April 30, 2021
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ParkerChronicle.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 14 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 23
Two new council members elected They will be sworn in May 17 BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
broke news that the federal government had let hundreds of Black men in rural Alabama go untreated for syphilis for 40 years for research purposes. A public outcry ensued, and the study ended three months later, according to the AP. The effects of the study still linger — it’s routinely cited as a reason some Black Americans are reluctant to participate in medical research, or even go to the doctor for routine check-ups, the AP reported. But other communities also experience “vaccine hesitancy,” and making vaccination quick and easy is crucial for the state to be able to
Joshua Rivero and Anne Barrington will be the Town of Parker’s newest council members after being the top two vote-getters in an April 20 special election. The unofficial results showed Joshua Rivero receiving 28% of the vote and Anne Barrington receiving 19% of the vote. The results were planned to be certified April 30 and the council members will be sworn in May 17. In statements to Colorado Community Media, Barrington and Rivero thanked the community for electing them to office. “I vow to serve each and every one of you to advance the smalltown values that make Parker the best hometown in America,” said Barrington. “Whether you voted for me or not, I will represent you with honor and would enjoy the opportunity to get to know you better.” Rivero, who served as a council member from 2012 to 2020 said he’s looking forward to continuing his service to the town. “I truly look forward to working with the mayor, existing town council and council member elect
SEE VACCINE, P9
SEE ELECTION, P3
Gov. Jared Polis, center, visits a mobile vaccine clinic, an effort supported by state officials to bring vaccinations sites to locations COURTESY OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE VIA FACEBOOK around Colorado. The state has two bus routes and was to announce a third soon.
State’s vaccine effort hopes to close gaps Colorado targets residents who face barriers to accessing vaccine shots BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Even with Colorado’s six mass vaccination sites around the state up and running — and with local health providers also putting shots in arms — state officials knew they needed to go further to reach Coloradans who can’t drive to appointments or set them up online. That’s why Colorado started organizing what it calls “equity clin-
ics” — and as of mid-April, state officials had worked with more than 100 community organizations in the effort to reach low-income areas, people of color and rural residents, too. For some communities, barriers to coronavirus vaccination aren’t just economic but can also stem from distrust, Gov. Jared Polis said. “It is important that people understand some of the legitimate roots of that skepticism, where, inexcusably, Black Americans were experimented on without their permission,” Polis told Colorado Community Media. That’s a reference to what became known as the Tuskegee syphilis study: In 1972, the Associated Press
RTD BALLOT QUESTION SHELVED
Vote to consider separation from RTD district stalls P2
PLEASURES FOR THE PALATE
The spirit and ingredients in Cajun food P12