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Charges dismissed against Franklin Sain, accused of threatening Rep. Fields

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A Denver judge on Friday dismissed charges against Franklin Sain, the man accused of sending threatening letters to state Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora. Reported by Denver Post 5 days ago.

DIA duck family gets new home

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A mother ducks and her nine ducklings have a new home in Aurora on Friday. Denver International Airport reported on its Facebook page that the feathery family was spotted on Pena Boulevard. Reported by Denver Post 4 days ago.

Montgomery Actors Starring in Musical

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Montgomery Actors Starring in Musical Patch Montgomery, IL --

The Fox Valley Park District's Summer Stage production of The Sound of Musicwill be performed July 19, 20 and 21 at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.


Ticket prices range from $7 to $13 and may be purchased through the P Reported by Patch 4 days ago.

Kifowit To Host Child Safety Seat Check and Touch-A-Truck Event for Area Parents and Children

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Kifowit To Host Child Safety Seat Check and Touch-A-Truck Event for Area Parents and Children Patch Oswego, IL --

*AURORA, Ill* – In an effort to help ensure safe car travel for children and to provide a weekend family activity, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Aurora, announced that she will host a Child Safety Seat Check and Touch-A-Truck event with the Au Reported by Patch 1 day ago.

Aurora Day of Remembrance plans for anniversary of theater shooting announced

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The city of Aurora on Friday released a more detailed schedule for its Day of Remembrance on July 20, the anniversary of the theater shooting. Reported by Denver Post 11 hours ago.

Aurora begins to plan July 20 remembrance of theater shooting

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The city of Aurora has announced a number of activities that will take place July 20 in remembrance of last summer's movie theater shooting. Reported by Denver Post 11 hours ago.

Colorado Theater Shootings: James Holmes, His Psychiatrist and School Named in Lawsuit

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James Holmes, who's facing trial for a shooting spree at a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" at an Aurora, Colo., movie theater that left 12 people dead and dozens injured, has been named as a non-party at fault in a lawsuit against the theater where the shootings took place.

In legal papers filed in U.S. District Court in Colorado on Tuesday, Century Theatres Inc. -- which owns Century Aurora 16, the site of the July 2012 shootings -- names Holmes as a nonparty at fault.

Related Articles: 
Colorado Theater Shooting: Lawyers Say James Holmes Is Mentally Ill
Colorado Theater Shooting: James Holmes to Plead Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity
Colorado Shootings: James Holmes Claims He Doesn't Know Why He's in Prison (Report)

read more Reported by The Wrap 8 hours ago.

Hollywood After Aurora Murders: 'They Don't Want To Deal With It'

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NEW YORK — It was a year ago this week that the sickening sound of gunfire rang out at a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo. The mass shooting reverberated painfully in Hollywood, and how could it not? It happened at the movies.

Five months later, the horrific massacre of first-graders at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., launched yet more reflection – about gun control, certainly, but also about entertainment content, particularly violent video games said to be favored by the killer.

And yet, in the year since Aurora, seemingly little has overtly changed in the area of violence in entertainment, save the notable musings of actor Jim Carrey, who tweeted misgivings about his latest film, "Kick-Ass 2," after Newtown: "Now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence," he wrote.

And some ask: If nothing changes now, will it ever?

"My fear is that we have such a short attention span," says Chuck Williams, a youth violence expert at Drexel University who's especially troubled by movies that depict "stylized" violence. "And as a society, we don't like being on a diet. We want to consume what we want, when we want it."

Certainly, screen violence is a complex issue. Studies have not shown clear links with real-world violence; in video games, which have undergone the most scrutiny lately, many researchers say the evidence just isn't there.

There's also the specter of censorship and infringement on artistic freedom, something that raises hackles instantly in the entertainment industry. And, of course, there's the issue of gun control. Many in Hollywood say that's where the focus should be, while the gun lobby has suggested violent images in entertainment and games are more to blame than access to guns.

"The issue makes a lot of people uncomfortable in Hollywood – they don't really want to deal with it," says Janice Min, editor of The Hollywood Reporter trade publication. She notes that after Aurora, producer Harvey Weinstein called for a summit of filmmakers to discuss screen violence – but it never happened.

And one of Weinstein's favored filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino, director of films like the bloody Western "Django Unchained," is angered by the mere question of a link between entertainment and violent events. "I've been asked this question for 20 years," he said in a tense exchange on NPR. "Obviously, I don't think one has to do with the other." Of Newtown, he said, "Obviously the issue is gun control and mental health."

Others say it's not so obvious; it's a whole slew of issues. "We can't allow this conversation to be ONLY about gun control," says Williams. "Nothing will happen."

