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October 16, 2014 VOLU M E 27 | I S S UE 48 SPECIAL SECTION
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
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D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Chatfield plan gets OK from U.S. Army Audubon Society files federal suit to stop it By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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Highlands Ranch breast cancer survivors share their stories for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pictured, from left, staggered, are Lori Watts, Chris Calvert, Kimber Charp, Amy Hafer, Lisa Young, Amy McDowell, Kim Leonard, Liz Harding and Julie Covert. Photo by Christy Steadman
Highlands Ranch breast cancer survivors share stories By Christy Steadman
csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and women across the nation have given their breast health a bit more attention. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer, just ahead of prostate cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. The institute estimates there to be 235,000 breast cancer diagnoses in 2014. Colorado Community Media spoke with nine Highlands Ranch women who connected through their journey of battling the disease and celebrating survival.
Lori Watts
Lori Watts, 51, would battle cancer again, if she had to, because of the great impact it had on her son’s life. Her son was a senior in high school when Watts was diagnosed in February 2007. He
was the typical teen, she said, whose world revolved only around him. But his mother’s battle changed him. Now, at 25, he is giving, caring and selfless, she said. “After all the things we went through, we’re very close,” Watts said, and added that for a period of time, she was a single mom. Watts was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. It was slow-growing and not aggressive, she said. She was treated with lumpectomy surgery, underwent radiation and had to take tamoxifen for five years. After a woman has won the battle against breast cancer, she becomes a cheerleader for others. “Survivors give the best advice,” Watts said. “It’s important for women not to withdraw when going through it.”
Chris Calvert
There are two things Chris Calvert, 47, wants people to know about battling breast cancer. First, it’s as hard mentally as it is physically, but secondly, she wants to evoke a positive image because it is possible to be OK, she said. Calvert was diagnosed with breast cancer
five years ago. A lump was found during a routine breast exam, so Calvert went to get a mammogram. “Then the world started spinning,” she said. “It happens really fast at that point.” Battling breast cancer gives a person perspective, she said. “It makes you appreciate the time you have with friends and family,” Calvert said. “My whole family was a rock. I was determined to get past it. I wanted to be strong for them.” Calvert has been married for 10 years, and she has two daughters who are 17 and 19 years old.
Kimber Charp
Kimber Charp, 40, felt the lump herself one year after the birth of her second child. It was 2003 and she was 28 years old. She was young, healthy and had no family history. Because she was breast feeding, her doctor thought her breasts were going through natural changes. “I knew it was more,” she said. “I felt like it was cancer.”
The Audubon Society of Greater Denver is literally taking on the U. S. Army in an attempt to stop the Chatfield Reservoir reallocation project from going forward. “We were not surprised, but very disappointed, that the Corps continues to promote the most environmentally damaging alternative for additional water supply in the south metro area, for such a poor return on the rate-payers’ investment,” reads the latest Audubon newsletter. Col. Joel R. Cross, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District commander, put the final seal of approval on the project on Oct. 9. On the same day, Audubon filed a federal lawsuit asking the court to stop the project. “Unfortunately the Corps of Engineers selected the most environmentally damaging alternative for the Chatfield project. It’s a bad deal for the public and for Colorado,” Polly Reetz, Audubon’s conservation chairwoman, said in a statement. “The Corps of Engineers’ approved plan will provide only a highly unreliable water supply yet will cause substantial environmental damage to Chatfield State Park, one of the state’s most heavily used and Chatfield continues on Page 39
It still takes a community to deliver the news
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Coffman, Romanoff turn up the heat Candidates for 6th Congressional District square off By Vic Vela
Vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com The mutual dislike between two candidates who are locked in a tight 6th Congressional District race was on full display during an Oct. 6 debate in Denver. It has been a bruising campaign between Republican Congressman Mike Coffman and Democratic former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff — and the KUSA-TV-sponsored debate showed there are no signs of the two letting up on each other any time soon. When Romanoff accused Coffman of supporting tax cuts to companies that ship jobs oversees, Coffman turned toward his rival with an index finger pointed in his direction.
“You’re distorting my record exactly how you did to Sen. (Michael) Bennet in 2010, no different,” said a scolding Coffman. Coffman was referring to the brutal 2010 Senate Democratic primary between Bennet and Romanoff, one that was littered with negative ads. Bennet’s name re-surfaced later in the 30-minute debate when the subject turned to budget votes. Romanoff blasted Coffman’s support in Congress for a Republican-backed budget that Romanoff feels is unfair to the middle class. “The budget plan that Congressman Coffman Romanoff supports would allow millionaires lavish tax breaks while forcing middle class families to pay more,” Romanoff said. “You’re still running the same campaign that you ran against Sen. Bennet, no ex-
ception — you’re still the same candidate,” Coffman said in response, adding that his budget votes in Congress required “courage” to address the national debt. Coffman continued to fire back at Romanoff’s remarks. “I think it is absolutely gutless for you to say you’re for a balanced budget and then not show what path you’re gonna do to get there; not show what cuts you’re going to do to get there,” Coffman said. Lacking guts wasn’t the only choice description Coffman had for Romanoff — he also accused his rival of fraud. Coffman When Romanoff cited possible ways for the federal government to get to a balanced budget — like collecting unpaid taxes from corporations and allowing Medicare to negotiate for CD-6 continues on Page 20
Dear reader: Each October, we ask our loyal readers to make a voluntary contribution to help offset the cost of bringing you your hometown newspaper. It takes a large team of highly skilled journalists, editors, printers, designers, carriers and administrative staff to bring you this newspaper, and your voluntary contribution goes a long way toward helping us maintain this staff. In 2014, we have won numerous awards and greatly expanded our websites. We also have significantly increased the use of full color, eliminating black-and-white pages, making our pages more interesting and vibrant. Next year, we plan on expanding our news coverage to have more local people mentioned each week while still keeping you updated on government, entertainment, sports, events and more. If you enjoy what we deliver, then we Healey continues on Page 24