October 22, 2020
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 25
VOLUME 33 | ISSUE 48
Campaign donations pouring in The races for two commissioner seats have seen more than 10 times the contributions as in 2016 Mike Shallenberger reacts to learning he won a $100,000 prize, most of which will go to STEM School Highlands Ranch but $30,000 is for his personal use. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GIBBS
STEM teacher wins $100,000 award Money will help buy engineering equipment for students BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A teacher at STEM School Highlands Ranch is one of three grand
prize winners from a pool of 600 applicants to win a $100,000 award from the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools prize program. Engineering teacher Mike Shallenberger was surprised with the news on Oct. 14. Representatives of Harbor Freight and STEM School presented Shallenberger with a check and new toolbox outside his home in Highlands Ranch. Of the award dollars, $70,000 will
He resigned while on leave, citing personal and family matters. “The investigator found that the complaint was made in good faith, but that there was no policy violation,” a district statement said. Tucker provided a statement via text message saying he supports investigating all claims of workplace discrimination “fully and promptly.”
Campaign contributions to candidates vying for two seats on the Douglas County Board of Commissioners already total more than 10 times the amount contributed in 2016, with tens of thousands of dollars coming from out-of-state sources, according to a Colorado Community Media analysis of campaign finance reports. By the end of the 2016 election cycle, $52,234 had been contributed to the four candidates on the general election ballot in the races for the District 2 and District 3 seats. That figure excludes nearly $113,000 in loans that District 3 winner Lora Thomas gave to herself that year. In this year’s two races, through Oct. 8, a total of more than $560,000 had been contributed to the two Democrats and two Republicans on the ballot. In the District 2 race, Democrat Lisa Neal-Graves and Republican George Teal are neck and neck in terms of contributions, with NealGraves outraising Teal $128,316 to
SEE TUCKER, P4
SEE CAMPAIGN, P4
go toward skilled trades programs at STEM School and $30,000 to Shallenberger. “Thank you. This is crazy. I normally don’t win a lot of things, honestly,” Shallenberger said after the reveal. “This is an honor.” Shallenberger said he hopes to buy his students a robotic arm with the funds. SEE TEACHER, P4
Probe finds ex-superintendent did not violate policy Tucker to begin new role in the Kentucky Department of Education BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
An independent investigation into former Douglas County School
District Superintendent Thomas Tucker has concluded and found Tucker did not violate any district policies, according to a statement from the district. Tucker was placed Tucker on paid administrative leave in September while he was investigated for allegations of workplace discrimination.
DON’T BE TRICKED
There are plenty of ways to have a happy Halloween amid the pandemic
P14
BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
TAKING THE TITLE
Mountain Vista’s boys won the Class 5A state cross country championship P25