Friday
december 23, 2011 B denverpost.com B the denver post
6 SECTION
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DENVER & THE WEST Wall Street
Business » 6-10B
GRANT FOR COLORADO
Penny Parker » 6B
DOW JONES 61.91 12,169.65 NASDAQ 21.48 2,599.45 S&P 500 10.28 1,254.00
A SHOOTING STAR TDA Research of Wheat Ridge is working on the first phase of three projects for NASA that could be used on deep-space missions and for maneuvering satellites. TDA’s projects were among 300 proposals that NASA selected out of 2,000. »6B
State education wins Race to Top funds »2B
Coverage » 7B denverpost.com/business
Lawyer: Probe seeks scapegoat Investigation of Neenan engineer called “fishing expedition” By Eric Gorski The Denver Post
The attorney for a structural engineer under fire for his work on Colorado school buildings said Thursday that his client has been unfairly targeted and will be exonerated. Denver lawyer Bryan Kuhn, in a letter to a state agency, also attacked an ongoing investigation into the work of Gary Howell as “a fishing expedition.”
An official with the state Department of Regulatory Agencies defended the inquiry, which began last month in response to a Denver Post story examining structural problems at Meeker’s elementary school. Howell worked on at least 18 schools for the Neenan Co. from his hiring in December 2007 to his firing last month on the same day DORA launched its inquiry. The state Board of Licensure for Architects,
Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors — which falls under DORA — will hold a special meeting Tuesday to consider the Howell inquiry, said Angie Kinnaird Linn, a DORA program director. Among the board’s options are to reprimand Howell, fine him or revoke his license. In a response to DORA, Kuhn wrote that Howell has been provided no evidence showing he had failed to “meet the generally accepted standards
Online. Read the response to the state inquiry. »denverpost.com/extras of engineering practice” on the Meeker school. Also noting that the state gave the building certificates of occupancy, Kuhn wrote, “It would appear that this investigation is tantamount to a fishing expedition seeking to shift blame to my client for potential issues for which he is not ultimately responsible.” NEENAN » 3B
Aurora issues show stopper Mayor Hogan says explicitly the National Western is all Denver’s. By Carlos Illescas The Denver Post
aurora» Aurora is officially out of the stock show business. Thursday, at the first meeting between the Denver and Aurora city councils in almost a decade, Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan made it clear the city is not trying to take the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo away from Denver. “We’re not interested in the stock show,” Hogan said at the meeting. “That’s your issue. That’s not our issue. We are not going to be involved.” The stock show needs more space and had considered relocating to Aurora — next to a proposed 1,500-room hotel by Nashville, Tenn.-based Gaylord Entertainment. But some on the Denver City Council were concerned over possibly losing the stock show, and Denver last month pulled out of a joint application with Aurora for subsidies from the Regional Tourism Act, which would have helped pay for relocating the stock show. Denver was a co-applicant with Aurora for the sales-tax subsidies, with Aurora seeking $85.4 million for the Gaylord hotel and Denver seeking $6.1 million for the stock show. On Thursday, the stock show delivered its business plan to Denver, offering five alternative locations: four in Denver and one in Commerce City. At the meeting in Aurora, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said he never doubted Aurora’s intentions, blaming special-interest groups for fueling the supposed dissension. “The two governments never expected that Aurora was reaching for the National Western Stock Show,” Hancock said. Hogan had previously said the stock show was Denver’s issue, but his words Thursday were the clearest and strongest to date indicating Aurora has no interest in luring the major tourism draw within its borders. AURORA » 5B
Norka Lewis, a medical assistant at University of Colorado Hospital, gives Santa Claus a hug during his visit Thursday morning. Bruce Arnold, a.k.a. Santa, received a liver transplant at the hospital in March and returned Thursday to thank the staff who treated him, including Lewis. “He's always been Santa, but when he came as a patient, he was very nice, very sweet.” Lewis said. Mahala Gaylord, The Denver Post
New spring in Santa’s step Bedridden by liver disease last year, a grateful patient visits the hospital that treated him. Online. Watch a video of Santa saying thanks. »denverpost.com /mediacenter
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ast holiday season, liver disease kept Bruce Arnold sick and in bed, away from his life as a professional Santa Claus. His wife, Margee — who regularly worked with him at public appearances throughout Denver and Boulder — had to go out as Mrs. Claus with a different jolly old elf. But Thursday, nine months after Arnold received a liver transplant, he and Margee returned to University of Colorado Hospital together — in costume — to say thanks the best way they know how. “We’ve been thinking about it for a while,” Bruce Arnold said. “We wanted to thank the doctors, nurses and other staff for getting me through my illness — for getting my life back.” Dr. Lisa Forman has been taking care of Arnold for nearly two years but had never seen him in costume.
“I know it hurt him so much to not be able to go out last year. So, to see him doing so well now, with rosy cheeks and even a pot belly, you just get a kick out of it,” she said. Christmas morning, Bruce and Margee Arnold will also get to step out together at a breakfast party at Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing for families of children being treated at area hospitals. Arnold, 63, first became Santa in 2004 when his full SANTA » 5B
Abortion foes closer to ballot The Title Board OKs the language for a 2012 personhood proposal. By Jessica Fender The Denver Post
Other options» National Western Stock Show & Rodeo’s choices for relocating. »1A
By Yesenia Robles The Denver Post
A proposed Colorado amendment that would extend legal rights to human embryos got a step closer to the 2012 ballot this week, but abortion-rights advocates have at least one more challenge in store for the
initiative. The secretary of state’s Title Board approved the language of the so-called personhood amendment, concluding it met guidelines that require ballot initiatives to pertain to a single subject. That nearly clears the way for supporters to gather signatures. Supporters, who have seen the personhood movement grow this year to encompass seven other states, celebrated the small step forward in Colorado.
But a coalition that includes Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains plans to ask the Title Board to reconsider its 3-0 vote, said Monica McCafferty, marketing director for the reproductive-rights group. “It touches on numerous, unrelated subjects that would be in conflict with the state constitution,” McCafferty said Thursday. “The new language doesn’t clear up any of the vagueness of previous years.” INITIATIVE » 5B
INSIDE
DISTRICT RIPE FOR RIVALRY Colorado’s newly aligned 6th Congressional District is demographically one of the most competitive regions nationwide. »3B
Kitty, it’s cold outside. A lost orange-and-white tabby from Florida is found wandering in Littleton. »2B