1
September 18, 2014 VOLU M E 1 1 2 | I S S UE 46 | 7 5 ¢
DouglasCountyNewsPress.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Old virus returns, hits kids
A GRAND OL ’ TIME
Enterovirus can worsen respiratory problems By Jane Reuter
jreuter @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Paige Joyce gets mobbed by her Castle View teammates as she crosses home plate after crushing a fifth-inning grand slam to help lift the Sabercats over Douglas County, 5-2, on Sept. 12. Castle View trailed 2-0 before Joyce’s home run. For more coverage, turn to page 21. Photo by Ryan Boldrey
POSTAL ADDRESS
Enterovirus is a more than 50-year-old infection getting new life in 2014. Like the virus itself, the best way to curb its transmission hasn’t changed. “The way to prevent it is the same way we say to prevent viruses every year: hand washing and covering your mouth when you cough,” said Sky Ridge Medical Center chief medical officer Dr. David Markenson. Because treatment of this virus is no different than that of any other virus, doctors aren’t testing for enterovirus specifically. But they’ve seen a dramatic increase in respiratory-related pediatric illnesses, presumably due to the enterovirus. Originally discovered in 1962 in California, enterovirus “has been around as a minor player for many, many years,” Markenson said. “Years ago we had no way to tell it was an enterovirus. We would have just said, `We are seeing an increase in respiratory illness,’” he said. “But in the last few years, there’s been an explosion of technology where we can now more easily categorize viruses, so now you’re going to start to hear names associated with them.” The enterovirus is common, typically infecting 10 million to 15 million people in the United States annually — most of them children and most in the summer and fall. Most people who get it don’t get sick or suffer only mild illness. Virus continues on Page 9
Open-carry votes counted again NEWS-PRESS
(ISSN 1067-425X) (USPS 567-060) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Douglas County School Board president Kevin Larsen doles out whole-grain, double-chocolate-chip cookies to sixth-graders at Parker’s Mammoth Heights Elementary on Colorado Proud Day Sept. 10. Photo by Jane Reuter
PHONE: 303-566-4100
School lunch serves state’s best
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, and the towns of Castle Rock, Parker and Larkspur, the NewsPress is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media and additional mailing offices. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. G E T SO CIAL WITH U S
P L EA SE RECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Colorado Proud Day mixes healthy eating with ag education By Jane Reuter
jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com Mammoth Elementary School students could scarcely wait to get up close and personal with Parker Mayor Mike Waid and Douglas County School Board president Kevin Larsen. But the sixth-graders weren’t seeking autographs from their elected leaders — they wanted cookies. Waid and Larsen doled out chocolate-chocolatechip cookies to the students Sept. 10 to help celebrate Colorado Proud School Meal Day, an annual recognition of the state’s agriculture and nutritious food sponsored by the state departments of agriculture and education. The school served a special menu that day that included a Colorado-beef burger, San Luis Valleygrown potato wedges, a salad bar filled with Colorado produce, Rocky Ford watermelon and cookies made by an Aurora company. In addition to their home-state origins, the cook-
ies had another unique attribute: They were healthy. Made with whole grains, the dessert was low in sugar and fat. Student reviews were unanimously favorable. “Those were awesome,” said Richard White. “I love ‘em,” said Riley McPherson, who went back to the line for a second cookie. “I really liked how they were especially chewy.” “The cookies were the best I ever had,” said Lola Baker. Such words are sweet as sugar to Douglas County School District executive chef Jason Morse, who never stops looking for ways to make school lunches grow in taste and nutrition but shrink in sugar and fat quantity. Desserts are particularly challenging. “We know kids are going to eat cookies; parents know they’re going to eat cookies,” he said, adding that when they are made with the right balance of taste and quality ingredients, “kids don’t notice they’re whole grain.” Agribusinesses contribute more than $40 billion to Colorado’s economy annually and provide more than 170,000 jobs. Colorado is home to more than 37,000 farms and ranches encompassing 31 million acres.
Retabulation starts Sept. 15, not complete by following day By Mike DiFerdinando
mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com The Castle Rock Election Commission voted to adopt election recount procedures during a special meeting on Sept. 11. The recount was scheduled to take place Sept.15 at Town Hall and was expected to be complete by day’s end, according to the town. As of press deadline on Sept. 16 results of the recount were still not available. Castle Rock received three requests for recounts of the Aug. 19. Special election. Previously there had been no course outlined for a recount by the town. Specifically, on Sept. 11, the commission adopted basic rules and procedures related to election judges, use of the Accuvote machine and how to conduct the counting of votes. The full list of procedures is available at www.CRgov.com/electioncommission. After the recount, the municipal judge will have final review of the election results. The passage of Ballot Measure A came by a narrow margin, with 50.8 percent of voters saying yes. The outcome, by a 151-vote margin on the initial count, removes the town manager’s authority to restrict open carry Recount continues on Page 9