Herald Highlands Ranch 6-27-13
Highlands Ranch
June 27, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourhighlandsranchnews.com
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 26, Issue 32
And the winners are ... Look inside to find out who made Colorado Community Media’s list.
Fireworks show put on hold Restrictions bump display back to Oktoberfest again By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com
A brush fire in Highlands Ranch broke out on the afternoon of June 19, in an area north of the Dad Clark Trail and south of Highlands Ranch Parkway. Portions of Douglas County were placed under pre-evacuation notice that same afternoon due to the Lime Gulch Fire in southern Jefferson County. Photos by Ryan Boldrey
Local brush fire sparks caution Douglas County elevates restrictions to Stage 2 level By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com
Littleton Fire Rescue Capt. Gene Nagel, right, talks to Littleton and South Metro firefighters before they tackled the Highlands Ranch brush fire that broke out June 19.
A small brush fire broke out in Highlands Ranch June 19 near the intersection of Highlands Ranch Parkway and Fairview Parkway. The fire, which was put out in a little over an hour, scorched close to four acres of open space south of Dad Clark Trail, east of Clariton Drive. It took assistance from Littleton Fire Rescue, South Metro Fire Department and Rampart Helicopter Services — based out of Castle Rock — to contain the burn area. “This is scary stuff, especially when it starts burning in the urban interface like this,” said Littleton Fire Chief John Mullin. “It’s going to be a busy summer.” Fire continues on Page 8
As Douglas County entered a Stage 2 Fire Restriction this past week, the Highlands Ranch Community Association made the call to postpone its annual Fourth of July fireworks show for the second consecutive year. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office’s call to enter a stage 2 ban, which prohibits the use of personal or professional fireworks, came on the heels of a week that saw a four-acre brush fire break out in Highlands Ranch, the Lime Gulch Fire burn 500 acres in adjacent Jefferson County and a handful of other fires around the state. “If we remain in stage 2 there will be no fireworks,” said HRCA spokeswoman Jamie Noebel. “And the chance of that changing is slim to none. Unless we get a lot of rain in the next week, it will be hard for that call to be made. I don’t see it happening.” Even if the county shifts restrictions back to stage 1, which only prohibits the use of personal fireworks, but allows for professional shows, Noebel said the community association would have to seriously assess what the most responsible thing to do is. “This isn’t a joke anymore,” she said. “This is very serious stuff. It’s unfortunate we have to do this, but it’s absolutely the right thing to do. We’ll set the clock back for a day again, and wait to celebrate at Oktoberfest.” If the county reverts to stage 1 prior to the Fourth and the HRCA makes the call to go ahead with a fireworks show, Noebel said it will be posted at www.hrcaonline.org.
Mastering two wheels a treat Camp teaches kids with challenges to ride bikes By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews. com For the past four years, 8-yearold Ryan Laughlin of Highlands Ranch had been working his way up to riding a two-wheel bike without any help. Ryan, who is challenged with a condition called dyspraxia — a neurological disorder in which his brain has difficulty communicating muscle movement with his body — accomplished that goal last week. One of 40 campers at the iCan
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Bike Camp, hosted by the Highlands Ranch Community Association’s Therapeutic Recreation Program, Ryan finally put it all together, mastering the skill in the middle of an action-filled week. “It’s pretty awesome,” he said with a smile, “and really sweaty.” Ryan’s mother, Leigh Laughlin, first learned of the iCan Bike program — formerly known as Lose the Training Wheels — when Ryan was 4, and ever since has worked step for step with him on stationary and glider bikes, helping to prepare him for the camp that teaches mentally and physically challenged youths age 8 and older how to ride. “For him, the challenge is putting together multiple movements, moving his arms, rotating his legs,” she said. “This program addresses all the issues in the order the body comprehends them. I had no idea what to expect, but was hoping for the best. It’s been real nice to watch him learn.”
The camp, in its fifth year in Highlands Ranch — the only site for iCan Bike in Colorado — offers each camper a daily 75-minute session Monday through Friday. The kids start the week in the Eastridge gym, moving outside toward the middle to end of the week once they demonstrate the ability to ride inside. They transition through eight sizes of rollers on their bikes until they are only on two wheels. Each camper has at least one volunteer spotter within an arm’s reach at all times. “It’s so rewarding seeing the improvement the kids make through the week,” said Matthew Vernon, a senior at Rock Canyon. “There is just so much joy. They are all nervous and scared when they first come in. Then they start gaining confidence and really having a blast. … Most of us take riding a bike for granted.” Vernon, one of 90 volunteers at the camp, did one session last year, but was so inspired that he
Bridget Schaefer, 17, of Golden, spots for Highlands Ranch 8-year-old Ryan Laughlin, who was learning to ride a bike at the iCan Bike Camp, hosted by the Highlands Ranch Community Association Therapeutic Recreation Program the week of June 17. Photo by Ryan Boldrey
signed up this year to help at all five sessions that are held each day. “It’s volunteers like Matthew
that really make it go ‘round,” said HRCA Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor Summer Aden. “We need two to three per kid.”