August 27, 2021
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ParkerChronicle.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 39
Douglas County residents voice opinions on redistricting maps Many attendees advocated for county, municipalities to remain whole A crowd fills the Douglas County Board of Commissioners hearing room on Aug. 19.
PHOTO BY JESSICA GIBBS
Schools keep mask order despite county opt-out DCSD superintendent says district must follow health order BY ELLIOTT WENZLER AND JESSICA GIBBS EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
While Douglas County has opted out of a public health order requiring masks for young students and their teachers as a COVID-19 safety
measure, the local school district says it plans to keep that order in place. In an Aug. 20 letter to the community, Douglas County School District Superintendent Corey Wise reinforced an earlier announcement that the district would adhere to the latest public health order from Tri-County Health Department despite county commissioners’ unanimous opt-out vote on Aug. 19.
U.S. combat veterans as we grapple with the meaning of the last 20 years and your service and your sacrifice,” U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a Centennial Democrat and a veteran of the Afghanistan war, said Aug. 16 during a news conference. “You stood up, you raised your right hand and you served your country when you were called to do so and you should be proud of that.
Douglas County residents and leaders came together Aug. 18 to provide input for the once-a-decade redistricting process during a public hearing with the commissions in charge of drawing the new district boundaries. For the first time, twin independent redistricting commissions — instead of the state legislature — are creating the districts for Colorado’s state legislative and congressional districts. Among the 35 speakers who signed up to speak at the meeting in Ranch View Middle School in Highlands Ranch were the Douglas County commissioners, the mayor of Parker, Wind Crest Senior Living Community residents, former state Sen. John Evans and Stu Parker, the chairman of the county’s Republican Party. Speakers were given three minutes to speak and were then asked questions by the commission. The commissions released preliminary maps June 23 and are now in the process of hearing from the public. The commissions’ maps must be approved by the Colorado Supreme Court no later than Dec. 15 for the congressional map and Dec. 29 for
SEE VETERANS, P2
SEE MAPS, P13
That Tri-County Health order, approved Aug. 17, requires masks to be worn among children ages 2 through 11 in any indoor school or childcare setting. Staff members who work with that age group were also included in the order, which took effect Aug. 23. “As previously communicated, effective Monday, August 23, the Douglas County School District SEE MASKS, P18
Colo. vets who served in Afghanistan speak out on collapse They admit to ‘a lot of complex feelings’ about Taliban takeover BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN
Colorado is home to thousands of soldiers and airmen, many of whom deployed to Afghanistan
over the past 20 years — some of whom did not return or came back mentally and physically scarred by the conflict. The Taliban takeover of the South Asian country has left those veterans battling mixed emotions about their sacrifice. Some are frustrated that their service may have been in vain while others are elated to see U.S. troops leaving what they feel was a hopeless war. “This is a challenging time for
BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
FOOD FEST DRAWS CROWDS Restaurants shine at Taste gathering P4
NOTES ON HISTORY G. Brown captures pop music’s roots
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