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November 20, 2014
A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
SouthPlatteIndependent.net
A publication of
WHAT’S INSIDE
Chess champ speaks out: Garry Kasparov talks to local business leaders. See Page 10
A ‘Brilliant’ idea: Cartier show sparkles at Denver Art Museum. See Page 17
Ana Martinez, 17, said she rarely even gets to use scissors, let alone use them to tear open a dead shark. Photo by Jennifer Smith
Blind students take on sharks Title quest: A pair of south metro teams remain in the hunt for a football championship. See Page 25
Dissection provides rare experience By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com Ana Martinez, 17, rarely gets to use scissors, let alone scalpels and forceps. But on Nov. 14, she and
P O W E R E D
a couple dozen other blind people got to use all of the above to dissect some sharks. “I like exploring the shark and touching it,” said Martinez, an exchange student from Mexico attending classes at the Colorado Center for the Blind in Littleton, as she poked around in her shark’s belly. “Just being able to do this is really fun.” It’s an opportunity CCB has offered for 10 years now with the help of Terry Harrison, a biology fac-
ShopLocal Colorado.com F IND AL L OF OU R ADV ERTIS ER S O NL INE
Community members can apply until Nov. 30
P L E AS E S UPPORT OUR LOCAL ADVE RTI SER S FOR T HE I R CONTR IBUTION TO K EE PI NG OU R C OMMUNIT Y CONNECTED
By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com
areas. Council approved the first two, Columbine Square shopping center and the Santa Fe corridor, on Nov. 4. The two areas now being considered are, generally speaking, the Broadway corridor from north of Powers Avenue to south of Littleton Boulevard, and the Littleton Boulevard corridor from Windermere Street to Bannock Street. If council ultimately approves them, property owners will be able to approach LIFT with specific redevelopment projects and reasons why they can’t happen without financial assistance from the authority. If the board members are persuaded, they can enter into an agreement that whatever new property taxes are generated from the project get divided between the authority and the property owner for 25 years. The money has to be spent on public improvements like roads, drainage, sewer and sidewalks — major expenditures that often impede development. The board heard familiar refrains from familiar faces during the Nov. 11 hearing. Several
The Littleton Public Schools Board of Education has unanimously approved the establishment of a safety and mental-health advisory committee that will review protocols and recommend improvements. “I do appreciate the opportunity to share what we do have in place, because I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding out there about what the district does have in place,” Lucie Stanish, board president, said during the Nov. 13 meeting. “But are there gaps they Murphy can see, and what can we do better?” Up to 30 parents, mental-health experts, community members, law enforcement, teachers, students and administrators will participate. Board member Carrie Warren-Gully asked that it be as diverse a group as possible. “To be frank, I don’t want any one school to be overrepresented,” agreed Superintendent Scott Murphy. “A lot of this has grown out of our tragedy from last year, but this is for everybody. We’re not trying to exclude anybody, but we want to make sure we have enough representation.” Community members interested in securing one of the two seats at the table available to them can apply online at www.littletonpublicschools. net until Nov. 30.
LIFT continues on Page 11
LPS continues on Page 11
The site of the former Quality Auto Sound is one of many commercial lots included in the Littleton Boulevard area that could potentially benefit through urban renewal. Photo by Jennifer Smith
Urban-renewal decision delayed Late-running meeting prompts postponement By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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Sharks continues on Page 11
Committee eyes school safety boost
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ulty member at Arapahoe Community College. Harrison has as much fun as the students, watching them gain confidence as the morning progresses. “You need to get the lay of the land first,” he told the students, who come from all over the metro area to dive into the fishy task at hand. “Some of this is delicate and difficult to do.”
The Littleton Planning Board heard from the public about the final two proposed urban-renewal areas Nov. 11, but put off making a decision on whether to deem them such until Nov. 24. The plans were set as the last item on the agenda and weren’t addressed until 9:30 p.m., and policy requires the board to vote on whether to continue meetings past 10 p.m. The members agreed to conduct the public hearing but hold off on their deliberations. They need to make a decision before city council’s Dec. 2 meeting, when the final vote will occur, or their voices will not be heard on the matter. Anne Ricker is the consultant for Littleton Invests for Tomorrow, the city’s urban-renewal authority. She gave a presentation that mirrored the many she has given in the past on all four of the