February 4, 2021
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An edition of the Littleton Independent A publication of
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 8
Massive Sports Complex now open Featuring three sheets of ice, new facility majorly expands district’s offerings BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A model of a “Red Tail” P-51 Mustang signed by some of the Tuskegee Airmen sits on display Jan. 29 at Centennial Airport’s PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD administration building.
Airport provides grant to Tuskegee Airmen chapter Money to support a path to flight-industry careers for young people in need BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Colorado chapter of a nonprofit that works to keep alive the history of the Tuskegee Airmen received a check from a local airport, a move expected to help “enable young people to pursue their dreams,” the chapter’s president said. One of the major objectives of the
nonprofit is to “encourage young people and let them know you can be excellent as well,” said Mark Dickerson, president of the Colorado chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc. The chapter honors the accomplishments and history of the Tuskegee Airmen, Black servicemen of the U.S. Army Air Corps — a precursor to the U.S. Air Force — who trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama during World War II. They constituted the first African American flying unit in the U.S. military. The chapter — named for Hubert L. “Hooks” Jones in order to SEE AIRMEN, P7
Robert Olislagers, director of Centennial Airport, left, speaks with Mark Dickerson, president of the Colorado chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc., after handing Dickerson a check to aid the chapter’s educational programs for youths.
“Colossal” hardly begins to convey the scale of South Suburban Parks and Recreation District’s sprawling new Sports Complex. Crews are still putting the finishing touches on the 206,000-squarefoot complex, which quietly opened to the public in early January on the south side of County Line Road just west of Holly Street. A grand opening is scheduled for Feb. 20. The complex makes a mighty addition to South Suburban’s athletic offerings, featuring two 195-foot-by85-foot indoor synthetic turf fields, a sports performance training room and a gymnasium that can be divided into two full-size basketball courts, four junior basketball courts, four volleyball courts or eight pickleball courts. Most significant, however, is the complex’s three sheets of ice, which replace the two sheets at the halfcentury old South Suburban Ice Arena along Arapahoe Road. With ice sports growing in popularity, the old Ice Arena just wasn’t cutting it anymore, said Bill Dobbs, SEE COMPLEX, P8
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 9 | SPORTS: PAGE 17
DON’T BE SCARED
A wonderful world of monsters awaits on the 16th Street Mall P12