Equine Operations FSA Emergency Loans Available

KSIR-040912-Emergency Loans now available to Equine Operations - BOTH


Anchor Intro: Equine Operations that breed, raise and sell certain types of horses are now eligible for loan assistance under the USDA Farm Service Agency emergency loan program...







(Script):

The announcement can yesterday from FSA State Executive Director Trudy Kareus. She said the same emergency loan assistance available to live stock and row crop producers is now available to equine operations for restoring and replacing essential property, paying all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year, covering essential family living expenses, reorganizing the farming operation, and refinancing certain debt. The program is available to farmers and ranchers in and adjacent to counties that have been declared disaster area. I'm Drew Dawson

Rural Click-it or Ticket Campaign in Full Swing

Local authorities are out this month, patrolling rural roads looking for drivers not wearing their seat belts. Officer Roger Doll with the Fort Morgan Police Department says even though the rural roads of northeast Colorado don't have the highway gridlock of Denver, they can still be deadly...






TAG: Doll says pickup trucks are twice as likely to roll-over in a crash. The enforcement effort is part of the national Rural Click-it or Ticket campaign.

GOP Guest Speaker Draws Protests

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Republicans headed to a fundraiser in Fort Collins could be met by protesters because of a controversial speaker on the bill.

Planned Parenthood activists from Colorado State University say they're going to protest a speech by Wyoming Republican Foster Friess. He's a powerful Republican donor who said on MSNBC in February that aspirin used to be an acceptable method for contraception. He said women "put it between their knees, and it wasn't that costly."

Friess supports Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum. He has given some $380,000 to "super" political action committees supporting Santorum. The candidate called Friess' aspirin remark a "stupid joke" and said it was in bad taste.

Friess is a listed "special guest speaker" at the Larimer County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner Friday.

Red Flag Fire Warnings In Place

DENVER (AP) — Red flag warnings for high fire danger are in effect for high mountain valleys in western Colorado and the northern plains.

The National Weather Service says warm, windy weather is raising the fire danger across the Mountain West.

The threat in Colorado is expected to subside Friday afternoon.

The agency warns that simple burns on farms or ranches could easily get out of control.

The Daily Sentinel reported that two burns — one to destroy trash and the other to burn a field — grew out of control on Thursday in Mesa County, destroying two outbuildings

Teacher Accused of Being Drunk at School

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — An Orchard Mesa Middle School art teacher is on suspension after she was accused of coming to school drunk.

School District 51 Superintendent Steve Schultz says Laura Bond has been on paid leave since Feb. 8 while the allegations are being reviewed.

The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reports Schultz told the school board he is recommending Bond's dismissal based on neglect of duty, immorality and other causes.

Denver Air Traffic Controller Accused of Ignoring Emergency Calls

DENVER (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after an air traffic controller was accused of ignoring a request for an emergency landing in Denver after a commercial airline pilot reported smoke in the cabin.

According to recordings obtained by KUSA-TV, the controller thought the call was a prank. The controller dismissed the emergency call minutes later.

The United Express plane from Peoria, Ill., was evacuated Tuesday after the plane landed at Denver International Airport. One of the 21 passengers was taken to the hospital.

According to the recordings, the controller apparently misunderstood the call letters of the airliner.

The National Transportation Safety Board says the investigation has been turned over to the FAA. A spokesman for the FAA says it would comment later Friday.