Centennial Citizen 0716

July 16, 2020

$1.00

An edition of the Littleton Independent A publication of

VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 31

Trial set in death of Centennial student But lawyers are battling over evidence, procedure

A member of the Spice Trade Brewing team handed out tasters at the 2019 Centennial Brew-N-Que. The event was canceled this year because of coronavirus concerns.

COURTESY OF CITY OF CENTENNIAL

masks, and those who don’t comply could have their business licenses suspended or revoked.

The order in response to COVID-19 was approved July 8 by the TriCounty Health Department Board of Health, the agency that oversees Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

One of the four people suspected of driving to the home of a Cherokee Trail High School student in an incident that ended with the student’s death could see trial as early as December.

But attorneys were still battling over what evidence can be presented at trial and how the case will proceed.

A July 7 hearing centered largely on whether the suspect, 18-year-old Kenneth Alfonso Gallegos, knew he and his mother were being listened to in a police interview room after the May 2019 fatal shooting of 18-year-old Lloyd Alvin Chavez IV in east Centennial.

Gallegos has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree felony murder.

Gallegos and his co-defendants were accused of involvement in the shooting that occurred during what was planned as a robbery of vaping products Chavez sold, according to arrest affidavits.

After the incident, Gallegos’ mother, Stephania Gallegos, and her husband were taken to an interview room once they got to a law enforcement building, according to the mother’s testimony at the July 7 hearing in Arapahoe County District Court.

SEE BUSINESSES, P4

SEE TRIAL, P16

A summer of canceled events in Centennial But city held first-ever drive-in movie event

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Summer and early spring are typically time for a long train of

outdoor events in Centennial, but three of those gatherings already have been canceled, and the fate of two more in September is unclear.

Live music and food trucks at Centennial Center Park are a tradition in the city, and 2020 would have been the year for the city’s fifth annual Brew-N-Que with local

barbecue and breweries for beertasting, the 15th annual Centennial Under the Stars concert and laserlight show, and a May 30 Summer Kickoff event.

But they were canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic, and there may be more scratches ahead.

SEE EVENTS, P8

Businesses told to refuse customers without masks Tri-County will attempt to seek voluntary compliance

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The public health agency for Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties will require masks in public indoor

MORE ON MASKS More coverage of the Tri-County Health mask order on Pages 4, 5, 10 and 11. spaces, and outdoors where people can’t remain 6 feet away from others, beginning July 24, but the order includes a long list of exceptions.

It also requires businesses to refuse customers who aren’t wearing

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | SPORTS: PAGE 23

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

POOLS REOPEN AMID PANDEMIC PERIODICAL

But COVID-19 concerns limit pool capacities and have delayed some improvement projects P14

2 Centennial Citizen

July 16, 2020J

Polis urges ‘summer without parties’ ‘Wear a damn mask,’ governor tells Coloradans

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On the heels of more data showing COVID-19 on the rise in his state, Gov. Jared Polis still scraped up a hopeful if worried tone in pushing Coloradans to turn the trajectory around.

And he kept up the baseball metaphor he has used to convey where Coloradans stand — but this time he cast them as losing their grip on the game.

“We’re in the sixth inning, and we’re actually down by a run here to the virus,” Polis said at a July 9 news conference. “It’s 6-5, the virus is beating us, but we’ve got runners on the corners and no outs. So, you know, we’re not down 10-to-zero like they are in Texas or Arizona. We’re down, and we just need to play ball here.”

Clinging to the hope that Colorado won’t end up with a dire spike of COVID-19 like those two states — which have pointed to socializing at bars and nightclubs as a major source of their recent outbreaks — Polis pushed

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis addresses attendees of a bill signing ceremony in Englewood on July 10.

CHRISTY STEADMAN

for more mask-wearing but stopped short of saying he’d favor a mandate, again banking on public buy-in rather than leaning on tighter restrictions.

“If you’re somehow waiting to wear a mask until the governor tells you to, I hope you’ve heard that I’m telling you to. And if I haven’t been clear, I’m telling you to wear a mask: Wear a damn mask,” Polis said.

“If you’re somebody who wants to do the opposite of what the governor says, you should wear a mask because the data shows that that’s the best way to save a trillion dollars for our (country’s) economy, reduce unemployment, and protect your own life and the life of your loved ones.”

‘Don’t cost the economy’ Such was the amped-up and

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sometimes biting tone that colored Polis’ latest ask of Coloradans to turn the ship around on the pandemic.

Following an uptick in the state’s coronavirus’ spread since mid-June, Colorado’s “R naught” — the average number of infections generated by each COVID-19 case — is now above one, Polis said, meaning Colorado’s progress is reversing. If the number sits below one, the number of new

cases per day is declining.

The governor directly addressed Coloradans who are in their teens, 20s and 30s, remarking that “this is the summer of no parties” and suggesting they socialize by having a few friends over or going outdoors in a group.

To avoid more restrictions on people’s freedoms, young Coloradans may need to go without parties into the fall, too, he added.

“Don’t put your own life and the lives of your friends in jeopardy,” Polis said. “And if you don’t care about the lives of yourself and friends, please don’t cost the economy (a cut in activity) and jobs, even your own job.”

Under Colorado’s safer-athome phase of social distancing, gatherings of more than 10 people in public and private are prohibited, except in certain settings such as day camps and recreational sports teams. Houses of worship also may hold larger numbers of people with at least 6 feet between individuals or household groups.

Colorado’s uptick, like major spikes in other states, is largely among the younger demographic and may be attributable to bars and nightclubs and potentially to public protests, Polis has said.

SEE NO PARTIES, P5

Centennial Citizen 3

0July 16, 2020

Pro sports in the works in Colorado Back-to-School Telephone Town Hall Thursday, July 16 @ 7 p.m.

Officials from Arapahoe County school districts and the Tri-County Health Department will answer questions about the latest plans for the fall term.

Visit arapahoegov.com/townhall

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Help us plan for the future of Arapahoe County’s parks, trails and open spaces for the next decade and beyond. Take our online survey in English or Spanish until July 24, 2020. arapahoegov.com/osmasterplan

NO PARTIES FROM PAGE 4

Polis announced June 30 that Colorado was closing its bars and nightclubs, and the governor estimated bars are likely closed in 70% of the state. Due to local variations in social distancing rules that the state has granted, bars could remain open in some counties, and bars with fullservice kitchens or those that provide food from a neighboring restaurant or food truck were able to keep operating in general.

The governor still urged people over 65 to “take extraordinary measures” to protect themselves, citing his parents, who are in their 70s, continuing to stay home as an example.

Leaving masks local Asked why he’s leaving mask-wearing mandates to local leaders, Polis argued the state has “minimal ability” to enforce a mask order but said he hasn’t ruled it out as an option.

Coloradans shouldn’t just wear a mask for fear of a fine but should “wear one because you might save your life. You also might save your job.

You might save your stock portfolio.

You might keep your local businesses open,” Polis added.

Polis praised that more than half the state’s population, upwards of 60%, has a mask-wearing requirement in their local jurisdiction.

That figure was to change after Douglas County announced July 9 that it would move to opt out of its local health department’s mask mandate.

Despite the about-face in the pandemic’s trajectory in Colorado, the state moved ahead with allowing counties to move to its third phase of social distancing, the “protect our neighbors” framework.

The state on July 7 released a form to allow counties to apply to qualify for the new framework of social distancing, according to a news release by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The first two phases were the stay-at-home and current safer-at-home orders.

Once counties meet certain criteria, submit a plan to mitigate COVID-19

COVID community testing event STRIDE Community Health Center will be providing COVID-19 testing each Wednesday in July at Smoky Hill High School in Aurora.

Visit stridechc.org

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs two bills relating to alcohol sales on July 10 during a quick visit to Englewood.

CHRISTY STEADMAN surges and are approved by the state, they can permit activities at 50% of pre-pandemic capacity “across all sectors,” with at least 6 feet between non-household members and no more than 500 people in one setting, according to the state’s framework.

Because cases are increasing in many counties throughout the state, most will not yet be eligible to apply, according to the release.

Counties must submit letters of support from hospitals, local public health agency directors, county commissioners, sheriffs, police departments, mayors, emergency managers and, if applicable, local tribes.

They also must meet the following standards: • Stable or declining COVID-19 hospitalizations or fewer new cases in the past two weeks.

• The local public health agency’s ability to test 15 people per 10,000 residents per day and to conduct contact tracing for at least 85% of assigned cases within 24 hours, and strategies to offer testing to close contacts of outbreak-associated cases, among other planning.

• Hospital ability to meet needs of all patients and handle the surge in demand for intensive hospital care, including the capacity to manage a 20% surge in hospital admissions and patient transfers and having two weeks of personal protective equipment available).

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Advance Arapahoe deadline extended Arapahoe CARES is extending the application deadline for its Advance Arapahoe Business Impact Grants to August 1. Businesses in unincorporated parts of the County are being given priority consideration.

Visit arapahoegov.com/arapahoecares

arapahoegov.com

4 Centennial Citizen

July 16, 2020J

BUSINESSES FROM PAGE 1

Counties and municipalities can opt out of the order by July 23, and Douglas County’s elected leaders announced plans on July 9 to do so.

Where order applies Under the order, people must wear a face covering if they are: • Outdoors and unable to maintain a distance of 6 feet from those who are not members of their household.

• In any indoor location where members of the public are generally allowed.

• Waiting for, riding on, driving or operating public transportation or while in a taxi, private car service or ride-sharing vehicle.

• Obtaining health care services in settings such as a hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician or dental office, veterinary clinic, or blood bank.

It also applies when people are working — whether at a workplace or off-site — in the following contexts: • Interacting with any member of the public.

• Working in a space visited by members of the public.

• Working in a space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution.

• Working in or walking through common areas, or in an enclosed area where other people, except for the person’s household members, are present and unable to physically distance.

Businesses must refuse customers If an individual refuses to wear a mask for reasons not allowed under the

In a file photo, shoppers are seen inside the Alter’d State store at Park Meadows mall on May 24. PHOTO BY BRIAN WILLIE/ ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

order’s exceptions, a business or other publicly accessible facility is required to refuse entry, according to the order.

Any business open to the public that allows a person to enter or remain on the business’ premises without a mask “may be subject to the suspension or revocation of its license by the appropriate licensing authority as provided by law,” the order says.

