CenCON

 Monthly Reports by Sue Rosser

Highlights from the Monday, October 27^th CenCON meeting

South Suburban Parks and Recreation District’s Michelle Kitchens gave this update:

• Registration is open for winter break camps. Visit www.ssprd.org and search for 2025 Winter Break Camps, or call registration at 303-798-5131.
• South Suburban hosts monthly Tuesday trivia nights from 6-8:30 p.m.  Enjoy food and drink specials with family and friends while testing your knowledge and competing for prizes at these locations: 1st Tuesday – Littleton Golf & Tennis; 2nd Tuesday - South Suburban Golf Course Bar and Grill; 3rd Tuesday – Lone Tree Golf Club & Hotel.
• South Suburban’s Hudson Gardens & Event Center on Santa Fe Blvd in Littleton is once again hosting family-friendly Hudson Holidays evenings through January 4, featuring lighted decorations and exhibits, selfies with Santa, warm beverages, and nights with special events.  To learn much more, visit www.hudsongardens.org to view the calendar and purchase tickets.
• Plan to attend the 38^th Annual Craft Fair at Goodson Rec Center on Saturday, December 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a variety of handmade items crafted by Colorado artisans, including pottery, jewelry, and holiday items.  Free admission.
• Experience free holiday magic ice events at both the South Suburban Sports Complex and Family Sports Center, beginning Friday evening and continuing throughout Saturday and Sunday, December 12-14.  Public skating sessions, Skate with Santa, and Holiday Ice Shows will all be featured. For details and specific times visit www.ssprd.org and search for 2025 Holidays on Ice.

Arapahoe Library District’s Manager of Community Relations & Events Holly Whelan shared these events:

• Join other adults on Thursday evening, December 11, from 6-7:30 p.m., at Koelbel Library for the Community Roundtable: A Conversation on Life (and Death)—explore different facets of aging well.  All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Registration is required—most easily done by calling 303-542-7279.
• Also Thursday, December 11 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Sip into the Season: A Holiday Mixology Experience with Uncorked Kitchen & Wine Bar. Zoom holiday mixology class to learn to craft three seasonal cocktails.  Registration is required, at www.arapahoe libraries.org>Events>Dec 11, 2025>Online events. 
• All Arapahoe Library District libraries have many interesting events for adults, children, and families over the holiday season. Visit www.arapahoelibraries.org and then peruse the events calendar.

City of Centennial District 1 City Councilmember Amy Tharp shared this update:

• Celebrate the season on Saturday, December 6, from 1-4 p.m. at Centennial Center Park at the free family-friendly Jingle Jam.  Enjoy local youth choirs, hot chocolate and cider, cookies, and a visit with Santa.
• Centennial’s annual sales tax revenue is around $52M, of which at least $6M—11.5+ percent—comes from online sales (Amazon, etc.). This $6M online sales figure is undoubtedly higher, because some of the city’s brick and mortar stores also do online sales, but submit only one sales tax return for all their sales combined.  
• Despite efforts over many years, Willow Creek leaders have never been successful in getting CDOT, Arapahoe County, or the City of Centennial to install a masonry sound wall along County Line Rd, similar to those seen along County Line farther west.  With no success in sight, in 2023 our WC1&2 GID finally constructed the Allan Block wall from Yosemite St west to Willow Creek (the creek), and the GID is responsible for all wall repair and maintenance; Centennial has now recently replaced the aging cedar fence with Trex fencing farther west, along WC 3, and will repair and maintain it in the future.
• Since purchasing all 2,800 streetlights located west of Parker Rd from Xcel Energy, Centennial Public Works is now in the process of converting the entire streetlight system to energy efficient LEDs, having budgeted $4.6M for this conversion. All traffic signals have also been upgraded to LED lighting. LED technology provides increased visibility, energy efficiency, and cost savings, and LED lights also have longer lifespan, reducing the frequency of bulb changes and maintenance.  Because some residents have complained that the streetlights are now too bright in their neighborhoods, Public Works is working on adjusting brightness levels. Contact 303-325-8000 with brightness and all other streetlight issues.
• An estimated 1.7 million fentanyl pills and 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder found in a Highlands Ranch storage unit have been turned over to the DougCo Sheriff’s Office, after the individual who bought the storage unit contents at auction discovered this fentanyl stash and immediately called law enforcement.  This is the largest single seizure of fentanyl in Colorado history, and the sixth largest seizure in the US.

