Heart Sore on Valentine's Day.

Around the world lovers embrace and come together in peace and harmony on Valentine's Day, but this year is another in the twelve-year cycle of grief for one Denver family.

On Valentine's Day 2000, two sweethearts Stephanie Hart-Grizzell and Nick Kunselman, were brutally gunned down in a Subway Sandwich shop in Littleton, CO. Twelve years later the killer has yet to be found. Kelly Grizzell, my aunt, will be hosting a press conference to ask Jefferson County Police Officers about the still open case. This seems to be merely a formality as there is still no new information about the open case or any developments that may effect the outcome of this case. According to Jacki Kelley, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, “There have been a number of times we’ve worked leads that seemed very promising,” Kelley said. “When a tip comes in, it goes in a file.”

As the years pass by however, the file may be getting larger but the criminal is still at large.

This heinous crime occurred less than a year after the violent and brutal murders at Columbine High School, also in Littleton. According to the Jefferson County Police it is considered as a part of the Columbine tragedy. This is due to the fact that the Littleton Subway Sandwich shop is located just three blocks south down Prince St. from Columbine High School.

According to an anonymous source it used to be a drug stop for many of the students and people living in the area, this did not however cause the police to increase drive by protection or surveillance in the months after the 12 student deaths associated with Columbine High School. Knowing that the Jefferson County Police made many mistakes during the hostage situation at Columbine on April 20, 1999 did not apparently cause them to step up their efforts. Increasing surveillance of the neighborhood or increasing protection of businesses in the area could have saved the lives of Nick Kunselman and Stephanie Hart-Grizzell who were just 15 and 16, respectively, when they died.

As Stephanie was my cousin this story comes a little closer to home and I hope anyone who reads this blog would see the pain and devastation families suffer when there are no answers. So tune in at 5 p.m. on Feb. 13, as Channel 9 News talks with Kelly Grizzell and Teresa Kunselman and they collaboratively question Jefferson County Sheriff's Office about the murders of two ill-fated lovers.

(This photo is of my dad and me, my cousin Stephanie, my older sister Heather, and my identical twin Jessica at Christmas when we were little.)

World-wide Protest for Human Rights

The spiritual community of Tibet gathered on Wensday, Feb. 8, for a vigil in hopes of showing the lack of civil rights occuring in Tibet. This enmasse prayer hour was surrounded by Chinese armed forces in case the situation ended in a violent revolt or disbute. This show of affulence and violent authority over Tibet was unnecessary as the inumerable innocents lives that have been taken have already shown the international community China's authority over Tibet. Addressing listers worldwide, the Tibetan Prime Minister in exile, Lobsang Sangay, advocated for the day long prayer on Feb. 8th to show the "Chinese government that violence and killing of innocent Tibetans is unacceptable." This is according to the Tibetan Post International.

For too long now the Tibetan people have been oppressed, abused, and murdered. But perhaps worse than this, the Tibetan people have been separated from their holy spiritual leader and his guidance and today also bears a sad reminder of this news as in Ngaba another monk has lit himself on fire in protest to this bitter tyranny. This is the 21st case of self-immolation in the last year.

China's control over the small country since 1950 "has brought modernity and development to the region." According to Voice of America presses. But this development has come hand in hand with a dictatorship-like rule. According to further data by VOA, China has been slowly "flooding the region with non-Tibetan Chinese," and "often discriminate against Tibetans in matters of governance and employment."

These were just some of the issues that brought people flooding into the Nangchen county for a full day of prayer and spiritual protest. It was not just a Tibetan occuarnce either. In London over 150 demonstrators marched in protest of civil rights for the Tibetan people. According to The Tibetan Post International, "Black ribbons were worn over the mouths of many participants to highlight how Tibetans are being forcibly silenced in Tibet".

It is distressing to realize as I write this out, with the freedoms given me by my forefathers, that in Tibet even this blog could be considered an act of treason or terrorism. So I dedicate this first post to showing the events just as they occured and being an advocate for freedom.

First Post

Here is my first post! :)