LITTLETON 2/21/13
February 21, 2013
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 124, Issue 5
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlittletonnews.com
House passes gun bills
THERE’S TROUBLE AFLOAT
Democrats propel measure 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 supported any of the bills. Meanwhile, Democrats did not vote in unanimity, with at least one — and, in one case four Report — 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. And, highlighting the amount of attention the bills are receiving nationally, even Vice President Joe Biden ended up getting in on the action. 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
During South Suburban Parks and Recreation’s Presidents Day Camp at South Platte Park, Jayden Sullivan, 6, tries to find a flood-proof location for her toy house on a 12-foot-long river model table at Carson Nature Center. Fellow campers Jack Testerman, 6, Ian Ley, 7, and James Cohen, 7, also waited to see how their houses would fare once a flood of water was released down the sand-covered model Feb. 18. The activity taught about habitats and rivers while recreating the 1965 Littleton Flood. The daylong camp focused on Colorado wildlife and what animals need to live. The kids went for a morning hike, searched for specific birds and plants, built forts to protect small animals, played several games, created crafts and became animal detectives. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen
New proposal stirring for Marathon site Developer ready to give it a go By Jennifer Smith
jsmith@ourcoloradonews.com Remember when Littleton City Council approved rezoning the Marathon property seven years ago after several long and contentious public hearings? Barely, right? Since then, the ground has grown fallow, the wire Christmas tree stays up all year, the critters have gone largely undisturbed and the neighbors have gone back to business as usual. But wait. Did you hear something stirring? It’s developer Watt Investment Partners of Santa Monica, Calif., which has submitted a proposal to the city for the 77-acre site on Broadway between Dry Creek Road and Fremont Avenue. It went on the market last summer for $23 million. “We are still reviewing the project so have not scheduled it for any public hearings,” said Glen Van Nimwegen, the city’s community-development director. The plan is very similar to what council approved in March 2006. It’s residential on the east side, mixed use on the west. “They are requesting to reconfigure and realign the commercial area, while maintaining the core, `main street,’ mixed-use POSTAL ADDRESS
Marathon Oil moved out of the 77-acre site on Broadway between Dry Creek Road and Fremont Avenue in 2000, and the location has not seen much activity since then. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen design from the original planned development,” said Van Nimwegen. Plans are available for viewing in his office at the Littleton Center. Marathon Oil moved out of the com-
How many rounds is enough?
plex in 2000, and Denver oil tycoon David B. Richardson bought it for $14.5 million in December of that year. His plan was to create a main-street feel on the west side
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.
Marathon continues on Page 31
Guns continues on Page 13
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