Glenwood Springs–The consolidation plan of the Glenwood Springs, Rifle and Burning Mountain fire districts is coming together. The plan has strong support among the chiefs but some officials in the respective cities have expressed come reservations. Glenwood Springs Mayor Matt Steckler believes the plan will work but is concerned about the long term financial commitment.
Eagle County–The ban on open fires is being lifted in Eagle County. Sheriff Joe Hoy says thanks to recent wet weather, the fire danger has dropped significantly. The ban will be lifted officially tonight at one minute past midnight.
Tijeras, NM–This summer is going to be a bad one for wildfires according to U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. Tidwell says the fire season could be severe in the southwest and the middle part of the country due to a lack of moisture and tinder-dry conditions.
New Castle–New Castle police believe the body pulled from the Colorado River yesterday morning is the man who jumped in 11 days ago to avoid being captured. The body was discovered by a citizen just outside of Rifle. Authorities say the body is that of a white man in his 20’s or 30’s and matches the description of the suspect who stole a pick-up truck near Apple Tree, sped away from police, crashed, then jumped in the river to escape.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) – A 200-pound black bear that wandered onto
the University of Colorado campus has been relocated to the nearby
Rocky Mountains. State wildlife officials said today that the male
bear was tagged and taken to a remote area west of Boulder. The
bear has become a celebrity since it wandered around a university
dorm and climbed a tree yesterday. Wildlife officers eventually
tranquilized it, and the bear dropped from its 15-foot-high perch
onto pads placed on the ground.
DENVER (AP) – Tempers and props ruled the Colorado Senate during
today’s debate urging Congress to adopt the failed Blunt Amendment
that would allow insurance plans to deny contraception coverage on
moral and religious grounds. Republicans were furious that
Democratic women unfurled a long banner showing several stop signs
where birth-control could be denied. Democrats called it a war on
women. Republican Sen. Ellen Roberts called it “a manufactured war
on the Senate floor.”
DENVER (AP) – Wyoming officials say they’re reassured by talking
with Colorado health officials after learning that a troublesome
oil facility in northern Colorado has been dumping up to 400,000
gallons a day of treated wastewater from well drilling that flows
into the North Platte River. They were told the water is not from
fracking or drilling and they believe it’s not harmful to Wyoming
streams and wildlife.
WASHINGTON (AP) – D.C. police are investigating whether a man
accused of hitting a woman in the head with a hammer is also behind
a series of similar attacks, including the killing of a man
visiting from Denver. The police chief said today that 19-year-old
Michael Davis was taken into custody last night after the latest
attack in the same Washington neighborhood where other attacks
occurred, including Tuesday night’s fatal assault on 66-year-old
Gary Dederichs.
