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June 6, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
Adams County and Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 68, Issue 33
Reyes pleads no contest to misconduct County assessor receives deferred judgment, possibility of dismissal after a year By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@ourcoloradonews.com Adams County Assessor Gil Reyes pleaded no contest May 29 to one count of misdemeanor first-degree official misconduct for improperly evaluating properties for a campaign donor. Reyes, 60, originally pleaded not guilty to nine counts of misdemeanor official misconduct and was scheduled to go to trial May 29. Instead, Reyes entered a no contest plea
‘This has been a very emotional and difficult time for my family and me.’ Gil Reyes, Adams County Assessor to one count and the court deferred judgment and sentencing for a year. If after a year Reyes does not commit any criminal offenses, excluding minor traffic offenses, the case will be dismissed, said Dan Recht, who is one of Reyes’ attorneys. “This has been a very emotional and difficult time for my family and me,” said Reyes in a statement released by his attorney. “The prosecution was politically motivated. I am happy to have it behind me.”
Reyes, a Democrat, was re-elected to a four-year term in 2010. Prosecutors say Reyes improperly appraised properties for Majestic Realty Co., a California-based warehouse developer and a contributor to Reye’s campaigns. Majestic has nine warehouses in Aurora. In 2011, the State Board of Equalization ordered reappraisals of the properties after an investigation concluded that Reyes had ordered reduced valuations that resulted in tax reductions for properties associated
with donors to his campaigns, according to the Adams County District Attorney’s office. “After extensive investigation and evaluation by our office and the FBI, we decided that this was the best resolution of the case,” said DA Dave Young, adding that each case must be evaluated based on the strength of the evidence and witnesses. Recht said that Reye’s defense team was confident that if the case had gone to trial, Reyes would have been found not guilty. “However, juries are unpredictable and one can never be sure,” he said. “Now, with this resolution, it is virtually certain that the criminal case pending against Gil Reyes will be dismissed appropriately leaving Gil with no criminal record.” In 2011, Reyes was fined $300 plus $217 in court costs after pleading guilty to an unclassified misdemeanor charge of failure to report gifts of sports tickets he got from Majestic’s vice president.
Area storm chasers lost in Oklahoma Founder of tornado research project dies By Clarke Reader
creader@ ourcoloradonews.com Famous storm chasers Tim Samaras, his son Paul, and Carl Young all died doing what they loved. The Samaras lived in Bennett, Colo., and Young lived in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. The trio were killed by a tornado that struck El Reno, Okla., on May 31. The three men were among 13 whose deaths were attributed to the storms that devastated parts of Oklahoma. Tim Samaras, 55, Paul Samarus, 24 and Young, 45, were chasing a severe, multi-vortex tornado that was headed toward Oklahoma City when it sharply changed direction. Tim was the founder of the tornado research project Twistex, based in Lakewood. “This is a devastating loss to the meteorological, research, and storm chasing communities,” said Tony Laubach of Twistex in a statement on June 1. “I ask that you keep the families in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time. There is some comfort in knowing these men passed on doing what they loved.” Both Tim and Paul were subjects of the Discovery Channel series “Storm Chasers.” The Weather Channel released a statement about their loss on June 2. It stated, “Many of us were fortunate to have worked with them and have great admiration for their work. They went in the field focused on collecting data to enable meteorologists to further the science.”
POSTAL ADDRESS
Lupe Montez, a cook at The Original Chubby’s Mexican Restaurant in Thornton, prepares some chili cheese fries during the busy lunch hours. A new location will open in the LaConte Shopping Center at 72nd Avenue and Federal Boulevard in Westminster this summer. Photo by Ashley Reimers
Chubbys returns to Westminster “The best part of my job is dealing with the customers,” he said. “I love to talk to areimers@ourcoloradonews.com them and see how they are doing. I go to their weddings and funerals. They beWhen it comes to feeding his custom- come like friends to me.” ers, Julian Cordova doesn’t let anyone Soon Cordova will bring his Mexican leave his restaurant hungry. As the owner food back to Westminster with the reof The Original Chubby’s in Thornton and opening of The Original Chubby’s in the Denver, Cordova doesn’t think of his cus- LaConte Shopping Center at 72nd Avenue tomers as people paying a buck, but as his and Federal Boulevard. friends. The restaurant was first opened in Westminster in 1993, but closed in 2005. The restaurant will open in the same exact building as before. “The owners of the shopping center called me and wanted to know if we wantPrinted on recycled newsprint. Please ed it back and I said, ‘Yes, let’s do it,’” Correcycle this copy. dova said. “It’s a good spot and I already have people telling me they’re excited for me to come back.” Pat LaConte, owner the LaConte’s Shopping Center, is excited about the re-
By Ashley Reimers
turn of Chubby’s. He said the location has been updated in anticipation of Cordova’s return. “Chubby’s will be a wonderful addition to the center and to the city,” he said. “Julian will do a great job. He’s just got it dialed in.” When it comes to cooking, Cordova learned everything he knows from his grandmother Stella Cordova, an experience he says he wouldn’t trade for anything. He was raised in the restaurant business and once he was old enough to work, Stella put her grandson to work. “I learned everything from cooking to cashiering. I managed her restaurant until I was able to get my own,” he said. “Having the experiences with my grandmother was beautiful. If I could do it all over again, I would.” Cordova plans to have the restaurant open in Westminster, at 7310 N. Federal Blvd., in a couple months.