CO - Jessica Ridgeway, 10, Westminster, 5 Oct. 2012 - #23

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The City of Westminster Co. is trying to raise funds to build Jessica's Park. Here is the Denver News Channel Link. hhtp://kdvr.com/2013/01/07/westminster-seeks-donations-for-150000-park-to-honor-jessica-ridgeway
 
hhtp://kdvr.com/2013/01/07/westminster-seeks-donations-for-150000-park-to-honor-jessica-ridgewayThe City of Westminster Co. is trying to raise funds to build Jessica's Park. Here is the Denver News Channel Link.
 
The city of Westminster hopes to raise $150,000 in community donations over the next two months, funding that would allow the city to complete the park renovation.
The total cost is estimated at $450,000, and the city has already committed $200,000 in cash and in-kind donations.
Before the holidays, the project received its first major outside contribution, a $100,000 pledge of conservation-trust funds from the Jefferson County Commission.

Why don't they use $450k to help find missing children? Or use it where it actually benefits someone...not simply for sentimental/symbolic reasons? Is Westminster and Jefferson County going to donate 250k to the investigation of the next child who goes missing? Where is the park for the other children who have been murdered in Jefferson County?
 
Regrettably and unfortunately not all murdered children get a Memorial Park. However it is not the City of Westminster or Jefferson County's responsibility to fund any other jurisdictions investigations. Simply the City of Westminster and Jefferson County are planning to build the park for Jessica Ridgeway because they CAN. I personally hope they build the best park ever.
 
Regrettably and unfortunately not all murdered children get a Memorial Park. However it is not the City of Westminster or Jefferson County's responsibility to fund any other jurisdictions investigations. Simply the City of Westminster and Jefferson County are planning to build the park for Jessica Ridgeway because they CAN. I personally hope they build the best park ever.

I'm just saying that all that money could be put to much better uses. I'm sure there are some sick children from Westminster who could use the money for hospital bills. Or children from a poor local family who didn't receive any gifts for Christmas. Something tells me that the city and county aren't donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to local families in need. Why not?

Use $450k to help families in need...to fix roads...to combat local crime...to buy new textbooks..something that will actually help people. Not waste it on some elaborate park design in an attempt to feel better about themselves.

I just don't get it. This is just another example of the government throwing money from tax payers away like it grows on trees. *sigh*
 
I understand your point of view. We have a Memorial Park in our neighborhood that commemorates a fallen police officer. This park brings great sense of pride to our community. It is the most widely used park in our area. It is clean, well kept and used mostly by families that have no yard for their children or pets to play. Unfortunately sometimes a tragedy like this brings a community together. Hopefully this park can be a place of pride and healing for Jessica's neighborhood. It has taken a terrible blow. How can you put a price on that?
 
Why don't they use $450k to help find missing children? Or use it where it actually benefits someone...not simply for sentimental/symbolic reasons? Is Westminster and Jefferson County going to donate 250k to the investigation of the next child who goes missing? Where is the park for the other children who have been murdered in Jefferson County?
I can't speak for Westminster, but around here there have been several parks that started out as a "X-Person" Memorial Park, then morphed over the years (and as people's memories fade or parents of said victims dies) into "All Victims" Park, or "Somebody who paid a lot of money to get their name on this" Park. I officially feel older than dirt that I have seen some parks go through several iterations.

And I agree with you, BTW. I know I am in the minority for my opinion, but I asked my children how they would feel going to a memorial park named for someone who was kidnapped and murdered. At first, they thought it was a nice idea. Then later, they came back and said "After thinking about it, that'd actually be kind of creepy."
 
I can't speak for Westminster, but around here there have been several parks that started out as a "X-Person" Memorial Park, then morphed over the years (and as people's memories fade or parents of said victims dies) into "All Victims" Park, or "Somebody who paid a lot of money to get their name on this" Park. I officially feel older than dirt that I have seen some parks go through several iterations.

And I agree with you, BTW. I know I am in the minority for my opinion, but I asked my children how they would feel going to a memorial park named for someone who was kidnapped and murdered. At first, they thought it was a nice idea. Then later, they came back and said "After thinking about it, that'd actually be kind of creepy."

It's weird. Why should children be reminded to the horrible crime every time they go to the park? "Mom....who is Jessica Ridgeway?" Can you imagine people saying things like..."Softball game at Jessica Ridgeway park!" It just sounds wrong. I know parks are named after victims, but this is a murdered child killed very recently.

Also, people are going to go back to letting their kids play outside alone, go to the park with just their friends...And it's going to be ironic in a horrible way when kids are playing at this park with no supervision or walking to school alone past it, just like the little girl who the park is named for.
 