Who is excepted The order lists the following exceptions to the mask-wearing requirement: • Individuals who cannot wear a face covering due to a medical condition, including respiratory issues that impede breathing, mental health conditions or disabilities.

• Those experiencing homelessness who cannot wear a face covering because it is not affordable or obtainable.

• Individuals for whom wearing a face covering while working would create an unsafe condition for operating equipment or executing a task as determined by local, state or federal regulations or workplace safety guidelines.

• People who would be unable to remove a face covering without assistance.

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Agency has been targeted before by threats, vandalism

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The chief of the Tri-County Health Department ordered the agency’s headquarters to close temporarily after police informed staff of a threat against the department’s building in Greenwood Village.

The agency administers public health services in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

The Greenwood Village Police Department informed health department officials of the threat in the evening of July 8. Officials closed the building at 6162 S. Willow Dr. July 9-10; it was open again July 13.

Officials did not disclose the specific nature of the threat or when it was made. Police later deemed the threat to be not credible.

Dr. John Douglas, the agency’s executive director, said the department previously received other threats directed at employees and the building has been vandalized multiple times. People have also staged protests outside the building.

The agency has stirred up contro-

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Enforcement of the order Tri-County Health will attempt to seek voluntary compliance “through education, technical assistance and warning notices,” the order says.

But any person who violates the order may be subject to legal penalties under state law. In addition, Tri-County may seek a court order to enforce the order, according to its text.

Members of the public can report suspected violations by contacting Tri-County at 303-220-9200.

“Please do not call 911 to report violations of this public health order,” the text says.

Tri-County Health closes offices following threat

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• Any child aged 2 years or younger must not wear a face covering. The order does not require that any child aged 5 years or younger wear a face covering, but parents are strongly encouraged to have their children between 2 and 5 wear a face covering in accordance with federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

• Individuals who are communicating with someone who is hearingimpaired or has another disability where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.

• Those who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which the temporary removal of the face covering is necessary.

• Individuals seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverages while they are eating or drinking, provided that they can stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of their household.

• People who are engaged in outdoor work or swimming, walking, hiking, bicycling, running or other forms of outdoor exercise when alone or with household members and when they are able to stay at least 6 feet from others.

• Those who are exercising in a gym

or fitness center are not required to wear a face covering when it is not physically possible or when actively exercising.

• A face covering is not required in a commercial or retail setting when a person is alone in a fully enclosed room. That individual must put on a face covering anywhere members of the public or coworkers are regularly present.

• Persons in businesses such as banks, financial institutions or other security-sensitive businesses who are requested to remove their face covering to verify their identity to carry out a transaction.

• Individuals who are incarcerated.

Prisons and jails will have specific guidance on wearing face coverings, the order says.

• Individuals in education settings, which will have specific guidance on wearing face coverings, the order says.

People are not required to have documentation to show that an exception applies. An employer may require documentation from an employee in accordance with state and federal law, the order says.

The headquarters of the Tri-County Health Department in Greenwood Village.

COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS STREET VIEW versy among some in its response to the COVID-19 crisis, including directives involving public mask wearing and staying at home. It is not known if the latest threat was related to the controversy.

Douglas said much of the vitriol has ramped up recently.

“I think it’s deeply — and I want to underscore deeply —disappointing, in the time of a pandemic, the divisiveness in this country,” Douglas said.

“The people on the frontlines responding to the pandemic are getting attacked. It’s clearly a minority, but a vocal minority.”

Centennial Citizen 5

0July 16, 2020

City council split on sticking with Tri-County mask order Officials must decide whether to opt out of order on masks in public

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The question of whether to go along with the Tri-County Health Department’s order for wearing masks in public has sparked an unusually impassioned discussion from the Centennial City Council, with a slight majority appearing to support opting out of the order.

Quoting Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, City Councilmember Don Sheehan said: “I don’t think there’s too many people sitting around waiting to wear a mask until there’s a piece of paper” that tells them to.

At the council’s July 13 work session — a meeting where proposals were up for discussion but not a vote — the debate partly centered around whether a mandate would convince more residents to wear a mask.

But the deeper and more contentious level of the conversation fell along the divide between putting faith in people’s personal responsibility and the effect that individual actions have on others in a pandemic that’s on the rise in Colorado.

“For me, it’s a matter of principle — it’s all about principle,” Councilmember Kathy Turley said, adding that she trusts the public.

Turley expressed skepticism the

health agency’s mandate could force people to comply and argued the city should “validate (people’s) responsible behavior because (they) do know better.”

Roughly 75% of people in Arapahoe County are estimated to wear masks in public, based on counts at stores by Tri-County Health, the local public health agency for Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

The agency on July 8 approved an order by a 5-4 vote to require masks in public indoor spaces, and outdoors where people can’t remain 6 feet away from others, beginning July 24. The order includes a long list of exceptions, including for disabilities and medical or mental health conditions.

It also requires businesses to refuse customers who aren’t wearing masks, and those who don’t comply could have their business licenses suspended or revoked.

Counties and municipalities can opt out of the order by July 23. Centennial’s council will vote whether to opt out on July 20.

Councilmembers Candace Moon, Marlo Alston, Mike Sutherland and Christine Sweetland voiced support for remaining under the mandate, and Councilmembers Sheehan, Richard Holt, Turley and Tammy Maurer were for opting out.

Less decided was Mayor Stephanie Piko, who said it doesn’t matter to her which way the council votes but wanted citizens to be able to weigh in more on the issue.

But Piko appeared to lean away from the order and wondered about

some actions the city could take to encourage mask-wearing if it opts out.

“No matter what we do,” Piko said, “somebody’s going to be really mad.

Disagreement on method Everyone on Centennial’s ninemember council affirmed the importance of masks, with some citing federal officials’ comments reflecting the growing consensus around mask-wearing in combatting COVID-19.

A person who goes out without a mask takes on “the responsibility of not only putting themselves in harm’s way of possibly contracting COVID-19, but they also could infect others,” Moon said. She noted: “There are many people out here who are asymptomatic but are carrying the COVID-19 virus.”

Alston and Sweetland chimed in on the role mask-wearing can play in the economy in allowing business to safely continue. The pandemic has leveled a “huge decrease in city revenues” in Centennial based on sales tax, Sweetland said.

Some councilmembers took issue with Tri-County’s proposed enforcement of the order having “no teeth,” as Holt put it. Others noted any person who violates the order may be subject a fine or jail time under state law, according to TriCounty.

However, Tri-County plans to focus on seeking voluntary compliance “through education, technical assistance and warning notices,”

the order says.

“But it’s not dissimilar to speed limits,” City Attorney Bob Widner said. “We know there’s not going to be a police officer on every street, but people (generally) follow speed limits.”

If people know the order won’t be aggressively enforced, though, people may not comply, Widner added.

Businesses in tough spot Councilmembers also traded arguments on whether the order would be helpful or harmful to businesses.

Any business open to the public that allows a person without an exemption on the business’ premises without a mask “may be subject to the suspension or revocation of its license by the appropriate licensing authority as provided by law,” the order says.

“So we’re forcing our businesses now, after they’ve been through pretty much hell after being closed,” to shoulder the burden of upholding the order, Sheehan said.

Said Holt: “If you’re leaving the enforcement to the barista at Starbucks or the greeter at Costco,” that’s problematic.

Sutherland had a different take: If the city opts out, businesses will be seen as “the bad guys” for enforcing their own in-house mask requirements. But if the city goes along with the order, he said, business owners can say, “‘There is a health order in place that says we are not to let people in without masks.’”

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6 Centennial Citizen

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Weekends on Main extended through July Al fresco dining on Main Street to continue; a dozen restaurants participating

BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Littleton is foregoing almost every summer event this year in efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, but Weekends on Main will carry on for a bit longer.

Weekends on Main, which allows al fresco dining on Main Street, was initially only scheduled through the first weekend SEE MAIN, P7

Restaurant patrons dine at the west end of Main Street.

DAVID GILBERT

RISING IN THE EAST. With the west side of our community nearly fully developed, RidgeGate is now expanding to the east side of I-25. Our community encompasses a total of 3,500 acres, or six square miles, on both sides. In the years ahead, you’ll see the new Lone Tree City Center become an energized mixed-use downtown for our region. Our multiple light rail stations will keep us connected to the greater metro area.

Three new residential villages and a regional park will come to life, with Shea Homes as the master homebuilder for the first neighborhoods in the Southwest Village. Along with the city center, two additional commercial districts will help to create upwards of 35,000 new jobs. Stay tuned as the future comes into view.

A more natural approach to urbanism. ridgegate.com

Centennial Citizen 7

0July 16, 2020

MAIN FROM PAGE 6

in July, but city staff extended it through at least the end of the month.

The concept helps extend seating limited by current restrictions on restaurants. A dozen downtown restaurants are participating, including Smokin Fins, McKinner’s Pizza Bar and Palenque.

“It’s really refreshing being out in the sunshine, breathing fresh air and seeing everyone enjoy themselves,” said Kendall Burks, a guitarist and composer playing music for passersby. “Maybe most people don’t notice me, but plenty really appreciate my music. I hope I’m giving people some nice dinner music.”

More information about Weekends on Main is available at littletongov.org

Magician Richard Nakata performs card tricks for diners.

PHOTOS BY DAVID GILBERT

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EVENTS FROM PAGE 1

“We are still determining whether the Car Show and Chalk Art Festival will be canceled in September,” said Allison Wittern, city spokeswoman.

The city’s annual Car Show and Concert features a collection of classic and exotic cars lined up for attendees to vote for their favorite. The festival is a chalk art competition featuring Colorado artists and took place last year at The Streets at SouthGlenn outdoor mall.

The state of Colorado, as of midJune, allows indoor and outdoor events at limited capacity, but the Brew-N-Que and Centennial Under the Stars remain canceled.

“Both of these events take place at Centennial Center Park, and the park remains closed at this time due to the city not having the capacity to effectively adhere to all the guidelines in place such as limited number of

forward to the time we can bring back people, cleaning and disinfecting high this festive celebration of summer to touch areas frequently, keeping people our community as it’s truly one of our 6 feet apart” and so on, Wittern said. favorite events!”

