Voice
Lone Tree 11-7-2013
Lone Tree
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 43
November 7, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlonetreenews.com
Reform slate takes race Tough battle for schools ends with voters’ decision Staff report Candidates favoring the current direction of the reform-oriented Douglas County School Board won all four races, after months of heated electioneering on both sides. Unofficial results released at 11 p.m. Election Day showed the closest race was in District E, where incumbent Doug
Benevento
Geddes
Reynolds
Benevento led challenger Bill Hodges 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent, with a margin of 3,615 votes separating them. In District B, Jim Geddes led 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent over Barbra Chase.
In District D, Judi Reynolds held a 52 percent to 48 percent lead over Julie Keim. In District G, incumbent Meghann Silverthorn held a 53.5 percent lead over Ronda Scholting’s 46.5 perSilverthorn cent. In each race, about 95,000 votes were counted, with a possibility of a few thousand more remaining to be tallied. Reynolds, who was at a vote-watch gathering at the Fowl Line sports bar in
Castle Rock, was looking forward to serving her four-year term. “The majority of people like the way things are headed and want to see them implemented,” she said. Benevento saw a mandate in the results. “The voters elected a slate of candidates who have articulated a clear point of view of where it is we want to go. So we are going to move in that direction and talk to people and listen. Clearly there are a lot of voters who feel the other way and we need to understand that,” he said. Race continues on Page 7
Roadwork nearing end Park Meadows Drive motorists to get Thanksgiving reprieve By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com
Japanese exchange students arrive at the Castle View High School library Oct. 30, where local students greeted them. Photo by Jane Reuter
Japanese students visit Castle View School steps up to host group, which was diverted by flood By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com When Boulder High School suffered flood damage during September’s storms, nine students at a Japanese high school thought their plans to visit the United States were in peril. Then a search for high schools with Japanese language programs led them to Castle View High School, and world languages teacher Thor Kjeseth. “We needed a school that has Japanese language classes; it makes it much easier,” said Heidaki Yamamoto, an Erie resident and native of Japan who helps coordinate the annual Shihoro High School trips. “I was relieved when we started talking to Thor. Compared to teachers in the past, he was much more thorough and detailed.” From Kjeseth’s standpoint, Boulder’s loss was Douglas County’s gain. “We feel blessed” to host the students, Kjeseth said. The students and their teacher arrived at Castle View Oct. 30 for a four-day stay. They spent their days shadowing other Castle View students at the school, and their eve-
nings with host students and their families. Teacher Kiyo Kamita and her charges were surprised by the reception they received. As they walked into the school library, pulling wheeled suitcases behind them, Castle View students greeted them with “konnichiwa” — the Japanese word for hello — and bows. “I was very, very touched by the warm reception,” Kamita said. “And just the sheer number of people, because we come from such a small school.” Shihoro is an agricultural community of about 7,000 people, and its high school has only about 160 students. The students were startled by many aspects of American life. “The drink sizes are huge,” said Ryo Anraku. “In the restrooms, the paper towels come out automatically,” chimed in Go Yoshida. “I was surprised.” “You don’t separate your trash,” observed Kotaro Hayakawa. Additionally, most Japanese students wear uniforms, and are not allowed to wear makeup or jewelry, she said. Those differences aside, the students quickly immersed themselves in their host community.
“They’ve been enjoying every minute,” Kamita said. “They experienced their first Wendy’s ever. They were splurging at Park Meadows (mall). I’m sure the highlight is going to be what they experience here with the students.” A change in a district policy limiting the allowable number of foreign exchange students made the nine-student visit possible. On Sept. 3, Castle View students successfully urged the school board to change the previous limit of one foreign language student for every 300 enrolled students. The ratio was lifted, allowing the principal to determine the allowed number of exchange students based on available resources. Kjeseth and his students planned a welcome party, volleyball game and a Japanese/Western-themed dance among other activities. “It’s been our great pleasure to host the students from Shihoro,” Kjeseth said. “Every exchange visit reminds us that the key to international understanding and friendship is not simply dependent on language; rather it is influenced more by a person’s heart and willingness to open up to others.” The Castle Rock stop was the focal point of the students’ 10-day trip, which ended at California’s Universal Studios.
Lone Tree area residents will have one common item for which to be grateful Thanksgiving Day: The end of construction on Park Meadows Drive. Until then, local officials urge drivers impacted by the work to take deep breaths and exercise patience. Construction on the street that extends between Acres Green Drive and Quebec Street has narrowed the four-lane throughway to two bumpy paths. Adding to the angst, drivers turning into businesses along Park Meadows have to wait for an opening in the single through lane, stacking up traffic behind them. It’s an annoyance with which project leaders are keenly aware. “Believe us, we have the same frustration,” said John Cotten, Lone Tree’s public works director. “We are pushing them and the contractor’s doing everything he can. But things can only happen so quickly. We would be grateful for a little more patience.” The job is expected to wrap up just before Thanksgiving, a week later than planned. Cotten said that’s because the paving subcontractor’s portion of the work is delayed a week. Country Buffet general manager Jim Lamphere hopes Cotten’s prediction is accurate; Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year at his Park Meadows Drive restaurant. “It’s inconvenienced a lot of our guests, but it’s not really hurting our business per se,” Lamphere said. “They’re doing their best. I appreciate all the jobs it’s creating. It’s just, ‘Hurry up.’” Work began on the street in July, with crews taking a break in late August to work on another project before returning for the second phase. The reward for all this angst, Cotten said, will be a much nicer street. Concrete on the street had been failing for years. “It won’t have potholes and cracked concrete,” he said. “People forget how bad it was before.” The $1.2 million project is jointly financed by the City of Lone Tree and Park Meadows Metropolitan District. It also includes the addition of a landscaped median. The metro district will plant trees and flowers there in spring 2014, completing the project’s final phase.
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