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Week of December 29, 2022
ADAMS & JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
WestminsterWindow.com
VOLUME 78 | ISSUE 10
Group A strep causing concerns in Denver metro area Complicates trifecta of viruses BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With a trifecta of illnesses already hitting the Front Range hard with spikes in COVID, RSV and the flu,
state health officials are now concerned with the increasing number of group A strep cases in children. Brian Spencer, with the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, said the state health department is closely monitoring the increase in pediatric hospitalizations caused by group A strep. Group A strep is a bacteria that can cause many different infec-
tions. Group A strep infections most commonly cause sore throat, a mild and common condition that doctors say can be easily treated. While rare, group A strep infections may be severe and cause diseases like pneumonia, sepsis, toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis. “We are working with hospital partners in a coordinating role to ensure resources are available for those
who need them,” Spencer said in the Dec. 15 news release. According to the state health department, two school-age children with group A strep died in the Denver metro since Nov. 1. The total number of invasive group A strep cases reported in Colorado among pediatric patients since Nov. SEE STREP, P9
Small drop unlikely to reverse skyrocketing home prices Sellers, buyers play waiting game BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A rower learning PEAK Rowing’s Oarboard on Standley Lake.
boating on the reservoir, and the ban was strengthened months later by an intergovernmental agreement signed by the three cities. Powered craft, from jet skis to larger motor boats, were banned. Smaller hand powered draft – canoes, kayaks, paddle board and shells that can be easily inspected and cleaned – are still allowed.
Danielle and Stephan Storinsky “saw the writing on the wall.” It foretold how the housing market might change. So, earlier this year, the married couple sold their Arvada townhome. They timed it just right. They capitalized before concerns about inflation took center stage. They sold their home when the metro area was gripped by historically high housing prices. They bought their townhome about five years ago for $285,000. They sold for $521,000. “That part’s pretty nice because now we have a decent amount of
SEE BOATING, P2
SEE HOUSING, P17
PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA MCMATH
Two sides of a boating ban
For some, ban on powered craft at Standley Lake a positive while others mourn BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Standley Lake has long had a reputation as a popular spot for outdoor recreation, specifically
fishing, waterskiing and power boating. That changed in the spring of 2019 after the city discovered that as many as 24 boat owners had circumvented the city’s quarantine protocols, potentially exposing the reservoir – the main drinking water supply for the cities of Westminster, Northglenn and Thornton – to invasive Zebra and quagga mussels. Westminster banned powered
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 15 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
CITY TO THE SLOPES Initiative aims to get help city kids make tracks
P12