Chronicle Parker
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 6
TEAM TAKING SHAPE
December 7, 2012 A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourparkernews.com
Council unanimous in ban on pot shops Amendment 64 approval leads town to take action By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com
George Brauchler, left, who will be sworn in as district attorney for the 18th Judicial District in January, named Mark Hurlbert, the sitting district attorney in the Fifth Judicial District, as assistant district attorney. See story on page 2. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen
Horses a big part of holiday season Annual Christmas Carriage Parade gets ready to roll By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com Living in an area known for its love of horses, one might expect an equinethemed parade during the holidays. Families will line the streets of downtown Parker for the annual Christmas Carriage Parade at noon Dec. 8. The town will shut down Mainstreet and the Victorian Drive loop to make way for horse-drawn carriages, wagons, surreys and stagecoaches. The free parade is supplemented with other holiday attractions, including two holiday markets, ice sculpting, a petting zoo and pony rides. Even Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will pay a visit. The parade has become a yearly tradition for dozens of local equestrian groups, which spend the weeks leading up the event planning out decor and outfits and other last-minute details. Lisa Bialy, the co-founder and social secretary for the Elizabeth-based Mile High Gaited Horse Club, says 10 members from Douglas and Elbert counties are participating and will ride horses that are festively covered in glitter and spray paint. This year, the horses will also be decked out for the parade’s “Jingle Bell” theme, and the crowd will surely be able to hear them coming down the street. The stars of the show — gaited breeds like the Peruvian, Tennessee Walker and Paso Fino — have all grown accustomed to the distracting sights and loud sounds. A once-a-year “de-spook” clinic helps them get used to other entries, like high school marching bands, not to mention the small children who stand wide-eyed, just feet away, as the gentle animals pass by. “When they trust you, they will do any-
Parker Town Council had virtually no public opposition when it unanimously passed regulations prohibiting marijuana businesses from opening in town. The six-member council approved seven amendments to Parker’s Municipal Code Dec. 3, nearly one month after Amendment 64 was passed by Colorado voters. While some of the measures dealt with parameters for personal marijuana cultivation, others barred the retail sale, display and commercial growing of cannabis within town limits. Parker leaders also sought to make clear that the open consumption of marijuana would not be allowed. “The concern is (people) smoking marijuana in public, say near a park or near a school,” said Town Attorney Jim Maloney. A separate amendment to the municipal code established laws against adults providing marijuana to minors, much like penalties for those who buy alcohol for juveniles. Only adults over the age of 21 will be allowed to purchase and possess less than an ounce of pot. Few residents attended the town council meeting and no one signed up to address the council about the final approval of the amendments. However, Parker resident Burke Harris submitted a letter to be read aloud into the record by mayor David Casiano. The letter criticized comments made by councilmember Josh Martin in a Nov. 29 Parker Chronicle article about the regulations, when Martin said the council had not considered possible sales tax revenue when deciding on marijuana centers because the town’s financial position is stable. Harris argued that the additional revenue could pay for a much-needed community center for teens. Harris said it could be a “double-win” for kids and adults. Immediately after the letter was read, mayor-elect Mike Waid produced another letter from Parker resident Amy Braddock, Pot continues on Page 19
Parker’s Christmas Carriage Parade route will follow Mainstreet and Victorian Drive. Courtesy graphic thing you ask them to,” Bialy said of the equines. This will be the seventh year that the equestrian group has joined in Parker’s Christmas Carriage Parade, one of many Front Range parades in which it participates. Bialy said it is among the favorites. “I love how the (town) decorates,” she said. “It’s very Christmas-y. A lot of towns don’t do that.” The Parker parade also holds a special place in the hearts of members of the Mile High Gaited Horse Club.
It was a beloved venue for Bialy’s son, Micah, who passed away last month at the age of 14 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. Last year, he participated in the parade in a wheelchair. In his honor, Micah’s father will be riding a Peruvian mare that bonded with the boy during his brave fight. “He will be there in spirit,” said Bialy, who pointed out that Micah was treated at The Children’s Hospital at Parker Adventist, which coincidentally is one of the event’s main sponsors.
Coloradans voted to legalize marijuana. File photo
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