August 19, 2016 VO LUM E 1 4 | IS S U E 42 | FREE
LET THERE BE BEARDS There’s more to facial-hair fashion than meets the eye. PAGE 12
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Pardon our dust: Library nears completion Parker branch prepares for September opening
By Tom Skelley tskelley@coloradocommunitymedia.com Libraries are historically quiet places, conjuring images of bespectacled old librarians shushing the giggles of children. But construction crews at Douglas County Library’s new Parker branch are making lots of noise, and branch manager Amy Long said giggling children will be welcome once the dust clears.
“We’ve just put things down hoping that the community will use it, and I’m excited to see what they’ll experiment with,” Long said. Construction is scheduled to be finished by Aug. 22, with a grand opening set for Sept. 24. The new branch, at 20105 E. Mainstreet, replaces the old one at 10851 S. Crossroads Drive, which will remain open until Aug. 31. On an Aug. 5 tour of the new facility, the first thing Long pointed out was a children’s area, complete with a crawling
area for toddlers, reading nooks, a room for children’s programs and an “Everbright,” a fixture for creating illuminated designs, like a wall-sized Lite-Brite. Melissa Ancieaux, staff writer for Douglas County Libraries, said children won’t be the only people excited for what the building has to offer. “The sky’s the limit, creatively, for what they can do there,” Ancieux said. Take the new digital creativity lab for adults and children alike, Library continues on Page 17
Melissa Ancieaux, staff writer for Douglas County Libraries, stands in the midst of currently empty bookshelves at the county’s new Parker branch on Aug. 5. The construction project was delayed by heavy rains this spring, but will open on Sep. 24. Photo by Tom Skelley
Outlook for future looks bright, wet Updated master plan says shift to renewable water is working By Tom Skelley tskelley@coloradocommunitymedia.com Steve Tarr moved to Parker 15 years ago, and it didn’t take him long to learn that perhaps no other topic stokes as much controversy and concern in Colorado as water. “I’m from Michigan originally, so we have a lot more water than Colorado does,” Tarr said. “Yeah, water’s a very important issue.”
Volunteers freshen up the exterior of the Parker Senior Activity Center on Aug. 6. Trevor Mortensen organized the paint job to fulfill one of his requirements for becoming an Eagle Scout. Photos by Tom Skelley
Water continues on Page 5
Paint can improve more than walls Boy Scout organizes needed painting project at senior center By Tom Skelley tskelley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Syriana Mbakob, left, and her sister Lyra show off their work on a shed and their faces as they paint the Parker Senior Activity Center on Aug. 6. The girls and their father, Jean-Daniel, were among 81 volunteers who gave the center a new coat of paint.
The swishing of brushes, squeaking of rollers and laughter of paint-splattered children echoed around the exterior of the Parker Senior Activity Center on Aug. 6, as 81 volunteers gathered to spruce up walls and trim with a fresh coat of paint. The project manager, 17-year-old Trevor Mortensen of Parker, paced feverishly around the grounds, checking progress with volunteers, directing newcomers to their places and dealing with unforeseen Paint continues on Page 17
Parker resident Steve Tarr takes some laps at the Parker Recreation Center on Aug. 12. Tarr says he xeriscapes and waters his yard sparingly to conserve water and reduce his utility bills. Photo byTom Skelley
Experiencing facial redness this summer despite using sunscreen daily?
WE CAN HELP! 303-945-2080 Dr. Kimberly Neyman
See page 7 for Dr. Kim Neyman’s column on Rosacea.