"There are so many competing factors," says Timothy Gray, a senior VP at the industry trade publication Variety who edited a post-Newtown issue on violence. "The more you pull at the thread, it makes people crazy. People in entertainment say, `It's not entirely our fault.' OK, but there's a difference between that and saying we're not going to contribute at all to the discussion."

Gray says he'd like to think the dialogue is changing, but he's not so sure. And, he adds, "it's hard, when the public seems to want this stuff."

And yet, tastes may be shifting. An Associated Press-GfK poll in January found that 54 percent of adults would support a policy limiting "the amount and type of gun violence that can be portrayed in video games, in movies or on television." Other polls at the time found similar misgivings about violent content.

And, says Min, while summer offerings are heavy on violent blockbusters, a number have tanked at the box office, perhaps indicating that the public – especially the female segment, she feels – is feeling alienated from the product. (Though four of the five top-grossing films so far this year have PG-13 ratings warning of violence.)

"I don't think there's any soul-searching about violence on the part of studio executives," Min says. "But if a different kind of movie does well, you'll see others coming out like it."

After all: "It's all driven by economics in Hollywood."

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VIDEO GAMES: IS THERE A LINK?

Video games got extra scrutiny after Newtown, especially the "first-person shooter" type apparently favored by 20-year-old killer Adam Lanza.

Industry executives say the scrutiny is unjustified.

"People who play video games have a very firm grasp on the distinction between the fantasy world of play and what happens in the real world," Andrew House, president of Sony Computer Entertainment, said in a June interview.

Researchers tend to support him. "Everybody's focusing on video games, but empirically, it just hasn't been proven," says Patrick Markey, a psychology professor at Villanova University who's studied behavioral effects of video games.

Besides, he says, "it would have been surprising if Lanza hadn't played those games, because most male adolescents play them." He says games may marginally increase aggression – but not to the level of violence.

Other research, says psychology professor Sherry Hamby, has suggested possible negative effects of intense consumption of violent content across media platforms. "But just because a kid plays `Call of Duty' doesn't mean he's going to become an assailant," says Hamby, who's on the American Psychological Association's task force on media violence.

Industry heads say it's about parental control. "Games are rated for a reason," says Vince Zampella, co-creator of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare."

The appetite for shoot-'em-up games doesn't seem to have waned. Each month since Aurora, mature-rated shooting games have been among the top 10 sold, according to industry tracker NPD Group.

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TELEVISION: ZOMBIES AND SERIAL KILLERS

Shortly after Newtown, the entertainment presidents of both NBC and Fox said they didn't believe there was any connection between violence their networks depict and real-life tragedies.

"Nothing that is on the air is inappropriate," said Nina Tassler, entertainment chief for CBS.

Executives go with what's buzz-worthy – like AMC's "The Walking Dead," a gory zombie drama. Fox's most successful new show, "The Following," features Kevin Bacon as an investigator chasing a charismatic killer who gouges out his victims' eyes. There's also NBC's "Hannibal," about serial killer Hannibal Lecter.

And one of the most talked-about TV moments this spring came on HBO's "Game of Thrones": a celebration leading to an orgy of stabbings (beginning with a pregnant woman), throat slittings and shootings.

Events like Aurora and Newtown have little impact on the thinking of television executives, says Tim Winter of the Parents Television Council.

It's, "`We can get back to business as usual as soon as people stop talking of these things,'" he says.

For TV executives, "there's so much money involved that they look the other way, even if they're socially conscious, intelligent people," says Dr. Victor Strasburger, pediatrics professor at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

There's been at least one pang of hesitation. After Aurora, writer-producer Kurt Sutter, whose bloody "Sons of Anarchy" follows a group of outlaw bikers, said on Twitter that "this kinda thing always make me question my liberal use of violence in storytelling."

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MOVIES: A FOCUS ON RATINGS

After Aurora, Warner Bros. found itself in the uncomfortable position of having to pull trailers for its "Gangster Squad" due to a scene of gunmen shooting up a movie theater. The film was postponed and reshot.

Further scrutiny came with Newtown. In January, former Sen. Chris Dodd, head of the Motion Picture Association of America, met with Vice President Joe Biden, and said the industry was "ready to be part of the conversation" on gun violence – while still vehemently opposing content restrictions.

In April, the MPAA and the National Association of Theater Owners announced a new "Check the Box" campaign meant to supplement the ratings system, which has been criticized as soft on violence, by making reasons for a rating slightly more prominent.

"Our industry has a long history of voluntary engagement on this issue," the MPAA said in a statement for this report, declining an interview request.

