STANDARD BLADE B R I G H T O N
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1903
75cI
VOLUME 118
Issue 50
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021
FINDING THE RIGHT ONE
Jason Connor tries to decide which bear to take home Dec. 4 at the Teddy Bear Tree in Brighton’s Founders Plaza, part of the city’s annual Winter Festival. Volunteers and Arc PHOTO BY BELEN WARD Thrift Stores donated the tree’s-worth of stuffed animals for local kids to claim and cuddle. For more photos, see page 8.
Councilor resigns, faces DUI charges after run-in with police BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Brighton Councilman Kris Jordinelli, who faces a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence after an incident with Brighton police this summer, resigned his council position Dec. 3. A city statement said the remaining council members would take the next steps to fill the vacancy at a future council meeting. Jordinelli was elected in 2020. His first court appearance -- a pretrial conference, according to district attorney spokesperson Chris
Hopper -- is set for 9:30 a.m. Feb. 7. A police report said officers saw Jordinelli’s unoccupied car at City Hall Aug. 17 and watched the councilor enter the building. “Cmdr. (Matt) Domenico) greeted Kris and saw Kris was very intoxicated,” Daniel Barkus’ report said. Jordinelli Officers went to Jordinelli’s home, which is a few blocks from City Hall. “Kris then opened the main door and then the storm door,” the report said. “Kris was slow moving, and
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when he spoke, he had slurred speech. Kris had red watery eyes and was unsteady on his feet while standing at the door. Kris was shifting back and forth out of the doorway and told me, ‘You have no right to be here.’” Barkus explained why officers were at the councilor’s home. Jordinelli’s’ answer was, “I’m fine and they walked me home.” Barkus asked about Jordinelli’s car, which was still at City Hall with the windows rolled down and unlocked. “Kris opened the storm door and leaned out to try and look at his garage,” Backus’ report said. “Kris
LOCAL
2 • Annual Thanksgiving 3 program a labor of love 7 16 • Page 3 21 22
SPORTS • Tough loss for Bulldogs against Boulder
• Page 8
then leaned back into his house and continued to fumble with the keys or garage door opener. I asked Kris if he wanted to come outside and look, but he stayed standing in the doorway.” The garage door closed. “Kris said to me, ‘Do you know who I am”’ Backus’ report said. “I replied, ‘Yeah, I know who you are,’ Kris replied, “I’m a city council member.’ I then replied, ‘Yeah, I know.’ Kris then said, ‘You don’t want to mess with me’ and shut the main door.” SEE JORDINELLI, P3
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