The Streets at SouthGlenn’s anCity held drive-in nual Dancing in movie The Streets sumAmid the cancelmer concert series, lations, for the which last year first time ever, the featured local and city put on drive-in regional bands movie events in an on the second and effort to bring peofourth Wednesple together while days of each adhering to public month from June health restrictions, through August, according to Witwas also canceled. tern. And more are “Due to the unexpected issues Allison Wittern, on the way.

“These events arising from the city of Centennial spokeswoman have been a great COVID-19 virus, on drive-in movie events success,” Witalong with the retern said. “We’ve lated public health received very posidirectives set tive feedback from forth by various the community.” governmental authorities, we have The first movie was “Sonic the Hedgecanceled this year’s concert series,” hog,” shown June 18, and the second SouthGlenn said in a notice. “We look

‘These events have been a great success.

We’ve received very positive feedback from the community.’

was “A Dog’s Journey,” shown June 25, both at The Streets at SouthGlenn.

The third movie in the series, “The Lion King,” shows at dusk July 16 at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, located at 8000 S. Chambers Road in the Centennial area. “Toy Story 4” will be shown July 23, also at the Innovation Campus. Tickets and information are available at tinyurl.com/CentennialMovie.

Virtual concerts Centennial and the Arapahoe Libraries district teamed up for a Summer Sounds Virtual Concert Series, according to a city news release.

The concerts were to be held through the online video-conference platform Zoom and take place at 5:30 p.m. Friday evenings. As of early July, the lineup included dueling pianist Jordan Peterson on July 24 and singersongwriter Sam Wheelock on July 31, according to the release.

The public can register at centennialco.gov/Residents/Get-Involved/ Community-Events. Spots are limited.

One message you can absorb.

Whether your business is near a creek or on top of a hill, you play a vital role in keeping our waterways clean. By containing and cleaning up automotive fluid spills promptly, your business prevents these contaminants from damaging the environment. Remember, one drop of oil picked up during a rain storm can pollute 1 million drops of water. Contact your local agency to find out how you can dispose of automotive fluids.

Local stormwater agencies are teaming together to bring you this message. We take this so seriously that we posted this ad rather than send you more garbage in the mail. One thing is clear: our creeks, rivers and lakes depend on you.

T H IS ST ORMWATER MESSAGE B R OUGHT TO YOU B Y Visit onethingisclear.org to: • Report accidental and illegal dumping to your local agency • Search local volunteer events • Find more helpful tips

3

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Be prepared. Have appropriate spill supplies on hand to address automotive fluid leaks.

Colorado Community Media agrees: Please recycle this newspaper responsibly and partner with our communities for a better tomorrow.

Ad campaign creative donated by the Castle Rock Water, Stormwater Division.

Centennial Citizen 9

0July 16, 2020

ACCELERATE GROWTH, PROMOTE EXCELLENCE WastleWITH CHAMBER'S EXCELERATE PROGRAM Rock Chamber delivers a robust roster of events, programs and initiatives to boost our

local economy. We work hard to amplify our members business voices within the community and provide benefits crucial to the success and longevity of your business. Popular Chamber programs include Leadership Douglas County (LDC), Horizon Series and the eXcelerate Business Development (EBD) program. EBD was created by a group of dedicated and experienced business leaders whose mission is to provide small businesses with the resources used by bestin-class firms, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in the local, state and global marketplaces. Along with one-on-one free business consultations offered, the Chamber hosts quarterly business trainings. Register now for this amazing training coming up on August 20th at: CastleRock.org/Aug20. Contact the Chamber to learn more our programs and the many benefits we offer.

Leadership for Entrepreneurs and One Person Business

August 20th | Time: 11:30 am-1 pm | Location: Castle Rock Chamber

This a course and presentation using an evidence based framework derived from Kouzes and Posner's work as well as other evidence based materials. Taught by Ken Greenberg, Ken has extensive experience as an Organizational Development Professional, Investment Banker and a Private Equity Professional.

In this session, you will walk away with a better understanding of the following: Using leadership skills to influence prospects and win new business Understanding how vision is as important as pain How leaders ask great questions and how to use that skill to win and retain clients or customers How leadership can give salespeople and entrepreneurs a qualitative edge over the competition Space is limited, register today! CastleRock.org/Aug20

CHAMBER'S FAIR PARADE CANCELLED, DC FAIR & RODEO PREPARATIONS MOVE FORWARD

he Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce has made the difficult decision to cancel the Douglas County Fair Parade this year. The Fair Parade, which originated in 1954, has long since become a staple of the summer’s liveliest weekend of the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo’s public events. The Douglas County the Fair Board announced their decision to move forward with preparations for the 2020 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo. Celebrating 101 years, the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo runs Thu, Jul 30 –Sun, Aug 2 with local events & 4-H Shows, July 24-Aug 2 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

For more information about the Fair & Rodeo please visit DouglasCountyFairandRodeo.com.

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CastleRockWineFest.com Please review our COVID-19 Modifications, prior to purchase.

Showcase Your Business At Our Events!

10 Centennial Citizen

July 16, 2020J

Centennial, county offer rent, mortgage, business assistance Local governments distribute federal CARES Act funds

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The City of Centennial and Arapahoe County have announced rent, mortgage and business assistance for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The funds come through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act. Here’s a look at the programs and who qualifies.

Centennial utility, rent, mortgage help Centennial receives annual funding for the federal Community Development Block Grant program, and this year, the city also received funding through the CARES Act. Centennial allocated about $205,000 to help with utility, rent and mortgage costs for households with income up to 80% of the area’s median income, according to a city news release.

That’s currently about $78,500 per year for a household of four, according to the county.

Arapahoe County administers the program. To be eligible for the assistance program, applicants must: • Be a Centennial resident.

• Provide proof of applying for unemployment compensation.

• Provide proof of who lives in the household (by IDs or the lease showing all household members).

• Provide proof of income for everyone in the household for the past month via pay stubs, social security award letters, proof of child support or proof of other income.

• Provide a current signed lease or mortgage statement.

• Provide contact information for a landlord or mortgage company. Either must be willing to provide a W-9 form and accept payment from Arapahoe County.

The application is located at tinyurl. com/AssistanceApply. Applicants should download it, fill it out and submit via email to housingassistance@ arapahoegov.com, including the attachments from the eligibility list above.

The city suggests Fast Scanner as a free app to assist in sending documents. For assistance or to ask questions, call 303-738-8040 or email housingassistance@arapahoegov.com.

Funds are limited.

Centennial business assistance In partnership with Arapahoe County, the Centennial City Council directed $5 million to support Centennial’s small-business community, according to a city news release.

The Centennial CARES: Small Business Grants are intended to help small businesses in Centennial impacted by the pandemic cover costs of re-opening and adapting to COVID-19 compliance requirements.

Grant applications and more information are available at centennialco. gov/caresgrants. View information about eligibility at that webpage.

The grant funds cannot be used for expenses that were previously paid

for using the federal Small Business Administration’s Payroll Protection Program or Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds.

County rent, mortgage assistance The county’s CARES Act housing assistance program funds also are reserved for households with 80% or less of the area’s median income.

The program aims to help households that have experienced income loss directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To qualify for this assistance program, applicants must be Arapahoe County residents and have experienced COVID-19-related income loss.

Applicants also must meet the same criteria that apply for Centennial’s housing assistance program in the bullet-point list above.

To apply, visit tinyurl.com/ CountyAssistanceApply. Applicants should download it, fill it out and submit via email to housingassistance@ arapahoegov.com, along with scanned attachments based on the eligibility list for Centennial’s criteria in the bullet-point list above.

For assistance or to ask questions, call 303-738-8040 or email housingassistance@arapahoegov.com.

County business assistance The county also has directed CARES Act funding to help soften the pandemic’s blow on small and medium-size businesses.

Advance Arapahoe, a $6 million grant program, will provide support and retain jobs at businesses throughout the county, according to a

news release.

The program’s first priority will be to fund employers within the boundaries of unincorporated Arapahoe County — the areas not located within a city or town — because most businesses in cities or towns can apply to relief programs through those jurisdictions.

Preference also will be given to employers who commit to retain or bring back employees to work with the funds.

Funds are available in two grant categories: • Business-interruption grants to support needs such as lease or mortgage payments, utility expenses, payroll expense, supplies and services, and materials.

• Infrastructure and personal protective equipment, or PPE, grants to purchase items needed to adapt a business to new processes, or items needed to operate differently due to the pandemic.

Grants in both categories will be up to $20,000 depending on the size of the company.

Qualifying businesses must have operated a physical location in Arapahoe County since at least June 1, 2019, have 500 or fewer employees, be in good standing with regulatory agencies, meet minimum financial requirements and retain at least one job that meets low- to moderate-income requirements as a result of the assistance.

Applications for this program opened June 22, and the county extended the application deadline to Aug. 1. Businesses can apply at businessrecovery.grantplatform.com.

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Centennial Citizen 11

0July 16, 2020

Some county officials question constitutionality of mask order But county still plans to comply with order from Tri-County Health

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

After a local public health agency voted 5-4 in favor of an order requiring mask-wearing in public places in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties, some members of the governing body of Arapahoe County called into question the constitutionality of the order.

While some on Arapahoe’s board of county commissioners “remains concerned with the enforceability, efficacy and constitutionality of this public health order, Arapahoe County will continue to promote and support sound practices around all aspects of COVID-19 prevention, including frequent hand washing and social distancing,” the board said in a July 8 statement.

“I had a concern about the constitutionality of the Tri-County Board of Health making this decision based on the fact that they decided this order without allowing public comments, and because they are unelected, appointed members with no term limits,” Commissioner Jeff Baker said through a spokesman.

Commissioner Kathleen Conti said she has heard from constitu-

ents who have concerns about the constitutionality of the mask mandate, as well as from those who have health concerns and are worried that they will be ostracized if they don’t wear a mask.

Despite the concerns, the county plans to comply with the order “as well as we can,” said Luc Hatlestad, a county spokesman.

Commissioners make up the governing body of a county, somewhat similar to city councils.

The Tri-County Health Department Board of Health voted in favor of issuing the order at a July 8 online meeting. The order was still being drafted, and it’s not yet clear when it will go into effect, according to a Tri-County news release.

It will expire on or before 90 days from its implementation date, but it could be amended, extended or rescinded by Tri-County Health’s executive director.

