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February 11, 2016 VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 3
The Rock Canyon Jaguars win the Continental League championship for the first time in school history. Read more on PAGE 19.
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Bill aims to change concealed carry rules Measure in state Senate would eliminate need for gun owners to get permits By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Donations are sorted in a back room of Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Goodwill’s shared space in Highlands Ranch. “It’s the quality of donations that we are getting down here,” said Ryan Smith, chief retail officer of Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Photos by Alex DeWind
Residents find ‘best for less’ Couple renovates kitchen with donated material By Alex DeWind adewind@coloradocommunitymedia.com Janene Newell and Scott Collins, a couple from Littleton, renovated their 200-square-foot kitchen with rich, old-world furnishings donated to a nearby Habitat for Humanity ReStore. The couple was initially quoted $100,000 for the remodel — they ended up spending less than half. “The demographic was the cause of our success in the Littleton ReStore location,” Newell said, referring to the high-quality inventory in the thrift store. The stores are generally located in areas of higher-income households. In Douglas County, where the newest location recently opened, the median household income was $102,961 in ReStore continues on Page 18
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GUN SALES RISE
Scott Collins and Janene Newell attend the Habitat for Humanity ReStore grand opening in Highlands Ranch. The couple has renovated three kitchens with donated material from Habitat for Humanity. “The repurposing continues to prevent things from going to the dump,” Newell said. “It’s a great way to help everyone.”
Teacher time survey resolution fails Board members hopeful that agreement can be reached By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@colorado communitymedia.com Douglas County School Board member David Ray’s attempt to take a closer look at how teachers’ classroom time is affected by lesson planning and completing tasks associated with evaluations failed to pass on a 4-3 vote split between the board’s senior members and three newcomers. “I think the majority of the board sees a need to address the issue of protecting teachers’ time so that they can maintain their focus on our learners,” said a disappointed Ray, a former principal in Douglas County. “Unfortunately, four of the members couldn’t find the middle ground to pass this resolution that is providing a
A bill making its way through the state Senate would eliminate the requirement for concealed carry permits for gun owners. Senate Bill 16-017 is sponsored by state Sen. Tim Neville — a Republican from south Jefferson County who recently announced a bid for the U.S. Senate — and his son, state Rep. Patrick Neville, a Castle Rock Republican. Tim The measure would allow Neville a person who legally possesses a handgun under state and federal law to carry a concealed handgun in Colorado without applying for additional permits. If the bill were to pass both chambers and be signed into law, a person Patrick who carries a concealed Neville handgun would have the same carrying rights and
great deal of hope for our teachers.” But the topic prompted a great deal of discussion, and both sides say it is likely an agreement can be reached. “I think the idea has excellent potential,” board member Doug Benevento said. “I thought the execution of it in the original resolution needed some work, but I’m hopeful that we can get something done.” Ray Ray said he has received hundreds of emails and Facebook communications from staff and community members applauding the resolution, which would have surveyed teachers about the demands on their time, such as evaluations, and effects on the classroom.
Benevento questioned whether Ray’s proposal was solely to look at the time that goes into teacher evaluations — which he supported — or if it was a wider examination of the entire pay-for-performance system. He offered an amendment that Ray called “a complete rewrite as opposed to suggestions for revisions” and that several members said altered the spirit of the initial resolution. “My resolution was an attempt to clarify what we were looking at and also look at a broader spectrum of activity,” Benevento said. “I don’t know if that wasn’t included in the original resolution, but it wasn’t clear to me. I want to be clear about what we are looking at. I want to be clear so it encompasses the full spectrum of the activities that are Survey continues on Page 9
New federal data shows 2015 was a record year for the American firearms industry, with gun sales appearing to hit the highest level on record. According to the FBI Criminal Background Check System, background checks for gun purchases and permits jumped 10 percent in 2015 to 23.1 million, the largest number since the federal background check system began operating in 1998. In Colorado, 342,839 background checks for firearms were approved in 2015 by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. That’s 33,000 more than 2014.
DOCTOR’S VISITS GO DIGITAL New advances in telemedicine allow patients to be examined from remote locations. Read more on PAGE 10.