackdown on fraudulent or “phantom” enrollment, the Associated Press reported. “But health analysts said it was more likely related to the Jan. 1 expiration of federal subsidies, which caused a surge in plan costs that resulted in many people being unable to pay their premiums.”

The loss of that ACA program has been calamitous for hundreds of thousands of people.

“There is not a week that goes by when I’m back in this district when I don’t meet with families who told me that their premiums have gone from $300 to $1,500 and they can’t afford it anymore, so they’re going to lose their health care,” Aurora Democratic Congressperson Jason Crow said.

Colorado resident and patient advocate Thomas Buckley told reporters his monthly premium jumped from $30 to more than $540 after los-

AND QUID HAS HEARD that the eyes have it on the Aurora City Council dais these days. Seems that inter-council sniping and snarking has now gotten to the level of eye rolls, eye-hah looks and eye can’t take anymore stares. During the June 22 City Council meeting, Republican members began serving their usual whine from locally grown sour grapes over who’s running the show. Team Red leader Councilmember Stephanie Hancock was carping over whether an emergency ordinance to find ways to keep families from going broke was actually emergent enough. While Hancock was pouring the whine, the live-camera first caught Councilmember Alison Coombs and Aly Jackson lock eyes and exchange “yup yup” looks. When Coombs signaled the Mayor for permission to serve up his

own dry vintage, Hizzoner nearly rolled his eyes so hard it made his enormous sigh escape nearly an octave higher.

As Coombs poured a heavy serving of pillory into her mic, reminding Hancock and everyone in the room about a few months back when Team Red ran roughshod over the meetings, the chamber erupted in applause and cheer, widening the eyes of most of those on the dais. Council cameras kept a close eye on the dais so yours truly couldn’t see past the glare into the audience as to who considered it all such a hoot.

AND THAT’S ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS.

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President Donald Trump greets Health and Human Services
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz after en event about TrumpRx in the South Court Auditorium in the Old Eisenhower Executive Office Building Feb. 5, 2026, in Washington. AP Photo/Alex Brandon
DAVE PERRY Editor
›› See PERRY, 7

AP

BOTTOM RIGHT:

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Nonpro t group aims to turn notorious Edge at Lowry apartments into a ordable housing

“THE REDEMPTION ARC OPPORTUNITY HERE IS REALLY STRONG AND IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF PROJECT WE’RE INTERESTED IN PURSUING.”

Acommunity nonprofit hopes to bring new life to the notorious Edge at Lowry apartments, the complex at the center of a 2024 national controversy over unsubstantiated allegations of a Venezuelan gang takeover.

The East Colfax Community Collective purchased the Edge of Lowry apartments in June for $4.45 million with the intent of rehabilitating the property and turning it into affordable housing, according to a representative of the collective.

“It’s a really powerful opportunity to reclaim and revive a property that has long been a toxic asset in the community and a source of harm in the community and turn it into something positive, into community-controlled affordable housing,” Carson Bryant, a director for the East Colfax Community Collective, said.

“The redemption arc opportunity here is really strong and is exactly the kind of project we’re interested in pursuing.”

Earlier this year, the city settled a lawsuit against the property’s former owner, CBZ Management, over the uninhabitable conditions of the units.

The lawsuit was spurred by the city shutting down three northwest Aurora apartment complexes, including the Edge at Lowry, deeming them unlivable for a period of time. CBZ blamed the condition of the apartments, without evidence, on Venezuelan gangs. The allegations drew national media attention and that of then presidential-candidate Donald Trump.

In a statement to the Sentinel, Mayor Mike Coffman said the collective purchasing the property is the “best outcome that we could

have hoped for.”

“I’m elated that CBZ and its affiliate LLCs no longer have ownership of the Edge at Lowry and a nonprofit, with a conscience for the surrounding community, will be purchasing the property,” Coffman said.

The East Colfax Community Collective has had ties to the building since the 2024 controversy, when the organization helped relocate the apartment’s former tenants to new housing.

Bryant said the collective hopes to invest between $10 million and $12 million to take the buildings down to the studs and put in all new units. The Edge at Lowry currently comprises 60 units across five buildings.

“In effect, what we’re trying to do is put new units in an existing shell, so we will retain the existing structure, but replace everything inside the building,” he said.

The collective is in the process of gathering funding and applying for tax credits for the rebuild. Bryant said the rehab is contingent on successfully obtaining the tax credits.

Bryant said the collective believes there’s an urgent need to address the apartments.

“If we didn’t buy it and do all the things that we’re doing to it, the alternatives don’t really look good,” he said. “I think the most immediate alternative scenario is that it would just sit vacant and blighted for the foreseeable future or some other investor would come in and do the bare minimum to make it habitable again, continue to operate it as low quality housing, and that just brings everyone back to square one.”

The collective purchased the property through its Mixed-Income Neighborhood

Trust, which aims to acquire property to preserve housing and stabilize rent, Bryant said. The trust received loans from the Impact Development Fund, the Colorado Trust, the Denver Foundation, Trust Neighborhoods and the Colorado Health Foundation to purchase the Edge at Lowry property.

The trust’s first purchase was a Denver apartment building at 1371 Xenia St. in 2024. The trust is also in the process of purchasing another apartment building near the Xenia property, Bryant said.

Bryant said the Edge at Lowry is a unique project for the trust because it’s not currently occupied and needs more extensive renovations than the building on Xenia Street did, which was occupied when the trust purchased it.

Not only will the building need serious renovations, Bryant said the collective is working to engage with the community to turn around the reputation of the apartments. The collective is also working to offer former residents the chance to move back once the rehab is completed.

“We’re trying not to dwell too much on the previous narratives around gangs, but really focus on how this is an opportunity to turn around a property that was severely neglected,” Bryant said. “It’s not only the substance of the project, and really walking the walk of delivering something new, it’s telling our story to media and telling our story to residents.” If the collective secures tax credits, Bryant said construction could start next summer and aim to be completed in 2028.

RIGHT: A no trespassing sign is taped on the sheet of plywood used to seal up a unit in one of the buildings of an apartment complex called The Edge at Lowry during a news conference to outline that the five housing structures have been closed by the city Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Aurora, Colo.
Photo/David Zalubowski
Cyclone fencing surrounds the condemned buildings of an apartment complex called The Edge at Lowry during a news conference to outline that the five housing structures have been closed by the city Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Aurora, Colo.

Third arrest made in child beating death of 4-year-old boy in Aurora

Aurora police have arrested a third person in connection with the fatal beating of a 4-year-old boy in May.

Chyann Moon, Aurora, was arrested June 25 in connection with the death and faces charges of child abuse resulting in death, Aurora police spokesperson Gabby Easterwood said in a statement.

Police and Aurora Fire Rescue crews responded about 10 p.m. May 16 to an apartment in the 14100 block of East Tennessee Avenue after receiving a report of a child who was unconscious and not breathing.

“When officers arrived at the scene, Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics were performing life-saving actions on the boy,” Aurora police spokesperson Joe Moylan said in an earlier statement.

Officers found the child had significant injuries, police said. The boy was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

The slain boy’s mother, Destini Rose Lipsky, 23, of Aurora, was arrested in Colorado Springs May 26 and faces charges of child abuse resulting in death, police said previously.

Lipsky is being held in the Arapahoe County jail in lieu of a $500,000 bond, according to county records.

That arrest came after police arrested Alexander Martinez-Armstrong, 24, who faces a first-degree murder charge in the boy’s death, according to court and jail records.

Martinez-Armstrong is also being held in the Arapahoe County jail without bond, records show.

His next court date is scheduled for July 17.

Investigators said Martinez-Armstrong, who was caring for the child at the time, admitted to repeatedly striking the boy before his death, McDowell said.

Police said additional interviews and evidence collected during the investigation led detectives to seek an arrest warrant for Lipsky.

Police did not say how Moon is linked to the death.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000, police said.

— Sentinel Staff

AROUND AURORA

Aurora police officer cleared by DA in fatal shooting of Rashaud Johnson. Family objects

The Adams County district attorney ruled that no criminal charges will be filed against Aurora Police Officer Brandon Mills in the fatal shooting of Rashaud Johnson, saying that prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mills’ use of force was unlawful.

Attorneys for the family of Johnson questioned the review, saying a court must decide the issue of whether the shooting was justified.

17th Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason announced his decision

in a review letter released Thursday following an investigation by a Critical Incident Response Team into the May 12, 2025, shooting at The Parking Spot, an airport parking facility in northeast Aurora.

Johnson, 32, was shot twice and killed after a confrontation with Mills that began when the officer responded alone to multiple calls from employees reporting a man trespassing on the property and behaving erratically.