Unveiling the "Check the Box" campaign, John Fithian, president of the theater owners group, suggested studios should make fewer R-rated movies: "It's cool to be Quentin Tarantino ... But there's a bit of a disconnect between exhibitors and the studios as to what works."

Just what kind of screen violence is appropriate has been widely debated.

The recent Superman film "Man of Steel" was criticized, for example, for showing the demolition of huge swaths of a city as mere backdrop for a fight. A film like Derek Cianfrance's "The Place Beyond the Pines," on the other hand, illustrates the generations-long reverberations of a shooting between a police officer and a bank robber.

"I have strong feelings about guns, and how we're using them in this film," Cianfrance said when the film came out. "We're using it not in a fetishized way, not in a cool violence way.

If I have to see another slow-motion bullet come out of a gun and paint brains on the wall ... It's not beautiful to me."

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Associated Press writers Derrik Lang in Los Angeles, David Bauder and Jake Coyle in New York, and Lou Kesten in Washington contributed to this report. Reported by Huffington Post 8 hours ago.

Have Aurora, Newtown affected screen violence?

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It was a year ago this week that the sickening sound of gunfire rang out at a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo. The mass shooting reverberated painfully in Hollywood, and how could it not? It happened at the movies. Reported by Seattle Times 5 hours ago.

Canter Consulting, Inc. is Offering the Modern Solution to Gun Violence by Introducing the First Violence Prevention System in the World

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Study and research of violent crimes and the weaknesses of law enforcement in many countries and continents enabled us to develop the first Violence Prevention System in the world.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) July 14, 2013

Canter Consulting, Inc. is now offering presentations of the first Violence Prevention System in the world, now available in the United States.

The president of this company studied insurgency and various types of violent crimes for more than fifty years, in Asia, United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and selected European countries. Based on these studies and research it was established that the only solution is to modernize the outdated reactive system of law enforcement.

-Pro-Family A.D.S. - A "Family-Oriented Advanced Defense System" is designed to modernize all law enforcement within the United States, both local and federal.

-Family-Oriented Advanced Defense System is a “violence prevention system” now available for the first time only in the United States.

This would be the first opportunity to modernize the outdated reactive system that has been in use since the inception of law enforcement. By studying violent crimes and the weaknesses of law enforcement, a unique five-step solution was developed to:

1)    Control terrorism, 2) Prevent violent crimes 3) Decrease prison population, 3) Create jobs to reduce government debts and budget deficits. This is all without the need to raise taxes.

In communities and schools, this advanced system will prevent the repeat of tragic shootings wherever the program is adapted, like:


·     Aurora & Columbine Colorado
·     Newtown, Connecticut
·     Tucson, Arizona
·     Santa Monica, California and many others

On a different level of program, the regular shootings and casualties in the City of Chicago, Illinois, is a customized comprehensive program specifically designed to:


·     Eliminate all illegal guns
·     Reduce prison population
·     Eliminate all shootings to stabilize communities and schools
·     Reduce government cost
·     Eliminate tragic casualties
·     Create jobs to improve the economy
·     Possibly reduce taxes

Canter Consulting, Inc.’s modern law enforcement is designed to:

1.    Slowly reduce until totally eliminated the current “police street patrolling system” to be replaced with “Pro-Family A.D.S. Police Street Management System”. This would mean tremendous savings on manpower, vehicle maintenance, gas (better for the environment).

2.    Introduce and implement “Street Smart Education” for out-of-school youths and gang members.

3.    With all of the above in place, with violence tamed to near zero level, cost of prison lower, jobs created, more police officers will be hired to assist in the implementation of “Police Street Management System”.

There are two major factors being offered in this presentation/workshop:

a) Education of government leaders, including military, law enforcement, and intelligence    agencies.

b) Variety of programs to choose from available for cities, states, or the federal government.

Our presentation/workshop will also cover the following challenges:

1) How to update this hundreds of years old “prison system” where the population now at 2.4 million, the highest in the world, is now hurting the budget for the education of future leaders of America.

2) Gun Control - the proper way to accomplish this without dividing government leaders and the American people. The Pro-gun vs. anti-gun debate is unproductive and unsafe for the nation.

3) April 9, 2012 NY Times Journal - "The FBI reported that although violent crime is down, the killing of police officers is rising, and they do not know why." This will be explained why and identify what actions can be taken to protect our police officers, schools and communities.

Positive and productive effects to the Department of Homeland Security:

This program is designed to “Control Terrorism” by combining all of the above it will eliminate the repeat of the following:


·     The September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York City; and
·     The April 15, 2013 bombing of the Boston Marathon

This presentation/workshop is currently offered to government leaders only. This includes military, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies. Reported by PRWeb 4 days ago.

