Larimer County biker rally goes off without a hitch
The “Thunder in the Rockies” Harley-Davidson rally held over Labor Day weekend in Larimer County is being hailed as a success for what did and did not happen.
The rally drew between 58,000 and 62,000 people to The Ranch, Larimer County’s events center, during the rally’s four days. Organizers had hoped for at least 50,000.
Law-enforcement officials said there was not one arrest made at The Ranch during the rally. Bikers also caused no major problems in the surrounding communities.
“It’s as if a rally wasn’t even going on,” said Fort Collins police spokeswoman Rita Davis.
Police, working as members of a regionwide team fighting auto theft, did seize four motorcycles that either were stolen or had stolen parts, said the Colorado State Patrol.
The rally raised $12,418 for charities in addition to $38,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, said Jay Hardy, executive director of The Ranch.
DENVER
Council OKs option to free up reserves
The Denver City Council on Tuesday narrowly passed a measure to give the city legal authority to consider using other city reserve funds to meet the 3 percent emergency reserves mandated by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
This may free up to $27 million for one-time budget costs. The ordinance does not require spending the reserves. It merely gives the council the option.
However, some council members expressed concern that reserves could be used for pet projects and using reserves could lower the city’s bond rating.
The council also approved the issuance of $77 million in bonds for the justice center and the Denver Zoo.
DENVER
Springs not forced to add ballot items
A federal judge sided Tuesday with Colorado Springs in not forcing the city to put on the November ballot two referendum questions that could have limited the city’s spending and borrowing.
Douglas Bruce, author of the statewide Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, had asked the U.S. District Court in Denver for a temporary restraining order. Bruce said he had followed Colorado Springs’ procedures for putting ballot questions before voters, but city officials had refused, he said, because they didn’t like the topic of the questions.
Bruce wanted Judge Wiley Daniel to force the city and the elections clerk to include the questions when the ballots are printed, even as El Paso County district court deliberates whether the questions are appropriately framed.
In his ruling, Daniel said that if the state court deems the questions proper for the ballot, a special election could be held. David Lane, a Denver lawyer representing Bruce, said his client would appeal the ruling at the federal level and seek injunctive relief in El Paso district court.
LOVELAND
Cat owner cited on animal-cruelty charges
A Loveland woman is facing 74 counts of cruelty to animals after Larimer County sheriff’s deputies discovered her RV filled with 74 diseased cats and kittens late last week.
Alexis Binns, 38, was released on $12,000 bond after her arrest Thursday. Cruelty to animals is a misdemeanor that could carry a penalty of up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine for each count, said Larimer County sheriff’s spokeswoman Eloise Campanella.
Deputies responded to the River bend Campground at 7850 W. U.S. 34 in Loveland about 6 p.m. Thursday for a welfare check at one of the units. Deputies said they noticed a suspicious odor coming from the RV.
After obtaining permission to enter the RV, they found the cats. All the animals were taken to the local Humane Society, and most were found to be suffering from ringworm and upper respiratory illnesses, Campanella said.
The cats are isolated at this time, she said.
Binns also faces a charge of aggravated motor vehicle theft, a class-3 felony, after deputies discovered a vehicle in her yard that had been reported stolen, Campanella said.
DENVER
DPS program expands free meals to students
Denver Public Schools began serving free breakfast and lunch Tuesday to all students in 30 of the city’s poorest schools under a district pilot program.
A high percentage of the students enrolled in these schools qualified for free or reduced- price lunch anyway. But under this pilot, called Provision 2 of the National School Lunch Program, the schools can give free meals to all students to save on paperwork and administrative costs.
The schools, which include 21 elementaries, six K-8s and three middle schools, were selected based on their high poverty rates.
These schools can participate in the pilot for three years if they collect enough applications for families eligible for free and reduced-price lunches, district officials said Tuesday.
A family of four cannot make more than $25,155 annually to qualify for free meals, according to standards set by the federal government.
METRO AREA
T-REX closures will affect I-25, University
Tonight and Thursday night, T-REX contractors plan to close all lanes of southbound Interstate 25 from South Santa Fe Drive to East Hampden Avenue from 10 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. the following morning for highway paving and striping.
I-25 traffic will be detoured onto Santa Fe and Hampden during the closures.
Beginning Friday at 10 p.m. and lasting until Monday at 5:30 a.m., all lanes of University Boulevard below I-25 will be closed so T-REX workers can install a drainage line in the area. All on- and off-ramps between University and I-25 also will be closed for the weekend.
T-REX is the $1.67 billion light-rail and highway expansion project for I-25 and I-225.
BOULDER
CU group protests Los Alamos alliance
Some University of Colorado students, faculty and alumni are protesting the school’s proposal to become more involved with Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where nuclear-weapons research takes place.
In December, the Department of Energy will pick one of two teams to run the national laboratory. CU has joined a team led by Lockheed Martin Corp. and the University of Texas and would collaborate on basic research projects with the laboratory involving alternative energy, astrophysics and atmospheric science, said Jack Burns, CU vice president for academic affairs and research.
“We don’t do weapons research,” Burns said.
About 45 percent of the science taking place at Los Alamos does not involve weapons, he said.
Erin Hamby of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center in Boulder said she doesn’t trust the university’s verbal promises or numbers.
