Parker chronicle 0927

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Chronicle Parker

Parker 9-27-2013

Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 48

September 27, 2013

A Colorado Community Media Publication

ourparkernews.com

Meat theft called ‘fishy’ Hickory House wants their baby backs By Chris Michlewicz

cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com

Ponderosa High School marching band members warm up. Ponderosa was the opening performer at the Sept. 18 band showcase, which featured all of the nine marching bands from Douglas County’s public high schools. Photos by Virginia Grantier

Showcase steps right up Rain stays away from marching-band event By Virginia Grantier

vgrantier@ourcoloradonews.com They played on the football field for almost four hours — and never dropped the ball. Every marching band in the Douglas County School District, all nine of them, showed up to play at a Sept. 18 band showcase at Sports Authority Stadium in Parker. And ultimately — even though three of the bands are brandnew, and each had strengths and weaknesses — all had a “really neat moment … had a great moment on the field” that people in the crowd of about 600 recognized, said Orlando Otis, band showcase organizer and Legend High School band director. This was the school district’s third annual band showcase, but it’s really the first, because the other two were rained out. The showcase is meant to be a way for the bands to experience a live crowd and hone skills early in the season, Otis said. Under gathering clouds, the showcase started after the bands, in about an hour’s time, were able to unload trucks, get dressed, warm up and prepare to play. The wind made things like practicing the throwing of flags and catching them challenging, but as the leader of one band reminded her squad, “Ponderosa (High School) does not drop a toss,” she yelled into the wind. To help keep hair just right and hats on heads, there was some intense hair-spraying and the use of a hair-glue product. And even

then, at least one person was seen gamely marching in formation, hands clutching a clarinet, as her hat turned Tower-of-Pisa-like, slipping, nearly blocking her vision. The new bands, still building their programs and not participating in the state marching band competitions this year, are Mountain Vista and ThunderRidge, both from Highlands Ranch, and Castle View High School from Castle Rock. The other six at the showcase were veteran competitors. Their showcase participation was another chance to prepare for the state marching band competition in mid-October at Colorado State University’s football stadium. Those bands are from Chaparral, Douglas County, Highlands Ranch, Legend, Ponderosa and Rock Canyon high schools. Unlike the usual football-stadium atmosphere, at the showcase, “you could hear a pin drop,” when a band was about to start playing, Otis said. Otis said he was moved by how supportive the kids were of other bands. “Students were clapping for every single band … kids that don’t know each other. “That’s pretty tremendous,” he said.

An early-morning theft of meat worth thousands of dollars has the Hickory House pursuing the men responsible. Mark Bergman, general manager of the Hickory House, a popular barbecue eatery on South Parker Road, is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to charges against the perpetrators. The theft occurred around 1:35 a.m. Sept. 17 and the suspects were caught on surveillance video, but no arrests have been made. The restaurant is distributing posters in the hopes that the public can provide more information. “We want to let everyone know we’re not going to stand for it,” Bergman said. There were no signs of forced entry, meaning either a door was left unlocked or the burglars had a key. Although Bergman is Theft continues on Page 16

Reservoir gets diverted water Dam directs excess creek flows into Rueter-Hess By Chris Michlewicz

cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com Unusually heavy rains have dumped millions of gallons of water into RueterHess Reservoir, and saturated soils have excess flows continuing to pour in. The Parker Water and Sanitation District is taking advantage of the wet weather by using its diversion dam on Cherry Creek near Stroh Road. In the last two weeks, it has helped redirect 240 acre-feet of rainwater into RueterHess. That’s 78,204,342 gallons, courtesy of Mother Nature. It’s among the few upsides to the soaking rains that have resulted in historic floods, displacing thousands in the north metro area, decimating roads and homes and taking eight lives along the way. Parker was spared the brunt of the monsoonal flows from the south, but experienced some minor flooding on roads and in basements, said Tom Williams, stormwater manager for the Town of Parker. The PWSD, for the first time this year, raised its diversion structure and pulled off Water continues on Page 16

All of the public high school marching bands in Douglas County got together for a Sept. 18 showcase, a chance to perform in front of a crowd early in the season. Pictured are some of Chaparral High School’s performers.

Unlike football players, marching band members must have uniform hairstyles, which often takes a lot of hairspray and hair “glue.” That was explained as Rock Canyon High School marching band member Hil Probasco, 14, got the treatment.

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