New school would expand DPS international program
An international middle and high school that would stress learning a second language and cultural immersion could open next year in Denver, if school board members adopt a proposal recommended by Denver Public Schools administrators Thursday.
The proposed school, called the Center for International Studies School, would grow out of a smaller program currently in existence at West High School. The new school would have its own building and could expand to 600 students in grades 6-12 within a few years.
It would offer at least six languages, including Arabic, according to the proposal.
Staff and students of the West High program brought the pitch to the board at Thursday night’s meeting.
The program at West has long been considered successful. CIS students score proportionately higher on Colorado Student Assessment Program tests than counterparts at many high schools in the city.
But some community leaders and parents have expressed concern in past months that West High would suffer if the CIS program were moved.
Feds asked to restore protections for lynx
Eight state legislators and four county commissions have asked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns to reinstate lynx protections that were once part of the White River National Forest plan.
The legislators, including Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Jefferson County, and state Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, asked Johanns to scrap a decision made by an Agriculture Department official that took effect last month.
Larson, who initially opposed Colorado’s 6-year-old lynx reintroduction program, said he now supports maintaining protections for the reclusive predator, which is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
“I think we need to continue the project to completion and not short-circuit it because a certain industry wants it to be short-circuited,’ Larson said.
Forest Service officials in Denver and Washington said they had not yet seen the letter.
State wildlife officials fault Roan proposal
Colorado wildlife managers say a draft federal report on gas drilling on the Roan Plateau underestimates the potential impact on wildlife, ignores science and lacks enough details to make predictions.
The state Division of Wildlife comments, obtained by The Associated Press through an open-records request, says the Bureau of Land Management’s report also downplays the economic benefits of hunting and recreation generated by the 3,000-foot-high tableland.
The plateau, about 200 miles west of Denver, is prized for its wildlife, rugged terrain and abundant natural gas. Industry representatives say the nation urgently needs the natural gas locked in the landmark and in deposits across northwestern Colorado.
The Division of Wildlife’s written comments on the BLM’s draft environmental impact statement questioned how the agency has balanced the competing pressures, saying the document appears to be “more of an oil and gas leasing’ environmental impact statement that doesn’t fully describe the project or the impacts on wildlife.
Allard backs benefits for Flats workers
U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard has requested $15 million in the new energy bill to provide benefits to Rocky Flats workers who won’t qualify because the multibillion-dollar cleanup will be complete much sooner than expected.
Because the project is about a year ahead of schedule, up to 25 employees at Rocky Flats would be affected for pension benefits and up to 29 employees would be affected for health and life insurance plan coverage, according to a federal report requested by Allard.
“The workers at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology site have worked diligently to complete the cleanup of Rocky Flats a year ahead of schedule,’ said Allard, R-Colo. “Providing them with the retirement benefits they would have received had the Rocky Flats project continued to December 2006 is an appropriate reward.’
Early-voting sites to open Saturday
Early voting for the May 3 municipal election begins Saturday at new locations. The sites will be open Saturday and Monday through April 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at these locations:
Civil Service Commission, 1570 Grove St.; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 3096 S. Sheridan Blvd.; Southwest Improvement Council, 1000 S. Lowell Blvd.; Big Bear Ice Arena, 8580 Lowry Blvd.; District 3 Police Station, 1625 S. University Blvd.; Porter Place, 1001 E. Yale Ave.; former District 2 Police Station, 3555 Colorado Blvd.; Pecos Community Center, 3555 Pecos St.; Corona Presbyterian Church, 1205 E. Eighth Ave.; Montbello Recreation Center, 15555 E. 53rd Ave.; Play It Again Sports, 2200 S. Monaco Parkway.
Early voting at the Denver Election Commission, 200 W. 14th Ave., Suite 100, will be Monday through April 29 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bank-robbing pair are using cellphones
Federal officials are asking for help in catching two alleged bank robbers who talk on cellphones during holdups.
Dubbed the “Can You Hear Me Now?’ Bandits, the two are believed responsible for several recent bank robberies in the Denver metro area and are considered armed and dangerous.
Authorities have identified one of the alleged robbers as Richard Lee Canada, 53. Canada is black, 6-foot-1, 220 pounds and sometimes wears glasses. He has an active arrest warrant on a federal probation violation.
The identity of the other man is unknown. A financial reward is being offered for information leading to their arrests.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force at 303-629-7171.
Reward increases in killing of 5 cranes
A reward in the illegal shooting of five greater sandhill cranes reached $5,100 Thursday when an anonymous donor doubled his contribution.
The birds were found dead March 14 near Mack, west of Grand Junction.
“The birds had all been intentionally shot, killed and left to rot,’ said Paul Creeden, the state wildlife district manager for the Fruita area.
