Week of September 8, 2022
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 9 | VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | SPORTS: PAGE 32
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 40
Biden’s student Sky Ridge Medical Center uses robotics to detect lung cancer early debt relief plan
met with mixed reactions
Unique to Douglas County BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In 2018, Joan Ryan’s doctors found an abnormal growth in her lungs, near her spleen. With the goal of retrieving a sample of the tumor without hitting her spleen, her doctors at Sky Ridge Medical Center carefully conducted a needle biopsy, a procedure that involves inserting a fine needle into the chest. Unfortunately, the procedure did not result in a substantial sample, so Ryan had to undergo a second needle biopsy. After these two scary and unpleasant procedures, she received a lung cancer diagnosis. Today, a new technology at Sky Ridge called the MONARCH Platform uses robotics to improve diagnostic processes for lung cancer, preventing other patients from having to endure multiple invasive procedures like Ryan did. SEE ROBOT, P4
Some say it is not enough BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
2020 after an investigation into emails he sent regarding the high school production of “The Laramie Project,” a play about the aftermath of the murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming in 1988. In emails to school staff, McNellis asked if he had any recourse should he disagree with the production and later, offered to give a Christian perspective on the play.
Following the Biden administration’s Aug. 24 announcement of a sweeping plan to reform the student loan process for millions of federal borrowers, local educators said they see both benefits and challenges lying ahead. The proposal, one of Joe Biden’s chief promises during his 2020 presidential election campaign, could eliminate student debt entirely for nearly half of all borrowers, according to an analysis by the education department, which estimates 43 million Americans have federal student loans. It seeks to do this by forgiving $10,000 of federal debt for all borrowers making no more than $125,000 per year — and no more than $250,000 for married couples — and up to $20,000 for borrowers who receive Pell Grants. It will also cap monthly payments at 5% of a borrower’s income and eliminate accrued interest for borrowers making monthly payments, even when that payment is $0. Taken together, these reforms could make it easier and faster for the bulk of students to pay off their debt, educators said. “This is going to make that burden less severe,” said Ariel Mendez, director of financial aid at Arapahoe Community College. “This is a step, it’s not everything, but it’s definitely a step.” Since Biden unveiled the plan, Mendez has been fielding calls from
SEE LAWSUIT, P5
SEE DEBT, P6
Liz Palmieri teaches Kingston Koob, 5, how to manuever the robotic bronchoscope in PHOTO BY NINA JOSS a demonstration at Sky Ridge Medical Center.
School district to fight lawsuit filed by former employee Religious beliefs at center of claim BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Douglas County School District is pushing back against discrimination claims made by a former assistant principal who sued the district over his termination after he objected to a theater perfor-
mance of ‘The Laramie Project.’ Corey McNellis, previously the assistant principal and athletic director for Ponderosa High School, sued DCSD in July, alleging he was fired for expressing Christian beliefs. A response from DCSD filed in U.S. District Court on Aug. 30 argues the district did not discriminate against McNellis because he made the statements as a district employee. McNellis was fired in October
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HEALTH FALL 2022
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