September 23, 2016
SERVE AND PROTECT
VO LUM E 1 5 | IS S U E 44 | FREE
Chaplains provide support for those on the front lines of law enforcement. PAGE 12
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C-470 project gears up But group suing over expansion of highway asks to postpone work until lawsuit is settled By Kyle Harding kharding@coloradocommunitymedia.com
The high-performance, 210-square-foot #TinyLab is home to Grace and Corbett Lunsford, their baby, pictured, and their two cats. Photo by Alex De Wind.
#TinyLab spends a week in Centennial Family’s tiny house exhibits highest performance standards in home improvement By Alex DeWind adewind@coloradocommunitymedia.com Corbett and Grace Lunsford live in a tiny house on wheels. The 210-squarefoot humble abode is equipped with a mini-kitchen, dining area, master bed, nursery for their baby and a bathroom. From the outside, it resembles a blue rectangular box. Inside is a modern living space with high ceilings, copper appliances, sleek lighting and simple decor. But even more noteworthy is its mechanical system. Their tiny home is built to the highest performance standards in energy efficiency, indoor air quality, comfort and durability. It uses green materials and Tiny continues on Page 5
Corbett Lunsford, a former professional piano player, shows the mechanical system of his #TinyLab, a high-performance, 210-square-foot house on wheels. Lunsford, his wife and their baby were in Centennial from Sept. 5-10 for their “Proof is Possible Tour.”
National crime ring suspected in area thefts Places frequented by women may be targeted by Felony Lane Gang Staff report
This image from a bank surveillance camera shows a woman suspected of trying to cash stolen checks. Courtesy photo
A national organized crime ring that targets places frequented by women has again been linked to theft and fraud in the south metro area. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of a purse and checkbook from a locked vehicle at a day care center in the 6800 block of South Quebec Street in Centennial. The crime may be connected to the “Felony Lane Gang,” according to the sheriff’s office. A suspect in the late-July crime has been described by the sheriff’s office as a white woman between 50 and 60 years old. She tried to cash stolen checks at several area banks using identification
obtained during previous thefts from vehicles, the sheriff’s office said. She may have been driving a gray or silver SUV. Felony Lane Gang members “have been operating for years and are known for using the farthest drive-through lane at a bank to try to cash stolen checks,” according to the sheriff’s office. While the suspects prefer unlocked vehicles, they will smash windows to gain entry if needed. “These mostly are happening in broad daylight,” said Julie Brooks, public information officer for the sheriff’s office. “As with many other types of crimes, being aware and observant can help. Look around when you are dropping your kids off at day care or heading into the gym. Do you see people just sitting in their car? Have you seen the car there before? If you see suspicious behavior, report it immediately.” Crime continues on Page 5
While work on an expansion of C-470 between I-25 and Kipling Parkway is set to start early next month, a group of Highlands Ranch residents that has sued over the project wants construction to halt until the lawsuit is settled. The Highlands Ranch Neighborhood Coalition filed suit against the Colorado Department of Transportation in federal court in May, also naming CDOT Executive Director Shailen Bhat and Federal Highway Administration Colorado Division Administrator John Cater as defendants, alleging that flawed traffic noise data was used in the project’s approval process. The coalition alleges that CDOT and the FHWA violated the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as well as federal noise regulations and filed a motion last month asking the court to postpone work until after the lawsuit is heard because any change to the traffic conditions along the corridor will make it impossible to collect proper noise data. Coalition President Carter Sales, who lives along the south side of C-470 in between University and Colorado boulevards, said he and his neighbors want sound walls between the freeway and their homes, something CDOT and FHWA determined was unnecessary. Sales says CDOT did not collect the required number of long-term noise samples during the public comment period last year. He said that he filed the suit after being rebuffed by the agency when he filed administrative complaints last year. C-470 continues on Page 5
WHAT’S BRUIN?
Cherry Creek and Arapahoe face each other before league play commences. PAGE 21