December 9, 2021
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
CastleRockNewsPress.net
VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 34
Clinicians, police professionals work Masks not together to help citizens in need perfect, but do
help, says local health chief
Community Response Team brings an understanding approach BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Arriving in an unmarked car on a hot summer morning, a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy, a certified clinician and a case manager walk calmly into a Highlands Ranch home. The night before, the county sheriff’s office had been called about a teenage boy in distress. The deputy who had responded to the nighttime call did not arrest the teen or take him to a hospital. Instead, the deputy referred the case to a unit known as the Douglas County Community Response Team, or CRT. The CRT’s three professionals are not there to intimidate, scare or get the neighbors talking. Instead, they are there to follow up and help a family going through a tough time. There are multiple CRT units
Tri-County’s Douglas, data shed light on misconceptions BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
counsel. The board agreed to spread items related to COVID-19 policies over a special meeting set for Dec. 7 and a regularly scheduled meeting on Dec. 14. Directors decided to hold off on reviewing the equity policy until the new year. The board will consider a resolution making masking a choice on Dec. 7, according to the agenda.
His local public-health department has issued another mask-wearing mandate for two metro-Denver counties with nearly 1.2 million people. Even so, John Douglas doesn’t hesitate to admit that masks aren’t perfect in the fight against COVID-19. “But, like vaccines, they work better when more people use them,” Douglas, executive director of the Tri-County Health Department, told Colorado Community Media. “Because, like vaccines, they can both prevent the individual from getting infected or sick,” and also can prevent spread of the virus to others, Douglas said. Tri-County Health serves Adams and Arapahoe counties, and provides certain public-health services in Douglas County. Under a Nov. 22 Tri-County order, all people 2 and older in Adams and Arapahoe County must wear a face covering in all public indoor spaces. Authorities in Jefferson, Denver and Boulder counties have issued similar mandates. With rates of new coronavirus cases recently reaching levels not
SEE PRIORITIES, P13
SEE MASKS, P10
From left, Case Manager Steve Kalisch, Clinician Ellen Pronio and Deputy Zachary PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES Zepeski team up to help local citizens.
across Douglas County, as the county sheriff’s office and police departments in Castle Rock, Parker and Lone Tree have all adopted this approach to answering calls of distress from members of the
community. These calls of distress do not involve people breaking the law. They typically involve stressed-out SEE HELPING, P8
New school board majority lays out priorities Optional masks, repealing equity policy among top of the list BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The new majority on the Douglas County Board of Education offered a preview of their immediate plans
for the district in a recent study session — and a desire to speedtrack taking up their campaign promises. Among their priorities — making masks and vaccinations optional and repealing and replacing the district’s equity policy. Other priorities include amending the district’s common communicable disease policy and retaining an attorney for the board who is separate from the district’s legal
Dream Big Dreams...
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 20
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.75%
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Annual Percentage Yield (APY) and interest rate for Certificate of Deposit (CD) may change after account opening. Fees could reduce earnings on the CD. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. *To open the CD, $1,000 minimum opening deposit is required. The CD is automatically renewed into a Standard 12 month CD with current ratecould at renewal. **To open the CD, reduce earnings on the CD. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. The CD is automatically renewed into $1,000 minimum opening deposit is required. The CD is automatically renewed into a Standard 24 month CD with current rate at renewal. The Annual Percentage Yield is current as of 11/22/018.
a Standard 12 month CD with current rate at renewal. *The Annual Percentage Yield is current as of November 19, 2020.