Mason wrote that investigators conducted a thorough review of the incident and concluded there was “no reasonable likelihood” of proving any criminal offense by the officer beyond a reasonable doubt.

“Therefore, no criminal charges will be filed against the officer involved in this incident,” Mason said in his opinion letter.

Aurora police declined to comment on the decision.

Mason’s opinion comes nearly a year after Johnson’s death and months after his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Mills and the City of Aurora.

Attorneys representing Johnson’s family have argued that Mills escalated an encounter with the unarmed Black man who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis and that the shooting should be scrutinized by a jury.

According to police records, video tape and the district attorney’s review, employees at The Parking Spot first contacted police shortly before 3 p.m. on May 12, 2025, reporting a barefoot man lingering around the office and making staff uneasy. Additional calls to police for help followed throughout the afternoon.

Employees told dispatchers that Johnson was wandering around the property, entering and leaving the office area, and attempting to open doors on parked vehicles. During the first calls, employees said Johnson did not appear to be violent. The business manager later reported that Johnson appeared to be trying to argue with employees and that they feared for their safety.

Mills was dispatched at 5:18 p.m. and arrived nine minutes later, according to police records.

Body-worn camera footage summarized in Mason’s letter, and released to the public last year, shows Mills initially approaching Johnson in what prosecutors described as a conversational manner.

“Hey man, what’s going on today?” Mills asked Johnson, according to the review. “Where are your shoes at?”

Johnson did not respond and appeared to ignore repeated questions and commands, according to police and the video tape.

At 5:28 p.m., after Mills told Johnson he needed to leave the parking facility, Johnson turned suddenly and ran toward Mills, according to Mason’s report.

In the officer-body-cam video, Mills can be seen backing away, called for assistance and warned Johnson to stay back.

Investigators said Mills then used several levels of force in an attempt to stop Johnson, including baton strikes and two Taser deployments. Neither appeared to have any impact or affect on Johnson.

Johnson then tackled Mills, and the two men struggled on the ground in a landscaped area near the parking lot, according to witness statements, body-camera footage and Mills’ interview

Several employees reported seeing Johnson on top of the officer and attempting to remove items from his gun belt. Witnesses told investigators they were afraid that Johnson would get control of Mills’ handgun.

During the struggle, Mills repeatedly shouted for help and radioed requests for immediate assistance.

After both men regained their footing, Mills drew his handgun and ordered Johnson to get on the ground.

Mason said in his opinion that Johnson didn’t comply.

Body-camera footage showed Mills retreating backward while continuing to issue commands. John-

›› See METRO, 6

son then began walking toward the officer.

“Stop! Get back! I’m going to … shoot you,” Mills shouted, according to Mason’s opinion notes.

Mills fired two shots and Johnson fell to the ground, video and records show.

An autopsy determined Johnson died from a gunshot wound to the chest. He also suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and injuries consistent with Taser strikes.

Toxicology testing detected THC in his blood and tissue, according to the district attorney’s review. The level of THC was not released.

In his interview with prosecutors, Mills said he was afraid Johnson would overpower him if another physical confrontation occurred. He told investigators he was exhausted, had no backup and was worried because his firearm was already drawn.

Mason said in his opinion that Colorado law allows officers to use deadly force when “necessary and reasonable,” including when an officer faces an immediate threat of serious bodily injury or death.

Mason concluded that Adams County prosecutors would be required not only to prove the elements of a crime but also to disprove legal justifications for the use of force beyond a reasonable doubt.

Based on the evidence, witness statements, body-camera footage and applicable law, Mason said that standard could not be met.

He stated that his ruling addresses only the possibility of criminal liability by police and does not address whether Mills followed Aurora Police policies.

The civil lawsuit filed by Johnson’s family is pending.

Crist Whitney, an attorney at Rathod Mohamedbhai representing Johnson’s family, said the family is still grieving their loss and called the decision “another bump in the road to justice.”

“They don’t understand how another unarmed black man is killed by

officers and, again, no charges being brought against officers. And so they are very upset about the findings of the DA.”

Whitney said the one thing the family and the DA agree on is that Johnson was “not himself that day” and needed mental health services.

Whitney said the officer should have responded with a mental health professional and questioned whether officers receive enough training on handling people in crisis.

“We should be asking whether our police departments and our systems are equipped to respond to people going through a mental health crisis, and whether they’re going to respond with care, or whether they’re going to respond by escalating force. And looking at the body camera, it just seemed like that what happened here was an escalation of force.”

“It’s something that didn’t need to happen, that shouldn’t have happened and I think with a better trained officer this would not have happened.”

Whitney said the family wanted to see charges filed and don’t understand how Mills’ actions weren’t criminal.

He said they still hope to hold Mills accountable with the civil suit.

— Sentinel Staff

Aurora moves ahead with push to enforce rental standards with new registration

program

In an effort to address poor living conditions and better enforce code violations, the city is moving forward with developing a rental registration and licensing program.

On June 22, city council unanimously approved a resolution to direct the city manager to develop a potential registration program, which would need approval from council before it could be implemented.

The city has for decades had a systematic apartment rental inspection program to evaluate buildings with more than eight units for health

and safety standards. Inspections for other rental properties are available at the request of tenants.

However, the city has continuously heard issues about rental conditions, including drawing national attention after managers of an apartment complex claimed, without evidence, that poor conditions were caused by Venezuelan gangs. The city has since settled a lawsuit against the property owners, after shutting down the apartments and deeming them unlivable for a period of time.

Speakers at Monday’s meeting reiterated that some rental properties in the city are not livable or have serious concerns, including mold, insect infestations and broken heating and air conditioning.

One Aurora renter, who spoke in Spanish and was accompanied by a translator, said she has had experience with her landlord ignoring mice and insect infestations, as well as other poor conditions. She said renters aren’t asking for much except a safe place to live.

“We don’t want to rent for free, we want dignified housing with fair rent,” she said.

Gia Nyhuis, an attorney for Justice for the People Legal Center, echoed the concerns she’s heard from clients and urged the council to support the resolution. She added that there are not enough legal resources to help tenants navigate habitability issues.

“This type of program is an incredibly important tool in ensuring that the laws on the books — laws that say that if a landlord chooses to rent a unit, that unit must be livable — that those laws are enforced, and that the renters in Aurora are living in safe and habitable housing,” Nyhuis said. “As it currently operates, the legal field alone is not enough of an enforcement mechanism for warranty of habitability violations.”

Previously, Joshua King, manager of the neighborhood support division, told the council that a registration and licensing program would help bolster the existing inspection

program by ensuring the city has contact information for rental properties in case of emergencies or violations.

Councilmember Alison Coombs said Monday that the resolution will collect information to guide future regulations, which would need to be approved by council. Coombs said it’s possible that the council will have multiple ideas on how the licensing program should work after engaging with the community.

“We can work together on doing the community outreach and then we can bring forward the ordinances that end up making sense through that process of community engagement,”

With the approval of council, next steps include conducting research and having conversations with stakeholders and the community this summer and fall with the goal of bringing the proposed program to council in the winter.

As part of the research for a potential program, staff will determine the number of staff needed to operate the program, potential fees for registration and how to collaborate with existing tenant resources at the state level.

Councilmember Stephanie Hancock requested that staff ensure property owners and landlords or property managers are included in the stakeholder discussions. Staff said they plan to include both tenants and landlords in the process. Implementation could start next year if the council supports the program.

— McKenna Harford, Sentinel Staff Writer

Supreme Court lets Trump end protections for Haitian, Syrian migrants. Salvadorans in Aurora at risk, too

The Supreme Court last week allowed the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disaster in Haiti and Syria, exposing hundreds of thousands more people to potential deportation.

The 6-3 decision overturns lower court orders and allows the Department of Homeland Security to swiftly end temporary protected status, a program that protects a total of 1.3 million people from 17 countries.

It marked another victory at the high court for Republican President Donald Trump’s sweeping crackdown on immigration. Though the conservative-dominated court has put the brakes on some of Trump’s immigration policies over the last year, it handed him a second win Thursday in a decision clearing the way for the revival of a policy restricting immigrants seeking asylum.

The court’s conservative majority found that immigration authorities have sole authority over the program, and the law doesn’t allow judges to intervene.

People from more than dozen other countries will pay close attention, perhaps none more than an estimated 200,000 from El Salvador, and as many as 4,000 in Aurora.

“I disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision removing protections for immigrants fleeing war and natural disasters,” Aurora Democratic Congressperson Jason Crow said in a statement. “The Trump

administration should be focused on deporting violent criminals. Instead, they have torn apart families and gone after our neighbors, small business owners, and even children. Immigrants and asylum seekers who come here legally – including through Temporary Protected Status programs – work, pay taxes, and contribute greatly to Colorado. I will continue fighting to protect immigrant families and our community against Donald Trump’s extreme mass deportation efforts.”

