Fort Collins Coloradoan from Fort Collins, Colorado • Page 17

www.coloradoan.com, The Coloradoan, Saturday, February 12, 2005, STATE, B5 Coloradoans could get access to sex-offender registries online Highlights from the Legislature on Friday By COLLEEN SLEVIN The Associated Press DENVER Weld County Sheriff John Cooke doesn't think people in his sprawling county should have to drive an hour or pull out of the federal No Child Left Behind Act The bill was amended to remove a provision that would have allowed districts to ask for a property-tax overide above the current cap. The Senate endorsed changes to driver's license procedures, including lowering the age limit for renewing by mail from 66 to 6L It faces a second vote before being sent to the House. proval to a proposal (House Bill 1070) that would allow the Colorado Water Conservation Board, which helps fund major water projects around the state, to actually include conservation projects. The measure faces a third reading before heading to the Senate. The Senate gave initial backing to a measure (Senate Bill 50) that says school districts have the right to The House approved and sent to the Senate a measure (House Bill 1147) that would eliminate the requirement that a circulator of a candidate, recall, initiative or referendum petition be a registered voter affiliated with any political party mentioned in a petition.

Lawmakers said they have lost court battles over the issue and cannot afford expensive appeals. The House gave tentative ap Start Smart! Building Brain Power in the Early Years Vf I ii -i if iMW-; IML'JIIJMLIJMIMWIIW more to nis otiice to find out whether there's a sex offender living right next door. Facing Colorado law that limits who gets the information, the sheriff put the county's sex offender registry on a Web site two years ago anyway. To Cooke, the public's right to protect themselves against sexual predators satisfies the law. 'If supposed to be a public record and the idea of making it more difficult for people to access doesn't make sense," Cooke says.

Any resident can go to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Web site and get information about the state's most serious sex offenders and convicted offenders who have yet to register. The problem? Those numbers account for only about 10 percent of the state's approximately 8,000 registered sex offenders, CBI Deputy Director Bob Armstrong said When it comes to finding out about sex offenders, the law allows people to request information about offenders who live in their city or county or a neighboring one. People who live elsewhere can ask for the information but they must justify their request Under a change being considered by state lawmakers, law-enforcement agencies would be able to post the registries on their Web sites, which would eliminate the "need to know" requirement and provide quicker access. Departments that don't post online would be able to choose whether to provide the information to people who don't live in their jurisdiction The change is supported by the state sheriffs association, the Colorado Press Association and the Colorado Association of Realtors. They say the "need to know" provision isn't clear and that it's easy to skirt.

Currently, every state except Rhode Island posts some information about sex offenders on their Web sites, according to the Haas Kids Foundatioa Some have statewide sites and others have sites provided by local law enforcement agencies. Many of the online registry laws were passed before a 2003 Supreme Court ruling that upheld online registries in Alaska and Connecticut, though the ruling gave some states the backing they wanted before following through, said Blake Harrison of Ed AndrieskiThe Associated Press MAKE IT PUBLIC: Weld County Sheriff John Cooke, pictured at the Capitol in Denver on Thursday, has put the county's sex-offender registry online even though current law places some limits on who can gain access to the information. On the Internet CBI site: http:sor.state.co. usdefault.asp Sheriff's organization: www.csoc.orgabout.html Dr. Pam Schiller We! Friday, February 18, 2005 "VST 7:00 p.m.

i Boltz Junior High Auditorium 720 Boltz Drive i information available?" he said. Users of the Weld County site are asked for their name and address, and the system tracks what computer is being used in case the information is ever used to retaliate against a sex offender. Addresses that aren't in Weld County are denied access, though a reporter- was able to make up a name and address in Greeley to gain access. The Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault supports the change, but spokeswoman Cynthia Stone warned that parents shouldn't think just finding listed offenders is enough to protect their children. She said national and state surveys have shown that only about 16 percent of sexual assaults are reported, so there are many offenders who are never prosecuted and therefore never end up on any list.