The order will allow any municipality or county in Tri-County’s jurisdiction to opt out of the mask

requirement, according to the release. The Arapahoe commissioners’ statement said the order will apply in indoor settings.

Similar mask orders are in place in locations across the country and the state as well as in a number of Front Range locations: Boulder, Denver and Larimer counties and the cities of Westminster, Northglenn, Englewood and Fort Collins, according to Tri-County’s release. Tri-County’s order could be rescinded if transmission concerns lessen, the release said.

The mask mandate comes on the heels John Douglas, of rising rates Tri-County Health of COVID-19 Arapahoe, executive director in Douglas and especially Adams, similar to the pattern in Colorado as a whole, according to the release.

“Based on growing evidence of the benefit of face masks in preventing transmission of COVID-19, especially from persons without symptoms, and evidence of the benefit of mandates from other jurisdictions, (Tri-County) believes that

‘Wearing masks is an easy and effective way to protect your fellow neighbor — as well as your family and yourself — from the virus.’

a mask mandate can increase usage and thereby help slow the spread of COVID-19,” the health department said in the release.

John Douglas, Tri-County’s executive director, framed the mandate as a positive step in the effort to return life to normal.

“Wearing masks is an easy and effective way to protect your fellow neighbor — as well as your family and yourself — from the virus,” Douglas said in the release. “It is also a positive solution for keeping businesses open and helping the economy, as well as giving our schools a better chance to fully reopen next month.”

In their statement, the Arapahoe commissioners said that “the best available data supports mask-wearing as a necessary step in fighting the spread of COVID-19.”

“Approximately 80% of Arapahoe County residents already comply with the state’s masking guidelines and should be commended for taking personal responsibility for keeping our communities safe,” the statement continued.

Tri-County posts data online about how many people wear masks in public in its jurisdiction. See the page at www.tchd.org/837/FaceCoverings.

“The entrances of businesses in each county are assessed on approximately a 30-minute interval by observing the public entering the store and noting the number of patrons who are wearing a mask,” Tri-County’s website says.

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12 Centennial Citizen

LOCAL

July 16, 2020J

VOICES

Economic impact on retirement

T

here has been a lot of press around the economic shutdown due to COVID-19 and the related stock market volatility.

However, the S&P 500 just finished one of the best quarters in over a decade¹ even though FINANCIAL there remains significant uncertainty STRATEGIES about the future.

Perhaps it is time to see what the financial impact is on individual investors, especially those in or approaching retirement.

A survey from Allianz Life Insurance Patricia Kummer Company finds that half of Americans retired earlier than they expected this year. A majority of respondents said that they did so for reasons outside of their control, with 34% citing job loss and 25% healthcare issues.² The other half may be forced to work longer than they had planned to play catch-up in their investments.

Retirement planning analysis shows that, if in the first year of retirement, the stock market is significantly positive, then your probability of

success as measured by Monte Carlo simulations is good. Using all of the same facts around income, assets and longevity, if, in the first year of retirement, the stock market is negative, your success probability drops. This may cause some people to push their retirement out further to give them time to add more to their 401(k) and allow it the possibility to grow for several more years.

Folks entering retirement early in 2020, who came off of a double-digit gain in investment returns in 2019, may be in for a big surprise if they take another look at their projections. For those being forced to leave employment, they may look to other resources, such as collecting from pensions, Social Security or annuities earlier than planned. This often has a double-whammy by not only taking distributions early but locking in lower income for life.

Those who wish to work longer may have another set of challenges ahead.

With higher unemployment rates, younger workers willing to earn less may be vying for your job. Also, the ability to expect raises and continue benefits beyond age 65 may be difficult.

Stock market fluctuations make headline news, but the concern for

many retirees is the low interest rate yield on their fixed income assets. It seems ironic that when you save your whole life and take your assets and want to replace growth with income, that both the value of your accounts and your expected return could be down at the same time.

These are all reasons to have a current, objective retirement and tax plan in place before making decisions that could affect you for the next 30 or more years. It can be unsettling to know you are at a point where you can no longer add to your nest egg and instead you will start depleting it.

Many of the old rules will still apply in order to help stretch your money for as long as possible. Proper asset allocation is still very important. It’s also important to consider not relying on just fixed income investments; we believe there needs to be long-term growth on a portion of the portfolio for the future. Managing risk and expectations also remains important throughout retirement. This helps you stick to your plan so you stay on track.

Managing where your distributions will come from and how to plan for taxes can also help your assets last longer. It is important to keep the big picture in mind, even when mak-

Who are we talking to?

H

ave you found yourself talking more to your pets these days than ever before?

And if you don’t have pets, have you found that you are talking to other things around the house more? Maybe the WINNING television? And if you are not talkWORDS ing to your pets or things around the house, are you talking to yourself more?

I know that I have. And the conversations I am having with my dog have been wonderMichael Norton fully insightful.

She has had a lot to say to me as I share my thoughts, concerns, and ideas with her. And I have to tell you, she is a great listener and very smart. Our discussions are nothing short of brilliant.

Now talking to the television is a whole different story. The television doesn’t really care what I am thinking, feeling, or saying. It tries to control what I am thinking feeling, and saying, but it doesn’t care, and it is a terrible listener. Even when I have yelled at the television, it still never pays attention to me.

And yes, we all do talk to our-

I N D E P E N D E N T An edition of the Littleton Independent A publication of

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selves whether we want to admit it or not. I recognized that I have even been talking to myself more and more lately too. My concern came when I realized what I have been saying to myself, and I picked up on a few areas where I should be spending more time in my positive self-talk conversations, and definitely identified some negative self-talk topics that needed to be dropped immediately.

Let’s deal with the negative selftalk first, as this talk track can be troubling and disruptive. And since we never know what the “next normal,” will be, it can be easy to have troubling thoughts in troubling times. Thoughts of worry, doubt, fear and scarcity. Those can be very disruptive, negative thoughts that can eventually lead to lack of sleep, stress, tension, resentment, loss of focus, lack of energy and even anger. I was having some of those conversations with myself, and I experienced some of the feelings mentioned above, including the physical reactions that go along with them.

That’s why I had to end those parts of the discussions immediately.

Positive self-talk is not just flowery affirmations, although sometimes we need those too.

SEE NORTON, P13

S

ing short-term decisions. Look for a fiduciary who can guide you along the path of uncertainty. They can keep you up on programs designed to help you along the way, such as the Secure Act and the CARES Act, and how to utilize resources for your benefit.

Retirement should be something to look forward to — make sure you are prepared and informed.

1. Morningstar: S&P 500 highest in Q2, 2020 since Q4 1998; 2. Retirement Confidence Survey, April 23, 2020 The S&P 500 Index is a market-value weighted index provided by Standard & Poor’s and is comprised of 500 companies chosen for market size and industry group representation.

Individuals cannot invest directly in an index.

Patricia Kummer has been a Certified Financial Planner and a fiduciary for over 30 years and is Managing Director for Mariner, LLC d/b/a Mariner Wealth Advisors, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit www. marinerwealthadvisors.com for more information or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Securities offered through MSEC, LLC, Member FINRA & SIPC, 5700 W. 112th Suite 500, Overland Park, KS 66211.

Comedy reached heights when ‘Airplane!’ took off

urely, you have seen “Airplane!” (Exclamation mark theirs.)

If not, it’s a 1980 film filled with visual and verbal gags that features Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves, Robert Stack, Lloyd QUIET Bridges and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar DESPERATION on a seemingly doomed airplane whose pilots and navigator are sickened by fish dinners.

In 2010, “Airplane!” was chosen by the Library of Congress for Craig Marshall preservation in the National Film Smith Registry, a big deal for any film.

Directors David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker were wise to choose actors like Nielsen, Graves, and Stack who were not known for comedy. Their dramatic role resumes provided legitimacy to the inane dialogue.

Bridges says, “Looks like I picked

the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.”

“Airplane!” is a parody of “Zero Hour!” (exclamation mark theirs), a 1957 melodrama that starred Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell, and a college and pro football star with one of the best nicknames in sports: “Crazylegs.” More about him later.

In “Zero Hour!,” former pilot and current passenger Ted Stryker saves the day when the pilot and co-pilot succumb to in-flight fish dinners.

In “Airplane!,” former pilot and current passenger Ted Stryker saves the day when the pilot, copilot, and navigator succumb to in-flight fish dinners.

Here are some odd bits about “Airplane!” The man stranded in the taxi from start to finish was Howard Jarvis, a tax policy activist who was responsible for California’s Proposition 13 enacted two years before the film was made.

The bickering “red zone and white zone” voice actors were the actual married couple who recorded the

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Columnists & Guest Commentaries

SEE SMITH, P13 Littleton Independent (USPS 315-780) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Littleton, Colorado, the Littleton Independent is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

Centennial Citizen 13

0July 16, 2020

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

NORTON FROM PAGE 12

Positive self-talk should include conversations around what we can and should be doing. Whether I am talking to my dog or talking to myself and want to keep it positive, the conversations center around family, friends, opportunity, responsibility, creativity, faith, hope, taking action, what’s next, and what if. The “what if ” discussions are the best. What if I could …? What if together we could …? And then fill in the blanks with as many thoughts and ideas as possible. Now some of my dog’s ideas are crazy, but we have agreed that we should never criticize each other’s thoughts or ideas, not until we have talked them through together.

In the last couple of columns, I wrote about the “what” part of the discussions we are having lately, and then about how most people love a good story. Today’s focus is on “who” we are talking to, and how important

SMITH FROM PAGE 12

announcement information then being used at Los Angeles International Airport.

The role of Ted Stryker was written for David Letterman. Caitlin Jenner, then Bruce Jenner, read for the part.

It was the first comedy role for Nielsen, who was best known for his performance in 1956’s “Forbidden Planet.”

Nielsen’s deadpan doctor role in “Airplane!” is limited but memorable, and surely you know why.

His portrayal made such a strong impression that comedies defined the remainder of his career, including his performances as Sgt. Frank Drebbin in the 1982 “Police Squad!” television series directed by Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker, as well as “The Naked Gun” film series that came later.

Film critic Roger Ebert referred to Nielsen as the “Olivier of spoofs.”

that is when we realize the person doing both the talking and listening, is usually us. And the “what” we are talking about in our own self-talk drives the story we tell ourselves.

