Herald Englewood
ENGLEWOOD 2.8.13 February 8, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourenglewoodnews.com
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 92, Issue 52
Dems roll out gun-control package Opponents see liability measure as ban, in effect By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com Democratic state lawmakers on Feb. 5 unveiled a gun-control legislative package, which in part calls for required background checks for all gun buyers and strict liability for owners and sellers of assault weapons. But the ideas aimed at curbing gun violence, which were announced by leaders of the General Assembly’s controlling party during a morning press conference inside the state Capitol, were immediately met with stiff opposition by gun-rights advocates. Democratic leaders — who were joined at the event by people whose lives have been affected by gun violence — announced eight pieces of “gun safety” legislation, which they said is needed in the wake of shooting massacres that continue to make headlines around the country. “As a civilized society, we cannot stand back and wait for another Columbine, another Aurora,” said House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver. Some of the efforts announced Tuesday came as no surprise — gun-control legislation has been high on the list of priorities
for Democrats this session. But perhaps the bill that will cause the greatest amount of ire for Republicans and gun advocates is one aimed at creating strict financial liability for makers, sellers and owners of assault weapons. Senate President John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, who will sponsor the Assault Weapon Responsibility Act, said his bill will make assault weapons makers, sellers and owners “liable for 100 percent of the damage” caused by “military style” assault weapons that are used in the commission of crimes. “The sickness of violence is spreading through America like a plague,” Morse said. Morse insisted that the legislation would not constitute a ban on assault weapons, and that it would not impact handguns, bolt action rifles and shotguns. But Morse’s bill was met with ridicule by conservatives. “That’s a frightening prospect,” said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. “I can’t believe how extreme that is.” Brophy quipped that the ban is a “clever,” back-door way of banning assault weapons because it would create an environment where gun makers would stop manufacturing their products out of concern for being held financially liable, if those weapons get in the wrong hands. Brophy said that holding essentially every party associated with an assault weapon
Colorado Senate President John Morse talks in the west foyer of the state Capitol during a press conference about a comprehensive gun safety plan on Feb. 5. Photo by Andy Carpenean liable is akin to “holding Coors and 7-Eleven liable” when someone robs beer from a convenience store and then gets drunk and causes a drunken-driving accident. Dudley Brown, executive director of
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, said Morse’s bill is “a functional ban” on assault weapons. He also said that people who commit Guns continues on Page 14
Burglary spike prompts raids Police team hits two sites; several people arrested By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews.com
Emma Mascha, left, and Trent Miller work on creating special Valentine cards. The Cherrelyn Elementary School fifth-graders are part of the program to provide cards for military veterans who are hospitalized or in a nursing home. Photo by Tom Munds
Schools support Valentines for Vets Cards will go to hospital, nursing home By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews. com Englewood High School teacher Elizabeth Sebalnick spearheaded an effort that is
expected to gather more than 1,200 Valentines that will be delivered to patients at the VA Medical Center and the Colorado Veterans Nursing Home. She has large envelopes in her room filled with Valentines made by hundreds of kinder-
gartners through 12th-graders. She has also received cards from faculty members. Fifth-graders at Cherrelyn Elementary School were making Valentines for the project on Feb. 4. Teacher Kate Delaney gave the students tips on what to draw and what to write before they began creating the
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cards. “I think it is nice that we can make Valentine’s cards for veterans because they might not have family here to send them a card,” Emma Mascha said as worked on her card. “My grandpa is a veteran and I think that makes it sort of special.” Sebalnick heard of the program about six years ago and started donating Valentines. “I thought it was a good idea and I invited anyone in the Englewood School District to make or buy the Valentines, get them to me and I would deliver them so they could be distributed to the veterans,” she said. “When students wanted to join the program, I told them they Valentines continues on Page 4
About 30 law enforcement officers raided two Englewood locations on Feb. 1, culminating several months of investigation seeking to identify those responsible for an increase in burglaries in Englewood and the surrounding area. Englewood Police Chief John Collins told the city council about the operation during the Feb. 4 study session. “While we were investigating the burglaries, we identified a house at 4275 S. Acoma St. as suspected to be a location where stolen items were exchanged for money,” Chief Collins said. “The Englewood Impact Team began the investigation and eventually we joined forces with the Arapahoe County Impact Team.” The impact team, made up of officers from several jurisdictions in the county, took charge of the investigation. Dan Johnson, lead detective on the case for the impact team, said undercover officers bought a stolen car and drugs from residents at the Acoma Street location and from residents at a small apartment complex at 3411 S. Lincoln St. that apparently was involved in the case. On Feb. 1, armed with two search warrants and four arrest warrants, a task force of about 30 law enforcement officers went to the two locations about 4 a.m. “There were about a dozen people arrested including several individuals who had active warrants issued for their arrest,” the police chief said. “We believe this task force operation had a lot of impact. We hit them hard and we think we may have closed down this operation.” Collins said all those involved in the case have been arrested and have been evicted from where they were living. Names of the individuals arrested have not been released because of the ongoing investigation. The impact team’s investigation of the cases is continuing.