Local News

A 21-year-old driver who allegedly lost control of her car and hit three blind students as they waited for a bus Dec. 17 in Littleton was charged Dec. 27 with three misdemeanor counts of careless driving.

Nina Mastroianna of Englewood faces one count of careless driving resulting in death and two counts of careless driving resulting in injury. Each count carries up to a $1,000 fine.

After years of drafting computer diagrams and architectural schematics, South Jeffco resident Bonnie Warner wanted a bit more color in her life.

So Warner dove into the crafty subculture of stamping, a do-it-yourself art combining media such as ink, fabric, colored pencils and paint thinner to create cards, books and virtually anything that can reside on paper.

And for 15 years, Warner, 46, who in October opened a local stamping emporium, has been a recognized name in the stamping world, traveling a multi-state circuit of 12 annual events.

Demand for food assistance in Jefferson County rose by more than 45 percent in 2010.

Last year, the county received 18,281 food-stamp applications, up from 12,567 in 2009 and 7,925 in 2008.

Similarly, Medicaid applications and child welfare calls to the county hotline increased by nearly 7 percent, though demand for other human services programs fluctuated less dramatically. The county received 9,141 Medicaid applications last year, compared to 8,527 in 2009.

An old Chinese proverb says, “May you live in interesting times.” And 2010 was an interesting year for South Jeffco.

From an eleventh-hour sparing of Ken Caryl Middle School to an ongoing legal battle between Jefferson County and a marijuana dispensary, a few stories stand out in a year filled with a mix of hard news and unusual events.