71,000 Children Are Poisoned Every Year By Medications

An estimated 71,000 children and teenagers are seen in emergency departments each year because of medication poisonings. Over 80% of visits were because an unsupervised child found and consumed medications.






Gail Banach with the American Association of Poison Centers wants to remind adults to put away all prescription medications where young children and teenagers cannot get to them.

Rachel's Challenge Introduced

Be nice, show some kindness to somebody else. That's the goal of "Rachel`s Challenge". Its a program introduced by Rachel Scott's father. She was the first person killed in the Columbine High School Shooting in April 1999. Her father says Rachel's acts of kindness are the basis for the program.

SLOW DOWN!

SLOW DOWN!

That's what some South 10th Avenue residents told the Sterling City Council last night. The city needs to slow down drivers in that area who are going faster than the 30 mile an hour speed limit. They say its dangerous for people living there. Residents complained that there have been numerous hit and run crashes in the past few years, one woman having her car hit three times. Residents say they need more stop signs along 10th Avenue, and that would be one way to slow the speeders.

North Sterling State Park is Planting Trees -- Help Needed

North Sterling State Park is looking for help putting down roots. Coming up on April 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. is the first ever springtime "Put Down Roots" tree-planting. After the trees are planted, they'll also need help caring for them. First, on that Saturday, you'll help remove the dead trees, then plant the new ones. Then, there's a barbecue for lunch at Cottonwood Cove Swim Beach. Then, its back to work...sort of. There'll be tree related talks for the afternoon.

Late car registration fines staying in Colorado

Higher late registration fees for drivers who miss renewing their tags are staying in Colorado after a Democratic Senate committee rejected a GOP plan to roll those fines back.

Colorado Republicans have tried all session to undo higher car registration fees and late fines that became law under an all-Democratic Legislature two years ago. The Republican House approved a bill rolling back late tag registration fees from a maximum of $100 to a maximum of $10, with county clerks able to waive those fines altogether.

But a Senate committee voted 3-2 Wednesday to keep the higher late fees, which raise some $25 million a year for road and bridge work and mass transit.

The bill's rejection marks the final GOP attempt to chip away at the higher fees.

Tiny levels of radiation from Japan in Colorado

Colorado is among the states reporting minuscule levels of radiation fallout from an earthquake-damaged nuclear power plant in Japan.

State health director Dr. Chris Urbina says the levels aren't a health risk for people. He says the radiation levels in Colorado are similar to those detected in other states.

Urbina says there's no need for Coloradans to take potassium iodide, which helps prevent radiation-induced thyroid cancer. He notes that federal health officials say Americans typically receive daily doses of radiation from natural sources, such as rocks and the sun, that are 100,000 times higher than the fallout from Japan.

Colorado health officials are sending samples of the radiation detected in the state to the Environmental Protection Agency for analysis.

Fallen Marine Returns Home

The body of a U.S. Marine killed last week in combat overseas arrived yesterday in Aurora. Lance Corporal Christopher Meis was killed in action last Thursday in Afghanistan. Meis' mother and father were on hand at Buckley Air Force Base to receive their son's flag-covered casket. Meis, a third-generation member of the military, was a Colorado native. He once attended Bennett High School.

Lawmakers To Debate Beer Bill Today

Lawmakers are going to stir up a battle over beer today. A state House committee will vote on if full-strength beer can be sold in grocery and convenience stores. Several liquor stores and breweries say the recommendation could force them to close. Those against HB1284 protested the concept of full-strength beer being sold in chain stores last night.