Sentinel Northglen 5-30-13
Northglenn -Thornton
May 30, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ournorthglennnews.com, ourthorntonnews.com
Adams County, Colorado • Volume 49, Issue 42
Chiefs express concern for public safety
TECH IN SCHOOLS
Sheriff ’s Office turns away prisoners despite daily jail cap of 30 being lifted By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@ourcoloradonews.com
Kimberly Jezek, a seventh- and eighth-grade mathematics teacher at Clayton Partnership School, sketches a parallelogram for her seventh-grade class on an iPad using a program called Educreations, which turns an iPad device into a whiteboard by recording live video and handwriting movements that are then projected on a screen at the front of the classroom. Photo by Darin Moriki
Mapleton, Anythink open new library 9,000-square-foot facility opens Saturday on Skyview Campus By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@ourcoloradonews. com The move was less than a mile, and the new space is just 3,000 square feet larger, but the opportunities seem immeasurable for Anythink Director Pam Sandlian Smith. The library district closed its Washington Street location April 12 and moved its staff and materials to the new Anythink York building, which is located at the Mapleton School District’s Skyview Campus, 8990 York St. in Thornton. The new 9,388 square-foot library opens Saturday. “This partnership with Anythink Libraries is so unique,” said Charlotte Ciancio, Mapleton superintendent. “It will make it possible for us to bring much-needed resources to the heart of the Thornton community. Like Mapleton, Anythink is rooted in bringing engaging, educational opportunities to families that will inspire a love of learning.” At the new library, patrons will have access to more computers, stronger Internet bandwidth, a slightly larger book
Laci Wright, children’s librarian at the new Anythink York, organizes books last week in preparation for the June 1 grand opening of the new Rangeview library on the Skyview Campus, 8990 York St. in Thornton. Photo by Tammy Kranz collection and it will be open on Saturdays. Smith said because it is located on a school campus, the York library has more opportunity to grow programs in ways the district can’t at its other library locations. “We don’t have a 700-seat auditorium anywhere else,” she said of the Rosa Auditorium at Skyview. “Also, they have a commercial kitchen. We’re thinking about maybe doing some cooking classes. There are opportunities ahead and we’ll be able to expand our services and programs.” Voters approved funding in
POSTAL ADDRESS
November 2010 to match a $32 million grant from the state to overhaul the Skyview Campus. The overhaul includes providing classroom space for five schools, and a community resource center and a regional library. Smith said Mapleton approached Anythink five years ago with the collaboration idea— the school district would build the facility and Anythink would run the library and pay for the operation costs. “It’s a great use of public funds,” she said. “We get a brand new beautiful building and the community gets a brand new li-
brary and the community didn’t have to come with additional funding.” The collaboration saved Anythink from no longer dealing with a building that was not designed to be a library and needed significant work done in renovations. The Anythink Washington Library, 8992 Washington St., was originally a bank and the building was built in 1970. The first level of the older building did not have load bearing weight so it was not able to hold shelves full of books. The books were kept on the second level, which had its own issue — the roof leaked, Smith said. “The library district made a decision not to invest in that building, we did do minor cosmetic stuff, but we knew long term that building wouldn’t be feasible for us,” she said. The district moved into the space in 1989 and spent $300,000 in 2011 for minor renovations that included new furniture, shelving, painting and carpeting. “Most of that investment we took with us (to Anythink York),” she said. Anythink York is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
NORTHGLENN-THORNTON SENTINEL
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Local law enforcement officials aired public safety concerns related to inmates being turned away from the Adams County jail during a press conference Tuesday at the Thornton Police Department. “In the last week, seven prisoners have been rejected by the sheriff who were sentenced to jail by our judges,” said Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates. He said these prisoners were sentenced for crimes that included shoplifting, trespassing, misdemeanor battery, motor vehicle theft and prostitution — and all had a criminal history. “These are folks who belong in jail even for modest misdemeanor offenses,” Oates said. Thornton, Westminster, Aurora, Commerce City and Brighton police chiefs spoke to the media at the conference. Despite the Adams County commissioners suspending a 30-inmate cap per day for municipalities at the jail in April, the sheriff’s office is still turning away people who are sentenced. When inmates are turned away due to a cap, they are typically held elsewhere based on a contract with another jail. The cap restriction, which began on Jan. 1, 2012, was divided among nine municipalities based on population in Adams County. Daily inmate capacity numbers were set by Sheriff Doug Darr. They are: Thornton, eight; Westminster, five; Aurora and Commerce City, four apiece; Northglenn and Brighton, three each; and one each for Federal Heights, Arvada and Bennett. “I have public safety concerns for our residents and our businesses,” said Thornton Police Chief Randy Nelson. “What happened in Aurora can happen in any Inmates continues on Page 24
Thornton police Chief Randy Nelson talks to the media at a press conference Tuesday about the Adams County sheriff turning away prisoners last week. From left, Brighton Chief Clint Blackhurst and Commerce City Chief Troy Smith join Nelson. Photo by Tammy Kranz
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