Montgomery Actors Starring in Musical

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Montgomery Actors Starring in Musical Patch St. Charles, IL --

The Fox Valley Park District's Summer Stage production of The Sound of Musicwill be performed July 19, 20 and 21 at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.


Ticket prices range from $7 to $13 and may be purchased through the P Reported by Patch 3 days ago.

American Sentinel University’s Chief Academic Officer Says STEM Skills Key to Addressing Challenges of 21st Century

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American Sentinel University’s chief academic officer recently addressed education innovators at HBCUs Connected: Executive Leadership Forum about the crucial areas in higher education and affirmed that a world-class science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) adept workforce is the key to addressing the challenges of the 21st century in health care, technology, business and innovation and is paramount to the U.S. competing in a global marketplace. Learn more about American Sentinel University’s online degree programs at http://www.americansentinel.edu/.

AURORA, Colo. (PRWEB) July 15, 2013

American Sentinel University’s chief academic officer, John Bourne, Ph.D., recently addressed fellow education innovators about the crucial areas in higher education at HBCU's Connected: Executive Leadership Forum two-day event held at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Md. and affirmed that America needs a world-class science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) adept workforce to address the challenges of the 21st century in health care, technology, business and innovation.

During his presentation, ‘The Challenge, STEM, Pedagogy and Suggestions,’ Bourne discussed how a growing number of industries require stronger STEM skills, yet America’s production of graduates that have mastered STEM has sunk to historic lows in recent years.

Bourne, a prominent education innovator who established the Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C™) in 1996 with Support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, says the U.S. simply doesn’t have enough highly educated technical workers to fill in-demand jobs.

The answer is for colleges and universities play an important role for the U.S. to meet these challenges head-on, says Bourne.

“Innovative educators can help meet America’s need to develop a world-class STEM workforce by building partnerships with businesses and other colleges and universities to promote STEM education,” says Bourne.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are the largest organization of black college alumni, students and supporters and recently, The White House Initiative recognized the significant contributions which HCBUs have made to the nation.

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities play an important role in educating and developing America’s future workforce,” says Bourne.

He says that colleges and universities can enhance the role HCBUs play in meeting America’s STEM education goals by partnering with them and offering best-in-class online education technology and empowering technology degree programs and courses.

“A skilled workforce in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math is paramount to the U.S. competing in a global marketplace and the ability to educate STEM professionals will be key to our continued success,” adds Bourne.

Learn more about American Sentinel University’s online degree programs at http://www.americansentinel.edu/ or call 866.922.5690.

About American Sentinel University
American Sentinel University delivers the competitive advantages of accredited online degree programs in health care, information technology and business. The university is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Its bachelor’s and master’s nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission for the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). American Sentinel University and their faculty offers years of experience in online education and a next generation learning platform focused on student learning and outcomes. Degree programs offered at American Sentinel that support STEM education include Master of Health Care Informatics (MHCI), Master of Science Computer Science (MSCS), Master of Science Information System (MSIS) and Master of Geospatial Information Systems (MGIS).

# # # Reported by PRWeb 3 days ago.

Bill Jacobs BMW Sponsors 27th Annual Golf Classic Benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities

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Bill Jacobs BMW in Naperville, IL will be sponsoring 8 hole in one opportunities to win a new car at this year’s Golf Classic for Ronald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. The event will be held Wednesday, July 17th, 2013 starting at 8:00 am at PGA-recognized Cog Hill Golf & Country Club located at 12294 Archer Avenue Lemont, IL 60439.

Naperville, IL (PRWEB) July 15, 2013

Bill Jacobs BMW in Naperville, IL will be sponsoring 8 hole in one opportunities to win a new car at this year’s Golf Classic for Ronald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. The event will be held Wednesday, July 17th, 2013 starting at 8:00 am at PGA-recognized Cog Hill Golf & Country Club located at 12294 Archer Avenue Lemont, IL 60439.

Caring for families of children with complex medical needs by providing comfort, compassion and community, Ronald McDonald House Charities keep families of hospitalized children together in a home away from home. Their 4 Chicago-land current houses allow families to eat, sleep and find the emotional support they need – just blocks from where their child is being treated.

Registration for golfers to participate in the 18-hole golf tournament closed Wednesday July 10th, however there are still opportunities to volunteer, donate, and become a sponsor of the event. Contact Lindsay DeThorne at 630.623.5172 or ldethorne(at)rmhccni(dot)org to inquire.

In addition to the tournament, the event will feature breakfast and a silent auction, a driving range & chip shot challenge, followed by a cocktail reception, and dinner buffet.