The main program was an in-depth discussion of CenCON’s bylaws.  Revising the bylaws is a work in progress.

Highlights from the Monday, August 25^th CenCON meeting

South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) Kristin Eckmann, Deputy Chief of Community Services, shared this update:

• SMFR has deployed crews over the summer to help fight wildfires both within Colorado and in California.  This is a reciprocal arrangement, with crews from other areas helping to fight Colorado fires.  SMFR is reimbursed through state and federal funds set aside for fighting wildfires.
• Although most wildfires occur during the dry summer months, more are now occurring year-round, as evidenced by the Marshall Fire, the costliest wildfire in Colorado to date, which on December 30, 2021, grew from a grass fire into a suburban firestorm in only one hour.
• 18 new recruits have been hired after completing training in SMFR’s Fire-Based EMT Basic Course in conjunction with Arapahoe Community College, successfully passing two written exams, and becoming certified in Colorado.  SMFR runs two academies annually.  The most recent academy began on August 19 and will run through December 9.  To learn more, Google: South Metro Fire Rescue Fire-Based EMT Basic Course.  Then if more info is needed, email Drew Mayers at Drew.Mayers@southmetro.org
• SMFR has a Community Risk Reduction Program to educate businesses, groups of all types, and HOAs.  In schools the specialists are speaking to third graders in the “Sound Off” program about smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, and where each should be placed in their homes for best detection.
• A SMFR drone assisted firefighters by finding hot spots in the August 14 strip mall fire on E Arapahoe Rd. The fire caused extensive fire, smoke, and water damage. Drone use is increasing to help fight fires.
• SMFR will have a 3-mill property tax question on the November 4^th Coordinated Election ballot, which will arrive in our mailboxes in mid-October.

Amy Padden, the new 18^th Judicial District Attorney (DA), elected last November, shared this information:

• The 18^th Judicial District (JD) now serves only Arapahoe County.  As of January 1, Douglas, Lincoln, and Elbert Counties now comprise the new 23^rd JD.  Challenges in funding for the 18^th JD have come with the split, including a loss of economies of scale.  Before the split, each of the four counties contributed funding based on their population, but the other three counties, being more rural with less crime, to a degree subsidized our more urban, densely populated Arapahoe County, which has a higher crime rate per capita.  All funding for the 18^th JD comes from Arapahoe County and from grants.
• The DA office’s primary responsibility is to prosecute state law violations that happen within Arapahoe County.  They do little investigation, except in cases of human trafficking or financial fraud.  Instead, they rely on area law enforcement partners (sheriff’s office/city police) to refer cases, The exception is that when a homicide or officer-involved shooting occurs, the DA’s office has a deputy and investigator on call 24/7 to immediately go to the scene to ensure that all is being done correctly, waking up a judge to obtain a search warrant, if necessary.  These DA personnel are also needed if a suspected drunk driver refuses to take a blood or breath test, and a judge must be contacted to issue a warrant to force those tests.
• Once a case comes through law enforcement to the DA’s office, they must decide whether any additional investigation needs to be done before prosecuting that case.
• Because the 18^th JD prosecutes around 10,000 cases annually, it’s impossible to take that many to trial. Thus, in the 18^th JD or anywhere else in Colorado or beyond, 99 percent of all cases result in a plea deal, with punishment then decided by the judge assigned to that case. 
• Aurora Municipal Court historically prosecuted domestic violence cases that occurred within their city limits, but as of July 1, because of the municipal court’s budget constraints, the Aurora City Council voted to send all those cases to the 18^th JD to handle in the future.  This will result in an estimated 1,300 new cases annually, doubling the domestic violence caseload of the 18^th JD.
• The DA’s office currently has 72 prosecuting attorneys, but will have added four more by October 1, to help prosecute Aurora’s added domestic violence cases. Felony prosecutors each handle 130-150 cases/year.  DA Padden would like to see that number reduced to under 100 cases/year/prosecutor.  Misdemeanor prosecutors handle around 250 cases/year.  These are some of the largest caseloads in the metro area.
• There have been numerous fatal motor vehicle accidents and egregious hit and run incidents, especially in Aurora.  DA Padden is attempting to get more Aurora Police enforcement, and to work with other DAs to enhance the penalties in those cases. Currently there is no mandatory prison time for vehicular homicide.

