Parade of Trees Starts Thursday

To celebrate the holiday season Sterling Public Library is providing a Parade of Trees. There are 45 beautifully decorated trees that were decorated by local organizations and library staff. Each
is unique and different from the next. Take a stroll through the trees as we turn
down the lights and turn up the twinkle on the Parade of Trees. Its on Dec. 1st, 7th, 13th, 19th and 22nd from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Dec. 24th from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. During this time we will also have hot cider and popcorn. Be sure to stop in and take a few moments to view the trees and relax with us during the holidays.

Books and Goodies for Sale at Sterling Public Library

Friends of the Sterling Public Library will host their Cookie, Candy and Book Sale on this Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The sale is in the Community Room at Sterling Public Library. This year, there will also be fresh baked cinnamon rolls, coffee and hot chocolate for sale.

If you want to help with the baking and donate cookies or candy for the sale, please bring your goodies to Sterling Public Library on Friday.

Be sure to stop in and purchase your cookies. There will be a wide variety of holiday cookies available. Get one of each and there won’t be a need to slave over a hot oven for hours. And what better place to take that morning coffee break and enjoy those luscious
cinnamon rolls.

Ex-Platteville police chief accused of identity theft

We told you yesterday that the former Platteville Police Chief, Scott Smith turned himself in at the Morgan County Detention Center, wanted on felony embezzlement and identity theft charges. Smith bonded out on Monday afternoon on five thousand dollars. Smith is suspected of looking up personal information on a law enforcement database to obtain officers' Social Security numbers. An arrest affidavit by a Weld County District Attorney investigator says the last four digits constitute PIN numbers for department fuel cards. Smith is accused of buying $392 worth of fuel using information from two of his officers.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)

Americans Elect gets spot on Colorado 2012 ballot

DENVER (AP) — A group planning to nominate an independent presidential candidate online has won a spot on Colorado's 2012 ballot.

Secretary of State Scott Gessler announced Tuesday that Americans Elect qualifies as a new minor political party in Colorado after collecting over 12,000 valid signatures.

Americans Elect says Colorado is the 10th state where it has won the right to list a presidential candidate. It hopes to be on all 50 by next year's presidential elections.

The other states where the group is already qualified to list a candidate are Arkansas, Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Utah.

Any registered voter can participate in Americans Elect's online nominating process. The group hopes to narrow the field to six candidates this spring and then hold an online nominating convention in June.

Colorado legislative districts opposed by GOP OK'd

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado commission charged with redrawing state legislative districts has approved Democratic-drawn proposals opposed by Republicans.

The commission approved the new boundaries for both the House and Senate on Tuesday. All Democrats and the party's unaffiliated chairman voted for them.

Republicans have blasted the plans because they pit several GOP incumbents against each other next year.

Democrats insist they're trying to follow the Supreme Court's order to minimize county splits. They say having several incumbents facing each other next year is an unfortunate consequence of that.

The Supreme Court rejected the maps originally submitted to it for approval. The court ruled that too many counties were split in an effort to make one-third of the Legislature's 100 districts competitive.

Senate rejects effort to strip detainee provision

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has rejected an effort to strip provisions dealing with the capture and handling of suspected terrorists from a sweeping defense bill.

The vote was 60-38 against the measure on Tuesday. Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall had offered the amendment to take out the provisions and instead allow the Intelligence, Judiciary and Armed Services committees to hold hearings with Pentagon and administration officials on the issue.

Udall had argued that the provisions could be a threat to civil liberties. He cited opposition of Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and FBI Director Robert Mueller. The White House has threatened a veto over the provisions.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham had countered that the provisions were necessary for a nation at war.

The Senate hopes to finish the bill by week's end.

Dog trainer sentenced for abusing own dog

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — A Loveland dog trainer who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty against his own dog will undergo mental-health treatment after serving a short jail sentence.

The Denver Post reports that 30-year-old Ryan Matthews pleaded guilty to animal cruelty for beating his female Belgian malinois.

Matthews was owner and lead dog trainer of Off Leash Dog Training, where an employee reported him to police in July. Surveillance video showed Matthews putting his dog's muzzled head through wallboard, body-slamming her by the neck and punching her in the face.

Under the terms of Matthews' sentence handed down Tuesday, Matthews will spend 30 days in jail and can't have contact with dogs for two years.

His two dogs have been seized and adopted by other owners.