Chronicle Parker
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 10, Issue 52
October 26, 2012 A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourparkernews.com
Cops seek man who tried to lure girl
A REAL BAT MAN
Suspect’s vehicle described as teal Chevy Astro Van By Chris Michlewicz cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com
Rob Mies, scientist and renowned bat expert for the Organization for Bat Conservation, shows of a Malayan lying fox, the largest bat species in the world, during a presentation at The Wildlife Experience Oct. 18. Mies taught children and parents alike about bat behavior while showing of three diferent species, all of which had been injured at some point in their lives. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
Event to honor county philanthropists Dave and Gail Liniger founded RE/MAX By Chris Michlewicz cmichlewicz@ourcoloradonews.com Chances are most Douglas County residents have indirectly benefitted from the generosity of two local philanthropists. Chances are just as good that those residents don’t even know the names of those contributors. Dave and Gail Liniger, of Castle Rock, have quietly set about improving the community around them one donation, one project, one organization at a time. They are the founders of The Wildlife Experience, a nonprofit museum on Lincoln Avenue east of Interstate 25 that promotes an appreciation and respect for wildlife and the outdoors through adven-
Dave Liniger
Gail Liniger
ture, experience and education. The Linigers, whose wealth is tied to their tireless efforts to build RE/MAX from the ground up, also established the highly regarded Sanctuary golf course, the use of which is donated each year to a handful of nonprofits for money-raising golf tournaments. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is among the organizations that have been able to raise money via the Linigers’ benevolence. “Dave and Gail Liniger have been the pillars of the
community for their philanthropic efforts,” said Sheriff Dave Weaver. “Many people have benefited from their vast compassion and generosity.” Colorado’s top dignitaries, including Gov. John Hickenlooper, are gathering Nov. 3 at The Wildlife Experience for Expedition 10, an event that both honors the Linigers for their kindness and marks the museum’s accomplishments over its first 10 years. Gary Debus, president and chief executive officer of The Wildlife Experience, said Expedition 10 will be the first time the couple has been publicly recognized for their gifts to the community. The primary reason why they might not be wellknown among the general Douglas County population is because the Linigers have never made being in the spotlight a priority.
“They care deeply about the place they live,” Debus said. “Douglas County is their home.” The Linigers have been instrumental in the success of nonprofit groups that help, among other causes, education, veterans, the arts, culture and health. The latter category includes donating and helping to raise about $117 million for the Children’s Miracle Network. They have also taken stands on issues that affect the county, such as the 2011 proposal to create a municipal landfill near the Backcountry Wilderness Area in Highlands Ranch. Debus says there are few areas in which the Linigers are not involved, and Weaver listed off the organizations that have connections to the sheriff’s office that have been helped, including the Expedition continues on Page 13
The possible attempted abduction of a 4-year-old Parker girl has police scouring for clues and child safety classes filling within hours. The Parker Police Department issued a warning Oct. 17 about what it called a “suspicious occurrence” days earlier in the Clarke Farms neighborhood. A mother of three children was placing two of the kids in her vehicle in her driveway around 3:30 p.m. Oct. 14 when she heard a vehicle pull up, then a man’s voice. When she looked around to the other side of her vehicle, a male passenger in a teal-colored Chevrolet Astro Van was “signaling with his hands” for the 4-year-old girl to come toward him. When the suspect saw the mother, he ducked down and the van sped off. The mother and a handful of witnesses were unable to describe either the passenger or driver in any detail, and did not get a license plate number. The van was said to have a “high gloss paint job.” Police officers and detectives have since canvassed the area near where the incident took place and interviewed homeowners in the area to determine whether anyone had seen a van matching the description of the suspect vehicle. The Parker police have issued a statewide “Be On the Lookout” bulletin, or BOLO, and are in touch with the Westminster police to see if there are any similarities or connections to the case of Jessica Ridgeway, whose body was found more than a week after her disappearance from a residential street. The suspect in the van never exited the vehicle and the incident has not officially been called an abduction attempt, but the man raised suspicions through his actions, including ducking and “trying to hide his face,” said Dawn Cashman, public information officer for the Parker police. “We don’t know what his intent was, but that’s not normal behavior,” she said. Shortly after the report was made, the Parker police stopped a vehicle that closely matched the description of the Astro Van and took witnesses to the area, but they did not positively identify it as the suspect vehicle. The mother was initially not planning to report the incident. However, increased awareness of child predators and media stories about other possible abduction attempts in the Denver area prompted her to come forward. Residents have become “hyper-vigilant” about child abductions and law enforcement agencies across Colorado are receiving an increased number of tips about suspicious activity. Hundreds of people have Abduction continues on Page 13
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