Highlights from the Monday, June 23^rd CenCON meeting: 

From Arapahoe Library District’s Manager of Community Relations, Holly Whelan:

• In partnership with New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, ALD will present a virtual program entitled “Masterpiece of the Metropolitan Museum of Art,” on Wednesday, August 6, from 2-3 p.m.  Although it’s billed as being for tweens & teens, this program will be for everyone to discover the museum’s history through vintage photos and behind-the-scenes stories. To register and receive the Zoom link, visit www.arapahoelibraries.org and click on Events>Online Events or call - 303-542-7279.
• The Dueling Pianos of Denver Piano Shows will be live at Tagawa Gardens on Friday, August 15, from 6-8 p.m. They’ll play musical requests.  Arrive early to enjoy dinner from food trucks on site from 5-8 p.m. No pets, please.

District 4 Centennial City Councilmember Don Sheehan shared these updates:

• The city council has approved changes to the Festival Center, located on the NE corner of University & County Line. A portion of retail space will be torn down, and 114 townhomes will be built on that site.
• The Planning Department is revising/updating the Land Development Code for easier use in developing city projects. Included is Midtown Centennial new zoning, EC-MU-75 (Employment Center-Mixed Use-maximum building height of 75’), as discussed in last month’s CenCON article.
• About half of Centennial’s annual budget is spent on Public Works, which is managed by Jacobs Engineering.  The city has now signed a new 15-year agreement with Jacobs, who acquired the original contract with their 2017 acquisition of CH2MHill, the original Public Works management company.
• In June, the city council passed a resolution in support of the lawsuit filed by six other Colorado Front Range cities (Greenwood Village, Arvada, Aurora, Glendale, Lafayette, and Westminster), against the State of Colorado and Gov. Jared Polis. The lawsuit challenges housing laws that the cities claim violate the Colorado Constitution’s provisions on Home Rule, which give municipalities control over local matters, particularly in land use and zoning.  The lawsuit also challenges an executive order that threatens local governments with withholding more than $100 million in funds if they don’t comply with a series of housing laws enacted by the legislature in the last two years.
• Ground has been broken for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) facility on Broncos Pkwy.
• Centennial Center Park’s splash pad, which in 2023 was rated the 5^th best splash pad in the US by USA Today, was closed for repairs last fall.  And although it was scheduled open on Memorial Day 2025, it remains closed, with no opening date in sight. The contractor is incurring penalties. 

South Metro Fire Rescue Deputy Chief--Community Services, Kristin Eckmann, gave the main program:

SMFR is a full-service fire and emergency medical provider, serving 751,000+ residents across 287 square miles in parts of three counties.  The district is facing an immediate and significant budget shortfall due to recent state legislation and increasing costs and demand for services. Without additional revenue by 2026, SMFR will be unable to maintain the high level of fire and emergency medical services that residents expect and rely on. 

• In 2024, the Colorado legislature passed HB24B-1001 to lower property taxes, which has significantly reduced funding for fire protection districts throughout Colorado, including SMFR.
• As a result, SMFR expects a $16 million shortfall in 2026, and nearly a $270 million shortfall over the next 10 years, all while demand for emergency services continues to increase.
• Without additional funding, the district may face tough cuts which would affect response time for fires, medical calls, and accidents in our growing south metro community; adequate staffing and crews, investments in fire stations vehicles, and equipment; health programs for first responders; wildfire preparedness and response, especially where forests and grasslands meet neighborhoods.
  
  

SMFR is considering three options to address the budget shortfall:

• Cuts to essential services, which will not solve the impacts of this shortfall
• A 3 mill property tax increase, from our current 9.25 mills to 12.25 mills.  For WC2 homes, a 3 mill increase would be an additional $12-$14/month, generating around $50 million annually.
• A new 0.5% sales tax levied within the fire district boundaries--an added 50 cents for every $100 spent, and like a 3 mill property tax increase, this sales tax would raise around $50 million annually.
  

