Fort Morgan Senior Center Closing For Two Weeks

The Fort Morgan Senior Center will close next week for about two weeks as new flooring is installed. City recreation coordinator Jane Perkins says all of the regular activities will be relocated while the center is closed...






TAG: Senior meals and other essential services offered at the center will also be suspended for two weeks. For more information on alternate locations, contact the Area Agency on Aging at 970-867-9409.

Court Hears Motions in Attempted Murder, Kidnapping Case

A man who faces nine charges surrounding holding his girlfriend hostage was in court this week. Thirty year old Omar Hernandez is accused of attempted murder, kidnapping and seven related charges in incidents with his then girlfriend. His public defender sought to have some evidence and statements excluded from an up coming trial, and the judge took it under advisement. The trial is set for February, but before that, there's another motions hearing next month.

Two Hurt in Crash

Two people were hurt in an accident on Tuesday. Investigators said 40 year old Brad Sutton, from Sidney, Nebraska was driving a semi full of hay, west on Highway 138, and when he crossed the railroad tracks, his truck roll and slid on its side, hit a stop sign and a post. Investigators said Sutton was injured, though not seriously. But they said his passenger, 61 year old Randy Sutton suffered serious injuries. Police said neither man was wearing a seatbelt.

State Capitol Dome Closes For Two Years

(Denver, CO) -- The Colorado Capitol Dome is closed for repairs for the next two years. Officials say many sections of the cylindrical portion of the dome structure are badly rusting and starting to separate. The restoration project is expected to cost a total of 17-million dollars, and will be complete in May 2014. Visitors will still be able to get into the museum, while repairs are being done on the dome.

Circus Fined For Poor Treatment Of Elephants

(Colorado Springs, CO) -- Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus has to pay for alleged mistreatment of elephants, including treatment during a recent show in Colorado Springs. The circus company was fined 270-thousand dollars by the U.S. Department of Agriculture after an inquiry into several allegations. The federal agency says one female elephant received poor veterinary care and all of the animals were carried to shows in crates with metal wires sticking out of them.

CU-Boulder Named Nation's 'Druggiest' College

(Boulder, CO) -- The University of Colorado in Boulder is being named the "druggiest" college in America. A new report from The Daily Beast and Newsweek puts the campus at the top of a list of 30-schools. CU was ranked Number One based on a "C-minus" grade for drug safety, 801 on-campus drug arrests during the study period and the 27-point-two-nine-percent of Coloradans ages 18-to-25 who are regular drug users.

Driver Of Stopped SUV Hit By Snow Plow

(Boulder, CO) -- A 27-year-old man is facing drunk driving charges after his SUV was hit from behind by a snow plow. Boulder police said Matthew Jon Haltom was asleep behind the wheel of the vehicle, which was not running, when he was struck early yesterday. The plow driver said he did not see the vehicle, which was stopped on a paved portion of the highway, until it was too late. No injuries were reported.

Cancer-Causing Benzene In Sand Creek

(Denver, CO) -- The EPA says cancer-causing benzene is leaking into Sand Creek, just north of downtown Denver. Test results released yesterday indicate the amount of benzene is approaching up to 400 times the levels allowed by national drinking water standards. State public health officials have ordered Suncor Energy to take steps to address possible contamination from their refinery.

Employer To Plead Guilty In Workers' Deaths

(Denver, CO) -- A company charged in the deaths of five employees is expected to plead guilty. Prosecutors said RPI Coating Incorporated would accept a plea deal in the 2007 incident, which killed five workers when a fire broke out inside a large pipe at Xcel Energy's Cabin Creek hydroelectric plant. The deal would reportedly include a "substantial" amount of money paid to the victims' survivors.

Honored ex-Colorado sheriff faces meth for sex charge

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson says authorities continue to investigate his predecessor, Patrick Sullivan, who is in jail accused of offering methamphetamine in exchange for sex from a male acquaintance.

Robinson told the Denver Post that a search of Sullivan's home led to the discovery of a large amount of "adult homosexual pornography," which is not illegal.

The Post reported court documents in several other cases show that Sullivan in recent months had been associating with young men fighting an addiction to meth. When the former sheriff was questioned about it, he said he was working in a state drug-treatment program.

The 68-year-old Sullivan was once honored as the nation's sheriff of the year.

He is being held on a half-million dollar bail in a jail that bears his name.

Want to track Santa? There's an app for that

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Want to keep track of Santa this Christmas?

There's an app for that.

NORAD is the military organization responsible for the aerospace defense of the U.S. and Canada. The North American Aerospace Defense Command tracks Santa on Christmas Eve.

This year, it's counting down to Santa's takeoff with the NORAD Tracks Santa app, which is offering games like Elf Toss until the big moment. It is available on Apple products and Android, and social media sites.

The agency offers information by phone and online about St. Nick's location.

Last year, it set a record with more than 7,000 emails and more than 80,000 calls, some of which were answered by first lady Michelle Obama via a hookup from Hawaii, where her family was vacationing.

Colorado Supreme Court hears congressional map appeal

DENVER (AP) — Republicans urged the Colorado Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling siding with Democratic-drawn congressional lines that would put Rep. Mike Coffman's safe GOP district in play next year.

The Republicans' argument Thursday centered on whether parts of suburban Douglas County south of Denver belong in the rural 4th District on the Eastern Plains. Democrats say their map is the one that best reflects demographic changes in the process of redrawing districts every decade.

The court will issue a ruling later.

Republicans have held Coffman's 6th District in the southern Denver suburbs since it was created after the 1980 census.

If Republicans lose their appeal, Democrats could mount a serious challenge to Coffman in 2012.

Federal response limited on bark beetle epidemic

DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service says budget cuts are forcing the federal government to limit its response to a bark beetle outbreak that has destroyed millions of acres of forests in the West.

A study requested by Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall says the Forest Service is placing a priority on protecting lives, communities and critical water supplies by removing dead trees from hazardous areas.

The government has also provided grants to wood companies to find new uses for the dead wood.

Acting regional forester Jerome Thomas says the bark beetle epidemic has ravaged an estimated 41 million acres in the West, including 4 million acres of forests in Colorado and Wyoming.

Metro State again delays decision on new name

DENVER (AP) — Metropolitan State College has delayed a decision on changing the school's name for at least 30 more days.

Trustees decided on the new delay Thursday after getting a report on from a research firm that conducted internet surveys and interviews with students, alumni, faculty, staff and community leaders.

The school is considering four names: Denver Metropolitan State University, Metropolitan Denver State University, Denver State Metropolitan University and Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Any change would have to be approved by the Legislature.

Earlier this year, the school asked the Legislature for permission to change the name to Denver State University, but it withdrew the request after University of Denver officials said it was too similar to their name.

Metro State has 24,000 students and offers bachelor's and master's degrees.