Tuesday, February 28, 2012

US Rep. Cory Gardner Holds Agriculture Forums

Fresh off a series of round-table discussions with Colorado farmers, Congressman Cory Gardner says he had a chance to talk directly to farmers about issues specific to their area...






TAG: Representative Gardner has also created a "Farm Bill Feedback Form" where local farmers can share their input. The form is available at www.gardner.house.gov.

Sterling Community Health Fair Appointments

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The 17th Annual Sterling Community Health Fair is set for the last Saturday in March. However, organizers say now is the time to schedule some of the screening appointments. The number to call is 521-5313. A health fair representative will return your call within 48 hours. A variety of health screenings are available at the Health Fair, but organizers warn that it is not a substitute for a thorough examination by your physician. The fair takes place at Sterling Middle School on Pawnee Avenue from 7:30am to 11am on Saturday March 31st.








Fire Victim Identified

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The victim who lost his life in the mobile home fire outside of Brush yesterday has been identified. Ronald A. Skaggs, age 54, was identified by the medical examiner after the autoposy. The preliminary report says the cause of death appears to have been the fire. Skagss had been living at the residence and was the only occupant.
The victim in the early Monday morning fire at 26540 Rd T #4 has been identified as Ronald A. Skaggs, age 54. Mr. Skaggs had been living at that residence and was the only occupant. The Sheriff's Department and County Coroner's Office are continuing the investigation

Hasty Put Cops in Danger

The wife of a man who shot and killed a Limon police officer intentionally put officers in danger. That's from prosecutors in Kiowa where a pretrial hearing was held yesterday. They said Jackie Hasty hid in a bedroom as her husband Dennis confronted police who came to arrest him, then shot and killed officer Jay Sheridan nearly a year ago. Prosecutors said Jackie Hasty wrote to her daughter that she won though, since she wanted her husband dead, and he committed suicide after he killed Sheridan. Jackie Hasty is charged with reckless manslaughter and of being an accessory to the shooting and will be arraigned on March 13.

No ID Yet on Fire Victim

One person was found dead after firefighters in Morgan County put out a fire in a mobile home north of Brush yesterday. Morgan County Sheriff Jim Crone said an autopsy was being performed yesterday.






Investigators said the fire broke our just before 5 a.m. yesterday, that no foul play is suspected, and that it was somehow accidentally started. Anyone with information about the fire should call police.

Conservationists dismayed with governor's message

DENVER (AP) — Thirteen conservation groups say they're dismayed with an ad in which Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper says the state has had no instances of groundwater contamination associated with drilling and hydraulic fracturing since it overhauled its oil and gas rules in 2008.

The groups say reports from The Denver Post show dozens of industry spills getting into groundwater.

Hickenlooper's spokeswoman Megan Castle says there have been spills associated with equipment failures at the surface of drilling sites that have affected shallow groundwater, but that's a different process from drilling and fracking. She says the ad's larger point is that Colorado worked with both industry officials and environmentalists to adopt tough rules for disclosing chemicals used in fracking.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Association sponsored the ad.

Colorado revisits marijuana DUI standard

DENVER (AP) — Colorado lawmakers are again wading into the hazy debate over driving while high.

A Senate committee voted Monday to advance a bill to say drivers would be considered impaired if their blood tests positive for 5 nanograms or more of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

The vote came after hours of conflicting testimony about whether blood levels of THC are an accurate gauge of whether a driver is impaired. Marijuana activists favor instead an education effort reminding patients they cannot legally drive high. There was conflicting testimony about the prevalence of driving while high and whether it has increased since Colorado voters approved medical marijuana in 2000.

The marijuana DUI bill still awaits a vote by the full Senate, where a similar measure perished last year.

Colorado may criminalize withholding wages

DENVER (AP) — Withholding wages from an employee could become criminal in Colorado under a bill being debated at the state Legislature.

A House committee will consider a "wage theft" bill Tuesday. The bill would make it illegal to withhold wages owed to workers. Employers would not be charged if they can demonstrate they were unable to pay owed wages.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recognized wage theft as a national problem. The agency has hired about 300 additional investigators since 2010 to probe wage theft complaints.

Colorado's proposal would make it a misdemeanor to wrongly hold up to $1,000 in wages, and a felony for wrongly holding more than $1,000 in wages.

The bill faces long odds in a Republican controlled committee.

Ex-Greeley financial adviser faces fraud charges

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) — The Weld County district attorney has filed nine counts of securities fraud against a former financial adviser in Greeley, following an investigation by state regulators.

The Greeley Tribune reports 71-year-old John Brady Guyette turned himself in Saturday. He is free after posting a $100,000 bond.

An arrest warrant affidavit alleges that in 2008, Guyette misled his clients about the risks of investing in a company called Medical Capital Holdings Inc., costing his customers thousands of dollars. Guyette also is accused of failing to check the accuracy of representations about the profitability of the company, whose chief executive officer had been charged with fraud in California.

IHOP Offers Free Short Stack For National Pancake Day

(Glendale, CA) -- It's National Pancake Day, and IHOP is offering a free short stack to its guests. In return for the Buttermilk flapjacks, you'll be asked to consider leaving a donation for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other designated local charities. National Pancake Day has raised nearly eight-million dollars for charity since 2006. The offer is good from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at participating Denver-area restaurants. For details, visit ihopPancakeDay.com.

Proposal To Legalize Pot Qualifies For Ballot

(Denver, CO) -- An initiative to legalize limited possession of marijuana is on the November ballot. State officials announced yesterday afternoon that the campaign turned in enough extra signatures to make the ballot after falling short on their first attempt. The initiative will appear on the ballot as Amendment 64.

TV Anchor Bitten By Dog To Appear On "Today" Show

(Denver, CO) -- The TV anchor bitten by a dog says she will be interviewed on the "Today" show this morning. "9News" anchor Kyle Dyer suffered a bite on the air February 8th and underwent two surgeries, receiving 70 stitches. Dyer said the "Today" crew was at her house over the weekend, and she's now in New York for the interview.