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September 25, 2014 VO LUME 1 26 | IS S UE 9 | 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
Arapahoe High probe goes to DA Sheriff expects to hold press conference next week on school shooting By Jennifer Smith
jsmith @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Seth Maisel, as Sherlock Holmes, leads his teen students to perform in Historic Littleton Inc.’s Scavenger Hunt on Sept. 13, as various historic characters. Photos by Sonya Ellingboe
Scavenger hunt fills streets History-themed event is all about specifics By Sonya Ellingboe
sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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LITTLETON INDEPENDENT (ISSN 1058-7837) (USPS 315-780) OFFICE: 7315 S. Revere Pkwy., Ste. 603 Centennial, CO 80112
One of the ways Historic Littleton Inc. fulfills its mission of “education and advocacy” is to stage a scavenger hunt in historic downtown Littleton, which leads hunters to learn about a building’s past and about the folks who may have visited the former grocery stores, stables, drug and hardware stores — and bars. The theory is that a town which treasures its past will succeed in the future. On Sept. 13, the volunteer organization held its third annual scavenger hunt, with support from businesses and the City of Littleton, and from a group of volunteers who were willing to don period costumes and help tell Littleton’s story — city founder Richard Little and cannibal Alfred Packer were among them. Participants (chairwoman Liz Eaton guessed about 500) were given a printed clue list that led to 15 businesses for a specific historic clue, held by a miniature picture of mascot dog “Sleuth,” and they checked an answer on the form. An additional challenge was to identify where pictured architectural details were located. Cash prizes were a definite attractive lure. But so was the challenge of competing Hunt continues on Page 24
Joan Poston and scavenger hunt mascot Willis walked Main Street greeting scavenger hunters (and their dogs).
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The Rootin’ Tootin’s Dixieland Band performed in front of Town Hall Arts Center on Sept. 13 as part of scavenger hunt entertainment.
Arapahoe County Sheriff Dave Walcher provided an update on the Arapahoe High School shooting investigation on Sept. 22, saying he expects to conduct a full press conference by Oct. 3. “I do want to release as much as I can, as much as I can legally do,” he said. Walcher’s office has been investigating since Dec. 13 of last year, when Arapahoe senior Karl Pierson shot fellow student Claire Davis before turning the gun on himself. He died in the school library. She languished in a coma until her death on Dec. 21. Walcher has sent a summary of the full inDavis vestigation to District Attorney George Brauchler for his review, and adds that there are two pending legal issues surrounding the release of documents that he thinks will be resolved this week. Walcher is also in talks with an outside agency, which he declined to identify at this time, to perform a review of the entire tragedy. “I think there are things we can learn as a community,” he said. “I’m not saying anyone did anything wrong, just that there are things we can learn. … We don’t need another investigation, but I want to go as far as we can go back in Karl Pierson’s life, and even look at our own response to everything.” He said other entities involved will participate in the press conference, and that there are some reasons for the delay in releasing information that were out of his department’s control. In a letter to parents dated Sept. 9, Littleton Public Schools Superintendent Scott Murphy addressed the district’s silence on the subject thus far. “As I’ve said before, LPS has the ability to communicate accurate information to all of you directly, and we have a legal and ethical commitment to the privacy of our community,” he said. “Additionally, you will recall my position that we will never publicly discuss safety and security measures, as that puts our students, faculty and families more at risk. LPS has strong relationships with our community and local media. We will not, however, participate in creating controversy that compromises student safety and privacy.” Murphy outlined some changes in security that took effect at the beginning of the school year, including partnering with the Littleton Police Department and the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office to increase the number of school resource officers, and enhancing security measures with funds from the 2013 bond program. “LPS is committed to being part of a larger community of mental health professionals,” he wrote. “To that end, the LPS Board of Education has allocated an additional $810,000 to increase the number of counselors, social workers, and psychologists in our schools. … We are committed to continuous improvement in all areas, which provides students with a safe and healthy place in which to learn and work. Nothing is more important.”