Climbers Make Trek For Chilly, Fireworks-Filled New Year's Eve

Members of the AdAmAn Club plan to start the New Year with a bang in a chilly spot. Each year someone invited to join the prestigious group joins the rest of the club on a cold trek to the summit of Pikes Peak, the state's driest 14-thousand-foot peak, on New Year's Eve. The club hikes eight miles from Manitou Springs to Barr Camp on December 30th, then moves up the eastern cirque, getting to the summit the next day, sometimes pushing through thigh-deep snow. The group will set off fireworks at 9 tonight, then the big fireworks at midnight.

Mega Millions Swells To 242-Million

Just one buck could land you 242-million dollars. That's the estimated jackpot in tonight's Mega Millions drawing. No one has win the jackpot since November 9th. All you need to do is pick all five winning numbers plus the Mega Ball. Mega Millions is available in 41 states, including Colorado, plus the District of Columbia.

Crocs Makers Must Stop Claims

The makers of the popular footwear Crocs must back down from its claim the shoes are "antimicrobial." Yesterday, federal regulators said the company agreed to stop making the claims that its shoes repel bacteria and kill germs. Federal law mandates products that do such a thing must be called pesticides. Crocs is based in Niwot, Colorado.

Call It 'Snowcial' Media

Mother Nature and social media are joining forces in this latest round of winter weather. The Colorado Department of Transportation is keeping citizens and travelers abreast of the latest road conditions through its Twitter feed "@ColoradoDOT." Some individual cities updating people through their own feeds, such as Castle Rock "@crgov" and Boulder "@boulderColorado." A collection of all cities can be found at twitter.com/7Marshall/snow2k10."

Man Busted After Standoff

Members of the local law enforcement Special Response Team took a Fort Morgan
man into custody after several hours of surrounding his house on Ash Street and trying to negotiate with him yesterday. Police arrested 43 year old Brian Hastings on a warrant that included three felony charges. Fort Morgan Police Chief Keith Kuretich said Hastings' bond will be determined when he goes to court on Monday. Police were there initially to serve a warrant resulting from an incident a couple of weeks ago, but Hastings would not come out on his own, so the SRT was called in. After a time, pepper spray was thrown, allowing SRT members to go in and arrest Hastings. He was originally charged with sexual assault, false imprisonment, violating bail conditions, and misdemeanor assault. Now, law enforcement says he'll face added charges in connection with Thursday's incident.

Morgan Co Commissioners Approve Money Moves

Morgan County Commissioners moved some money at this week's meeting. They put an extra 215 thousand dollars in for human services because Morgan County Department of Human Services said the money was needed for more out of home placements than expected, and they got less state funding. The Morgan County Lodging and Tourism Fund got another 20 thousand dollars moved from its reserves to its 2010 budget to pay for unexpected events in 2010.

Brush Trying to Attract Bison Processing Plant.

Rocky Mountain Natural Meats could be coming to Brush. City council told staff to offer the company some incentives to get them to open up shop here. Some of the incentives could be stable wastewater rates for five years and stable water rates for three years. The company could pay off the more than half a million dollars in investment fees over a two year period. The city will also waive some fees to get the bison processing company here, like 50 percent off the building permit and plumbing permit. City staff said they're really close to a deal with the company.

Winter Storm Sets in Today

The National Weather Service in Denver says its now a winter storm warning. That's what they're putting out for today and tomorrow. It'll run from 2 p.m. today to noon on Friday. NWS says the Sterling area will see snow and blowing snow. Forecasters says snow will develop and spread southward across northeast Colorado today through tonight and diminish on Friday. We could see five to ten inches of accumulation and the 40 mile and hour winds expected will cause drifting. NWS further says roads will be icy and snowpacked and travel will be difficult. Temps tonight will be below zero and with the wind, they'll feel like 20 below.
A winter storm warning means hazardous winter weather conditions are imminent or highly likely, which could make travel very hazardous or impossible.

Animal Rights Advocates To Rally

Local animal rights advocates will rally at the Colorado Capitol today. It's to mark the anniversary of the killing of Buddy the dog, who was sadly dragged to his death one year ago on this date. Buddy's death has become a rallying cry to prevent animal cruelty. Supporters plan to rally at 11 a.m. on the steps of the west Capitol. A Grand Junction man was arrested for Buddy's death.

Lights Coming To CU-Boulder

Facing safety concerns, the University of Colorado at Boulder says it will install more lights near dorms and walking paths. A report in the "Daily Camera" reported lights will be installed near the Kittredge and Sewall dorms as well as several walking locations around campus.

Couple Arrested After Thefts

Authorities arrested a couple in Pueblo yesterday after they tried to steal three televisions from a Walmart. Employees told authorities the couple placed three 32-inch televisions into a shopping cart and attempted to leave the store without paying. The couple was arrested and held on bonds of ten-thousand dollars apiece.

Man Goes On Wild Crime Spree In Greeley

A man hijacked a cable television truck before taking police on a wild chase through Greeley which saw the driver ramming through an iron gate, invading a home and finally shooting at officers. Greeley police identified the driver as 47-year-old Scott Walker of Phoenix. When officers finally caught Walker yesterday, he was evaluated at a local hospital and charged with eleven felonies that included attempted murder of a police officer. Surprisingly, no one was injured in the crime spree.

State Minimum Wage To Rise

Minimum wage workers in Colorado should get a raise soon. Most state workers getting the minimum wage will see a bump of in pay of eleven cents an hour starting next year. That's due to a rise in inflation of one-point-seven-percent. The raise will bring hourly wages to seven-36. Last year, the state minimum was cut by four cents.

Domestic Violence Cases Drop In Boulder County

Reported domestic violence cases fell 13-percent from 2008. According to a study by the Domestic Violence Research Team, domestic violence arrests were down nine-percent during the same period. Boulder County District Attorney's Office domestic violence head Tim Johnson tells the "Daily Camera" those numbers might not point to a long-term decrease. Johnson says there are often cycles of ups and downs.

Homeschoolers Meeting Coming Up

A home school information meeting will be held from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, at the East Morgan County Library, 500 Clayton Street, in the Carnegie meeting room. Topics of discussion will include: Why Home school, How to Start Homeschooling, the Colorado Home school Law, and scheduling, materials, testing, and how to help all ages and abilities of students achieve with homeschooling. Experienced home schooling parents will be present to speak about home schooling teens, multiple students, high achievers, average students, pre-school, teens, struggling learners, and special needs students. There will be resource material available to take home.
The meeting is free and open to the public interested in this topic. For more information, contact Shari McMinn at mcminnbcfarm@frii.com.

North Sterling Reservoir State Park Not on Chopping Block

Could North Sterling Reservoir State Park be closing? That was the talk of Sterling City Council last week. City councilman and Logan County Chamber of Commerce president Rocky Joy said the park is on the short list of those to close and needs to see support from the city to stay open. Officials from the state parks said North Sterling is not yet in danger of closure. They said that while millions come to state parks in a year's time, parks are suffering because of state budgets.

Hours Change for Holiday

There are several closings coming up for the New Year's holiday. Federal, state county and city offices will be closed on Friday for the Saturday holiday. Morgan County landfill closes at noon on Friday, there's no mail delivery or window service at the post office on Saturday, and the Fort Morgan Post Office closes at noon on Friday. There's no trash pick up in Fort Morgan on Friday. That will be picked up on Thursday. Brush will also not pick up trash on Friday. Banks will not be opened on Friday and some will close early on Thursday, so you probably need to call first.
Fort Morgan Public Library, the Fort Morgan Museum and East Morgan County Library in Brush will be closed Friday and Saturday. Schools are out for the holidays. Students will return to classes Monday, January 3 at Morgan Community College, Weldon Valley and Trinity schools. Fort Morgan, Brush and Wiggins public school students are back in classes on Tuesday, January 4.

Pilot Dies In Small Plane Crash

The pilot of a small plane was killed yesterday when his Cessna crashed into a remote area southwest of Carter Lake near Loveland. The man's identity has not be disclosed, but federal aviation officials were tipped that a pilot lost control of his craft shortly before 3 p.m. Larimer County Sheriff's officials said the impact of the wreck sparked a two-and-a-half acre wildfire, but crews were quickly on top of the blaze. Federal authorities are investigating.

Departing Governor Ritter May Be Remembered For Health-Care Reform

The soon-to-be-departing Governor Bill Ritter will likely always be remembered for wind farms and the, quote, "new-energy economy" that was his trademark. But some experts tell the "Denver Post" he will be remembered even longer for health-care. Health-care advocates say Ritter's administration has done more to expand public insurance rolls than any governor in Colorado since the state started participating in the federal Medicaid program 40 years ago. When the economy struggled, he cut reimbursement rates to hospitals and doctors that treat Medicaid patients but he got little criticism for those cuts.

Mother Surrenders Baby Boy At Pueblo Fire Station

Authorities have taken custody of a newborn baby boy left at Fire Station Eleven in Pueblo on Christmas Eve. Officials say the baby's mother's family members had delivered the baby at home, and the mother asked that her baby be taken to a fire station under the Safe Haven Act. It is the first child surrendered at a Pueblo Fire Department station since the start of the Safe Haven for Newborns program several years ago. The program allows anyone to give up custody of a newborn at any Pueblo fire station or hospital or by calling 9-1-1.

State Laws May Encourage Drunken Drivers Fleeing Accident Sites

Colorado's laws could encourage drunken drivers to leave accident scenes. The "Denver Post" reports state laws penalize a drunken driver who causes a major accident much more severely than a motorist who hits and runs. A Colorado review of sentencing, starting in 2005, shows a drinking-tied offense on average led to a prison sentence 25-percent longer than one an offender can expect for a hit-and-run. State judicial system data reveals district attorneys often dismiss charges tied to fleeing an accident site to try to reach a plea deal and avoid trials.

Yuma Woman Dies In Out-Of-State Wreck

Nebraska authorities said a Colorado woman died last week in a crash. The Nebraska Highway Patrol says 36-year-old Heidi Mayer of Yuma lost control of her Kia sedan on Highway 6, west of Imperial, Nebraska and struck a power pole on the driver's side. Mayer wasn't wearing a seat belt and was killed when thrown from the car. Nebraska authorities are investigating.

