Battlement Mesa–Three teenage boys are facing felony charges for allegedly burglarizing a home in Battlement Mesa. The youngsters were busted by Garfield County Sheriff’s Deputies last Friday night.
Basalt–Investigators say a plumber’s blowtorch sparked last Friday’s fire that bu that destroyed an 11-unit apartment complex near Basalt. 33 residents are homeless.
Glenwood Springs–Because of the newly redrawn legislative maps, District 61 State Representative Roger Wilson has decided he will not run for re-election in 2012.
Commerce City–A month-long moratorium on hydraulic fracturing has been approved by the Commerce City council while officials discuss their concerns about the practice. The city may opt to extend the moratorium to six months.
In other news…
UNDATED (AP) — Forecasters warn that pre-holiday travel would
be difficult if not impossible across a five-state region including
Colorado that’s being hammered by a powerful winter storm. Icy
conditions are blamed for the crash of a prison van near Limon that
killed a guard and an inmate. And the manager of a motel in
northeastern New Mexico said it was packed with unhappy skiers who
had been headed to lodges in Colorado and elsewhere.
DENVER (AP) – Colorado economists today will present the state’s
latest revenue forecast as lawmakers prepare to start the 2012
session next month. Gov. John Hickenlooper’s economic team and
nonpartisan legislative economists will present their forecasts to
the Joint Budget Committee this morning. The report to lawmakers
plays a role in crafting the state budget.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) – Boulder County commissioners are set to
decide today whether to allow genetically modified crops on open
space land. A debate over genetically modified organisms on county
land erupted after farmers who lease county land sought permission
in 2008 to plant sugar beets that were modified to resist the
herbicide Roundup. The farmers say genetically modified crops can
allow them to grow more produce without using as much pesticide,
but opponents worry there isn’t enough research to show the plants
are safe.
FAIRPLAY, Colo. (AP) – A Park County District Court judge has
barred a rancher from owning cattle in the county. Colorado
agriculture officials last year seized 379 cattle from Vernon
Wagner’s ranch, saying they had found about 140 dead cattle on his
land. A court-appointed receiver is caring for his surviving cattle
until they are sold. Wagner plans to appeal.