At one of two August meetings, the SMFR Board is expected to finalize either a sales tax or property tax question to place on the November 4 ballot.  To read much more, Google: South Metro Fire Rescue funding shortfall.

Highlights from the Monday, May 19^th CenCON meeting:

Rhonda Livingston, CenCON VP, Community Engagement, included this information relevant to WC2:

• Prior to selling their headquarters building at 7409 S Alton Ct, Colorado Public Radio (CPR) is seeking to rezone their 2-acre property for future potential redevelopment—to EC-MU-75 (Employment Center-Mixed Use-maximum building height of 75’).  This rezoning allows any new building to be up to three stories tall, and for residential (apartments) as well as commercial uses.  The CPR building lies immediately north of the building formerly occupied by Arrow Electronics, at 9201 E Dry Creek Rd (mentioned in last month’s CenCON Willow Talk article), which has already obtained the same rezoning, and is scheduled to be torn down to allow a 326-unit apartment complex to be built on that site.
• South Alton Court becomes South Chester Street south of Dry Creek Road.  Currently, the properties already rezoned and built or scheduled to be built along the Alton Ct/Chester St corridor will contain a total of 2300+ apartment units.  Several others, including the CPR property, are in the “rezoning pipeline” and will likely be adding to this apartment unit total in future years.  The closest property to Willow Creek having already received EC-MU-75 zoning is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Nichols Ave with Yosemite St--9000 E Nichols Ave--directly across the street (east) of the homes along the east side of E Mineral Circle.  This rezoning is all part of the revitalization of increasingly vacant office park areas, to create Midtown Centennial, the mixed use residential/commercial/retail district located along the I-25 corridor, encompassing the area between Yosemite and Havana Streets (west to east) and Arapahoe to County Line Roads (north to south).
• CenCON will host a candidate forum for the three candidates vying to replace Centennial Mayor Stephanie Piko, who is term-limited, and the eight total candidates running for one open seat in each of the four city council districts.  The forum will be held on Monday evening, September 22, at a location to be announced at a future date. Ballots will be mailed to all active registered Centennial voters in mid-October for the Tuesday, November 4 election.  For candidate info, google: 2025 Centennial city council candidates.
• 620+ Nourish Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver 650-725 nutritious meals each weekday to those 60+ and/or homebound adults, supplementing these meals with breakfasts and frozen meals for weekends. Nourish recently delivered their one-millionth meal since moving in late 2019 to their new kitchen at 92 E Arapahoe Rd. To request meals, donate, volunteer, or participate in making crafts given to recipients on their birthdays and in the December holidays, call 303-798-7642 or visit www.nourishmealsonwheels.org

The 18^th Judicial District’s Director of Consumer Fraud, Jamie Sorrells, gave this update:
The 18^th JD’s Senior Safety Summit will be held on Saturday, September 20, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., at Arapahoe Community College.  Representatives from the 18^th JD, South Metro Fire, the Arapahoe Sheriff’s Office, and other county agencies will discuss consumer fraud protection, safety/first aid, medical topics, including fall prevention, changing passwords/antivirus protection, online scams, home security and much more.  There may be a small charge to cover the cost of a box lunch and beverage. More details to come.

Highlights from Arapahoe Library District’s Manager of Community Relations, Holly Whelan:

• All ages are invited to bring a blanket or lawn chairs to attend Outdoor Storytime every Friday through July 25 at Commons Park in The Streets at SouthGlenn, 200 E Commons Ave. No registration is needed.
• Dream Masterz, the award-winning magic duo, will perform at Koelbel Library on Thursday, July 24, 2 - 3 p.m. for ages 5+. Registration is required.  Visit www.arapahoelibraries.org, click on the calendar icon at the top, and view and register for this and many other interesting events throughout the library system this summer.

Amy Tharp, Centennial District 1 City Council member shared these summer and fall free city events:

• 19^th Annual Centennial Under the Stars – live music, local vendors, food trucks; Sat, Aug 9, 5 - 9 p.m., Centennial Center Park, 13050 E Peakview Dr.
• Cinematic Symphony – family friendly concert, courtesy of the Symphony of the Rockies, Sat, Aug 23, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., Centennial Center Park.
• Centennial’s Annual Chalk Art Festival – Chalk art, live music, family activities, local vendors; Sat, Sept 13, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., along the sidewalks in the Streets at SouthGlenn. To apply to be a chalk artist, visit: www.centennialco.gov/calendar/chalk-art-festival; the deadline to apply is July 15.
• Sip in Centennial – Colorado Breweries, Distilleries, and Wineries, live music, food trucks, yard games; all ages are welcome, but alcohol tastings are limited to those 21+.  Sat, Oct 25, 1 - 5 p.m.; Centennial Center Park.  

