Battlement Mesa–The chances of Battlement Mesa residents getting cancer
from oil and gas drilling are remote according to a state medical expert.
However, according to her research, Dr. Roxana Witter says measures
should be taken to reduce exposure to certain chemicals and pollutants.
Dr. Witter discussed some of her findings with county officials yesterday.
Garfield County–Garfield County commissioners unanimously approved
a design for the South Bridge project that would have the least impact
on land and homes. The board chose option 10-B with the knowledge
that the bridge won’t be built anytime soon due to a lack of funds.
Glenwood Springs–Sales tax revenues hit rock bottom in Garfield
County last year. The county’s overall numbers dropped in
2010 by nearly 26 percent.
State Capitol–K through 12 public schools in Colorado could see
funding cut by 400 million dollars next year. Governor John
Hickenlooper will unveil his ’11-’12 budget later today.
DENVER (AP) – A tourist from Libya has been returned to the
United States after being accused of rape in Colorado.
Thirty-five-year-old Ali Ahmed Abooedella left the United States
on Saturday to return to Libya. Once the plane was en route to
London, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection authorities learned
that a warrant from Glendale, Colo., had been issued for his arrest
on suspicion of rape. They alerted officials in London and he was
denied entry there.
Abooedella, who had been visiting the U.S. on a tourist visa,
was flown back to the U.S. on Sunday. He was arrested at Chicago’s
O’Hare International Airport.
Glendale Police say Abooedella is awaiting extradition in
Chicago, where officials are trying to locate an Arabic
interpreter.
SEXUAL ASSAULT-ARREST
Police arrest suspect in metro-area sex assaults
GOLDEN, Colo. (AP) – A 32-year-old Lakewood man has been
arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in separate attacks on two
Denver-area women and is being held on a $5 million cash-only bond.
Authorities say Marc Patrick O’Leary was arrested Sunday and
made his first court appearance Monday.
O’Leary is a suspect in a sexual assault in August in
Westminster and another last month in Golden. Police say the
attacks were both committed by strangers and had many similarities.
As the investigation expanded, authorities say they discovered a
similar attempted sexual assault in Lakewood in July.
Law enforcement agencies across the metro area and state and
federal investigators have worked together on the case. They
believe there could be other victims and hope the high bond amount
encourages them to come forward.
BODY FOUND-PUEBLO
Man’s body found in Pueblo drainage ditch
(Information in the following story is from: The Pueblo
Chieftain, http://www.chieftain.com )
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) – Authorities say two fishermen have found
the decomposed body of a man in a Pueblo drainage ditch.
Pueblo police and firefighters retrieved the body at about 5
p.m. Monday.
Police and the coroner are attempting to identify the man.
Authorities say they found no identification on or near the body.
ZOO-GAS LINE BREAK
Workers accidentally cut gas line at Denver Zoo
DENVER (AP) – Construction workers have accidentally severed a
3-inch natural gas line at the Denver Zoo, prompting zoo keepers to
move some birds indoors.
The accident occurred Tuesday morning before the zoo was open to
the public.
Zoo spokeswoman Tiffany Barnhart says few animals were in the
area of the break. She says some birds a nearby Asian Tropics
exhibit were moved to their indoor enclosure.
A utility crew has been called to repair the line.
Crews were building a 10-acre Asian Tropics exhibit that will
showcase endangered species including elephants, Indian rhinos and
Malayan tapirs.