About Bill Jacobs BMW
As one of the largest BMW dealerships in the Chicagoland area, Bill Jacobs BMW is fully committed to creating a shopping experience for our customers that matches the luxury products we represent. In keeping with the Bill Jacobs tradition, we promise to provide a customer-friendly purchasing experience, as well as a responsive and reliable experience in our service department. With over 50 years in the automotive business, Bill Jacobs BMW is a name you can trust.

For additional information, please visit us today at 2495 Aurora Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540 or by calling (866) 516-8010 and visiting our website at http://www.billjacobsbmw.com. Reported by PRWeb 3 days ago.

3 Charged With Cannabis Possession: Police Blotter

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3 Charged With Cannabis Possession: Police Blotter Patch Lisle, IL --

SATURDAY, JULY 6


*Cannabis Possession*

The following men were each charged with cannabis possession:


· Theodore L. Barnes, 26, of the 1200 block of Coventry Place, Aurora
· Thomas M. Jamieson, 39, of the 1600 block o Reported by Patch 3 days ago.

Gessler Files Suit Against Hickenlooper To Set Recall Election Date

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Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler filed suit against Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper late Sunday in a move meant to force the governor to set a dates for the recall elections for Senate President John Morse, KDVR first reported.

More than 10,000 valid signatures were verified by the secretary of state's office on July 5 (only around 7,000 were needed for the recall effort) and Hickenlooper has 60 days from then to sent the election dates.

Hickenlooper's office is holding off on setting a date for the recall until after a Denver District Court hearing on a preliminary injunction from a Morse supporter seeking to nullify the Morse recall altogether, The Denver Post reports.

El Paso County Clerk Wayne Williams is also at odds with Hickenlooper and complained last week that a recall election date should be set now so there is time for preparation, like ballot printing and mailing, can take place. Williams said that ideally he would like to see the election take place on Aug. 27.

Gun rights activists are seeking recall elections of Sens. Giron and Morse over their support for a gun control package that Hickenlooper signed into law earlier this year including expanded background checks to include all private gun sales and transfers and a 15-round limit on ammunition magazines.

“Giron’s disregard for the majority of her constituents to vote no on anti-Second Amendment issues and her general disregard of our Constitution and the rights of the citizens of Colorado demonstrates she must be removed from the Senate,” Victor Head, a plumber who has organized the recall through Pueblo Freedom and Rights group, said to The Denver Post.

Head told ABC World News that he had never set up a recall campaign before and didn't know how to before this year. "I'm a plumber," Head said. "I've never done anything like this in my life."

However, Giron remains defiant saying resignation "hasn't even crossed her mind," The AP's Kristen Wyatt tweeted, and that she did, in fact, listen to her constituents, Wyatt added:



No second thoughts on gun bills she supported, @sengiron says. "This is what my constituents wanted." #coleg

— Kristen Wyatt (@APkristenwyatt) June 10, 2013


Morse has also responded to the recall effort with defiance. “[W]e had 20 6-year-olds shot in the face, and we have the other side arguing we should do nothing, and I’m sorry, that doesn’t cut it," Morse said in response to the recall effort to the Associated Press referring to the 2012's Connecticut school shooting.

Morse says he will not resign and says that even if he loses his seat the gun control measures were too important to dodge in the wake of 2012's Aurora theater massacre and the Sandy Hook shooting in Conn. “Keeping Coloradans safe from gun violence is very worth your political career," Morse said. Reported by Huffington Post 3 days ago.

Colorado Film School mentors Potential Next Generation of Filmmakers with Summer Camp

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Low-income youth see future possibilities through hands-on training, professional guidance at the Colorado Film School at CCA, a Colorado community college

Denver, CO (PRWEB) July 17, 2013

The renowned film school at Community College of Aurora (CCA) hosted a free, two-week “Camp for Kids” this July in conjunction with a community-based arts education program that promotes creative growth for low-income children who reside within a high-risk urban community.

In total, 31 children ranging from ages 8-14 participated, many of them affiliated with the Downtown Aurora Visual Arts Program (DAVA). For the majority of these youths, it’s the first time they’ve been exposed to the high-tech filmmaking equipment, top-tier acting coaching, and script development available at CCA, an Aurora and Denver community college.

Children were broken into five groups to create, film and edit individual short films, with a screening session for parents and friends culminating the camp/community partnership.

“I just think you shouldn’t underestimate kids. It’s amazing what they can come up with and what they can do if you give them a chance and get them out and away from those video games,” said CFS assistant professor Geoffrey Chadwick, who previously has been involved with DAVA summer programs off site on several occasions.

“All they need is the right opportunity. We have all these resources, great people and equipment, so it’s a really neat thing for these kids to be doing in the summer time.”

The overriding theme for all the groups in crafting their short stories is “maps,” or more generally, finding one’s place and identity in the world. CCA is helping show one of the possibilities within a professional setting using high-tech equipment.

