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July 10, 2014 VO LUME 1 25 | IS S UE 5 0 | 7 5 ¢
LittletonIndependent.net
A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O A publication of
Retail pot rejected by council After 4-3 vote, dispensary owners eye referendum By Jennifer Smith
jsmith @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Mallory Gore, 3, hooked a “fish” to earn a prize at the Grant Street Playground set up at Cornerstone Park as part of the July 4 Family Fun and Fireworks festivities. April McNorton and her family volunteer to set up the games and activities so children can have free things to do until the fireworks are set off after dark. Photos by Tom Munds
Rain can’t stop July 4 fun Annual Family Fun and Fireworks event is a real blast By Tom Munds
tmunds @coloradocommunitymedia. com POSTAL ADDRESS
LITTLETON INDEPENDENT (ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 315-780) OFFICE: 7315 S. Revere Pkwy., Ste. 603 Centennial, CO 80112 PHONE: 303-566-4100
A place to park and a spot to spread a blanket became hard to find in Cornerstone and Belleview parks, as is traditionally the case, when people gathered for the Family Fun and Fireworks event July 4. The event resembled past years with a variety of activities during the day, a live band on stage in the early evening, and a finishing fireworks display after dark. While a couple rainstorms swept through the area in the late afternoon, the skies eventually cleared. Volleyball games resumed, the attractions were blown up again and activities went on as
LEFT: Sebastian Hutchison stayed snug and warm wrapped up in his dad’s jacket when the July 4 rainstorms and wind made it a bit chilly at the July 4 Family Fun and Fireworks festivities at Cornerstone Park. The rain came and went, the weather turned warmer and the event went on as planned. RIGHT: Monica Patton hums and plays her guitar as she takes a break from the other activities at the July 4 Family Fun and Fireworks event. She said she likes to be outside and just play her guitar for her own enjoyment and even occasionally writes a song or two. scheduled. Because so many people park in adjacent areas to watch the fireworks, crowd estimates are difficult. However, during the event, Police Cmdr. Gary Condreay said the crowd in the park looked a bit smaller this year, probably because of the rains.
This is the 19th year agencies and communities have joined together to put on a July 4 celebration which culminates with about a 20-minute fireworks display. For 2014, contributors and
Fourth continues on Page 10
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Littleton Independent is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO.
Pot continues on Page 12
Littleton Village work in motion Council approves final site plan for old Marathon land By Jennifer Smith
jsmith @coloradocommunitymedia.com
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P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Retail marijuana in Littleton is toast — at least for now. The city council voted 4-3 on July 1 in favor of an outright ban on retail sales, leaving dispensary owners determined to take the issue to a vote of the people. “If you do ban it, we will have to push it to a vote,” said Melissa Van Diest, owner of The Hemp Center on Main Street, during the public hearing. Like the council’s vote, every time Littleton residents have weighed in on the issue, it’s been close. While 51 percent of the city’s voters supported Amendment 64, the statewide ballot issue that legalized retail sales of small amounts of pot to adults, almost all of them live on the north side. Councilmember Jerry Valdes represents that district, and stayed true to his constituents in voting against the ban. “The people who voted for this, they gave it thought,” he said. “And revenue is going to be a big issue for Littleton in the very near future.” Councilmember Peggy Cole and Mayor Phil Cernanec joined Valdes in his position. For Cernanec, it was a reversal from his previous stance, when he joined with his district’s voters and Littleton Public Schools officials in opposition to Amendment 64. “I have a belief that retail sales are going to be inevitable,” he now says, adding that state regulations have made legal pot safer than the homegrown variety. Bob Hoban, attorney for CannaMart, agreed. He said in May that his client was working on ballot language for a citizens’
A group of parents and children are escorted to get an up-close look at the AirLife helicopter that landed at Cornerstone Park as part of the Family Fun and Fireworks festivities. The helicopter was on the ground about an hour so all the people lined up and waiting could get to come out, visit with the crew and look inside the chopper.
For the first time in the 14 years it has been empty, the activity level is set to rise on the old Marathon site in the coming weeks, after Littleton City Council approved the final site plan on July 1. “The negotiations (with the city) have been frustrating,” said Michael Downes, managing director at Watt Investment Partners. “The developer made the decision ( June 25) to stop negotiating and accept what was on the table. The developer is very ready to get started.” Some work has already occurred, with the guard shack, most of the trees and even the longstanding, forlornlooking metal Christmas tree all having been removed from the 77-acre site at Marathon continues on Page 12