Brittany Pettersen

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Fremont County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Department of Transportation (DOT) for their lifesaving work to keep roads clear and restore power during a record-breaking winter storm in March of 2024. This harsh winter storm brought over thirteen inches of snow and caused major power outages throughout the county. Staff from the Fremont County Office of Emergency Management, led by Emergency Manager Mykel Kroll, and the Fremont County Department of Transportation, led by Director Mike Whitt, worked overtime and over weekends throughout inclement weather conditions to clear roadways and restore traffic to over 700 miles of mountainous roadways in the county. Together, they freed an elderly woman who had been trapped in her car by the snow, secured housing for a family who were victims of a fire, restored power to a residential care facility in Florence, rescued a man caught in his vehicle after an avalanche, and helped maintain power for a family with a young child who relies on a supplemental oxygen supply. Under some of the most extreme conditions possible, Fremont County OEM and DOT did an exemplary job of saving lives and serving our community during this storm. On behalf of the people of Colorado's Seventh Congressional District, it is my honor to recognize Fremont County Office of Emergency Management and Department of Transportation for their outstanding work and service to our communities.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Seraphine Pasaribu for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Seraphine has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Seraphine, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Seraphine's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Seraphine Pasaribu on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gabriel Price for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Gabriel has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Gabriel, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Gabriel's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Gabriel Price on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Danna Orozco Hernandez for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Danna has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Danna, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Danna's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Danna Orozco Hernandez on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Eliana Romero- Yeatts for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Eliana has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Eliana, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Eliana's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Eliana Romero-Yeatts on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Itzelth Robles for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Itzelth has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Itzelth, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Itzelth's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Itzelth Robles on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Joelys Rivera for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Joelys has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Joelys, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Joelys's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Joelys Rivera on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Faith Perez for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Faith has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Faith, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Faith's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Faith Perez on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kayra Rodas for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Kayra has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Kayra, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Kayra's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Kayra Rodas on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Vanassa Alex Radcliffe for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Vanassa has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Vanassa, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Vanassa's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Vanassa Alex Radcliffe on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Destiny Orozco Uribe for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Destiny has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Destiny, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Destiny's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Destiny Orozco Uribe on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tierra Marquez for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Tierra has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Tierra, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Tierra's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Tierra Marquez on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Special District Grant Accessibility Act, and I thank my colleague, Representative Fallon, for his leadership and bipartisan collaboration on this bill. I also thank the advocates who raised this concern with our office and give a huge shout-out to my team for doing the work to get it to this point. Special districts are local governments that are created by the people for a community to deliver specialized services. There are 35,000 special districts across the country, and this includes providing services ranging from drinking water and wastewater management to healthcare, transit, natural resource conservation, and much more. This bipartisan bill will ensure Federal policies better reflect the complexities of local government by creating a Federal definition. I didn't realize that there were so many barriers at the local level to actually drawing down those Federal funds when it comes to community block grants, childcare services, and even transportation needs. We also saw significant barriers when it came to the pandemic and the ARPA funding that was going down to help support communities through that difficult time. We know that this is a very important and small step forward, but it is going to make a big difference for people across Colorado and the Nation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dezire Miller for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Dezire has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Dezire, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Dezire's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Dezire Miller on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Te'Aira Nutter for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Te'Aira has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Te'Aira, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Te'Aira's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Te'Aira Nutter on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tea Martinez for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Tea has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Tea, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Tea's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Tea Martinez on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Eden Rayne Nehls for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Eden has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Eden, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Eden's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Eden Rayne Nehls on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Shyanna Martinez for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Shyanna has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Shyanna, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Shyanna's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Shyanna Martinez on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brandon Munoz- Ortega for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Brandon has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Brandon, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Brandon's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Brandon Munoz-Ortega on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Anthony Munos- Hinton for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Anthony has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Anthony, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Anthony's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Anthony Munos-Hinton on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Summer Lustig for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Summer has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Summer, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Summer's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Summer Lustig on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Isabel Orozco for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Isabel has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Isabel, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Isabel's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Isabel Orozco on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Roman Figueroa Beltran for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Roman has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Roman, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Roman's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Roman Figueroa Beltran on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brody Hafer for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Brody has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Brody, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Brody's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Brody Hafer on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jessica Lozano for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Jessica has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Jessica, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Jessica's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Jessica Lozano on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.