Ho-Hum Bandit Break Explained

Law enforcement officials think they know why a bank robber nicknamed the "Ho-Hum Bandit" took a break from his San Diego area crime rampage five months ago. He moved. Colorado authorities are saying a man whose heists are identical to several in Southern California has pulled off eight holdups in Denver, Fort Collins and Boulder recently. The FBI says just like in the San Diego area, the bad guy strikes every two or three weeks. Local holdups blamed on the Ho-Hum Bandit include one in early March at San Diego National Bank. That was followed later in the month at a Chase bank then a Citibank heist came a week after that, both in San Diego. A La Jolla Citibank branch was hit in April then another in San Diego in May. The last San Diego robbery was at a Wells Fargo branch on June 5th.

Hope's Storehouse in Longmont Gets Help -- AP

People pitched in to help charity thrift store, Hope’s Storehouse after it was robbed in Longmont.

“All we can really say is thank you, and out of tragedy comes triumph,” Jean Kaye-Wilson with Hope’s Storehouse said.

Someone stole a safe full of $800 from the thrift shop. The charity helps local families in need as well as families in Africa.

The store has now received nearly double what was stolen in donations. A man who is unemployed even stopped by to help.

“I don’t have much right now but I wanted to help out. I was hoping a lot of others would do the same,” said Jerry Avery who donated money to the store.

Some people even dropped off Christmas presents at the store that they planned to give to family members. One boy dropped off $500 then yelled, “Merry Christmas” as he left the store.

No arrests have been made in the robbery.

If you'd like to help donate you can contact Hope's Storehouse at www.helpint.org.

Morgan Co Districts Ask for No Increase

More than half of Morgan County's various districts are not asking for an increase in mill levies. That means just under 58 percent of police, fire, school, municipal, pest control, hospital, water conservancy, library, soil, county and sanitation districts will not increase their current tax burden on property owners. The ones that did increase tax liability were some of the school districts, and county commissioners approved those. Brush is up by 0.146, Fort Morgan is up 0.009, Weldon Valley is up by 0.088 and Wiggins increased its mill levy by 0.112. Hillrose's mill levy was approved for increase by 0.054 to a total of 15.627, and Hillrose Fire District asked for a received the biggest increase of one mill. A mill is $1 in property tax for every $1,000 of assessed value of a property.

Morgan Co Jail Funds Moved

Its likely because of the current economy, but Morgan County officials are moving some money from the jail fund into the general fund for next year. At last week's county commissioner's meeting, they approved the 2007 amendment for the jail funding. The funding was originally intended for use to improve the jail, but the money's now needed to cover a shortfall in Morgan County's general fund. County finance director Michelle Covelli said that means the county, not the sheriff, will get the fees and money that's paid to the county to house inmates. It would have gone into the jail improvement fund. The sheriff's department will still get the proceeds from the Colorado model traffic code, when people incur traffic fines for breaking traffic laws.

Gold Coin Left in Salvation Army Kettle -- AP

It’s a Christmas mystery of which the Salvation Army is happy to be a part. A coin worth $1,400 was dropped in a bell ringer’s kettle.

The coin contained one ounce of gold. It was dropped in a Kettle at a Walmart in Broomfield last week.

The coin is a South African Krugerrand and was slipped in bell ringer Claire Harger’s kettle.

She said, "Its a wonderful thing, and I’m just glad to be a part of the whole process.”

Harger said when the coin was found, she just had a feeling that a Krugerrand would be in her kettle. Harger isn’t a stranger to good fortune. Last year someone put an antique platinum ring in her kettle.

Captain Laura Fenton with the Salvation Army said the Krugerrand will help a number of families.

“This one little coin is going to help up to seven families,” Fenton said.

The donation will help families with a number of items including rental assistance, utility assistance, food, clothes and emergency shelter. It’s a great gift in Denver where the Salvation Army has a million dollar deficit.

“We understand that money is tight and we appreciate the generosity of folks so far, but if you find that you can give a little bit we would sure appreciate it and we would put it to good use,” Fenton said.

Counterfeit Credit Card Ring Member Nabbed

There's an apparent counterfeit credit card ring out there, and four of its alleged members were busted in Colorado in a 24 hour period, and one of the four was nabbed at the Glendale Target. Police said that two men went into the store, picked up and purchased some high end electronics, and all three credit cards they tried to use were declined. Glendale Police Chief Victor Ross said they then used gift cards that did work. As they left the store, police nabbed one as he tried to flee, but a second suspect got away. The two are beloved to be part of an Asian theft ring. Police say stores all over the state have been put on alert and are catching onto the scheme.

Candy Cane Crunches Car

Its not a good day when a giant candy cane falls on your car. Just ask a Centennial family. KDVR TV reports that it happened a few before Christmas when the holiday decoration that was attached to a light pole came loose and fell on Phil and Jessica Goodrich's car -- the only one they have. Colorado Lighting hung the giant Christmas treat, so they said they'd cut the family a check to get another car, but it was weeks and they'd heard nothing. An anonymous man lent them his extra car and the company gave them presents for their two small children, so the family had a sweet holiday!

Longmont Charitable Thrift Store Robbed -- AP

Police in Longmont are looking for a burglar who stole hundreds of dollars from a charitable thrift store.
The safe is missing from Hope’s Storehouse in Longmont along with $800 that was inside. Hope’s CEO says the money was going to help less fortunate families in Longmont and Africa.
The store gives proceeds to Help International, which ships food, clothes and medical supplies abroad.
Employees say they’re heartbroken because the burglar stole from the poorest of the poor.
“It’s money that people have given to others and to have it stolen is really sad,” Jean Kaye with Hope’s Storehouse said.
Police say they have several persons of interest and all are past employees of the store.
The store plans on buying a security system and perhaps surveillance cameras — money they’d rather spend on helping others.

Sterling Trash Pick Up Schedule Change

Its a holiday, even today in Sterling, so there's no trash pick up today or tomorrow. Friday and Saturday Trash will be picked up on Monday, December 27 with regular Monday pick ups. and the rest of the week will be normal pick ups.

Brush Holiday Fun Lasat Weekend

There were about 36 bidders for the 2010 Shop Brush 1st auction and they turned in a total of 72 thousand dollars worth of receipts from their holiday purchases with businesses in Brush. They then traded those for holiday cash to buy items at the auction last Saturday. So what could they buy with holiday bucks? How about bicycles, 200 dollars off a set of four tires or a bicycle rack for your vehicle. The party went on with lots of fun and cookies, and the winners of the coloring contest.





Coloring Contest Winners

Age 2-3 years old: Nevaeh Lorenz of Woodlin.

Age 4-5 years old: Osman (no last name provided) of Thomson Primary School.

Age 6-7 years old: Miranda Munoz and Christopher Munoz of Thomson Primary School.

Age 8-9 years old: Monique Ruybal of Beaver Valley Elementary School and Lauren Fritzler of Merino.

Age 10-11 years old: Kadie Foiles of Beaver Valley Elementary School and Kadie (no last name provided) of Woodlin.

Teachers and Students Thinking About Teacher Killed This Week

They may not be in school on Christmas Eve, but students and teachers at Green Acres Elementary are remembering third grade teacher Steven Lebsock. He was killed on Wednesday in a crash in Weld County. His wife and another passenger in their car were injured. Officials say it happened when 61 year old Barbara Northcutt of Brush was heading west when she changed lanes and sheriff's officials said her car hit a Suburban, causing it to spin and hit a cement barricade, rolled and landed on its roof. Lebsock was a passenger in the suburban and deputies said he was not wearing a seatbelt. Northcutt and her passenger were not hurt, but she was cited for careless driving resulting in death.

Fort Carson Soldiers' Expected Arrival Home Delayed

Officials say 70 Fort Carson soldiers who were expected to arrive home Thursday night have been delayed in Germany. The 3rd BCT, 4th ID soldiers were supposed to be at the Mountain Post late Thursday night but it is unknown when they will arrive home now. Airports in Germany are reporting delays due to the weather but it has not been revealed whether weather is why the Fort Carson soldiers have been held up. After they arrive home, the soldiers will be charged with planning a redeployment for the whole brigade to Iraq in the spring.

T-S-A issues Container Warning To Airlines

Holiday travelers passing through Denver International Airport today need to be alerted to a warning federal authorities are giving the nation's airlines. The Transportation Security Administration warns terrorists may use insulated containers like Thermos bottles to smuggle explosives aboard planes. The T-S-A hasn't confirmed what prompted this specific warning. But travelers may encounter extra safety measures when they go through airport security this weekend.

Green Acres Teacher Killed in Weld County Crash

A teacher from a local school was killed in a crash in Weld County yesterday. Police say that 61 year old Barbara Northcutt of Brush was heading west when she changed lanes and sheriff's officials said her car hit a Suburban, causing it to spin and hit a cement barricade, rolled and landed on its roof. The passenger in the suburban, 53 year old Steven Lebsock, who is a third grade teacher at Green Acres Elementary School in Fort Morgan was killed. Deputies said he was not wearing a seatbelt. The driver of the Suburban, 50 year old Barbara Lebsock of Fort Morgan, and another passenger were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Northcutt and her passenger were not hurt, but she was cited for careless driving resulting in death.

How do you want to find out how the city of Fort Morgan is spending your tax dollars?

Fort Morgan City Council wants you to tell them. City attorney Jeff Wells says the city isn't required to post bills and payments in the newspaper, but has done so for years. Council is thinking about putting its spending on cityoffortmorgan.com, or even on franchise television channel. When Wells asked the council if they wanted to keep up the tradition of publishing transactions in the newspaper, council said it wants to know what the public thinks. changing how the city tells residents how the money is spent will save about five thousand dollars a year.