The Colorado Film School has been on the list of Hollywood Reporter’s top-25 film schools in the world and currently stands as an honorable-mention selection. Many of its faculty, students and recent graduates volunteered their time during this event, during which lighting, moving camera shots, green screen work, and filming both in a studio and in the field all were covered.

The camp fits neatly into Community College of Aurora’s overriding mission to serve the community.

But, as CFS director Frederic Lahey explained, it goes well beyond that mindset.

“It’s interesting because some of our greatest storytellers always harken back to their childhood as the basic well for a lot of their creative impetus and their storytelling,” he said. “Kids just love being engaged in real things … and what I love really seeing is our students mentoring these young people. It gives everyone a touch back to the excitement and enthusiasm of childhood.

“And what I’ve always said, too, is that film production presents a stealth literacy program, because it’s engaging, sexy, exciting -- the idea of making films. But at the same time kids may not realize the skillset that’s required. It requires a lot of planning, production management, a lot of writing, and character development. And in this case, a lot of snack breaks.”

The children involved in this summer program come from different cities around Colorado and originally hail from virtually every continent. Some of the participants are from India, Africa, Egypt, South America, Mexico, and Central America. A couple kids only a couple of years ago were in Somalian refugee camps, Chadwick said. There are boys and girls, even part of a local soccer team in attendance.

The diversity doesn’t end there. One film tackles a prison break that culminates in Oz, while another examines an alternate universe. Two more of the short films take place in a haunted school and a Candyland-type setting.

The deadline-intensive project began with CCA faculty Galina Boulgakova – a Russian native who learned the Stanislavsky method of acting under master instructors – providing tips on getting into character, being believable and, in many cases, overcoming severe shyness.

Numerous other filmmaking facets were covered by instructors, such as Steve McKisson and James Shea (moving camera skills), Will Hicks (screenwriting), Lauren Chavez (editing) while Chadwick oversaw a variety of pre- to post-production tasks.

“It’s wonderful collaboration. Our computer lab is too small, so this is a great opportunity for them to be at Community College of Aurora in really a professional setting for films and really playing with their own stories and work with professional people,” said Luzia Orneles, job training manager at DAVA.

“The whole mission in our organization is to really keep them motivated, working and learning to become leaders, being creative and solving problems. And this allows them to explore even more.”

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About CCA
Community College of Aurora has campuses at CentreTech and Lowry in the greater Denver area. Equipped with the latest technologies, CCA allows students to study new and traditional programs, while also offering degrees and online classes in Colorado. CCA’s service community spans 325,000 people in a 350-square-mile area and CCA’s student population reflects that diversity. The college provides lifelong educational opportunities, prepares the current and future workforce, and promotes excellence in teaching, learning and service. Reported by PRWeb 21 hours ago.

Beasley & Henley Wins Best Clubhouse Interior Design at 2013 Aurora Awards - Showcases Hot Trend of Smaller, Flex Spaces

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Beasley & Henley Interior Design kicks off the awards season by winning 2 awards for Best Clubhouse “Steel House’ at July 13, 2013 Aurora Awards. The numerous small areas of the project showcase the hot trend of smaller, flexible spaces in multi family common areas.

Winter Park, FL (PRWEB) July 17, 2013

Award-winning interior design firm, Beasley & Henley Interior Design kicks of the 2013 awards season with 2 wins at the 34th annual Aurora Awards. The innovative firm won both a ‘Best Clubhouse or Common Area’ Aurora Award and a Grand Aurora for their creative design and merchandising at Steel House in Orlando, Fl. The Aurora Awards are an event held every year, in association with the South East Builders Conference, to recognize excellence in design for south east region designers, architects, builders, and others in the design and building industries.

Led by Principal Designer Troy Beasley, Beasley & Henley’s design of this progressive downtown project, includes cutting edge interiors in the clubroom, fitness center and skyline ‘Lounge’. The style of the spaces is markedly upscale-urban and sophisticated with modern furnishings and bold colors. The amenity spaces are small, so a lot of 'look' was adeptly fit into each space to appeal to the young, hip demographic.

One focal point for this progressive project is large stylized mural of a woman’s face in the lobby. Its vibrant, modern look sets the tone for the community. Wood flooring, wood wall and ceiling details ground this space, which is flooded with light by the large front windows.

Another main area for Beasley & Henley’s designs is the 4th floor lounge. Looking out onto the city, it features modern and industrial style furnishings, lighting and colors that give it a high end night club feel.

The design team’s pool furnishings are white chaises with orange side tables, and exterior dining chairs in an organic pattern.