Highlights from the April 28 CenCON meeting:

Our District 2 Arapahoe County Commissioner Jessica Campbell shared this update:

• The Arapahoe County Assessor’s Office has sent property owners their current property valuation, and the appeal period ends on June 9.  The QR code included in the notice allows owners to appeal online.
• 18 percent of the county’s $571 million budget comes from federal sources. If not funded in future years, programs including Work Force Development, SNAP, Public Health, Veterans, older adult programs, and human services, will all be impacted, slashed, and/or eliminated.
• The 2025 Arapahoe County Fair, held at the county fairgrounds at 25690 E Quincy Ave, Aurora, is Thursday, July 24 through Sunday, July 27.  For the full schedule and much more info, visit www.arapahoecountyfair.com.

Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) Bureau Chief Lt. Adam Burson gave this info:

• ACSO again emphasized that ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and ACSO work independently—neither does the other’s job; ACSO does not round up or detain suspected undocumented immigrants.
• Arapahoe and Douglas law enforcement recently arrested more than 16 thieves who have been burglarizing the homes of Asian business owners in both counties. Collectively, at least 25 homes were reported as being burglarized in 2024, with more in 2025—and law enforcement believes that not all thefts have been reported.  According to Lt. Burson, a cultural distrust of banks makes some business owners prefer to store large amounts of money, jewelry, and other valuables at home. In the recent arrest, $160,000, 60 pounds of jewelry, and numerous electronic devices were recovered.
• Cyber fraud is increasingly becoming a major problem. Called phishing, it’s the fraudulent practice of sending emails or text messages, posting on Facebook and/or Instagram, or messaging in some other way, purporting to be from a reputable company, in order to deceive people into revealing personal information, including passwords, social security information, and credit card numbers.  
• As warm weather again arrives, be vigilant about removing valuables and locking cars and closing garage doors. Most reported thefts in Centennial are from unlocked cars and open garages.
• Cracking down on buyers and increased etching of catalytic converters has curtailed converter theft.

The South Suburban Parks & Recreation District provided an update:

An update to that update: Incumbent Keith Gardner and new board members Elizabeth Watson and Luke Lorenz (son of the longtime former South Suburban Executive Director, Dave Lorenz) were each elected on May 6 to a four-year term on the Board of Directors.  Watson and Lorenz will assume board seats on June 11.  As you read this, the current board, including Gardner, as well as a number of district stakeholders, will be narrowing down the choice of the new Executive Director, who is expected to then assume his/her duties by late June.

Centennial City Planners David King and Amy Wiedeman discussed Midtown Centennial:

• The City of Centennial has designated the area between Yosemite & Havana and Arapahoe & County Line as Midtown Centennial.
• The City’s website describes Midtown Centennial as “a dynamic, mixed-use environment fostering meaningful activity and revitalization…uniquely positioned to become a central hub of activity…blending vibrant residential, commercial, and transit-oriented spaces.”
• The plan for Midtown Centennial looks ahead 50 years to continued changing trends and needs. As COVID accelerated the already-evolving shift from working in the office to working at home, office vacancies have increased.  Currently, the vacancy rate in office buildings between Yosemite and I-25 averages over 24 percent, and around 35 percent in Denver.  The result?  Office buildings are selling for significantly less now than they did several years ago.  Just one example is 9201 E Dry Creek, the former Arrow Electronics building, which sold for $40 million in 2019 and for just $12 million in 2024. The drop in office value is impacting Centennial’s property tax base, which is a significant part of city revenue.
• It’s clear that the Midtown Centennial area needs some type of revitalization, but what impact will that have on our Willow Creek neighborhood, our quality of life, and our property values?  To learn more and to remain informed with updates, visit www.centennialco.gov and search for Midtown Centennial.
  

