November 18, 2021
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
LoneTreeVoice.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 30
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 39
Outgoing school board directors reflect on tenures
SPECIAL REPORT
Public comment highlights divisions in the community BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Colorado Center for the Blind in Littleton.
PHOTO BY DAVID GILBERT
They came seeking confidence; they left traumatized Sexual abuses were kept quiet for decades at the world-renowned Colorado Center for the Blind, former students and employees allege BY DAVID GILBERT DAVID@COLORADOSUN.COM
More than a dozen previously unreported instances of sexual misconduct and abuse spanning at least two decades at the Colorado Center for the Blind in Littleton have surfaced during an internal
investigation of the school’s parent organization. Among the offenses were the alleged sexual assault of a 13-yearold girl by a summer youth camp counselor in 2001, of which police have no record; a teacher accused SEE BLIND, P6
MERGER FOR LOCAL CREDIT UNION
Lone Tree-based Canvas has deal with W. Slope firm P5
ABOUT THIS SPECIAL REPORT This project is a collaboration of Colorado Community Media, publisher of this newspaper, and The Colorado Sun. The Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
Outgoing Douglas County school board members said their goodbyes at the district’s last regular board meeting before new leadership assumes office, although divides in the community laid bare by the election were still evident during public comment. Board directors Kevin Leung and Krista Holtzman lost their bids for re-election and will leave office this month along with the other departing directors, Christina Ciancio-Schor and Anthony Graziano. Newly-elected board directors Becky Myers, Mike Peterson, Christy Williams and Kaylee Winegar, all members of the Kids First slate that challenged some policies of the current district leadership, will be sworn in Nov. 29. The election was closely watched across the region. Several speakers at the Nov. 9 meeting thanked the outgoing directors for their time in office and said they should be proud of their work in the district during tumultuous times. Holtzmann thanked people who have supported her and thanked her fellow slate member Leung, saying his “brilliant intellect” is only matched by his integrity. She commended board President David Ray, calling him the board’s SEE SCHOOLS, P2
ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Colorado residents discuss what makes them thankful
P16