July 15, 2021
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
VOLUME 34 | ISSUE 32
Drought watch continues despite greenery Highlands Ranch sees designation remain in place even after wet weather BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
to assist Castle Pines Emergency Services with a homicide at a home in the gated community. The investigation revealed Wogan had been growing marijuana in the home, where he was staying with permission of the owner. Bodnar was helping him and had come to the home that day to discuss the operation.
As afternoon rainstorms have continued through spring and early summer, officials of the Centennial Water and Sanitation District, the water provider in Highlands Ranch, warn residents that the community is still under a drought watch designation. “A drought is not just about precipitation,” said Swithin Dick, water rights administrator for Centennial Water. “Precipitation is one part of the equation, but you also have to look at snowpack, water runoff, demand and water supply.” Centennial Water monitors the water supply for the community daily. On July 7, Centennial Water’s reservoir storage was 8,048-acre feet, or 47% of 17,200 acre-feet total capacity. Centennial Water’s median storage level for July over the past 10 years has been 8,904 acre-feet, or 52% of the capacity. An acre-foot of water equals about 326,000 gallons, or enough water to cover an acre of land, about the size of a football field, one foot deep. “Despite the precipitation we have received over the past month, the storage level in our reservoirs has declined,” Dick said. “This is because
SEE MURDER, P22
SEE DROUGHT, P20
Jessica Thoennes, of Highlands Ranch, will be representing the U.S. as the second seat on the women’s rowing team in the 2021 COURTESY OF U.S. ROWING ASSOCIATION Olympics.
Mountain Vista grad to compete in Olympics Jessica Thoennes selected for second seat on U.S. women’s rowing team BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After graduating from Mountain Vista High School in Highlands
Ranch, Jessica Thoennes started her rowing career as a walk-on for the University of Washington. After more than six years of hard work, she has been selected to rep-
resent the United States as the second seat on the Women’s 8+ Rowing Team in Tokyo this summer. SEE THOENNES, P24
Man sentenced in murder of Highlands Ranch resident Black-market marijuana scheme turned deadly in shooting in Castle Pines BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Dominique Wogan, 35, of Castle Rock was sentenced to 36 years in
prison after being convicted for the murder of Fletcher Bodnar, a Highlands Ranch resident. Wogan was said to be a partner in a black-market marijuana scheme. On March 11, a jury found Wogan guilty of second-degree murder for shooting Bodnar during an argument. According to court records, on May 15, 2020, Douglas County sheriff’s deputies were called in
FREE RANGE THERAPY How a horse and a trail can be good for the soul
P14
SUMMER FUN ABOUNDS
Dance in the streets or ride under the moon at these local events P18