Imo, anything that can contribute to keeping Jessica Ridgeway's memory alive is a very positive move for child safety and awareness.. A reminder for those who think that child abductions only happen to other people's children in other places..
 
Imo, anything that can contribute to keeping Jessica Ridgeway's memory alive is a very positive move for child safety and awareness.. A reminder for those who think that child abductions only happen to other people's children in other places..

This park isn't going to stop people from letting their children play outside without supervision, though. With AS arrested, memories are going to fade, and people aren't going to be as cautious. I would even take a guess that a lot of people are back to their pre-October routines, in other neighborhoods. People might even start thinking that what happened to Jessica is so rare, since she got a park named after her.

In Samantha Runnion's case, her mother has started actual programs that focus on preventing child abduction or molestation. In other cases, parents have traveled to DC to pass laws to prevent other children from having the same fate as their own. Those are the things that are going to raise awareness and prevent these crimes; not a park.
 
The Ridgeways have also set up a Jessica Ridgeway Legacy Fund. It will be used to fund underprivileged children for camps, music programs, ect. The Ridgeway family has made it very clear they want to CELEBRATE Jessica's Life and to use all funds for a positive reflection in Jessica's memory. They could use the money for child abduction awareness, but instead have chosen a loving and giving approach like buiding a beautiful park for everyone in the community to enjoy. The awareness factor of child abduction will always be there, how could it not. How wonderful for Jessica's Legacy to be so positive and reflect her Life in such a joyous way. Hats off to the Ridgeway Family and the City of Westminster for having Beautiful Jessica's Legacy be more about giving back to the Community and for taking a positive approach in Jessica's memory. :heartbeat:
 
The Ridgeways have also set up a Jessica Ridgeway Legacy Fund. It will be used to fund underprivileged children for camps, music programs, ect. The Ridgeway family has made it very clear they want to CELEBRATE Jessica's Life and to use all funds for a positive reflection in Jessica's memory. They could use the money for child abduction awareness, but instead have chosen a loving and giving approach like buiding a beautiful park for everyone in the community to enjoy. The awareness factor of child abduction will always be there, how could it not. How wonderful for Jessica's Legacy to be so positive and reflect her Life in such a joyous way. Hats off to the Ridgeway Family and the City of Westminster for having Beautiful Jessica's Legacy be more about giving back to the Community and for taking a positive approach in Jessica's memory. :heartbeat:

I think the foundation to make a cheerleader camp, etc is a good idea. I just don't agree with the town and county donating 250k of taxpayer dollars to make some elaborate park design. I doubt they are donating 250k to every other charity/cause in town. Why this one? Did the other causes not get enough publicity?

If someone starts a foundation for their Westminster child who has cancer, and they need hundreds of thousands of dollars for the treatment...is Westminster and Jefferson County going to give $250k to them too? I don't think so. If a family's house burns down, is the city and county giving $250k to them? Doubtful.
 
eileenhawkeye, it is doubtful that the memorial park is the only positive that will emerge from Jessica Ridgeway's tragic abduction and murder. Imo, the passing of Jessica's Law in CO is only one of these positives.. please vote & share to facebook, etc.

http://www.change.org/petitions/col...m=url_share&utm_campaign=url_share_after_sign

Petitioning Colorado Legislators
Colorado Legislators: Enact "Jessica's Law" in Colorado
Signed
with 2,046 other supporters.

CUE (community united effort) missing/murdered persons org., will be having their annual national round table conference in a couple months. Each year the conference doubles in attendance due to the growing silent epidemic. Many if not most are new organizations began by the families of the missing/murdered.. The prison inmate poker cards with victims were the result of an idea by one of these families. Many new State & Federal Laws have been passed due to their persistence and perseverance.

http://www.ncmissingpersons.org/national-conference-2/

The 9th Annual National Missing Persons Conference 2013 : CUE ...
www.ncmissingpersons.org/national-conference-2/Feb 9, 2012 – THEME 2013 ” A Pathway to Resolution “. IMG_2488

Join us for our upcoming national conference for missing persons and all who work in the arena from advocating, volunteering, investigation, search and rescue and the identification process of those who are lost.

This event is open to all who support the mission of finding a resolution for families who have suffered a missing loved one and are or have been a victim of crime.
 
Foxfire; Just because a petition is on change.org, it doesn't mean it is getting passed. It's just an online petition site. I hope Jessica R's case moves Colorado to pass Jessica's Law (which is actually named after Jessica Lunsford) but I haven't heard anything about the Colorado legislature looking to vote on it. I'm not sure when they are in session, though.
 
Foxfire; Just because a petition is on change.org, it doesn't mean it is getting passed. It's just an online petition site. I hope Jessica R's case moves Colorado to pass Jessica's Law (which is actually named after Jessica Lunsford) but I haven't heard anything about the Colorado legislature looking to vote on it. I'm not sure when they are in session, though.

