Week of December 1, 2022
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
HighlandsRanchHerald.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 52
HD43 flipped by Democrat for first time in a decade Marshall’s keys to success BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Flipping the historically Republican Colorado House District 43 came down to a dedicated door-to-
door campaign effort and a platform derived from listening to voters’ concerns, its newly-elected representative and Democrats say following the election. Voters in House District 43, which covers the Highlands Ranch area, elected Democratic candidate Robert Marshall over the incumbent
Republican Rep. Kurt Huffman in a race decided by less than one percentage point. Marshall’s win results in the first Democrat to represent Highlands Ranch in at least a decade. Karen Asensio, executive director of the Colorado Democratic Party and an HD43 voter, said she was not
surprised at the results because of Marshall’s commitment to seeking out every voter. “I think (Marshall’s) approach was to go to everyone and connect with people and going beyond party lines and simply connecting with SEE ELECTION, P11
District official, mental health program honored Crawford-Goetz is named Ron King Service Award recipient BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
DATA FROM FBI UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING PROGRAM.
Law enforcement, community groups fight against hate crimes Training, reporting methods improved BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
From 2018 to 2020, reported incidents of hate crimes in Colorado more than doubled, according to statistics from the FBI. These numbers also increased nationwide, but in Colorado the rate is higher. Over two years, the state’s cases increased by about 132%, compared to the the national average of 17%, according to data
from the FBI. Although there is no way to definitively prove the reason for these trends and no clear solution to the problem, law enforcement agencies, legal offices and organizations across the Front Range are taking steps to better care for victims and stand against biasmotivated crimes and incidents. Data and underreporting As defined by Colorado state law, a bias-motivated crime, also known as a hate crime, is a criminal offense committed “with the intent to intimidate or harass another person, in whole or in part,
because of that person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation.” Hate crimes can range from acts of vandalism to shootings, such as that which occurred on Nov. 19 at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs where a gunman killed five people and wounded 17. The accused gunman is facing murder and hate crime charges. In Colorado, most reported hate crimes arise from bias against a victim’s real or perceived race, SEE HATE CRIMES, P2
A Douglas County School District program aimed at supporting students experiencing trauma and one of the program’s leaders received accolades at the county and national level for having a positive impact on the community. District Director of Mental Health Stephanie Crawford-Goetz received the Ron King Service Award at the Nov. 15 school board meeting from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for her efforts to support homless youth and mental health initiatives, including the Youth Crisis Response Team and the Handle with Care program. “I want to share with you this is a major award and we are just so honored,” Sheriff-elect Darren Weekly said as he presented the award. “You go above and beyond on a regular daily basis for the youth in our community and from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Thank you for all you do.” The award is named for former Douglas County deputy Ron King, who was one of the first school resource officers and was known for his dedication to helping young people. King was killed when he was struck by a drunk driver while on duty in 1999 and the award honors his memory. The sheriff’s office selects a law enforcement and civilian winner each year. SEE HEALTH, P8