Window 10-31-2013
October 31, 2013
50 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
Adams County and Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 69, Issue 2
Having a super time
‘I appreciate the confidence and support that the voters have given me.’ Amy Speers
Candidate ineligible for board race Speers disqualified from running for District 4 seat By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com
A little boy poses with the group of super heroes during the Halloween Carnival on Saturday night at City Park Recreation Center in Westminster. Photos with the super heroes were one of the many popular activities for the little ones during the carnival. Photo by Ashley Reimers
Rally backs Hudak gun measure Bill seeks to remove guns from domestic violence situations By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com State lawmakers who were instrumental in crafting gun-related domestic violence legislation this year spoke at a Capitol rally on Oct. 26, in hopes of bringing awareness to crimes against women. The event, which honored Domestic Violence Awareness Month, highlighted a Colorado law that stemmed from this year’s passage of Senate Bill 197, which makes it more difficult for domestic violence offenders to own or transfer a gun. “We’re here to celebrate the successful passage of the bill, but more importantly we’re getting a message out that we have a law, and that people can be protected and they don’t have to cower at home in fear,” Sen. Evie Hudak, D-Westminster said prior to the event. Hudak sponsored the legislation, along with fellow Democratic lawmakers who also spoke at the event, Reps. Beth McCann of Denver and Rhonda Fields of Aurora. Prior to Gov. John Hickenlooper signing the bill into law in June, there had already been a law on the books that prohibited domestic violence abusers from having guns. The new law puts in place a process by which state courts ensure that offenders relinquish their weapons. Those who receive court-imposed proPOSTAL ADDRESS
State Sen. Evie Hudak, D-Arvada, is flanked by fellow Democratic lawmakers, Reps. Beth McCann of Denver, left, and Rhonda Fields of Aurora, as she speaks at a Capitol rally on Oct. 26. Photo by Vic Vela tection orders must relinquish their weapons and ammunition for the duration of their court order. They can do so either through legitimate gun sales or transfers, or through temporary relinquishment to law enforcement. The law also applies to offenders who are convicted of domestic violence cases. The rally also served as a call for more domestic violence-related policy action. In front of those who spoke, there sat nine
chairs that were covered in women’s clothing, which symbolized the number of women who are killed each week as a result of gun violence. Senate Bill 197 was one of a handful of Democrat-sponsored gun bills that became law this year. The legislation did not receive any support from Republican lawmakers. Hudak’s rally appearance comes at a time when there is an organized effort to oust her from office over her votes on gun bills, as a group is in the process of collecting signatures in hopes of forcing a recall election. “Whatever price has to be paid, this bill is the accomplishment of my life,” Hudak Printed on recycled newsprint. Please said of the recall effort. “And it’s something recycle this copy. I’ve wanted to do for so many years and finally found a way to get it done.” Fields urged rally-goers to fight back against the recall effort that’s being waged against her colleague. “We need to make sure we do not shrink,” Fields said. “We do not back down!”
Just days before the election, the Adams 12 Five Star School District released information that candidate Amy Speers is ineligible to run for the district’s board of education Director 4 seat. Based on an inquiry received by the district on Oct. 29, Speers lives outside the boundaries of the specific director district for which she was running. Candidates must be a resident of the district they intend to represent. Speers has been informed of her ineligibility and both Adams County and the City and County of Broomfield are aware of Speers the ineligibility. According to district communications director Joe Ferdani, all candidates must sign an affidavit confirming their eligibility and the district received the signed affidavit from Speers. The district did verify a candidate’s eligibility but an oversight was made, and the candidate’s residency was not verified. Ferdani said the district believes both parties operated in good faith. “Moving forward, the district will implement additional measures to confirm the address of each candidate has been checked, and that it’s been verified that the candidate lives in the boundaries of the specific director district for which they are running,” he said. Speers apologized for the oversight and said she believed she was filing for the right district based on her eligibility to participate in the vacancy selection process for the same seat in 2011. She said the Adams 12 School District’s designated election official confirmed that she met all of the legal requirements on Aug. 8 and would be an official candidate for District 4. “I appreciate the confidence and support that the voters have given me,” Speers said. “Even though I cannot take office, a vote for me makes a statement that we all believe cultivating relationships between teachers and parents are important in providing the best education for the students of Adams 12. I will continue to work on issues we all care about.” Speers’ opponent is Rico Figueroa, who is the current director for District 4. By press time the district was still unsure of how the election would be handled and whether or not Figueroa would end up being an unopposed candidate. This change does not impact the election for director in District 3, which includes four candidates, Kathy Plomer, Debbie Christensen, David Elliott and Joshua Bastian.