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Friday, February 12, 2010

Editorial: Vacation interrupted



Copyright 2010 Grand Junction Free Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Grand Junction Free Press February, 12 2010 3:19 pm

Editorial: Vacation interrupted



We got a little chuckle out of the irony of this story.Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger, the people's chief prosecutor, soaking up rays in Mexico receives the call that his 16- and 17-year-old sons played host to a party during the weekend at the family home, and alcohol was involved.

Approximately 35 people, ages 14 to 18, were in attendance, and many were intoxicated, the Denver Post reported. Twenty-six of those teens were cited for underage drinking.

It is a scenario that could happen to any responsible parent. Kids do dumb things sometimes, period — even the district attorney's kids, who are probably decent boys.

“We are appalled and dismayed,” Hautzinger said in an interview with the Denver Post. “We have two really good kids who we generally think the world of.”

No doubt the Hautzinger boys screwed up and given the severity of the situation, all should be thankful that citations and summonses were the worst that came out of this.

It serves as a reminder that underage drinking continues to be a problem, and how we as a community must continue to crackdown on these offenses.

Teens are somehow still getting their hands on alcoholic beverages, and law enforcement needs to be vigilant and dogged in nabbing adults who provide it.

It's good to know that Mesa County law enforcement agencies do have a zero-tolerance policy for underage drinking, and that local police won't look the other way when notable community members are spotlighted.

Kudos to the neighbor who tipped off law enforcement, and ditto to local law enforcement for doing their job regardless of the homeowner's surname.

All of this begs the question now: What does Hautzinger have in store as punishment for his sons?

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Members of the Free Press Editorial Board are Publisher Valerie J. Smith, Managing Editor Tracy Dvorak, and Staff Writer Wyatt Haupt Jr.


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