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said the decision and what led to it reflects the larger need for comprehensive immigration reform.

“I think the Temporary Protected Status program definitely needs to be reformed. For example, when there is a natural disaster, such as the devastating earthquake in El Salvador in 2001, we should provide humanitarian aid that is sufficient enough to allow them to remain in their own country instead of coming to the United States,”Coffman said in a statement. “However, those under the TPS program who have been in the United States, such as those of our own Salvadoran immigrant community, should not only be allowed to stay in the United States but should have a path to citizenship via a Green Card.”

Many Salvadorans have lived in the United States for 25 years under Temporary Protected Status, which allows those already in the country to stay with work permits in increments of up to 18 months as long as the Homeland Security secretary deems conditions unsafe for return.

President Donald Trump’s former secretary, Kristi Noem, ended TPS for all 12 countries that came up for renewal under her watch.

— Sentinel and Associated Press staff writers

Aurora approves measures to inspect immigration jail, enhance police oversight

City lawmakers on June 25 approved measures intended to create an Office of Public Safety Accountability, a permanent monitoring office to oversee police, fire, 911 and detention as well as inspect a federal immigration jail in Aurora.

The proposal to create a review process for police has so far garnered strong approval among a city council that rarely sees such agreement among issues affecting the Aurora Police Department.

The office’s duties will include investigating critical public safety incidents that result in serious injury or death, as well as ongoing reviews of public safety operations. It also will share information with the public, provide liaisons to impacted families and conduct community engagement.

The office’s duties will include investigating critical public safety incidents that result in serious injury or death, as well as ongoing reviews of public safety operations. It also will share information with the public, provide liaisons to impacted families and conduct community engagement.

Creation of the office follows years of controversy and efforts to

ing his ACA subsidies while he faces fighting blood cancer and another serious blood disorder.

“So there is no care. There will never be a cure,” Buckley said. “Many of us have faced a crisis like this and are unable to afford health insurance.”

It’s a time-tested true story. People in Keith’s position don’t stop needing care. They just postpone it until their condition becomes catastrophic and vastly more expensive.

But it gets even worse.

HR 1’s effects on seniors requiring nursing home and assisted-living care will be a show stopper.

Many people wrongly assume Medicare covers long-term nursing home expenses.

It doesn’t.

For countless elderly people, the financial reality is brutal. Nursing home care routinely exceeds $100,000 annually. Families spend savings, sell homes, liquidate retirement accounts and exhaust virtually everything they own before qualifying for Medicaid.

Without Medicaid, there really is no safety net.

During the news conference, I asked healthcare leaders how HR 1 would affect these seniors.

Stansbury said that although only about 9% of Medicaid recipients require long-term care, they account for roughly half of Medicaid spending because nursing-home care is extraordinarily expensive.

Denver Health CEO Donna Lynne laid out the day’s most chilling warning.

“If we start unraveling the system,” she said, “you’re going to see patients who needed care, needed a place to go…you’re going to see them on the street, quite frankly.”

Sucks to be poor, old and not rich, huh?

It sucks even worse for everyone outside of large Colorado cities.

Nearly half of Denver Health’s patients rely on Medicaid. Lynne warned her regional hospital could lose roughly $65 million annually because of HR 1. Rural hospitals, however, are in even greater jeopardy.

“We’re held together with this patchwork of reimbursement,” Stansbury said. Half of rural hospitals already operate at a loss.

When rural hospitals close, entire communities will lose emergency care.

Pregnant women will have to drive hours to deliver babies.

The ripple-tide effect of HR 1 isn’t about Republicans or Democrats.

It’s about math.

Every uninsured patient becomes someone else’s bill.

Every hospital is forced to absorb uncompensated care shifts costs onto insured patients.

Every insurance premium hike gut-punches working families who are already struggling to pay hikedup rent, gas, mortgages, Trump tariffs, groceries and utility bills.

Each and every one of us is going to pay for this.

Sucks to be all and any of us while Trump and the current GOP Congress are running the show.

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

improve accountability and transparency in police and fire departments after the death of Elijah McClain in 2019, which, among other cases, prompted state investigators to find a pattern of racial bias and excessive use of force.

Since 2022, the city police reform efforts have been reviewed by a contracted monitor, which has released periodic progress reports about training and policy updates. The April report found that police and fire departments are substantially compliant with the consent decree’s mandates.

The report also identified the need for the city to implement an independent monitoring system to sustain the changes and progress.

Also approved were measures directing the city to find ways to inspect living conditions at the for-profit GEO ICE immigration detention facility in north Aurora.

Progressive members of the council backed the new oversight measures while city council Republicans and conservatives opposed it.

The package consists of a resolution that would give city council oversight on contracts with immigration enforcement and detention agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and GEO Group, as well as ordinances requiring detention facilities in the city to undergo regular city inspections and report disease outbreaks.

Several residents at Monday’s meeting urged the council to support the oversight measures as a way to address some of the allegations of inhumane conditions.

“It’s important that we do these inspections because that little tiny bit of harm reduction is one of the most truly impactful things that you as a council have the power to do,” Aly DeWills-Marcano said. “Prevent infectious diseases from spreading, stop abuse and neglect and save lives.”

The resolution and ordinances stem from a number of concerns with the health and safety of people detained at the GEO facility. Earlier this year, the Adams County Health Department reported that staff at the GEO facility delayed and denied access to facility employees during an investigation about a potential flu outbreak.

— McKenna Harford,

the office prepared her to assume the leadership role.

She said Bitting would continue the office’s mission of serving families, supporting the justice system and conducting death investigations.

Bitting completed a forensic pathology fellowship at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland after obtaining her medical degree in Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She also completed a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

In addition to conducting forensic examinations, Bitting has been active in research, medical education and professional organizations. She serves as an attending physician for medical students, pathology residents and forensic pathology fellows and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications. She is a member of the National Association of Medical Examiners, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the College of American Pathologists. “The Coroner’s Office has an exceptional team dedicated to serving families with professionalism, com-

passion, and integrity,” Bitting said in a statement. “I look forward to building on Dr. Lear’s legacy while continuing to provide the highest standard of medicolegal death investigation for our amazing community.”

Lear joined the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office as a forensic pathologist in 2004 and was elected coroner in 2014. Summey credited her with strengthening the office, advancing the practice of forensic pathology and helping provide answers to families during difficult circumstances.

Forensic pathologist

Casey Bitting chose to succeed Kelly Lear as Arapahoe coroner

The Arapahoe County commission on June 30 appointed forensic pathologist Dr. Casey Bitting as the county’s next coroner following the retirement of longtime Coroner Dr. Kelly Lear.

The appointment takes effect July 2. Bitting will serve the remainder of Lear’s term through January 2027. A Democrat, she is also the sole candidate for the office in the November 2026 election.

Bitting has been a forensic pathologist with the Arapahoe office since 2018. Lear retired Tuesday after more than two decades of service to the county, including 12 years as its elected coroner.

Commission Chairperson Leslie Summey said Bitting’s medical credentials and years of experience with

Right: Rangeview seniorto-be Archie Weatherspoon

V (5) slices through the defense of Rowland Hall (Utah) in a Colorado Live contest June 26 at Northfield HIgh School. Weatherspoon V and the Raiders went 2-1 over three days of play at the tournament, which allows college coaches to view players in the June live period.

Middle: Overland junior-tobe Darian Proctor won MVP of the Trailblazers’ victory over Doherty at the Colorado Live showcase June 26.

Below: Cherokee Trail senior-to-be Jordan Mitchell (1) launches a jumper in a Colorado Live loss to Denver East June 26.

With its home gymnasium under construction, the Rangeview boys basketball team has had a nomadic summer.

The Raiders — the only Aurora area program to make it to the semifinals in Class 6A for the last two seasons — have gone from Greeley to Mesa, Arizona (for the Section 7 tournament) and finally to the Colorado Live Showcase, which wrapped up May 29 at Northfield High School.

BASKETBALL

Coach Shawn Palmer’s Rangeview team lost by six points to Rowland Hall from Utah in its opener and then topped Chaparral and Cherokee Trail to close it out.

up one win shy of playing for a title both times.

Weatherspoon V is 61-17 in his career.

Weatherspoon V earned one of the two most valuable player honors given out in each game as he displayed the type of aggressive play the Raiders will need from him. That is mostly because he won’t have the other half of the team’s outstanding tandem from last season in Marceles Duncan, who was a 6A All-State first team performer as a sophomore.

