Parachute/Grand Junction–The man suspected of robbing a Parachute convenience store at gunpoint earlier this month is now in custody. The Latino man was arrested at his home in Grand Junction by Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies.
Glenwood Springs–Glenwood Springs residents may see their electricity bills go up soon. The city council will discuss rate hikes at tonight’s meeting which begins at 6.
Glenwood Springs–Tonight is your last chance to get a glimpse at the Forest Service’s plan to protect more of Colorado’s roadless areas. A two and a half hour open house is being held at the Glenwood Springs Community Center beginning at 5 O’clock.
Glenwood Springs–The magnificent Hanging Lake in Glenwood Canyon is now a national landmark. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar named the one-time Glenwood Springs city park a national landmark yesterday along with four other special places in the western United States.
In other news…
WESTCLIFFE, Colo. (AP) – Hot, dry and windy weather is forecast
for much of Colorado, which could hamper efforts to stop the spread
of a wildfire in the southern mountains. The Duckett fire has charred almost four square miles near Westcliffe. Residents of roughly 75 homes have been told get out because of the fire, which was 10 percent contained Thursday. In southeastern Colorado, Fort Carson officials expect to have two wildfires that burning on a total of 69 acres at the Pinon Canyon training site fully contained by the end of the day. The
fires started last week. The Bureau of Land Management is also enacting new fire restrictions. Open fires, fireworks, welding and other potential
fire sources are banned for more than a dozen counties along the
Front Range and in southeastern Colorado.
FIREWORKS BANNED
Pueblo bans July 4th fireworks
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) – Pueblo city and county officials have
banned the sale and use of fireworks this Fourth of July due to
growing fire danger. Sheriff Kirk Taylor says no one wants to have to keep increasing restrictions, but the county hasn’t been this dry in a decade. The ban does not affect community firework shows scheduled in
Pueblo and Pueblo West, according to the Pueblo Chieftain.
OFFICER ARRESTED
PLATTEVILLE, Colo. (AP) – An officer with the Platteville Police
Department has been arrested for allegedly assaulting an elderly
man. Authorities said the victim threw an elderly employee of Costco
two times, once up against a pole, on June 7. The victim was not
identified. A spokesperson with the Adams County District Attorney’s office told KUSA-TV that Officer Caleb Hughes is facing charges of
third-degree assault on an at-risk adult, a felony. Hughes declined
to comment. Witnesses said the victim told Hughes to turn off his car engine while pumping gas and Hughes became belligerent and assaulted him. Costco officials refused to comment on the incident.
SCHOOL PROBE
DENVER (AP) – Denver Public Schools has asked the state to look
into a credit-recovery program at North High School after the
district’s investigation revealed problems with record-keeping and
transcripts. The program allows students who have failed a required course to retake the class using online tests and teacher oversight.
DPS spokesman Michael Vaughn tells the Denver Post that the
investigation, prompted by the newspaper Westword, revealed
problems with record-keeping and transcripts.
A spokeswoman for the department was unable to confirm Wednesday
whether an investigation has begun.
SEAT BELT ENFORCEMENT
State issued 8,000 tickets in seatbelt crackdown
DENVER (AP) – The Colorado State Patrol and law enforcement
agencies across the state issued more than 8,000 seat belt
citations to drivers during the a statewide campaign.
The Click It or Ticket campaign began May 23 and ended June 5th.
The minimum fine for not wearing a seat belt in Colorado is $65.
A citation for unrestrained children is $82 per violation.
Highway patrol chief James Wolfinbarger says 11 people died in
highway crashes during that period and nine of them were not
wearing seat belts.
