Volume 31 • Number 35 • July 25, 2013
www.villagerpublishing.com
303-773-8313 • Published every Thursday
What’s Inside Page 2
Centennial Under the Stars goes laser
Cirque du Soleil shines in Denver Page 16
Jeffery Johnston
Depot plans derailed
A new dimension for the Smurfs Page 17
A citizens group is petitioning to put the fate of the historic Englewood Depot to voters after the City Council approved selling it to a Denver couple, instead of accepting a deal with the Englewood Historical Preservation Society. File photo
Citizens petition after Englewood OKs private offer
Don’t Miss:
Coffman campaign • Cynthia announces finance co-chairs Page 2 Hills finalizes residential• Cherry grow marijuana code Page 7 summertime construction • CDOT is good and bad news for area
Page 11
Index
Page 5..................................Opinion Page 8............................. Classifieds Page 10..................Service Directory Pages 12-17........................Fleurish Pages 21-25..........................Legals
TheVillagerNewspaper @VillagerDenver
By Peter Jones The Englewood Historical Preservation Society may have missed the train, but the organization is holding on for life on the back of the speeding caboose. This month, the Englewood City Council voted 5-2 to sell the historic Englewood Depot to a Denver couple, instead of giving the building to the preservation group that has fought to turn the once-bustling railroad hub into a museum. In the weeks since the stillunfinalized July 1 vote to sell the 1,700-square-foot Depot, some residents have launched a petition drive for a ballot initiative that would require the city to sell it to the Preservation Society for $1. Although Matthew Crabtree, a leader of the historical group, says his organization is not directly involved in the effort, he personally supports it.
“This is a landmark in the City tion work and a lack of plumbing of Englewood that we will for- and heating systems have kept the ever lose as citizens of the city,” more lucrative offers at bay. Crabtree said. “Our offer was a A proposal to buy the Depot true partnership with the city. It’s for $50,000 was nearly accepted a very different situation when last year before the potential buyyou sell it to a private individual, er balked at the city’s purchase as opposed to an organization stipulations, which were designed that is nonprofit with the intent of to preserve the exterior of the hismaking it into a toric structure. museum.” The Parsons’ Our offer was a In truth, the offer – pushing Depot, located at true partnership with the bid down the intersection even further the city. It’s a very of Dartmouth to $30,000, different situation Avenue and but including when you sell it to a an agreement Galapago Street, would still be that the buyprivate individual. a museum of ers make up- Matthew Crabtree, sorts – though front payments Englewood Historical it would be one for restoration Preservation Society with little to do costs – was the with Englewood preferred opor railroad history. Prospective tion of a City Council-appointed buyers Tom and Patty Parson say committee, which consisted of they would convert the building two Englewood residents and into a printing business and let- three “historic-preservation exterpress museum. perts.” Although the historic building The panel unanimously seand its property have been ap- lected the Parsons’ offer over the praised for as much as $425,000, Continued on page 6 an estimated $370,000 in restora-
Coffman predicts – supports – more delays in Obamacare Congressman says individual mandate should be postponed
By Peter Jones U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman is expecting further slowdowns in the rolling out of the Affordable Care Act – and although he considers the delays largely political, he supports them for what he considers reasons of fairness. Earlier this month, the Obama administration announced it would postpone enforcement of
the employer mandate in the law known as Obamacare. That provision would require businesses with 50 or more full-time employees to offer health insurance or face fines. The controversial mandate was to originally take effect January 2014, but will not be enforced until one year later – two months after the midterm elections that could shift control of Congress. “The employers that I’ve been talking to fully understand this requirement… They don’t need
Continued on page 4
U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman
File photo
Littleton cop facing drug charges By Peter Jones A 22-year veteran of the Littleton Police Department was placed on unpaid administrative leave last week in the wake of felony drug charges. FBI agents arrested Officer Jeffery Johnston on July 19 at his Parker home, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. On July 22, a U.S. magistrate unsealed the criminal complaint. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office asked the defendant be held without bond. The complaint charges the motorcycle officer with a series of drug offences, including possession with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and maintaining a drug-involved premises. According to an affidavit, Johnston, 46, had bought the drug ecstasy several times from a drug trafficker who was also an FBI informant, most recently July 19 when the officer paid $1,300 for nearly 40 pills and more than six grams of powder. He was arrested without incident. Investigators who searched Johnston’s home found not just ecstasy, but cocaine, steroids, a large number of prescription pills and several guns, including a .45 caliber pistol near the drugs, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for July 25 at 3 p.m. Littleton Police Chief Doug Stephens issued a statement this week on the matter. “Officer Johnston’s alleged misconduct occurred in his private life and does not reflect on the professional reputation and outstanding service of the men and women of the Littleton Police Department,” he said. “Police officers are human, and just like all people sometimes they make bad decisions. This situation illustrates for all of us what a devastating impact drugs can have on one’s life.” If convicted on all counts, Johnston could spend decades in prison and face more than $1.5 million in fines.