Highlights from the Monday, February 24 CenCON meeting: 

A compilation of election & leadership information given by several speakers;

By the end of 2025, Centennial residents will have new leadership in South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR), South Suburban Parks & Rec District (SSPRD), and the City of Centennial.

• SMFR - After a nationwide search to replace highly respected retiring Fire Chief, Bob Baker, which attracted 76 applicants, the SMFR Board has chosen a leader from within, John Curtis, who has been an SMFR leader for over two decades.  Chief Curtis is expected to assume the role of Fire Chief at the end of April, when Chief Baker retires.  The SMFR Board of Directors will hold an all-mail ballot election on May 6, in Districts 2,6, and 7. Centennial residents living west of I-25 are in District 3, so we won’t receive a ballot for this election.  Our District 3 representative, Jim Albee, is the current Board Chairman, and when he is term-limited in May 2027, we will receive a mail ballot to elect his replacement.  Learn more at www.southmetro.org.
• SSPRD - Executive Director, Rob Hanna submitted his resignation in early February.  By the time you read this, an interim ED will have been appointed, and a nationwide search will be underway to find Hanna’s replacement.  This search/hiring process will likely take 3-6 months.  In the meantime, SSPRD is conducting their May 6 Board of Directors election.  Three of the five total board seats are open, with an incumbent, former Centennial City Council member Keith Gardner, and 10 other candidates running for those three seats.  Residents will not automatically receive a ballot in the mail for this election, but all can vote in one of two ways: 1) From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6, at the South Suburban Sports Complex, 4810 E County Line Rd., or 2) preferred and easier, by filling out the application (available online) to receive an absentee ballot, with the option to be placed on SSPRD’s permanent absentee voter list, to then receive a ballot in this and all future SSPRD elections.  For the absentee ballot application, information on the 11 candidates, and much more, Google South Suburban Parks and Recreation 2025 election.
• City of Centennial - On Tuesday, November 4, Centennial voters will choose a new mayor to replace term-limited Mayor Stephanie Piko, as well as a council member to fill one of two seats in each of the four council districts. Willow Creek is in District 3, and residents will be choosing the replacement for term-limited D3 council member, Mike Sutherland.  All active registered voters will receive a mail ballot for this November election.  Find more info by Googling City of Centennial 2025 Election
  

South Suburban Parks & Recreation District’s Michelle Kitchens shared this (additional) information:

• Gameplan.SSPRD.org lists the many interesting construction/improvement projects occurring throughout the district.  Of special interest to pickleball players is the outdoor Southpark Pickleball Complex, where 19 courts are now being constructed near the SW corner of S Broadway and County Line Road.
• Summer camp and class registration is now open. Visit www.ssprd.org, find a catalogue at a facility, and get more info at the registration office inside Goodson Rec Center, 6315 S University (303-798-5131).

City of Centennial Mayor Stephanie Piko shared this information:

• Centennial Center Park’s splash pad is being remodeled and should be open by Memorial Day weekend.
• All roadway projects can now be found on the city website, www.centennialco.gov   
• Centennial has completed the purchase of existing streetlights—not traffic lights--within the city’s boundaries.  Numbering around 3000, these were previously owned by Xcel Energy, and Centennial now maintains them. The numerous benefits include lower utility costs, energy efficiency with the ongoing transition to LED lighting, proactive maintenance and repair, better integration of streetlights with the city’s design and beautification efforts, and opportunities for generating additional revenue through small cell attachments, electrical vehicle station mounts, and other technologies.
• Centennial’s commercial properties are being assessed this year, with the expectation that property values will drop 25-30%, with office space being affected more than retail properties.
• HB25-1169 termed the “YIGBY bill” (Yes, in God’s Back Yard) is making its way through the Colorado legislature.  If passed, beginning December 31, 2026, this law would allow faith-based organizations and educational institutions to build housing and other community service on their land, as long as the development is no taller than three stories or 45 feet, for low-income and homeless persons, regardless of current municipal zoning laws. 

