Wyo. man sentenced in school asbestos case
David Backus, 57, of Cheyenne was sentenced to 18 months in a federal prison and ordered to pay $15,800 in restitution to the Morgan County School District for his part in the illegal handling of asbestos during an abatement project at Fort Morgan High School in 1999.
Jeff Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, said in a news release that Backus is the second of four men indicted in the scheme to be sentenced. Daniel Argil, 56, of Houston was sentenced in 2003 to 68 months in prison. Two other men face trial.
Backus pleaded guilty on May 8, 2003, to defrauding the school district by falsely representing that he properly supervised the asbestos abatement job, Dorsch ner said. The high school was closed for 122 days while the asbestos actually was removed.
Two new faces join Gov. Owens’ Cabinet
The revolving door to Gov. Bill Owens’ Cabinet continued to spin Thursday with the announcement of two new members.
Rick Grice, current director of Owens’ energy management office, was named executive director of the state Department of Labor and Employment. He replaces Leroy Williams, who was named to the post in January but is leaving to join Ball Corp. as a vice president.
Drew Bolin, who works in the governor’s office of economic development, will complete the realignment by replacing Grice as director of energy management.
Both begin their new jobs on June 1.
“Rick and Drew have served in key positions in my administration since the day I took office. They bring a high level of expertise and commitment to their new assignments and will serve the people of Colorado well,” Owens said in a statement.
Plague confirmed in rabbit carcass
Plague has been confirmed in a dead rabbit found near the east entrance of Mount Falcon Park in the Morrison area.
County health officials said Thursday that the area is the same one where several domestic cats tested positive for plague last August.
Warning signs posted last year remain, and health officials reminded residents to take precautions to avoid exposure, such as avoiding contact with wild rodents and confining dogs and cats.
3 on council draft smoking-ban proposal
Three members of the Denver City Council have drafted an ordinance that would ban smoking in public places within city limits. The proposal by council members Michael Hancock, Kathleen MacKenzie and Carol Boigon makes exceptions for some hotel rooms, private clubs and outdoor patios.
A similar proposal was defeated by the council two years ago by a 7-5 vote.
Skull found by teens solves 6-year-old case
A skull found by high school students on a biology class field trip has been identified as belonging to a 75-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease who had been missing for six years.
Kenneth Talburt of Cañon City walked away from his home at the Grandview Acres trailer park on Oct. 21, 1998.
Talburt’s skull was discovered May 2, and his mostly intact skeleton was found Tuesday in a wooded area off a steep embankment in a drainage area, said police Detective Harry Sharp. Talburt was about a mile from his home.
They also found the hat that Talburt was wearing at the time, which read “No. 1 Grand Dad.”
“He probably died fairly soon after he fell or lost his balance,” said Dr. Dorothy Twellman, Fremont County coroner. “There is nothing to suggest anyone tried to harm him – there was no evidence of fractures or injury such as cuts to suggest foul play.”
Woman gets 3 years for stealing $208,000
A Colorado woman was sentenced Thursday to more than three years in federal prison for swindling roughly $208,000 from her former employer in Kansas City.
Jacqueline Christina Wayne, 38, of Centennial pleaded guilty in January to altering payroll records at Summit Hotel Management Inc., where she was controller, between Sept. 23, 2000, and Jan. 21, 2003.
U.S. Attorney Todd Graves said Wayne used a fraudulent Social Security number on her employment application, her Internal Revenue Service W-4 form and her Missouri Department of Revenue W-4 form.
Graves said Wayne falsified payroll information and received “enhanced, tax-free earnings in an amount greater than her authorized salary.” She also cashed fraudulent checks of former employees and took cash from the company’s daily deposits.
Wayne was sentenced to three years and one month in prison without parole and must make restitution of $208,117.04.
