Citizen Centennial 9-13-2013
Centennial
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 43
September 13, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourcentennialnews.com
CSU plans to initiate area classes No specific location announced for program starting in January By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com
Centennial couple Kyle and Sarah Hansen brought Luke, a goldendoodle, to the Puppy Paddle at Holly Pool for the first time Sept. 7. Had Luke ever been in the water before the event? “Not willingly,” Sarah Hansen said with a laugh.
Pool
Party Holly Pool in Centennial went to the dogs Sept. 7. The annual Puppy Paddle drew dozens of dogs and their owners to the South Suburban facility, as the pool was open to the pooches for a summer-ending bash on a sunny Saturday. Dogs swam after tennis balls and flying discs flung by their humans, who were told to stay out of the water.
Photos by Chris rotar
The Puppy Paddle featured frequent exits from the pool by the dogs for coaching and reassurance from their owners. For most of the pups, it wasn’t long before they made another big splash at Holly Pool.
Council puts limits on panhandling Ordinance aims to keep beggars off medians, highways By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews. com In an effort to keep panhandlers and their contributors safe, Centennial City Council on Sept. 3 approved an ordinance to limit where their transactions can occur. “We have yet to have a significant accident, but it’s only a matter of time,” said Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Bureau Chief Vince Line. “It is a significant public safety issue.” While panhandling itself is still legal, those conducting such business must now
stay away from state highways, off all medians and out of the street. They also must position themselves so that drivers who would like to give them money can safely pull into a parking lot to do so. Deputy City Attorney Maureen Juran told council the law mirrors ones in place in some surrounding communities and takes care not to tread on anyone’s right to free speech. “We believe this does pass First Amendment constitutional muster,” she said. In Centennial, panhandling has been on the rise, particularly at intersections along the Interstate 25 corridor, notably County Line Road, Dry Creek Road and Yosemite Street — likely an unintended consequence of light rail, noted Councilmember Rebecca Mc-
Clellan. “Because we’re surrounded by municipalities that are doing something about this, we’re getting the overflow,” she said. “I feel like we do need to do something.” Councilor Rick Dindinger voted against the ordinance, saying the requirement that a driver must be able to pull into a parking lot goes too far. “There are times when it can be done safely from the car,” he said. Councilmember Keith Gardner joined Dindinger’s opposition, wondering how it would affect the firefighters’ “Fill the Boot” event each Labor Day weekend. Juran said details will be worked out with the fire department to ensure the fund-raiser for muscular dystrophy would
continue. Gardner also asked if the new law will inhibit the ability of political candidates to campaign and gather signatures on nominating petitions at major intersections. “You very well might be prosecuted for that, but I don’t know how a judge might ultimately rule,” said Juran. Violations of the ordinance are considered minor, so no jail time would be ordered. City code allows a fine of up to $2,650. Line said he didn’t expect to proactively enforce the law. “This gives us a tool to utilize if we need it,” he said. “We would probably talk to people first before hauling them into court. But some circumstances would dictate enforcement over education.”
Colorado State University announced Sept. 5 that it is moving ahead with plans to launch a “significant presence” in the south metro Denver area early next year. “The CSU South Metro Denver presence is one of the last essential elements for us to prosper economically in this global environment,” John Brackney, president of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, said in a news release. “We are deeply appreciative of CSU for its desire to leverage the strength of our businesses community, specifically in relationship to STEM disciplines, and for considering the possibilities of cooperative education in direct partnership with major employers.” The first classes will begin in January and are part Brackney of a systems-engineering master’s degree program. No specific location has been announced. CSU spokesman Kyle Henley said university officials are working with a number of local tech companies in hopes of utilizing their training facilities for those classes. Ronald M. Sega, CSU’s vice president and enterprise executive for energy and the environment, will serve as a liaison to the business community and as the lead academic adviser. Sega is a former NASA astronaut and retired major general in the Air Force. “One of the real opportunities of the CSU-South Metro project is to provide key graduate-level programs that clearly fill strategic needs for the region’s business community,” Sega said. “I’m looking forward to meeting with our corporate partners in the coming weeks and months to discuss how we can serve them and support the region’s strong track record of economic growth.” In fall of 2014, CSU will add four-year degrees in business and nursing, and more as demand is realized. But Henley said the intent is not to compete with local community colleges, and that CSU has in fact been working closely with Arapahoe Community College in Littleton and other higher-education institutions in the area. “We’ve had a lot of conversations with ACC and continue to work closely with them,” said Henley. “We see a lot of very promising relationships, and we’re going to continue to talk with them.” CSU System Chancellor Mike Martin said partnering with community colleges means graduates don’t have to leave Denver or commute to continue their college education. In addition, it will help keep CSU’s startup costs low, eliminate overlap and help guide two-year graduates toward a bachelor’s degree. CSU continues on Page 8
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