Thrive at Live

The 6-foot-5 Duncan — who just turned 16 years old — announced via social media in April that he would not return to Rangeview and instead is headed to Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio. He’ll be coached there by Kevin Boyle, recognized as one of the country’s top prep coaches who coached NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving and other well-known pros.

“Games are games and it’s good to have some over the summer, especially with a new group like this,” Palmer said. “You’re putting yourselves in situations and the results don’t matter. You want to win, but it is more learning how to be in close games and how to play different types of teams.

“We get them for this little window in June, wear the heck out of them and then let them go in July to play on club teams or on their own. It’s been a challenging summer, but I’m not complaining.”

The Colorado Live Showcase offers the opportunity for programs to build cohesion, but the event — sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association — is mostly intended to give players a chance to be seen by college coaches while playing with their respective schools in the June live period as opposed to private clubs or in an AAU setting at other times.

Rangeview had one player in particular with a lot of eyes on him in senior-to-be Archie Weatherspoon V, who has been a key part of a team that has gone 49-5 over the past two seasons and come

Duncan just picked up an offer from perennial power Kansas and Palmer said he’s heard from NBA scouts already seeking to find out more about the potential of his game.

“We knew that going to a prep school was a strong possibility and his family has been pretty open about it,” Palmer said. “He could have left last year, but he really wanted to stay and win a state championship with his teammates. We got close (losing to Ralston Valley in the semifinals). I have nothing but good feelings for him and I enjoyed coaching him when I was able. We wish him the best and we’ll always be a support system for him like we are with all our kids who leave.”

Duncan was on hand at Colorado Live, but he did not play with Rangeview. He participated on one of the Showcase Individual teams.

The Raiders turned over a new leaf without Duncan as well as key graduated seniors Aiden Perez and Anthony Andrew, which will give the team a definitely different looking for the upcoming season.

PHOTOS BY COURTNEY
OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL

Rangeview will rely heavily on Weatherspoon V — who Palmer calls a “treat to coach — fellow senior-tobe Conrad Marshall Jr. along with junior-t0-be Dario Washington and a host of young players. One of those is Weatherspoon V’s younger brother, Ashton, who is a highly regarded incoming freshman.

“It’s going to be a fun group, we just don’t have the expectations we’ve had the last couple of years,” Palmer said. “I kindof like that, too. Maybe we’ll be able to surprise some people.”

A local team with a good mix of experience and intriguing young talent is Overland, which has turned the page on the bench to Demetris Love. A former assistant, Love moved to the top spot with the departure of Danny Fisher, who led the program to two state championships during a 14-year tenure.

The Trailblazers opened the Colorado Live competition with a 61-45 victory over Doherty June 26 with juniors-to-be Darian Proctor and Demetrius Lambert earning recognition as the game’s top players.

“I feel really good and really excited about this group,” Love said. “They play extremely hard. We’re still working on finding an offensive identity, but I have playmakers. I really, really liked where we were at defensively.”

Love said the Overland players got back to work towards the new season immediately after a playoff loss last season — in which the Trailblazers went 12-12 — and he’s been working on improving the team’s overall fitness. He also hopes to bring back Overland’s long-standing toughness.

Preps

The presence of veterans such as seniors-to-be Palmer Bass and Matias Devan gives him a significant level of comfort.

“Palmer and Matias have been at Overland for forever, it seems like and having them makes me sleep well at night,” Love said. “Their leadership, their commitment to the counnty and to Overland is undeniable. It definitely helps me and makes my job a lot easier.”

Cherokee Trail grad Izzy Becker

finishes

second with 18U Canada team at International Challenge

Former Cherokee Trail softball standout Izzy Becker helped the 18U Canadian team to a runner-up finish at the International Challenge hosted by Triple Crown Sports.

Becker, a multi-sport standout at Cherokee Trail and the Centennial League’s softball player of the year last fall, played in the outfield for Canada, which finished 4-1 at the International Challenge in the 18U bracket that featured a total off 22 teams.

Coach Rob Hamilton’s Canada team went 3-0 in pool play with wins over Native America, Dominican Republic and Great Britain to win its pool — with a run differential of a whopping 20 runs — and then rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat Ireland 4-3 and make it to a semifinal match with USA. Becker played in left field, but did not hit, for Canada in its power-filled 11-3 victory that qualfied it for a matchup with Mexico for the Gold Division championship. Canada fell behind Mexico by three runs after one inning, but couldn’t rally this time in a 9-1 defeat to finish as runners-up. Becker came on again to play left field and handled her lone chance cleanly.

The International Challenge event began in 2021 and allows 16U and 18U players who were born in the United States to represent a country that she or her family has ties to. As opposed to true national teams — which are put together by a country’s governing body — teams in the Inter-

Having up-and-coming talents like Proctor in the point guard role and Lambert — who has show an ability to score in multiple ways against tough opponents — also helps. The Trailblazers finished off the tournament with a two-point loss to Chatfield and an eight-point win over Regis Groff.

Aurora Central, Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Grandview, Regis Jesuit, Smoky Hill and Vista PEAK Prep were in action.

There were some local matchups between teams that have seen each other regularly in the past or will certainly meet in the upcoming winter season, which begins in December.

Grandview and Smoky Hill clashed on the opening day and coach Ray Valdez’s Buffaloes managed to close in the final minute, but coach Ryan Turk’s Wolves held on for a 38-36 win. Grandview, which played without junior-to-be Ismael

national Challenge allow players who meet one of the following criteria to participate: born in the country she wants to represent, has a parent, grandparent or great grandparent who was born in the country she wants to represent and for Israel only, it is based on Jewish faith.

The event also helps players be seen by those countries and some have gone to play with national teams.

Massive softball tourneys again set to be played on Front Range

The annual migration of fastpitch softball teams from across the country has begun, with a variety of top-level competition set to compete through July 5 in various events held by Triple Crown Sports.

Aurora is the home base to play in the 16U and

Kabongo, who broke his wrist at the Metro State tournament, was led in that contest by senior-to-be Obi Morris and junior-to-be Elijah Valencia. The Wolves went 3-0, as did Regis Jesuit, Eaglecrest went 2-0, while the Buffaloes were 1-2, the same record as Cherokee Trail, which won a bracket of the Section 7 tournament.

The Colorado Live girls events happened previously at Northfield June 18-20.

18U brackets of the Colorado Fireworks tournament, which will be played for the 57th time. The tournament will conclude July 5 at the Aurora Sports Park — which will be in action for the entire tournament — while play is also set around the city at Arapahoe Little League Park, Highline Park, Horseshoe Park and Olympic Park. Games will also be played at sites in Denver, Brighton, Thornton and Westminster.

The Sparkler tournament features 412 16U teams — divided into four different pools — and 240 18U teams, which make up two pools. Colorado is well represented in the 18U competition with a total of 17 teams based in a vareity of placers from around the state.

Two 18U teams from the Colorado Angels organization feature a heavy contingent of recently graduated or current Aurora area softball players. The Angels Quimby/Becker 18 Gold squad includes Grandview grads Maddie Donaldson, Madison Jaramillo and Sasha Kennedy and Cherokee Trail grad Izzy Becker along with current Eaglecrest players Lelia Kelliher and Ryleigh Stufft plus Grandview’s Monroe Donaldson. The coaching staff is largely local as well, as it includes Eaglecrest head coach Yvette Hendrian as an assitant coach. The Angels Waller team — coached by Vista PEAK Prep head coach John Waller — includes Vista PEAK Prep grad Amara Herrera, plus current players from Vista PEAK Prep (Rylie Camarillo), Regis Jesuit (Elsa Pedersen) and Cherokee Trail (Rylee Holsten, Kayla Kee and Emma Rice).

Other Aurora area players set to compete include Sydney Cobb (Cherokee Trail) and Caitlin Fairchild (Regis Jesuit) with the Colorado Batbusters 18U National Smith team. In 16U play, Cherokee Trail’s Leera Davis and Taylen Shaver play with Batbusters 16U National Smith-Joiner, while Eaglecrest’s Lexi Bargar and Tiani Lobitos, Cherokee Trail’s Corrine Becker and Peyton Contes, Regis Jesuit’s Alex Tavlarides and Smoky

er

Hill’s Nikiah Light suit up for the Colorado Angels Beck-
16U.
Flag waving: Cherokee Trail High School graduate Izzy Becker swings a Canadian flag affixed to a hockey stick during a 18U Gold Division semifinal game at the International Challenge softball tournament on June 29 at Christopher Fields in Westminster. Becker played in the outfield for a Canada team that made it to the championship game before a 9-1 loss to Mexico. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
LEFT: Junior-to-be Marco Little, right, was recognized as one of the players of the game for Vista PEAK Prep in its victory over Palmer June 26 to open the Colorado Live showcase tournament at Norhfield High School. The Bison finished 2-1 over three days of play. RIGHT: Smoky Hill junior-to-be Horacio Llamas, right, gets off a jump shot as Grandview sophomore-to-be Waylon Day closes on him defensively in the Wolves’ two-point Colorado Live win June 26. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

The Magazine

Aurora’s class act

COLORADO TEACHER OF THE YEAR SEMI-FINALIST IS LAUDED FOR TEACHING ABOUT THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING: UNDERSTANDING

For Viviana Martinez, teaching has never been just about helping her students learn Spanish or English.