And that story can shape how we think, speak, and act. Sometimes when we talk to ourselves, we ask questions, and that’s OK too. The question is, do we want our story to be a bad or negative one? Or do we want a good or even great story to tell?

How about you? Who are you talking to these days? How’s the conversation going? And what’s the story being told? I would love to hear all of your answers at mnorton@tramazing.com.

And when we realize that who we are talking to the most is ourselves, and we focus on positive-self talk, it really will be a better than good week.

Michael Norton is the grateful CEO of Tramazing.com, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.

The humor and wit in “Airplane!” is not for everyone. No comedy is.

The non-stop sight gags include an in-flight film of an airplane crash landing and Leslie Nielsen’s nose growing like Pinocchio’s when he announces to the passengers that there was nothing to worry about.

Reporters rush in on Lloyd Bridges in the control room when they find out the plane is in the hands of a passenger. They ask a few questions, then one of them says, “Let’s take a few pictures.”

And that’s what they do. They remove all of the framed pictures on the control room walls. It’s something Chico and Harpo would have done.

Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch appears in “Zero Hour!” and in the 1955 prison drama “Unchained,” notable for introducing “Unchained Melody,” later a hit for the Righteous Brothers, among many others.

Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.

Crow right man for job Indivisible Southglenn is proud to endorse Rep. Jason Crow for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Since his election in 2018, Jason Crow has repeatedly demonstrated his high integrity and adherence to values that are cherished by the people of Colorado’s 6th Congressional District. These include: respect for democratic processes, support for affordable and universal healthcare, increased access to education, and adherence to civil rights,” said Rebecca Barrilleaux, leader of Indivisible Southglenn.

“As a strong believer in building consensus and bipartisanship, Jason has proven to be an incredibly effective member of Congress.”

Jason has been steadfast in advocating for Colorado’s most vulnerable populations. He has instituted weekly visits to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility to ensure detain-

ees’ rights are respected.

Jason has co-sponsored HR 9 to re-engage in the Paris Climate Accord and has sponsored the SAVE Energy Act and 100% Clean Economy Act. To protect our democratic processes, Jason Crow is a sponsor of the End Dark Money Act and the Foreign Interference Reporting in Elections Act. To address the need for improved access to healthcare, Crow supports the Medicare-X Choice Act. Crow is a sponsor of the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act. These are only a few of the actions Jason has taken that give us great confidence in him.

Indivisible Southglenn is a grassroots group in Centennial that is committed to upholding our processes and providing education and resources to encourage engagement in voting and legislative advocacy.

Jeri Korshak Glenda Sadler Centennial

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14 Centennial Citizen

July 16, 2020J

LOCAL

LIFE

Pools reopen amid pandemic challenges

Capacity for swim sessions at H2O’Brien pool was 250 people as of July 10.

JESSICA GIBBS

COVID-19 delays projects, limits pool capacities

BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

O

n July 10, outdoor swimming pool H2O’Brien in Parker was teeming with swimmers.

Parents held up infants bobbing in the water, children stood under the dump bucket, squealing with glee as water crashed around them, and lifeguards walked the pool perimeter keeping a close eye on the scene.

For Tiler Paliga, heading to the pool was a fun and safe way to keep her 2-year-old son Will entertained, she said.

The Parker woman said her family is still avoiding trips to the store or going out during the COVID-19 pandemic, but she appreciated the capacity limits at H2O’Brien pool. She felt she could keep her distance from others while enjoying the outdoors, she said.

“It makes you feel like you have a little bit of normalcy for the summer. I just think it’s important for the kids,” she said.

Parker’s Aquatic Supervisor Brian Gentilini said the pool’s first session reached its COVID capacity of 250 people that morning. Capacity in a normal season would be 521 people, and the pool might get 400 visitors on a day like that in any other season.

“This is what a packed house looks like under the variance,” he said, referring to a variance Douglas County received allowing outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people.

The scene in Parker was a far cry from what Janice Weed feared could come to pass this year.

In May, the aquatics supervisor for the Town of Castle Rock was waiting on guidance from local and state health departments to decide if and how she could open swimming pools during the pandemic.

Now, area pools are up and running, albeit with numerous changes in place, she said.

The state Department of Public Health and Environment released new pool guidance in June, allowing facilities to open at 50% capacity or 50 people, and some local communi-

ties have received variances that loosen restrictions further.

Pool operators in the Denver metro area described taking many of the same precautions — such as requiring that people wear masks when entering and exiting the facility but not while in the pool. Or, placing markings on the concrete to guide people in staying six feet apart.

Some pools have cleared decks and are asking people to bring their own furniture while others are spacing seating apart, prohibiting guests from moving the furniture and working it into staff ’s cleaning routines.

Most pools are holding a series of daily sessions that families can attend, either on a first-come first-serve basis or by reservation. In between sessions, staff deep clean and disinfect the grounds.

Weed said community members have been good at distancing themselves so far, and most sessions are reaching capacity.

Englewood’s Senior Aquatics Facility Supervisor Brad Anderson said the same is true there.

The city’s Pirates Cove waterpark opened June 19 at a capacity of 150 people in a session, although capacity jumped to 250 by July. Sessions require a reservation.

“We are about filling up every single one of our sessions. Pirate’s Cove has been very popular, so that’s a good thing,” Anderson said.

Anderson said they put up signage throughout the facilities reminding people of social distancing and air reminders on the public announcement system.

In preparation for reopening, Anderson said getting enough cleaning supplies was one of the more challenging aspects. Disinfectant is not readily available, he said.

Supplies needs to be ordered in advance and the city had to order brands of supplies it wouldn’t usually. Anderson said he was not sure of the exact budget impact, but that “it was a significant cost that we had to come up with for the disinfectant.”

“And we’re not done with it yet,” he said. “We’re in that learning phase right now where now that we’ve been

open for three weeks, we’re starting to see that supplies dwindle a bit.”

Anderson said he is glad to see people at the city’s pools — the recreation center’s indoor pool is open for fitness and lap swimming — and to have employees back on the job.

“It’s nice from the kid standpoint, that they’re able to have a summer job, and it also feels good to be able to offer a swimming pool to our community,” he said.

Social distancing was not the only hurdle for local facilities. For some area pools, renovation or construction projects took a blow from the pandemic as well.

The Town of Parker launched a $2.8 million renovation of H2O’Brien in 2019. Renovations included replacing the play structure and adding two 182-foot water slides. The project was supposed to wrap up in time to open H2O’Brien by Memorial Day. Instead, the pool opened July 6.

Gentilini, Parker’s aquatics supervisor, said the “biggest hit” to the renovation project’s schedule was shipping delays.

New tables got ordered in February but didn’t arrive until early June.

The Texas plant that made the pool’s new shades shut down during COVID. Those arrived days before opening.

New concrete wasn’t poured until mid-June, and the pool’s pump and motor came from Italy.

“We barely got that before Italy shut down,” he said. “In every way possible it delayed. Whether it be subcontractors not being able to bring their full crews to the site, or mostly what it was, was shipping. But you name it, it affected it somehow.”

Parker’s Director of Parks and Recreation Mary Colton said the project came in on budget, and the town’s team worked passionately to get it done, but for a time the town did not know if the pool would open for the 2020 summer season.

“It’s been quite the challenge to determine our approach to reopening,” Colton said. “We took a lot of time in really planning and evaluating whether or not it would be feasible to open the pool at all this year.”

South Suburban Parks and Recre-

ation also launched major pool construction projects before COVID-19 hit.

The department decided to reconstruct three of its pools — Franklin, Harlow and Holly — after a pool audit in 2017.

Like Parker, South Suburban planned to complete its pool projects

by Memorial Day. Then the pandemic limited the size of construction crews that could work at once and the ability to get materials, Assistant Director of Recreation Kelsey Whisler said.

“Factories were shutting down entirely,” she said.

The pools are now slowly opening up.

South Suburban’s Cook Creek pool located in Douglas County was the first to reopen in early June. Harlow opened July 3. Franklin and Holly were slated to open in the near future as well, Whisler said.

While some pools are maxing out pandemic capacities, South Suburban is staying cautious, Whisler said.

Cook Creek allows a capacity of 600 people in a normal season. South Suburban is keeping capacity to 200 on a first-come, first-serve basis for now, although a Douglas County variance allows 250 people.

“Right now, we feel that 200 is at our comfort level,” Whisler said.

Arapahoe County’s variance allows outdoor pools to reopen at 50% capacity, she said, so South Suburban will reopen pools there by reservation. Those are Franklin, Harlow and Holly.

Harlow opened at a capacity of 40 people and South Suburban will raise that to 60 soon, Whisler said. The pool’s capacity without a pandemic would be 160. Whisler said the department did not feel it could gauge how reopening would work until people were in the facility.

Still, she’s glad to see swimmers back at the pool.

“It’s really exciting. Safety, being in parks and recreation, is always a top priority. So that’s at the forefront of our mind,” she said. “But we also want to make sure people have a fun, enjoyable experience too.”

Centennial Citizen 15

0July 16, 2020

T

Museum grounds open for delightful diversions

he Littleton Museum’s living history farms are open for families to explore, but during limited hours — call for information: 303-795-3950. The 1860 farm shows building styles and items used before the railroad reached Littleton, while the 1890 farm reflects SONYA’S lifestyle changes after the railroad SAMPLER brought items from a distance — and carried things east and west out of the small town. As of press time, the homes, main museum building and other buildings are not open yet on the museum grounds Sonya Ellingboe at 6028 S. Gallup St., but the outdoor areas of the museum are available to visitors. Further developments are awaiting word from authorities.

In the meantime, the building exteriors and animals and implements on the farms provide fine entertainment for visitors of all ages and admission is free.

Lone Tree Tunes on the Terrace at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree, will present The Mary Louise Lee Band at 8 p.m. July 24 and 25. Tickets at lonetreeartscenter.org, 720-509-1000. And a virtual livestream from the stage will feature “Tales From the Big Apple”

by Stories on Stage at 7 p.m. July 17. MacKenzie Beyer will perform “White People” by Jen Silverstein; Evan Weissman will perform “On the Town” by Helen DeWitt; and Lauren Dennis will perform “The Serial Monogamist’s Guide to Important NYC Landmarks” by Raphael BobWaksberg. A performance link will be sent to ticket purchasers.