Pueblo Residents Concerned About Water Shut-Offs

A Pueblo resident expressed concern about water getting shut off for some residents at Sunset Country Estates. The unidentified resident told KRDO-TV over the last three months water has been randomly turned off at homes where elderly residents, young children, disabled people and pets live. The resident said managers have not communicated with the whole community about the scheduled water shut-offs. The management company, Saddleback Valley Communities, told the station the mobile home park has major deferred maintenance problems with infrastructure, in particular water delivery and sewer systems.

Two Killed In Colorado Springs Plane Crash

Friends identified two people who had only been married for a year who were killed Wednesday after a small plane from South Dakota went down in Colorado Springs, then burst into flames. Air Force B1 bomber pilot Martin Anthony Riggan and his wife, Nicole, were reportedly coming here from Rapid City, South Dakota when the crash took place around noon. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer says the Mooney M-20 aircraft was approaching Colorado Springs Airport when it crashed on the north end of a runway in thick, intense fog. Friends told KRDO-TV Nicole is from Colorado Springs and the two were coming here to spend Christmas with her family.

Judge Won't Lower Bond For Pedophilia Guide's Author

Polk County Judge John Kirkland refused to lower bail for the 47-year-old Colorado man who is charged with violating obscenity laws for mailing a copy of his "Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure" to undercover detectives. Philip Greaves remains at the county jail unable to post the money for the 15-thousand-dollar bond. Greaves was arrested in Pueblo, Colorado Monday and brought to Polk County Tuesday. He's facing charges of transmitting obscene material, which is a third-degree felony.

Report: Deputy Killed By Bullet That Ricocheted Off Badge

An investigation shows that a Weld County sheriff's deputy fatally shot while struggling with a suspected car thief was killed by a bullet that ricocheted off his badge and hit his face.
The Weld County district attorney released the results Tuesday of the investigation into Deputy Sam Brownlee's death Nov. 23 while wrestling on the ground with Rueben Reyes. Investigators say Reyes got the deputy's gun and shot him.
Reyes died after he was shot by an Evans police officer.
The Greeley Tribune reports the district attorney says Reyes' shooting was justified and the officer won't be charged.
Police say the 20-year-old Reyes stole a car in Fort Morgan and led them on a high-speed chase before stopping in Evans.

Blessings in a Backpack in Brush

The Blessings in a Backpack program is coming to Brush. The program will feed school kids who qualify under federal guidelines. The program allows kids to take a backpack filled with food home on weekends. Officials say feeding kids better helps improve their behavior, health and attendance at school. The program's already up and running in Fort Morgan and officials say the results are remarkable. kids can focus better, get along with each other better, and have an overall better outlook.

Nobody Seriously Hurt in Crash on Friday

Sterling police are just telling us about this one, but on Friday last week, there was a crash in the 14 hundred block of West Main. Police said it happened just before 3:30 p.m. when 23 year old Tryna Wilson of Sterling was trying to cross West Main Street on 14th Avenue when her car hit another car that 61 year old Theresa Kellan of Sterling was driving. Both vehicles were heavily damaged and Wilson and a passenger, Richard Sims were injured, but refused medical treatment. Kellan was hit by the airbag, but she too refused treatment. Wilson was issued a citation for failure to yield at a stop intersection.

Census Shows Colorado Still Growing Fast

New census data shows Colorado is still growing up fast. Colorado was the ninth-fastest growing state in the U.S by population. From 2000 to 2010, Colorado grew by almost 17-percent. Even so, the numbers did not out-pace the 1990s when Colorado grew at a 31-percent-clip.

Prosecutors Wonder If Man Is Competent

Douglas County authorities installed a camera in the cell of a man accused of shooting his pregnant wife last weekend in Castle Rock. Prosecutors say they want the video camera to remain turned on because it will demonstrate the competency of 40-year-old Trenton Orendorf. Yesterday, Orendorf was again unable to make his first court appearance due to concerns about his mental state. Police say Orendorf barricaded himself into a home for eleven hours Saturday after he shot 33-year-old Shannon Orendorf in the neck.

Interstate Traffic Diverted By Crash Involving Explosive Material

Westbound Interstate 70 traffic had to be diverted yesterday afternoon after a truck carrying hazardous materials crashed. Colorado's Department of Transportation closed Interstate 70 lanes approaching the Eisenhower Tunnel after a tanker truck carrying almost 40-thousand pounds of explosive gel dumped about 50 gallons onto the roadway. The truck collided with a heavy tow truck around 2:30 p.m. Both drivers were taken to Summit Medical Center in Frisco for treatment. By 7 p.m. last night westbound lanes were still closed.

Cookies and Cocoa A-Plenty for Same Name Event

If you say "cookies and cocoa in the name of your event, you'd better not disappoint! And the Sterling Public Library staff did not. Some 50 people attended last week's event at the library's new community room, and even though they needed extra stuff because of all the people, the kids got to take part in crafts and such. When all the hoo ha ended, surprise, surprise, there were cookies and cocoa to end the evening.

13 Pinned at Ceremony

Thirteen students were recognized Thursday at Northeastern Junior College`s Registered Nursing Program graduation and pinning ceremony. Program director Julie Brower said the entire community got to celebrate the achievements of the 13 students. Several awards were also handed out during the ceremony.

MCC Now Offers Textbook Rentals Online

Students at Morgan Community College won't have to shell out hundreds of dollars to buy textbooks...they can now rent them online. The web address is at www.morganccbookstore.com. The online rentals start this week and can save students about 75 percent over the price of new books. Anita Ertle is the Director of Bookstore Services and says they want students to be able to afford their textbooks. Textbooks can be ordered online any time and delivered directly to students.

Ringo Starr Selling Aspen Cabin

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) – Ringo Starr and his wife have put their cabin near Aspen up for sale for $4.5 million.

The three-bedroom cabin in Woody Creek is set on 16 acres with frontage on the Roaring Fork River.

Real estate agent Joshua Saslove told The Aspen Times that the Beatles drummer and wife Barbara Bach love the property but haven’t visited the 3,200-square-foot home enough over the years to justify keeping it.

Saslove described the property as a “boutique ranch on the river” and said Starr bought it 20 years ago.

It will only be shown to potential buyers deemed to be qualified and won’t be listed on the normal real estate listing service.

Skydiver Killed in Swooping Maneuvers

The Boulder County coroner’s office is investigating the death of a skydiver who hit the ground while practicing swooping maneuvers in Longmont.

The coroner said Monday that 38-year-old Denver lawyer Emily Berkeley died after Saturday’s accident at Vance Brand Municipal Airport.

In swooping, skydivers glide horizontally above the ground in low-altitude parachute maneuvers before hitting a designated spot.

Airport manager Tim Barth told the Longmont Times-Call that Berkeley was making her third and final practice jump when she apparently failed to complete a turn. He said she was about 200 feet above the ground at the time.

Berkeley is the sixth person to die while skydiving at the airport since 1995 and the second to die while swooping.

Retail Sales Up -- AP

Retailers hope shoppers keep spending in the final week before Christmas. The National Retail Federation says overall sales are way up. Businesses in Denver are seeing a boost in their economy too.
The National Retail Federation forecasts Americans will spend $450 billion, making it the strongest holiday season since 2006.
The big chain stores are seeing an increase in sales but smaller local businesses are seeing their fair share of traffic as well.
“We like to support local businesses and we just bought a bunch of locally made stuff, so I’d like to support the Denver economy,” shopper Aaron Henry said.
At the Fancy Tiger on South Broadway the holiday season brings about 200 people a day through the doors and sales are significantly up from last year.
“I think there’s just a cognizance about supporting the community,” Fancy Tiger owner Matthew Brown said.
A recent national survey shows sales at clothing stores have increased 2.7 percent.
“Our season really starts in October when it gets cold. Since then we stayed on par with last year,” said Ken Cook, Caboose Hobbies Assistant Manager.
Sporting goods and hobby stores sales increased 2.3 percent seasonally. Caboose Hobbies on South Broadway has been around for 71 years and expects to see a rise in sales.
“We’re what you call a storefront. You can buy from the Internet but you get no support,” Cook said.
With all the money being exchanged this year customers are showing they’re not afraid to shop and not afraid to support their community.

Brouhaha Over Alcoholic Beverages To Limit Customers' Choices

A brouhaha will reduce residents' choice of beers in bars, breweries, liquor stores and restaurants in Colorado in 2011. Those types of businesses will have to cease selling Amstel Light and other low-alcohol beers due to a state liquor law in effect for years but not enforced. The law says such businesses may only sell "malt liquor," brew stronger than three-point-two-percent alcohol by weight or four-percent by volume. Colorado law requires convenience and grocery stores to only sell low-alcohol drinks.

Man Convicted For Crime Spree

Jurors in Weld County needed little time to convict a man in connection with a string of crimes. Authorities say Richard Norton stabbed a man, set two buildings on fire and barricaded himself in another building. Yesterday he was convicted on 13 counts including attempted murder, assault, arson and criminal mischief. Norton faces a minimum of 16 years in prison at sentencing in February.

'Yawning' Robber Sought

Loveland police are looking for a yawning bank robber. Authorities said a man who held up the Chase Bank on Eagle Drive did so while yawning through the entire ordeal yesterday. They said the suspect handed a teller a note saying he was armed and wanted money. The suspect is described as between five-foot-eight and five-foot-eleven with a slender build, having brown hair and wearing a red baseball cap.

Grinch Stealing From Unlocked Cars

Fort Morgan Police are investigating several thefts around Fort Morgan where a thief stole items from unlocked vehicles.

Its just like the Grinch that tries to steal Christmas!

Several people reported last week that while their cars were parked at their homes overnight, someone got into the vehicles and stole electronics and CDs valued at more than $1,000. In one case, the stereo was recovered lying on the ground a short distance away.

In other cases a GPS system, CDs and an MP3 player were stolen and not recovered. In all of the thefts, the vehicles were believed to have been left unlocked.

Since several of the thefts were near one another it is most likely that a single grinch, shlepping through the neighborhood, pulling on vehicle door handles until they found some that were open.

Police say this is the wrong time of the year to leave your car unlocked, no matter how safe you think the neighborhood is.

They also want to catch the person responsible for these thefts. If you have information that could help solve a crime, call the Fort Morgan Police Department at (970) 867-5678.

