Volume 31 • Number 49 • October 31, 2013
What’s Inside Page 9
Theatre Threads a smash hit costume runway show
Page 14
Creek gymnasts take second in regional meet
Page 22
303-773-8313 • Published every Thursday
Mail-in ballot deadline Nov. 5
Vote by mail, drop off, or in person by 7 p.m.
Local movie explores love, ambition and music
www.villagerpublishing.com
Mail-in ballots for next week’s elections must be received by the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder’s Office by Election Day, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. Postmarks do not count. Voters also have the option of dropping off ballots at 19 loca-
tions throughout the county or casting a vote in person at one of four Voter Service and Polling Centers. Voters can also update their registrations and request new mail-in, replacement or provisional ballots at the four all-purpose polling centers. Voters can register as late as Election Day at the four centers.
Voter Service and Polling Centers
Residents of the metropolitan areas of Arapahoe County can vote, register to vote and drop off ballots at the following locations: • Motor Vehicle Branch Office 6954 S. Lima St. in Centennial • Arapahoe County Administration 5334 S. Prince St. in Littleton • Motor Vehicle Branch Office 490 S. Chambers Road in Aurora
Drop-off locations
• City of Centennial 13133 E. Arapahoe Road • Goodson Recreation Center 6315 S. University Blvd. in Centennial • Smoky Hill Library 5430 S. Biscay Circle
• City of Cherry Hills Village 2450 E. Quincy Ave. • City of Greenwood Village 6060 S. Quebec St. • City of Littleton 2255 W. Berry Ave. • City of Englewood 1000 Englewood Parkway • City of Glendale 950 S. Birch St. • City of Sheridan 4101 S. Federal Blvd. • City of Aurora 15151 E. Alameda Parkway • Altura Plaza 15400 E. 14th Place in Aurora
For location and hours, call 303-795-4511 or visit www.araphoevotes.com.
Englewood charter school rejected for second time
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Advocates may appeal to Colorado Department of Education
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Index
Page 5..................................Opinion Pages 4-7.......... Letters to the Editor Page 8............................. Classifieds Pages 9-16...........................Fleurish Pages 18-21..........................Legals
TheVillagerNewspaper @VillagerDenver Drennen O’Melia
Centennial parents awarded $3.75 million in son’s death By Peter Jones Last week, an Arapahoe County jury awarded $3.75 million in a lawsuit filed by the parents of a 12-year-old Centennial boy who drowned three years ago at Southglenn Country Club. Drennen O’Melia, 12, a swimrace winner, drowned in June 2010 during a birthday party while two lifeguards were on duty. His parents filed a wrongful-death suit against the country club, claiming the lifeguards were negligent and
that Southglenn had inadequate safety policies. The lawsuit also named the club’s general manager and the two lifeguards. Drennen, who had won several swim races on the day before the incident, was pulled by another boy out of the shallow end of the pool near an unoccupied lifeguard chair. During the trial, an expert testified that Drennen had been underwater for at least five minutes.
By Peter Jones A proposal for a charter school in Englewood has failed – again. For the second time in less than a year, the Englewood Schools Board of Education voted unanimously last week to deny an application to establish Carlton Academy, a semi-autonomous tax-supported elementary and middle school in the district. In the resolution, passed 4-0 on Oct. 22, the school board cited a number of reasons for the rejection, including questions about the school’s proposed Core Knowledge curriculum, a perceived lack of community interest, transportation and location questions, and budgetary projections, among a host of other concerns. As the resolution notes, the application failed to receive an “adequate” overall score of 3 out of 4 in an independent analysis that used criteria from the Colorado Department of Education and charter-school organizations. School Board President Scott Gorsky says the bottom line for him is it would be difficult to support a new charter school without a groundswell of public support. “We didn’t see that again,” he said, noting what he con-
sidered similar public ambivalence about Carlton’s first application last December. “I have received no phone calls whatsoever. I didn’t receive any emails from anyone.” Members of the board of directors for the proposed school say they remain undeterred and will likely submit a third application to the school board or appeal the matter to the state Education Department, depending, in large part, on an upcoming student population assessment. Theresa Martens, a former Englewood Schools specialeducation teacher who is now running for a spot on the Centennial City Council, says the Carlton board is frustrated, but unwavering in its commitment. “We’re very disappointed. We’re not going to quit. We’re determined to do this,” she said. “If it’s another application or an appeal, we’re going forward.” Martens disputes the contention that the proposed school is lacking public support, though she concedes it has been difficult to organize the Englewood community. “They are working families and can’t make it out,” she said. “We have 100 letters of intent, and we have a lot of community leaders, the City Council, Arapahoe County commissioners, some churches and businesses. We have the support – so for them to deny Continued on page 4