Author: Noah Festenstein
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Douglas County commissioners ponder revisiting ‘home rule’ proposal after last year’s failure
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The future of Douglas County chasing “home rule” status may not be in the hands of commissioners, but instead by residents who are considering placing the issue back on the ballot, according to one commissioner. Last March, Douglas County commissioners proposed to become a home rule county. The three Republican commissioners asserted that home rule…
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Douglas County School District employee arrested on child exploitation charges
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Douglas County deputies arrested a new school district staff member for allegedly possessing child pornography. On Thursday, deputies arrested John Michael Beccia Jr., 35, of Highlands Ranch. He faces charges including aggravated incest, sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust and sexual exploitation of a child. Since November, Beccia…
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Home rule, sports complex and school board elections: Here are the top stories in Douglas County in 2025
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Douglas County this year failed to achieve home rule status, voters elected a progressive-leaning school board and officials completed a land transfer to build a massive regional sports complex. Home rule campaign fails Douglas County commissioners sought to become a home rule county, but voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposal. The three commissioners argued that home…
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Denver has warmest December day in 86 years
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Denver doesn’t grow palm trees, but the Mile High City could consider it after experiencing very warm temperatures in December. Just days before Christmas, Denver recorded a high of 76 degrees on Monday. The average high for Dec. 22 is 43 degrees, according to meteorologists with Denver Gazette news partner 9NEWS. The 76 degrees far…
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Parker man found guilty of drugging, sexually assaulting four women he met through dating apps
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A Douglas County jury on Tuesday convicted a Parker man who drugged and sexually assaulted four women he met through dating apps. David Kats, 56, faces anywhere from probation to life in prison on 12 counts of sexual assault and five counts of second-degree assault, according to a 23rd Judicial District news release. In court,…
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Douglas County businesses to pay fines for unreported thefts under proposed ordinance
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Douglas County commissioners on Tuesday advanced an ordinance aimed at curbing retail theft by penalizing businesses that refuse to report shoplifters to law enforcement. The proposal is notable in that it shifts the onus of responsibility to businesses. Officials said the ordinance is designed to encourage corporations to adopt policies favoring the reporting of shoplifting…
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New-look Douglas County school board names returning director as president
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After four new directors swore in earlier than expected, the new-look Douglas County school board met for the first time Tuesday night to elect a new board president and discuss issues addressed by the previous board. Douglas County voters in November elected a group of progressive-leaning directors, flipping the once conservative Douglas County School District…
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Outgoing Douglas County school board members accuse incoming directors of swearing in ‘secretly’
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Incoming members say previous members are trying to ‘delegitimize’ election The new members of the Douglas County school board have already assumed their seats — in “secret,” according to the outgoing president. The move by incoming directors effectively kicked out the four outgoing members early, said the outgoing board president, who accused the new members…
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Littleton breaks ground on Santa Fe Drive ‘quadrant road’ intersection to address traffic congestion
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A new Littleton intersection aims to reduce traffic in the city’s most congested area and improve a busy roadway between Denver and Douglas County. Littleton officials and developers Wednesday broke ground on a “quadrant road” intersection at Santa Fe Drive and Mineral Avenue. The new intersection follows years of public demand to reduce traffic delays…
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Douglas County set to open its ‘largest’ public artifacts display this week
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A new exhibit at the Parker Water and Sanitation District headquarters slated to open later this week illustrates the history of Douglas County and the Palmer Divide. County officials, in a news release, called its newest showcase “the largest public display of Douglas County artifacts to date.” The display spotlights the Palmer Divide, the region…