If a person with information wishes to remain anonymous they can call Crime Stoppers at (970) 542-3411 and may be eligible for a cash reward or submit your tip online.

Home Heavily Damaged by Fire

An Atwood home was heavily damaged by fire late last week. Tom Kennedy of the Sterling Fire Department said the fire started in a mechanical room of Mike and Pam Werner's home, near an electrical panel, but no cause has been determined. The fire broke out just after 9 a.m. and no one was home. Kennedy said crews had the fire knocked down in about ten minutes and under control in just over an hour. The Werners are staying with family members in Sterling. .

Sterling Council Follows Up on Grant

The Sterling City Council approved an application for a USDA grant award last week and authorized the Mayor to execute the Assurance agreement. The grant will be used to help plan community and economic development for downtown Sterling. While Logan County Economic Development Corporation has confirmed winning the grant, its not available until 2012. The grant will also help build on some of those DOLA/CSU student projects that we told you about last week. Those include that highway pass design, the downtown streetscape and street configuration.

Fort Morgan Woman Could Get Bond Revoked

A Fort Morgan woman could have her bond revoked for allegedly mailing drugs into a private prison, and those drugs, authorities said, were responsible for an inmate's death. DA Robert Watson wants Morgan County District Court to revoke Jessica Rehn's bond. Court documents allege that she smuggled cocaine into the Hudson Correctional Facility. Authorities said she gave the drugs to her boyfriend, James Stanley and he gave them to cell mate Wesley Shandy who died of a drug overdose. Rehn is accused of a multistate scheme that used the US Mail to distribute drugs.

Udall, Bennet, Vote For ‘Don’t Ask’ Repeal

WASHINGTON (AP) – Colorado Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet were among the 65 votes in favor of repealing the Clinton-era policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

The vote Saturday means a bill to overturn the policy will be sent to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it into law next week.

Overturning the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy means gays in the military can acknowledge their sexual orientation without fear of being kicked out.

Udall said in a statement that the vote was “a giant step forward today toward enhancing our national security by allowing all Americans to fight for their nation regardless of whether they are gay or straight.”

Bennet said the repeal would “confer dignity and a basic civic right to Americans who have signed up to defend our country.”

Man Who Fell From Bridge To Have Rhode Island Funeral

The Snowmass Village man who died when he fell from an Aspen bridge will be laid to rest in his native Rhode Island. The funeral for 28-year-old George Aldrich Junior will be today in Cranston, Rhode Island. His body was found last week under the historic Maroon Creek Bridge in Aspen. Officials ruled his death an accident.

Fort Morgan BOE Lowers Mill Levy

Fort Morgan Board of Education voted on Monday to lower the mill levy. In 2011, the tax rate will be 39.440 percent or 39.44 for every one thousand dollars of assessed valuation. That's down from the 2010 levy of 39.449. The change came during a short meeting on Monday.

Red Suit, Red Truck -- Santa Arrives in Wiggins Tomorrow!

A man in red with arrive on a fire engine of red when Santa arrives in Wiggins tomorrow afternoon. The big guy will be at the Wiggins Fire Hall at 1 p.m. so the kids will get a chance to conference with him. There will also be pictures with Santa and his modus transportationus and rides on "Old Red" with Wiggins firefighters. Cadets will have their annual bake sale and there'll be apple cider. Its at the Wiggins Fire Hall tomorrow.

Brush Holds Annual Holiday Fun

Holiday gift auction, free movies, time with Santa...all in Brush tomorrow! Its all part of the annual Christmas festivities tomorrow afternoon. It starts at noon and just goes all afternoon. See who won the recent coloring contest, do your holiday shopping, mingle with friends and more tomorrow in Brush.

Perez Guilty of Raping, Murdering Mary Pierce in 1977

A Weld County jury has convicted a Florida man of raping and killing a 22-year-old woman in 1977. The jury yesterday found Marcello Maldonado Perez guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual assault in the stabbing death of Mary Pierce. Pierce was abducted from a Greeley convenience store and her body found two days later.
The Greeley Tribune reports that prosecutors say DNA links Perez to the slaying. Perez says he and Pierce were abducted by two men who forced him at gunpoint to rape her. Prosecutors called his story “outlandish.” He says he escaped but didn’t tell anyone what happened. He says he didn’t know Pierce was killed until his arrest in Port Charlotte, Florida, where he lived at the time.

"Birther" Soldier to Do Time

An Army doctor convicted of disobeying the orders of his commander-in-chief will serve six months in a military prison, then be dismissed from the Army. A military jury in Fort Meade, Maryland, handed down the sentence to Lieutenant Colonel Terrence Lakin of Greeley, Colorado, who will lose nearly 90-thousand dollars a year in salary plus his pension. Lakin, a so-called "birther," contends President Obama wasn't born in the U.S. and therefore cannot lawfully issue orders to the military.

Colorado Legislators To Consider Civil Unions

Democratic State Senator Pat Steadman is planning to draft legislation that would make Colorado the fourth state to recognize the civil unions of same-sex couples. The Denver lawmaker, who is gay himself, tells the "Denver Post" he believes most Coloradans support civil unions and believe gays should be treated equally in the eyes of the law. Steadman could be in for a fight with Republicans in the state capitol. Highlands Ranch Representative Frank McNulty says such a bill would be cause for concern among the vast majority of Colorado Republicans. However, one Republican, Kevin Priola, has come out in support of civil unions because in concept, they are not gay marriage.

City Gives Humane Society $18K for budget

With the economy going to the dogs, the
Fort Morgan Humane Society could not talk the city into upping its funding for 2011. The society will get to use the animal shelter rent free, and the city will pay the society more than 18 thousand dollars cash for its part of the work the shelter does to keep the animals and the people safe.

Morgan Co Budget Cuts Deep

Morgan County's 2011 budget is more than two million dollars less than that of 2010. Commissioners approved the budget at this week's meeting. It totals more than 28 million dollars. Commissioners said all departments will be living with cuts and the general fund is down by just over a million dollars. The cuts will affect all departments' operating expenses.

Putting Up a Really Big Sign

How do you get people to come to downtown Sterling? Put up a really big sign. The actual suggestion from the CSU/DOLA student project was a sign of a monumental scale -- 20 to 30 feet -- made of mudstone and place where nobody would miss it. That was just one of the suggestions that city council heard at this week's meeting. Other suggestions included improving the area near the river bridges, like plantings, new pedestrian railings and the big sign. That, students in the project said, would make the highway look like a boulevard.

Cold Case Murder Goes to Weld County Jury

A cold case murder from 1977 is now in the hands of a Weld County jury. Marcello Maldonado-Perez is accused of raping and killing 22-year-old Mary Pierce, who was kidnapped from her job as a 7-Eleven clerk. Her naked body was dumped in a cornfield. The jury began deliberating the 33-year-old murder case at the Justice Center in Greeley Wednesday afternoon after closing arguments in the morning.

Maldonado-Perez listened as prosecutors used their closing arguments to remind jurors that DNA tests show the accused murderer’s blood on Pierce’s 7-Eleven work shirt and that DNA from semen on her body also matched Maldonado-Perez.

Maldonado-Perez was just 19 years old at the time. His defense attorney closed by recounting Maldonado-Perez’s testimony Tuesday — that two men kidnapped him along with the eventual murder victim and forced him — at gunpoint — to rape Pierce before he eventually escaped, thereby explaining the blood and the semen.

Groundwater Threatening Sterling Residents

It’s been a bone dry start to winter on Colorado’s Eastern Plains, but some Sterling homeowners are having to bail out their basements. The flooded homes are on the northwest corner of town. The problem is rising groundwater. Since 2003 the ground water has risen five feet and about 20 homes have been damaged.
The water creeps in under the floors, rotting the walls and breeds mold. Several residents told the city council recently that if things didn't improve, they'd have to move.

Mail Thieves Getting Some Help

Denver-area mail carriers are delivering a warning. They say local mail thieves are using rat traps slathered with sticky substances to swipe mail from boxes in some neighborhoods. They are also brazenly stealing mail from boxes sitting in front of some U.S. Post Offices. Agents say most boxes are equipped with anti-theft devices so while they warn the public, they say outside mail boxes are still safe to use.

In Remote Eagle County, Search On For Missing Plane

A search for a missing twin-engine plane continues this morning in Eagle County. The Beech 60 was on final approach to Eagle County Regional yesterday in late afternoon when it vanished from radar. Over 40 people from seven different agencies were on hand yesterday to aid in the search. The plane is registered to a Texas man but local officials have no idea who was onboard.

Chemical Manufacturer Cited In Death Of Videographer

A Corona-based chemical manufacturer is facing over 90-thousand dollars in fines for allegedly creating hazardous working conditions that led to the death of a Colorado man. Lucas Oil Production Studios has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for incidents on June 25th outside Lakewood, Colorado. The production company was setting up a film shoot when a 57-year-old videographer, Stuart Keene, fell to his death from a scissor lift. Federal officials say the guardrails on the lift had been removed, and that the company didn't train employees on how to operate all-terrain scissor-lifts.

"Birther" Soldier From Greeley Convicted At Fort Meade, Maryland

An Army doctor from Greeley, who professes so-called "birther" beliefs has been convicted of failing to report for duty. A military jury at Fort Meade, Maryland, convicted Lieutenant Colonel Terrence Lakin. Lakin intentionally missed a flight to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, ahead of his planned deployment to Afghanistan. He claimed he's not convinced President Obama, the commander-in-chief, was born in the U.S. Birthers claim that technically makes Obama unqualified to issue military orders. The Army physician Tuesday pled guilty to a charge of failing to obey orders. The trial wrapped up Wednesday with his conviction on the additional charge. Lakin faces up to three-and-a-half-years in a military prison.

Harbart, City Suits Dismissed

The judge said the lawsuits are over, go your separate ways. That's the outcome of dismissing both a lawsuit by former Fort Morgan city golf director Vernon Harbart against the City of Fort Morgan and a counterclaim against him by the city. Harbart had been fired after ten years on the job, the city saying that he misused city property and stole from the city. Harbart claimed his reputation was damaged, he lost wages, had to pay attorney fees and more. The judge said each would pay their own attorney fees since the suits were dismissed..