The Beasley & Henley design team provided the client, Pollack Shores Real Estate Group, all the interior design including the floor plan analysis, interior detailing, interior specification, ID drawings, outdoor living spaces and luxury furnishings.

The architect for the project, Poole and Poole Architecture, also won an Aurora award for their design of Steel House.

Beasley & Henley is pleased to continue its alliance with growth-focused Pollack Shores Real Estate Group with includes the previous award winning project of 5 East in Atlanta.

Beasley & Henley Interior Design is a boutique interior design firm creating common areas, model homes and private residences across the US. Their services include interior detailing, specifications, drawings, interior design and furnishings. For more information on Beasley & Henley Interior Design or any of their award winning interiors, including Aurora Awards, please call 239-774-1005 or 407-629-7756, or reach us at Stephanie(at)BeasleyandHenley(dot)com http://www.BeasleyandHenley.com Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.

US Door and More, Inc. Launches a New Range of Custom Doors by JELD-WEN

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US company Door and More, Inc., which is one of the leading distributors of entry, exterior, interior, French and patio doors based in Tampa, Florida, announces its launch of new products – Custom Doors by JELD-WEN. Known for designing and manufacturing luxury doors for more than 40 years, US Door and More has teamed up with JELD-WEN to provide customers with a wide variety of custom interior and exterior doors from the classic to contemporary designs.

(PRWEB) July 17, 2013

The new custom doors by JELD-WEN, recognized worldwide for their extensive product line of exterior and interior doors, come from its collection of Aurora custom fiberglass doors. These Custom Doors sport the look and feel of real wood and are suitable as entry (exterior) and interior doors. Each of these Aurora Custom Fiberglass exterior doors include wood grain textures and decorative accents and come in multiple panel designs. Some of them also include glass panels for a more classic and elegant look.

The JELD-WEN Custom Door, one of the newest additions to US Door and More product line, is made from high quality, protective, textured, and energy efficient glass which requires minimal maintenance. It also comes with limited lifetime warranty, which shows confidence in their products. The custom-doors come in different height, sizes, thickness, and width to fit any doorway style that customers might have.

Because there are a variety of custom doors to choose from, Door and More makes it easy for customers to narrow down their choices by specifying their shopping options. Customers are given the freedom to narrow down their search for the custom door that they want by selecting from these characteristics: door type (exterior or interior), configuration (plain or with sidelights), and style (round top, arch top, colonial, modern, round door). These are the available Finish Options: antiquing, paint, or factory stain. Types of wood grain finish include: oak, mahogany, Knotty Alder, cherry, paintable, walnut, alder, maple and Douglas fir. Custom Doors also have their own door accessories.

US Door and More boasts a top collection of interior, exterior, and French doors and pride itself for its designers with 40 years combined experience in the industry. The company has received numerous awards, including international awards for design, construction, and high quality.

About Door and More

Door and More, Inc. is a Florida-based online distributor of high quality entry doors, exterior doors, French Doors, patio doors and interior doors. They offer doors in wood, glass, fiberglass and steel. Their doors come in many configurations to suit your needs: single, double, bypass, bifold and more. They offer these doors at factory prices.

DoornMore.com is committed to deliver its promise time and again. Customer satisfaction is always guaranteed with each door that is crafted by master craftsmen with high level of experience and skill. Designers have 40 years combined experience in the industry that helped the company receives several local and international awards for construction, design, and high quality. Reported by PRWeb 18 hours ago.

Aurora, One Year Later: Gun Debate Still Rages

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DENVER -- The last time Colorado enacted gun control measures was in the wake of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, and once the laws were on the books there was little acrimony.

The state's latest batch of gun control laws – coming after a gunman's deadly rampage at a suburban Denver movie theater a year ago – has sparked a struggle over guns that shows little signs of fading. Gun rights advocates are trying to recall two state senators who backed the package, and dozens of GOP county sheriffs are suing to overturn it.

"This is going to remain a political hot potato for Democrats for many, many months," said gun-rights activist Ari Armstrong.

Ironically, in the months after the gunman's shooting spree left 12 people dead and injured 70 others, there was little public discussion of gun control here. The shooting at a midnight showing of the Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" occurred in a key swing county in one of the most hotly-contested battleground states in last year's presidential election.

But President Barack Obama, seeking re-election, did not bring up gun control in a state that cherishes its western frontier image. Neither did most Colorado Democrats.

It wasn't until December's shooting at a Connecticut elementary school left 20 first-graders and six adults dead that gun control rose in prominence. By March, Colorado became the only state outside the Democratic Party's coastal bases to pass sweeping gun control measures, including universal background checks and a ban on high-capacity magazines.