"We don't want them to be so focused on someone who's on the list that they're not seeing warning signs from other people Stone said. photograph of the offender. The high court found that public safety needs outweighed sex offenders' right to privacy. Sen. Norma Anderson, R-Lakewood, said she worries about publishing the names of offenders convicted of less-serious, nonviolent offenses.

"There are a lot of people who can be reformed, and you have to give them a chance before you brand them," she said. She fears the shame associated with being identified on a Web site might drive some sex offenders underground, away from the therapy and strict monitoring they need for rehabilita-tioa She thinks it also could en Parents, caregivers, educational professionals and community members are invited to hear this nationally known author of Start Smart: Building Brain Power in the Early Years speak on early literacy and exciting research on infant brain development. For more information, call 221-6680. Sponsored by: Fort Collins Public Library it Friends of the Library it Fort Collins Read-Aloud courage vigilante justice. the National Conference State" Rep.

Dale Hall, R-Greeley, Legislatures in Denver. V. who proposed changing the law, Alaska posts photographs of admits people can get someone in the jurisdiction to get the information for them or even lie about why they're asking. "If you wanted to go through the hoops and potentially give the wrong information, you could find out, so why not just make all the offenders along with information about where they live and work and what kind of car they drive. Colorado requires law-enforcement agencies to provide the name, address, alias, date of birth and, when it's available, a -f -note' ii ir ii Kiimmniii.

.1 VI Bring the Kids! MUSICAL ZOO Kaleidoscope of A Hands-on Adventure in Music SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19 1-4 P.M. FORT COLLINS LINCOLN CENTER I ll FEBRUARY EVENTSTRIPS I Tuesday, February I How to Discipline Your Kids vmhout losing I heir Love, Wednesday, February 16 SkiTnp to Winter Park Time: 7.00 am, -700 p.m. Place Depart from Rolland Moore Park I 7 lilllllill enters lie resented tyjim ray JRS- 4 N- ol Larimer dully imc am PlaceTimbeHine Church. 2908Timberime Road Cost- $20Senior Center member, $24non -member OR STAY FOR THREE c-hs, oinfr Mit cm are responsible for their own equipment, lift ticket and lunch. Cost includes transportation and escort.

For more information, contact Senior Center staff at 22 1 -6b44 (Activity no. 44904-07). TICKETS: Friday Sold onjy at the door $5.00 for children three and older $500 OFF Set of Digital Hearing Aids Adults free when accompanied by a child $1.99 Batteries 4-pk expires 13105 LOVELAND 2695 W. Eisenhower Suite 214 80537 (in Home State Bank Bldg.) 970-593-1509 FT. COLLINS Riverside Ave Suite 3 80524 I i(l III 337 970-221-5011 COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS www.fcsymphonyguild.com JiilWTil 1 I I Collinwood Assisted Living Core With a Gentk Touch Private Rooms Medication Monitoring 24 hour Assistance I i 3 Delicious Meals Daily NOTE: A two-hour presentation by jim Fay.

co-founder ofThe Love and Logic Institute and co-author of Parenting with Love and LogicTeaching Children tesponsitolity.The seminar will include easy-to-leam strategies for handling grocery store getting your kids to do thar chores without reminders, avoiding; power struggles over allowance, curfews, and the car hancltng temper tantrums in public, Making raising kids fun instead of frantK, and so much more for information, contact Recreation staff at 22 1 -6640. Wednesday, February 2 Ski Trip to Copper Mountain Time p.m. Place: Depart from Rolland Moore Park Age: 18 Cost $20Sentor Center member 24non-member are responsible for their own equipment lift ticket and lunch. Cost includes transportation and escort For more information, contact Senior Center staff at 12 1 -6b44 (Activity no, Thursday, February 3. Back Country Trip to Blue Lake Time: 8 am- 4 p.m.

