NEWS
October 2021
SPOOKY HALLOWEEN FUN! Halloween is fun for ghouls and goblins of all ages, and the HRCA has activities for everyone!
Does your house stand out as the spookiest one in the neighborhood? Decorate your house spooktacular and let everyone see it by adding it to our Halloween House Decorating Map. Share your address with us and we will add it! Submit your photos and information by 5:00 p.m. on October 14. Maps will be available on October 15. For forms and location map visit www.HRCAonline.org/HalloweenHouse.
On October 21, join professionals from Spirit Paranormal Investigations for a night of frightening fun inside the Highlands Ranch Mansion at the Paranormal Party. Bring your flashlights, handheld ghost hunting gear, cameras and apps to capture your own paranormal evidence inside this historic building, or borrow some equipment from the investigative team and see if you can spot a ghost. Tickets are going fast, so don't wait to get yours at www.HRCAonline.org/Tickets. The very popular, extremely scary Haunted Forest in the Backcountry Wilderness Area is on Friday and Saturday, October 22 and 23. Discover what’s lurking behind every tree and bush in this three-quarter-mile creep through the woods. Recommended for ages 10 and older, parental discretion is advised. New this year on October 21, Haunted Forest Jr., geared toward kids ages 6-10, invites brave kids to walk through the Haunted Forest without the presence of the live ghouls. Buy tickets in advance online at www.HRCAonline.org/Boo. Therapeutic Recreation's Spooktacular Halloween Dance for ages 16 and older with special needs is Friday, October 29, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Southridge. Dress up in your favorite costume and dance the night away! For more information or to volunteer, call 303-471-7043. Families are invited to enjoy a Haunted Hayride, October 29 and 30, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m., where spooky tales and winding trails sum up this fun family adventure! Stockton's Plum Creek Stables hosts this spine-tingling Halloween tour! Concessions will be available for purchase. Buy tickets at www.HRCAonline.org/Boo. Express your creative side all month long with a variety of festive Halloween-themed art, crafts, cooking, and dance classes for all ages. Little ones can learn to make scary spider crafts, spooky snacks, and more. For details on all the fun ways to make the most of your family's Halloween season, visit www.HRCAonline.org/Boo or call 303-791-2500.
HR HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS: HIGHLANDS RANCH DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE VISIBLE IN COMMUNITY Douglas County’s law enforcement roots go back to the days of the Wild West. “Life in the early days was a constant struggle because of the forbidding natural elements," said Undersheriff Dave Walcher. “Also, Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians regularly attacked white settlers.” The county was named for U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas, Abraham Lincoln’s rival in the 1860 presidential election. The county was one of 17 created by the Colorado Territorial Legislature in November 1861, five months after Douglas’ death. “The early justice system was rooted in the People’s Court where the accused was given a “fair” trial by the people,” said Walcher. “Sentences were carried out immediately!” Today’s justice system is a far cry from the days of the Wild West. “We’re part of the community, not in charge of it,” said Deputy Brian McKnight of the Community Resource Unit in the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) at the Highlands Ranch substation. The DCSO substation located in Town Center—at the heart of the community—opened in 2011. (story continued on page 3)