No Online RE-1 Valley Schools For Now

Could it be RE-1 online? No, not yet anyway. Mercury Online Education wanted to offer an online education program for high school students, but in a special school board meeting this week, the board voted it down. Superintendent Betty Summers said that because Mercury wanted to make it statewide, the AYP scores would be affected. She said if the program fell under RE-1 Valley School District, then students from all over Colorado would be considered students there and the scores would be affected. The board has not nixed online education altogether though. Board members said they would consider other online options.

No Trash Pick Up on Dec 24 or 31

Due to the Christmas Eve Holiday, the City of Fort Morgan Sanitation Department will not be picking up residential trash on Friday, December 24. If your normal scheduled trash pickup day is on Friday, please place your rollouts out on Thursday instead and they will be picked up that day.

The Sanitation Department will also not be picking up residential trash on Friday, December 31 due to the New Year Day Holiday. Again, if your normal scheduled trash pickup day is on Friday, please place your rollouts out on Thursday instead and they will be picked up that day.

Serling Airport Now Open

The Sterling Municipal Airport's been reopened for a week now after a new runway was completed. Officials said the runway is longer and smoother and took a bit longer than expected to get that way. e airport closed on July 19 and was expected to reopen 90 days later, but didn't open until last week. Airport Manager Patrick O'Brien said the delay was due to testing so that the FAA would approve the runway. The FAA also paid for much of the runway improvement's nearly four million dollar cost. The state and the city put in about 100 thousand dollars.

Pueblo Man Busted For Pharmacy Theft

Authorities in El Paso County say a teen has been arrested in connection with a holdup at a pharmacy near Security this month. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office said 19-year-old Joe Watson was arrested yesterday and is now held on bail of 50-thousand dollars. Investigators say the suspect from Pueblo fled the Walgreens on Main Street on December 6th with an undisclosed amount of pharmaceutical drugs. He allegedly told the pharmacist he had a gun. Public tips are being heralded for Watson's arrest.

Pueblo County Coroner Releases Identity Of Dead Three-Year-Old

The coroner in Pueblo County has announced the identity of the three-year-old who died after accidentally setting the fire that killed him on Monday. The coroner says the boy is Josiah Mendoza who was supposed to be under the care of a babysitter when investigators believe he struck a match which started an afternoon fire in his apartment on West 13th Street. Firefighters found the boy's body in a closet and police think he may have fled there to escape the flames. Mendoza's babysitter has informed police she left the boy unsupervised in order to hang laundry in the back of the complex when the fire started.

ativity Scene Baby Jesus Returned; Mary Still Gone

The Baby Jesus figurine swiped from a Fort Collins family's front lawn has been returned. Sandy Williams thinks thieves stole her nativity scene figures of Baby Jesus and Mary last weekend. The nativity is a family heirloom for over 40 years. Yesterday, the family discovered the Baby Jesus figure had been returned although Mary was still gone. Williams says she only wants the figures back and won't ask questions or tell police.

Man Blamed For 'Reservoir Road Fire' Escapes Jail Time

Over 700-acres of land were burned to the tune of three-million dollars last September near Loveland, but the person responsible for the "Reservoir Road Fire" is free. A Larimer County District Court judge ruled yesterday firestarter Joe Lederman will receive three years of unsupervised probation and will also conduct 450 hours of community service in connection with the blaze he admitted setting September 12th. Last week, Lederman plead guilty to misdemeanor arson. He's informed investigators previously that yard debris he burned without a permit had accidentally ignited the wildfire located in the foothills west of Loveland. Lederman was also forced to pay restitution of 500-dollars each month of his probation term. Meanwhile, a civil lawsuit against Lederman is pending.

Ranking Shows Colorado Children Not-So-Safe

Colorado is high on a most unfortunate list. The National Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths announced its newly-released survey shows Colorado ranks eleventh nationally in deaths by child abuse or neglect. Looked at from deaths per 100-thousand children, Florida ranked worst nationally with four-point-six children in 2008. Colorado reported two-point-six-five deaths that same year, a spike from one-point-seven deaths in 2001. The group has called for the federal government to act to protect children in America, mostly in the form of pumping more funds into child protection services.

Broncos Rookie Could Face Life Sentence If Convicted

It could be life in prison for a Denver Broncos rookie should he be convicted of the sexual assault charges he's facing. In a portion of the case unsealed yesterday by a judge in Douglas County, sexual assault charges Perrish Cox is facing include Class Three and Four felonies. They carry maximum sentences of life imprisonment. Prosecutors filed the charges against Cox last week. Right now Cox is free on bail of 50-thousand dollars. He played in the team's loss at Arizona Sunday.

Fire Destroys Cars, Garage

Two vehicles and a garage were destroyed in a fire in the 500 block of Maple Street yesterday afternoon. Fort Morgan firefighters got the call around 1 p.m. and found it all on fire. They kept the fire from spreading to a nearby house and there were no injuries reported. Investigators are trying to find the cause of the fire.

250 Kids at 3rd Annual Christmas Party

It gets bigger and bigger every year and this was only the third year for the fun! It was the American Legion Christmas Party for Children in Sterling. Somebody doing the counting said there were about 500 people in all and half of those were the kids. And eats only a kid could appreciate: hotdogs, corndogs, chips, cupcakes and punch -- YUM! For more dessert, Santa Claus! All the kids got to tell the Big Guy what they wanted for Christmas, and they got to pick a gift to take home.

FMPD Investigating Liquor Store Break in

Fort Morgan Police are investigating a burglary at a liquor store in the 700 block of Main Street that occurred in the early morning hours of December 5. Police responded to an alarm call at the liquor store at about 4:00 a.m.
When they arrived, officers found the glass door had been broken. After reviewing security camera footage, it appeared that two males dressed in dark clothing and jackets with hoods, broke the front door glass and entered the store. Once inside they went to separate shelves in the store and took several bottles of alcoholic beverages.
In all, six bottles of alcohol were stolen from the store. Damage and the value of the stolen items totaled $489 dollars.

Ritter Annouces NASA Agreement For Jobs

Governor Bill Ritter is hoping to land thousands of space jobs in Colorado.

At the Capitol yesterday he announced an agreement between NASA and the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology. The governor says the partnership will help speed up manufacturing and commercialization of aerospace and “clean tech” products in Colorado.

The plan will also help build a technology park between Loveland and Boulder.

The goal of the public-private partnership is to create 10,000 new jobs in Colorado over the next five years.

Developer Plans Endurance Training Facility In Boulder

Endurance athletes looking to train in Colorado could soon get a multimillion-dollar facility to call home. Boulder resident and developer David Saintsing announced yesterday he plans to construct a 30-million dollar training and fitness center to be called Boulder Element. Saintsing says he'll purchase just over 20-acres of land north of Foothills Parkway in northeast Boulder and build his facility there.

Fireworks In Luggage Sparks Evacuation At DIA

Travelers leaving Denver International Airport yesterday were delayed several hours after officials made a startling discovery inside one man's luggage. Denver police say officials found fireworks inside the man's luggage that he attempted to check-in for a flight to London on British Airways. The fireworks finding sparked a two-hour evacuation at four different airline counters at DIA. The man was eventually cited for violating the city's fireworks ordinance. Fireworks are banned by the Transportation Security Administration on all flights in the U.S.

Sterling Fire Responds to Smoke Call at Wendy's

Sterling Fire and Police Departments responded to an alarm for smoke in the Wendy's Restaurant on West Main Street on Thursday morning. Firefighters said when they got inside, they saw light smoke and checked out the heating and air conditioning system that was on the roof of the building. That's where they found a burned belt on the unit, but said there was no fire. The power to the unit was cut and the manager was alerted to the problem. There was no fire damage.

Colorado Tax Collections down in November, But Up for the Year

State tax collections were down somewhat last month and the hole in Colorado's budget is getting bigger. Revenue forecasters said that tax collections are a bit more than they expected, so that there may not have to be any more cuts during the current fiscal year that ends this coming July. Information from the state indicates that the bad news is that the November tax collections were down about two and a half percent, but the good news is that for the fiscal year, general fund collections are up more than half a percent over what was expected.

No Pot Grown or Sold in Wiggins

No pot grown or sold in Wiggins!
That was the vote at last week's council meeting. That means no growing, no manufacturing, no medical dispensaries. No pot grown or sold in Wiggins! Town Attorney Sam Light said while the moratorium on the drug would expire on July first of next year, there needed to be a permanent vote on the issue, and so there was. Light said the ordinance that was voted in outlaws any type of marijuana operations, but still allows, by state law, possession and use of medical marijuana.

Springs Father Hog-ties Son to Fence

Colorado Springs police are working to figure out why a father hog-tied his son. Police say after hog-tying the boy, he tied him to a fence. It happened Thursday night at the Newport Square Apartments. Children playing in the area found the boy left out in the cold. They ran to get help from neighbors. “I ran down there because I heard one of my other neighbors screaming ‘help me, help me,’ and when I went down there she was already holding the child and I was trying to untie him as fast as I could,” neighbor Rebecca Griggs said. The boy’s father was issued a summons for misdemeanor child abuse and false imprisonment. The boy was examined at the hospital and then released to his mother.

Natural Gas Fire Burning in Byer CO

A natural gas well is burning out of control on the Eastern Plains. The fire started at 2 a.m. Sunday and it was still burning strong Sunday night. The fire is burning at Colorado Interstate Gas Company’s Latigo Storage Field near County Road 193 southeast of Byers. At times flames were shooting 50 feet into the air. No injuries have been reported. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department recommended that several homes be temporarily evacuated. Road blocks were also set up.

Fort Morgan Chamber Ends Chamber Bucks; Launches New Website

The Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce is reminding members that the deadline to redeem Chamber Bucks is end of business on Friday, December 31, 2010. No Chamber Bucks will be redeemed after that date. The Chamber Board of Directors voted to discontinue the Chamber Bucks program, effective at the end of the 2010 calendar year. That coincides with the chamber’s new website, which Executive Director Kelley Kreegar-Baugh says will offer members and the public new opportunities to promote local shopping and commerce. The new website is fortmorganchamber.org. .

