Fastracks’ rising costs a concern for 65%, poll finds
A new survey of metro Denver residents shows 65 percent are concerned about increased costs to RTD’s FasTracks transit expansion program, but a similar percentage “remain confident that RTD can deliver FasTracks as approved by voters.”
Still, some of that confidence is “fragile,” said consultant David Kenney, whose firm conducted the survey. The message from respondents, he said, is “we trust these guys will do it,” meaning deliver FasTracks on schedule, “but they better do it.”
In 2004, voters approved a $4.7 billion FasTracks plan that includes construction of at least six new rail lines in metro Denver by 2016.
Since the vote, construction-cost increases and other factors have pushed the project’s expected price tag to $6.1 billion.
The survey, commissioned by RTD, included 771 telephone interviews with area residents from Oct. 30 to Nov. 4.
It had a 3.53 percentage point margin of error.
It found 3 percent of residents use RTD’s bus service and 2 percent use light rail.
Council vote saves Stapleton hanger
The Denver City Council on Monday ensured the preservation of a Stapleton-area hangar once dubbed one of Colorado’s most endangered places by Colorado Preservation Inc.
The council on an 11-0 vote, with council members Chris Nevitt and Marcia Johnson absent, approved a bill designating Hangar 61 as a structure worthy of preservation.
The hangar is one of the original buildings from the former Stapleton Airport in northeast Denver, and it once faced demolition.
Developer Larry Nelson plans to restore the building. Colorado Preservation Inc. purchased the building with a $194,825 grant from the State Historical Fund.
Another $200,000 grant will help the nonprofit stabilize the building.
Input sought on attributes for next CU president
The University of Colorado’s Presidential Search Committee will hold a meeting tonight to gather input about what the public would like to see in CU’s next president.
The meeting, hosted by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, will be at 5:30 p.m. at the chamber, 1445 Market St., fifth floor conference room. The event is open to the public.
Man gets 10 years in prison for child porn
Charles Andrew Unfug was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after apologizing in U.S. District Court for possessing more than 1,000 images of child pornography.
Unfug, 25, the son of a Weld County judge, had pleaded guilty to possessing photos and videos of children younger than 12 engaging in sex acts.
Some of the photos are considered sadistic images.
The conviction could have brought Unfug a sentence of 168 months in prison, but the crime has a 10-year statutory maximum.
“I thought I was safely at home behind a computer screen,” Unfug said as he apologized to Judge Marcia S. Krieger. “Now I understand each child was subject to abuse.”
Unfug also apologized to his family, friends and mentors and said he used child pornography to cope with problems.
“Due to my loneliness,” he said. “It was an easy way to mask my depression and that need.”
