Highlands Ranch
Herald
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 26, Issue 1
November 22, 2012
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourhighlandsranchnews.com
SHOWDOWN AT SHEA
Former teacher facing charges
Richard Johnson suspected of sexual assault on student Staff report
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Photo by W. Patrick Lanius | wlpSports.com
Photo by Courtney Kuhlen | ckuhlen@ourcoloradonews.com
Valor Christian and ThunderRidge will collide in the Class 5A semifinals Nov. 23 in Highlands Ranch. Both teams feature high-flying offenses highlighted by dangerous rushing threats, like Valor’s Christian McCaffrey, left, and ThunderRidge’s Steve Ray, right. The winner of this meeting at Shea Stadium will play for the state championship. For a preview of the game and coverage of the teams’ quarterfinal victories, turn to the Sports section, beginning on page Page 24.
Land holds mammoth potential Tourism is possibility for archaeology site
Teacher continues on Page 31
County GOP ‘bucked trend’
By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com Discoveries of mammoth proportions near Sterling Ranch have local archaeologists dreaming of turning Lamb Spring into a tourist destination. The site, first discovered by accident in 1960 by Charles Lamb, is not an active dig site at present, but according to Craig Lee of the Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve Board of Directors, there is much still to be unearthed at the Douglas County locale. An excavation led by the Smithsonian in 1961 and ‘62 turned up bones of at least five mammoths. A later excavation by the institution in 1980 and ’81 turned up remains of 30 more mammoths and evidence that suggested there may have been people around at that time to hunt the mammoths. According to Lee, scientific discovery dictates that people have been in this part of the world for 11,000 years, but what has been discovered at Lamb Spring could take human existence back another 2,000 years. “What we have is tantalizing evidence that people were butchering the mammoths at the spring,” Lee said. “Some of the evidence includes things such as the presence of a very large anvil stone or a hammer stone and evidence to suggest that the mammoth bones were smashed by humans. We need to continue that exploration.” Lee said the mammoth remains date to 13,000 years old, and although nothing is
A former Highlands Ranch middle school teacher and high school coach has been charged in the alleged sexual assault of a former female student. Richard “Rick” Johnson, 31, of Centennial, turned himself in Nov. 13 after authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. Johnson, who left the Douglas County School District in March, was an eighthgrade teacher at Rocky Heights Middle School and former basketball coach at Rock Canyon High School. He was charged with 30 felony counts, including sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, sexual exploitation of a child and enticement of a child. Johnson posted a Johnson $50,000 bond and was released. His arrest stems from an investigation that began in June and is still ongoing. Detectives ask that anyone with information about the case call Detective Dea Aragon at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at 303814-7131. In an email sent out to Rock Canyon families, Principal Andy Abner informed parents about the investigation and ex-
Despite local success, party taking a look at its message By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
Nathan Boyless stands with a cast of the Lamb Spring mammoth skull, which was discovered in Douglas County in 1981. Excavation continues in the area with more opportunity for research and public education. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen | ckuhlen@ourcoloradonews.com certain, if there were humans there at that time, it would be something that would indeed change the suggested history of North America. Lee and other members of the Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve envision the 35-acre site becoming active again within the next decade and have plans for an on-site museum that would house much of what they already know is underground. “Lamb Spring still holds mammoth remains that were uncovered by the Smithsonian excavation and then recovered,” Lee said. “There are also major portions of the site that remain unexcavated by anybody
but have huge potential to speak to the earliest humans in North America as well as questions relating to Ice Age farms.” Nathan Boyless, president of the preserve’s board of directors, said that it is good practice to leave some of the bones in situ, or buried on site. “First, the bones have been well preserved for thousands of years, so it makes sense that until another option can be identified, the best place to preserve the bones is underground where they currently reside,” he said. “In addition, considering that approximately 30 individual mamDig continues on Page 10
Republicans suffered sweeping losses nationally and in Colorado, but not so in Douglas County. Here, party leaders say 95 percent of active registered Republicans voted, helping clinch Mike Coffman’s U.S. House seat and George Brauchler’s election to district attorney. Those results prove Douglas County remains a Republican stronghold, but they aren’t reason enough to stay the course. Like Republicans across the country, local GOP members are taking stock and refocusing. “We’re down, but we’re not out,” said Marsha Haeflein, president of Douglas County Republican Women. GOP continues on Page 31
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