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.