Water Mains Flushed this Week

The City of Fort Morgan is flushing water mains from October 10th through the 14th, during the evening hours of 9 pm - 7 am.

The flushing is performing during periods of low water demand, such as in the spring and fall. This is done routinely to clean out the distribution pipelines to remove any impurities or sediments that may be deposited in the distribution system. If you notice water running in the streets, it is likely from the flushing of water mains. If you have any questions, please call Mitch Church, Water Distribution Superintendent, at (970) 542-3911.

Utility Changes During Brush Streetscape Project

Brush residents found out that there's been a change to the streetscape project specifically at Clayton and Edison Streets. While the street is torn up with the streetscape project, they extended the sewer line into the 200 block of Clayton. Other changes to the utility infrastructure will also happen during the streetscape project.

Achievement Night Coming Up

The 2011 Morgan County 4-H Achievement Night is coming up on November 20 at the Mark Arndt Event Center at the Morgan County Fairgrounds in Brush. Achievement Night is a chance to recognize the accomplishments of Morgan County 4-Hers over the past year. There will be lots of awards given out that night.

Campaign Signs Allegedly Stolen In Longmont

(Longmont, CO) -- Someone is allegedly stealing campaign signs in Longmont. Mayor Bryan Baum and City Council candidates Heath Carroll and Brian Bagley estimate at least 50 signs have been stolen recently. Longmont police are investigating, but they say no campaign-sign thefts have been reported in the last three years.

Wing Of SkyWest Plane Clipped By De-Icing Vehicle

(Denver, CO) -- A de-icing vehicle is being blamed for clipping the wing of a SkyWest Airlines jet. The plane was being prepared in Denver on Saturday morning for a flight to Colorado Springs when the minor accident occurred. No injuries were reported, and the 31 passengers were taken by bus to Colorado Springs.

Cub rescued after getting stuck in trash bin cage

ESTES PARK, Colo. (AP) — A cage around a trash bin outside a lodge near Rocky Mountain National Park was supposed to keep bears out, but a cub got stuck in it over the weekend.

Employees of Wild Basin Lodge say it appears the bear cub was trying to crawl out when it got stuck Saturday in a gap between the bottom of the metal cage and the ground.

They say the cub's mother ran off when humans approached.

The lodge's executive chef, Brent Lewis, was able to pull the bear cub out so it could join its family.

No one was injured.

Denver airport gets grants for runway, bag system

DENVER (AP) — Denver International Airport officials say they will use $37 million in recent federal grants for runway work and improvements to its baggage screening system.

The money was awarded in August and September.

Airport officials said Monday that the airport it received about $22 million from the Federal Aviation Administration for airfield maintenance.

It also received about $15 million from the Transportation Security Administration to upgrade an area the agency uses for baggage processing and checked-bag screening.

Tent camp sprouts near Colorado Capitol

DENVER (AP) — A tent village has sprung up over the past four days at a park across the street from the Colorado Capitol, with dozens of people saying they're out in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York.

Protesters say they have been at a park on state land since Sept. 23, but recent cold weather has prompted their stay in about 26 tents.

Colorado State Patrol officials who are responsible for the park did not have any immediate word on whether the protesters will be removed.

In Colorado Springs, protesters have set up four tents on the edge of a park downtown and have been staying overnight since Friday.

Rallies protesting the government's response to financial crises are also planned this week in Boulder and Fort Collins.

Prosecutors: Man held woman captive for 2 months

DENVER (AP) — A 31-year-old man accused of physically and sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend while holding her captive in her Denver home for two months has been charged.

Eric Barney Jr. was arrested late last month and is charged with sexual assault causing serious bodily injury, sexual assault, false imprisonment and menacing. He is being held on $150,000 bail.

Court records say that on July 25, hospital staff reported a patient who was badly beaten, had a broken nose and required stitches for cuts to her face. After the woman was released from the hospital, she says Barney held her captive and repeatedly assaulted her for about two months.

Prosecutors say Barney told the woman if she tried to call 911, "she would be dead before she hung up the phone."

Fort Collins focuses on 2 police chief candidates

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Fort Collins in northern Colorado is focusing its search for a new police chief on two candidates.

The Coloradoan reports City Manager Darin Atteberry told staff members over the weekend he will likely choose either John Hutto of Austin, Texas, or Ron Burns of Tempe, Ariz.

Hutto is an assistant chief with Austin police. Burns is the faculty chair of Public Safety Programs at Rio Salado College in Tempe and is a former police chief in cities including Tempe.

Atteberry says he plans to interview both men further.

Hutto and Burns were among four finalists who visited Fort Collins last week for interviews with community members and city staffers. There were 106 applicants for the job.

Denver officer pleads no contest over punch

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A Denver police officer accused of punching a man in the face at a golf club bar while he was off duty has pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct.

The Daily Camera reports that 37-year-old Kevin Carlile entered his plea Monday in Erie Municipal Court and received a one-year deferred judgment. The misdemeanor conviction will be dropped from his record if he stays out of trouble over the next 12 months.

He also was fined $500, with $250 of that suspended.

Police in Erie say Carlile and his friend Christopher Douglas were watching a Colorado Rockies game on television this summer when two other men changed the channel. Carlile and Douglas were accused of each punching a man in the face.

Douglas also received a one-year deferred judgment and was fined $750, with $300 suspended.

Man cut with bottle in Fort Collins fight dies

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — A Montrose man who was cut in the neck with a beer bottle in Fort Collins has died from his injuries.

Coroner's officials said Monday that 23-year-old Shaun Cassidy's death Sunday was a homicide.

Police say he was cut during a fight with his female companion Oct. 2 after they had argued while drinking in Fort Collins and then again when they returned to her Fort Collins apartment.

The Coloradoan reports the Larimer County District Attorney's Office is deciding whether the case falls under a Colorado law that allows residents to use deadly force to defend themselves inside their homes.

Man cut with bottle in Fort Collins fight dies

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — A Montrose man who was cut in the neck with a beer bottle in Fort Collins has died from his injuries.

Coroner's officials said Monday that 23-year-old Shaun Cassidy's death Sunday was a homicide.

Police say he was cut during a fight with his female companion Oct. 2 after they had argued while drinking in Fort Collins and then again when they returned to her Fort Collins apartment.

The Coloradoan reports the Larimer County District Attorney's Office is deciding whether the case falls under a Colorado law that allows residents to use deadly force to defend themselves inside their homes.

No damage reported from southern Colorado quake

DENVER (AP) — A small earthquake has struck southern Colorado near the New Mexico border.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude 3.1 earthquake just before 7:30 a.m. Monday was centered about 12 miles west of Trinidad.

The Las Animas County Sheriff's Office tells KMGH-TV in Denver there were no reports of damage.

Southern Colorado has had other earthquakes this year. A magnitude 2.8 quake struck late Sunday about 27 miles west of Trinidad.

In August, a magnitude 5.3 quake shook groceries off shelves and caused minor damage to homes in southern Colorado.