October 2020 - Posts
(October 3, 2020) The Aurora Police Department has made an arrest in this case. At around 3:40p.m. the suspect, Jesus Aguirre-Flores (DOB: 08/17/1994) was spotted in a vehicle in the area of East Colfax Avenue and Havana Street by an Aurora Police Officer. The driver of the vehicle, Khadijah Evans (07/28/98) failed to stop when officers tried to initiate a traffic stop. A pursuit was authorized which traveled through parts of Northwest Aurora and briefly into Denver. At around 3:50p.m. in the area of East 14th Avenue and Del Mar Parkway an officer used his vehicle to forcibly end the pursuit. Both Aguirre-Flores and Evan were taken into custody. Two Police Officers sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Aguirre-Flores was arrested for 1st Degree Murder and Evans was arrested for Eluding.
Jesus Aguirre-Flores DOB: 08-17-94
Khadijah Evans, DOB: 07/28/1998
Lieutenant Chris Amsler
Commanding Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
Information previously released on August 17, 2020:
(August 17) On Monday, August 17, 2020, at approximately 2:23 p.m., Aurora Police Officers responded to 10950 East Colfax Avenue, Radiant Inn, on a reported shooting.
Officer's arrived and located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. The male was transported to the hospital where he tragically has succumbed to his injuries.
The identity of the male will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office after he has been positively identified, and next of kin have been notified.
Investigators from the Major Crimes/Homicide Unit responded to the scene and are actively investigating this as a homicide.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call our Homicide Unit at 303.739.6077 or they can remain anonymous by contacting Denver Metro Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867) and be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.00.
Officer Matthew Longshore
Public Information Officer
Aurora Police Department
720-432-5095
Read It! Review of "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grissom
by Nicole
Hello! Thanks to my awesome friends in Wisconsin I have been reading more and more books this year and books I normally wouldn’t read outside my scope of fantasy, and suspenseful thriller. This is why I love book clubs, I get to experience other genres outside my comfort zones, and get to know my friends more by the books they choose and through our discussions of what they enjoyed and didn’t. Our next book club pick was “The Kitchen House” by Kathleen Grissom.
“The Kitchen House” by Kathleen Grissom is not only a New York Times Bestseller, but it has also been deemed a “Book Club Favorite”, and was nominated as both the Goodreads Choice Awards Best Historical Fiction and Goodreads Choice Awards Best Debut Goodreads Author. This book was first published in 2010 and is categorized as a Historical Fiction novel.
The story starts with Lavinia, a young white girl orphaned during her passage from Ireland, who finds herself as an indentured servant on a thriving plantation in Virginia. She is cared for by Belle, the master’s illegitimate slave daughter, where Lavinia learns to cook, clean and serve food in the kitchen house. Growing up, Lavinia sees Belle and the rest of her family as her one true family where she belongs. But as she starts to get accepted into the big house with the master’s opium addicted wife and their dangerous yet protective son, she begins to learn that because of her skin color she is not like Belle and the other slaves. The narrative follows both Lavinia and Belle as we see the differences that unfold in class, race and family secrets.
This book was highly regarded among the group in our discussion. In similar fashion to the book “The Help”, we saw how differently people viewed color and status in the eyes of both Lavinia and Belle. Lavinia grew up thinking she was just like any of the other slaves, but because of her white skin she was given advantages as she grew up. Belle, on the other hand, was forced to keep the dark secret of her true identity and thus was treated just as unfair as the other slaves by the master’s family. There were some characters that treated the slaves like people, and then there were other’s whose hatred blinded their actions and made it sometimes hard to keep reading. We all agreed that it was eye-opening and an incredibly powerful story. We also noticed how different characters influenced others which affected them later in life when it came to how they treated slaves.
If you read this book and enjoyed it so much, Kathleen Grissom wrote a sequel to this story called “Glory Over Everything: Beyond The Kitchen House” in 2016.
Other books to read if you enjoyed “The Kitchen House” would be “The Healing” by Jonathan Odell, “The House Girl” by Tara Conklin and “The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd.
Check back for my book review of our next book club pick which was “The Little Shop of Found Things” by Paula Brackston.
Made in a Mug: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
by Nicole
Need a sweet treat? A savory mouthful? Join us for "APL Made in a Mug" for your next bite-sized recipe!
October's recipe is Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Recipe from The Bitter Side of Sweet. Thank you to Nancy for letting us share this recipe!
Check out the full recipe here!
(October 1, 2020) Now that former Officer Levi Huffine's Civil Service Commission Disciplinary Appeal Hearing has concluded, the Aurora Police Department is releasing the body worn camera footage that was shown during the public hearing on Tuesday. The video has been posted on the Aurora Police YouTube Channel and is included in this news release.
Since this case has not been adjudicated by the commission, Chief Wilson nor the department will be commenting or providing interviews about this case or this weeks proceedings.
Internal Affairs Investigation Summary of Evidence and Orders
Any media inquires regarding the hearing should to be sent to the City of Aurora Communications Department at [email protected].
Lieutenant Chris Amsler
Commanding Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
Information Previously released on February 24, 2020:
(02-24-2020) Upon numerous requests, the officer who was terminated is Officer Levi Huffine. Officer Huffine began working at the Aurora Police Department in November of 2012.
It should be noted that this incident is not related to the critical incident involved Mr. Elijah McClain nor the case of Nate Meier.
Officer Matthew Longshore
Aurora Police Department
Public Information Officer
720.432.5095
Information previously released ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(02-24-2020) From the moment I took over as Aurora’s Interim Police Chief, I promised transparency to our residents to help build back the trust within our community. Continuing with that promise, I wanted to let you know of my decision today to terminate one of our police officers, over what I believe to be severe misconduct. This officer’s conduct was completely out of character with the mission, ideals, and expectations of the Aurora Police Department.
It should be noted that there were no serious injuries as a result of this incident but that neither excuses nor defends the officer’s actions.
Due to a pending appeals process that is given to civil service employees, I am unable to provide additional details or information about this incident until that process has been completed. At such time, I will make the body worn camera footage available and address questions from our community members.
Thank you,
Interim Chief Vanessa Wilson
Aurora Police Department
Debauchery and thrills are pleasing, but they are fleeting. Tragedy is permanent. Despair knows no limits. Old walls never forget old sins. Never has this held more true than in "The Empty House".
Leave the comfort of your book covers this Halloween as we share haunted tales right here on your computer screen. Every Thursday at 8 p.m., tune in for new spine-tingling tales!
Do you have a spooky story of your own? We're taking scary, terrifying or spine-tingling submissions! Staff will choose their top five favorite stories to read on Facebook the day before Halloween, and allow Facebook to vote via reaction! The winner will receive a prize from Aurora Public Library. Submissions must be 1,000 words or less, rated PG-13 and under, and must be emailed to [email protected] by Sunday, Oct. 25.
Make & Learn: Reading Colors
by Karen
Welcome to Make & Learn! In this program, our librarians will be sharing easy-to-make games and activities that support cognitive development and practicing early literacy skills. In this video, Miss Karen discusses disequilibrium and shares a game to practice reading colors words.
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