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Week of August 4, 2022
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
EnglewoodHerald.net
VOLUME 102 | ISSUE 25
As Tri-County Health disbands, counties take different approaches Price tags to go solo will vary BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The embattled Tri-County Health Department lists 10 staff members as its
“executive team,” a collection of leaders that oversee priorities like emergency preparedness, disease surveillance and environmental health. Arapahoe County has scooped up six of those leaders — plus Tri-County’s former director of nursing — to work for its upcoming
single-county health department as Tri-County prepares to dissolve at the end of this year. Adams County will absorb one of those 10 leaders, plus Tri-County’s former policy expert. Douglas County has not hired any of those key TriCounty staff members. Dr. John Douglas, head
health departments among the three counties are likely to shape up in different ways as the decades-old partnership fades away, fractured largely by Douglas County’s disagreements with TriCounty over COVID-19 policies.
of Tri-County, says he doesn’t think the politics surrounding Tri-County’s decisions on the pandemic played a role in general in determining which counties the health agency’s high-level staff will end up working for. But the disparity is one example of how the new
SEE HEALTH, P22
Accused gunman’s brother killed at standoff scene Affidavit provides insights after July 24 incident in southwest Englewood BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Editor’s note: This article mentions suicide. A 22-year-old man who was shot and killed by Englewood police July 24 had not fired at the officers, according to a claim in an arrest affidavit for the victim’s brother, who is the one accused of shooting at police and who was taken into custody. Englewood police and city officials have said little about the incident, and a gag order issued by an Arapahoe County judge July 29 limits what the city can publicly discuss about the events. According to the affidavit, obtained by Colorado Community Media, the shooter — 29-year-old Phillip L. Blankenship — was suicidal and “wanted the police to kill him.” The affidavit says officers were sent to investigate a call at a home in the
Food Truck Avenue owns The Colorado Pig Rig, a food truck that serves Kansas City style barbecue and street tacos. PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOOD TRUCK AVENUE
Food truck owner rolls with changes ‘Catering collective’ is latest move by company BY RACHEL LORENZ RLORENZ@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As the owner of six food trucks, David Sevcik would love to see gasoline prices drop. But if that’s
Food Truck Avenue’s biggest problem this year, the Englewoodbased business will be all right, he said. Sevcik, who began operating a macaroni and cheese food truck with his wife, Meghan Sevcik, six years ago, said every year has its challenges but the key to success is a little luck, a lot of hard work and the ability to adjust.
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19
“Be flexible and adapting and constantly learning,” Sevcik told Colorado Community Media. Rather than do the same thing year after year, Sevcik takes an annual look back at what worked well for the business and what didn’t and then determines what to change for the next year. SEE FOOD TRUCKS, P8
SEE SHOOTING, P15
ART IN THE OPEN
There’s plenty of sculpture to see in parks and public places
P16