Week of September 29, 2022
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 22
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 43
County libraries receive few book-ban requests Displays highlight Banned Books Week BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
with drop-in availability, Tammy Tucker, Director of Parks, Recreation and Open Space for the metro district, said in an interview with Colorado Community Media. Details of the fees for various programs have yet to be finalized. Tucker is planning to host community input sessions throughout construction to gather feedback on what types of programming to offer, such as art classes, certain fitness sessions or educational talks. “We’re going to ask (seniors) to come and tell us what programs and classes and thing they actually want and what they’ll actually show up for,” she said. “It’s not what we think they want.” A portion of the senior center will be dedicated to Douglas County Health and Human Services, which will offer Medicaid assistance, SNAP and food assistance, adult financial programs
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 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 libraries can do in response, Pasicznyuk said. He noted that libraries being taxpayer-supported essentially means they operate as an arm of the government, so removing access to material would be censorship.
SEE SENIORS, P13
SEE LIBRARIES, P8
Highlands Ranch and Douglas County officials pose for photos before breaking ground on the Highlands Ranch Senior Center on PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD Sept. 19.
Senior center is officially under construction Special ceremony held BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Highlands Ranch officials broke ground on the upcoming $16.5 million senior center on Sept. 19 with the goal of opening doors in January 2024. The 20,000 square-foot community space for people over 55 will include a Douglas County Health and Human Services satellite office, a fitness area, meeting rooms, a large kitchen and more. It’s located on Highlands Ranch Parkway next to Mountainview Christian Church. “The Highlands Ranch Senior Center will serve as opportunity to connect older adults to with vital community services with the goal of helpinhg them say active and independent,” Highlands Ranch Metro District Interim General
Manager Stephanie Stanley said at the groundbreaking. “The programs offered will expand upon current programs to specifically address the needs and interests of participants aged 55 and older.” The Highlands Ranch Metro District Board of Directors is expected to approve a contract for sitework at their October meeting, and the district is planning for building construction to begin before December. The project is estimated to cost the district around $16.5 million, which will be paid using fees collected by the metro district on development. Mark Dickerson, the chair of the metro district’s board of directors, noted the senior center is the largest project done by the metro district. “The project represents the evolution of our 41 year old community,” he said. Once open, the senior center will run on a membership model
CELEBRATING AUTUMN Fall festivals abound across Front Range
P14
Check out
�� �u���es�
In this week’s paper!