September 1, 2016 VOLUME 121 | ISSUE 31 | 75¢
THERAPY ON FOUR LEGS Animals bring joy into the lives of patients on PAGE 10.
ElbertCountyNews.net A publication of
E L B E R T C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
GOP fills county commissioner vacancy Democrats also select nominee for November election Staff report Republicans and Democrats produced candidates Aug. 25 for this fall’s election to fill a short-notice vacancy on the Elbert County Board of Commissioners. Vacancy committees for both parties
met following the Aug. 15 resignation of Commissioner Kelly Dore, a Republican, in District 2, who cited tension on the board of commissioners in her decision to leave. Deadlines for the November ballot required Republicans and Democrats to put forward candidates within weeks of Dore’s announcement. Republicans selected Daniel Willcox, former chief of the Aurora Fire Depart-
ment with 30 years of experience as a firefighter. Democrats nominated Don Charobee, who has 34 years of experience with the U.S. Customs Service and the Department of Homeland Security. State law allows Dore’s party, the GOP, to fill the remainder of her current term as commissioner. Republicans selected Willcox to serve as interim commissioner until January 2017. He was sworn in Aug. 26. District 2 covers an area between
Elizabeth and Kiowa, north of Highway 86. For a map of the districts, go to www. elbertcounty-co.gov/comm2013.pdf In November, voters will choose commissioners for all three seats on the board to serve four-year terms. In District 1, Republican Chris Richardson will face off against Democrat Jill Duvall, and it will be Republican Grant Thayer versus Democrat Barbara Miller in District 3.
Duvall aims to improve financial functionality County commissioner candidate sees need for transparency By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media
Natalie Holschuh thanks Douglas County resident Bob Snodgrass, who bought her goat for $600 at the Junior Livestock Sale. Snodgrass said he likes to buy animals at the show to help out the kids who are showing them. Photos by Shanna Fortier
The road to market
Brooke Holschuh watches as other Douglas County 4-H members show their animals at the fair Aug. 4. Earlier that afternoon, she won grand champion in junior goat showmanship. But her goat did not place high enough in the market show to sell at the Junior Livestock Sale.
Part 2 of 2: Elbert County youths continue their animal-raising journey By Shanna Fortier sfortier@colorado communitymedia.com
Natalie Holschuh, 8, smiled as she walked her goat, Zoe, around the show ring at the Junior Livestock Sale Aug. 5 at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo. Zoe outweighed her by 22 pounds and had won second place in her market class earlier Market continues on Page 7
As Elbert County Democratic chair, Jill Duvall has repeatedly stressed the importance of having her party represented on the ballot in Elbert County. When it was discovered that Marie Soderberg was not eligible to run for the District I county commissioner seat in November’s election, Duvall resigned as the party’s chair to step in as the party’s new candidate after her selection by the Duvall vacancy committee. For Duvall, her candidacy is about more than just having a name with a “D” next to it on the ballot. Duvall continues on Page 9
CATCHING AIR Parker gymnastics center helps kids reach new heights on PAGE 13.
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