Week of September 1, 2022
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
CastlePinesNewsPress.net
VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 2
Addressing homelessness is hindered by community opposition Officials hope for compromise BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Douglas County has under 100 people who are unhoused and hundreds more in precarious housing, but county leaders say community
stigma has so far hindered efforts to provide year-round shelter locally. Concerns about safety and funding were reignited at the Aug. 11 meeting of the Douglas County Homelessness Initiative, where a plan to expand the existing winter shelter network hosted by a variety of churches to a year-round program faced resistance from public commenters. One commenter said she only sup-
ported helping the people who want help, but not with a shelter. “I don’t want to see this beautiful area that we live in and we choose for this reason to have homeless to have drugs, to be downtown infiltrated,” the woman said. “We do not want to invite homeless into our area. I am very, very opposed to this.” Backlash to a proposed shelter exploded in June when residents
shouted down a plan for the county to purchase 17 collapsible shelters and after a stabbing occurred in Castle Rock, where people alleged the perpetrator was homeless. Despite the perception, local officials who spoke to Colorado Community Media said there is little evidence of unhoused people committing crimes locally, while studies SEE COMPROMISE, P4
Castle Rock teen returns to American Ninja competition Voters to decide on open space tax, broadband Ballot measures approved BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
seconds. “I didn’t really change too much of my training from last season,” said Lebsack. “I just added more rope climbing training just in case I got back to stage four.”
Douglas County voters will decide whether the county will extend its open space tax and whether it will have the option to fund broadband throughout the community after the board of commissioners approved both ballot questions Aug. 23. The questions, which will be placed on the Nov. 8 ballot, were both approved unanimously. The Open Space Sales and Use Tax, which funds acquisitions and maintenance of county open spaces, trails, parks and historic sites, is part of the county’s 1% sales tax. In 2017, the fund was used to purchase Sandstone Ranch, a 2,038-acre property now available to the public for hiking, biking and equestrians. The ballot language would ask voters to approve an extension — not an increase — to the 0.17%
SEE NINJA, P12
SEE BALLOT, P9
Kaden Lebsack zoomed through Stages 2 and 3 on his way to the final Stage 4.
Lebsack fell short in 2021 BY MADDIE BROWNING SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Kaden Lebsack, a 16 year old from Castle Rock, has qualified for the
season 14 finals of “American Ninja Warrior.” Last season, the age of competitors was lowered from 19 to 15. Lebsack became the youngest Last Man Standing when he made it to the last stage of the finals but was unable to complete the 75-foot rope climb in 30
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
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