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December 10, 2020
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
SouthPlatteIndependent.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17
VOLUME 76 | ISSUE 8
City council sets rules for retail marijuana After 2-1 citizen vote, council sets limits on store hours, size BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Kayla Waters kisses her son Christopher, 3. The family lost their apartment in October. Waters called the Holiday Motel “the PHOTOS BY DAVID GILBERT best hotel on earth.”
‘What will happen to these people?’ For those sheltering with motel vouchers amid pandemic, the future is murky BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
James and Desiree Jackson felt like they had life pretty well under control. The couple, together for nearly a decade, lived in a comfortable home in Aurora. Desiree stayed home to care for their two young daughters while James worked at
PRSRT - STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID LITTLETON, CO PERMIT #70 EDDM POSTAL PATRON
his longtime job at King Soopers. But late last year, when James came down with an autoimmune disorder that began consuming his internal organs, their situation degraded quickly. Unable to work, they couldn’t pay rent and lost the house. Desiree’s family was mired in substance abuse issues and was no help. Now pregnant with a third daughter, the family moved in with James’ mom — who soon passed away. The family struck out on the streets with little more than backpacks and a stroller, lugging a heavy weighted blanket to keep the girls warm at night. They slept SEE MOTEL, P6
Michael Curtis moved into the Holiday Motel after months living in his Jeep while nursing a broken shoulder.
Littleton City Council laid the groundwork for retail marijuana sales in the city, after voters in November strongly approved a citizen initiative allowing existing medical marijuana sellers to begin selling to the general public in 2021. Council formally lifted the city’s ban on retail marijuana sales at its Dec. 1 meeting, while also setting limits on hours of operation for marijuana sales from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and capping the square footage for marijuana dispensaries at 2,000 square feet. Though several councilmembers, including Mayor Jerry Valdes, had come out in opposition to the citizen initiative before Election Day, several have said the measure’s strong popular support — it won with 64.8% of the vote — represented a clear mandate from the public. “Our citizens did overwhelmingly vote to approve retail sales, and I don’t know this for sure, but I think some of that has to do with the revenue that can be generated,” Valdes said at the Dec. 1 meeting. “Since our citizens do want these in Littleton, SEE COUNCIL, P7
HOLIDAYS ON ICE
Some rinks offer family-friendly fun despite pandemic P14