Colorado
CDHS Recognizes Five Colorado Adoptive Families in Celebration of National Adoption Month

Adoptive households wanted in each neighborhood in Colorado
DENVER, Nov. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — In celebration of Nationwide Adoption Month in November and to encourage extra Coloradans to contemplate adoption from foster care, the Colorado Division of Human Providers (CDHS) acknowledged 5 distinctive adoptive households from throughout the state in an occasion on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Saturday.
“The 5 households we rejoice this month exhibit the facility of unconditional love and help that helps children thrive,” stated Michelle Barnes, Govt Director of CDHS. “This yr we’re celebrating a number of households who’ve adopted relations and kids they know by kinship care.”
Since January 2022, 475 Colorado kids and youth in foster care have been adopted in Colorado. Presently there are 408 Colorado kids and youth who’re ready for a household. Most youngsters and youth who’re adopted from foster care are adopted by their foster mother and father.
Each Colorado neighborhood wants adoptive and foster mother and father, particularly households who’re keen to care for youngsters with complicated behavioral and psychological well being wants, sibling teams and kids whose first language is just not English. Foster mother and father have to be at the very least 21 years outdated and be capable to present a protected, loving and secure household atmosphere. There aren’t any limitations primarily based on earnings, race, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation, gender identification or gender expression.
“We all know that individuals are interested in foster care and adoption and wish to know extra in regards to the course of,” stated Minna Castillo Cohen, director of the CDHS Workplace of Kids, Youth and Households. “By sharing their tales in our public consciousness marketing campaign, these 5 households will assist us encourage others to help kids and youth who want foster or kinship care.”
The 5 households being acknowledged for Nationwide Adoption Month are:
Eric and Keshian Holcomb from Campo (licensed by Otero County DHS)
In 2021, first-time foster mother and father Eric and Keshian went from having by no means been mother and father to being mother and father to 2 boys. Quickly after assembly Chazwick, now 12, they’d a powerful bond and needed to supply the permanency he wanted. Shortly after assembly Chazwick, Eric and Keshian obtained a name about one other little boy named Austin, now three years outdated, who wanted a house. The boys moved into the Holcomb’s house collectively in July 2021. Austin and Chazwick rapidly developed a detailed sibling bond. Each boys had been adopted by Eric and Keshian on Feb. 22, 2022. The household enjoys spending time collectively tenting, fishing, driving four-wheelers, and being lively members of their close-knit neighborhood.
Elisa and Evan Hopper from Colorado Springs (licensed by Children Crossing)
Elisa and Evan first met their daughter by a foster household at their church in 2020. Elisa had briefly offered foster care beforehand, however Evan had not. They rapidly began the method of getting licensed as foster mother and father and discovered all the things they might about Belief-Primarily based Relational Intervention (TBRI) with the intention to assist them higher perceive their daughter’s distinctive challenges and create an atmosphere of security and connection. Elisa and Evan adopted their daughter, now 10 years outdated, in March 2021 and she or he has thrived with a neighborhood of execs and prolonged household who fashioned a loving neighborhood round her. The household additionally supplies respite care to different kids and youth in foster care of their neighborhood.
Joe and Rebecca Humenansky from Littleton (licensed by Hope and Dwelling)
Joe and Rebecca already had 4 kids after they turned foster mother and father 5 years in the past. They needed to be a help to organic households and supply a short lived protected place for youngsters and youth to heal. Since 2017, they’ve offered short- and long-term look after 48 kids and youth, and have additionally adopted 4 kids and youth and proceed to supply foster care. They at present have 10 kids and youth aged 4 to 19 of their house. Regardless of their busy schedules, Joe and Rebecca find time for all of their kids to have one-on-one time with them and be certain that the youngsters they’ve adopted even have common contact with vital, protected individuals of their lives.
Dylan and Taylor Ledford from Del Norte (licensed by Weld County)
Dylan and Taylor had been elementary college academics in Greeley when Dylan made a reference to three of 4 siblings at his college who had been in foster care. When Dylan and Taylor moved to Del Norte in 2020, they stayed in contact with the children and opened up their house when a everlasting place was wanted for the sibling group. The couple rapidly bought licensed as foster mother and father with Weld County and the sibling group of 4 moved in with them in October of 2020. Now ages 12 to 16, Dylan and Taylor adopted the sibling group in a digital ceremony in November of 2021. They take pleasure in spending time collectively at house and touring collectively as a household.
Kimberly and William Murray from Denver (licensed with El Paso County Kinship Foster Care)
In 2019, when Kimberly and William’s granddaughter was just a few months outdated, she confronted extreme accidents and wanted round the clock care and a protected place to go, so that they opened their house. Kimberly and William additionally had been granted custody of a second youngster, her sister, in 2020 when she was just a few days outdated. Kimberly was transitioning into her profession as an Early Childhood educator however determined to dedicate herself to caring for her grandchildren. Kimberly obtained her CNA license and began a non-profit group, The Shaylee Basis, which brings consciousness to foster kinship care and youngster maltreatment. Kimberly and William legally adopted their granddaughters right into a loving house a day after Williams’s birthday in August 2022 after overcoming many challenges. Just a few weeks later, they had been referred to as upon by Arapahoe County to care for his or her 15 year-old niece, who lately joined the household.
The Colorado Division of Human Providers CO4Kids marketing campaign encourages all Coloradans to strengthen households and communities. For details about easy methods to turn out to be a foster or adoptive dad or mum, go to CO4Kids.org.
Contact:
Madlynn Ruble, Deputy Director of Communications
Colorado Division of Human Providers
303-866-3411
[email protected]
SOURCE Colorado Division of Human Providers