Eileenhawkeye, imo, if Legislators want to return to office after the next election, they may want to get behind Jessica's Law..

(snipped & BBM)
http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot...d-charging-miklosi-protecting-children/83248/

In the battle for the 6th Congressional District, Republican Congressman Mike Coffman recently unveiled a TV ad that charges Democratic challenger Joe Miklosi was soft on sexual predators as a state lawmaker and “decided to vote against them (children).”
“Joe Miklosi cast one of the deciding votes against Jessica’s Law.”

http://www.ourcoloradonews.com/elec...cle_9ec8d298-288f-11e2-afb5-0019bb2963f4.html
Ryan Boldrey rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com

Republican Mike Coffman may want to send a thank-you letter to the voters of Highlands Ranch.
In a tightly contested race with Democratic challenger Joe Miklosi for the newly redrawn Congressional District 6, votes from Douglas County are sending the incumbent back to Washington. Coffman got 49 percent of the vote to Miklosi’s 45 percent, with the rest going to Libertarian and unaffiliated candidates.

Coffman accepted the seat around 10:30 p.m. Nov. 6, more than two hours before Miklosi conceded the race.
As Coffman appeared on stage at Sports Authority Field at Mile High to thank his supporters for electing him to his third term, Democrats at Miklosi’s election-watch party in Aurora were stunned.
 
Eileenhawkeye, imo, if Legislators want to return to office after the next election, they may want to get behind Jessica's Law..

(snipped & BBM)
http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot...d-charging-miklosi-protecting-children/83248/

In the battle for the 6th Congressional District, Republican Congressman Mike Coffman recently unveiled a TV ad that charges Democratic challenger Joe Miklosi was soft on sexual predators as a state lawmaker and “decided to vote against them (children).”
“Joe Miklosi cast one of the deciding votes against Jessica’s Law.”

http://www.ourcoloradonews.com/elec...cle_9ec8d298-288f-11e2-afb5-0019bb2963f4.html
Ryan Boldrey rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com

Republican Mike Coffman may want to send a thank-you letter to the voters of Highlands Ranch.
In a tightly contested race with Democratic challenger Joe Miklosi for the newly redrawn Congressional District 6, votes from Douglas County are sending the incumbent back to Washington. Coffman got 49 percent of the vote to Miklosi’s 45 percent, with the rest going to Libertarian and unaffiliated candidates.

Coffman accepted the seat around 10:30 p.m. Nov. 6, more than two hours before Miklosi conceded the race.
As Coffman appeared on stage at Sports Authority Field at Mile High to thank his supporters for electing him to his third term, Democrats at Miklosi’s election-watch party in Aurora were stunned.

Coffman was the incumbent, and the incumbent always has a better chance than the other guy. That's not to say that Miklosi voting "NO" on Jessica's Law didn't have an effect on why he lost; but Coffman still had an advantage. If this is a heavily GOP congressional area, it's not likely they are sending a democrat to represent them.
 
Coffman was the incumbent, and the incumbent always has a better chance than the other guy. That's not to say that Miklosi voting "NO" on Jessica's Law didn't have an effect on why he lost; but Coffman still had an advantage. If this is a heavily GOP congressional area, it's not likely they are sending a democrat to represent them.

Colorado already collects DNA profiles from convicted sex offenders. The only effect Jessica's law would have is to expand that to anyone accused of such a crime. Miklosi voted no because he believes in due process.
 
I'm just saying that all that money could be put to much better uses. I'm sure there are some sick children from Westminster who could use the money for hospital bills. Or children from a poor local family who didn't receive any gifts for Christmas. Something tells me that the city and county aren't donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to local families in need. Why not?

Use $450k to help families in need...to fix roads...to combat local crime...to buy new textbooks..something that will actually help people. Not waste it on some elaborate park design in an attempt to feel better about themselves.

I just don't get it. This is just another example of the government throwing money from tax payers away like it grows on trees. *sigh*

The city had already planned to upgrade the park in the future but moved up the timeline. The funds they had already committed to upgrading other parks were diverted to this park instead so it isn't like they pulled the money from somewhere else, just another park in the community that will have to wait.
 
preliminary hearing will be closed to the media and the public

A judge is denying the media's requests for access to a key hearing for a teen accused of killing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway and attacking a jogger.

Judge Stephen Munsinger ruled Friday that the preliminary hearing for Austin Sigg will remain closed to the public to ensure Sigg has a fair trial and to protect the privacy of the alleged victims and their families.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/new...dgeways-death-to-remain-closed-t-public-media

http://media.thedenverchannel.com/p...nsigg_1354058244468_332526_ver1.0_320_240.jpg
 
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