It’s about helping young people understand who they are, where they come from and what responsibilities come with opportunities.

Her guiding philosophy is simple.

“Passing the good on,” Viviana said in an interview last week with the Sentinel. “Not one of us got where we are alone.”

That credo has shaped nearly two decades in education and helped earn the Aurora Public Schools Vista Peak Preparatory educator recognition as a 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year semifinalist.

Every opportunity in her own life, Viviana said, came because someone invested time, encouragement and belief in her.

“My parents, teachers, family members, mentors and friends opened doors for me,” she said. “Education opens doors, but when doors are open, we have the responsibility to hold them open for someone else.”

That belief defines her classroom, Viviana and those who’ve been there say.

Viviana teaches Spanish and history, but her lessons extend well beyond conjugating verbs and pondering idioms. Students are challenged to discover their own talents, embrace their family histories and use their talents in service to others.

“The goal is not simply to create successful students,” Viviana said. “The goal is to create those leaders that we need who lift others after them.”

Her principal described her approach as one that “seamlessly weaves together academic rigor, cultural advocacy and systemic leadership.”

Those are some big words for what others might call leading by example.

“Viviana does not simply teach Spanish; she builds bridges of identity and opportunity for the next generation of Colorado’s leaders,” the nomination letter states.

Those bridges extend throughout Aurora Public Schools and far into the community and region.

Viviana created the district’s only “History of Hispanics in the United States” course after students repeatedly asked questions that other classes left unanswered. Originally teaching literacy classes for Spanish-speaking students, she found herself constantly expanding discussions about language, immigration and history.

Rather than squeeze those conversations into already packed existing lessons, she designed an entirely new course.

“Knowing the past helps us understand who we are,” Viviana said. “It helps us appreciate the sacrifices of those who came before us.”

For Viviana, that history is not about celebrating one community over another. It is

about telling the complete American story.

Like a journalist, her goal is accuracy, context and meaningful detail.

She reminds students that Spanish was spoken in what is now the United States centuries before the Declaration of Independence. She teaches them about military hero Macario Garcia, a Medal of Honor recipient who returned from World War II only to face ghastly discrimination in his own hometown.

Staff Sgt. Garcia was the first Mexican immigrant to receive the Medal of Honor. President Harry Truman honored Garcia for single-handedly taking out two deadly German machine-gun units while under heavy fire and at huge risk to his own life, according to the Texas State Historical Association. His bravery allowed his company to advance. Months after his award, he was refused service in a Texas cafe and was assaulted by an employee there because he was Hispanic. He became a leading force against segregation and minority discrimination.

History like that is relevant to history being made today, Viviana said.

“Hispanic history is not something that happened in the past,” she said. “It’s part of the foundation of this nation.”

That perspective carries particular significance here, where Hispanic and Latino families helped shape communities, business, agriculture, government and culture long before Colorado became a territory and ultimately the 38th state. In Aurora, the state’s most diverse city, helping students understand those facts strengthens civic understanding not only for Hispanic and Latino students but for everyone.

Viviana said every student benefits from learning a fuller, more accurate account of the past because it allows them to see both the challenges and contributions that built the country they share today.

“I hope from this classroom will come future mayors, teachers, lawyers, business owners, fathers and mothers,” she said. “People who really want to make a positive difference in their community.”

Her principal praised Viviana for creating spaces “where Hispanic students see themselves reflected in their learning” while fostering “critical thinking and civic awareness.”

The nomination also credits Viviana for work she’s done that reaches directly outside of her classroom. She founded a project called “Voces de Vista Peak,” a bilingual initiative that helps Spanish-speaking families become active in their children’s education by breaking down language and communication barriers.

She also leads Latinos in Action, where students tutor younger children and gain leadership skills and show how critical community service is for themselves and everyone.

As a teacher, however, Viviana sees language itself as deeply personal.

“Language reveals what is in your heart,” she said. “Those words should tell your story, reflect your values and help us connect with others.”

That’s what she says compels her to push students to find their own voices, in as many languages as possible, but at least two.

“Every student walks into my classroom carrying a unique set of experiences, talents, dreams and friends,” she said. “This is what I celebrate.”

Her generosity also shapes how she responds to the realities students face outside school.

She recalled one teenager who quietly completed assignments every day, even though she had recently lost both her mother and sister in a car crash.

“How can you, as a teacher, complain when you have a student in front of you with that level of resilience?” Viviana said.

Another student manages medical appointments for her family because she is the only English speaker able to communicate with doctors, pharmacies and insurance providers.

Experiences like those have taught Viviana that education cannot always follow one-sizefits-all rules, including policies such as “no phones in the classrooms.”

“You have to know who is in front of you,” she said. “Know their stories.”

She believes schools can’t be isolated from the community as much as they are, too often

left to figure out answers to multiple dilemmas and crises by themselves. Schools can succeed only when educators, families, businesses, nonprofits and the broader community work together.

“Schools, community, family, business — all this is the team,” Viviana said. “When we transform one individual student, we are able to transform the entire community.”

Her principal echoed that belief, writing that Viviana sees multilingual students “not as a deficit to be corrected, but as a superpower to be harnessed.”

Although humbled by her statewide recognition, Viviana says she feels an even greater sense of pride representing Aurora. She’ll find out in September if she’s among teacher of the year finalists in Colorado. The top honor is generally announced later in the fall. But all that by no means lessens the impact of her recent honor.

“I’m the Latina who represents Aurora,” she said. “Being one of the Martinez last names, speaking Spanish as a first language, being a first- generation immigrant has made me feel so proud.”

But all this kudos is just secondary to why she teaches.

The real measure of success comes every time another student discovers the confidence to walk through an open door, and then turns around to hold it open for someone else, she said.

Viviana Martinez PHOTO VIA AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
DAVE PERRY, Sentinel Editor

beer will be available for purchase, with reserved VIP tables and general admission lawn seating offered. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs for the outdoor concert.

IF YOU GO:

Date: July 2 VIP entry at 6:30 p.m., general admission at 7 p.m.

scene & herd

Aurora’s 4th of July Spectacular

Aurora’s largest Independence Day celebration returns with live music, family activities, food trucks and a professionally produced fireworks display. Musical performances include Little Moses Jones and Ninety Percent 90s before the fireworks begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. The event is part of Aurora’s America 250 celebrations and offers one of the region’s most accessible holiday gatherings.

IF YOU GO:

Date: July 4, 6–10 p.m.; fireworks at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Place: Aurora Municipal Center Great Lawn, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway

Tickets: Free

Information: www.auroragov.org/ things_to_do/ or 303-739-7000

Aurora History Museum

America 250 Open House

As part of Aurora’s Fourth of July festivities, the museum will offer free admission and special access during the city’s Independence Day celebration. Visitors can explore local history exhibits before heading to the nearby fireworks festivities.

IF YOU GO:

Date: July 4, 2 p.m.–8 p.m.

Place: Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Parkway

Tickets: Free Information: aurorahistorymuseum.org or 303-739-6660

Cherry Creek Arts Festival

One of Colorado’s premier arts events celebrates its 35th anniversary with more than 260 juried artists from around the world. The festival features visual art, live music, interactive exhibits, culinary experiences and family-friendly activities throughout Denver’s Cherry Creek North district.

IF YOU GO:

Date: July 3–July 5

Place: Cherry Creek North, Denver

Tickets: Free admission

Information: cherryarts.org or 303-355-2787

Stars & Stripes Forever at Breckenridge Brewery

Celebrate the start of Independence Day weekend with an outdoor evening of patriotic music, craft beer and a synchronized drone light show. The Symphony of the Rockies performs patriotic favorites, including John Philip Sousa’s iconic ”Stars and Stripes Forever,” before the evening concludes with a drone light show choreographed to live orchestral music. Food and Breckenridge Brewery craft

Place: Breckenridge Brewery Farm House Beer Garden, 2920 Brewery Lane

Tickets: General admission and VIP tables available; advance purchase recommended.

