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July 29, 2021
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
EnglewoodHerald.net
VOLUME 101 | ISSUE 24
Sheridan superintendent’s raise spurs complaints Pay increase led head of district’s school board to resign
In Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, 95% of those recently hospitalized were not fully vaccinated
BY ERICA BREUNLIN THE COLORADO SUN
A superintendent over one of Colorado’s poorest school districts collected a nearly 20% raise this year, igniting a debate over spending even as enrollment is in free fall. Supporters of Pat Sandos’ raise — which increased his base salary 17% to $202,000 — call it a way to keep him in Sheridan School District No. 2, ensuring continuity. Critics lambaste it as an “unconscionable” move and “a glaring inequity” when others are suffering, even as Sandos has been among the lowest-paid superintendents in the metro Denver area. SEE RAISE, P8
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
once-in-a-decade redistricting process for congressional districts — including the drawing of Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District. Colorado gained a seat for an eighth representative in the U.S. House because of population growth. Colorado is also in the process of redrawing its state legislative districts, which are represented by state senators and state representatives.
With the new school year only weeks away, Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties are seeing the signs of an upswing in rates of new COVID-19 cases, according to a news release from Tri-County Health Department. “Two connected factors are responsible for the increase in new cases: individuals who remain unvaccinated and the highly contagious Delta variant,” the health agency wrote in the news release. In parallel with trends across the U.S. and Colorado, new cases of COVID-19 have increased in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties in the past month, according to TriCounty, which is the local public health agency for the three counties. “While the overall rates are much lower than they were in April thanks to those who have been fully vaccinated against the virus, this recent increase in cases is concerning especially with school beginning in the next few weeks,” the agency added. Schools will likely return with little to no social distancing or mask requirements next month. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released new P-12
SEE DISTRICT, P6
SEE COVID, P20
Pat Sandos is pictured during an interview for the role of superintendent in Sheridan PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 School District No. 2 in 2018.
Political map tour comes to Englewood City could move to new congressional district, be split under new state Senate district BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Some south-metro residents argued against splitting Englewood into two state Senate districts —
Unvaccinated people drive COVID rise as school looms
and asked not to separate part of Englewood from Sheridan — during an open meeting where members of the public commented on a proposed redrawing of districts for U.S. Congress and state legislature seats. “We share roads, we share a railway, our police forces work together,” said Sally Daigle, mayor pro tem of Sheridan, at the July 21 meeting. She added: “I think it’s important that you keep Sheridan and Englewood in the same district.” The conversation is part of a
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
WESTERN WELCOME WEEK
Littleton’s signature annual bash is back in full form. Our guide is inside P15
