Today's Opinions

Oliver needed a friend.

The 9-year-old chihuahua mix was sick, missing about half his teeth and hadn’t had a place to call home for more than a year. He was a hefty14 pounds — a bit much for a pooch his size, likely due to months of inactivity and a poor diet.

Things weren’t looking good for him in general.

He was scheduled to die on Jan. 19 at a metro-area animal shelter.

The Jeffco school board took serious actions on Jan. 14 related to managing school facility capacity. The district’s student population has steadied at about 80,000-plus kids, and students “choicing” in and out of neighborhood schools have affected the numbers of kids at different schools.

Ken Caryl Middle School was on the block at one point so Jeffco could fill more seats at Deer Creek Middle School. A walk-through of the Deer Creek facility showed insufficient library, gym and cafeteria space for the roughly 1,200 kids that would be in that building.

“And he carries the reminders

“Of every glove that laid him down

“Or cut him till he cried out

“In his anger and his shame

“I am leaving, I am leaving

“But the fighter still remains.”

— Paul Simon

For me, hanging in our coverage areas is all about the happy little surprises that crop up and punctuate your day — and the unexpected connections that result from other, less-lighthearted encounters.