1-Color
May 1, 2014 Elbert County, Colorado | Volume 119, Issue 13 A publication of
elbertcountynews.net
Republican candidates for governor square off Gessler, Beauprez and Kopp take part in debate By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Her neighbor, Amy Thomas, is willing to consider urban bow hunting if it’s necessary, but feels more information is needed before any decisions should be made. “I don’t think you can do much until you find out what the deer population is,” Thomas said. “We will support them however they want to go,” said Jennifer Churchill, of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Town Administrator Dick Eason said hunting areas have not been established because the board of trustees has not made any rulings. “We’re still in exploratory stages identifying specific locations. What I can promise is even if we do go forward, we won’t have bow hunters going up and down the streets or prowling in back yards,” he said.
Three Republican gubernatorial hopefuls tried to stand apart from one another — while getting in plenty of shots at Gov. John Hickenlooper along the way — during an April 24 debate held two months before voters cast ballots in the GOP primary. The event yielded few surprises, with the candidates speaking in near lockstep on issues that included gun control and the Affordable Care Act — issues they believe will resonate with voters in a general election. But the candidates also addressed a confounding reality for the Republican Party — the fact that they’ve held the governor’s seat just once over the last 40 years. There was a little bit of soul-searching going on when asked whether they felt their party has branding problems. “We have not articulated our values in a practical and positive way,” said Secretary of State Scott Gessler. Three of the four GOP candidates for governor took part in the KUSATV debate in Denver: Gessler; former Congressman Bob Beauprez; and former state Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp. Former Congressman Tom Tancredo did not take part in the debate. To take over the governor’s mansion again, Republicans will have to win the seat from a sitting governor who currently is the favorite in the race. A Quinnipiac University poll released the day before the debate shows that Hickenlooper enjoys a 7 percentage-point advantage over his closest Republican competitor. Beauprez acknowledged that the last several years have been “a tough era” for Republicans. But he contends that the GOP is finally in a good position to win over voters, due in part to a state and federal government that he feels has overreached in several areas. “At this moment in time, I think our brand is on the rise for a very obvious reason,” he said. “There’s two philosophies. One believes that people are the problem and that they need to be regulated and controlled. The other believes the people are the solution.” The candidates all took shots at Hickenlooper’s leadership style. Though they acknowledged that Hickenlooper showed leadership following the Aurora theater shooting, they criticized the governor for later signing guncontrol legislation as a response to the massacre. All three candidates said they would work to repeal those gun laws, if elected. And Kopp said that Hickenlooper hasn’t done enough on wildfire-mitigation efforts. “The fact of the matter is, the
Deer continues on Page 15
Debate continues on Page 4
STAYING ALIVE
Douglas County Sheriff ’s Deputy Tom Brinkworth of the Alive at 25 program addresses students at Elizabeth High School during a mock-accident demonstration April 24. The program is designed to educate 16- to 24-year-olds on the importance of safe driving. Photo by Jennifer Edmonds
Oh, deer, be careful on the roads Officials explore ways to control population, including bow hunting By Jennifer Edmonds
Special to Colorado Community Media An overpopulation of deer in Elizabeth has become a cause of concern. There have been an estimated 60 accidents related to deer this past year, according to Police Chief Michael Phibbs. At an average of five accidents per month, that’s a big problem, he said. Officials have been discussing different ways to approach the problem, like educating the public about the dangers of feeding wildlife and how to deter them from coming into town. But one particular proposed solution, bow hunting, has stirred up debate between some residents and local officials. “People just heard bow hunting and let their imaginations run wild,” Phibbs said. “We would never have this being done in residential areas where the houses are close together. If that’s what we were doing, I would be concerned too.” Eight-year resident Rachel Johnson does not believe there is a problem with the size of the deer population.
A deer checks out the terrain on Paddock Street in Elizabeth. Officials say an overpopulation of deer has led to traffic accidents in the town. Photo by Jennifer Edmonds “Quite frankly, they were here first and if you don’t like wildlife you shouldn’t live in Elizabeth,” she said. “Deer can sleep in the yard and I love it, and watching a fawn being born and watching it jump the fence for the first time. “I will do everything I possibly can to keep it from happening.”
POSTAL ADDRESS
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