February 11, 2016
THIS WEEK IN
VOLUME 114 | ISSUE 15 | 75¢
SPORTS
LOCAL
Rock Canyon captures the Continental League swim title.
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DouglasCountyNewsPress.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Students craft real-world solutions Cresthill Middle School students, from left, Carson Rardin, Meredith Schwind and Ana Lopez Muniz pose with the firstplace certificates they earned for their political and industry ads. The students were part of many teams making videos to persuade the public to help solve a problem facing Colorado. Courtesy photo
Video ads offer ways to tackle problems facing Colorado By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com Eighth-grade students at Cresthill Middle School in Highlands Ranch looked at the biggest problems facing Colorado and developed their own video advertisements to explain how they would fix them. Bryce Johansson’s team wanted to see if Douglas County students were sleeping enough. It found, on average, students Fixes continues on Page 5
DOCTOR’S VISITS GO DIGITAL New advances in telemedicine allow patients to be examined from remote locations. Read more on PAGE 14.
CASTLE ROCK TOWN COUNCIL
Plan for street closure scrapped
Looking for
Staff eyes other funding options for Castle Rock quiet zone By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com In response to public opposition to the potential closure of the Second Street railroad crossing to create a train horn quiet zone, Castle Rock Town Council decided to no longer pursue the option. “I did think this closure was an option that hadn’t been explored and I thought at first it was a great idea,” said Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Green. “But after hearing from residents, it’s obviously more important to them that they have that accessibility option. And I agree, too.” Council instead directed town staff to research other funding options that would make the more expensive fourquadrant gate system — which would prevent cars from entering the crossing when a train is coming through — more feasible. No timeline was set for a discussion on other options. “It really irks me that after all this time a decision has still not been made,” said Red Hawk resident John Rohl, adding that the quiet zone is more than a Craig and Gould neighborhood issue. “The excuses have always been the same — not enough people complain or consider it a concern. Plan continues on Page 13
Brooke Taylor, 17, is one of 200 Douglas County 4-H sport shooting participants. Sport shooting is the fastest growing 4-H program in the county. Photo by Shanna Fortier
Enthusiasts seek safe, legal outdoor areas for shooting By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com Nine years after joining the Douglas County 4-H sport shooting program, Sedalia resident Brooke Taylor, 17, is preparing to compete in the national championships for air pistol. “I think some people might be a little bit scared of firearms if they’re not used to being around them, which is understandable,” said Taylor, who also shoots .22-caliber pistol and compound bow in the 4-H program. “That’s why I think it’s a good idea to get kids involved early to know that guns are safe if you use them in a way
that’s good.” Taylor is one of about 200 Douglas County youths involved in the 340 different shooting projects offered by the county’s 4-H program. About 60 adult volunteers lead the program, which is the fastest growing 4-H program in Douglas County. “It’s not just Douglas County,” said Brenda Kwang, 4-H extension agent for Douglas County. “It’s growing nationally, and Colorado is leading the country.” But finding safe and legal public outdoor space to practice has become a growing concern throughout the southern Front Range, which covers
Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Park and Teller counties. Because Douglas County has no outdoor shooting range open to the public, Taylor and most 4-H shooters practice on a friend’s private property on Highway 105 in the southern part of the county. “The indoor range, DCF Guns in Castle Rock, is the closest place to do some indoor shooting,” said Troy Taylor, Brooke’s father. “But it is pricey and small compared to having outdoor space.”
DOUGLAS COUNTY NEWS-PRESS (ISSN 1067-425X) (USPS 567-060) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 | PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Douglas County, Colorado, the News-Press is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT CASTLE ROCK, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 5 p.m. | Classifieds: Tue. 8 a.m. | Obits: Mon. 4 p.m. | Legals: Thurs. 11 a.m.
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