Information: www.symphonyrockies.org or 303-781-1892

Stars & Stripes Celebration at Riverdale Regional Park

Celebrate America’s 250th birthday and Colorado’s 150th anniversary at Adams County’s annual Stars & Stripes celebration. This free, family-friendly event features an evening of live music, local food and beverage vendors, and a professional fireworks display. Headlining this year’s entertainment is Franklin Jonas & the Byzantines, whose blend of Americana, folk-rock and modern storytelling has made the band a regional favorite. Guests can enjoy a variety of food from local vendors before the fireworks finale. Organizers ask attendees to leave pets at home and remind visitors that outside alcohol, glass bottles and personal fireworks are prohibited.

IF YOU GO:

Date: July 3; festivities begin in the evening

Place: Riverdale Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton

Tickets: Free admission.

Information: adamscountyco. gov/stars-stripes or 303-637-8000

“Broadside The Musical” at the Vintage Theatre

A messy breakup story set to music: Britain and America, once in harmony, fall out of sync in a war of words before the first musket is fired. In pre-Revolutionary Boston, broadsides were everywhere: they were sharp and fast, working like the first social memes, they could shape public opinion overnight. At the center is Paul Revere, an artisan whose etchings become weapons in a growing information war. Caught between worlds is Margaret Gage, navigating loyalty as tensions rise and neighbors turn into rivals. Broadside reveals how songs, satire, and rumor didn’t just reflect the conflict, they fueled it.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Friday and Saturday curtains at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday curtain at 2:30 p.m. July 3-July 19

Place: Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St.

Tickets: $25

Information: vintagetheatre.org or 303-856-7830

‘The Book Club Play’ at Vintage Theatre

Karen Zacarías’ fast-paced comedy celebrates books, friendship and the delightful chaos that erupts when a long-running book club becomes the subject of a documentary film. As cameras capture every discussion, disagreement and personal revelation, the arrival of a provocative new member throws the group’s carefully balanced dynamics into disarray. Directed by Brendan T. Cochran, the production blends literary humor with sharp ob-

servations about relationships, reading habits and the sometimes-surprising connections people form through books. Vintage offers a special Juneteenth performance with discounted admission.

IF YOU GO:

Date: June 12–July 19

Place: Vintage Theatre Productions, Bond-Trimble Theatre, 1468 Dayton St.

Tickets: Vary by performance; special Juneteenth performance tickets advertised at $19

Information: www.vintagetheatre.org or 303-856-7830

“Live Music at The Local Drive’ at Stanley Marketplace

This ongoing live music series transforms the Stanley Marketplace hangar into a vibrant performance space featuring local and regional musicians. The programming spans genres—from indie and folk to jazz and rock—creating an eclectic soundtrack for Aurora’s creative community.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Fridays and Saturdays after 5 p.m.

Place: Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St.

Tickets: Free admission

Information: stanleymarketplace.com or 720-941-7070

“The Deluge’ exhibition at Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

Artist Bethany Collins examines American history, language and identity in this multimedia exhibition that combines sculpture, sound, text and installation. Collins is known for transforming historical documents and cultural symbols into artworks that explore how stories about the nation are constructed and remembered. The exhibition includes pieces created from materials connected to historic monuments as well as works that reinterpret literature and music through erasure, repetition and sound. By reshaping familiar texts and symbols, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how narratives about race, justice and national identity continue to evolve over time.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Through July 5,

Place: Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany St.

Tickets: $8–$14; free for members

Information: mcadenver.org or call 303-298-7554

“World’s Largest Dinosaurs’ at Denver Museum of Nature and Science

This traveling exhibition explores how the largest land animals in Earth’s history lived and functioned. Rather than focusing solely on fossil bones, the exhibit examines the biology of giant sauropods, which are dinosaurs whose massive bodies required unique adaptations for breathing, circulation and movement. Through interactive displays, models and scientific research, visitors can learn how scientists study both fossils and modern animals to understand how these enormous creatures survived and thrived millions of years ago. The exhibition also explores the evolutionary advantages and challenges of extreme size,

offering a deeper look at how the scale of these animals shaped their behavior and ecosystems.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Through Sept. 7

Place: Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd.

Tickets: $6-$9

Information: dmns.org or call 303-370-6000

“Still in Sound’ at the Clyfford Still Museum

This exhibition and sound-based experience invites visitors to encounter the abstract paintings of Clyfford Still through an immersive audio dimension, encouraging deeper reflection on color, scale and emotion within the museum’s galleries.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Through Feb. 14, 2027

Place: Clyfford Still Museum, 1250 Bannock St.

Tickets: Free-$18

Information: clyffordstillmuseum.org or 720-354-4880

“Charles Sandison: Chamber’ at the Denver Art Museum

Commissioned by the museum, this immersive digital installation surrounds visitors with shifting projections and abstract visual environments that blur the boundaries between technology, language and art.

IF YOU GO:

Date: Through Aug. 10

Place: Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway

Tickets: Included with museum admission

Information: www.denverartmuseum.org or 720-865-5000

Allen Stone at Denver Botanic Gardens

Soul and R&B favorite Allen Stone performs as part of the Gardens’ annual summer music series. Known for energetic live performances and powerful vocals, Stone brings a mix of soul, pop and funk influences.

IF YOU GO:

Date: July 8, 2026

Place: UMB Amphitheater, Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver

Tickets: Advance purchase required

Information: www.botanicgardens.org/events/public-events/ summer-concert-series or 720-865-3500

“Romeo and Juliet: Werewolves Versus Vampires” Youth Performance Camp

The Aurora Fox Arts Center presents a creative Shakespeare adaptation for young performers. Students spend the week learning staging, characterization and performance techniques before presenting a final production.

IF YOU GO:

Date: July 6–July 10, 2026

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

Tickets: Registration required

Information: www.aurorafoxartscenter.org or 303-739-1970

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ROUND ONE SOLIDIFIES THE DEMOCRATIC TEAM FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION

Few surprises in Aurora races despite heavy spending

from outside groups

Unofficial returns from the 2026 Colorado Primary Election show once-underdog Attorney General Phil Weiser handily beat Sen. Michael Bennet for the Democratic nomination for governor.

The Associated Press has called the race for Weiser Tuesday night.

There appeared to be only one political upset in Aurora races, while the Denver race against veteran Congressperson Diana DeGette grabbed statewide headlines.

“We did the hard work, and we proved the establishment wrong. Words can convey the gratitude I feel to everyone in this room — this victory belongs to everyone of you, for getting out, knocking on doors, nudging friends to get out and vote…”

Weiser said in his victory speech.

“This movement is what democracy looks like. You all sent a very clear message: the future of Colorado will not be decided by out-of-state billionaires… Colorado’s future belongs to all of us.”

Weiser particularly emphasized his commitment to getting corporate money “out of politics” and “making sure government works for all of us, not just the wealthy few.”

Locally, early returns showed Democratic challenger Sarah Woodson lurching in front of state Rep. Mandy Lindsay for the House District 42 seat, with 67% of the

vote.

Unofficial voter counts show Arapahoe County commissioners Leslie Summey and Jessica Campbell holding their district seats against Democratic challengers Maya Wheeler and Angela Garland.

In the also hotly contested nomination race for House District 41, incumbent Jamie Jackson appears to have won the contest with about 55% of the vote against APS board director Anne Keke.

In other statewide races, Sen. John Hickenlooper appears to have won that contest with about a 12-point lead over progressive challenger state Sen. Julie Gonzales for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat.

Likewise, Secretary of State Jena Griswold took a substantial lead over three challengers for the Democratic Party nomination for state attorney general.

In the race for the Republican nomination for governor, state Rep. Barbara Kirkmeyer appeared to be holding a slim lead over Victor Marx, and state Rep. Scott Bottoms is trailing.

In the two-party contests for Colorado secretary of state, Amanda Gonzales quickly pulled ahead in the contest for the Democratic nomination against Jessie Danielson. For the Libertarian nomination, Alex Astley is ahead of Sean Vadney with 61% of the vote.

Outside of Aurora, what appears to be the biggest upset is in Denver’s House District 1, where progressive newcomer Melat Kiros stayed ahead of veteran Rep. Diana Degette for the Democratic nomination.

County commissioner Democratic nomination races

In Arapahoe County, two commissioners are up for re-election, and both are Democrats. Commissioner Jessica Campbell faced off against Cherry Creek School Board Director Angela Garland for the District 2 seat nomination, and Commissioner Jessica Campbell was challenged by Maya Wheeler, a nonprofit group leader and community advocate, for the nomination for the District 4 seat.

Garland is the development director for the nonprofit Scouting Colorado and has served on the Cherry Creek School District Board of Education since 2020.

Summey, elected in 2022, is a U.S. Navy veteran and former small business owner.

Wheeler is the founder of the Wezesha Dada Center, which provides education and career resources, and has a background in healthcare.

