Crone: At least one more day of expected heavy rains and possible severe weather today.

From Morgan County Sheriff Jim Crone:

If we get another “toad strangler”, please be kind to others and don’t drive through high water on city streets. People who live there or have businesses don’t appreciate waves of water washing into their living rooms or stores.
And in the country, when you see water washing across a graveled county road or paved roadway, you do not know what is in the middle of that water. I have seen washouts of up to 8 FEET deep underneath. Driving through something like this is a good way to end up on a sheriff’s office or state patrol media release. Please avoid these areas and wait until the water goes down so you can see what’s there (or not there), or find another route.
The Platte is up again, still nowhere near flood stage, but heavy rains could push the river up and out at least temporarily and other small, narrow-channeled creeks such as the Beaver, Badger, Rock, and Wildcat could become impressively “raging” in short periods of time.

For today and tonight:
Thunderstorms will develop in the mountains by early afternoon and over the foothills and adjacent areas of the Front Range Urban Corridor by mid to late afternoon. Over the northeast plains thunderstorm activity will increase by tonight. The storms will have the potential to produce very heavy rain with rainfall
amounts of 1 to 2 inches in the mountains and foothills with locally up to 3 inches in a few spots. Over the Front Range Urban Corridor and northeast plains rainfall amounts up to 2 inches will be possible with locally up to 4 inches in a few areas.

With rivers and streams already running high due to previous snowmelt heavy rains could quickly lead to flash flooding in the mountains and foothills and in the four mile burn area of Boulder County. In addition rock and mudslides will also be possible. At lower elevations additional heavy rains on top of saturated soils
from previous rainfall the past week could quickly lead to flash flooding as well.

Meanwhile isolated severe thunderstorms will be possible over northeast
Colorado with hail to one inch in diameter along with winds gusts to 60 mph. In addition a brief tornado could also occur.

For Wednesday through Monday:
The chance of late day showers and thunderstorms should continue across the forecast area through the period. Temperatures will stay around seasonal normals.

Spotter activation will not be needed today or tonight but rainfall reports will be appreciated due to the potential for very heavy rain.

SVPRTA Holds Hearing

The South Platte Valley Regional Transportation Authority is considering the
proposed ballot issue to continue the one-tenth of one percent sales tax to fund operating the Prairie Express. The authority held a public hearing on the ballot issue at last week's meeting. Four years ago, 175 thousand dollars a year was approved to help support SPVRTA, and was due to sunset this year, unless voters approve more funding. The issue will give voters a chance to evaluate the service and decide if they want to keep funding it.

Free Slurpees At 7-Eleven

Those looking to beat today's heat can go to any Denver metro area 7-Eleven. The convenience store chain is giving away free small Slurpees in honor of it's 84th birthday. The free Slurpee is good for today only.

Food Around the World at Sterling Public Library

Sterling Public Library will provide Food Around the World on Thursday, July 14th
at 2:00 p.m. The program is for children of all ages. During the program Denise and
Connie will be demonstrating how to make foods from other countries. After all the
recipes have been prepared, kids will get to sample several of the foods. If you are enrolled in the Summer Reading Program and have not yet turned in your reading time, remember that the last day to turn in time is July 29th at 5:00 p.m.

Auto Owners Report $3,500 in Damage

For a second time within one week, Fort Morgan Police are investigating vandalism to

vehicles that caused serious damage.

The first incident occurred on June 26 in the 200 block of Cherry Street and caused

$1,500 in damage. The second incident was reported July 2 in the 300 block of Meeker

Street and resulted in $2,000 damage to the vehicle.

In both cases, the body of the vehicle was scratched or dented. The owner in the most

recent incident reported the taillights and windshield had also been broken.

The vandals struck while the vehicles were parked during the early morning hours.

There are no suspects in either case and police do not think the incidents are related.

Police are looking for additional information about these cases and are asking anyone

with information to call police at 867-5678.

Tips can be given anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 542-3411. Anyone

with information can also submit a tip online and remain unidentified by visiting

www.cityoffortmorgan.com and following the Crime Stoppers link on the side of the

Logan, Morgan, Washington County Deputies, Brush Police and CSP Stop Felon

Logan County Sheriff's deputies were making a routine traffic stop on Sunday when 27 year old Michael Wilson sped away, and deputies gave chase. Logan, Morgan and Washington counties' deputies, Brush Police and Colorado State Patrol were also involved in aspects of the pursuit. The chase started on Highway 6, moved to I-76, and deputies used stop sticks to flatten tires, but Wilson kept going, then jumped out of the car and fled on foot, Officers nabbed him at gunpoint and arrested him. Turns out Michael Wilson had several outstanding warrants and a loaded .25 caliber weapon in his vehicle, hence, the pursuit. He's now in the Logan County Detention Center on a 75 thousand dollar bond.

