Week of November 10, 2022
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 22
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 49
School board lays out legislative priorities Local control, parent choice are on short list BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
always been a pretty important highway,” said Douglas County Public Works Director Janet Herman. “And what we’ve realized over the last five, six years is that with the increase in development and employment growth in that area, 85 needs to be widened.”
Discussion from Douglas County School Board members indicates they will underscore the importance of local control and school and parent choice in any upcoming legislation on education. At the Nov. 1 board workshop, the school board went through its legislative priorities, which were last updated in 2020, to adjust them ahead of lawmakers returning to the statehouse next year. Before getting into specific areas of possible legislation, the board’s priorities document includes language to express the importance of leaving decisions about schools to local school boards, per the state constitution. Board member Mike Peterson said he wanted to re-emphasize local control of public schools and the district’s support for school choice and a variety of educational opportunities. “I think school choice is something we can really pride ourselves on and then recommit to choice for parents and support local control and honoring school choice,” he said. Peterson also advocated for legislation that reinforces the role of parents in their childrens’ education, giving examples of curriculum transparency and opt-outs. “It would be around supporting legislation that respects and supports parents’ values, beliefs and making it clear that parents have a right to make decisions regarding their childrens’ education in accordance with their personal faith, family upbringing, things like that,” he said. Board members David Ray and Elizabeth Hanson said they’d like the language to focus on the partnership between parents and schools. “I would suggest that we expand
SEE U.S. 85, P11
SEE SCHOOLS, P10
Denver Metro South Rotary Club member Lori McGehee loads a trunk full of donated hygiene products on Oct. 25 in Highlands Ranch. The products were donated to Integrated Family Community Services. PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD
Local Rotary donates 1,000 pounds of hygiene products to nonprofit Increased demand continues BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Just over 1,000 pounds of toothbrushes, toilet paper, diapers, soap and other hygiene products will
help local nonprofit Integrated Family Community Services help thousands of monthly visitors thanks to the latest efforts of the Denver Metro South Rotary Club. The relatively new Rotary club partnered with Integrated Family Community Services (IFCS) to host a donation drive for hygiene products in October, collecting donation bags that were dropped off at about
300 homes in Highlands Ranch golf club neighborhood. Mindy Waite, a founding member of the Denver Metro South Rotary chapter, said the group focused on hygiene items because it’s one of Integrated Family Community Services’ top needs. “It’s not as hard for (IFCS) to get SEE ROTARY, P2
Project will widen U.S. 85, improve transportation BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In the largest construction contract in Douglas County’s history, a new project is underway on a section of U.S. 85, also known as Santa Fe Drive, from Highlands Ranch Parkway to C-470. Construction began on Oct. 3.
The project, which is predicted to take three years to complete, will widen the highway from four to six lanes at this segment. In addition, the project includes intersection enhancements, multimodal improvements and business access changes, according to the project’s webpage. The roadway “historically has