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February 7, 2014 North Jefferson County, Colorado | Volume 13, Issue 5 A publication of
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northjeffcowestsider.com
Efforts to stem energy mandates unsuccessful Bills mark third attempt to undo new rural energy standards this session By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Added security was placed at Wells Faro Bank at 7401 Federal Blvd. in Westminster after a violent bank robbery on Jan. 21. The FBI and the Westminster Police Department are asking for the public’s help in finding the two suspects involved. Photos by Ashley Reimers
Police seek ‘Trash-Talking Bandits’ Bank offers reward to ID suspects By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com The FBI and the Westminster Police Department are asking the public for help in finding two suspects involved in a violent bank robbery on Jan. 21 at a Wells Fargo Bank in south Westminster. During a news conference on Jan. 31 at FBI headquarters in Denver, FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle, stressed the importance of locating and arresting the two individuals responsible for robbing the bank at 7401 Federal Blvd., due to the violent nature of the robbery. He said the suspects did a takeover style robbery using hand guns to intimidate and terrify not only bank employees, but bank customers. He added that the suspects actually put gun barrels to the heads of bank employees. The FBI has dubbed the suspects the “Trash Talking Bandits” because of their verbally abusive and aggressive behavior while committing the bank robbery and for using trash bags to carry out the money. The two suspects are considered armed and dangerous and the possibility of other individuals being involved is not being ruled out. “During the takeover robbery, the suspects got behind the counter, into the backroom and into the vault,” Ravenelle said.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle discusses the details of a bank robbery that happened on Jan. 21 at a Wells Fargo Bank in Westminster during a news conference on Jan. 31 at FBI headquarters in Denver, as Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk prepares to speak as well. “That is why they got such a large amount of money,” Ravenelle wouldn’t disclose the amount stolen, but said it was significant and is
the largest amount in recent Colorado history. He advised the public to be watchful for people who have abnormal amounts of cash, or for people whose spending habits have recently changed and are acting suspicious. “Most bank robbers don’t just rob one bank and then retire,” he said. “Because it was a violent takeover robbery, we are putting more effort into the case and will work as hard as we can to try and find these guys as quickly as we can.” During the news conference Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk assured the Westminster community that the police department is working closely and cooperatively with the FBI and are committed to solving the crime. “We are taking steps in Westminster to make sure all of our financial institutions are receiving extra protection and security,” he said. Both suspects are said to be in their 20’s, one 5-feet-7 to 5-feet-9 inches tall with a medium build, the other about 5-feet-8 to 5-feet-10 inches tall with a thin build. Both could be male, but one could possible by a female. After the robbery, the suspects fled the scene in a stolen black Jeep Cherokee, which was later found by Westminster police authorities. Wells Fargo Bank is offering a $35,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call 303-4357787 immediately.
Smoke detection prompts emergency calls By Ashley Reimers
areimers@coloradocommunitymedia. com Westminster Fire Department responded to two structure fires over a two-day, the first happening early Sunday morning. Around 3:06 a.m. on Feb. 2, firefighters responded to a fire in a townhome in the 3500 block of 97th Avenue after a neighbor called dispatch and reported seeing flames coming from the exterior of the townhouse near the roof and around the chimney. Occupants of the home escaped the fire unharmed. Upon arrival firefighters saw visible smoke and fire coming from the rear of the home at the roof line. Fire lieutenant Bruce Black said hose lines were stretched to the rear of the complex, and the fire was extinguished with
multiple fire units. “The reporting party played a very important role in reporting this fire early, while it was still contained to the chimney,” Black said. “The fire damage was isolated to the chimney and roof around the chimney box.” The cause is still being investigated, but Black said the cause is most likely related to the use of the fireplace. Two people were displaced as a result of the fire and were given financial assistance from the Westminster Fire Victim’s Fund. The second fire happened around 4:06 a.m. on Feb. 3 after a report of smoke in an apartment complex at the 9100 block of Vance Street in Westminster. A neighbor woke up to the smell of smoke and to the sound of smoke detectors, prompting the emergency call. Upon arrival to the scene, firefighters
found smoke and a small fire contained to the furnace/hot water closet in one unit on the first floor, said Courtney Van Marter, fire paramedic. Again, the reporting caller made a big impact in the role of the fire, allowing early arrival of fire units while the fire was still contained to one apartment, she added. “The fire damage was isolated to the furnace/hot water closet,” Van Marter said. “The cause of the fire remains under investigation. There were no injuries to the occupants or firefighters. The residents of the occupancy were not home at the time of the fire and have been notified of the event.” The Westminster Fire Department would like to remind the public to never remove the pilot light cover from the furnace and do not store combustible items in or around the furnace/hot water closets.
Attempts to scale back implementation of increased rural renewable energy mandates suffered another set of defeats at the Capitol last week. Two Republican-sponsored bills that would have either lowered the bar on new energy standards on rural electric providers or that would have pushed back the implementation start Report date failed in separate legislative committees. New standards for rural electric providers will require that they generate 20 percent of their energy through renewable sources. The mandate is scheduled to take effect in 2020. Three GOP-backed bills that sought to undo those new standards have already been introduced this session, a year removed from the contentious passage of Senate Bill 252, which doubled the former renewable energy standard of 10 percent. But those efforts have failed, most recently as Jan. 30 when the House Transportation and Energy Committee killed a bill that sought to reduce the energy mandate to 15 percent. Rep. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction, the bill sponsor, told committee members that the new standards are too high and they will hurt rural economies. “Has our policy been misdirected?” Scott said. “Are we putting too much pressure on different types of energy-related sectors?” Diana Orf of the Colorado Mining Association, speaking in support of Scott’s measure, said that last year’s Senate Bill 252 was passed “very hastily” and that the new standard “needs a second look.” “We believe the standard can be achieved, but it needs more time,” Orf said. Moffat County Commissioner John Kinkaid was more direct in his criticism of SB252, calling it a job killer for coal mining and power production employers in rural parts of the state. “I’m here today to say that I hope that the war on rural Colorado is over and that we can have a spirit of bipartisanship,” Kinkaid said. Scott’s bill was met with opposition by SB 252 supporters who said that Colorado is the home to great wind and solar energy resources, that those industries are creating new jobs here, and that the new standards will be a boon for new energy jobs. “Coloradans are with us on this issue,” said Kim Stephens of Environment Colorado, an environmental advocacy group. “They want more clean, renewable energy.” The Democrat-led committee killed Scott’s measure following a party-line vote of 8-5.
Capitol
Energy continues on Page 5
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