SPOTLIGHT ON …
6th Congressional District
Location: The district includes Douglas and Elbert counties and portions of Arapahoe, Jefferson and Park counties. Contained within the district is the part of Jefferson County not in District 2, and the part of Park County not in District 5. In northeast Park County, the district follows precinct lines and then county roads and connects on the east with the Jefferson and Park county line.
Main cities: The district includes Centennial, Littleton, Foxfield, Evergreen and part of Aurora.
Demographics: 721,347 population; 523,689 of voting age (18 and older)
Voter registration*: This district leans heavily Republican, with 224,776 Republicans, 116,732 Democrats, 150,553 unaffiliateds, 858 Libertarians, 302 Green and 96 other-party members.
Political race: Incumbent Republican Tom Tancredo is running against Navy and Marine veteran Bill Winter, a Democrat. First elected to Congress in 1998, Tancredo is known nationally for his focus on the issue of illegal immigration.
Sources: Colorado Legislative Council; *Colorado secretary of state (figures include both active and inactive voters); U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimates
REGIONAL NOTES
BOULDER
HOT lanes’ usage increases
About 56,000 solo drivers paid tolls to use high-occupancy toll lanes on Interstate 25 and U.S. 36 in September, a 25 percent jump in the use of the express lanes over August, officials said Thursday.
High-occupancy vehicles, carpools and buses have free use of the lanes, which run for about 7 miles on I-25 between Coors Field and a point just north of the Boulder Turnpike, with a side spur up U.S. 36 to Pecos Street.
In September, the Colorado Tolling Enterprise recorded about $104,000 in HOT-lane tolls, compared with about $96,000 in August, said Peggy Catlin, acting executive director of the toll authority. Toll revenues from the HOT lanes in the future are expected to level off at about $120,000 a month, Catlin said.
By raising tolls, the authority says it will be able to limit the number of solo drivers using the HOT lanes to keep HOV traffic flowing freely.
ARVADA
FasTracks station-design meetings
An open house to review draft plans for FasTracks light-rail stations at Sheridan Boulevard, Wadsworth Boulevard and Kipling Parkway will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at King of Glory Lutheran Church, 10001 W. 58th Ave. in Arvada.
Information will include preferred land use, circulation and urban design with maps and other displays. City staff and consultants will be on hand for questions.
Plans for the stations will be considered at public hearings and meetings of the city planning commission and council early next year.
For information about the project, call Kevin Nichols at 720-898-7464 or go to the city of Arvada’s website, arvada.org.
PARKER
Classic Christie play featured
Tickets are on sale for the Parker Cultural Commission’s production of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None,” a classic murder mystery.
Shows are Nov. 3, 4, 10 and 11 at the Mainstreet Center, 19650 E. Mainstreet. All shows are at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available at the Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E. Lincoln Ave. They are $12 for adults and $6 for youths and seniors. The show is not recommended for young children.
IDAHO SPRINGS
Prescribed burn clears fuels
The U.S. Forest Service said Thursday that smoke seen over Santa Fe Mountain just south of Idaho Springs was due to the burning of slash, an effort to clear fuels from the forest floor.
For information about the burn, call 970-498-1030 for a recorded explanation.
