Week of March 16, 2023
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
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INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 20
VOLUME 36 | ISSUE 15
SUMMER CAMP LISTINGS In this week’s paper!
El Mesón adds weekend brunch Hill gives update on health department progress
Highlands Ranch Mexican restaurant makes changes BY RACHEL LORENZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Weekend brunch is the latest change to come to El Mesón Authentic Mexican Cuisine in Highlands Ranch since it came under new management last winter. “I think it’s gonna be a good surprise for people who come for breakfast,” Inti Salgado told Colorado Community Media. “So they can taste these flavors.” Established nearly two decades ago near Redstone Park, El Mesón is now co-owned by Teresa Hernandez of Highlands Ranch and Bertha Montiel of Denver. Salgado is Hernandez’s husband and part of the restaurant’s leadership team. The previous owner, Amelia Lopez, is Salgado’s relative by SEE EL MESÓN, P6
Budget goals remain intact BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Care Compact. That’s the county’s program that works with hospitals, the county jail and organizations in the community to help keep people with complex needs from falling through the cracks. One of the program’s main goals: to cut down on situations where people use services like law enforcement or transportation to an emergency room to deal with
Programs for the Douglas County Health Department have been up and running for over two months and during a March 9 meeting, Executive Director Michael Hill gave an update on the independent health department. “I think the way this county approached the health department by phasing it in over the last year has really been to our benefit,” said Hill. As staff are developing relationships and creating partnerships with more organizations, the Douglas County Health Department has been working with the state and other local health departments to develop further relationships in replacement of Tri-County. The department has participated with the Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials Policy Committee to keep up to date on proposed state legislation impacting health and working with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver Health and all the metro region health departments to redesign a future Tuberculosis control program. Hill also said he participated in the Region 12 Opioid Council, which guides the expenditure of Opioid Settlement dollars in the county over the coming years. A brief financial report was provided for the board to discuss the expenditures and revenues of the department.
SEE HOMELESS, P4
SEE HEALTH, P7
Teresa Hernandez, co-owner of El Mesón in Highlands Ranch, brings entrees from PHOTO BY RACHEL LORENZ the kitchen to Friday night customers on Feb. 24.
Douglas County programs help people stay housed, address homelessness ‘The Care Compact’ assists those who have health conditions BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
People who end up living on the streets often struggle with mental illness, addiction or other health
problems that can stand in the way of getting back on their feet. In Douglas County, a program that started two years ago has helped dozens of people stay connected with the resources they need, including many people who struggled with housing. “We’re also hoping to reduce reliance or interaction with our crisis emergency and acute care services as well,” said Leandra Montoya, who works with The
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