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July 17, 2014 VOLU M E 6 9 | I S S UE 36 | 5 0 ¢
WestminsterWindow.com
A D A M S C O U N T Y A N D J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O A publication of
St. Anthony North Health Campus offers tour Decisions make gay marriage more likely
By Ashley Reimers
areimers@colorado communitymedia.com It’s hard not to notice the construction happenings at the future St. Anthony North Health Campus at 144th Avenue and Interstate 25 in Westminster. And now the community has the opportunity to check out the progress during free tours every Friday. During the tours, participants will hear from a senior level executive, enjoy a free breakfast and, last but not least, see firsthand the construction activity on the St. Anthony North Health Campus, a 350,000-square-foot health and wellness center connected to the St. Anthony North Medical Pavilion. “The goal of the tours is to educate the community on services the campus will offer and to highlight the unique features of the campus including convenient drop-in daycare, healthy cooking demonstration kitchens, outdoor healing gardens and water features, private discharge exit with valet service, unlimited family and friends visitation and medication delivery to room prior to discharge,” said Christy Maraone, marketing and communications manager for St. Anthony North Medical Pavilion. “The new St. Anthony North Health Campus is designed with a patient-first focus. That’s why from surgery to physician visits, all rooms are conveniently located for a seamless customer experience.” Last May ground broke on the campus and now the project is on schedule to be complete by late February or early Mach of next year. As construction continues, Sharon Burnett, marketing and communication director for
Attorney general shot down in bid to stop clerk By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Carole Peet, St. Anthony North CEO, provides information to the public on the future St. Anthony North Health Campus in Westminster. Peet and other executives are providing tours of the facility to the community to provide an up-close view of the future campus. Photo by Justin LeVett Photography the facility, said she’s heard tons of positive feedback from the community. The drop-in daycare facility and demonstration kitchen are just a couple aspects people are getting excited about she said. Because the facility is considered a health campus, Burnett said the community will be experience much more than just the typical trip to the hospital. The center will offer access to primary care and comprehensive ambulatory services, as well as inpatient and outpatient services “There are lots of components to this campus,” she said. “We want it to be a place of convenience for people, a place people can
feel comfortable in while receiving high quality health care.” Currently the St. Anthony North Medical Pavilion, which opened in September 2012, serves as the emergency and ambulatory department with 24-hour service. The pavilion also offers diagnostic services including MRI, CT, ultrasound, digital mammography and general radiology, laboratory services and a helipad for critical-care transport by Flight For Life Colorado. For more information on attending a tour contact Maraone at ChristinaMaraone@Centura.org or at 720-627-0125 or visit www.stanthonynorthhc.org.
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Construction continues on the St. Anthony North Health Campus at 144th Avenue and I-25 in Westminster. The facility is slated to open in late February 2015. Photo by Ashley Reimers
WESTMINSTER WINDOW
(ISSN 1072-1576) (USPS 455-250) OFFICE: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams County, Colorado, the Westminster Window is published weekly on Thursday by MetroNorth Newspapers, 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210, Westminster, CO 80031. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WESTMINSTER, COLORADO. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. G ET SO CIAL WITH US
P L EA S E R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Fair queen’s dedication to crown shines through By Ashley Reimers
areimers@colorado communitymedia.com When it comes to being in the spotlight and representing the Adams County Fair, Savanna Hamilton’s got it down. As the Adams County Fair queen, the 17-year-old is responsible for not only being the face of the fair, but also showing her Lady in Waiting, Lindsey Irby, what it takes to be queen. “I definitely have the responsibility of showing Lindsey the ropes as queen,” Hamilton said. “It takes a lot to be queen and it’s a huge role to be a role model. I answer her questions and I also point out things Lindsey wouldn’t know otherwise, like how to handle kids and awkward situations you get in to.” Hamilton started her royalty journey as the 2013 Lady in Waiting, before being crowned the 2014 queen in March. It’s been a whirlwind of an experience, but one that’s taught the Brighton resident more than
Adams County Fair queen Savanna Hamilton with her horse Syrah. Photo by Ashley Reimers she ever thought. She says she’s improved in her public speaking skills and her horse handling skills. “Last year was very mysterious, I didn’t know what I was getting in to,” Hamilton said. “But now I have so much more confidence in myself, my pub-
lic speaking skill and my horse skills, riding-wise. I’m learning to present myself better especially in the crown and sash.” Not only is Hamilton busy as fair queen, she’s also involved Queen continues on Page 14
Gay-marriage supporters have earned another set of victories as judges in separate court cases moved Colorado one step closer to recognizing same-sex nuptials. On July 10, a district court judge denied Attorney General John Suthers’ request to prevent the Boulder County Clerk’s Office from issuing “invalid” marriage licenses. That ruling came the day after an Adams County district court judge ruled in a separate case that the state’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. However, the judge in that case issued a stay in his ruling, which could last until the U.S. Supreme Court deals with the issue of samesex marriage. Because of the stay, a 2006 voter-approved ban on gay marriage is still on the books. But, given that gay marriage bans are crumbling everywhere in the country, it is becoming increasingly likely that Colorado’s ban isn’t going to hold up much longer. “Together these two decisions prove that same-sex marriage is inevitable, and continuing to argue against it in court is a waste of taxpayer dollars,” said House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, who is gay. The Boulder case was brought by Suthers as a response to Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall’s issuing of same-sex marriage licenses. Hall had been issuing licenses to gay couples since the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals judge ruled late last month that Utah could not prevent gay couples from getting married there. The court for the 10th Circuit, which includes Colorado, stayed its ruling until the U.S. Supreme Court weighs in. Suthers, a Republican who is against gay marriage, filed a restraining order against Hall to stop her from issuing “invalid” marriage licenses. The Attorney General’s Office argued that Hall was exceeding her authority and was violating her duties as a county clerk. But Boulder District Judge Andrew Hartman denied Suthers’ request, writing in his 23-page decision that the state had not made an adequate case for harm. “The State asserts that Clerk Hall is causing irreparable injury by issuing same-sex marriage licenses, namely, that she is causing `legal chaos and confusion,’” Hartman’s ruling reads. “However, when pressed, the State does not identify specific irreparable harm, offering only speculation. This is a fatal flaw to the extraordinary relief it seeks.” Hartman notes that “there is little argument that Clerk Hall is engaging in a form of civil disobedience.” But the judge said Hall’s actions are not doing the kind of harm that the state is alleging. “The State makes assertions that Clerk Hall’s disobedience irreparably harms the people by causing loss of faith in the rule of law,” Hartman’s decision states. “However, the State has made nothing but assertions. An alternate public response is that the people of Colorado laud Clerk Hall for her pluck and/or condemn the Attorney General for his tenaciousness.” Hartman’s ruling means that Hall is sure to continue issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. And the judge’s decision also prompted Denver County Clerk and Recorder Debra Johnson to announce that she will begin issuing marriage licenses there. Suthers’ office said it plans to appeal the ruling.
Ban ‘hanging by thread’ Gay Marriage continues on Page 14