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February 20, 2014
50 cents Adams County, Colorado | Volume 50, Issue 27 A publication of
northglenn-thorntonsentinel.com
‘Take a stand for children’ Colorado superintendents collaborate to express concerns in state education funding By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ coloradocommunitymeda.com Superintendents from around the state showed a united front last week presenting a letter to the governor and legislature to take notice of state funding provided to school districts. The letter was signed by 167 of 178 Colorado superintendents calling upon the Colorado General Assembly and Governor John Hickenlooper to begin the buying down the $1 billion negative factor imposed on public education since 2009 and urging the state to not impose any new unfunded mandates upon the state’s school districts. The letter was delivered on Feb. 10 to the state capitol and proposes that the “legislature restore $275 million of recurring funds to public schools, in addition to the governor’s proposed increase. A significant portion of the $275 million would be used to reduce the ‘negative factor’. The negative factor was the mechanism used to reduce funding allocated to public schools; we believe it is the mechanism that should be used to restore funding.” In 2000, Amendment 23 was passed to ensure per pupil funding would increase each year by the rate of inflation. The rate of per pupil funding for each district is determined by factors, including district size and number of “at-risk” students. According to greateducation.org, a statewide, nonpartisan, grassroots organization focused on improving education in Colorado, starting in 2009, in order to make across-the-board cuts from all districts, the legislature added a new “budget stabilization” or “negative factor” to the School Finance Act formula. In effect, the legislature now decides how much it wants to spend on school finance, and then adjusts the negative factor to meet that funding target. Adams County superintendents who signed the letter included Chris Gdowski of Adams 12, Charlotte Ciancio of Mapleton, Pam Swanson of District 50, Pat Sanchez of Adams 14 and Chris Fielder of 27J. In the Adams 12 district, the impact of the negative factor this year is $51.4 million less in funding. A $200 million reduction in the negative factor would mean about a $10 million increase in total program funding for the district. “The Five Star District has seen reduced funding over the past few years totaling more than $100 million,” Gdowski said. “We’re collectively calling for funding to be restored, local flexibility to invest dollars in areas we know will best benefit the
Children continues on Page 11 POSTAL ADDRESS
Michael Occhiuzzo, shown here in a scene from “Talk Radio”, was a regular cast member with the Creative Revolution Theatre Company. The company has dedicated its 2014 season to Occhiuzzo, who died in November. Courtesy photo by Alex Alexander
CRTC kicks off 2014 season Theatre Company offers two dinner theaters, a musical By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@coloradocommunitymedia.com Within just a few days of being on sale, tickets for the first Creative Revolution Theatre Company show of the 2014 season were sold out. CRTC kicks off its second full season with “Once Upon A Crime,” a murder-mystery dinner theater running Feb. 21-March 1 at the Thornton Arts Culture Center. “(The dinner theaters) are a big draw — people love them,” Heather Cleveland, CRTC’s managing director said. “It’s some-
thing we get to write a script for. It’s a fun night where people get to chat with people at their table and interact.” The theater company will offer seven shows this season, with two dinner theaters and, for the first time, a musical. The company lost one of its members last year, Michael Occhiuzzo died in November. “This season is sort of homage to him, it was shows he was interested in doing,” Cleveland said. CRTC put on couple shows in 2012, but its first full season was in 2013. Cleveland said that the company was able to get off the ground with seed money from the Thornton Arts, Sciences and Humanities Council (TASHCO), but has been able to sustain itself since then from ticket sales.
“We have a lot of repeat patrons and we’re really grateful for them,” Cleveland said. “We hope to keep growing.” CRTC is applying for a nonprofit status so that it can start fundraising and soliciting grants. The next murder-mystery dinner theater will be Nov. 21-23. Because these sell out quickly, Cleveland recommended people often check out the company’s website, www.creativerevolutiontheatre.org, to find out when tickets go on sale. The other shows in 2014 include: “Run For Your Wife,” a British farce about a taxi driver who has two wives, showing April 25
CRTC continues on Page 11
Police search for serial robbery suspect Staff Report The Thornton Police Department, Westminster Police Department, Northglenn Police Department, and Federal Heights Police Department are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying a serial robbery suspect who is suspected of being involved in five known robberies in the north metro area. The suspect is alleged to have committed armed robbery with a handgun at the following locations: Valero Gas Station, 505 W. 120th Avenue in Northglenn, on Jan. 21; Cold Stone Creamery, 1281 E. 120th
Ave. in Thornton, on Jan. 23; Conoco Gas Station, 500 W. 120th Ave. in Westminster, on Jan. 24; Cricket, 1261 E. 84th Ave. in Federal Heights, on Jan. 29; and Quiznos Subs, 8426 N. Pearl St. in Thornton, on Feb. 3. The suspect is described as a Hispanic Male, 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet to 9 inches, 160-190 pounds, 18-25 years of age, thin mustache, and dark colored hair. The suspect is considered to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information as to the identity of the suspect is asked to call Metro Area Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
Police are looking for this man, who they suspect robbed five locations in Adams County recently. Photo courtesy Thornton Police Department
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