Week of September 29, 2022
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
CastleRockNewsPress.net
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 24
County libraries receive few book-ban requests Displays highlight Banned Books Week BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Amid a sharp nationwide rise in the number of books facing library
or school bans, Douglas County Libraries is spotlighting challenged media for National Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week, which runs from Sept. 18-24, celebrates free and open access to information by highlighting the harms of censorship and books that are frequent targets of bans. So far this year, the
American Libraries Association reports 681 challenges to books, which almost reaches the 2021 total of 729 book challenges. Bucking the trend, Douglas County Libraries hasn’t seen a large number of challenges to books on its shelves, according to Douglas County Libraries Executive Director Bob Pasicznyuk. He said he has
Castle Rock limits turf at new homes Developers to Coloradoscape BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
New homes in Castle Rock will no longer be able to sport a turf front yard under a recently approved ordinance aimed at conserving water. Town council unanimously approved new requirements for developers of single-family homes to Coloradoscape front yards and incentivizes similar conservationfriendly landscaping in back yards at the Sept. 20 meeting. Coloradoscape is a type of xeriscape that utilizes native low-water plants and landscaping. The proposal comes from the town’s goal of reducing per capita water usage to 100 gallons per day and reducing peak water demands. “This, at least in my opinion, is one of the most important things we will do with respect to our long-term water plans this year for sure, but maybe even in the next 10 years,” said Mark Marlowe, director of Castle Rock Water. Under the new ordinance, the town requires developers to install Coloradoscape front yards and will offer developers lower system development fees and prorated water rates in exchange for installing Coloradoscape back yards with a maximum of 500 square feet of turf. Castle Rock defines Coloradoscape
handled only a single complaint so far this year and has never reached the point of removing materials from the library due to a challenge in his eight-year tenure. Most complaints are handled by hearing patrons’ concerns, but there’s often not much the SEE BANNED, P10
Suspect pleads not guilty in double murder BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The man accused of killing his sister and her boyfriend earlier this year in rural Douglas County pleaded not guilty to the crime on Sept. 23. Casey Devol, 30, appeared in a packed courtroom to enter his plea through public defender Ara Ohanian. Devol remains in jail as he awaits trial. The victims in the case, Jessica Mitchell, 32, and Bryan Todd Gray, 34, were discovered on Feb. 8 in SEE SUSPECT, P5
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A home in Castle Rock that won the town’s Coloradoscape contest in 2020. On Sept. 20, the town council approved a new ordinance requiring new homes to have Coloradoscape PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD front yards and incentivizes limited turf in back yards.
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