Week of June 30, 2022
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 30
Dry conditions impact water supplies Centennial Water asks residents in service area to conserve BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Centennial Water is warning Highlands Ranch residents to cut down on water
use as dry conditions continue and storage levels dip nearly 30% below the June average. In a recent press release, Centennial Water officials said the communities of Highlands Ranch, Solstice and northern Douglas County have already been under a drought watch since April 25. In the statement, Centen-
nial Water said with the exception of the late May snowstorm and a few days of rain, drought conditions have continued to be warm and dry. According to the water company, which supplies water and wastewater services to about 100,000 customers, Centennial Water’s storage reservoirs have continued to drop. As of June 21, they
were at 37% capacity, which is 30% less water in storage than the average for June over the past 10 years. If conditions continue to stay warm and dry, and reservoir levels continue to drop, the district says it may need to enact Stage 1 drought restrictions. Last year in May, data provided by the water district had Centennial Water’s reser-
voir storage at 6,782 acre-feet, or 39% of the 17,200 acre-feet capacity. The median storage level for May over the last 10 years has been 9,495 acre-feet. Water districts measure water levels through acrefeet, which is about 326,000 gallons, equaling the size of a football field covered with water one foot deep. SEE WATER, P10
School district to put MLO/bond question on November ballot Effort to gather more community feedback fails BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Jean died about two years ago, Jim asked their longtime friend SJ Light to carry on the tradition of wearing the buttoncovered sash and cowboy hat to celebrate Pride.
Douglas County School District’s Board of Education voted 6-0 to notify the Douglas and Elbert county clerks that they plan to put one or two questions on the November ballot regarding school funding. On June 21, six board directors approved a resolution to select an election official and notify the appropriate county clerks of the potential ballot questions. Director Elizabeth Hanson was absent during the vote. No specific ballot language has been identified yet, with the board scheduled to vote on the exact questions at the Aug. 23 meeting. There is no cost to inform the county clerks of the intent to put questions
SEE PRIDE, P8
SEE BALLOT, P9
Jim Genasci, at right, celebrates Pride on June 23 at Wind Crest with Ray Vanoski, center, and SJ Light, who wears a sash and PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD cowboy hat featuring buttons collected at various Pride events since 1983 by Genasci’s late wife, Jean.
Wind Crest Pride honors memories, celebrates love BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
H
ighlands Ranch resident Jim Genasci started going to Pride events with his wife Jean in 1983, when their son Gary came out.
For years, the Genascis traveled across all 50 states and Canada attending Pride parades and rallies. At all of them, Jean collected dozens of buttons. She wore her collection on a sash, and then, when the sash got full, on a cowboy hat.
Evergreen Jazz Festival July 29, 30 & 31
Big Talent! Small Venues! Great Setting!
Order tickets by June 30th and
Save!
EvergreenJazz.org 303-697-5467