Highlights from the Monday, January 27^th CenCON meeting 

From Jamie Sorrells, 18^th Judicial’s Director of Consumer Fraud Protection & Community Engagement:

• The 18^th now serves only Arapahoe County; the new 23^rd serves Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln Counties.
• Human trafficking, the second most profitable illegal industry in the US behind only drug trafficking, continues to be a major focus of the 18^th.  The average entry age into trafficking is 13 years old, and the average life expectancy is only seven years. Because trafficking is a very real problem in Arapahoe County, the 18^th has a large team that focuses on this issue.  To report suspected trafficking in Colorado, call the 24/7 Hotline, 866-455-5075 or text “Help” to 720-999-9724.
• Scam concerns center around income taxes, Medicare open enrollment, and increasingly, cryptocurrency.  Scammers impersonating banks or other trusted institutions trick victims into transferring their life savings from Federally insured institutions to cyptocurrency via crypto ATMs, and then into scammer accounts. Over 34,000 crypto ATMs are located within the US, often in gas stations or liquor stores located near the victims.

South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) Kristin Eckmann shared these highlights:

• In February and March, fire crews will be moving into the newly built Station #15 just east of the Varsity Inn at Dry Creek and University.  An open house will be held in March or April. 
• SMFR deployed a four-person crew to help fight the Palisades Fire in California.  These deployments are reciprocal, with crews throughout the US coming to Colorado to help fight our wildfires when they occur.
• The search for a new Fire Chief to replace retiring Chief, Bob Baker, has been narrowed down to three candidates, two from within SMFR, and one from outside.  Final selection will occur by late February.
• Last fall SMFR was honored to receive a large, twisted steel beam from one of the two World Trade Center buildings that were destroyed in the 2001 terrorist plane attacks on September 11^th.  SMFR dedicated the beam in a ceremony that took place last September 11^th, the 23^rd anniversary of the attacks.  The ceremony video can be viewed on www.youtube.com.  Search for South Metro Fire Rescue 9/11 Memorial & Dedication -- scroll down if necessary.  The beam, 20’ long and weighing 3346 lbs., stands upright in the memorial area to the left (west) of the main door of the SMFR Administration building, located ½ mile east of Willow Creek, at 9195 E Mineral Ave.  Google info suggests that this may be the only WTC steel beam in Colorado.  The memorial, beam, and ceremony video are well worth visiting. 

Arapahoe Library District’s Manager of Community Relations & Strategic Events shared upcoming events:

• Community Roundtable “Technological Advancements and Us,” (adults): Wednesday, March 12, 6-7:30 p.m. at Smoky Hill Library, 5430 S. Biscay Cir, Centennial. Participants will break into small groups, each with a trained facilitator, and explore the topic together and share ideas.  Free refreshments.
• MAD LIBrarians Improv show (ages 5-12): Sunday, March 23, 1-2 p.m. at Koelbel Library.  This is a take-off on the popular Mad Libs word games--a family-friendly improv show with the MAD LIBrarians, from the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company. Kids will add words to a story to create a new book title, and then the MAD LIBrarians will bring it to life with hilarious acting and songs.
• Dan Slepian, senior investigative producer for Dateline NBC: Saturday, March 29, 2-4 p.m. at The Village Workspace, 7171 S. Havana St. #600, Centennial.  Slepian will discuss his new book, The Sing Sing Files and will bring a guest, David Lemus, whose personal story is featured in the book, a 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist. 
  

Registration is required for all events.  Go to the calendar at www.arapahoelibriaries.org and search for the event date to register or call 303-LIBRARY (303-542-7279).                    

An introduction and tour by Principal Steve Day of the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC) was the main topic covered in the January meeting.  The CCIC, located at 8000 S Chambers Rd, Centennial, is a state of the art, stand-alone college and career preparedness facility, where Cherry Creek School District (CCSD) high school students are provided opportunities to gain real-world skills, valuable college credit, and/or industry-recognized certifications.  Whether students’ immediate post-high school plans include college, military, or workforce entry, this facility offers a new kind of bridge to college and successful careers.  Study areas include Business Services, Advanced Manufacturing, Hospitality & Tourism, Infrastructure Engineering, IT, Cybersecurity, Product Design & Robotics, Health & Wellness, and Auto and Light Repair Aviation Maintenance. Participating students continue to earn diplomas from their CCSD home high schools, attending this facility every other day during a morning or afternoon session.  Transportation is provided to/from each CCSD high school. For much more information or to schedule a tour of this impressive facility, visit www.cherrycreekschools.org/ccic and/or call 720-554-2600.