Colorado
Horny Deer At Risk Of Getting Tangled In Christmas Lights, Colorado Officials Warn

An unfortunate combination of the deer mating season and holiday festivities has seen Colorado officials put out a reminder to decorate with wildlife in mind, after receiving an uptick in calls about bucks getting stuck.
The deer mating season – known as the rut – begins in the fall and typically continues through to late December. During this time, it’s particularly common to see bucks get their antlers tangled up in all kinds of common backyard features, from soccer goal nets and swing sets to wire cages and hoses.
According to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), in the last month in Durango, wildlife officers have had to free multiple bucks caught in such circumstances – and callouts may only be set to increase as people start putting up holiday decorations on and outside their houses.
“Our wildlife officers respond to calls every year of deer stuck in various netting and holiday decorations,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta in the statement.
It’s not just sexual frustration that the stuck bucks are at risk of either. “In some cases, these hazards prevent the deer from being able to eat and breathe,” explained Archuleta. “Additionally, this causes high levels of stress on the animal and can lead to fatality.”
To try and avoid such incidents, CPW have set out some advice for decorating with deer in mind.
This includes not draping decorations such as lights loosely in places like shrubbery or tree trunks; bucks like to sharpen their antlers on the latter, providing a prime opportunity to get tangled up. Similarly, it’s recommended to avoid stringing decorations between trees and bushes.
Instead, officials suggest popping decorations up at least 2.4 meters (8 feet) off the ground and ensuring that they are firmly attached to structures.
However, in the unfortunate circumstance that someone does find a deer tangled up, the best course of action is to let the experts tackle the problem – approaching a stressed buck, particularly during mating season, is not a sensible idea.
“When deer do become entangled, it is important for the public to call their closest CPW office quickly with location information,” said Archuleta. “People should never try to free deer of these hazards themselves because of the serious risk of injury that can be caused by antlers and hooves.”
And if you’re out on a post-festive dinner dog walk, it’s a good idea to keep your pooch pal on their leash, too. In November and December, CPW also received several reports of attacks involving deer and dogs.
“During the rut, bucks persistently pursue does to mate,” CPW explained in a statement. “They can view any animal, like pets, as a threat to their chance for reproduction and are known to attack perceived threats.”
Colorado
NFL Scouts Leaning CB For Colorado's Travis Hunter

The 2024 college football season was one full of novelty, highlighted by the Heisman Trophy being awarded to a non-quarterback for the first time since 2020 (Devonta Smith) and a player who played significant snaps on the defensive side of the ball for the first time since 1997 (Charles Woodson). Colorado prospect Travis Hunter exudes novelty as a player who played nearly equal time on both offense and defense, leading NFL scouts to debate which side of the ball he’ll play on in the NFL.
Hunter’s playing on both sides was not just a novelty, though; it was a dominant display of versatility. He played 709 snaps on offense, grading out as the team’s second-best player on that side of the ball, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), behind only presumed top draft pick quarterback Shedeur Sanders. His 85.3 PFF grade on offense graded out as the eighth-best score for a receiver in the NCAA this year. That wasn’t his best side of the ball, though. With 713 snaps on defense, Hunter graded out as the Buffaloes’ best defensive player by a good amount and also graded as the nation’s second-best cornerback.
He leaves college football as the first player in college football history to win both the Chuck Bednarik Award for the nation’s best defensive player and the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best wide receiver. Those, along with the Heisman, are just three of several awards crowding Hunter’s shelf from the 2024 season.
The NFL will be a different story for Hunter. In Boulder, coaches knew that, because of the heightened load of playing on both offense and defense on Saturdays, Hunter needed a lightened load in practice during the week. It was also impossible for Hunter to attend both offensive and defensive meetings (as well as broken-down meetings with individual position groups) simultaneously, so he had to budget his time between meetings.
Once he’s in the NFL, that won’t fly. The jump from college to professional football often presents a giant learning curve for rookies. Hunter will most likely have his plate full getting up to speed in practices and meetings for one position, let alone both. So, the question arises: which side will be the focus for Hunter in the NFL? In order to make that decision, scouts must confront another question: on which side of the ball does Hunter have the greatest chance to be a top-shelf player and add the most value to his team?
The resounding answer from scouts, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, has been cornerback. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports spoke with 13 NFL general managers who agreed with Breer’s scouts, as 12 GMs claimed their preference was on defense. While it’s been a long time, this situation isn’t totally without precedent. Woodson, Champ Bailey, and Chris Gamble were all full-time, two-way players in college (Woodson less so), and all three became defensive backs at the next level.
Both scouts and GMs asserted that, though his primary position should be cornerback, they would certainly find packages in which to utilize his elite ball skills on offense. Likely this would be in third down and passing down situations. They could also utilize his playmaking ability on special teams in the return game, as well. A true shutdown cornerback can be harder to find and can be more impactful than a top receiver, though, so defense will likely be the early focus as Hunter adjusts to the NFL-level of play.
Now, with those questions answered, the next question of his draft stock arises. While viewed as an elite player at both positions in college, he’s likely not viewed as the top draft prospect at either position, per Breer. Players like Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and Michigan cornerback Will Johnson have been trending ahead of Hunter at both positions in early draft board rankings.
What will this mean for Hunter’s draft stock? Does his potential to impact both sides of the ball raise his value as a draft prospect? Or do teams in need of a wide receiver or cornerback target players like McMillan or Johnson before Hunter? The Colorado athlete is likely guaranteed to hear his name on the first night of the draft, but the answers to the above questions will determine where exactly he falls in the first round and just how much money he’ll get on his rookie contract as a result.
Colorado
Wicked wind will whip overnight in Colorado’s foothills and parts of the mountains

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