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October 7, 2016 VO LUM E 1 4 | IS S U E 49 | FREE
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DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS
Autistic student’s case goes to top court Parents seeking reimbursement for costs incurred in sending their son to a private school By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Val Lovenstein harvests some of the last raspberries of the season at the Hidden Mesa Research and Demonstration Orchard in Franktown on Sept. 20. The orchard donated more than 2,500 pounds of produce to the Parker Task Force this year, benefiting families who use the food bank there. Photos by Tom Skelley
Fruits, vegetables of their labor Research orchard provides produce to Parker Task Force By Tom Skelley tskelley@colorado communitymedia.com A fall breeze cut through the end-of-summer sun in Franktown, a cool signal to volunteers at the Hidden Mesa Research and Demonstration Orchard to bring in the last crops of the season. Green thumbs from the Douglas County Master Gardener program gathered the remaining canary melons, lemon cucumbers, strawberries and other fruits and vegetables as roosters and chickens continued their patrol for freeloading grasshoppers. “I thought it was a great year overall,” said Andy Hough, environmental resources coordinator for Douglas County’s
Division of Open Space and Natural Resources, of the late September harvesting. The orchard — which also shares its bounty with the Parker Task Force — is in its fifth year of trying out new cultivation methods and various crops that can thrive in Colorado’s temperamental climate. This season’s above-average temperatures had some positive and negative outcomes on the orchard’s output, Hough said. “We had the best fruit yield of any year we’ve ever had.” A warm spring, he said, kept damaging frosts at bay, benefiting the apples, elderberries, grapes and plums. The spring warmth turned to summer heat, though, and Hough said that may have contributed to a decline in melons, squash and tomato production. “Certain garden vegetables Labor continues on Page 16
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Council’s vote on pot plant ordinances gets delayed Susan Kentroti, a four-year veteran of Douglas County’s Master Gardener program, picks lemon cucumbers at the Hidden Mesa Research and Demonstration Orchard in Franktown on Sept. 20. Kentroti said this year’s vegetable yield was disappointing due to high temperatures throughout the summer.
Johnson makes first stop in Colorado Libertarian candidate draws capacity crowd at CU South Denver By Kyle Harding kharding@coloradocommunitymedia.com In his first campaign stop in Colorado, Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson tried to chart a course for libertarianism as a centrist position rather than one at the fringes of politics. “I think my stance on the issues is actually reflective of most Americans,” the former Republican governor of New Mexico repeated several Johnson continues on Page 11
The United States Supreme Court has announced it will hear the case of an autistic Douglas County School District student whose parents say he wasn’t provided with the level of public education required by federal law. They are seeking reimbursement for the child’s tuition and related expenses at a private school. The question centers on what educational benefits are guaranteed to a child with disabilities by a public school under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The case, which dates to 2010, will likely not be heard by the Supreme Court until at least 2017. The student involved is identified only as Endrew F. in court documents. He attended Summit View Elementary School in Highlands Ranch.
Gary Johnson answers questions prior to his rally at CU South Denver. The Libertarian presidential candidate said his goal is to break up the two-party system. Photo by Kyle Harding
Town attorney to consider exception to 12-plant limit By Tom Skelley tskelley@coloradocommunitymedia.com A vote on two proposed ordinances to limit the number of marijuana plants Parker residents may grow has been put on hold until Nov. 6. Parker town attorney Jim Maloney requested the extra time to consider a change to the ordinances that would allow growers to forgo the 12-plant limit in exchange for agreeing to a maximum light output of 5,000 watts. The ordinances, one relating to recreational marijuana and one covering medical marijuana, currently state that a maximum of 12 plants may be grown on any one property, regardless of how many residents are over 21 or are licensed to use medical marijuana. The restrictions also limit a grow space to 150 square feet in a singlefamily residence and 100 square feet for a multi-family residence. Ceiling height for grow spaces would be capped at 10 feet. Vote continues on Page 11