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July 25, 2014 VOLU M E 1 2 | I SS UE 38
ParkerChronicle.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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GOP gives HD44 nod to Ransom She will replace Jack Hilbert as the party’s candidate By Mike DiFerdinando
mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Maria Orlova, front, the 2014 Douglas County Fair and Rodeo queen, rides in the Highlands Ranch Fourth of July parade. Photo by Mike DiFerdinando
Rodeo queen gains confidence Orlova shares memory of one special event By Mike DiFerdinando
mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com Maria Orlova has been to quite a few fairs since being named Douglas County Rodeo Queen last year, but one left a particularly lasting impression on her. “The Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center put on this special event at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs where they brought these kids to the hall of fame and held this special rodeo where the kids could compete in rodeo events,” Orlova said. “It was just an amazing experience to be able to work with these kids and see the kind of smile that you could put on their faces and the kind of dedication they have,” she continued. “It was a great experience for me personally.” Orlova, 16, is a junior at Chaparral High School. She lives with her mother, Katya Taylor, in Parker. “During the awards ceremony I was presented this buckle, and this little boy with autism was given one for championship thorough-racing, and I handed him his buckle and I congratulated him. He promptly asked
for the microphone and started making his thank-you speech and was thanking his parents and his horseback-riding instructor. It was amazing to see the kind of confidence he had,” Orlova said. “I wish I had more of that. When I have to give speeches, I wish I could speak more from my heart like that and let my personality shine through.” She was born in the Ukraine and lived there until she was 8 years old before moving to Colorado with her mother in 2005. This year’s competition will take place on Aug. 1, and Orlova will help crown a new queen the next day. “In a couple weeks someone else will be taking over Orlova the crown and taking over the responsibility of promoting the fair and the royalty,” she said. Rodeo contestants not only have to be able to win over a panel of judges, but they also have to know how to ride. The contest is judged on a combination of horsemanship and personality demonstrated through different riding exhibitions and interviews. It’s a competition that Orlova said can be a tough mountain to climb. “At the beginning it’s very nerve-racking, but I guess what I told the girls this year who are trying out is, if you’re nervous, well, I
guess if you’re not nervous you’re not doing it right,” Orlova said. “When you’re talking to the judges, at first, you can feel shy. Well, at least I did, but after talking to them for a while, I started to warm up and they are very nice. By the end, I felt very comfortable and I felt very good about doing my speech in front of them.” Royalty program coordinator Roxanne Harris said she wants people to know that the rodeo royalty aren’t your typical pageant girls. “I think royalty sometimes gets a stigma that these girls are just beauty queens, and they are so much more than that,” Harris said. “They really put themselves out there. These girls study and work hard. They’re very knowledgeable about agriculture and rodeo. They have to go out there and ride these horses. They’re athletes. There’s a lot that goes into this.” This year’s coronation ceremony will be Aug. 2 at 4 p.m., and will be followed by the Hometown Rodeo. “The crowning is an amazing feeling,” Orlova said. “When they put that sash on you, they take all these pictures and there are photographers everywhere. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office presents us with our queen saddles. It’s just a great feeling.” For more information on the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo and schedules, visit douglascountyfairandrodeo.com.
Stand offers cool way to cool down Shaved ice draws visitors from pool, ball diamonds By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com Everyone could use a treat to beat the summer heat. Late July typically brings the warmest temperatures, and as the people of Parker seek ways to cool off, they’re finding that a quick stop by Pure Bliss Shaved Ice is among the best solutions. As satisfying as a dip in the pool or a seat near an air conditioner, a cup of flavored shaved ice quenches thirst and evokes childhood memories. The latter surely applies to Pure Bliss owner Emily Smith, whose aunt and uncle owned a shaved ice stand in Idaho when she was growing up. Her older cousins worked the stand at a park and earned enough money to Ice Stand continues on Page 13
From left, Pure Bliss Shaved Ice owner Emily Smith and employee Meghan Cook have served hundreds of satisfied customers from their post in the Grace Baptist Church parking lot northeast of South Parker Road and Mainstreet. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
At a special selection meeting July 19 at the Douglas County Justice Center, Kim Ransom was chosen to replace Jack Hilbert as the Republican nominee for the House District 44 seat. Ransom was elected by a majority on the first ballot. House District 44 encompasses Parker, Lone Tree and parts of unincorporated Douglas County. Ransom, 55, is a mother of four, and is a customer service representative for vacation rentals outlet VRBO.com. She has worked as an aide for two Douglas County state senators, Republicans John Evans and Tom Wiens and as the HD44 committee secretary. Hilbert, who most recently served as Douglas Ransom County commissioner and won the Republican primary in June to represent House District 44 in the general election, withdrew his name as the sole candidate July 13 after accepting a position as Child Welfare Hotline System manager with the Colorado Department of Human Services’ Child Welfare Protection Division. Five people —Ransom, Debbie Lewis, Donald Parrot, Debbie Cohen and Kim Monson —interviewed for the position. Each candidate had three minutes to speak on their qualifications for the position and then answered questions from the panel. They were given two minutes to respond to each question. Each interview lasted about an hour. The panel, made up of three members of the HD44 Republican Committee and three voting members of the Douglas County GOP executive team, asked the candidates about their positions on the Second Amendment and extending gun rights to places of business and schools; social issues, such as marriage equality and abortion; school choice and their stance on standard core curriculum in public schools; illegal immigration; and whether they would vote for an increase in the number of votes needed to change the Colorado State Constitution. “Some of you know me as a radical, home-school mom who knows how to shoot,” Ransom said. “Others of you know me as a worker bee here in Douglas County. One that says yes to walking in a parade or working on a resolution, taking calls for yet another campaign and serving the district.” “I’m a constitutional conservative, a capitalist that believes in private property rights and personal responsibility.” On the issue of education, Ransom said that she favors leaving the power to set and change curriculum standards in the hands of the local school districts. Ransom said that she is “100 percent pro-life” and would support legislation protecting life from the moment of conception. She described herself as a gun-rights activist and said she would support legislation that would allow anyone to carry a firearm concealed, or not, without a permit and supports the idea of allowing teachers to carry firearms, if that is what individual school districts
Ransom continues on Page 13