November 22, 2012
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourarvadanews.com
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 8, Issue 26
Board approves housing
MUSTANGS TRIUMPHANT
Neighbors question drainage and circulation By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com
Ralston Valley junior quarterback Jacob Knipp gets a hug from classmate Courtney McKibbon while celebrating a 22-20 overtime victory against arch-rival Pomona Friday. Ralston Valley is now the lone Arvada team in the high school football playoffs. See story on Page 24. Photo by Andy Carpenean
Police veteran garners top honor
Bennington reflects on career after receiving award from attorney general
By Sara Van Cleve
svancleve@ourcoloradonews.com
Like many teenagers, Larry Bennington worked at a grocery store when he was 15. Unlike most teenagers, though, Bennington was the main witness to an armed robbery. During the robbery, one of the robbers shot Bennington’s manager, and then the men fled the store, running across the street and throwing their guns into a vacant lot before getting into a vehicle. Bennington followed the men, saw where the gun was thrown and got the vehicle’s description and license plate number. He worked with two detectives throughout the investigation and trial to make sure the truth was told — his first foray into law enforcement. “The two detectives were great guys,” Bennington said. “Way back then I thought this might be an interesting career.” Master Sgt. Bennington, now 65 and a 42-year veteran with the Arvada Police Department, received the 2012 Excellence in Law Enforcement Award by Attorney General John Suthers during an award ceremony Nov. 7. “I’m honored and humbled by it,” Bennington said of receiving the state’s highest law enforcement honor. “I’ve always given 100 percent and do everything I can do. To be nominated by my commanders, it took me back a bit. I never thought about it very much.” Police Chief Don Wick and Bennington’s other commanders nominated him for the award. “His integrity has never been in question and his love of service is clearly dem-
Master Sgt. Larry “Benny” Bennington was awarded the 2012 Excellence in Law Enforcement, the highest state honor for law enforcement, Nov. 7 by General Attorney John Suthers. Bennington has been a member of the Arvada Police Department for 42 years. Photo by Sara Van Cleve onstrated with every shift,” said Wick in his nomination letter. “Without any intent and without wanting credit, Master Sgt. Bennington has crafted and positively influenced the culture of the Arvada Police Department through his decades of mentoring and leadership.” Over the course of his career, Bennington has supervised every unit in the police department. Last year, he returned to the graveyard shift for the first time since 1993 to help supervise and train a younger force. The interaction with both his officers and the public is one of his favorite parts of the job, he said.
“I don’t know if I could find a favorite part,” he said. “I enjoy my job overall. I like working with people, both my people and the public.” While the award was given to Bennington, he said it reflects more than his hard work. “My first thought was [the award] is a great representation of the whole police department,” he said. “One person can’t do it on their own. I’m fortunate to have the most energetic people in the police department. They’re very enthusiastic and dedicated to what they need to accomplish.” Bennington is also an Army veteran and served in Vietnam.
A new housing development planned for just north of Golden had its final plat approved by Jefferson County commissioners last week. The 199-single-family unit plat for the Hawthorn Subdivision (formerly Golden Peaks), 58th Avenue and State Highway 93, was approved 3-0. The commissioners’ approval vote was made over the protest of some of the residents of the neighboring North Table Mountain Village home owners association, who had asked for a delay to the decision while they negotiated with the Hawthorn developers about potential construction, storm water and traffic impacts. Robert Hatch, a lawyer representing North Table Mountain Village HOA, said items of significant concerns remained to be sorted out. There has not been an easement agreement — a county condition of approval — with North Table Mountain Village to extend the current cul-de-sac on West 60th Lane. Without that secondary access point for the Hawthorn houses, the developers would have to come back to the county with an alternative circulation plan. The HOA also has concerns about drainage impacts along Van Biber Creek, he said. Hatch said some of his client HOA residents were not opposed to the land being developed, but they did worry about how the construction would be handled. Some residents were already unhappy with blowing wind and dust impacts that they were already experiencing, just from preliminary mounds of grading dirt that have been put on the land recently. “I’ve got photos of mounds of dust that accumulate inside a home in just one day,” Hatch said, requesting a delay to the plat vote for a few weeks to allow the two parties to continue discussions. A county staff representative said county health was already investigating the impact of blowing dust, and that the developers may have more construction mitigation requirements as a result. Commission Chair Don Rosier said it looked to him that the development plan “will actually improve the entire Van Biber drainage,” and should proceed. His two fellow commissioners agreed. Hawthorn developers will have to meet the county’s list of conditions, including the West 60th Lane easement, before they can proceed towards actual construction.
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