Seat Belt Citations Up This Year

State and local law enforcement in 12 Colorado counties issued 2,356 seat belt citations during July's "Click It or Ticket" nighttime campaign. That numbers up 20% over last year. Authorities say the nighttime effort's more important since passengers at night are most likely not to be buckled and killed in a crash. Colorado's Transportation Department says during the stepped up enforcement 7-people were killed in car accidents, four of them weren't buckled up. The minimum fine for not wearing a seat belt in Colorado is $65 for adults and $82 for unrestrained children.

Wiggins School Year Preview at Wednesday Board of Ed Meeting

Wiggins School Board will get a rundown from Superintendent Gary Bruntz Wednesday activities tied to the start of the school year. The Ft. Morgan Times reports among the issues Brunts is expected to address is adding a new school resource officer program. The school year starts on the 15th. The board meets Wednesday at 6:30 at Wiggins Elementary.

What do Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull, and the American bison have in common?

What do Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull, and the American bison have in common? They're all featured at the Overland Trail Museum's premier Wild West-themed children’s event when Bison Days returns, this Wed., (Aug. 7) and Fri., (Aug. 9). Participants get to see film footage of Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley. Bbeat the stampede and call the museum today to reserve a spot.
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From 2006-2010, 64 children, from infants to school age, died in traffic crashes

From 2006-2010, 64 children, from infants to school age, died in traffic crashes. More than half were not in a child safety seat, or were not buclked up, according to a recently released report. It's those staggering numbers that have motivated the Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Department of Transportation, and agencies across the state to join forces for, the back to school "Child Passenger Safety Team Colorado," aimed at educting the community on how to keep kids safe. "Seat Checks" and education sessions throughout the month, will be offered at CPS inspection stations across the state. They'll teach parents and caregivers how to choose the right car seats for their families, and how to install them properly. Tomorrow (Aug. , the team will provide parents and children participating in the Mutton Bustin' event at the Logan County Fair, with information about booster seats. Parents can find an inspection station, at carseatscolorado.com. In Logan County, the inspection station is at the Colorado State Patrol office, on Riverview Rd., in Sterling.
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Busted not beaten

Busted not beaten. Denver police have written more tickets for public marijuana use so far this year than in all of 2012, but say the crime is rarely punished, according to new statistics from the city. Colorado voters legalized marijuana use by adults, in November, but smoking it in public is still against the law, and brings with it a $100 fine. According to figures provided by the Denver Department of Safety, police in the city wrote just 20 tickets for public marijuana use during the first half of 2013. Fifteen of those tickets came in May and June. Officers wrote only eight tickets in all of 2012, and all but one of those was issued before pot was legalized.
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Starting Wednesday, 16- and 17-year-old Coloradans can pre-register to vote in future elections

Starting Wednesday, 16- and 17-year-old Coloradans can pre-register to vote in future elections, under a new state law sponsored by Longmont Democratic Rep. Jonathan Singer. Those Colorado youths won't actually cast ballots in local, state and national elections until they reach age 18. But Singer's House Bill 1135, which takes effect Wednesday, will automatically convert pre-registered 16- and 17-year-olds to registered voter status -- and let them begin voting -- once they've turned 18. Singer has said his measure is a way of "getting kids invested in the democratic process" in their teens, something he predicted "will help turn them into voters the rest of their lives."
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A traffic accident closed eastbound lanes of Interstate 76 Sunday night

A traffic accident closed eastbound lanes of Interstate 76 Sunday night. The interstate was shutdown about three miles east of Wiggins. Details of the accident were not immediately available.
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Boulder County took a beatin' over the weekend

Boulder County took a beatin' over the weekend. Tornado sirens sounded off, as severe thunderstorms began to form on Colorado's northeastern plains and quickly moved south along the Front Range, causing power outages, property damage, and heavy flooding in eastern Boulder County communities Saturday afternoon. Authorities say while no twister was spotted, the storm system partially flattened the under construction velodrome in Erie, setting workers bakc, while other parts of the town dealt with heavy flooding. 17 Colorado counties, including Boulder, Adams, Broomfield, Jefferson, and Denver, were under a tornado watch all day. Longmont and Lyons were the first to get hit. Longmont's Terry Street substation was struck by lighting during the storms, causing about an hour-long power outage in neighborhoods near Burlington Elementary. As the storm moved south, east county communities caught the brunt of it, prompting county officials to sound sirens in Erie, Lafayette, Louisville and Superior. No injuries were reported in connection with the storm.
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