After the Columbine attack, voters closed a loophole that allowed buyers of firearms at gun shows to evade background checks. In the wake of the Aurora massacre, the prospects for more gun control in this libertarian-minded state seemed shaky at best.

Soon after police say a former neuroscience graduate student named James Holmes, armed with a rifle and a high-capacity magazine able to fire 100 bullets, wreaked his carnage, the Democratic lawmaker whose district is home to the Century 16 movie theater where the shooting took place began drafting gun control bills, hoping Coloradans would be more receptive to them.

They weren't. "There was a sense of political fear," recalled state Rep. Rhonda Fields, who became a legislator after her son and his girlfriend were shot to death in 2005 to stop him from testifying at a murder trial.

In a television interview days after the shooting, Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper appeared to cast doubt on the effectiveness of new gun control laws.

Despite a push by gun control groups and some relatives of those slain in Aurora, moderators at the presidential debates didn't bring up the topic. Craig Hughes, a top adviser to Obama's Colorado campaign, said it felt inappropriate to raise the issue while emotions were so raw. "The right course here was to not politicize it," he said.

Hickenlooper said he had quiet conversations around the state after that and was struck by wide support for universal background checks.

In November, Democrats won both the state House and Senate as Colorado helped re-elect Obama. And on Dec. 12, Hickenlooper declared that "the time is right" to talk about gun control.

Two days later in Connecticut, Adam Lanza, 20, shot and killed his mother, then drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School and opened fire before killing himself. The attack shocked a country that had grown hardened to mass shootings. Obama vowed an all-out push for gun control.

In Colorado, a similar push was already queued up.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's gun control organization, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, hired four lobbyists to help push gun bills in Colorado. Vice President Joe Biden called state legislators to urge them to vote for the package. Biden told them that Colorado, with its western traditions, could help set the tone for national gun policy.

To Republicans and gun rights groups, the message was clear. "The Obama administration and these East Coast politicians decided that, as Colorado goes, so goes the rest of the nation,'" said GOP state Rep. Mark Waller.

GOP legislators fought furiously to delay the bills' passage. Hundreds of demonstrators circled the state capitol and packed the legislative chambers. Democrats were confident voters were on their side. They have not lost a presidential, gubernatorial or U.S. Senate race for more than a decade, powered by a combination of a growing Hispanic voting population and an influx of coastal moderates.

"The voices that are the loudest (in protest) are not the ones that determine elections here," Laura Chapin, a Democratic strategist who worked for local gun control groups, said after the bills passed.

For gun rights advocates, the movie theater attack exposed serious problems that Democrats were ignoring: Bans on guns in public areas, and the issue of mental health. Holmes purchased his guns legally but also had seen a psychiatrist who feared he was dangerous.

The Century 16 complex forbade guns. If viewers were armed, gun-rights groups argued, they could have stopped the attack. Advocates also noted that, from the limited information that has become public, some officials at the University of Colorado, Denver, where Holmes studied, may have been warned that he could turn violent.

"Let's not pretend our options are binary – do nothing or pass more restrictive gun laws," said Armstrong, the gun-rights activist.

The legislature agreed to a $20 million Hickenlooper plan to expand mental health services. But the gun control package got the most attention. The bill banning larger-capacity magazines squeaked through by a single vote in the state Senate.

Meanwhile, Democratic strongholds like New York, Connecticut and California passed some measures, but gun control packages died in Congress and in liberal-leaning states like Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and even Biden's home state, Delaware.

In June, Colorado gun activists collected enough signatures to trigger recall elections for two state senators, including that chamber's president. If Democratic efforts to block them fail, the recall votes could be the first electoral test of post-Sandy Hook gun control. Fifty-four county sheriffs filed a federal lawsuit to strike down the laws as violations of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Tom Sullivan, whose son Alex was celebrating his 27th birthday at the theater when he was killed, said he shied away from the gun debate at first. But he went to the state legislature to watch the debate and was at the arguments against action.

"I'm not going to shrug my shoulders," Sullivan said, "and say this is the cost of living in a free society: my son's going to be murdered by a guy with a 100-round magazine walking into a theater on his birthday."

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Follow Nicholas Riccardi on Twitter at . https://twitter.com/NickRiccardi Reported by Huffington Post 14 hours ago.

FBI, Police Still Still Outside Home Of Wanted Solon Man

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FBI, Police Still Still Outside Home Of Wanted Solon Man Patch Solon, OH --

Alex Spirikaitis is still barricaded inside his Aurora Road home as a 13-hour standoff continues.

Men in SWAT gear have arrived outside the home and Aurora Road is blocked off at Bainbridge and Liberty Roads.

Solon Patch will keep you updated Reported by Patch 12 hours ago.
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