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January 15, 2015 VO LUME 1 26 | IS S UE 2 5 | 7 5 ¢
LittletonIndependent.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
Flu outbreak: Colorado has been hit hard by a mutating flu virus; hospital visits up. See Page 5
On display: Littleton school children see their artwork in an ACC gallery show. See Page 14
Artifacts from Arapahoe Community College’s sports past are among the displays celebrating the college’s 50th anniversary. Photos by Jennifer Smith
Celebrating ACC’s golden years Staff report
Dream job: Joe Swanson takes over as the Heritage wrestling coach. See Page 19
The 50th anniversary display at Arapahoe Community College includes photos of all its presidents since it was founded in 1965. POSTAL ADDRESS
Mayor offers city a birthday challenge Cernanec lays out plan for kindness as Littleton turns 125
LITTLETON INDEPENDENT (ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 315-780) OFFICE: 7315 S. Revere Pkwy., Ste. 603 Centennial, CO 80112 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Englewood, Colorado, the Littleton Independent is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Littleton Independent 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. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Memorabilia from Arapahoe Community College’s first 50 years was on display at its Colorado Gallery of the Arts through Jan. 14. Included were past issues of student-produced newspapers and the Progenitor, the college’s annual literary publication. There was an award-winning evening gown created by a design student, sportswear from a variety of Coyotes teams and more. The college will host other events, activities, commemorative displays, promotions, contests and memorabilia giveaways throughout the 201415 academic year in honor of the golden anniversary, culminating in May with the annual commencement ceremony and the ACC Foundation Gala. For more information, visit www.arapahoe. edu/50years.
By Jennifer Smith
jsmith @coloradocommunitymedia.com Mayor Phil Cernanec wants the people of Littleton to celebrate 2015, the city’s 125th birthday, by simply being who they are. “I believe we’re a very giving community,” he said. “There’s a high level of volunteerism, a high level of caring that occurs here. And sharing our family story, of sorts, is one of the things we’d like to highlight.” To that end, he announced his “Mayor’s Challenge to Pay it Forward” campaign on his Facebook page on Jan. 7. “The first five people who comment on this status with ‘I’m in’ will receive a surprise from me at some point during this coming calendar year — anything from a book, something homemade, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy.” He asks that those five people commit to make the same offer to five other people, and so on and so on. He hopes it will help neighbors get to know each other better, and people who don’t always agree to
find common ground. “It’s not the chain letter thing,” he said. “I’m going to be up close and personal with those five people. It means I have to get to know them better than just being Facebook friends.” Cernanec said he first received the challenge from his friend Sue Kenfield, and realized that the “pay it forward” idea fit right in with the city’s birthday celebration. Cernanec “I’m intrigued by the forward-looking context of the city,” he said. He notes that Littleton has progressed from an agricultural community in the 1860s through the manufacturing boom of the mid20th century to the technology mecca it is today. Along the way it’s been rewarded by being chosen the county seat of Arapahoe County in 1902, and getting the first two southmetro light-rail stations in 2000. “The city has always had people of character and people willing to risk themselves,” he said. “And where else do you have a major street in town that’s named after somebody’s horse?” Indeed, Prince Street is named for the beloved horse of the city’s founder, Richard Little. Others are Birthday continues on Page 23
The property owners adjacent to these utility lines on Dry Creek Road east of Broadway will have to pay to send them underground as part of the widening of Dry Creek, expected to take place this year. Photo by Jennifer Smith
Property owners on hook for burying lines Redevelopment of parcels forces timing of change By Jennifer Smith
jsmith @coloradocommunitymedia.com Who should pay to bury the city’s power lines? It depends on where they are. On Jan. 6, Littleton City Council voted to enforce years-old agreements that place the burden of burying two blocks of utility lines on Dry Creek Road east of Broadway on the shoulders of the adjacent property owners. “We’re not rolling in money to
be extra nice,” said Councilmember Peggy Cole. “I think we need to be fair and use our money carefully.” The work became necessary as part of the Littleton Village project on the site of the old Marathon property. Dry Creek is being widened to two lanes each direction to accommodate what’s likely to be more traffic at the intersection, and the Littleton Village developer is kicking in for those improvements. But the wider road will run right where the existing overhead lines are, so now is the time to send them underground, said Charlie Blosten, the city’s director of public works. The owners of the three properties — the Sinclair gas station, Courtesy Utilities continues on Page 23