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Week of February 16, 2023
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
LittletonIndependent.net
VOLUME 134 | ISSUE 30
Council votes to oppose measure to change petition rules Residents speak out against vote BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Local business owners share their thoughts with Rep. Jason Crow.
PHOTO BY NINA JOSS
Rep. Crow hosts Congress on your Corner Business owners discuss issues BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A collection of Littleton leaders took a walk down Main Street on Feb. 10, including city council-
members, local business owners and Rep. Jason Crow. The walk was part of the congressman’s “Crow on Your Corner” visit to downtown Littleton on Feb. 10, where he met with local business representatives to talk about challenges and hopes for the city. “Small business stuff is near and dear to my heart,” Crow said to a group of business owners at a meet-
ing before the walk. “I was raised in a small business family. I now represent a district where about 85% of the people I represent either own or work for small businesses. So it’s really the lifeblood of our economy. It’s how people support their families and I take that charge extremely, extremely seriously.” SEE CROW, P2
Video footage shows police collide with motorcycle in shooting incident Department says details still being reviewed BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Recently released security camera footage contradicts the Littleton Police Department’s original
press release regarding the fatal shooting of Stephen Poolson Jr. On Feb. 2 at around 3:22 a.m., the Littleton police released a press release stating an individual “was driving a motorcycle and crashed” before he ran and produced a handgun. An officer then shot the man, who was later pronounced deceased after being transported to a hospital, according to the
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 13 | VOICES: PAGE 14 | SPORTS: PAGE 26
department. Video footage released by the Littleton Police Department contradicts the claim that the motorcycle driver “crashed.” Instead, it shows a patrol car driving directly into the motorcycle as the driver appeared to be taking off. “It is always our goal to find the SEE POLICE, P5
At a regular meeting on Feb. 7, Littleton City Council passed a resolution opposing ballot question 300, which proposes changes to the city charter’s sections about initiatives and referendums. Ballot question 300 will be presented to Littleton voters in a special election on March 7, after a citizen-initiated petition led city council to place the measure on the ballot. Proponents of the ballot question want to bring the city’s charter in line with aspects of Colorado election law, reducing the signature threshold needed for citizen petitions that aim to add new laws or challenge ordinances. Approval of the measure would also reduce the timeline for when elections based on those petitions must be held. The resolution opposing the measure passed in a 6-1 vote, with District 2 Councilmember Jerry Valdes dissenting. Resolution
Mayor Kyle Schlachter said the goal of the resolution is to send a clear message to citizens that the ballot item did not come from council, even though they voted on Nov. 15 to put it on the ballot. With city residents exceeding the signature threshold of 3,628 on the petition, city council had no choice but to put the measure on the ballot during that vote, city attorney Reid Betzing said. SEE COUNCIL, P15
BLACK HISTORY IN PRINT Paging through a newspaper’s legacy, for good and bad
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