Douglas Land Conservancy Douglas Land Conservancy features its “Capturing the Beauty of Open Land” Virtual Exhibit through July 31 at douglaslandconservancy.org. Plein air painting with natural light developed in the mid-19th Century and is attracting increasing attention from artists and collectors. Information available at the DLC office, 303-6888025 or info@douglaslandconservancy. org.

Arvada Center A relaunched Arvada Center season is on the schedule to open in February 2021 with two musicals and two plays ... beginning in the Black Box Theatre with “Small Mouth Sounds,” which was announced for 2020, but never opened fully. People entering the Arvada Center must wear a mask and check temperature in a self-service kiosk. 720-898-7200, arvadacenter.org.

58th Anniversary Show Littleton Fine Arts Guild presents its 58th Anniversary Show online at depotartgallery.org from July 12 to Aug. 22, with art available for purchase. We look forward to the guild’s return to its Depot Art Gallery at 2069 W. Powers Ave. in Downtown Littleton, but in the meantime, visit the website.

CORE New Art Space Artist Michelle Lamb of Littleton is a member and is now publicist for CORE New Art Space, which has relocated to 6851 W. Colfax Ave., Denver, from its longtime Santa Fe Drive location. It will hold a First Friday reception on Aug. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. for three artists and will then be open by appointment for private showings. Three

artists will be featured from July 31 to Aug. 16: J. Bruce Wilcox, a fiber/ textile artist, with “RIOT: The Politics of Everything”; painter Richard Neff, “Improbable Dimensions,” presents “confounding geometrics that rely strongly on architectural elements.”

Gina Smith Caswell will exhibit “The Dog Prints” in black and white and color. 303-297-8428, coreartspace.com.

Gardens open Littleton’s Memorial Rose Garden, at 5804 S. Bemis St. across from Sterne Park, is in full bloom and invites a visit, as does the Rose Garden and other gardens at Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Free.

Denver Botanic Gardens at 1007 York St. is also open, with an entry fee for non-members. A stroll in a garden is such a booster when they are at peak color and fragrance. Painters may want to linger and record the color and light ...

Good times in Parker Parker’s PACE Center parking lot is home to summer entertainment events where the audience sits in their cars enjoying entertainers in the parking lot. See parkerarts.org.

Western Welcome Week returning, with changes Yearly event has its roots in 1928 celebration

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In July 1928, Littleton Independent editor Houstoun Waring wanted to celebrate two events: the centennial of the birth of town namesake Richard Little and the 40th anniversary of the Littleton Independent.

A date in August 1929 was chosen for what was originally called “Homecoming.” The story on the city’s website mentions that train fares dropped in August, so more folks would be able to attend an event then ...

There was a baseball game and Mayor Charles Louthan (whose family home is now Café Terracotta in downtown Littleton) was named Grand Marshal, a title awarded each year since to a community individual who has contributed time and energy to the City of Littleton. When there is a parade, that individual rides in a car at its front.

Renamed Western Welcome Week in 1962, the celebration has grown to include a large arts and crafts show, now called the “61st Craft & Home Improvement Fair” and set for Aug. 15 in downtown Littleton — one of the hoped-for events as circumstances in this pandemic year continue to unfold.

Cindy Hathaway, the Western Welcome Week executive director whose office is at the historic Bemis House, 5890 S. Bemis St., said there were still some booths available when we spoke with her two weeks ago, but many artisans have signed on, so readers should still plan on advance holiday shopping, as well as seeking treasures for the home and garden ... and for self — lots of lovely jewelry and textile items should find their way to Main Street and nearby blocks.

And then, there are the food vendors who will have to operate under restraints spelled out for them ...

Sadly, the annual parade is not pos-

sible in this year of social distancing — since packed crowds have in past years stretched from Gallup Street to the west end of Main Street each year.

Hopefully, folks will manage to allow space and still enjoy visiting exhibits by local and visiting artists, craftsmen and businesses.

The opening Family Night barbecue, concert and fireworks event at Sterne Park is canceled on Aug. 7, but families may want to try gold panning near Carson Nature Center on Saturday morning, Aug. 8. (The Littleton Elks Children’s Fishing Derby, originally scheduled Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8, is canceled.) Aug. 8 also features the Breck Bazaar at Breckenridge Brewery.

The Littleton Elks Lodge has postponed its Aug. 9 Car Show to September, date tba.

That first Sunday in WWW, Aug. 9, brings the 41st Annual Family Pancake Breakfast, previously held at Arapahoe Community College, but moved to Geneva Lake and Park, near the Littleton Center in 2020. (Planned from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.)

Tuesday, Aug. 11 brings the Hawk Quest Family Night Out, but the RiverPointe Swing Dance, also scheduled Aug. 11, is cancelled.

On Aug. 13, Historic Littleton Inc. will offer Main Street Historic Tours in the late afternoon and a concert by the Cody Sisters is scheduled Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, will host the 9th Annual Pancake Stampede 5K Fun Run and Walk from 8 to 10 a.m. on Aug. 9, but the Kids Games of Old and the Bruce Wolf Stick Horse Stampede are canceled, as are performances of the one-act play “Summer Comes to the Diamond O” at Littleton United Methodist Church on Aug. 9 and 16.

Friday, Aug. 14, brings the Elks Hometown Pig Roast and Dance. The Annual Quilt Show at Littleton First Presbyterian Church is canceled.

One can still get the morning of Aug. 15 off to a good start at the 34th Grand Sandwich Breakfast at Littleton United Methodist Church, en route to the Craft

Fair. And the LPCAAA Dunk-A-Cop is listed for Aug. 15 at Bradford Auto Body at the west end of Main Street.

The schedule for Sunday, Aug. 16, shows the Brad and Mary Bradford

Memorial Duck Race as planned, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Memorial Rose Garden/Little’s Creek.

We will watch for changes and additions to this schedule.

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16 Centennial Citizen

July 16, 2020J

Few details on Cherry Creek student’s ‘racist, violent’ posts More than a month later, it’s unclear what posts said

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Cherry Creek High School planned to investigate racist posts that allegedly involve a Creek student, the school’s principal said in a letter to the community.

School administration was made aware of social media posts that are “explicitly racist and violent against the black community,” said the letter, dated June 2 and signed by Principal Ryan Silva and school district Superintendent Scott Siegfried.

“We condemn these racist and violent posts and we take all threats of violence extremely seriously. We

believe black lives matter and we will stand up against any actions or words that seek to harm students and families,” the letter continued.

Upon learning about the posts through Safe2Tell — an anonymous reporting tip line and online platform — and emails from students and community members, school administrators “immediately contacted law enforcement to investigate this matter,” the letter read.

The school also would conduct its own investigation and hold students found to be involved accountable for their actions, the letter added.

More than a month after the letter was distributed, it is unclear what actions the school or district have taken and what the content of the social media posts was.

Abbe Smith, spokeswoman for Cherry Creek School District, said on July

Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village.

COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS STREET VIEW 9 she did not have information to release regarding whether a student has been disciplined by the high school or district and in what way. Smith did not say whether an investigation by the high school or district is finished.

School officials referred the incident to the Arapahoe County Sheriff ’s Office for investigation, Smith said.

TRIAL FROM PAGE 1

Gallegos’ parents told an investigator that Gallegos did not want to talk with police, the investigator told the court.

The parents were asked if they wanted to talk to their son, and his mother was put in a room with Gallegos, she told the court. She was under the impression she could have a private conversation with Gallegos in that room without anyone hearing, she said.

There, Gallegos told his mom he didn’t know anything about a shooting, according to Michael Root, his defense attorney. Root asked the court to “suppress” that statement so the prosecution can’t use it at trial, arguing that it was obtained improperly because Gallegos’ mother had an expectation that the conversation with her son was private.

But nobody told Gallegos or his parents that they weren’t being observed, Christopher Gallo, a prosecutor for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, argued at the hearing.

“He never said it was going to be recorded; he didn’t say it was confidential,” Stephania Gallegos said of the investigator. “He didn’t say either way.”

The investigator told the judge that he has “been told” that there is a sign on the door indicating that the room is being recorded but doesn’t recall

From left, Lloyd Chavez IV; his father, Lloyd Chavez III; and his brother, Dorian, stand on an athletic field.

COURTESY PHOTO seeing it himself and doesn’t know whether Gallegos and his mother knew about the cameras.

“When you put someone alone in a room, shut the door and they’ve already indicated they don’t want to talk to the police” it’s “objectively reasonable” for them to assume they would not be recorded, Root argued.

Gallo countered: “Here, the police never affirmatively lie to this defendant” and did not create a reasonable expectation of privacy. A person does not have a right to privacy in a room

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in a police facility based on relevant court cases, Gallo argued.

Judge Ben Leutwyler was to issue a written order on whether the Arapahoe County District Court would suppress Gallegos’ statements to his mother, choosing not to decide the matter on July 7.

Leutwyler scheduled a seven-day trial to start Dec. 1.

Case with hard evidence Gallegos’ statement about not knowing anything about a shooting, if allowed at trial, could call his credibility into question in a case where cellphone technology places more than one of the suspects at the scene.

Gallegos has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree felony murder, aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery.

A count of first-degree felony murder can be charged against anyone in a group that is allegedly involved in a serious crime in which a death occurs. The charge applies even if a particular member of the group is not believed to have directly caused the death.

The court on Oct. 25 denied a motion to have Gallegos’ case transferred to juvenile court, where he would have had a chance at a more lenient sentence if convicted.

The other three suspects had been charged with the same crimes as Gallegos, according to the DA’s office.

Dominic Jarrod Stager, who is 18 or 19 based on sheriff ’s and court

The sheriff ’s office opened an investigation, said Ginger Delgado, sheriff ’s office spokeswoman.

“We are aware of an allegation of a very concerning social media post that was attributed to a Cherry Creek High School student,” Delgado said, adding that the sheriff ’s office was working to “determine the source of the posts.”

On July 7, Delgado said there are no updates to share on the matter and that the sheriff ’s office is waiting for information from the social media provider.

Delgado did not comment on questions about what the content of the posts was, what charges if any might apply to the student who made the posts, whether the sheriff ’s office is recommending any charges and whether deputies contacted the student.

records, and 18-year-old Juliana Alexis Serrano both had their criminal cases dismissed and were transferred to juvenile court.