Place: Depart from Senior Center 1 200 Ramtree D. Age 18 Cost $15 NOTE: Enjoy the company of other cross country skiers and snowshoers without formal instruction. Difficulty is easy to moderate. Participants should bring their own equrpment.and a daypack with extra watef, food, and cfoyimg. Cost includes transportation and escort Participants should be good health and capable of moderate levete of activity.

For more information contact Semor Center staff at 22J -6644 lAeaty na 4403-05). Wednesday 9 Ski Top to Keystone Time 7:00 pm Race- Depart from RoHand Moore Park. Age-18 Cost $20Sentor Center member, $24non-member NOTE: Participants are responsible for their own equipment lift ticket and lunch. Cost includes transportation and escort For more information, contact Senior Center staff at 22 1-6644 (Activity no. 44904-06).

Sunday, February 13 Moonlights Roses: Celebrating the 1940s Time: 6:30 pm Race Fort Collins Senior Center, 1 200 Ramtree Dr Age: All Cost $8 per person NOTE: This annual event has been ongoing since the mid 1980s. This year we are celebrating the 1940s with popular music and memories of the decade. Spend the evening listening to the Fort az? Big Band play all the popular songs of the evening is for everyone to elebrate Valentine's Day As part of the program, we will honor those couples who have been married 50 years with some heart touching reminiscing ol the 1 940's. Event is sponsored by Allnutt Funerals, Goes Funeral Care and Whole Foods Market Information- Contact Recreation Staff, 12 1 -M5 itttiw 970-223-3552 Back Country Tnp to Michigan Ditch Time: 8 am. 4 pm Race: Depart from Senior Center, 1200 Ramtree Dr Age-18 Cost $15 NOTE.

Enjoy the company of other cross-country skiers and snowshoers without formal instruction. Difficulty is easy Participants should bnng their own equipment and a daypack with extra water, food, and clothing. Cost includes transportation and escort. Participants should be in good health and capable of moderate levels of activity. For more information, contact Senior Center staff at 221-6644 (Activity no.

44903-06), Wednesday, February 23 SkiTnp to Breckenndge Time: 7:00 a.m. pm Place: Depart from Rolland Moore Park Age: 18 Cost: $20Senior Center member $24nonmember NOTE Cross country skiers and shoppers are welcome on this tnp to beautiful breckenndge. Participants are responsible for their own equipment lift ticket and lunch. Cost includes transportation and escort, for more information, contact Senior Center staff at 22 1 -6644 (Activity no. 44904-08.

Thursday, February 24 Back Country Tnp to Mt Ma'garet Time: 9 am. 3 p.m Plae: Depart from Senior Center 1 200 Ramiree Dr Age 18 Cost. no discounts available) NOTE: Enpv the company of other ooss-countrv swe and snowshoers without formal instruction. Difficulty is easv. Participants should bnng their own equipment and a daypack with extra water, food, and clothing Cost includes transportation and escort.

Participants should be good health and capable of moderate levels of activity. For more information, contact Senior Center staff at 221-6644 (Activity no. 44903-07), Adult Summer Softball League learn Repstratpo- nto-raticr for peierai reg'St-atar can be picked us begnmng eryuarv 7 at the Recreat-on Office, 2 1 4 Howes Pronty registration forms will oe mailed to engmbie rteas from the sunrner JOG-1 'eague tor ma-m relation on! (same night or diffemt ught; tnat hegms on Monoay, February '4 and closes March 1 1, General registration: Begins March 2 and clcses Apn' 8 or wen leagues fill Fees' $545team (slow pch), $5S5team (fast pitch) 'player must be 1 6 years and up Season i 2 games 1 0 guaranteed beginning the week ay I Contact stafU.4 Howes or car 22'-6h40 NOTE: The Gtv on Co'uns wii: make reasonable accommodations 'or access to Citv- seces. ryorams. arc activities and wit arrek spec communicator arar.gerreris fcr wth disahii'tes Lor active tfat Tqr? it is recoTnerdPC f-at reojpf oe mane oe wee, a.1a.n:e S05S S.

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