Logan County Man Faces Slew of Charges

A Logan County man accused of domestic violence is in jail. Lieutenant Joe McBride with the Logan County Sheriff's Office says 31-year-old Gabriel Vazquez also led deputies on a chase through parts of Sterling and struck several cars before bailing out of his vehicle and trying to make a run for it. McBride says Vazquez is facing a slew of charges...






TAG: Vazquez is being held at the Logan County Detention Center on no bond.

"In God We Trust" on Weld Co Seal

Weld County is the first county in Colorado to add the words "In God We Trust" to its county seal. The Greeley Gazette reports that the move came last week after a campaign to add the words was started by and Evans resident. Jerry Long said he approached county commissioners in October after he found information about such a move on the website inGodwetrust-america.org. While some argued the phrase on the county seal violates the provisions of separation of church and state, Congress has said it does not.

UPCOMING CDOT MAINTENANCE PROJECT

Project: Crack Sealing

Time and Date: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Wednesday, February 1 through Wednesday, February 29 (no work to take place on weekends)

Location: I-76 eastbound between mile marker (MM) 125 and MM 145 (Sterling to Iliff)

Speed Reduction: 55 MPH through work zone

Traffic Control: Single lane closures on both eastbound I-76

Delays: Less than 15 minutes

Farmers in 10 counties can apply for drought aid

DENVER (AP) — Farmers in 10 counties in east-central Colorado can apply for emergency loans and other help under a drought disaster designation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that Lincoln County was designated the primary disaster area, and that qualifying farmers in nine adjacent counties could apply for the same benefits.

The contiguous counties are Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Crowley, Elbert, El Paso, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Pueblo and Washington.

USDA said the Farmer Service Agency will consider the extent of losses, available security and ability to repay in deciding whether farmers qualify for loans.

Democratic Sen. Mark Udall says the assistance can help rural families make ends meet and recoup some of their drought losses.

New teacher tenure rules closer to approval in CO

DENVER (AP) — Statewide teacher tenure rules are closing to becoming law after the state House voted Monday to OK a four-tier rating system for teachers and principals.

The tenure standards now head to the Senate. Statewide tenure evaluations were approved by lawmakers two years ago, but the specifics had to come back to the Legislature for final approval.

The standards before lawmakers would require three years of high ratings before teachers could receive job protections known as tenure. Half of the ratings would be based on test scores.

The standards would be tested in 27 districts before going into statewide use in the 2013-14 school year.

CO lawmaker suspected of DUI addresses colleagues

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado Republican lawmaker suspected of driving drunk last week says she's not above the law and apologized to her colleagues in the state House.

Grand Junction Republican Rep. Laura Bradford told lawmakers Monday she's "deeply sorry" that her actions "cast a shadow on this House and the entire General Assembly."

Denver police ticketed Bradford with an illegal lane change and improper turn Wednesday night. Police say she was suspected of driving drunk but that a constitutional provision designed to protect Colorado lawmakers' ability to travel to and from the statehouse to cast their vote prevented officers from arresting her.

Bradford parked her car and took a cab. Lawmakers were not working at the Capitol when Bradford was stopped. Bradford says she didn't invoke legislative privilege to prevent her arrest.

Primary change 1st new law in CO this year

DENVER (AP) — The first new law in Colorado this year is a measure to cut red tape — for lawmakers.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed his first bill of the year into law Monday. It was a measure to clarify when campaign finance reports are due.

The House gave final approval to the bill Monday morning. Hickenlooper signed the bill without public ceremony or comment later in the day.

Lawmakers last year moved the political primary dates, but didn't adjust their own reporting deadlines accordingly.

Earlier this session, a Republican senator said it looked bad for lawmakers to cut red tape on themselves before cutting red tape on businesses and citizens. But his objections did not stall the bill, which had bipartisan support.

Colo. animal abuse registry bill fails

DENVER (AP) — Colorado lawmakers rejected a bill to treat animal abusers like sex offenders by requiring them to register online and tell police where they live.

Lawmakers rejected the bill from a Democratic state representative Monday during a committee hearing. Opponents of the legislation say the registry would be a permanent sentence and that there was no evidence it would prevent animal abuse.

Supporters say that people who mistreat animals are at higher risk of hurting other people.

The bill would have required adults convicted of cruelty to animals to register with the Department of Public Safety.

The first animal abuser registry was set up in Suffolk County, N.Y. Similar registries have been considered in a handful of states.

Southwest plane hits light pole at Denver airport

DENVER (AP) — A Southwest plane toppled a light pole at Denver International Airport on Monday while taxiing to the gate.

No one was injured on Flight 792, which had just arrived from Los Angeles.

The passengers were bused to the concourse from the plane.

An airport spokeswoman told KMGH-TV that the mishap didn't affect operations at the airport.

2 GOP presidential hopefuls hit Colorado

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - Two Republican presidential candidates who have given up on the Florida primary vote are hitting Colorado in hopes of a strong showing in next week's caucuses.

Ron Paul and Rick Santorum planned campaign stops in Colorado Tuesday. Paul and Santorum have ceded the Florida primary to front-runners Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.

Colorado's presidential precinct caucuses are next week. The caucuses are non-binding; Colorado's 36 Republican National Convention delegates will be chosen at a state assembly held April. But the precinct caucuses can be evidence of a candidate's support.

Paul has stops planned in Fort Collins, Denver and Colorado Springs. Santorum planned a campaign event in Lone Tree, with further stops Wednesday and Saturday.

Romney's campaign has said he'll campaign here just before the Tuesday caucuses.