The fourth suspect, 18-year-old Demarea Deshawn Mitchell, still awaited an oral ruling July 14 that was to determine if his case will be moved to juvenile court.

Serrano and Stager were students at Cherokee Trail, and Gallegos was a Grandview High School student who had recently transferred from Cherokee Trail. Mitchell was identified in photos provided by a Cherokee Trail school resource officer.

The prosecution has pointed out in a prior court proceeding that data from Serrano’s phone places her at the scene between 9:18 and 9:27 p.m. on the night of the incident, and the shooting occurred about 9:25 p.m., according to the investigation.

The prosecution also pointed out that Gallegos connected to Serrano’s Wi-Fi hotspot signal after the shooting and that Stager’s phone was tied to her hotspot at the time of the shooting and shortly after.

What led up to shooting According to the affidavit, here’s how the incident unfolded: Chavez had sold vape products in transactions arranged over Snapchat.

The four suspects intended to steal Chavez’s vape “juice” in a plan that began a day or two before he was shot, Serrano told an investigator.

The four suspects pulled up in a car at Chavez’s home near East Smoky Hill Road and South Picadilly Street, where he walked up to a window of the car and received cash from Serrano. He walked away without giving them the product, Serrano said, and Mitchell got out of the car and questioned Chavez about it.

Chavez threw Mitchell onto the lawn, according to Serrano’s account, and that’s when he was shot. Vape products were later found on Chavez’s lawn and in his room.

The suspects sped away and were in shock because they didn’t intend to shoot Chavez but, rather, threaten him with the gun if he didn’t give them the product, according to Serrano’s account.

Serrano eventually said she didn’t actually see the gun in anyone’s hands but described it as a “smaller gun” and saw a laser shining on Chavez around the time he was shot.

Gallegos believed himself to be addicted to JUUL pods, a type of vape product, according to his parents.

Centennial Citizen 17

0July 16, 2020

MY NAME IS

KELLY O’CONNOR

Consultant helps people find senior care homes that fit their needs A helping hand I live in Denver and have for the past 14 years, and I am 54 years old.

I am an elder care consultant specializing in senior living placement.

I help people stay at home safely until it’s time to move to senior living — then it’s my job to match them with the communities which match their preferences and needs. Navigating the health care, senior care and senior living industries can be a daunting task.

It’s much more complex than people expect, especially with assisted living and memory care. … For example, some assisted livings don’t do transfers — helping someone up from a chair or bed — whereas some have mechanical lifts. That’s a wide difference. I help people understand the differences and nuances so families can make the best decision possible.

Her second wind Senior living is my second career, and about 10 years ago, I was contemplating what the second half of my life might look like. One day, while I was volunteering at a local hospice, someone called and said, “You should be in senior living.” It was as simple as that, but what happened is I started talking about my

Kelly O’Connor helps older adults find senior care homes that fit their needs. She works with homes throughout the Denver metro area, including in Centennial.

COURTESY PHOTO beliefs concerning elders in society, and about my own family caregiving experience, and how I wanted to help families and seniors make confident decisions about their next steps. I’ve worked in almost every area of the senior industry with some amazing people. I couldn’t be happier in my life and career right now.

When COVID-19 struck My job has stayed the same, but COVID changed everything in our industry. I had families move their loved ones home to live with them; I had others rush to move to senior living because staying home wasn’t safe. I’ve had quite a few clients pass away with COVID and others who have miracu-

lously recovered. More of my clients are bringing me in to help facilitate conversations so that everyone is on the same page with the decisions. I’ve missed visiting my clients in person and am looking forward to seeing them in the near future.

It has been very difficult for family members who haven’t been able to see their loved ones (since March), but communities have done a great job setting up video visits and hosting hallway trivia and door-to-door happy hour delivery. It took a while to shift gears, but we learned how to connect and stay safe at the same time. Our elders are more resilient than we think they are sometimes, and these are some wonderful stories that have warmed my heart.

I work with all of the care communities throughout (the Denver metro area); there are more than 400, if you can believe that. I’ve enjoyed seeing photos of the window visits, the courtyard serenades, the crazy hat spirit days, and the chalk art and signage left by neighborhood organizations. Imagine walking into your job at a care community, to residents you love and care for, not knowing what you will face each day. That courage alone is inspiring and worthy of a hero’s applause.

What’s in a name?

My clients love the fact that my name is Kelly O’Connor and I was born on St. Patrick’s Day. I proudly wear green every single year.

If you would like to suggest someone for My Name Is ..., or if you would like to be featured in the segment, contact Ellis Arnold at earnold@coloradocommunitymedia.com or 303-566-4109.

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18 Centennial Citizen

July 16, 2020J

C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E

Pace picks up on I-25 Gap construction CDOT capitalizes on warm, dry months for massive project

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The longest work zone in the state is preparing residents for a surge in construction as the Colorado Department of Transportation increases its weather-dependent tasks on the I-25 Gap — the stretch of busy highway that for many years offered just two travel lanes in each direction.

The 18-mile corridor, between Castle Rock and Monument, has been under construction since September 2018 and is planned to wrap up in 2022.

“We’re in the warm months of the year and this will allow us to work very long days,” said Bob Wilson, statewide communications manager for CDOT. “Drivers can expect a lot of changes. It will be a very busy construction season this summer and in the fall.”

While some parts of the project can be completed in winter, all paving must be done while the temperature is above a certain level, Wilson said.

During these warm, dry months, CDOT will build a 4-mile-long truck climbing lane between Greenland and Monument, construct bridges and pave along the interstate.

“The biggest thing people will run into generally is single-lane closures,” Wilson said.

The southbound I-25 on and off ramps at Greenland Road will be closed through roughly Aug. 10.

Future plans The project, Wilson said, is on schedule and about halfway finished.

A two-year study of I-25, called the Planning and Environmental Linkages study, or PEL, laid out a grand vision for Douglas County when it was released in October 2019. Some elements of the plan, including the truck climbing lane, an auxiliary lane between Skyview Lane and Spruce

The Colorado Department of Transportation is widening what’s called the Gap, a stretch of Interstate 25 between Castle Rock and Monument, after a study found the area in urgent need of improvements.

COURTESY PHOTO Mountain Road and a Castle Rock mobility hub, have moved forward.

Construction on the mobility hub, eventually envisioned to be similar to Denver’s Union Station, is expected to begin in about three to four years, said Chuck Attardo, I-25 south corridor manager.

For the Castle Rock mobility hub, which would include Bustang and possibly other bus stops, CDOT has about $6 million in funding so far and a likely location selected, Attardo said.

Other suggestions from the PEL, like a 300-foot-long wildlife overpass south of Greenland Ranch, are a priority but don’t yet have any funding.

“We had a ton of momentum coming out of the PEL and I wish we could have capitalized on that a bit better but right now with the budgets, primarily related to COVID-19, … there isn’t any money to do anything big or grand,” Attardo said.

Attardo was also hoping to see similar road improvements made on I-25 between Castle Rock and Lone Tree, he said. That project, estimated to cost about $1.5 billion, has been put on hold in part due to COVID-19 but also because I-25 construction is not a top priority for CDOT, he said.

“We’re doing everything we can to keep things moving,” Attardo said.

“The thinking is, let’s keep working on stuff because eventually the economy will pull around and let’s be ready to construct these things.”

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Centennial Citizen 19

0July 16, 2020

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REQUIREMENTS: Must possess a high school diploma or GED, a Class “C” Water Treatment License and have at least 3 years hands-on operating experience. Supervisory experience is preferred. Also prefer Class “B” CDL (required to obtain within 12 months of hire). Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel. Ability to lift 50 pounds on a regular basis; ability to respond to on-call duties after hours as needed.

Full-time position/excellent benefits/ some OT. Salary dependent on qualifications & certification. Forward resume to C. Frainier - cfrainier@castlepinesmetro.com

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

DRIVER/SALES

IT POSITIONS SDH Systems LLC has openings for the positions: Software Engineer with Master’s degree in Computer Science/Applications, Engineering (any), Technology or related to design, develop, implement, maintain, test business functions, web applications using variety of languages, tools, methodologies and technologies. Develop, create and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs.

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Develop, create and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. Systems Engineer with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering (any), Technology, Information Systems or related and 1 yr of exp to work on design and development of applications, their maintenance and managing the bulk databases and servers. Work on application maintenance and its documentation. Utilizes a thorough understanding of available technology which helps in gaining knowledge in various aspects of software development work. Analyze information to determine, recommend and plan installation of new system environment. Maintain business standards with support and upgrade the application and prepare documentation for further upgrades. Software Developer/Java with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering any, Technology or related and 1 yr of exp to involve in consuming the Web services by generating WSDL and perform data exchange with the third party using SOAP JAX-WS and XML. Implement Retrieval information services such as Rest based services (RESTful) using JAX-RS annotations and Jersey provider.

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Expanding Company seeking 4-6 motivated individuals for route sales.

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Centennial Citizen 21

0July 16, 2020 Roofing/Gutters

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22 Centennial Citizen

July 16, 2020J P L A C E A D S O N L I N E 2 4 / 7 AT

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Cash for all Vehicles!

0July 16, 2020

Centennial Citizen 23

LOCAL

SPORTS

Golf coach stays hopeful despite ongoing limbo Goldsberry says he and his colleagues are not used to being idle

BY JIM BENTON JBENTON@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Mark Goldsberry has been trying to prepare his Cherry Creek High School golf team for a possible upcoming season while waiting for answers.

Golf courses have been open most of the summer, so Creek golfers have been able to play, but because of COVID-19 restrictions have not been able to work much around Goldsberry.

“By far the most difficult part has been not knowing the answers as to what is going to happen and having to sit around,” said Goldsberry. “Really, a lot of us coaches are used to being busy and we’ve really been idle. It’s not like there is a date you can look forward to to get back or if you can get back. That’s frustrating.

“I would be surprised if the CHSAA (Colorado High School Activities Association) lets some sports play and some don’t. Either everybody is playing or nobody is playing. I don’t think there will be anything in between.”

CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green tried to clear up some questions on Twitter about the fall season.

“Once our plans receive approval by

Cherry Creek golfer Charlie Flaxbeard.

