July 14, 2016
GROWING GAME
VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 26
Cricket is more than a sport for those who play to stay connected with their homelands. PAGE 12
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Meeting outbursts highlight tension Frustration, anger erupt in school board setting By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@colorado communitymedia.com Years of back and forth between the reform-minded majority of the Douglas County School Board and members of the community in opposition boiled over last month. The June 21 school board meeting began with protests outside the school district administration building on Wilcox Street in Castle Rock in support of Ponderosa High School student Grace Davis. The meeting itself was stopped several times because of outbursts from the audience — with members of the
community calling for the resignation of the school board’s president and vice president and several protesters being escorted out of the room. Board president Meghann Silverthorn put an early end to the meeting because of the disruptions. The meeting highlighted the tensions and divide between the two sides of the school district community. Increasingly, the tone has become uncivil, with outbursts becoming common at board meetings. During the June meeting, Silverthorn addressed the negative tone of the community discussion, which has extended beyond the meeting room to websites like Facebook. On social media, the
Community members and parents protest in support of Ponderosa High School student Grace Davis outside the Douglas County School District building on June 21. Photo by Mike DiFerdinando
Tension continues on Page 5
Lone Tree turns page as library opens doors Building more than twice as large as one it replaced By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media Construction is complete, books shelved, and the speeches made. That was the cue to pop the confetti and let the kids charge for the door to the new Lone Tree Library. On July 9, Douglas County Libraries celebrated the grand opening of the second of three new libraries scheduled to open in the district in 2016. The new Lone Tree Library encompasses 25,000 square feet, up from 11,000, and houses a collection 40 percent larger than the building it replaced. “This goes way beyond what we could have ever hoped for, better than we thought it could be,” said Lone Tree Mayor Jackie Millet. “None of this could have happened without the taxpayers.” The state-of the-art facility — located at 10055 Library Way, east of the Lone Tree Arts Center — features a number of improvements over the retired library on Lone Tree Drive, including eight study rooms, three community rooms, and an automated sorting system to accommodate the increase of titles on library shelves. Opening continues on Page 6
Kylie Doris of Highlands Ranch tinkers with the Everbright. Users of the interactive light wall can change the color of the LEDs to make designs. Photo by Rick Gustafson
Janelle Ayon from Dancing Across Cultures leads guests in a salute to the four cardinal points. The South American stop in the second-floor Event Hall was one of several exhibits during the Douglas County Library’s A World of Possibilities Gala at the Lone Tree Library. Photos by Rick Gustafson
Gala features fun, fanfare Lone Tree event has theme of world travel By Rick Gustafson Special to Colorado Community Media Within the library, there is “A World of Possibilities.” That was the theme of the Douglas County Library’s “DCL Air,” the opening gala at the Lone Tree Library on July 7. Instead of guests boarding a plane to travel to exotic destinations, the travel-themed event, complete with itineraries, entertainment and in-flight menu, brought the world to them. Gala continues on Page 6
Haley Somolinos, e-marketing specialist for Douglas County Libraries, greets guest with oldschool airline hospitality. Passengers boarding DCL Air were treated with a friendly smile, a bag of peanuts, and a cocktail before exploring the new Lone Tree Library.