AMAYA MURDER TRIAL
Eagle—While hiding under a truck from his crazed, older, gun-wielding cousin, an El Jebel teen talked to the 9-1-1 dispatcher the night of July 12th, 2014 moments after his parents had been gunned down in their home. The young man, now 15, was the first witness called to the stand yesterday in Eagle County District Court in the double-murder trial of 34 year old Williams Amaya. Amaya has pled not guilty by reason of insanity for shooting and killing his aunt and uncle, Mayra and Eliseo Lopez. The teen and his brother managed to escape unharmed after Amaya shot at them and missed while they were lying in bed. Amaya was diagnosed by mental health experts as schizophrenic. Prosecutors insist he knew what he was doing that night.
RX BURN PLANNED NEAR GYPSUM
Gypsum—Smoke may be visible in the valley tomorrow as federal crews conduct a prescribed burn northwest of Gypsum. Firefighters from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Unit plan to burn 180 acres in the Sheep Gulch area to reduce the risk of larger wildfires burning adjacent private lands as well as improving vegetation and wildlife habitat on BLM land. BLM fuels specialist Chad Sewell says the prescribed burn will only be done if conditions are safe and good for smoke dispersal.
VETERAN’S CRISIS CALL LINE GETS FED SUPPORT
Washington, D.C.—When a veteran in need calls a crisis line for help, the call should never go to voicemail. Third District Congressman Scott Tipton says it’s often a matter of life and death. That’s why the Cortez Republican helped pass a bill that requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to fix problems with response time and overall performance of the crisis line. Tipton says the bill also forces the VA to ensure that every phone call, text message or tweet is answered by a human being…not an automated system. The measure passed through the House of Representatives by a vote of 357-0.