NJC Early Childhood Conference Coming Up

Northeastern Junior College is holding an
Early Childhood Conference on January 22, 2011. Registration deadline for the conference is January 14. Jane Kitson, the Mother Goose Lady, is a Keynote Speaker and she'll focus on Literacy. For more info contact Donna Brady-Lawler, the Conference Coordinator at donna.bradylawler@njc.edu.

CI Database May Be Jeopardized

Police say an Internet release of a
Colorado law enforcement database may have placed confidential informants in danger.

Mesa County sheriff's deputies are now sifting through the database-mistakenly posted on an unsecured computer server in April-to determine who, if anyone, might be in jeopardy.

The database contains information gathered by deputies since 1989. It contains 200,000 names and investigative files from a local drug task force.

Log Lane Village Budget OKd

Log Lane Village's 2010 budget is in good shape, so say those who know these things. The Board of Trustees said this week that it has enough in it to cover sewer and water loans, and the recently raised utility rates helped.  More than 67 thousand dollars in revenue will come from a mill levy that's been set at 34.267. Other revenues for the town come frm court fines and costs and utility bills and fees.

Nobody Hurt When Truck Crashed into House in Arvada

Nobody was hurt when a truck crashed into a house in Arvada yesterday afternoon. A mother and her infant son were inside at the time, the mother was in the basement wrapping Christmas presents, the baby was asleep. Scott Pribble with the Arvada Fire Department said it could have been a lot worse. The driver was taken to the hospital and its believed the crash happened because he had a pre-existing condition and blacked out.

Ask and You Shall Receive

There was no money in the Fort Morgan 2011 budget for Morgan County Economic Development Corporation until someone asked for it. That someone was MCEDC's
Executive Director Kari Linker. She said without any funding from the city, the corporation will be less likely to be able to promote the city to potential businesses. MCEDC got 18 thousand dollars in fiscal 2010 and after the request and a six to one vote, council funded MCEDC with 12 thousand dollars for fiscal 2011.

Blue Santa in Sterling Tomorrow

The Sterling Police Department and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office have joined forces to make Blue Santa a yearly toy and food drive to help needy families and economically disadvantaged children in our communities. This year’s event for children to meet Blue Santa will be held on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11th at the LOGAN COUNTY COURTHOUSE , 315 MAIN STREET, STERLING, FROM 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Photographs will be taken of children with Blue Santa and free cinnamon rolls and cocoa will be available. Members of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office and the Sterling Police Department will be present to complete Child ID Kits (Blue Santa Edition!). Those who attend will also be able to enter a drawing to win a $50.00 Wal-Mart gift card. In addition, the Chamber of Commerce will have a gift tree at the site and we are asking for only non-perishable food items to be donated to cooperating ministries.

Another CU Student in Hospital with Meningococcal Disease

Another Colorado State University student has been diagnosed with meningococcal sepsis. CSU officials would only say he's a junior sociology major and is hospitalized. Larimer County Health Department Director Adrienne LeBailly said the student didn't get vaccinated in October because he thought he was safe. Four people from the Fort Collins area and one from Denver have died of meningitis-related illness this year.

Spring forward or fall back? Its Time for That Discussion Again -- AP

Colorado lawmakers are planning to debate changes to daylight saving time when they convene next year.

One proposal would make daylight saving time permanent, while another would keep the state on standard time year-round.

Republican Sen. Greg Brophy of Wray wants Colorado to permanently run on daylight saving time, giving people more daylight in the evenings to enjoy the outdoors.

“There are studies that show there are more automobile accidents after we make that change in the spring,” Brophy told CBS4's Paul Day.

Winter mornings would stay dark longer, but the benefit, according to Brophy, is more daylight later in the day.

“I would make that trade and I think most of Colorado will too,” Brophy said.

Democratic Rep. Ed Vigil of Fort Garland wants Colorado to join Hawaii and Arizona in staying on standard time year-round because he says farmers and ranchers no longer need the extra daylight to work their fields.

Coplink Links Cops from Several Agencies

If only there were a way for Fort Morgan Police, Morgan County Sheriff's officials, other counties and state police to communicate...OH WAIT! There is! Its called Coplink and it will allow several law enforcement agencies to share information, thereby improving investigations. Morgan County Emergency Services Director Steve Enfante said Coplink has been in the works for some time, but just now got approval from Morgan County Commissioners. He said a nearly 237 thousand dollar Homeland Security grant will pay for Coplink.

BMS Lockdown "Precautionary"

It was an angry parent who caused a lockdown last week at Brush Middle School. Superintendent Priscilla Huston said it happened on December first when the distraught parent left, following a meeting with her and the middle school's principal, Don Taylor. Huston called the lockdown "precautionary" since she and Mr, Taylor convinced the parent to come back to the office and continue the reasonable discussion. There were also added patrols on the premises, but the parent did not go to the school..”

Studies Being Done on Gas, Electric for Fort Morgan

Utilities could cost Fort Morgan residents more next year, both natural gas and electricity rates will likely go up. They'll already be paying more for water in January, City Council voted to have a studies done with the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool to see what rates will look like over the next five years or so. The study for natural gas will cost about 12,300 dollars and both should be done in the next 90 days or so.

Elway Will Have To Wait Just Like Other Victims -- AP

A judge has told John Elway he will have to wait in line with everyone else in a bid to get at least some of his money back. The former Denver Broncos quarterback and a partner invested an estimated $15 million in what turned out to be a Ponzi scheme.

The investment was with Sean Mueller, who was sentenced to 40 years in prison this week for bilking more than 60 investors. CBS4 investigator Rick Sallinger obtained a tape of Mueller’s testimony at the sentencing.

Mueller pleaded guilty to racketeering, securities fraud and theft. Before the judge delivered his sentence Mueller delivered an apology and explanation to Elway and all his victims.

“I’m sorry for the clients. With all my family and my friends here, I’m very sorry. This is on me. I have no one to blame but myself,” Mueller said.

The apology may have sounded heartfelt, but it was too little too late for the dozens who lost their investments, in some cases their life savings. Mueller explained how it happened.

“I sent out a fictitious statement to start this off thinking I could make this back. It was the wrong choice obviously.”

Those fictitious statements showed profits when really there were big losses for years.

Elway asked the court to allow him and his partner to go to the front of the line for any paybacks that might come saying their money had only gone into a trust in Mueller’s investment company to be held there for investment. But the judge denied Elway saying he will have to file a claim like everyone else. That includes a woman that investor Eddie Calus told the court about.


“She was born without hands or feet. That’s a sad story. And then to lose all of her money,” Calus said.

Mueller is now starting his sentence after almost ending his life in April when he went to the top of a garage and nearly jumped.

“I was struggling to hold onto life. Each day since then, you know, I thought about going to a garage again,” Mueller said.

Randy Lewis has been appointed as the receiver in the case. He says the deadline for filing claims was last week and Elway did file. The next step is to sort out those claims and find out how much money can be recovered, and then decide who gets what.

Mueller is also being asked to pay restitution in the amount of $65 million, but that’s not final. It’s doubtful he’ll be able to do pay that much back.

State Worker Fired for ‘Farkling’ On Duty -- AP

A Colorado administrative law judge has ruled that a security supervisor at a Colorado youth prison should not get his job back after the state fired him for sending pornographic texts and videos and playing a computer dice game called “Farkle” during work hours.

“I want to say I went against the tide and because I did, I got pulled under in the undertow,” said Curtis Medina, who oversaw inmates and staff members at the Platte Valley Youth Services Center in Greeley.

Platte Valley is a 133-bed, secure state-run facility for youth offenders. Some are awaiting trial; others have been convicted of serious crimes. Medina worked there nine years, rising to a role as a senior supervisor. He disputes some of the accusations about his activities while admitting to others.

According to a decision by an administrative law judge handed down in October, Medina interacted with some subordinates while on duty “by sending sexually-oriented text message videos and photos to the personal phones of staff members or displaying sexually explicit texts to these subordinates.”

Medina told CBS4 he did send inappropriate texts and videos to co-workers, but denied doing it during work hours.

“And I did send them but never at work. That’s a blatant lie. I never did that,” he said.

Joe Thome, who oversees Platte Valley for the State of Colorado, said what Medina did was “completely unacceptable. They were videos and images that had sexual content … naked women and salacious content, basically,” Thome said. “Pretty graphic stuff.”

According to state administrators, Medina also spent work time playing a computer dice game called Farkle. Medina does not deny this but says it wasn’t as egregious as the state claims and there was a valid reason for computer gaming while on the job. Medina says he would focus so much at work and spend so many hours on the computer doing legitimate work, it caused him to get migraine headaches. He says to relieve the migraines, he would play Farkle on his state computer.

“Maybe 10 minutes every day I worked probably,” Medina said. “It would be random times depending on when I got a migraine. I know that sounds strange, but that’s what it was.”

“Time for something like that was unacceptable no matter how much it was,” Thome said.

Medina appealed his dismissal claiming he was targeted for firing after blowing the whistle on other workers’ misdeeds like sleeping on the job, misusing state time, and administrators purportedly having sex with each other at the facility.

But in a ruling dated Oct. 12, 2010, ALJ Denise DeForest wrote that Medina did commit the acts that led to his firing and that evidence did not show Medina was the victim of an orchestrated campaign.


The Medina controversy is just the latest for a facility that has repeatedly been accused of various misdeeds by employees, former employees and inmates. The accusations and rumors became so persistent that the state asked the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to conduct an independent inquiry into PVYSC in 2009. That review was completed and released earlier this year.

The CBI investigation compiled a list of 58 alleged criminal events at PVYSC. Six could not be confirmed, 24 did result in corrective, disciplinary actions, including terminations and admonishments of detention facility staff members, according to the CBI. Eleven of the events resulted in additional charges against inmates; 20 incidents were confirmed as being referred to the state for investigation; and 15 incidents were turned over to Greeley police for investigationa one incident given to the Weld County Sheriffs Office.

