Centennial Citizen 0213

Page 1

1

February 13, 2015 VOLU M E 1 4 | I SS UE 1 2

CentennialCitizen.net A publication of

Twilight of the World War II generation Part 2, page 2

A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O

You can help with search for new super School district looking for volunteer interviewers Staff report

Tony Silva serves chips and guacamole, the Tony Guacamole Food Truck specialty, to a customer outside of 38 State Brewing Co. in Littleton. Photo by Christy Steadman

Food on the move

Mobile meal vending is not just a passing fad By Christy Steadman

csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com Las Cazuelas Mexican restaurant in Lakewood has a 40-year history, Tony Silva said, but he “got tired of being confined to the same four walls.” So he started the Tony Guacamole Food Truck last July. The menus, however, are completely different. With the food truck, he is able to specialize in guacamole, and offers three or four different guacamole selections at any given time. “I wanted to take a staple element, like guacamole, and elevate it,” he said on a recent Thursday, his food truck parked at 38 State Brewing Co. in Littleton. In recent years, food trucks like Silva’s have been popping up with greater frequency in the south metro Denver area at breweries, special events and other venues. It’s part of a national trend. A 2012 study by Emergent Research projects the food truck industry in the United States to generate about $2.7 billion in annual revenue by 2017. That’s a fourfold increase over 2012 sales. “From a marketing perspective, the concept of a food truck is kind of brilliant,” said Andrea LaRew, president of the

LICENSED TO DRIVE?

A vendor must go through the proper channels to operate a food truck in the south metro area.

An unusually warm February day brought friends together on the patio at 38 State Brewing Co. in Littleton, where they enjoyed beer, food from Brooks Smokehouse (food truck at right) and fellowship. From left are Larry Franklin, Rick Benge, Randall Holt and Tobin. Photo by Chris Rotar Highlands Ranch Chamber of Commerce. “It allows you to get in front of lots of people who are potential customers.” And for those customers, food trucks offer an easy way to experience some of their favorite cuisine.

MORE ONLINE

The Tri-County Health Department serves Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties. On its website, it says a food truck vendor who is licensed in Denver would have to get a different license to operate in the Tri-County area. “Your Denver license is valid only in the City and County of Denver. To sell in Tri-County, you must obtain a State of Colorado Retail Food Establishment License, which authorizes you to sell anywhere in Colorado except the City and County of Denver.” Find more information at www.tchd.org/445/Food-TrucksPush-Carts

Denver’s Rick Benge joined friends Larry Franklin, of Denver, and Randall Holt, of Littleton, on the patio at 38 State the afternoon of Feb. 7. They enjoyed craft beer and raved about the fare from Brooks Smokehouse, the food truck stationed just a few yards away. The convenience factor is the single most appealing aspect of food trucks, Benge said. “But it’s good quality. I think it’s better than the fast-food chains.”

The evolution

Are you a fan of food trucks? Let us know what you like (or don’t like) at our online poll.

The Littleton Public Schools Board of Education would like volunteers to help interview finalists for the superintendent position on March 14. Superintendent Scott Murphy announced in October he will retire effective June 15, after 25 years with the district. As part of the process to replace him, the board is forming two interview committees made up of members of district advisory committees and employees, along with the LPS community at large. Members will participate in the interview process and serve in an advisory capacity to the board. Interested residents of the school district can apply at www.littletonpublicschools.net by Feb. 20. They must be able to attend a twohour training session on March 12 and a full day of interviews on March 14. Last fall, the Colorado Association of School Boards held a forum on what qualities a new superintendent needs. Everyone in the room agreed the new superintendent will have a lot on his or her plate. They hope the person will be forceful enough to advocate for local interests against state and federal mandates, but patient enough to listen to the community. They expect someone who will stick around for the long haul with a longterm vision, not just someone to play a transitional role. Above all, they want someone who values transparency and demands it across the district. What’s expected to be two to three finalists should be announced on Feb. 26. The public will be welcome to observe the finalist interviews, but no questions or comments will be allowed. The school board alone makes the final decision and expects to announce it by March 19. For more information, contact LPS at 303347-3376.

Lawmakers deny death legislation Concerns over reaction from state health care system By Amy Woodward

awoodward @colorado communitymedia.com

While food trucks are heading into new territory, mobile meal vending is hardly a new concept. In 1866, Charles Goodnight devised a mobile kitchen to be part of a wagon train to feed the pioneers of Western expansion. The 1900s brought field kitchens for American soldiers, Oscar Mayer’s Wiener Mobile — the first hot dog cart — ice cream

After 10 hours of emotional testimony from more than 100 witnesses, Colorado state representatives rejected the “death with dignity” bill, which would have allowed terminally ill patients to end their lives with the help of medical practitioners. Lawmakers on the Public Health Care and Human Services committee voted down the bill 8-5 on Feb. 6. “The principal of personal choice is

Food continues on Page 9

Death continues on Page 7


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.