Week of February 3, 2022
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An edition of the Littleton Independent A publication of
VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 11
Tri-County Health may end school, indoor mask mandates Health agency cites decline in cases as reason for change BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Pointing to a decline in the rate of new coronavirus cases, Tri-County Health Department announced it will consider ending its mask man-
dates for schools and public indoor places in general in Arapahoe and Adams counties. Tri-County’s board of health — the agency’s policy-making body — will hold a special meeting at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 31 to discuss ending the public health orders. Information about the meeting, which will be held virtually, can be found here. While cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 rose rapidly over the past month, the more recent
decline in cases among all age groups has been “just as dramatic,” Tri-County Health said in a Jan. 28 news release. “Recently released estimates from the state’s (data) modeling team indicate that over 40% of Colorado residents have been infected by omicron and that 80% of the state’s population will be immune to omicron by mid-February, with cases and hospitalizations predicted to continue to decline,” Tri-County
said in the release. Tri-County continued: “Given these trends and the growing availability to an array of prevention tools, particularly more effective medical-grade masks and rapid tests, in addition to access to free vaccines, TCHD believes it is an appropriate time to consider ending the mask orders.” Colorado recently began offering SEE MASKS, P11
Hospital chief feels ‘meant to serve others’ As homeless numbers rise, south after battling cancer suburbs push toward solutions
Centennial admin says ‘vulnerability was key’ for staying positive
Englewood, Littleton, Sheridan look to create ‘action plan’
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
If you get him going, Tyler Hood can rattle off the names of the people who treated him as he fought cancer — from the surgeon to the nursing staff. “It took a village to get me back on my feet,” said Hood, a top administrative official for Centennial Hospital who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2019. At first, Hood started feeling under the weather and felt some changes in his body, he said. “I wanted to ignore it,” said Hood, 34, whose girlfriend at the time could tell he was nervous and encouraged him to get some tests done. Eventually, he saw a urologist SEE HOSPITAL, P8
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Tyler Hood, the chief operating officer of Centennial Hospital, opened up about his COURTESY PHOTO journey through cancer treatment.
As alarming numbers paint a picture of increasing homelessness in the Denver metro area — a trend that predates the pandemic but was likely worsened by it — advocates hope to build on promising efforts in the fight to get people off the street. Pedestrians wrapped in large blankets, lying on walkways and begging for help along major roads are a common sight in Englewood and around metro Denver. And while the City of Denver continues to see the most visible homelessness in the region, some organizations that serve the unhoused have seen what appears to be rising SEE HOMLESS, P4
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 15 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
EASY PIECES
Pandemic, popular Netflix series drive popularity of historic game P12