I don’t believe in NCAA bashing. A scholarship to an outstanding school and all the perks not available to the average student–tutors, adulation, training, etc.–is a huge achievement and privilege. At the same time it is a tough life with travel, work-outs, and schoolwork.
It is true that one cannot be an NCAA athlete and a professional. It is the best and only way it can be.
She has a choice to make between two attractive options. That’s all.
Town of Castle Rock vs. Gonzales (additional links) notwithstanding, I believe law enforcement may still be a right in other respects. Certainly I am in no position to argue with Supreme Court justices, but this quote from the Denver Post is overly-simplistic:
Denver attorney David Lane, who is not involved in the case, said police are also under “no obligation to take any action simply because someone reports something.”
“Just because she may have reported something to the police doesn’t mean they are on the hook for anything,” he said, noting the ruling in the Castle Rock case.
This case has several circumstances which make general statements about the responsibility of law enforcement precarious. These include:
Overall, this ruling in particular does not completely absolve a legal responsibility for government to provide effective law enforcement.
* * *
I believe this subject, this influence on our lives is much broader than this one case and even law and courts in general.
The town of Castle Rock is an affluent, desirable place to live which outpaces national averages on home value and income metrics.
“The policy is a written policy. It’s like the speed limit, if you are going over the speed limit, you’re breaking the law. He’s been over the speed limit. As in, he’s been over it a lot.”
Pet Animal Care Facilities Program – called today just before 10 AM. A number of neighbors have complained. When the same dog(s) yelp hour after hour there is a problem…
Ted Mink has refused to do anything about it. In addition to potential animal abuse there is the issue of privacy: keep the noise on your property. Not a very smart way to run or promote a business.
john.salazar@ag.state.co
There is absolutely no reason I should tolerate illegal, poisonous plants on my property. Jefferson County, Colorado employees are responsible for them being there.
One person, Alicia Doran, Weed and Pest Management Specialist, Jefferson County, Colorado, has to be the fall-person but there are almost certainly others involved. The board of county commissioners is the only body that can make regulations and they seem to be leading the corruption. Ralph Schell, county administrator or “COO,” and Ms. Doran’s boss, is a figure in the conspiracy as well.
Ms. Doran is the henchperson, the facilitator, and the person in the field that makes it happen.
Jefferson County has not adopted and published a weed management plan. A brief look around the internet shows detailed, proactive plans instituted in all other counties. Just a few examples are Weld, Boulder, Garfield, Grand, and Douglas counties. Other locations typically provide information, inspections, and eradication upon request; as an example, the Boulder County plan is 42 pages long and contains details including its purpose, individual responsibilities, public and private property requirements, and detailed listings of class A, B, and C noxious weeds. Jefferson County does not provide these services or a published plan.
Employees at the Colorado Department of Agriculture (e.g., Patty York and Steve Ryder) have told me that they have repeatedly asked for a Jefferson County noxious weed management plan and these requests been denied.
These
For the City and County of Denver a stated goal is to “Respond promptly and effectively in managing weedy species in order to reduce costs and time. This will allow more dollars to be spent for other purposes.”
“By law realtors are required to disclose if a property has a noxious weed infestation” (source/disclosure form).
I live in Evergreen, Colorado in a rather small community in the foothills west of Denver. It is a nice mountain area and the combination of the open space with a large city nearby is appealing.
I like living here but there are two major problems: corruption and lawlessness. State and local government officials are corrupt and this results in lawlessness. The quality of life suffers. The community does not move forward.
Following is the story of a simple (micro) problem in this overall (macro) culture. This is entry number one in a continuing series.
* * *
There is a park in my neighborhood and in front of my home operated by the Evergreen Park and Recreation District (EPRD). The EPRD is a “special district” in terms of organization and legal status–it is basically a local entity for a specific purpose within the state and county. The park was built about seven years after voter approval to fund its purchase, development, and management. The park contains of two athletic fields and a playground, as well as two parking lots. It is seventeen acres total. It is in a very visible and accessible location and is adjacent to a state highway.
Five or six weeks ago I noticed a fairly dilapidated car parked at the site continuously. As the weeks past I realized it was abandoned there. Of course I didn’t know if one day it would disappear on the owner’s volition; I also didn’t know if it was stolen, purposely dumped there, or a harbinger of some other crime. I chose to wait for either local law enforcement or the park district to act.
They didn’t do anything.
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On Tuesday July 17 I sent a brief e-mail to the EPRD, per instructions on their website, informing them of the problem. The e-mail is here. Again, nothing happened.
I waited a week and on Tuesday July 24 called the Coloraodo State Patrol. Abandoning a vehicle on public property is both a criminal code and traffic code violation–a pretty serious offense–in Colorado. The state patrol initially tried to avoid any action: the dispatcher said “this is something we don’t respond to” and balked when I got one letter of the car’s license plate wrong. I looked through my records, retrieved the correct license number, and called back. This time the dispatcher took my report in an officious manner and I anticipated that action would be taken.
I didn’t want nor did I expect a call back–a car sitting there is self-explanatory–but that was the next step. This delayed action and made it difficult in that caller identification was not attached (I often do not answer calls from unidentified callers). Eventually I hooked up with Corporal Rivers who said he wasn’t going to do anything. He said it is a legally registered vehicle, it is registered to someone in the neighborhood, and that it is legally parked. That prompted this e-mail.
Thursday June 26 I sent this to Mark Footer, the president of the EPRD board. I still have not received a reply from him or other elected members of the board.
That same day I called my local sheriff’s office and I explained the situation of the abandoned vehicle. I was told a deputy would come to my home. I waited outside. Approximately 45 minutes later I received a call from Deputy Carmichael; no first name was provided and he too called on a caller ID-blocked line. He said nothing would be done; further, he said he was some fifteen miles away. He said the public park is private property, but he would research the situation and follow-up.
I called 303/277-0211, the only number provided for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department to adamantly complain. I was told a sergeant would call me back. Sgt. Gibson called and said the public park is private property; nothing would happen; he would check on the legal status (i.e., public or private) and get back to me tomorrow.
Several hours later I called the Colorado State Patrol again. At 9:45 PM an employee of this organization called (I didn’t catch his name), said the car has been sitting there for some time, and seemingly something was going to happen this time…
Friday morning I sent this to District Attorney Scot Storey and Sheriff Ted Mink (no reply received) and this to the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (no reply either). Also that morning I noticed (and photographed) two sheriff’s department SUVs at the park, with employees investigating the vehicle. Later that day I received a call from Sgt. Gibson explaining that the park is public property. “You were right, we were wrong,” he said. He offered no apology nor did he indicate how the perpetrators would be prosecuted.
Friday I noticed the car had been “tagged” for towing on Monday, seemingly by the state patrol employee Thursday evening.
Question: Were any charges ever filed against for this crime?
Author’s note: This is the first in a series detailing corruption in Colorado and in Jefferson County in particular. This installment contains the facts of this one incident.
I have to I have to I have I have to.
groundreport.com
http://theResearchSource.net/email-1.htm