JOB FAIR
May 19, 2016 VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 7 | FREE
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COWBOY BALL ROLLS INTO TOWN
Medicolegal death investigator C.J. Lay cleans the work station in the morgue before an autopsy. Photo by Shanna Fortier
‘Citizens can count on us’ Douglas County morgue works to become nationally accredited By Shanna Fortier sfortier@colorado communitymedia.com
Scott and Pat Candelaria tear up the dance floor May 14 at the third annual Cowboy Ball at the Douglas County Events Center. The event, themed around the Wild West, raises money for the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo Foundation. For more on the fun, turn to Page 14. Photo by Shanna Fortier
Titles can lift spirits, last a lifetime The meaning of a state championship can be found inside the hearts and minds of those involved By Jim Benton jbenton@coloradocommunitymedia.com Spring high school sports playoffs have started, and dozens of teams and hundreds of athletes in Colorado are pursuing state titles. But what does winning a championship really mean? At the high school level, MVPs don’t get invited to Disney World. Athletes generally don’t appear on talk shows. There are few national awards. In fact, a title brings little in the way of tangible rewards — hardware housed in school trophy cases, pictures of teams hung on walls and banners displayed in gyms. Still, a championship can leave an indelible mark on athletes and coaches. “I was lucky enough to be on a
Creating a buzz Chaparral Athletic Director Rob Johnson was the boys basketball coach when the Wolverines defeated Arapahoe to win the Class 5A state title in 2012. A title, he said, creates a morale boost. “People sometimes underestimate what that does for a school,” Johnson said. “Not just the state championship game, but the whole ride getting there. The kids
Town clerk verifies signatures on petition to recall Renee Valentine By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com Castle Rock Town Clerk Sally Misare has validated enough signatures for the recall effort of Councilmember Renee Valentine to move forward in Castle Rock’s District 5, which includes Castle Oaks, Cobblestone Ranch, Escavera and Founders Village.
State continues on Page 20
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Morgue continues on Page 5
Councilwoman’s recall moves forward
The Cherry Creek girls tennis team has more championships than you can shake a racket at. Photo by Jim Benton state championship team in high school and I can recall everything about it,” said Brad Madden, who has coached Green Mountain’s baseball team to back-to-back Class 4A state titles and played on the 1994 Arvada West state championship team. “We were pretty dominating. We had (former Major League pitcher) Roy Halladay and a lot good guys. I can remember the feeling of it and being around your buddies. That’s something you’ll never forget.”
For Douglas County Coroner Jill Romann, national accreditation of her office is about accountability and transparency to taxpayers who depend on her staff to explain why people have died. “It means citizens can count on us,” Romann said. “We are very invested that when something does go to litigation we are ready, or when telling a woman her husband’s cause of death, we can explain it extensively.” Romann’s office is on its way to that national distinction.
Of Colorado’s nine board-certified fellows with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators — the highest certification possible — two are in the Douglas County coroner’s office. Jill Romann is one, having received her certification in 2010. And death investigator Micheayla McClain is the other. “I feel like I’m looked at and respected more,” McClain said of her recent certification. “The biggest thing is the knowledge base and being able to investigate the death in this county to the full extent that I now know how.”
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Valentine
Recall continues on Page 2