CO Parks and Wildlife Announces Check-Off Campaign

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is running their annual fundraising campaign and all you have to do to help is file your taxes. Parks Spokesman Joe Lewandowski says the majority of their budget comes from hunting and fishing licenses, but for those who do not hunt or fish, there's an easy way to contribute...






TAG: Lewandowski says over the past 15 years, Colorado's Wildlife Check-Off campaign has raised nearly $350,000.

E-waste Recycling Plan

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Thanks to a partnership with neighboring counties, Logan County residents can know safely and legal recycle electronic waste, such as old computers and monitors. County commissioners agreed to a plan at their meeting earlier this week where in a trailer in Sterling will recieve the e-waste from Logan and other participating counties. When it is full, it will be taken to a Denver recycling center. The multi-county partnership will keep costs down. The arrangement is timely because the state legistature is currently considering a bill that would make it illegal to dump e-waste in landfills.

Wiggins Water Wells Need Work

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The Town of Wiggins Water Wells have needed work for a couple of years. Now it looks like that can be done...and it won't cost as much as expected thanks to The County. Tests on Wiggins Town Wells done by the Northeast Colorado Health Department last year resulted in recommendations that infants not drink the water. New wells were drilled recently and the tests showed good water. The next step is to build a reverse osmosis water treatment plant on top of the wells, and that requires a special use permit...which normally costs 73-hundred dollars. However, the Board of Morgan County Commissioners voted unanimously to waive the fees, part of which were to cover the costs of a special Morgan County Planning Commission meeting on march 26th to expedite the permit. If the planning commission approves the permit, county commissioners should be able to vote on it in mid-April.

How Many Credits?

The RE-1 Valley Board of Education will talk more about it on March 19, but they've started discussing upping requirements to graduate from high school. Superintendent Betty Summers said revisiting those requirements is required by law. Students, parents, faculty and staff have all given their input on the requirements, so now Summers said administrators will work on how many class periods students at Sterling High School and Caliche High School will have versus how many credits students will graduate with. New requirements would start with the graduating class of 2014.

Airport Can Build Longer Runway

Fort Morgan Municipal Airport, you are cleared for a new runway. That's from the FAA. The Federal Aviation Administration said the new runway the airport's been working on for years shows "no significant" environmental impact. So its a go. That's what Community Development Director David Callahan told Fort Morgan City Council meeting Tuesday night. So now, the city can start working on acquiring land for the new, longer runway.

CSU AD gives thoughts on potential stadium sites

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Colorado State athletic director Jack Graham says any new football stadium on campus should be within 400 to 500 yards of the university's iconic, tree-filled Oval.

Graham's comments Wednesday to the Northern Colorado Commercial Association of Realtors gave hints of where he would like to see a new facility. He is co-chairing a committee studying whether the university should pursue an on-campus stadium.

The Coloradoan reports Graham says having an on-campus stadium is critical to creating a game-day tradition that boosts the university's reputation, alumni donations, out-of-state enrollment and economic benefits for the city of Fort Collins.

Graham also says the stadium should be easily accessible by bus, so people don't have to rely on cars to get there.

Bill tying lawmaker pay to budget passes 1st vote

DENVER (AP) — A bill to suspend Colorado lawmakers' pay if they fail to reach agreement on the state budget on time got its first approval despite unease from lawmakers who questioned the necessity of the legislation.

The bill from Democratic Senate President Brandon Shaffer cleared a committee controlled by his party Wednesday but with little enthusiasm. Shaffer says the bill resonates with constituents but acknowledges it's not popular inside the Capitol.

Shaffer's proposal needs to pass another committee before it reaches the full Senate. The bill would suspend lawmakers' pay and benefits if they don't finalize the budget before they adjourn for the year.

Democratic Sen. Betty Boyd amended the bill to include the formation of a study committee to review the state's budget process.

But she says she doesn't think the process is broken.

Colo. backs off proposal to trim early voting

DENVER (AP) — Early voting will remain at 15 days in Colorado this fall after a GOP House committee changed a bill that would have curbed early voting to a week.

The voting measure still makes some changes to how Coloradans vote. It would allow counties to set up large "vote centers" in heavy election years, instead of requiring vote centers to be set up during slower off-year elections.

The bill would also allow county election officials not to have voter information cards forwarded to voters who have moved. Some voting advocates opposed the change, but others argued that forwarding voter cards would only lead to voters receiving incorrect information about where they cast ballots.

The proposal awaits a vote by the full House.

Biker Bill Goes Down In Flames

(Denver, CO) -- A proposed law to ban discrimination against people wearing motorcycle garb failed in the state legislature. The proposal to add "unconventional attire" to the state statute that bars discrimination in public accommodations was defeated in a House committee yesterday. Opponents of the bill said it went too far in controlling private businesses.

Bill Finally Signed After Costing Taxpayers $3.8-Million

(Denver, CO) -- A cost-saving bill is now law after taxpayers shelled out an estimated three-point-eight-million dollars extra. House Bill 1005 was signed into law yesterday afternoon, four minutes after it arrived from the Democratic-controlled state Senate. The bill allows local governments to invest in downgraded U.S. securities and was costing Colorado taxpayers about 164-thousand dollars a day in lost investment earnings. House Republicans never fully explained why the bill was held up for nearly a month in their chamber.

Boulder Scientists Monitoring Biggest Solar Storm In Years

(Boulder, CO) -- The Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder is monitoring the biggest solar storm in years. Two massive X-class flares that erupted from the sun's surface Tuesday afternoon were expected to slam into the earth early today. The geomagnetic storm reportedly has the potential to disrupt some radio communications, global positioning systems and power grids.

Get Tax Help

Morgan Community College students are helping working families with tax preparation for the 4th consecutive year. Through the program, "Tax Help Colorado", the students have completed more than 285 returns amounting to more than a half million dollars in Federal and State refunds for participants. The service is available to families earning up to 49-thousand dollars per year. Its available by appointment at the Morgan County Family Center, 800 West Platte Ave, suite 1, through April 13th. The number to schedule an appointment is 970-867-9606.