Senate panel OKs bill to let widow retain home in park
Washington – Legislation aimed at helping 83-year-old widow Betty Dick in her long-running fight to stay in her summer home within Rocky Mountain National Park was approved Wednesday by a congressional committee.
The Betty Dick Residence Protection Act, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., was approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and now goes before the full Senate.
Under a revised plan negotiated by Salazar and fellow Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard, Dick would be granted a “life estate” on her homesite within the park, although the property would be reduced to 8 acres from 23. She would continue to pay $300 a year for the land, an amount agreed to by the National Park Service and Dick’s late husband 25 years ago.
The original deal was temporarily extended through this month, and the Park Service had proposed boosting Dick’s rent for the property.
Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, said he will push a similar bill in the House. A different version already passed that body.
GOLDEN
Sewage spill closes part of Clear Creek
Clear Creek from Georgetown to the South Platte River has been temporarily closed to recreation by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment until at least Friday morning as a precautionary measure because of a sewage treatment-plant problem in Georgetown.
On Tuesday afternoon, a power outage caused Georgetown’s wastewater treatment plant to malfunction, sending about 100,000 gallons of partially treated sewage into Clear Creek.
The state health department is taking water samples at various locations to determine the level of contamination.
Golden officials said they took immediate measures to stop water from Clear Creek from entering the city’s water treatment plant. They say there is no need for concern about the impact on Golden’s drinking water.
AURORA
Police surround house in search for suspect
Aurora police surrounded a house near East 30th Avenue and Abilene Street on Wednesday night where a suspect in a Dallas-area kidnapping and murder may have been holed up, said police spokesman Marcus Dudley.
Texas authorities were looking for Brian Montez Booker, 37, in connection with the apparent murder of his 14-year-old stepson, Joshua Henry, and the abduction of his wife, Yolanda Booker, on Tuesday. The body of a youth Lancaster police declined to identify as Henry was found about 6 p.m. Wednesday and an Amber Alert for the boy was canceled, said Lt. Joe Hall of the Lancaster police.
Denver police were notified that Booker, who drives a 1997 Toyota Avalon with Colorado license plate 456-BZO, might be in the Denver area, said Denver Detective John White. He said police checked several locations Wednesday night.
Dudley said police were sent to the house at East 30th and Abilene on a welfare check, but soon realized they had a barricaded suspect inside.
DENVER
Singer McGaughy dies of his wounds
Qutice McGaughy, one of two local hip-hop artists found shot early Sunday in a car on Capitol Hill, died Wednesday night.
A family friend said McGaughy died about 7 p.m. at St. Anthony Central Hospital. A hospital spokeswoman confirmed he died.
Michael Hope, the other singer who was shot, is still recovering at Denver Health Medical Center, the family friend said. Citing federal law, that hospital declined to confirm he was a patient.
McGaughy, 26, and Hope, 24, were found shot about 2:25 a.m. Sunday in a Dodge Neon in the intersection of East 10th Avenue and Grant Street, according to police. A third man inside the car wasn’t injured.
DENVER
DPS candidate quits, endorses another
Denver Public School board at-large candidate Andrew Karsian backed out of the race Wednesday and endorsed Denver businessman Brad Buchanan.
Karsian, a policy analyst, said part of his decision was based on money because he didn’t get the teachers union endorsement. Last week, a consortium of labor interests threw support – and $20,000 – behind candidate Jill Conrad.
LAKEWOOD
Attorney appointed 1st District judge
Tamara Russell, chief deputy city attorney for Lakewood, has been appointed a judge in Colorado’s 1st Judicial District, which covers Jefferson and Gilpin counties.
Russell’s new appointment will begin Saturday, Gov. Bill Owens’ office announced. She will replace retiring District Judge James D. Zimmerman.
AURORA
Altercation with driver injures officer
The drunken driver of a stolen 1998 Oldsmobile slightly injured an Aurora police officer Tuesday night during a chase, officer Anthony Guzman said.
About 7:46 p.m., an officer saw a woman driving fast southbound on Potomac Street near East Alameda Avenue.
The officer pulled the car over. When he approached the woman, she appeared drunk and had an open container of liquor in her lap, Guzman said.
The Oldsmobile was still in drive and the woman refused several commands to put the car in park, Guzman said.
The officer tried to get the woman out of the car, but she closed the door on his left arm and drove away, Guzman said.
Another officer in a patrol car tried to stop the woman, but Guzman said she clipped the police car and kept driving through neighborhoods.
Police used stop sticks at East 48th Avenue and Peña Boulevard to stop the woman and arrested her.
Tonya Barker, 25, of Denver was taken to a hospital for an evaluation, then booked into the Aurora Municipal Jail.
The injuries to the officer’s arm were not severe, Guzman said.
WALSENBURG
10 years later, Texas hiker’s remains found
The remains of a hiker from Texas who vanished on Mount Blanca 10 years ago have been found on the jagged north slope of the 14,345-foot mountain alongside his backpack, Huerfano County Sheriff Bruce Newman said Wednesday.
Jim Mills, a writer, former television magazine host in Salt Lake City and an independent TV producer living in Fort Worth at the time of his death, disappeared Aug. 17, 1995. He was 43.
Mills had reached the peak of Mount Blanca about 30 miles west of Walsenburg and was descending when he apparently fell, plummeting more than 500 feet, Newman said. He said a five-day search failed to find a trace of Mills.
On Sept. 11, two climbers found the remains. His driver’s license later was found in his backpack.
