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April 17, 2014 Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 13, Issue 13 A publication of
lonetreevoice.net
GOP assembly pares down field Former JeffCo lawmaker Kopp earns top line on primary ballot in gubernatorial race By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com It took Republican delegates just one ballot over the weekend to pick from a crowded field of hopefuls looking to challenge Gov. John Hickenlooper this November — and one candidate in particular emerged as a surprise force in the race. Delegates who converged on Boulder for the Republican State Assembly on April 12 also picked candidates for other key statewide races. The results included the clearing of opposition to U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who can now set his sights exclusively on Democratic incumbent Mark Udall in the race for a Senate seat this fall. Coming into the assembly, at least one gubernatorial candidate looked like a sure bet to get on the ballot — Secretary of State
Scott Gessler. But delegates made room for another hopeful: former state Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp. In a crowded GOP field, Kopp will have the top line when Republican voters fill out their ballots in the gubernatorial primary in June. That’s because Kopp surprised many by emerging with the top vote count among the 3,900-plus delegates. “It’s always nice to have the ‘big Mo,’ ” said Kopp, who represented the southern part of Jefferson County in the state Senate from 2007-11. “Our message worked, our organization worked. So, phase one is complete and now we’re excited to move into phase two.” Kopp’s nomination speech — held inside the University of Colorado’s Coors Events Center — took on a fighting theme. Kopp talked about being an underdog who takes down “giants” and referenced his own background as an Army ranger who doesn’t know the meaning of the word surrender. GOP continues on Page 11
Grant Van Der Jagt (center) and Larry Strohl fill out their ballots at the Republican state assembly on April 12. Van Der Jagt and Strohl were delegates from Centennial. Photo by Vic Vela
Seats up for grabs on PMMD
Park Meadows Metro District’s May 6 election is by mail ballot only By Jane Reuter
jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Randy Menzer, right, and his daughter Gillian show off some of the projects that students have created with the Ameribotics program. Photo by Hannah Garcia
Ameribotics solves problems Apple Award winner wants to develop ‘robotics incubator’ By Hannah Garcia
hgarcia@coloradocommunitymedia.com Although robotics is not a big component of an American education, Douglas County-based nonprofit Ameribotics is trying to change that. “Literally everything has been touched by a robot,” executive director Randy Menzer said. “Your fridge is a robot, your phone is a robot. Even your car is a robot.” Those efforts led to Ameribotics, founded by Menzer, winning the Douglas County School District Apple Award for 2014’s Community Partner. Menzer said he was “floored” by the accolade. “What an honor. I never thought it’d be possible,” he said. It’s a small space in Castle Rock, a unit next to an automotive shop, where students come to build robots from scratch, surrounded by spare parts and scrapped designs.
“It’s definitely a fun experience,” said Menzer’s daughter Gillian, who is involved in the program. “It’s tough at first, getting used to the concept. It takes about a day.” “We’re always testing. If it doesn’t work, then change it,” she said. The organization focuses on educating students about the various components of robotics, ranging from engineering to programming. Menzer said his goal is to create a “robotics incubator,” a sort of hub in Colorado to churn out more students and entrepreneurs rooted in a tech-based education. To reach that goal, Ameribotics currently offers workshops through a Deep Space in Parker and summer camps in partnership with the Highlands Ranch Community Association, which is one of the largest parts of the program, Menzer said. The program isn’t short on projects, either. Menzer said he was contacted by a Denver-based physical therapist to help build a remote control wheel chair for a small girl with a muscle disease. This summer, Menzer wants to use funds from grants and a Kickstarter campaign to have students build an electronic
car and then auction it off. “That’s the big difference. This is an authentic, real and relevant experience to the kids,” Menzer said. “It’s not a purely academic pursuit. They’ll take the pieces and parts and build something real.” Menzer said he wants to develop a program that focuses on the more entrepreneurial aspects like developing patents. The program is establishing a partnership with an IT firm so that participants in the program can apply for paid internships this summer. “We want to build an industry-based, business-oriented lab environment,” Menzer said. “These are the beginning steps to developing something tangible.” Menzer said the organization is still looking to build a larger lab somewhere in Douglas County, but for now, the small space in Castle Rock will still be the “home base.” “We would love to expand the program, but right now, this is what we have,” Menzer said. “It’s really about the end product, you know, what can I use in my kit or tool box to create something? It’s about solving problems.”
Five people are running for three seats on the Park Meadows Metropolitan District board. They include Charles Dale Flowers, Fred Hammer, Thomas Haning, and incumbents Greg Kelly and Roger Pearson. Board vice president Mark Thomas is not seeking another term. Votes in the May 6 election can be cast by mail-in ballot only. Ballots are being mailed to voters, but district residents also can do walk-in voting and pick up or drop off ballots at the offices of Clifton, Larson and Allen, 8390 East Crescent Parkway, Greenwood Village. Flowers has lived in the district since July 2013. Formerly in marketing for Buckingham Square, Northglenn and Southwest Plaza malls, Flowers also has a background in commercial and residential real estate. He’s served on the South Suburban Park Foundation, and chaired the Goodwill Industries of Denver board. Hammer, a resident of the district since 2007, spent most of his career working in information technology for the federal government. He is president of the Enclave Homeowners Association board of directors. Haning has lived in the area since 1999, and works in the commercial construction industry. He has served on the Lone Tree Planning Commission, the Architectural Review committee and on a Littleton School District committee. Election continues on Page 11
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