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September 30, 2021
ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
Northglenn-ThorntonSentinel.com
VOLUME 58 | ISSUE 8
INSIDE THE NEW REC CENTER
Colo. schools that require masks have lower COVID rates State public-health officials urge universal masking in schools BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
hooked.” It was Grimes’ research into equine therapy and animal behavior that spurred the ranch’s start. She has been a certified therapist since 1995, yet she had never tested equine-assisted therapy principles. Then she met Wyner, who was looking for a career change. “Maybe a midlife crisis?” Wyner said with a chuckle. Grimes’ passion and research intrigued him. Shortly thereafter, he became a licensed professional counselor and partnered with Grimes to launch
Colorado’s school-aged children are experiencing the highest rates of coronavirus infection among any age group in the state right now. But state health officials on Sept. 23 presented new data showing that requiring kids to wear masks while in school is associated with lower rates of COVID-19. The data back up guidance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recommending that all schools implement universal masking policies for students, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. “The lower case rates are associated with districts that are requiring masks in schools, again showing a clear impact that masks are having in decreasing transmission in our school settings,” Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist, said during a briefing with reporters. Communities with higher rates of vaccination among school-aged children also have lower rates of coronavirus infection, according to CDPHE data. You’ve heard over and over that
SEE RANCH, P2
SEE SCHOOLS, P19
Ahead of the official opening on Oct. 9, Stefan Brodsky takes you inside Northglenn’s $54 million Recreation Center. Turn to P8.
Tiny ranch is big confidence builder Groundwork Ranch specializes in empowerment, therapy BY KATHLEEN DUNLAP SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Nestled on a modest plot of land between the Colorado Technology Center and fields of ripening crops in Louisville is Groundwork Ranch, a nonprofit organization
specializing in equine-assisted therapy and empowerment. At the ranch, trauma survivors and their caregivers experience renewed self-confidence and hope by interacting with horses. Groundwork Ranch was opened in 2010 by Lottie Grimes and Dave Wyner. Grimes and Wyner believed the skills used in training horses were the same skills required for trauma work. “Things happen in horse therapy that take months to accomplish in an office setting,” Grimes said. “People instinctively trust animals more. When I first saw this therapy in action, I was
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 20
BRIDGES TO THE ARTS
Communities are creating centers to boost local culture
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