Herald Englewood
October 26, 2012
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourenglewoodnews.com
Arapahoe County, Colorado ⢠Volume 92, Issue 37
City council OKs closure of Clarkson
Action clears hurdle for Craig Hospital expansion proposal
By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews.com
Englewood City Councilâs Oct. 15 approval of a request to close the 3400 block of South Clarkson Street clears a major hurdle in Craig Hospitalâs plans for a $90 million expansion. Craig Hospital sought closure of the street to unite the two halves of the campus as part of the expansion. Council
gave its approval on a 5-2 vote. Michael Fordyce, Craig CEO, said the street closure wonât happen immediately, and may not happen until the first or second quarter of 2013. Englewood Community Development Director Alan White agreed. âCraig still has to complete the process for the permits for the project,â he said. âAlso, the city will have to reroute the Art Shuttle, and it will take time to put in new directional signs and improve traffic signals.â He added that, once a date is determined, there will be a lot of advance notice so people will know most of the 3400 block of South Clarkson is closed to through traffic. The proposed Craig project would in-
clude adding two floors to the east building and one story to the west building. Plans are to leave the south portion of the 3400 block of Clarkson Street open for access to the Swedish Medical Building parking garage. The north portion will be transformed into a park-like area. The new construction would add about 88,000 square feet to the hospital, bringing the total floor space to about 300,000 square feet. Fordyce said Craig now has two and sometimes three patients to a room in the east building. The expansion would make it possible for each patient to have his or her own room. He said the hospital now has 85 beds, and the proposal would expand that to a capacity of 91 beds. He said the closing of Clarkson would
make it safer for staff and patients moving between the two buildings. It also would include creating a main entrance to Craig and doing additional work to prepare for a sizable increase in outpatient care. The council passed the approval on first reading and held a public hearing on the issue Oct. 1. At the public hearing, a number of residents raised the issue of increased traffic and parking problems in the surrounding neighborhood, which were the same major concerns raised at an August neighborhood meeting on the project hosted by Craig. Council members discussed the issue on Oct. 15 when it was considered on second and final reading. Clarkson continues on Page 9
Trial date set for ex-teacher
LOVE AT FIRST BITE
Woman accused of having sex with 17-year-old boy By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews.com
Caden Koerner takes another bite of the main course at the Oct. 20 pancake event put on by the Englewood Shrine Club. The Shriners have been flipping pancakes on the first weekend of November each year since the 1960s, but this year there was a scheduling conflict and the event was held Oct. 20 and 21. Photo by Tom Munds
Thief goes on one wild ride in Englewood Owner left SUV running to keep reptiles warm By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews. com The person who jumped in and drove off with a 1999 GMC Suburban may have been shocked to find that the SUV was home to snakes, scorpions, lizards and other
exotic reptiles. Vehicle owner Phillip Rakoci drove to the Walmart at 601 Englewood Parkway about 4 p.m. He said he went into the store to do some food shopping and left the vehicle running to keep his assortment of reptiles warm. When he came Reptiles continues on Page 10
Alexandra McLeanâs attorneys entered a not guilty plea on her behalf at her Oct. 22 arraignment in 18th Judicial District Court, and the judge scheduled the three- to four-day trial to start April 9 in Division 207. McLean was in court for the arraignment and stood at the lectern beside McLean her attorneys when the plea was entered and the trial date set. McLean faces two Class 3 felony counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of authority, The case began late last year when Englewood police notified the school district they were investigating a sexual assault incident that apparently happened Nov. 18, which was the start of Thanksgiving break. Brian Ewert, Englewood school superintendent, said, in accordance with policy, McLean was placed on administrative leave on Nov. 28, and on Dec. 8, the district received her resignation The charges were filed by the 18th Judicial District Attorneyâs Office, based on the material gathered in an Englewood police investigation of a complaint of the teacherâs possible inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old male student. McLean, with her lawyers, turned herself in to authorities Jan. 4 and was advised of the charges she could face. She posted $25,000 bond and was released. She waived preliminary hearing on March 6 and her lawyerâs request for a continuance was granted when she was initially scheduled to be arraigned on May 21. On Aug. 13, the judge granted another arraignment continuance and reset the court appearance for Oct. 22, when the not guilty plea was entered and the trial date set.
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Three-legged African desert tortoise Stumpy, who has a wheel attached to his missing leg, was among animals recovered when Phillip Rakociâs van was found. Courtesy photo