Herald Highlands Ranch 7.18.13
Highlands Ranch
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 26, Issue 35
July 18, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourhighlandsranchnews.com
Sterling Ranch granted approval Plan gets second OK after change in law By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com
Doug DeCounter of Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison holds up a cast of an albertosaurus foot for attendees at the Highlands Ranch Metro District’s Youth Summer Camp July 9 at Fly’n B Park. There was a theme for each of the five days of the nature camp, which is held each year. Photos by Ryan Boldrey
Wilderness comes alive at Fly’n B Nature camp educates kids on past, present By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com
Carter St. Clair holds up one of many dinosaur artifacts brought to the Highlands Ranch Metro District’s Youth Summer Camp on July 9 at Fly’n B Park.
How fast does a bear run? How long can a turtle hold its breath? Which came first, the chicken or the dinosaur? These questions and more were explored last week by 16 local youngsters as part of the Highlands Ranch Metro District’s annual nature camp. Each day of the five-day camp at Fly’n B Park was themed, filled with hands-on exploration and education. The group opened the week with “Animal Awesomeness Day,” in which they studied the traits of various animals native to Colorado and then compared their own abilities to those animals, whether it was speed, strength or the ability to hold one’s breath for a really long time like a turtle. The following day, the group was treated to a special visit from Doug DeCounter of Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison. DeCounter shared a variety of dinosaur bones and casts with the kids, while educating them on the local history of the prehistoric creatures. “A little-known fact that many people don’t know is that the first triceratops re-
mains were discovered right here in Denver in 1891,” DeCounter said. “Most of the dinosaur was found near 13th and Federal, near where the Broncos now play, but since the skull was found in Wyoming, Wyoming gets the credit.” DeCounter put in perspective just how big some of the dinosaurs were as he had the kids stretch out a measuring tape 100 feet. “I knew they were big, but I didn’t know they were that big,” said Trey Burns, 10, who called the camp the highlight of his summer. Burns’ favorite day of the week was the July 10 fishing day. With seven years of experience under his belt with a reel and rod, he said his favorite person to go fishing with was his grandfather. He said he wished that there were more fish in the pond and that there were more laws in place so that people don’t disturb the wildlife. The campers also got a visit from Douglas County Search and Rescue on July 11 — as team members led a course in wilderness survival — and a presentation from Wild Wings Environmental Education that featured live owls on July 12. The camp, an annual affair, is held twice each summer for children ages 7-10.
The Sterling Ranch planned development has been unanimously approved for the second time in three years by the Douglas County commissioners. With the July 10 approval, the project — which calls for a 12,000-home community located on 3,400 acres northeast of Roxborough State Park and south of the Chatfield Community Association — hopes to break ground by the end of 2013. “After six-plus years of hearings, I’m thrilled,” said Harold Smethills, Sterling Ranch managing director. “Everybody’s been heard and the commissioners made their decision. So now it’s onward to building homes, and we’re ready to go.” The development, which will remain 37 percent open space, has plans for 30 miles of trails, multiple parks and wildlife corridors, a multi-field athletic complex, a hospital, fire services, schools, and a town center patterned after Littleton’s historic downtown. “This development sets an example for future developments to come down the road,” said Sterling Ranch attorney Gil McNeish, citing mitigation plans, open space preservation and water conservation techniques, such as rainwater harvesting, that are all part of the development’s master plan. About a dozen opponents, who were either Chatfield or Roxborough residents, spoke out against the project at the 4½hour hearing. Most spoke against the detriment the project would have on their rural way of life, and expressed concerns over the development having enough water secured to move forward. “I think that the Board of County Commissioners has a fiduciary duty to the citizens of Douglas County and not the develRanch continues on Page 12
STEM experiment heads for space Microbrewery will be in microgravity By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews. com Tap the imagination of an 11-year-old boy and you never know what you might discover. Take a gander into STEM School seventh-grader Michal Bodzianowski’s and you may find a scientist in the making. Bodzianowski recently learned an experiment he proposed will
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Student expeRimentS bound foR Space • What are the effects of the creation of beer in microgravity and is it possible? • The effect of microgravity on the development of the spotted salamander • The effect of microgravity on the calcium absorption by bones • The formation of silver crystals in microgravity • The effect of microgravity in structure of the fungus flammulina velutipes be conducted on the International Space Station over a six-week period beginning this November. One of 300 sixth- and eighthgraders at the Highlands Ranch school to complete a proposal this spring, Bodzianowski was one of three selected by teachers, parents and a few engineers from nearby Raytheon to have their experi-
• Dehydrated and live tardigrades vs. microgravity • Aleve XR and microencapsulation in microgravity • Bacteria and decomposition • The effect of microgravity on the oxidation of metal exposed to a salt water solution • Lactobacillus bacteria growth in microgravity • How does microgravity effect the mold growth on bread? ments submitted to the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program. Out of 3,000 national submissions, Bodzianowski’s experiment, “What are the effects of the creation of beer in microgravity and is it possible?” was just one of 11 selected to launch aboard Space continues on Page 12
STEM School and Academy seventh-grader Michal Bodzianowski works on an experiment at the school over the summer. The 11-year-old from Highlands Ranch is one of 11 students nationwide whose experiments will be conducted in space this fall as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program. Photo by Ryan Boldrey