Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire

FEAST

A Neenan roof latest risk

INSIDE

Nuggets win their firstpreseason matchup. »1C

7 FISHES

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011 mostly sunny E 40˚F 15˚»14B B © the denver post B $1.00 price may vary outside metro denver

Online» Worried about your holiday travel plans? Get the seven-day forecast. »denverpost.com/weather

Lives on hold

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Until recently, Lizeth Amateco had never heard the term “prosecutorial dis-cretion.” Now, her future depends on it.

Amateco, 19, is one of the 7,800 illegal immigrants whose cases are beingreviewed by federal prosecutors during a six-week pilot program being car-ried out to test the effectiveness of prosecutorial discretion in immigrationcourt in Denver. Cases also are being reviewed in Baltimore.

This review that has been under-way for two weeks means that gov-ernment attorneys are siftingthrough files and determiningwhich cases should go on the “lowpriority” pile, effectively freezingproceedings, or on the “priority”stack. In the latter cases, the govern-

ment would move forward withprosecutions and deportations.

While prosecutors huddle overthe daunting stacks of files and Den-ver immigration attorneys staybusy trying to determine which oftheir cases might be set aside, the

DISCRETION » 13A

)RTD OPTS FORHOTEL PLAN ATUNION STATION»denver & the west, 1B

The oldest ofeight sisters,Lizeth Amateco,19, is joined byAshley, 3, attheir home inAurora.Craig F. Walker,The Denver Post

By John Ingold The Denver Post

A federal prosecutor said Tuesday thatlax munitions controls at the Supermax pris-on in Florence allowed a drug-addictedguard to steal as many as 15 “flash-bang” gre-nades from the prison armory.

Christopher “Kit” Turner, who pleadedguilty Tuesday to a federal weapons charge,admitted to taking 10 of the stun grenadesand selling one of them. He said he ignitedothers to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Turner’s former girlfriend told police thatTurner also traded ammunition — possiblytaken from Supermax — for prescriptiondrugs, according to a police search-warrantaffidavit.

GUILTY » 15A

By Eric Gorski and David OlingerThe Denver Post

Part of the roof at a junior and seniorhigh school in the San Luis Valley is atrisk of collapse if bearing as little as 10inches of snow and is in need of imme-diate repairs, officials said Tuesday.

The problems at Sargent Junior-Se-nior High School, just northeast ofMonte Vista, are the most serious tobe found at a Neenan Co. projectsince structural flaws in Meeker trig-gered a series of reviews of the firm’swork on Colorado schools.

Neenan has agreed to pay for new

bracing and supports to a beam sup-porting the roof above a physical-edu-cation and wrestling room at the 190-student school, Sargent School Super-intendent Philip Compton said.

Neenan considered the problem se-rious enough to recommend thatCompton bar students from the room“out of an abundance of caution” untilrepairs are made before students re-turn to classes in January, said AndyBoian, a spokesman for Neenan.

Compton said the school was out bythe time Neenan reached him overthe weekend and that there are no

NEENAN » 15A

»food, 1D

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MediaNews Group

PAYROLL-TAX CUT STALLED

House voteraises stakesand anxiety

OFTHE

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Many illegal immigrants who fit the noncriminal, longtime-residentprofile are anxiously waiting for word on their fate from prosecutors.

By Nancy Lofholm The Denver Post

MUNITIONS CONTROLS “LAX”

Supermax guardadmits thefts fromprison’s armory

Issues with schools continue to buildStructural issues have been found at nine Colorado schools built by the Neenan Co. of Fort Collins:Kremmling — A gymnasium roof on a new school lifted slightly in an April 2008 windstorm. Repairs were made.Craig (elementary school) — Repairs were made to a beam during construction.Meeker — A repair plan is in the works for an elementary school that was closed after a review found serious problems.Monte Vista — A high school under construction will get work on columns and other repairs.Craig (middle school) — A wing is closed temporarily to students after analysis found it failed to meet building codes.Akron — A school under construction needs foundation work and strengthening.Grand Junction — Minor issues were identified at Capstone Charter School. Repairs are planned.Adams County — Issues termed minor were found in a review of a new addition at York International School.Rio Grande County — Repairs are planned to strengthen a beam supporting a roof at Sargent Junior-Senior High School.Sources: School district officials; public records; Neenan Co.

Business » 5-11B | Comics » 7-9D | Contact The Post » 2B | Lottery » 2B | Movies » 5D | Obituaries » 10B | Puzzles » 7-8D

By David Espo The Associated Press

washington» Congress lurched to-ward Grinch-like gridlock Tuesday as theRepublican-controlled House rejected atwo-month extension of Social Security taxcuts that President Barack Obama said was“the only viable way” to prevent a drop intake-home pay for 160 million workers Jan. 1.

“The clock is ticking; time is running out,”Obama said shortly after the House voted229-193 to request negotiations with the Sen-ateonrenewingthepayroll-taxcuts forayear.

House Speaker John Boehner, told thatObama had sought his help, replied, “I needthe president to help out.” His voice rose ashe said it, and his words were cheered bydozens of Republican lawmakers who have

PAYROLL » 14A

NATION& WORLDPUBLICATIONSARE ASKED NOTTO PRINT INFOFederal officials askscientific journals to notpublish the details ofcertain biomedicalexperiments, for fear thatthe information could beused by terrorists tocreate havoc. »4A

DENVER &THE WEST

SNOWDAYSAs southeasternColorado digs outfrom under as muchas 15 inches of snow,other parts prepare fora holiday storm. »1B

BUSINESSReady for takeoff.Fewer people will flythis holiday season,but flights will still bepacked. »9B

SPORTSTEBOW’S WAYOF FINISHING ISCATCHING EYESTim Tebow’s completionpercentage ranks lastamong starting quarter-backs. But most wouldlove to have his penchantfor pulling out wins. »1C

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