One area of contention focused on the county’s oil and gas regulations. Campbell and Summey touted the restrictions they helped put in place as some of the strongest in the state, but said the county is limited by state law.

“Unfortunately, we don’t make the decision as to whether or not companies can engage,” Summey said. “I’m looking at some things that would allow us to separate land and mineral rights, so that we can move some things differently.”

Campbell added that she is working at the state level to expand the ways counties can restrict oil and gas projects.

“We need to work with our legislators to give us broader decision making ability for cumulative impact and other discretion,” she said.

Both Garland and Wheeler criticized the incumbents for not doing more to engage concerned residents and communicate what can and has been done, as well as what can’t be done, to regulate oil and gas. “The community is not happy and they’re not saying Arapahoe County is doing a good job, they’re saying they’re not listening and they don’t care about them,” Wheeler said.

Campbell and Summey pushed back on that, saying they work extensively with the Save the Aurora Reservoir community group to craft regulations and educate the community.

“A lot of the success we’ve had in our first term has been because we work hand-in-hand with the community to solve problems,” Campbell said.

With preliminary votes counted, Campbell leads Garland 66% to 33%. District 4 is closer, with the incumbent Summey leading Wheeler by roughly 10 points.

In Adams County, the incumbent commissioner for District 4, Steve O’Dorisio, is term-limited and can’t run for re-election. Running for his seat are two firsttime political candidates: Tyler Quick, an educator, social scientist, and union organizer, and Karen DeAguero, a nonprofit leader who founded Arvada Voices, a community advocacy group. With the first round of counts in, DeAguero leads Quick by about 1,000 votes.

State House and Senate nomination races in Aurora

At press time, Republican candidate Danielle Lammon appeared to have won the GOP nominee race for Colorado Senate District 27 to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Tom Sullivan in November.

The first round of election results, released around 7:30 p.m., show Lammon with 53% of the vote, while candidate Darryl Gibbs has 47% of the vote.

Lammon is the founder and CEO of the Aurora Fire Foundation, which supports first responders and public safety initiatives, and the founder of the Buddy Publishing Foundation, which promotes literacy programs.

Gibbs served in the military and law enforcement before transitioning to small-business ownership. Gibbs ran to be lieutenant governor in 2022 with Danielle Neuschwanger for the American Constitution Party, as well as for Colorado House District 40 in 2024.

Lammon says education and literacy would be among her leading priorities. Another issue she would prioritize is defending Second Amendment rights and opposing what she describes as overreaching gun restrictions on law-abiding citizens.

Lammon also emphasized support for law enforcement and opposes policies she says have weakened public safety. In addition, Lammon says she would advocate for parental rights and pledges to vote to defend Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, reduce regulations, cut government spending, and lower taxes.

Incumbent Rep. Jamie Jackson at press time appears to have won the Democratic nomination to run for

House District 41, fending off a challenge from fellow Democrat Anne Keke, an Aurora Public Schools Board member.

The race saw significant spending from independent expenditure committees, which are dark money groups that support or oppose candidates, including One-Main-Street-linked groups and the Colorado Labor Action committee.

According to campaign finance reports, Colorado Labor Action spent roughly $28,400 on mailers supporting Jackson between May 28 and June 10, as well as another almost $27,000 in June on mailers opposing Keke.

Fighting for a Better Aurora, linked to One Main Street, spent roughly $97,400 on advertisements supporting Keke and opposing Jackson between May 28 and June 10, according to state TRACER campaign expenditure records. In addition, almost $24,000 was spent on mailers reported after that.

The advertisements drew condemnation from both candidates for including misinformation and one mailer even garnered an allegation that it relied on racist tropes.

The first round of election results show Jackson leading with 55% of the vote to Keke’s 45%. So far, 18.6% of votes are counted.

Jackson is a Denver native who moved to Aurora in 2010. She is the founder and CEO of Premier Senior Support, and she was appointed to represent House District 41 in 2025 through a vacancy committee.

Keke, an immigrant from Côte d’Ivoire, has lived in Aurora since 2001 and is an instructor of career readiness for Colorado Early Colleges with a background in criminal justice. She currently serves on the Aurora Public Schools Board of Education.

Some of Jackson’s policy priorities include mental health and substance use treatment, affordability, protections for elders, and criminal and juvenile justice reform. During her time in office so far, Jackson has passed legislation to expand healthcare access and substance use treatment, as well as remove court costs for juveniles.

During the primary, Jackson drew questions for her time working for a contractor for the GEO Group, which owns private prisons and immigration detention centers. Jackson worked in re-entry services for the GEO contractor from 2014 to 2021.

Jackson said her time there gave her perspective on the importance of offering resources to people who were incarcerated. She added that she had no involvement or knowledge of the conditions in detention centers.

Jackson’s campaign pitch focused on her legislative experience and track record, including expanding healthcare access and substance use treatment, as well as removing court costs for juveniles.

For the general election in November, the winner of that race so far has no challengers.

Challenger Sarah Woodson appears to have won her race against incumbent Rep. Mandy Lindsay for the Democratic nomination to run for the House District 42 seat in November.

An early round of election results show Woodson with almost 68% of the vote, while Lindsay received 32%.

Lindsay was first appointed to represent House District 42 in 2022 through a vacancy committee. Lindsay has a background as a community organizer and legislative aide, as well as working in healthcare.

Woodson, who grew up in the district, is a community activist and founder of The Color of Cannabis, an organization focused on education, advocacy and policy initiatives related to social equity and small-business access. Woodson also owns a mobile cannabis lounge in Denver, the Cannabis Experience.

The priorities Woodson lists on her website include juvenile justice, education, mental health, housing, economic development and affordability.

In her time in office, Lindsay has passed more than 60 bills covering things like housing, healthcare, education and transportation. She has advocated for working families, education, affordable housing and criminal justice reform.

During the primary, Lindsay was the target of a significant amount of dark money advertising opposing her campaign and drawing voters’ attention to an ethics complaint made against her.

In May, a House Ethics Committee found that Lindsay likely violated ethical guidelines by mismanaging Democratic House caucus funds. The committee hasn’t determined if Lindsay, the caucus co-chair, is guilty and didn’t find any criminal behavior.

For the general election in November, the winner of the race would so far not face a challenger.

State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer at a GOP candidate debate. AP PHOTO
Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Attorney General Phil Weiser. AP PHOTO
Sen. Michael Bennet AP PHOTO
Sen. John Hickenlooper AP PHOTO

Editorials

November candidates need to tell voters how they’ll stop Trump

Now that the Colorado Primary Election is in the rear-view mirror and party candidates are reshaping their campaigns for November, Job One for almost every candidate is to explain to voters how they would right the U.S. government ship that President Donald Trump has run aground.

Any candidate for Congress, governor or even county commissioner who stands firm behind the endless string of catastrophes and blunders Trump and his astonishing cabinet of misfits and incompetent posers have inflicted on the nation should be disqualified by any cogent voter.

For the past two years, Colorado and the other states have been subjected to a cacophony of distortions and outright lies hurled by Trump and his minions in a failed attempt to gaslight the nation, and the world, into believing it isn’t all that bad.

Just this week, if not for the truly conservative and logical tenor of five members of the Supreme Court — three of them usually dubbed “liberals” — the nation would have been thrown into instant turmoil if the court had backed Trump’s ludicrous attack on the 14th Amendment and birthright citizenship.

Even as the high court was preparing to unveil its decision in the case, Trump and his compliant Vice President JD Vance were lying to Americans about the issue. Both repeatedly have said that the United States is the only nation that allows for birthright citizenship, when, in fact, more than 30 other nations do, including Canada and Mexico.

But the sheer misery and treachery inflicted by Trump began the day he was sworn back into office. Job One for Trump was pardoning more than 1,200 convicted anarchists and insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, injuring police officers and destroying Capitol property as they went.

From that moment on, Trump has fashioned his obsession with revenge and disdain for people of color, and especially non-white immigrants, into a bludgeon that has set American progress back generations.

The United States is quickly becoming a tattered shell of the world power it once was, and we are all in great danger because of it.

Obsessed with gilt and ornamentation, Trump ignores the burgeoning financial disaster in the making, created by upside-down budget cuts and exorbitant spending, a determination to accelerate climate change rather than address it, and a nonsensical and repeatedly debunked fascination with tariffs, eating at the American economy like a cancer.

Although his untenable, unethical and nonsensical war on immigrants has myriad detrimental effects on every level and corner of the nation, the building catastrophe can’t stay in the headlines when Trump wastes hundreds of billions of dollars on a needless and losing war with Iran.

Even more dangerous right now is Trump’s obsession with the socalled SAVE Act, which feeds into his deep-seated delusion that he was cheated out of the 2020 presidential election, rather than face the truth that voters were smart enough then to cut ties with the losses the nation incurred from his first presidency.