In a letter dated Feb. 23, 2010, Weld County Assistant District Attorney Michael Rourke wrote that he had reviewed the investigation. He noted that all reports of possible criminal conduct had been properly forwarded to the appropriate authorities. Rourke said the investigation was “comprehensive, complete and thorough,” and would not result in any new criminal charges.

Medina says he is looking for work but believes the state has blackballed him in the corrections industry, making it hard to find employment.

Area Employers Say Some Jobless Residents Trying To Double Dip

Area employers say some jobless residents are double-dipping when they get jobs. Ed Sleeman, who owns Colorado Drywall Supply, told KUSA-TV some job applicants say they will work for him if he pays them cash under the table so they can keep getting unemployment benefits. Sleeman says he knows other industrial businesses are also encountering double-dippers, but he would never allow double-dipping. Colorado Department of Labor officials say it's difficult to determine how big an issue this is because the double-dippers don't report the additional income.

Attorney General Sues Businesses, Individuals Who Allegedly Defrauded Homeowners

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers has sued three businesses and five people suspected of defrauding homeowners using foreclosure rescue plots. Named in the suits were Jason L. Lynn and his company, Superior Financial Group, and Patrick Brunner and his company, Platinum Financial Group, Jerry Ohu and his company, Fortune Financial Group, plus Gregory Hoffman and William J. Schultz. The civil suits claim the defendants approached the homeowners with plans to save their homes from foreclosure. Suthers said the homeowners were told to transfer their property titles to investors, who would lease the homes back to them with an option to buy their homes again but none were allowed to repurchase their homes.

Sterling Correctional Facility Officer Busted

A corrections officer from Sterling Correctional Facility was arrested Sunday in Denver for investigation of Internet luring of a child. The Denver Post reported that 59 year old Arthur Frank Stafford believed he was about to meet an underage teenager for sex, but was arrested by the Jefferson County district attorney's office. Stafford's bee with the DOC for nearly eleven years, but only at Sterling for about a year and a half. He was placed on administrative leave on Sunday, the same day he was arrested at the Village Inn in Wheat Ridge.

Locals Concerned About Federal Issues

Unfunded mandates. Always top of mind when you have a chance to talk with your soon to be Congressman and not left out of the conversation among Fort Morgan School District officials, Fort Morgan City officials and Morgan County officials when they met with Cory Gardner -- or Congressman Cory Gardner. He heads to DC to be part of the new Congress in January. All those officials officially asked him "What's an official to do when the feds come down with the mandates, but there's no money for them?" There are concerns about new road signs the feds want, air quality issues, food inspections and so much more. Gardner said he'll bring the issues up when he gets to the Capitol.

Soldiers' Families Can Get Free Christmas Trees

The Trees for Troops program is providing free Christmas trees to families of Fort Carson soldiers.

About 600 farm-grown trees will be distributed starting on Wednesday at the post.

Fort Carson spokeswoman Brandy Gill says the trees are provided by FedEx and the Colorado Christmas Spirit Foundation.

Nationwide, Trees for Troops has delivered more than 50,000 trees since 2005 to 50 U.S. military bases, to units in Iraq and Afghanistan and to the Navy's 5th Fleet.

Civil Lawsuits In Colo Courts Surge 72 Percent

Foreclosure and property-tax lien cases have resulted in a 72 percent surge in civil filings in Colorado's court system compared with last year.

A Denver Post examination of data from the state court administrator's office shows there were 116,346 civil cases filed in the state's district courts in fiscal 2010, up from 67,480 in 2009. A decade ago 39,161 civil cases were filed.

Colorado Office of the State Court Administrator spokesman Rob McCallum told the Post that property-tax liens are largely a paperwork problem that isn't affecting courtroom time.

With recent state budget cutbacks, a dwindling corps of clerks is working to stay on top of the mounting paperwork.

Marijuana Rules Near Completion In Colo.

Marijuana shops in Colorado are closer to having the nation's most detailed rules as a state regulation panel wrapped up work Monday on hundreds of pages of rules regulating how shops operate.

Video surveillance, labeling requirements and seed-to-sale tracking for medical marijuana highlight the rules planned for the estimated 800 pot shops that applied for state permits for commercial marijuana sales.

The rules also include the nation's first guidelines for the safe production of marijuana, hashish and edible marijuana products. After public hearings in January, the rules could become law by March.

A marijuana working group in the Colorado Department of Revenue combed through some final sticking points between pot advocates and state regulators on Monday. One of the biggest areas of dissent continues to be the new rule that pot shops grow 70 percent of the marijuana they sell.

Marijuana industry advocates complain that the rule is impossible to enforce and could leave pot businesses with a red-tape nightmare. For example, marijuana dispensaries have a plant limit based on how many patients they serve, and if patients move away or pick another marijuana dispensary, a pot shop could be left with more plants in the ground than patients to account for them.

State regulators want to make the 70 percent rule an annual measure, giving pot shops some wiggle room in case of crop failure or a rush of new patients with not enough inventory to supply them all with house-grown pot. Still, marijuana workers complain the rule won't work.

"This will raise the price of medicine, and make the black market more attractive," said Norton Arbelaez, owner of River Rock Wellness in Denver and head of the Medical Marijuana Industry Group.

Another marijuana advocate, Denver lawyer Robert Corry, complained that the 70 percent was an arbitrary decision by state lawmakers and called it "unenforceable."

"I think they just threw a dart at the board. It has no basis in reality," Corry said of the grow-your-own requirement. "There's no other industry on the face of the planet that has to deal with this."

Matt Cook, senior director of the state's medical-marijuana enforcement division, didn't disagree. But he pointed out that the 70 percent rule is in law and can be changed only by the Legislature. He told the dispensary owners that changes are possible from state lawmakers, but some sort of self-grown requirement is likely.

"This is the direction they want to go," he said.

Marketing to kids was another point of contention Monday. The group decided to strike proposed language banning marijuana shops from advertising to kids, though the requirement remains in law. One of the marijuana advocates in the group, Jessica LeRoux, pointed out that her infused-product company advertises with pink and leopard prints.

"I can't be held accountable that my fashion sense runs similar to a 6-year-old's," LeRoux said to laughter from the group. Cook agreed the language should be removed.

"I just will not promulgate a rule I can't enforce," he said.

The marijuana working group also got a full look at the new safety and sanitation regulations. The new rules will likely include a ban on some pesticides, limits on others and some warnings that pregnant women shouldn't ingest pot products made with some products.

The rules include the nation's first regulations for the safe production of hashish, including requirements that hash producers have exhaust hoods and other safety equipment and must use lab-quality metals and glass, not plastics that are commonly used but can impart dangerous chemicals into the hash.

The group debated whether to ban unsafe chemicals that can't be tested, but regulators proposed going ahead and banning anything unsafe so that pot producers know what they shouldn't be using and patients know what they're smoking.

"I think patients have a right to know what they're ingesting, period," Cook said.

Watch What Your Pets Eat During The Holidays

Denver residents are urged to keep an eye on what house pets eat during the holidays. Animal advocates say this is the time of year dogs and cats can too much human food. Chocolate, sweet foods, greasy foods are dangerous for cats and dogs. Also, cats are attracted to tinsel and shiny things on the Christmas tree which may be mistaken for food.

Defrauder Sentenced

A Denver man who defrauded investors including John Elway of millions is sentenced to 40 years in prison. The judge in the case sentenced 42-year-old Sean Mueller to the maximum penalty for his crimes. Mueller pleaded guilty to swindling investors out of 71 million dollars during a ten-year period. Prosecutors say Mueller operated a Bernie Madoff-style Ponzi scheme, which involved using new investor money to pay existing investors. Prosecutors say Mueller stole 15 million dollars from former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway.

Man Who Swindled 15M From Elway Gets 40 Years In The Slammer

A Denver man who defrauded investors including John Elway of millions is sentenced to 40 years in prison. The judge in the case sentenced 42-year-old Sean Mueller to the maximum penalty for his crimes. Mueller pleaded guilty to swindling investors out of 71 million dollars during a ten-year period. Prosecutors say Mueller operated a Bernie Madoff-style Ponzi scheme, which involved using new investor money to pay existing investors. Prosecutors say Mueller stole 15 million dollars from former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway.

Colorado Law makers deciding on Pot Threshold

Colorado lawmakers could consider a bill next year which would create an impairment scale for Denver and Colorado Springs residents who get behind the wheel after smoking marijuana. Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson says the standard makes sense because stoned drivers are impaired drivers.

Robinson said, "If I'm going to be involved in the use of marijuana, I should not be involved in operating a motor vehicle for hours or a day after ingesting the substance."

But medical marijuana advocates say the bill is unconstitutional because marijuana has been decriminalized in Colorado already.

Lawmaker: State's Hidden Budget Shortfall

In its struggles to deliver balanced state budgets over the past 10 years, Colorado has amassed $3.7 billion in obligations that it may never pay.

That sum includes severance taxes taken from municipalities, funds collected for such state services as tourism promotion and waste tire cleanup that were never delivered, prison and school bus costs that were never paid for, and other accounting tricks.

State budget analysts told the Legislature's Joint Budget Committee in November that the 2011-2012 budget, with an anticipated $1.1 billion shortfall, no longer includes the $3.7 billion cut over the years.

The amounts were included in the small print in annual budgets over the years, but this was the first year budget analysts even tried to add up the cost of these potential obligations, and they acknowledged the total figure is impossible to know until lawmakers decide what they think should be repaid.

That won't happen until the economy rebounds, which may take years, and lawmakers will then have to decide whether to consider past obligations or write them off and move forward.

Potential state obligations include $430 million to cover lost federal funds for Medicaid; $264 million to fund a state reserve designed to cover any spending that exceeds constitutional spending limits; $90 million to cover a 2003 accounting trick in which the state moved one monthly paycheck for state employees into the next fiscal year; $705 million to reinstate public school finance cuts; and $103 million to restore a tax break for senior citizens.

Some of those cuts are included in next year's proposed budget beginning in July. Others won't fall due until 2012 and beyond.

