Citizen CENTENNIAL 3/14/13
Centennial
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 17
STANDING OUT IN A CROWD
March 15, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourcentennialnews.com
Dems not unified on gun measures Questions focus on rights, realism By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com
Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin, of Centennial, was on hand to welcome the crowd and sign autographs at the Hoops for Hope charity basketball game. The March 10 game, played at Cherry Creek High School, pitted the high-flying Harlem Ambassadors against the Adam’s Camp PIPsters, the home team made up of local media personalities and pediatricians. For photos of the basketball action, turn to page 23. Photo by Deborah Grigsby
Centennial tower on FAA hit list Federal cuts will eliminate airport’s graveyard shift By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com Pilots with late-night flights into Centennial Airport may find it a bit lonesome after April 7. That’s when the FAA will start eliminating more than $600 million in expenditures as required by the automatic budget cuts triggered by federal sequestration. Among items listed on the chopping block will be the overnight shift at Centennial’s air traffic control tower. Airport Executive Director Robert Olislagers is not happy with the move, vowing to fight back as long as possible. “First of all, it doesn’t make sense,” he said. “Why would you want to cut air traffic control at the 28th busiest airport in the country?” Olislagers said the cut will eliminate air traffic control service at Centennial from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and while there’s not an abundance of traffic overnight, he said the traffic that is there is critical. “In addition to the standard corporate
The air traffic control tower at Centennial Airport stands above surrounding buildings during a recent sunset. Mandatory federal budget cuts may eliminate overnight operations, leaving the 28th busiest airport in the country without air traffic controllers from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Photo by Deborah Grigsby traffic, we’ve got law enforcement and critical med-evac services operating at that time,” he said. “I don’t really understand the logic.”
Centennial is one of the few general aviation towers in the country that is fully Airport continues on Page 7
Civil unions gain approval in General Assembly Hickenlooper expected to sign landmark bill By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com For gay couples in Colorado, the third time turned out to be the charm. Legislation that legalizes civil unions has now cleared the state General Assembly, following passage through the House of Representatives on March 12. The passage follows two unsuccessful attempts at getting the bill through prior legislative sessions. The measure now goes to Gov. John Hickenlooper, who is expected to sign it.
“We are fulfilling a promise we made at the end of the last session, and we made to the people of Colorado, that we would get this done,” said House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver. “And now, it’s headed to the governor’s desk.” Senate Bill 11, which would allow gay couples to enter into commitments that are similar to marriage, passed the House on a 39-26 vote. Two Republicans voted for the bill: Reps. Carole Murray of Castle Rock and Cheri Gerou of Evergreen. “I’m a Republican and a conservative and I like this bill,” Gerou said from the House floor. “I know this is the right thing to do.” Murray and Gerou joined Sen. Ellen Roberts of Durango as the only Republican
lawmakers to vote for civil unions this legislative session. But the majority of Republicans had concerns with the bill. Chief among them was their belief that the legislation does not go far enough in allowing exemptions for entities that have religious objections to civil unions. “I think it’s unfortunate that we didn’t provide that clarity in that law,” said Rep. Chris Holbert, R-Parker. Several Republicans, including Rep. Lori Saine of Dacono, argued that civil unions are akin to gay marriage — something that Coloradans voted to ban in 2006. That same year, voters rejected a bill that would have Civil continues on Page 7
Democrats on March 11 went five-forfive on their surviving pieces of gun-control legislation, including victories on a bill that places limits on high-capacity ammunition magazines and one that institutes universal background checks on all gun sales and transfers. But three of the bills passed the Senate without unified Democratic support — and those votes came after two other lawmakers killed their own controversial bills last week, before they were ever debated. The recent activity on all five gun bills spanned two days, beginning on March 8, following lengthy and often emotional debate that took place on the Senate floor. While Democrats by and large Report feel like they have struck a balance between respecting Second Amendment rights and trying to curb gun violence, at least one elected official wonders if her party may have overreached in its gun-control efforts. “I’m concerned that this may have woken up people,” Sen. Lois Tochtrop, a Thornton Democrat, told Colorado Community Media. Tochtrop voted against limiting ammunition magazines to 15 rounds and requiring that all gun sales and transfers be subject to background checks. Tochtrop voted for the three other bills: One prohibiting domestic violence offenders from having access to guns; one requiring those who go through background checks to pay the associated costs; and the one that Tochtrop sponsored, which would ban concealed-carry permit training from being done exclusively online. Tochtrop wonders how independent voters will respond to the legislation. “It’s the unaffiliated (voters) that don’t support some of these gun bills,” she said. “These are the people who determine elections in Colorado.” “She could be right,” said Sen. Cheri Jahn, D-Wheat Ridge, when asked about her colleague’s comments. “We’ll find out in 2014.” Jahn voted in favor of four of the bills, but opposed the one regarding limits on magazines. “It’s just not enforceable,” Jahn said. “So, it’s against the law to buy 15s (rounds of ammunition in a magazine). So, they just go out and buy several 15s and carry them. The people who have committed these horrible, heinous crimes are people that are gonna get ‘em elsewhere anyway. And they’re gonna be a lot bigger than the 15s anyway.” Lakewood Democratic Sen. Andy Kerr voted against a bill that would require would-be gun buyers to pay for their own background checks. Kerr said he wanted to compromise, saying that if background
Capitol
Guns continues on Page 7
Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.