3-9-17 Villager E Edition

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FORMER TEACHER ARRESTED

STICKING THEIR NECKS OUT

SURVIVAL IS BEAUTFUL

NEWS | PG 6

CORRIDOR | PG 11

FLAIR | PG 23

Charges filed after decades-old sex-assault claim surfaces

S O U T H

Models who endured breast cancer strut the catwalk

Zoos team up to help baby giraffe

M E T R O

VOLUME 35 • NUMBER 16 • MARCH 9, 2017

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TheVillagerNewspaper

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Making movies, making sausage Former state Sen. Linda Newell stands in front of the Littleton Municipal Courthouse, where she plans to eventually tape an episode of her planned television series on the workings of state and local government. The Last Bill: A Senator’s Story, which serves as the series pilot, will have its premiere March 18 at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Littleton.

State Sens. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Linda Newell, D-Littleton, make unlikely allies in The Last Bill: A Senator’s Story as the two collaborate on a bill designed to reduce suicides in Colorado.

Former senator deconstructs pangs of lawmaking in new documentary

Photo courtesy of Linda Newell

Photo by Peter Jones

Greenwood Council tries for compromise over ballot referendum BY BECKY OSTERWALD MANAGING EDITOR

The much-anticipated decision on whether to put proposed changes to the Greenwood Village Comprehensive Plan to a

vote of the people didn’t happen March 6. When the item came up on this week’s agenda, the City Council approved two motions to put off issue until the March 20 meeting. After the motions passed, Councilmember Dave Bullock explained that he and Councilmember T.J. Gordon believed a compromise on the issue could be worked out. A taskforce will be formed with four members of the council— two in-favor and two opposed to changing the Comp Plan to allow high-density development of the Orchard Station Subarea by Alberta Development Partners. The goal is for the four members to work out a compromise. Gordon said the public has the perception that the council is divided on the issue, though he said he believes members are not “that far away” from an agreement. “So, in an effort to explore our options, we are requesting more time,” he said. Mayor Ron Rakowsky said the taskforce meetings would be open to the public and posted as required by law. The public would also be given the opportunity to comment during a public hearing.

ewell would eventually try to fill those embarrassments in ignorance with educational town halls, not just focused on her own legislaAs a freshman state legislator in the summer tive priorities, but on the mechanics of making of 2009, Linda Newell had a lot to learn about a state laws—legislation that many assumed come lot of things—and as it turned out, so did everyfrom thin air. one else. “It became very clear that I had to do more to Some onlookers wondered, just who was that educate people in a nonpartisan way,” she said. unknown blonde and her two lovely daughters waving from a passing car in Littleton’s Western “In my last session, I had this idea—let’s take the government to the people so they don’t have Welcome Week parade? to come and find us. As Newell jumped from With a background in thethe cavalcade, two women apater and television, Newell proached her, noticing a namknew one of the best places etag that identified the mystery to find her constituents was lady as some sort of “state in front of their TV sets, or senator.” maybe in a movie theater. “We don’t have a state SenThe result: The Last Bill: ate, do we?” a woman asked. A Senator’s Story, a new half“Yes, we do,” Newell rehour PBS-style documentary sponded with her trademark that has its world premiere smile. Saturday, March 18, at Alamo “We don’t pay for that, do Drafthouse Cinema in Littlewe?” the second woman folton. lowed up. Former state The film is essentially a sen“Poorly, but yes,” Newell ator’s on an unseemly quickly rejoined. Sen. Linda Newell processeyethatview is often compared As a political novice and a on the legislative to making sausage. It is also a newly elected Democrat who primer on the “ups” of biparwas never expected to win the process tisanship as an idea becomes once-Republican-safe District law, and the “downs” of a sec26 in the 2008 Obama wave, ond bill that inexplicably dies Newell would turn out to be an in committee. unlikely educator on the ways of state governThe Last Bill follows Newell as she runs ment. “I would get questions like, ‘How do you like about the dome, making friends, influencing D.C.?’ And I would need to explain to them that people, advocating her position, compromising on it and eventually finding common ground I’m a state senator. I work at the Colorado State with her Republican co-sponsor, Sen. Kevin Capitol. I’d have to explain the difference beLundberg of Berthoud. tween federal and state,” the 59-year-old former “We’re very apart on many things, but we lawmaker said. “These were not young people. These are people my age who have voted.” Continued on page 2

It’s ugly. It’s pretty. It’s beautiful. It’s heart wrenching.


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