In 2008, the state Supreme Court ruled that lawmakers had the right to take $442 million from 29 cash funds from 2001 to 2004 without a vote by taxpayers because they were discretionary funds and the state had no obligation to pay them back.

Sam Mamet, executive director of the Colorado Municipal League, said local communities believe the state is obliged to repay some funds, like $250 million taken from communities to cover increased demand for services because of oil and gas drilling. But no one knows where the state would find the money, he said.

"We're upset over the loss of those funds and we'd like them paid back. But from where?" he asked.

John Ziegler, staff director of the budget committee, said total obligations depend on what lawmakers decide to give back.

Lawmakers need to determine which projects were eliminated due to normal budget cuts and which ones were commitments to taxpayers and interest groups that need to be restored, Ziegler said.

"The hole is as big as the guy with the shovel wants to make it," he told the budget committee.

GOP House Speaker Frank McNulty said the obligations may never be met because Colorado faces another shortfall — and the state should tell taxpayers so.

"I think taxpayers would be shocked to know how much the state has really spent over the past 10 years," McNulty said.

Sen. Mary Hodge, a Democrat from Aurora who chairs the budget committee, said the state should tell taxpayers in next year's budget where their money has gone over the past decade. The budget analysts' report was an eye-opener, she said.

"It was a surprise to me how far down we've actually gone. I'm impressed that the state is still afloat," she said.

Jeffrey Zax, an economics professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, said lawmakers have no obligation to repay most of the money — but that they need to make it clear what happened to it.

"An asterisk in the budget would be good," Zax said.

"Putting a footnote or asterisk in the budget is nice, but I don't it think it gets to the major challenges we're facing," Mamet said.

Italian Boat Finds Remains Of US Balloonists -- AP

An Italian fishing boat on Monday discovered the remains of two American balloonists missing over the Adriatic Sea since Sept. 29, a port official said.

The boat hauled in the balloon gondola with the bodies of the Americans still inside while fishing 11 miles (17 kilometers) north of Vieste in southern Puglia before dawn, said Cmdr. Guido Limongelli of the Vieste port.

He said documents found in the gondola confirmed the identities of Richard Abruzzo, 47, of Albuquerque, and Carol Rymer Davis, 65, of Denver.

The two were participating in the 54th Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race when contact was lost Sept. 29 as they flew over the Adriatic. Search crews looked for the veteran balloonists in vain for nearly a week before determining their craft had plunged toward the water at 50 mph (80 kph) and that they likely didn't survive.

As soon as the fishing boat discovered what was in its nets it alerted port officials in Vieste, who sent out a patrol boat to escort the vessel back to port, Limongelli said. A coroner was performing an autopsy and officials were investigating to determine what might have caused the balloon to crash.

The disappearance of the champion balloonists had cast a pall over the ballooning community.

The Abruzzo name in particular is synonymous with ballooning. Abruzzo was the son of famed balloonist Ben Abruzzo, who was in 1981 part of the first team to cross the Pacific Ocean by balloon, and who was killed in a small airplane crash in 1985.

The younger Abruzzo and Davis won the 2004 edition of the Gordon Bennett race and the 2003 America's Challenge gas race — one of Abruzzo's five victories in that race.

Sterling Miracle Players Present "T'was the Night Before Christmas"

You'll want to make plans early as the Sterling Miracle Players present "Twas the Night Before Christmas" Friday, December 17, through Sunday, December 19 at the Ramada Inn Courtyard. Since dinner's involved, you'll need to make reservations by December 14. Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and the show starts at 7 p.m. On Sunday, dinner is at 1:30 with the show at 3 p.m. So what's for dinner? Its a buffet with chicken, roast beef or turkey, potatoes, candied yams, veggies, salad with dressing, rolls, carrot cake or German chocolate cake, coffee and tea. YUM! To make reservations, go to SterlingMiraclePlayers.com

Foundation, City Have No Agreement on Museum

While the city of Fort Morgan pays for the building its in, the utilities in the building and the people who work there, the Fort Morgan Heritage Foundation pays for everything else at the Fort Morgan Museum. Now, the foundation board says, the city wants to combine the museum and the library operations under one director and cut a third of the museum's personnel. Foundation board members also say that while they and the city have been working together on the museum, there's no agreement between the two, and the board members say they see no agreement in the future. An agreement had been on a meeting agenda to be considered, but was removed before the meeting started.

Man Dies In Avalanche

A 32-year-old man from Golden was killed yesterday when he got caught in an avalanche in Clear Creek County. Authorities said Kyle Shellberg was skiing with a friend when they were swept into an avalanche 500-feet wide and 600-feet deep in the Dry Gulch backcountry north of Interstate 70. Thirty-one-year-old Justin Lantici suffered a leg injury in the event. Authorities said Lantici dug Shellberg out from under the snow pack and attempted CPR for 45 minutes but couldn't revive his friend.

Lawmaker Wants To Find Legal Threshold For Driving-While-Stoned

Police still don't have a way to determine if Denver motorists are too stoned to drive. That would change however under a proposed state law. Representative Claire Levy could soon sponsor legislation to find a legal threshold for whether a driver has too much THC in their system to drive safely. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana. Under a law, folks who test above the determined threshold would be sanctioned.

Colorado Springs Artist Chosen To Paint President

A Colorado-based artist is going presidential. Sarah Boardman of Colorado Springs was commissioned recently to paint a portrait of President Barack Obama for the third-floor rotunda in the Colorado State Capitol. Boardman signed the deal November 5th and needed to beat 83 other artists for the honor to paint Obama's likeness. The British national has lived in Colorado Springs since 1993. She's expected to be finished in April.

Soldier at Hospital

A U.S. Army soldier charged with fatally shooting a jailed Taliban member in Afghanistan was transferred to a mental health facility on Thursday, his father said.

Pfc. David Lawrence was admitted for inpatient treatment, Brett Lawrence told The Associated Press. The father said the facility is in Colorado, but he did not know the name or the city.

Fort Carson officials said they couldn't comment because of privacy rules.

David Lawrence, 20, of Indiana, is charged with premeditated murder in the Oct. 17 shooting death of the Taliban member in a cell at a U.S. outpost in southern Afghanistan. If convicted of the charge, he could be sentenced to execution or life in prison.

The soldier was taking an antidepressant and another drug for sleeping problems at the time, and sometime after the shooting, Army doctors placed him on another drug for schizophrenia, his attorney, James Culp, said.

It's not clear whether Army doctors have formally diagnosed the soldier with schizophrenia, but Brett Lawrence said his son told family members before the shooting that he was hearing voices. The father also said others in the family suffer from schizophrenia.

Culp said Lawrence was transferred to the mental health facility at the direction of the Army psychiatrist overseeing his case. Culp said he too did not know the name or city of the facility.

"We are very relieved," Brett Lawrence said, adding that his son needs help.

David Lawrence had been assigned to guard the prisoner at the time of the shooting.

At a military judicial hearing this week, Army prosecutors portrayed him as a zealot determined to kill the enemy and suggested he might be faking mental illness.

Culp said that before the shooting, Lawrence was badly shaken by the deaths of two Army friends in Afghanistan, including a chaplain. Lawrence had sought mental health care in Afghanistan before the shooting, and was prescribed the antidepressant and sleep medicine, Culp said.

Culp said when Lawrence was returned to his unit after seeing the mental health providers, he didn't get the care or supervision that he needed and instead was assigned to longer-than-normal shifts on guard duty.

Yuma Co Courthouse Damaged by Training

Yuma County officials are reeling in the aftermath of law enforcement training that left serious damage to the Yuma County Courthouse. Officials say there are dents in walls all over the building, pain ball markings, damage to carpet and flooring and more from the November 20 training that involved some 32 officers from nearby agencies. Outgoing Sheriff Sam McCoy went before county commissioners on Monday to explain the situation. He said that since they'd started damaging the place with the "sim guns", they'd keep it up since McCoy had to fix the damage. McCoy took full responsibility for the damage and said he'd fix it.

"A Child`s Christmas on the Prairie." Tomorrow

The staff of the Overland Trail Museum is
preparing for the holidays. There's a Victorian home display in the Dave Hamil building this year and its complete with traditional holiday trimmings. Tomorrow, Santa Claus will be in the display. He'll be hearing from kids of all ages who want to ask for something special for Christmas.

Day Out on December 11

Its a week away, but parents will want to make note: on Saturday, December 11 parents will get a day out when Faith United Methodist Church in Sterling invites kids in for a couple of hours to give mom and dad a few hours off...or to go into serious discussions with Santa Claus about someone's holiday gift! The day out is from 9 a.m. to noon and its a morning of snacks and fun for the kids.
The church is located at 230 Williams Place, Sterling. Call 522-0140 to enroll your children by 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10.

Author Visits Sterling Public Library

Author Karen Schutte, who wrote “The Ticket” will provide a program at Sterling Public Library tomorrow from 2 to 4 p.m. She'll read some from the novel and talk about how she wrote it. She'll also sign purchased books. We won't give away any details here, but head to the library tomorrow afternoon.

Are You Smarter Than A Resident Of Boulder?

So, you think you're so smart? According to a new magazine poll, some people in Colorado are indeed the smartest in the country. "Portfolio Magazine" found residents of Boulder are the smartest people in the U.S., surpassing folks living in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Washington, D.C. and Durham, North Carolina. Fort Collins rounded out the top five. The magazine found 26-percent of Boulder residents had a graduate or professional degree and 82-percent had at least some college education in their lives.

Peeping Tom Wanted In Greeley

Police in Greeley are looking for a man who they say used a ladder to look into people's bedroom windows. Authorities say the man perched a ladder onto the side of homes on 16th Street the day before Thanksgiving and peered into bedroom

Shuman Trial Date Firm

Gilbert Dean Schuman 's trial has been rescheduled to February 24, 2011. Shuman is accused of animal cruelty after nearly 80 cattle carcasses were found on his Logan County property. Investigators said the cattle died of malnutrition. The trial was set to start on December 13, but Shuman's attorney got a continuance so he could gather more information. The judge in the case said the case will go to trial on February 24 and no more continuances will be allowed.