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250 demonstrate for 'fair' negotiations with teachers union

More than 250 people, mostly teachers, showed up at Golden High School last Thursday to urge the Jeffco school board to conduct fair and pleasant employee negotiations.

“We wanted to give our members a chance to make a positive statement that we are standing together and holding our school board accountable,” said Ami Prichard, president of the Jefferson County Education Association, the teachers union.

How does your garden grow?

The wintry weekend notwithstanding, spring is just around the corner — and with it will come a new gardening season.

As the snow begins to melt, Colorado master gardener Dawn Miquel wants backyard horticulturalists to think about going native this year.

Miquel, a volunteer with Colorado State University’s Arapahoe County extension office, said cultivating native plants in the garden offers multiple benefits, including being environmentally friendly. 

Developers’ concerns spur addition to open space master plan

Responding to concerns from developers about property with commercial potential, the Jeffco Open Space Advisory Committee on March 6 approved an addition to its master plan. The addition states that the agency will negotiate only with willing sellers, and will not pursue a property that has an active development proposal with Jeffco Planning and Zoning. 

PAC Rugby, SWARM are polar opposites as 2014 season gets rolling

The similarities are there, especially in the physical nature between the sports, but as Greysen Lincoln points out, there’s one major difference between rugby and football.
“It’s a lot more of an active sport. You’ve got to be a lot more aware. You have to know where all your guys are unlike in football,” Lincoln said. “It’s a lot more team-oriented. You’ve all got to be a cohesive unit. That’s also the case in football, but it’s a lot more apparent in rugby.”

Gerou won’t seek re-election

State Rep. Cheri Gerou, a prominent Jeffco Republican who is in her sixth year at the statehouse, will not run for re-election in November.

Gerou, the first female member of the House to chair the powerful Joint Budget Committee, has represented District 25 in western Jeffco since first being elected in 2008. She is planning to return to her architecture career. 

Dakota Ridge girls punch their ticket to the Great Eight

Lauren Wood and Jae Ferrin proved that two were better than one, and because of that the Dakota Ridge Lady Eagles are going to the Great Eight.
Wood and Ferrin combined to score 52 points — 29 and 23, respectively — to lead the Lady Eagles to a 60-46 victory over Legacy in the 5A Sweet 16 on March 4 at Dakota Ridge High School. The sixth-seeded Lady Eagles (19-7) will face top-seeded Fossil Ridge in the Sharon Wilch Region finals on March 6 at the Denver Coliseum. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. Fossil Ridge (24-1), ranked fifth, knocked off Denver East 61-43.

Residents focus on small classes, teacher pay

As the 2014-15 budget begins to take shape for Jeffco Public Schools, increasing employee compensation and keeping class sizes small are top priorities for South Jeffco residents.

“I’m delighted to see how many of you care and want to give feedback regarding Jeffco education,” school board President Ken Witt told budget forum attendees at Chatfield High School on March 5. “Your input today is critical.”

DeAngelis’ successor named at Columbine High

Jeffco Public Schools has announced that KC Somers will be the new principal at Columbine High School starting next school year, succeeding longtime leader Frank DeAngelis.

“We are confident that Somers will continue to model and foster a welcoming climate and culture of excellence at Columbine,” said Dan Cohan, executive director of school effectiveness for Jeffco Public Schools. “He has already developed strong relationships with many families in the south area.”

Littleton takes a shine to streetlights

Littleton has what it thinks is a bright idea. 

The city has begun talks with Xcel Energy about taking over ownership of the 66 streetlights downtown. 

Currently the city’s 3,200 or so streetlights are owned and maintained by Xcel, and Littleton pays the utility a flat yearly fee for the lights’ energy use. 

Any changes the city wishes to make to the lights — whether it be to replace a light with a different design, use a different bulb or repair a broken pole — are limited to the services Xcel provides.  

Lady Eagles’ run ends in Great Eight

DENVER — There was a coaching change and there were some injuries, yet somehow, some way the Dakota Ridge Lady Eagles were playing in the 5A Great Eight. The end result — a 50-40 loss to top-seeded Fossil Ridge in the Sharon Wilch Regional finals March 6 at the Denver Coliseum — couldn’t take away from the season that was for the Lady Eagles.