COURTESY PHOTO

state and health officials, we will communicate the next steps,” she wrote.

“We are extremely optimistic about the collaborative direction of discussions. I reiterate the word `patience.’

We have some challenges but we are moving.

“A COVID-19 resurgence and a stall with state reopening phases could disrupt our planned start dates for the fall but we are moving towards

resuming all sports and activities with potential contingencies for 2020-21.”

Meanwhile Cherry Creek golfers have been able to get out on courses and tune their games.

“Our kids have been playing quite a bit because the junior golf association has had a lot of tournaments,” said Goldsberry. “So in my sport, the kids have been out playing most of the summer. Yeah they can get out and

compete as much as they want where other sports really haven’t been allowed to do that.

“The social distancing in golf is one of the more apt sports to be able to do that because you are not really competing against anybody or hitting anybody or standing next to somebody.”

Golf is also different in many players rely on private mentors as much as high school coaches.

“Most of the players all have their own swing coach,” admitted Goldsberry. “That’s why we’ve been real hesitant to start summer practices or camps. We have these phases that we’re going through. We’re trying to get to phase three. I tell my kids to go practice with your coaches and practice on your own because you can do more with them than I can do with you right now.

“I’ve been coaching high school sports for 30 years and this is by far the strangest time period I’ve ever gone through. I just feel so bad for the kids not being able to be with their friends, socialize and compete in all different sports.”

Goldsberry, however, is optimistic if there is a high school golf season.

“We’re excited,” he said. “We qualified all four kids last year for state and three of them were freshmen. So we will return three sophomores and a senior this year. And we think we have some good young kids behind them to push for those top four spots.”

www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/Notices

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals City and County Public Notice CITY OF CENTENNIAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF CENTENNIAL WILL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CENTENNIAL, COLORADO AMENDING CHAPTER 12 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE (LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE) CONCERNING TEMPORARY USES AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY” The purpose of the temporary use amendments is to allow for simplification of definitions of temporary uses, allow for seasonal outdoor patios, and to allow for flexibility in the event of a declared emergency. Full text of the Ordinance is open to public inspection and may be obtained by contacting the City Clerk at 13133 E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial.

The full text of the Ordinance is also available on the City’s website www.centennialco.gov.

The public hearing will be held virtually, via the City’s website at: www.centennialco.gov on August 3, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. Interested parties may file written comments with the City Clerk, at: cityclerks@centennialco.gov or via mail at: 13133 E. Arapahoe Rd., Centennial, Colorado 80112, received by 1:00 p.m. on August 3, 2020.

Any written comments received will be given to Council Members and put into the record during the Public Hearing. Citizens wishing to speak during the Public Hearing, may access the virtual meeting via instructions published on the August

3, 2020 Agenda at: https://www.centennialco. gov/Government/Mayor-Council/City-CouncilMeetings/Agendas-Minutes.

Further information concerning the proposed amendments as set forth in the above-mentioned Ordinance may be obtained by calling the City of Centennial Community Development Department at 303-754-3308.

Legal Notice No. 523960 / 60094 First Publication: July 16, 2020 Last Publication: July 16, 2020 Publisher: Littleton Independent and the Centennial Citizen Independent PUBLIC NOTICE CITY OF CENTENNIAL NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday, July 6, 2020 the Centennial City Council passed on first reading: ORDINANCE NO. 2020-O-03 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CENTENNIAL, COLORADO, AMENDING CHAPTER 12 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE (LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE) CONCERNING FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION REGULATIONS AND ADOPTING BY REFERENCE THE FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM) AND THE FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY (FIS) DATED SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 The full text of the ordinance is available for public inspection in the office of the City Clerk.

The ordinance may be obtained by contacting the City Clerk, 303-754-3324. The full text of the ordinance is also available on the City’s web site, www.centennialcolorado.com.

By: Barbara Setterlind, MMC, City Clerk

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Legal Notice No. 523961 / 60095 First Publication: July 16, 2020 Last Publication: July 16, 2020 Publisher: Littleton Independent and the Centennial Citizen Independent Public Notice CITY OF CENTENNIAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF CENTENNIAL WILL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CENTENNIAL, COLORADO AMENDING CHAPTER 12 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE (LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE) CONCERNING CONCEPT PLAN REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO CERTAIN SUBDIVISIONS.” The purpose of the Concept Plan requirement proposed in the Ordinance is to allow the City to administratively review certain important issues of concern in the development of larger parcels of land prior to subdivision to foster thoughtful, connected, and accessible development. Full text of the Ordinance is open to public inspection and may be obtained by contacting the City Clerk at 13133 E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial. The full text of the Ordinance is also available on the City’s website www.centennialco.gov.

The public hearing will be held virtually, via the City’s website at: www.centennialco.gov on August 3, 2020 at 6pm. Interested parties may file written comments with the City Clerk, at: www.cityclerks@centennialco.gov or via mail at: 13133 E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial, Colorado 80112, received by 1pm on August 3, 2020. Any written comments received will be given to Council Members and put into the record during the Public Hearing. Citizens wishing to speak during the Public Hearing may access the virtual meeting via instructions published on the August 3, 2020

Agenda at: https://www.centennialco.gov/Government/ Mayor-Council/City-Council-Meetings/AgendasMinutes.

Further information concerning the proposed amendments as set forth in the above-mentioned Ordinance may be obtained by calling the City of Centennial Community Development Department at 303-754-3308.

Legal Notice No. 523962 / 60096 First Publication: July 16, 2020 Last Publication: July 16, 2020 Publisher: Littleton Independent and the Centennial Citizen Independent

Metropolitan Districts Public Notice NOTICE OF HEARING CONCERNING EXCLUSION OF REAL PROPERTY NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there has been filed with the Board of Directors of the Panorama Metropolitan District (“District”), located in the City of Centennial, Arapahoe County, Colorado, a petition requesting the Board adopt a resolution approving the exclusion of certain property from the boundaries of such District (“Petition”).

1. The name and address of the Petitioner and a general description of the Property that is the subject of such Petition are as follows: Petitioner: The Jones District, L.L.C. Address of Petitioner: 1555 Blake Street, Suite 210 Denver, CO 80202-1866

Avenue, and East of South Chester Street.

2. Accordingly, pursuant to Section 32-1-501(2), C.R.S., notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the District shall hold a public meeting to hear the Petition on July 24, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.

DUE TO CONCERNS REGARDING THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND THE BENEFITS TO THE CONTROL OF THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS BY LIMITING IN-PERSON CONTACT, THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD BY TELECONFERENCE WITHOUT ANY INDIVIDUALS (NEITHER DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES NOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC) ATTENDING IN PERSON. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING PLEASE ACCESS THE MEETING USING CONFERENCE BRIDGE: 1-888-875-1833; AND WHEN PROMPTED ENTER PASSCODE: 562567

3. All interested persons shall appear at such meeting and show cause in writing why such Petition should not be granted. All protests and objections shall be deemed to be waived unless submitted in writing to the District at or prior to the meeting or any continuance or postponement thereof in order to be considered.

PANORAMA METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By: /s/ MaryAnn M. McGeady Attorney for the District Legal Notice No. 523964 / 60097 First Publication: July 16, 2020 Last Publication: July 16, 2020 Publisher: Littleton Independent and the Centennial Citizen Independent

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Description: Approximately 35.6 acres of land generally located: South of East Dry Creek Road, West of Interstate I-25, North of East Nichols

Centennial Legals 7.16.20 * 1

24 Centennial Citizen

July 16, 2020

Chatridge 2 fire is seen as a close call Douglas County is still reviewing and learning from the event

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Douglas County’s Emergency Management Center is reviewing the recent Chatridge 2 blaze near Highlands Ranch after the quick-spreading flames caused one of the biggest local wildfires in recent years.

The fire, which started in an unincorporated area of Douglas County south of Highlands Ranch, was first called in at about 9:50 a.m. June 29.

Early, for a brush fire.

Within 20 minutes, firefighters reported it had spread from one acre to 10, EMC director Tim Johnson said.

“It was a very hot, windy, dry day,” Johnson said.

Before long, the flames had spread even more and became a threat to homes in the BackCountry community in southern Highlands Ranch.

At about 11 a.m. residents were ordered to evacuate as smoke closed in on the neighborhood.

“It was really inconvenient; it was really scary,” resident Ed Schroback said. “The fire was right by where our house is.”

At final count, the fire was determined to have spread to 500 acres, Johnson said.

“A 500 acre fire is a large fire,” he said. “We typically don’t see fires that large.”

A helicopter lands near Chatfield Reservoir to assist fire crews in a June 29 blaze at the south end of the reservoir.

COURTESY OF JOHNNIE MEDINA

The fire, later determined to be started by an electric utility pole malfunction, also caused power outages in the BackCountry community.

Four years ago, another significant fire began at the same location. At 220 acres, it was half as big as the Chatridge 2 fire.

The EMC is still investigating what sparked these fires and looking into if they were caused by the same malfunction.

“We’ve had two fires in the same spot,” he said. “We need to prevent that from happening.”

After events like this, the EMC completes an action review of the situation, which includes suggestions for ways to improve, Johnson said. These sometimes take several

The scar from the June 29 Chatridge 2 fire is show in a photo taken from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control’s Multi-Mission Aircraft.

COURTESY PHOTO weeks to complete.

In order to keep the fire from spreading any more, Douglas County brought in a variety of air support, including five large air tankers, two single engine air tankers, three helicopters and three other planes.

“It might take a couple of months to figure out the true cost,” he said.

While Johnson believes the fire was a “huge threat” to the BackCountry neighborhood, he sees the event as a success.

“As bad as it could have been, it wasn’t,” he said. “We were very happy, we didn’t burn any structures, no injuries and no deaths.”

Looking into the future for that area, the EMC is paying attention to the high chance of excessive water runoff if there is a heavy rain, Johnson said.

“Vegetation holds back water,” he said. “Now we have areas where we could have runoff that flows into (nearby) Highway 85.”

Eventually, though, it will look like it never happened, he said.

“In a couple of years, I don’t think folks will even know or remember that we had a fire,” Johnson said.

“The oak brush will come back, the grass will come back. In a couple of years the scar from the fire will be totally unnoticeable.”

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