Herald
ENGLEWOOD 2.21.13
Englewood
February 22, 2013
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourenglewoodnews.com
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 93, Issue 2
City may help fund school project Sharing tax could assist district with cost to repair gyms By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews.com City and school officials agreed to discuss the possibility of Englewood helping the district cover some of the cost of remodeling and upgrading the middle school gymnasiums. “Englewood Middle School is undergoing a major renovation so that it can eventually become the campus for Colorado’s Finest Alternative High School,” Brian Ew-
ert, school superintendent, told the council at the Feb. 11 study session. “Most of the renovation costs are covered by a state grant and that grant money can’t be used to modernize and repair the gymnasium.” Among the rules of the grant, he added, is that part of the money is set aside to pay use taxes that are estimated at about $2oo,ooo. However, the rules also state that, if the city decides to rebate a portion of the use tax, that money goes to the state and not to the school district. The reason the city might be interested in sharing the use tax is that the Englewood recreational department is interested in using the gymnasiums for its programs, so renovating the gyms would benefit the schools and the city.
Ewert told the city council the north gym is the largest and needs a lot of work. The ceiling needs major repairs, and the floor is buckled and needs major repair and should be repositioned in the building. Ewert said while the grant will cover the cost of installing the sprinkler system and the heating and ventilation system, there is no money to make the rest of the repairs. “The work needed is extensive and we have a company evaluating the facility,” the superintendent said. “This week, we should receive the report that details what needs to be done and also gives us some idea of what it will cost to renovate and upgrade the gymnasium, which would benefit both the school district and the city.” The council members gave consensus approval for city and school district staff
members to work on preparation of a proposal for a city-school partnership, which could use a portion of the use tax money for the work needed in the gym. There is a precedent for city support for a school project, as Englewood and the school district established a partnership regarding sharing the use tax for the project to construct a seventh- through 12th-grade campus on the Englewood High School site. The two sides agreed to put about half the use tax to work to complete several construction projects associated with the new campus, such as road improvements around the school. The discussions on the middle school project were for the city to provide about half the expected $200,000 in use tax toward the gym renovations.
House passes gun-control bills
Without a single Republican vote, measures move to Senate By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com Four major pieces of a Democraticsponsored gun control package passed the state House of Representatives on Feb. 18, following furious legislative action from the week before that included hours-long committee hearings and a passionate floor debate that went deep into the night. Bills that seek to limit high-capacity ammunition magazines, ban concealed weapons from being brought to college campuses, as well as two others dealing with gun background checks, now move on to the Senate. Not a single Republican supportReport ed any of the bills. Meanwhile, Democrats did not vote in unanimity, with at least one — and, in one case four — Democrats voting against each one of the bills. About five hours was spent debating the bills on Feb. 18. But that was nothing compared to the marathon-like House session from three days prior, where members spent about 12 hours debating gun measures on the House floor, before members voted for preliminary passage of the bills. Republicans charged over those two days of floor debate that Democratic guncontrol efforts infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens, and that criminals, and not guns, are responsible for acts of firearms-related violence. “This is about Second Amendment rights, constitutional rights and the civil rights of Coloradans and Americans,” said Rep. Kevin Priola, R-Henderson. “Changing the law will never change the heart of man.” But Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, whose son was killed in 2005 before he was scheduled to testify in a murder trial, rejected that anyone’s rights are being taken away. “When people say that the gun lobby is too strong, or that (these legislative efforts) infringe on Second Amendment rights, then I would say, `Not so,’” Fields said. “Because it’s time we do something.”
Capitol
Jesus Flores, under the watchful eye of his mother Andrea, uses a device to help him skate. The boy joined classmates Feb. 13 at the Clayton Elementary School skating party at Littleton Skate City. Photos by Tom Munds
Clayton students go skating Parents, staff, youths take part in two-hour party By Tom Munds
tmunds@ourcoloradonews. com Loud music and flashing lights invited the parents, staff members and students out onto the floor at the Feb. 13 Clayton Elementary School skating party at the Skate City in Littleton. Englewood resident Chad Hanes brought his four children to the skate party. “I’ve been to several skate parties, I like the events and the kids love them,” he said. “Our four kids go to Clayton and get
excited when the skate party dates are announced. I like to come because it is a nice event where the kids can have fun and get some exercise.” The Englewood man said the skate parties are also an opportunity to meet his children’s friends and the parents of his children’s friends, meetings that might not happen were it not for the skate parties. Doors opened for the Clayton two-hour skate party about 6 p.m. Some students had their own skates while others headed to get the skates they rented. Clayton student Xoel Miller got help putting on her skates from her sister Mia. “I like the skate parties,” Xoel said. “I get to have fun with all my friends and I like it that the music is up really loud.”
Xoel Miller gets help from her sister Mia putting on her skates so she can join friends on the rink. Miller was among about 50 students who attended the Clayton Elementary School skating party. Nearby, Brianna Cheatum was waiting for a couple friends to finish putting on their skates.
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“I like to skate and it’s a cheap way to have a couple hours of fun skating,” Cheatum said. “Skating is good exercise and it is a lot of fun. It’s also fun to get out on the rink with friends. It’s just a really good and a fun time.” Nicole Westfall, Clayton principal, joined her students on the rink. “We have three or four skating parties during the school year, Westfall said. “We want Skate continues on Page 10
How many rounds is enough?
Fields sponsored two of the bills, including one that would limit to 15 the number of rounds a large-capacity ammunition magazine could hold. That bill passed on a 34-31 vote, with Democratic Reps. Leroy Garcia of Pueblo, Steve Lebsock of Thornton and Ed Vigil of Fort Garland voting no. During the Feb. 15 House floor debate, Fields rattled off the names of shooting Gun control continues on Page 10