September 10, 2020
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An edition of the Littleton Independent A publication of
VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 39
Hundreds under Creek schools quarantine Entire sixth grade at a middle school moves online Harold Arnold, left, stands with his wife, Barb, in front of the Christmas tree at their Centennial home in a Dec. 18, 2017, photo. Barb Arnold, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, met Harold more than four decades ago, when Harold took his daughter to get bandaged after she cut her hand. Barb was a nurse at the time — she laughed recounting the story. Barb died in late August 2020. FILE PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
The cost of medical visits related to getting tested was a different story. Because of federal legislation later that month, people with any kind of private health insurance should have free access to the COVID-19 test — along with any doctor visits associated with getting the test, according
Cases of COVID-19 across the Cherry Creek School District have led to the district telling hundreds of students to quarantine, and one middle school’s entire sixth grade has moved online. As of Sept. 3, confirmed cases stood at 20 in the district, and more than 370 students and 42 staff members had been told to quarantine, said Abbe Smith, district spokeswoman. That’s out of the district’s 55,000 students and 9,000 staff total, “which I think is important context for this,” Smith said. The entire sixth grade at Falcon Creek Middle School was moved to online classes through Sept. 11 after a student exhibited “major COVID-19 symptoms” following exposure to a person who tested positive, according to an Aug. 28 letter from the district. Six teachers and 41 students from Falcon Creek in the east Centennial area were told to quarantine, Smith said. Those who did not receive additional instructions do not need to quarantine, the Falcon Creek letter added. “Due to restrictions in (state publichealth department) guidance, the number of teachers needing to quarantine in this situation will make it
SEE TEST, P4
SEE QUARANTINE, P6
Alzheimer’s brings bittersweet goodbye Couple adapted to life together until the very end BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After each of Barb Arnold’s children and her sister told her goodbye,
her husband, Harold Arnold, gave her one final message of support. “Barb, it’s OK, you can go,” Harold Arnold told his 85-year-old wife, an Alzheimer’s patient at a Centennial memory care facility. “And she just died (then). It was so peaceful. I was holding her, yeah, real tight. I was lucky I could do that.” Barb Arnold’s death on Aug. 28
capped off a loving marriage of 45 years, the last few of which Harold Arnold spent helping her through a battle with Alzheimer’s disease, a memory-affecting condition that worsens over time. Though the disease recast the dynamic of the couple’s marriage, SEE COUPLE, P11
Where to get free COVID-19 test Insurance not necessary at roughly 50 sites BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Half a year into the coronavirus pandemic’s detected spread through
Colorado — and with many Denver metro school districts back for inperson class — the need for COVID-19 tests remains high, and options abound for where Coloradans can access testing. In March, there was confusion over the actual cost of a test. “Testing is free,” a March 10 state news release said.
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | SPORTS: PAGE 17
CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH PEOPLE IN NEED Building community through gifts, cash-free exchanges P12