1-Color
March 27, 2014
Free Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 11, Issue 52 A publication of
castlerocknewspress.net
Jail expanding into the future Medical building has focus on mental health, drug issues By Hannah Garcia
hgarcia@coloradocommunitymedia. com With completion set for later this year, Douglas County is busy finishing up remodeling and expansion projects for its jail. The implementation of a medical services building is one of the more significant additions to the detention facility in Castle Rock, a response to a rising population of inmates with mental illness, medical needs and drug addictions. “If they end up here, and we can’t help them, they get out and do it again,” said Holly Nicholson-Kluth, administrative services bureau chief for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. On March 11, county commissioners approved funds totaling $136,727.54 for the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center medical building network equipment and book-
ing area remodeling projects. The whole venture is projected to cost $25 million and is on schedule, according to the DCSO. The entire expansion project began in August 2012. The expansion project also includes a parking garage, which was completed in November, to ease overcrowding in the front court lots and reduce safety issues with police vehicles. The county is also remodeling facilities, like cells and showers, to be more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The new medical building will include new beds and dorms for inmates on suicide watch, an ambulance port, hospital beds and exam rooms, dental care facilities, mental health resources and glass barriers for better line of sight, according to building plans. It is expected to be complete in June, Nicholson-Kluth said. Once completed, the new facility will cut down on funds and safety issues that accompany bringing an inmate to a hospital, Jail continues on Page 8
A construction worker uses an excavator to move dirt on March 20 outside of the site of the county jail’s new medical facility, which is due to be finished in June. Photo by Hannah Garcia
Email spurs questions in council race Candidate’s endorsement list heavy on GOP references By Virginia Grantier
vgrantier@coloradocommunitymedia. com
Castle Rock Girl Scouts from Troop 2518, who thought up the idea of naming a state cactus, were successful in getting lawmakers to pass a bill recently. Helping the effort: They brought homemade “cactus” cupcakes, like the one given to Gov. John Hickenlooper. Courtesy photo
Girl Scouts’ prickly idea wins at Capitol It’s a rap: Rep. Murray takes center stage for state cactus By Virginia Grantier
vgrantier@coloradocommunitymedia. com A 6-inch-tall cactus was the reason why state Rep. Carole Murray — a longtime conservative who usually focuses on education reform and other titanic issues — was up in the middle of the night recently penning an ode to the cactus and turning it into a rap
song. To percussive, strongbeat accompaniment, it started off like this: “Those girls from the ‘Rock’ just came to me and said, `Hey, Rep. Murray, this can’t be…’” “It literally came to me Murray in the middle of the night,” Murray said in a recent interview about her lyrics. The “girls,” are Girl Scouts, the “Rock” is Castle Rock, and all this was an effort that
the four scouts in Troop 2518 started, and Murray supported, to get the claret cup cactus named the state cactus. Murray performed her piece Jan. 31, with prepared music, on third reading — which is typically staid and formal, she said. It was part of her attempt to get fellow lawmakers to vote for bill HB14-1024, designating as the state cactus this particular plant that has large reddish-orange flowers that are loved by hummingbirds, and is edible. It also has a spineless version, and it’s
George Teal is running for a Castle Rock Town Council seat in District 6, a nonpartisan race with two other candidates — David Hickey and Matt Werner. But Teal has sent out a long list of the people endorsing him, which include Douglas County GOP Chairman Craig Steiner, Douglas County GOP Treasurer Ed Brewer, Douglas County GOP District Captain Dave Gill, several other GOP leaders and Margo Knutson, who puts on Coffee 4 Conservatives events. In a March 14 email sent out by GOP leadership, people are asked to contact Knutson: “Recently, the members of the Castle Rock Town Council stood strong for the 2nd Amendment rights of its citizens, businesspeople, and visitors. Now, they are running for re-election. “If you’re willing to defend our 2nd Amendment rights by helping its strong supporters get elected and re-elected, please contact Margo Knutson at margoknutson@gmail.com.” Treasurer Ed Brewer said in a March 21 interview that Hickey — running against a person Knutson had endorsed, Teal — had a problem with that email and contacted Steiner about it. Brewer said he doesn’t know the outcome of that conversation, but said he personally doesn’t have a problem with the
Capitol continues on Page 8
Race continues on Page 8
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