The list of wrongs against this nation is astonishingly long and egregious. From inflicting incompetent and corrupt toadies on the nation posing as cabinet members, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem and Tulsi Gabbard, Trump has worked to undermine and seriously debilitate the U.S. military, the nation’s once superior medical science infrastructure, a once honest department of justice and even the nation’s Department of Education.

While voters should expect to hear November candidates offer ideas and plans to improve the lives of all Americans, the priority must be how each candidate plans to first contain the rogue president and his accomplices, and how Congress and other divisions of state, local and national governments can, and will, reverse the damage. Without doubt, holding Trump and his gang accountable for the growing list of lawless and often criminal behavior is important. Another impeachment vote, however, without a strong conviction in the Senate, will be just another Trump distraction.

Voters in Aurora, across the state, and across the nation need more than promises to vote for legislation that seems reasonable and to fight the administration with harsh words. Voters want to know for certain that the next members of the Colorado congressional delegation will not whimper, fold or shrug the next time Trump bullies his way through the Capitol, threatening harsh words in all capitals on his social media channel or to “primary” any Republican who doesn’t do his incompetent bidding.

Corruption in Adams, Arapahoe County elections linked to One Main Street

When I was first elected to serve as an Adams County Commissioner in 2012, I ran to root out corruption. Things had gotten really bad here, to the point that nearly every Sunday there was a story in the newspaper about a new scandal erupting. Cronyism and nepotism had become commonplace, and it was in this era that our county earned the nickname “the New Jersey of Colorado politics”.

One of the most infamous of those scandals involved Quality Paving. As a part of that criminal enterprise, Adams County Commissioners took a bribe for granting the company a no-bid contract for a road project. And despite the company taking millions of dollars for a road project from Adams County taxpayers, the roads never got built. Our anti-corruption District Attorney at the time, Don Quick, wanted to prosecute them but turned the case over to the Republican DA in Jefferson County, to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.

So, what did those unethical Commissioners do? They switched parties to become Republicans, and the JeffCo DA never charged them.

As a community organizer who worked on healthcare reform and other progressive issues, I had never envisioned myself running for elected office. But in seeing all this corruption take over our county, I felt compelled to at least try. And I wasn’t alone – we recruited a union leader to run with me to challenge the status quo, too.

Together, the two of us ousted corrupt incumbents and got right to work rooting the graft out of Adams County government. Along the way, we took on many corporate special interests to do so: oil & gas operators who wanted to exploit and harm our communities without consequence, developers who wanted to grease palms with free trips to Vegas, and expensive dinners.

We fought hard to make our county government serve the people instead of corporate profits. And we got attacked for it, often, by the moneyed interests that preferred the previous corrupt status quo. But we persevered, with the good people of Adams County at our backs, and we changed a lot for the better.

Now, though, I am seeing corruption try to work its way back in. Corporate dark money groups, revealed to be funded in large part by Chevron and other oil & gas interests, are spending big money on mailers and ads to try to influence an Adams County Commission race. And, not so coincidental-

ly, they’re spending that money to promote a relatively unknown candidate against the son of the anti-corruption DA I once served with. It’s no surprise they’d want to spend heavily to try to keep Tyler Quick out of office, because he inherited his father’s commitment to an ethical government that serves the people, not corporate profits.

But this race is not alone: the scandal-plagued One Main Street and other corporate dark money groups are funnelling literally millions of dollars into eleven different races with competitive Democratic primaries in the state legislature, Adams County Commission, and Arapahoe County Commission. They’re promoting their preferred “pro-business” candidates and attacking the grassroots candidates who refuse to accept corporate PAC money. The two incumbents they’re backing are already charged with ethics violations for taking illegal gifts from – you guessed it – One Main Street. And they’re working through at least eight different committees to hide the fact that this is corporate money flooding these races, all with innocuous names like “Promoting Progressive Women” and “Blue Collar Progressives”.

The good news is that we, as voters, have the opportunity to reject their attempts to influence who governs us and instead choose a different direction – just as Adams County voters did in 2012. I am encouraged to see a new generation of leaders that have stepped up to answer the call, and who are running for the state legislature to fight for everyday Coloradans and to take on the nonsense that big corporate money has brought to our state capitol.

I hope you’ll join me in saying enough is enough. The true question in this election for any candidate should be: do you stand with the people, and against corruption? Do you think our government belongs to us, or just those who can write the biggest checks to fund huge dark money operations?

Anyone who answers those questions wrong, whether in word or deed, simply doesn’t deserve to be in office. Colorado is not New Jersey, and our elected officials need to be accountable to us, not corporate interests.

Eva Henry served on the Adams County Commission from 2012-2024. She lives in Thornton

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S.

Case No. 2026PR311

Estate of Deborah H. Foreman, Deceased.

All persons are required to present them to the

Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before November 1, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Randall Foreman Personal Representative 4400 S. Quebec St., #R107 Denver, CO 80237

First Publication: June 18, 2026

Final Publication: July 2, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S.

Case No. 2026PR325

Estate of Lance Steven Edward York, Deceased.

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before October 22, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Christine York Personal Representative 1622 Papago Dr. Chino Valley, AZ 86323

First Publication: July 2, 2026

Final Publication: July 16, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2026PR30523

Estate of Jennifer Lee Cole aka Jennifer L. Cole

aka Jennifer Cole, Deceased.

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before November 5, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

Attorney for Co-Personal Representatives, Scott Gelman 8480 E. Orchard Rd., Ste. 5000 Greenwood Village, CO 80111

First Publication: July 2, 2026

Final Publication: July 16, 2026 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR575

Estate of Binh Minh Thi Nguyen, Deceased. All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before October 31, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

Nguyen Personal Representative 10278 Quivas St., Unit 6 Thornton, CO 80260

First Publication: June 25, 2026

Final Publication: July 9, 2026

Sentinel

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF AN ADULT ARAPAHOE COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 2026CV199<\#13>/B>

PUBLIC NOTICE is given on June 1, 2026, that a Petition was filed for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Arapa-hoe County Court.

The Petition en-tered that the name of Grace Michelle Behrend be changed to Grace Michelle Skye.

/s/ Clerk of Court/ Deputy Clerk

First Publication: June 25, 2026

Final Publication: July 9, 2026

Sentinel

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION OF CHANGE OF NAME OF AN ADULT

ARAPAHOE COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 2026C100537

PUBLIC NOTICE is given on June 15, 2026, that a Petition was filed for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Arapahoe County Court.

The Petition en-tered that the name of Trevor Thomas Guerin changed to Thomas DiAngelo.

/s/ Judge

First Publication: July 2, 2026

Final Publication: July 16, 2026 Sentinel

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF AN ADULT ARAPAHOE COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 2026C40127

PUBLIC NOTICE is given on May 22, 2026, that a Petition was filed for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Arapa-hoe County Court.

The Petition en-tered that the name of Gina Ann Marshall be changed to Gina Ann Matthews.

/s/ Clerk of Court/ Deputy Clerk

First Publication: June 18, 2026

Final Publication: July 2, 2026 Sentinel

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF A MINOR ARAPAHOE COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 2026C100449

PUBLIC NOTICE is given on June 5, 2026, that a Petition was filed for a Change of Name of a Minor has been filed with the Arapa-hoe County Court.

The Petition en-tered that the name of Justice Marie Rollerson-Hamilton be changed to Justice Marie Darden-Rollerson.

/s/ Clerk of Court/ Deputy Clerk

First Publication: June 18, 2026

Final Publication: July 2, 2026

Sentinel

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF AN ADULT ADAMS COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 2026CV1153

PUBLIC NOTICE is given on June 2, 2026, that a Petition was filed for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Adams County Court.

The Petition en-tered that the name of Demash Chernet Airgano changed to Baker Chernet Airgano.

/s/ Judge

First Publication: June 25, 2026

Final Publication: July 9, 2026 Sentinel

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME OF AN ADULT ARAPAHOE COUNTY COURT, COLORADO Case No. 2026C100515

PUBLIC NOTICE is given on June 10, 2026, that a Petition was filed for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Arapahoe County Court.

The Petition en-tered that the name of Kathleen Rae Panek changed to Kathleen Lucille Rae Panek.

/s/ Judge

First Publication: July 2, 2026

Final Publication: July 16, 2026 Sentinel

DISTRICT COURT, ARAPAHOE COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO CONSOLIDATED NOTICE OF PUBLICATION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT IN THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS FILED IN THIS COURT UNDER THE “UNIFORM DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE” AND “UNIFORM CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION” ACTS, due diligence has been used to

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