Saturday
66 section B
january 28, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post
DENVER & THE WEST Business » 5-7B
LAWMAKER PENALIZED
Opinion » 8-9B
REALITY SHOW
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ESPN is splashing the spectacle of the Winter X Games in 3-D. “This is the biggest we’ve ever done,” said Paul DiPietro of ESPN. Sunday’s broadcast will be the network’s 204th using 3-D cameras, but it will be the first using all 3-D cameras. » 5B
Immunity claimed to avoid DUI charge. »4b
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Schaffer backs Neenan
Board of Ed chief says embattled firm has come through for charter in past By Eric Gorski The Denver Post
Bob Schaffer also is principal of the lauded Fort Collins charter.
Faced with a series of damaging disclosures about its school-construction projects, the Neenan Co. is getting support from a successful Fort Collins charter school and its high-profile principal — State Board of Education chairman Bob Schaffer. Neenan is scheduled to break ground next week on the first phase of an expansion of Liberty Common High School , a project estimated to cost from $1.8 million to $2.1 million, school officials said.
The charter school and its affiliated building corporation and foundation, however, did not choose Neenan for the project. Neenan spokesman Andy Boian confirmed that Loveland-based developer McWhinney selected Neenan last fall — before reports about structural issues ranging from minor to major at about 20 Colorado schools designed and built by Fort Collins-based Neenan. McWhinney had been leasing the building to Liberty Common High, and last week, it sold the property to the charter school’s corporation.
Schaffer used the opportunity to publicly stand behind Neenan, which has longtime ties to the charter school. Earlier this week, Neenan disclosed that structural fixes were needed at every school it has built while using tens of millions of dollars from a state grant program. “We are first and foremost concerned about the safety of our kids and the value of our building,” said Schaffer, a former Republican congressman. “Our experience in the past with Neenan gives us every confidence this is going to be a partnership that serves all our needs.”
CHILLIN’ AT RED ROCKS
Schaffer said school officials received assurances that Neenan would take steps to ensure the expansion is designed and built correctly, including extra scrutiny of engineering plans. “They have taken extra steps and bent over backwards to make sure this project is of the highest quality and caliber and has an attractive cost associated with it as well,” Schaffer said. Liberty Common is a college preparatory school chartered by the Poudre School District and is in two buildings. The Center for NEENAN » 4B
2 arrested in holdup and fight with cop An off-duty Denver officer stepped in but was attacked when her gun misfired. By Kirk Mitchell The Denver Post
dp
The coroner’s office’s initial report detected marijuana in Ashley’s system, but a month ago, the office amended its report to include a detection of benzoylecgonine, which can be formed by the metabolism of cocaine. The coroner’s revised report said benzoylecgonine indicates that Ashley likely had used cocaine within the previous 24 hours and could explain why he exhibited behavior consistent with “excited delirium.” In a release, the manager of safety said it conducted an independent and broader investigation into the incident to determine whether DenZOO » 4B
ARREST » 4B
usic fans look to ward off the chill around a festive ball of flames Friday night at Red Rocks Amphitheater during its first winter concert. Three bands warmed up the crowd at the sold-out event before the main act, hiphop’s Atmosphere, took the stage. Denver’s official temperature at 9 p.m. was 19 degrees. Karl Gehring, The Denver Post
Winter songs. More photos from the inaugural Red Rocks event. »denverpost.com/mediacenter
8 Denver cops cleared in death of man at zoo By Jeremy P. Meyer The Denver Post
The eight Denver police officers involved in an incident at the Denver Zoo in July that left a 29-year-old man dead will not face any discipline charges, according to a manager of safety review released Friday. Alonzo Ashley, 29, died July 18 after a struggle with police that began after witnesses said he claimed to be a lion and tackled and beat a zoo guard before officers arrived. The district attorney’s office in October concluded no criminal charges would be filed against the officers, saying Ashley’s death met
no legal criteria for prosecution under Colorado homicide statutes. Witnesses say Ashley attacked police before they stunned him with a Taser. The coroner’s office report said Ashley was placed face down on the ground, hands cuffed behind his back and legs crossed and flexed and pressed toward his buttocks. Ashley began convulsing and stopped breathing before paramedics arrived. The coroner ruled the death a homicide — a medical term, indicating that subduing and restraining Ashley contributed to his death, but it did not suggest excessive force or an intent to harm him.
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Police have arrested two suspects allegedly involved in a pharmacy holdup, including a man who began beating a police officer and stole her gun after she fired at him. “I purposely shot at him. I went to shoot him again but it misfired,” said Sgt. Virginia Quiñones. “I can still feel him hitting me.” Police arrested two suspects wanted in the Thursday afternoon robbery at a Walgreens at Green Valley Ranch Boulevard and Tower Road. Joseph Farina, 56, and Nicholas Zentz, 25, have been arrested for investigation of aggravated robbery and assaulting a police officer. Quiñones, a 23-year police veteran and former spokeswoman for Denver police, was at the pharmacy picking up a prescription when two masked robbers entered the store and began yelling. “This is a ... stickup,” the two suspects yelled and then jumped over the counter. Three female employees began screaming and crying. Quiñones reached into her purse and grabbed her gun. “I leaped over the counter. My inner voice was yelling as loud as theirs was,” she said. She landed between the robbers and the three women. “I tried to use verbal judo,” Quiñones said. “I wanted them to think this crazy woman might shoot their ---.” Quiñones’ first thought was protecting the women, who could have quickly become hostages, she said. “They weren’t out there to steal a bag of M&Ms and a friggin’ Coca-Cola,” she said. She yelled that she is a police officer and ordered the two suspects to kneel on the floor and get their hands up in the air. The two men did as she said. One of the suspects appeared to be afraid