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October 31, 2014 VOLU M E 1 2 | I SS UE 52
ParkerChronicle.net A publication of
D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
RTD shuttle saved again Call-n-Ride to continue in Parker, Highlands Ranch By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Taylor Llewellyn, a 17-year-old Chaparral High School senior and pom-pon girl died Oct. 23 after a head-on collision while driving north of Franktown. Courtesy photo
Franktown teen dies after car crash Chaparral senior’s family wants her life ‘not to be in vain’ By Jane Reuter
jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com When it became clear Taylor Llewellyn would never recover from the trauma sustained in an Oct. 22 head-on crash, her mother gave her one final directive. “When I said goodbye, I leaned down, kissed her and said, `Baby, go save lives’,” Nicolle Llewellyn said. Taylor has. Five so far, through the donation of her heart, kidneys and other
major organs. The quality of another 75 to 100 individual lives will be dramatically improved by other donations. “Her beautiful blue eyes … somebody will be able to see through her corneas,” her mother said. “She’s the light of our lives and we will miss her terribly. But we want her life not to be in vain.” The Chaparral High School senior, and member of the varsity pom-pon team, was taken off life support at Littleton Adventist Hospital Oct. 23, a day after the Nissan Rogue Llewellyn was driving crossed State Highway 83 north of Franktown at 12:07 p.m. and struck a 2011 Toyota Sienna van near Bayou Gulch Road. Llewellyn’s school day was done, and she was heading home to Franktown after having lunch with friends at Chick-
Fil-A. Her parents believe she fell asleep. Alcohol or drugs are not suspected, and phone records show Taylor was not texting or talking at the time of the crash. Eyewitnesses said the car drifted across the lane. “I know that sounds unusual, but … she was a dancer at Miller Dance (Studio). She did poms. She worked a parttime job at Adriana’s Mexican Restaurant,” Nicolle said. “As any teenager, they burn the candle on all ends.” The man in the van, 60-year-old Henry Cornelius of Elizabeth, suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized at Littleton Adventist. The Llewellyn family hopes Teen continues on Page 7
Public outcry over a proposal to cut Calln-Ride service in Parker and Highlands Ranch — along with more funding — convinced RTD’s board of directors to keep both bus lines. RTD approved the continuation of the services during a meeting Oct. 28 after weeks of discussions with officials and regular riders. Each bus has struggled to get the average of three riders per hour required by RTD to maintain service. Douglas County, Parker and Highlands Ranch offered to put more money forward and establish transit advisory committees in each community. “Douglas County really came to the rescue on this,” said Brian Matthews, bus operations group manager for RTD. RTD’s legal team is making minor changes to language in two separate agreements, but the expectation is that additional involvement by riders and local transportation experts will forge a concrete path to the future. Wendy Holmes, spokeswoman for Douglas County, referred to it as a “public-publicpublic partnership.” Call-n-Ride allows residents to call a driver and be picked up in front of their home for short trips within a limited service area. It has been up for elimination before in the northern tier of the county, and each time public officials have stepped up to meet the financial needs of RTD, which spends around $180,000 annually for each service. However, some have complained that Parker and Douglas County already don’t receive enough service compared to the amount of local tax money going to the transportation district. In September, RTD asked for a 50-percent cost-sharing agreement to save the Call-nRide services, which is what is contained in the agreement, Matthews said.
Candidates sound off at forum Event included hopefuls for state offices, town council By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com The 2014 Candidate Forum at the Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center on Oct. 23 provided an opportunity for a dialogue between those running for office and voters. The 12 candidates — four running for state offices and eight vying for three positions on Parker Town Council — covered a range of topics during the forum, which was co-sponsored by the Parker Chamber of Commerce and the Parker Chronicle. What follows are some highlights of the forum.
Legislative candidates
When asked how they would help fix the partisan climate in politics:
• Bette Davis, the Democratic candidate for Senate District 30, said partisanship starts as a child, and she would encourage parents to expose their children to all different ideas from the start. • Chris Holbert, the Republican running for Senate District 30, said he would work to put one party each in the majority in the State House and State Senate so both sides would be “forced to work together.” • Kim Ransom, the Republican candidate for House District 44, said healthy disagreement is good, and while the fighting can be “ugly” at times, she would not want to “put the kibosh on personal expression.” • Ransom’s Democratic opponent, Karen Jae Smith, said she is a “middle-of-the-road candidate” who would represent the interests of those who see both sides of the issues. When asked about their opinions on hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”: • Smith said she has mixed emotions on the issue and likes the idea of revenue and
The candidates for Parker Town Council listen as Parker Chamber of Commerce President Dennis Houston explains the format of a forum Oct. 23 at the PACE Center. Photo by Chris Michlewicz jobs for the state, but wants oversight, saying, “we have too much to lose if we don’t do it right.” • Ransom said she favors developing oil and gas resources in a responsible way, but said regulations are already in place and the
state should “let people go out and make a living.” • Holbert said fracking can fund new schools and infrastructure improvements Forum continues on Page 14