March 19, 2015 VOLU M E 9 5 | I S S UE 4 | 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
BREAKING NEWS
Ewert picked for new post Staff report The Littleton Public Schools Board of Education has selected Brian Ewert to be the district’s new superintendent. Ewert, superintendent of Englewood Schools since 2010, was among four finalists for the post. He will replace Scott Murphy, who is retiring in June. The other finalists were Amy Oaks, Littleton High School principal; Clay Abla, LPS director of secondary education; and Jackie Kapushion, Mapleton Public Schools deputy superintendent. Ewert said March 16 that he was notified of the decision earlier in the afternoon. In an email to Englewood Schools’ staff on March 17, Ewert said he was contacted by Littleton’s school board and he was offered the position as superintendent, pending contract negotiations. Tentative plans are to hold the negotiations with Ewert on March 19.
Jim Thomas cuts a length of wood for a project being built at his shop, The Blue Chair. The shop refinishes, repurposes and reimagines furniture items, plus it is a showplace for the works of 25 local artists. Photo by Tom Munds
Creative juices flow at Blue Chair
Englewood shop staff thinks outside the box 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. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 7315 S. Revere Pkwy., Ste. 603 Centennial, CO 80112 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. GE T SOCI AL WITH US
P LE A S E R ECYC L E T H I S C O PY
By Tom Munds
tmunds@colorado communitymedia.com There are really two Blue Chairs. The one most people see is the oversized blue wooden chair outside The Blue Chair, a furniture store and art gallery at 3427 S. Broadway. The other is inside the store and is reflected in items that have been refinished, repurposed and reimagined. Jim Thomas, store owner, said he and his employees refinish furniture and build items from scratch. “We do restoration and refinishing jobs for customers. We also do
custom orders. In everything we do, we try to repurpose as many things as we can and not waste anything doing the job,” he said. “For example, we recycle pallet wood, and we try to be creative with items we find, like making a coffee table out of a door.” The shop is also a gallery and sales outlet for 25 local artists. “My crew and I here in the store focus on the furniture,” Thomas said. “However, I collaborate with my group of photographers, painters and the artists who create the pottery, glass work photographs, paintings and jewelry we have here in the store. I believe having their artworks here gives a special feel to our store.” Thomas said his first career was working for Safeway for 35 years. He decided that, before he was too old, it was time to take a different path
where he could be creative and do what he liked to do, including working with furniture. The store opened in May 2014. He said about half his business is refinishing furniture items that just need a little care and a new coat of paint or stain while keeping the purchase price reasonable and affordable. “The other half of the business is repurposing items our people who are always looking for items bring to us,” Thomas said. “For example, we have tables made out of window shutters, and one of our coffee tables started as a surf board someone gave us. These are one-of-a-kind and original.” Jackie Tucker was in the store looking for stools of a specific height. “I work in the neighborhood, walk the area and I love to shop, so
I came in here the first time to see what the store had to offer. I love the place and I come back all the time,” she said. “I was surprised at all the wonderful items here and I just drop by occasionally to look at what they have most recently created.” Behind the showroom there is a storage area containing more than 100 items, and Thomas said there are plans for each item. “Here is a drop leaf table and some chairs we will refinish,” he said. “There is a nice door we will put to good use, and there is a desk that will take some work because it isn’t in very good shape.” Omar Gonzales works in the shop and said he likes his job. “Every day is different,” he said as he worked on a project. “It is Creative continues on Page 4
Petitions hit streets in effort to save fire service Residents seek special election to retain Englewood department By Tom Munds
tmunds@colorado communitymedia.com Proponents are collecting signatures in an attempt to have the city hold a special election on the fate of the Englewood Fire Department. City Manager Eric Keck was directed by city council to begin negotiations with Denver for fire and rescue services. But Englewood residents Steven Ward and Mark Parrish want residents to vote on the future of the fire department, so they have launched the effort to require the city to hold a special election on the
issue, Ward said in an interview last week that he was taking the action because contracting for fire and rescue services would change the direction of the city, and he felt the issue should be decided by a vote of the people. The intent letter to require a special election was filed with the city clerk on March 3. The proposed initiative wording states the city would not be allowed to contract for fire department services except dispatch, mutual aid, automatic aid and training without voter approval. “We are just getting started,” Ward said March 12. “However, we expect circulating petitions will really get rolling on March 14, when seven residents will be asking people to sign our petitions.” EFD continues on Page 4
Englewood firefighters take part in a training exercise last year at Craig Hospital. Residents are seeking to require a special election to determine the fate of the Englewood Fire Department. Courtesy photo