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August 12, 2021
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 126 | ISSUE 26
Dogs, Highland cattle star in county fair opener Douglas County Schools town hall turns raucous over COVID-19 plans
Highland cattle show moved to Kiowa from usual Boulder location BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
The Elbert County Fair officially kicked off early July 31 with the 4-H Dog Show and the Mountain States Highland Cattle Show. The 4-H Dog Show began bright and early at 8 a.m. at the Elbert County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall. Thirty exhibitors ages 8 through 18 proudly presented their dogs in showmanship, obedience and rally competitions. Most of those involved in the 4-H Dog Project are girls, with only five boys competing this year. The presenters begin in January each year with the 4-H Dog Project. They learn how to properly handle the dog for each competition type, all while building a stronger bond with their dog. “It is really exciting to see how the kids and the dogs grow together,” said Sarah Lindauer, leader of the Elbert County 4-H Dog Project. “The kids love it!” Not only do the competitors SEE FAIR, P13
Many attendees condemn masks, refute pandemic science BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Heather Booth Heather Booth, according to the announcement, has been a resident of Elizabeth for nearly 20 years and is the mother of two children
A back-to-school town hall meeting put on by the Douglas County School District on Aug. 4 quickly turned raucous as district leaders attempted to outline the district’s plans for mitigating COVID-19 this school year. The crowd first erupted with boos when Superintendent Corey Wise displayed a slide saying the district is recommending universal masking when school begins the week of Aug. 9. That opened a contentious meeting where many attendees called for an end to pandemic precautions and refuted COVID-19 science, such as the validity of testing and efficacy of face coverings. DCSD is among school districts across metro Denver and beyond that have been establishing markwearing policies and other rules to address the threat of COVID-19 as the new school year approaches. And frequently, those policies have met with strong objections from many — some feeling the rules go too far and some saying they don’t go far enough. Some nearby districts, such as Denver, Jeffco and Englewood, have announced mask-wearing requirements
SEE SCHOOLS, P6
SEE TOWN HALL, P2
Scottish Highland cattle lined up and ready to be shown.
PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON
Conservative slate seeks Elizabeth school posts Incumbent joins 2 other board candidates in run announced by GOP leader BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Three candidates running as a slate in the officially nonpartisan Elizabeth school board race were recently announced by Thomas
Peterson, chairman of the Elbert County Republican Party. The three — Heather Booth, Craig Blackham and incumbent Cary Karcher — are “all proven conservatives,” the announcement said. The Elizabeth C-1 district has five schools: Elizabeth High School, Elizabeth Middle School, Legacy Academy, Running Creek Elementary School and Singing Hills Elementary School. The announcement said the three candidates for the November
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 16
election are community leaders well-suited for a “student orientated” school board that has “a strong tradition of fiscal responsibility, transparency, and academic achievement.”
NEW PLACES TO PLAY New breed of entertainment centers offer food, brews, fun P16