WANTED FELON ARRESTED AFTER ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE DEPUTY

STERLING, COLORADO - On July 10th, 2011, Logan County Sheriff’s Office Deputy M.
Williams conducted a routine traffic stop at mile marker 393 on Highway 6. Deputy Williams
contacted the driver of a 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier, later identified as Michael Wilson, DOB 11/18/
84. At one point during the traffic stop, Wilson drove away from Deputy Williams at a high rate
of speed.

A high speed pursuit ensued with speeds in excess of 100 MPH. Deputy Williams, other Logan
County Sheriff’s Office personnel, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office personnel, Brush Police
personnel, Washington County Sheriff’s Office personnel, and Colorado State Patrol were also
involved in aspects of the pursuit.

Wilson began eluding on Highway 6, later driving onto I-76. Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
utilized stop sticks at mile marker 92 on I-76, disabling Wilson’s driver’s side front tire. Colorado
State Patrol disabled the remaining tires using stop sticks at mile marker 91. Wilson continued
driving until mile marker 90. Wilson exited his vehicle and was taken down at gun point at which
point he was placed into custody without incident.

Further investigation into the matter showed that Wilson was wanted on several felony warrants
out of Adams County Sheriff’s Office for Identity Theft and Aurora Police Department for Motor
Vehicle Theft. In addition, the vehicle Wilson was driving had also been reported as stolen out of
Denver.

Wilson, a convicted felon, had a loaded .25 caliber handgun in the vehicle. A search warrant was
obtained and several narcotics items were located, charges pending.

Wilson is being held at the Logan County Detention Center on a $75,000 bond. Wilson has
been charged with: Theft by Receiving a class four felony, Vehicular Eluding a class 5 felony,
three counts of Criminal Attempt a class 5 felony, Possession of Weapons by Previous Offender
a class 6 felony, Driving Under Restraint a class one misdemeanor, two counts of Reckless

Endangerment a class three misdemeanor, and Prohibited Use of Weapons (while under the
influence of liquor or controlled substance) a class 2 misdemeanor.

###

Thunderstorms soak parts of Colorado, again

DENVER (AP) — Thunderstorms with heavy rains and lightning have prompted flood advisories across Colorado and delayed flights at Denver International Airport.

Airport officials say arriving and departing flights were delayed up to a half hour Monday evening because of the weather. The National Weather Service said from 2 to 3.5 inches of rain fell in northeastern Colorado in the afternoon.

Heavy rain also fell in the western Colorado mountains, the Denver area and the northern part of the state. Denver's KDVR-TV reports that lightning is believed to be the cause of a house fire in the south suburb of Lone Tree.

Much of western Colorado and the Front Range, including the Denver area, have been hit the past few days with downpours.

KUSA-TV reports that several mudslides occurred over the weekend.

Colorado woman petitioning for John Denver Peak

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — The late singer John Denver's song "Rocky Mountain High" celebrated his adopted home of Colorado. Now, a Colorado woman wants to honor him by naming one of the state's peaks after him.

J.P. McDaniel of Littleton tells The Aspen Times that she has collected about 1,000 signatures in support of naming the eastern peak of Mount Sopris near Aspen after the singer-songwriter.

Denver lived in the Aspen area from 1970 until his death in a plane crash near Monterey, Calif., in 1997.

McDaniel says her petition to the federal government for John Denver Peak is intended to honor the singer's environmental legacy. She says the nearly 13 thousand-foot peak is visible from land he donated to the Windstar Foundation, an environmental organization.

The U.S. Board of Geographic Names would consider the request.

Colorado financial computer system has risk of failure

DENVER (AP) — State officials say the computer system that is the backbone of Colorado's financial workings is outdated and could trigger a failure that would prevent critical governmental transactions.

A report released Monday says the failure of the Colorado Financial Reporting System would paralyze the state's ability to process checks to vendors that provide services to the state and make it impossible to know Colorado's true financial position.

The evaluation from the state's Auditor's Office says the computer is at risk of failure because it's based on obsolete technology and programming code from 20 years ago that few people know how to use.

The evaluation recommends that the state keep employees with knowledge of the system and work with lawmakers to get funding to modernize it in the coming years.