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January 17, 2013
Brooding about the beltway City to decide if beltway fight still appealing By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com Years of negotiation and now a yearlong lawsuit have failed to stop the Jefferson Parkway, the Golden City Council has some decisions to make. A year ago, Golden filed a federal lawsuit attempting to stop the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from granting a 300-footwide transportation right-of-way along the Rocky Flats Wildlife Refuge’s eastern edge, running parallel to Indiana Avenue. Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority (JPPHA) intends to use that strip of land for a 10-mile toll way as part of the larger effort to complete the 470 beltway system around the Denver Metro Area. Golden has fought against efforts to complete the beltway, citing concerns over the impact that a major freeway would have, since such a beltway would likely cut right through the city. In late December the federal judge issued his ruling, siding with the JPPHA. “I think it’s fair to say we were very disappointed with the ruling,” the city’s Spe-
cial Counsel John Putnam told the Golden City Council on Jan. 10. The city of Superior and two environmental groups, who had also filed lawsuits against the land deal, immediately filed an appeal with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as making an emergency request for a temporary injunction. The court initially granted the temporary injunction, but later moved up the time table, allowing the injunction to end on the morning of Dec. 31, just hours before the JPPHA and the Fish and Wildlife Service officially closed their deal. Construction on the parkway is still years off, according to the JPPHA Interim Executive Director Bill Ray, and will still involve several environmental impact studies. The federal appeal is still progressing, and is actually being fast tracked, according to Putnam. Golden has not joined in the appeal yet. Putnam said first briefs in the case are due by Feb. 19, and that the city would need to decide whether to join before that date. The case could go to court as early as May. The council asked few questions before going into a closed session to discuss the issue of appeal. As of press time there has yet to be official word.
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SAFETY MEASURES
A portion of Green Mountain open space near Lakewood briefly became no man’s land on Friday as pieces of spent artillery shells and military munitions from the World War II era were located and safely detonated in place. The search and disposal of the old explosive materials were conducted by the Department of Defense and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The area was used as a former artillery training site for Camp George West. The detonation caused a muffled boom and a small amount of smoke. Photo by Andy Carpenean
Lakewood man pleads not guilty in death of girlfriend Lopez faces additional attempted first-degree murder charge By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com A Lakewood man, charged with killing one girlfriend, and attempting to kill another with his bare hands, pleaded not guilty to all charges in a Jefferson County courtroom last week. Corey Lopez, 22, appeared in court on Jan. 10 in county custody. He was arraigned on four felony counts, after Judge Christie Philips ruled that the District Attorney’s Office did have enough evidence to add the
charge of attempted first-degree murder involving a second victim. In July of last year, Lopez called police from his apartment at 1017 Teller St. to report his girlfriend, 21-year-old Richelle Ann Best, was unresponsive. Police found Best dead at the scene. An autopsy listed her cause of death as “nonvisible trauma.” Lopez was arrested later that week and charged with first-degree murder. In court last week, two officers from the Lakewood Police Department told how
during their investigation of Best’s death, that they came to interview an ex-girlfriend. According to the officers, the former girlfriend relayed several “specific incidents involving choking,” inLopez flicted by Lopez in 2008 to 2009. Prosecutors brought up several details from those interviews, including the number of times she alleges that Lopez choked her in anger (15), and times he choked her unconscious (five).
Deer in a slippery spot is saved By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com The National Western Stock Show does not have a competition named deer ice roping … yet. On the morning of Jan.10, the same day as the stock show’s opening ceremony, a Lakewood Parks Ranger, along with assistance from Coors employees and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife inadvertently invented the sport as they rescued an unfortunate deer who found himself in a slippery situation. Officials received reports of the deer early that morning, stuck on the ice of a retention pond, near 32nd Avenue and McIntyre Street. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials came out to check on the young stag. The deer could be seen occasionally trying to stand up, only to slip back down onto his haunches, ac-
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cording to Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill. “At one point a coyote actually came out on the ice and we were hoping it would startle the deer off, but he just tried to get up and slipped back down,” Churchill said. Wildlife officials - not equipped or trained to rescue wildlife from an ice situation - could only watch from shore and hope the deer had not already seriously injured his legs on the ice. Churchill told news agencies that the outcome did not look positive for the animal. “We just can’t endanger human life for wildlife,” Churchill said. But help arrived from the city of Lakewood, in the form of Park Ranger Todd Taylor “We’re properly trained and have the right equipment, if something should happen,” Taylor said. That equipment includes a bulky
ice rescue suit, designed to let rescuers better survive a plunge into frigid water. It took two attempts, but Taylor managed to make his way out to the deer, and manage to rope its antlers. “I actually have cattle so I’ve roped before,” Taylor said. “Roping on the ice, in a rescue suit - it was fun!” The 250-pound deer was then dragged on his haunches across the ice by the rescuers on shore. He was cut loose, and bounded away the second his hooves made it to solid ground. Taylor said he was happy that the story had a happy ending, but said too often it is a person who gets stuck out on the ice. In Lakewood for instance, the only ice deemed safe for the public is at Bear Creek Park. “Be sure to check with your area to see where it’s safe to go out on the ice,” Taylor said.
Prosecutors made special note of an incident where the ex-girlfriend said Lopez assaulted her so violently that she believed he would have killed her if bystanders had not intervened. Throughout the hearing defense attorneys repeatedly protested the use of hearsay — having one person testify to what someone else allegedly said — though the practice is allowed for the purpose of preliminary hearings. The defense did not call any witnesses during the preliminary hearing. The case is scheduled to go to trial in June.
REGIONAL NEWS IN A HURRY Coors Credit Union named ‘Business of the Year’
Coors Credit Union has been named “Business of the Year” by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. Coors Credit Union was selected for the honor because of its dedication to improving the Arvada community since its founding in 1954. Every year the credit union hosts toy drives for children, offers scholarships to students and provides financial assistance to those in need through its “Credit Union for a Cause” program. Co-
ors Credit Union was also recently named the best bank or credit union by Colorado Community Media’s “Best in Jeffco” awards. Coors Credit Union and other outstanding businesses will be recognized at the Chamber’s 88th annual dinner with the theme “Rumor Has It … A Black Tie Affair” at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at the Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. Tickets are $75 per person to attend the dinner. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 303-424-0313.
HAVE A SPORTS STORY IDEA? Email your ideas to Sports Editor John Rosa at sports@ ourcoloradonews.com or call him at 303-566-4128.
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