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January 2, 2015 VOLU M E 9 4 | I S S UE 45 | 7 5 ¢
EnglewoodHerald.net A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
WHAT’S INSIDE
Cool cats: A new calendar will get 2015 off to a purr-fect start for those who are smitten with kittens. See Page 2
‘The Art of Color’: The works of four painters will soon fill a Littleton gallery. See Page 10
The Commander, the mascot of Sheridan’s new Fort Logan Northgate School, greeted visitors attending the Dec. 20 ribbon-cutting and open house. The school is equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Photo by Tom Munds Bring it on: Goalies can have as big an impact on a game as any position in sports. See Page 14
New Sheridan school dedicated Facility for thirdthrough eighth-grade classes will open for students in January POSTAL ADDRESS
ENGLEWOOD HERALD
(ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 176-680) OFFICE: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Englewood Herald is published weekly on Friday by Colorado Community Media, 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT Littleton, COLORADO and additional mailing offices.
By Tom Munds
tmunds@coloradocommunitymedia.com Ron Carter, school board president, said the Dec. 20 dedication ceremony for the Fort Logan Northgate building opens a new chapter in Sheridan School District history. “We feel the new school will bring new spirit to the district and attract new students to our district,” he said. “This was built by a state grant and voter-approved bonds for the 20 percent match. We have had heavy support from
our residents and our city council to build this school that opens a new era for our district.” He smiled and said he never expected to see a new school in the Sheridan School District. More than 600 people gathered at the main doors of the school for the Dec. 20 dedication. There were a couple short speeches, the Verle Huffman Veterans of Foreign War Post 9644 honor guard raised the flag, officials cut the ribbon and everyone was invited in to look over the school and attend a program in the gymnasium. Young violin students serenaded visitors as they came into the entryway, and the middle school band played as people came into the gymnasium. The school’s new mascot, the blue and gray uniformed commander, also was on hand to greet those coming to see
the new school. Visitors commented on the wide halls, classrooms with plenty of natural light and the lounges spaced around the building. A poster in the hall stated construction of the new school required 2,870 cubic yards of concrete, 500 tons of steel and 50 miles of data cables. The design is state-of-the-art, with 70 geothermal wells drilled down 500 feet to tap the earth’s resources to provide most of the heating and cooling for the building. “This is positively beautiful,” Mercedes Gutierrez said after checking out some of the facilities. “I went to school in Sheridan through my junior year, and the schools were pretty run-down. We moved back here about a year ago and not much had changed in the
Sheridan continues on Page 9
South metro stories of the year A look at the top 10 of 2014 Staff report
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In the south metro Denver area, this past year was one of hope and change, inspiration and pain, growth and remembrance. The following are the top 10 stories of 2014, in no particular order, as chosen by Colorado Community Media’s editorial staff.
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P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
schools. But now the children will be able to attend this new, modern school. This is so nice I almost wish I were back in school — almost.” The opening of the new school means changes to the Sheridan district. The aging Fort Logan Elementary School, built in 1924, is closed. Plans are for the school district to demolish the building and sell the land. Alice Terry Elementary School will now offer classes from kindergarten through second grade. All Sheridan students are on winter break until Jan. 12. When the third- through eighth-graders return, they will start classes in the new school. The school is located in the 4000 block of South Lowell Boulevard. Sheridan School District
In March, crews demolished a portion of the Englewood High School south classrooms to make way for construction of the new wing of the seventh- through 12th-grade campus being built on the EHS site. Seventh- through 12th-grade students from Englewood High School, Englewood Leadership Academy and Middle School will attend classes on the new campus when they return from winter break Jan. 7. File photo
In November, Colorado’s unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent, the lowest since early 2008, before the recession slammed the country. The south metro area did its part in job creation in 2014, as businesses continued to find the region an attractive place to set up shop or expand. Some of the major developments of the year: • Sterling Ranch won another legal battle in
February and forged ahead in northwest Douglas County. At build-out, the development is expected to include more than 12,000 homes and spawn a number of businesses around it. • Charles Schwab opened its new Lone Tree campus in early October. As many as 4,000 employees are ultimately expected to work inside the office buildings. Year end continues on Page 9