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August 7, 2014 VOLU M E 6 9 | I S S UE 39 | 5 0 ¢
WestminsterWindow.com
A D A M S C O U N T Y A N D J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
Inside
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Left, Nevaeh Dunlap, 6, takes a ride on a pony during the 2014 Adams County Fair Aug. 1. Above: Damon Dunlap, 11, feeds a calf and goats at the petting zoo at the fair. Below: Children play in a box full of corn kernels at the Agriland section of the fair. Photos by Tammy Kranz
Weather cooperates for fair By Tammy Kranz tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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WESTMINSTER WINDOW
(ISSN 1072-1576) (USPS 455-250) OFFICE: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams County, Colorado, the Westminster Window is published weekly on Thursday by MetroNorth Newspapers, 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210, Westminster, CO 80031. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WESTMINSTER, COLORADO. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 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
Despite soggy grounds, a large crowd turned out for Kids Day at the 2014 Adams County Fair on what turned out to be a mostly sunny day. Kids Day featured hamster balls on water, pony rides, a petting zoo, a climbing wall, inflated slides and lots of giveaways and activities inside the Waymire Dome building. Inside the Exhibit Hall, kids got to play in a
box full of corn kernels and watch honeybees at work in the Agriland section. The fair celebrated its 110th anniversary during the rodeo on July 31. The rodeo has been part of the fair for its entire history. The grandstand arena was pretty muddy — but the weather dried out before the rodeo started. The five-day celebration began July 30 and ran through Aug. 3 at the Adams County Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton. The theme behind this year’s fair was traditional meets new. A new event this year on Aug.
2 was the Funnel Cake 5 & 10K Run/Walk, proceeds benefited the Foster Families of Adams County. Officials hope this grows into a large, signature event of the fair. Fair officials took a traditional activity — a scavenger hunt — and modernized it to be a QR Code Scavenger Hunt. There were 10 codes sprinkled throughout the fairgrounds and each person that collected all 10 won a prize. There were few heritage contests, including ice-cream making contest using hand-cranked ice cream makers.
Fracking initiatives dropped
Community Reach hires new COO
By Vic Vela
By Ashley Reimers
vvela@colorado communitymedia.com
areimers@colorado communitymedia.com
Voters will not be weighing in on hydraulic fracturing this November after all. Gov. John Hickenlooper and U.S. Rep. Jared Polis announced an eleventh hour deal on Aug. 4 to create a special task force to address issues surrounding fracking — the very day that signatures to put fracking on the November ballot were due for submission to the Secretary of State’s Office. The task force is part of a deal that the two Democrats reached in the days leading up to the announcement that will also end efforts by Polis to place two anti-fracking ballot initiatives on the November ballot. Later in the day, pro-fracking groups said they too will drop their own ballot initiative efforts, suddenly ending what was gearing up to be a ballot box fight that was expected to be costly – both in terms of campaign advertising dollars and potentially in political price for other candidates seeking office this fall. The Polis-backed initiatives sought to increase setback requirements for wells and would have also given communities greater control over oil and gas drilling operations. Pro-fracking groups had sought initiatives that could have had economic impacts on communities that ban fracking – the process by which water and chemicals are blasted into the ground to free up trapped oil and gas underneath.
Community Reach Center, an Adams County nonprofit mental health center, has a new Chief Operating Officer, Tamara Player. She was recently hired to oversee the daily operations of the organization, which has five outpatient offices in Brighton, Commerce City, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster. As the new COO, Player said she’s dedicated to ensuring Community Reach provides an effective and efficient experience to all consumers. “We have a customer service e philosophy that is based on STAR, safety, trust, accountPlayer ability and respect,” she said. “We want everyone who walks through the door, including staff, to have a positive experience.” Player, a licensed clinical social worker, comes to Community Reach with 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She was recently a COO at a mental health center in northern Maine. She said when she first learned about Community Reach, she was excited to see the innovation, focus on wellness and the commitment
U.S. Rep. Jared Polis discusses the details of a deal reached with Gov. John Hickenlooper on Aug. 4 concerning fracking and local control initiatives. Photo by Vic Vela Also as part of the agreement, Hickenlooper said the state would work to end a lawsuit against Longmont over new oil and gas regulations the city adopted two years ago. But the big news is the agreement to pull the ballot measures. Hickenlooper and the oil and gas industry had opposed Polis’ efforts, concerned that the initiatives would be akin to a fracking ban in a state that relies on drilling to feed the economy. And Democrats were concerned that an expensive fracking battle would hurt candidates this November, especially Sen. Mark Udall, who is locked in a tight re-election campaign against U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner. Polis continues on Page 9
to the consumers and community partners. “I really hope to continue to help Community Reach build off the strengths the organization already has as well as looking at the future of where health care is headed,” she said. “I am so pleased to be a part of the team and look forward to continuing the excellent work that happens every day across our center.” Player credits community health centers like Community Reach as being a safety net providing care to people when other businesses or organizations can’t. Regardless of age, background or ability to pay, Community Reach can provide a wide range services to Adams County residents, she added. “We can support people dealing with daily stress all the way up to significant crisis,” Player said. “We’re here to help with substance abuse and also mental health in many different facilities all across the county.” Community Reach’s mission is to enhance the health of the community. The work is made possible through services including individual and group therapy, early childhood and school-based services, substance abuse treatment, emergency services and therapeutic support groups. For more information on Community Reach, visit www.communityreachcenter. org.