Camera in girls’ locker room leads to charges for 2 boys
Two Akron High School freshmen accused of putting a video camera in the ceiling of a girls’ locker room were arraigned in Washington County juvenile court Wednesday.
The 15-year-old boys are charged with unlawful sexual contact, Sheriff Larry Kuntz said.
Female students told a teacher Nov. 7 that they saw a video camera in the ceiling of the locker room where they change clothes for gym class.
School officials did not report the incident to authorities, who were contacted by a resident, Kuntz said. Superintendent Jim Pagel told authorities two videotapes were destroyed to protect the girls, the sheriff said.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY
Suspected burglar injured in escape
An Arapahoe County homeowner scared off a suspected burglar early Wednesday, who then fell and hit his head on a rock as he fled.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested 22-year-old Kris Gibson, who they say tried to break into the home in the 16000 block of East Maplewood Avenue.
The homeowner, Joe Padilla, was awakened by a noise and found someone he described as a “big fellow” standing in his hallway, authorities said.
The suspect ran out the front door of the house before Padilla grabbed a hunting rifle and gave chase.
Padilla told investigators he had the suspect in his sight, but decided to fire a warning shot into the ground.
The intruder fell and hit his head on a rock, and then landed in Padilla’s frozen pond, police said. He was found bleeding.
AIR FORCE ACADEMY
Missing prairie falcon is presumed dead
A prairie falcon named Liberty that is used by the Air Force Academy as part of its falconry program has been missing for nearly a month.
The bird was last seen during an early December performance at the Birds of Prey World Cup skiing event in Beaver Creek west of Vail, said Sam Dollar, adviser to the falconry program.
Dollar said the bird may have been confused after losing sight of her cadet handlers.
“She could have spent the whole afternoon looking for us while we were looking for her,” he said.
A storm and frigid temperatures that night hampered search efforts. Dollar said he thinks the falcon either succumbed to the weather or other birds of prey.
DENVER
Search starts over for CU health chancellor
The only two finalists for chancellor of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center have dropped out, leaving CU to resume searching.
President Hank Brown has asked a committee to come up with five names by March 1.
The previous finalists visited the campus this fall but never received offers. They were S. Bruce Dowton, former dean of medicine for the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and Darrell G. Kirch, dean of Penn State’s college of medicine.
COLORADO
New driver’s ed rules delayed until 2007
New rules for driver’s education workers and classes will be delayed a year, the state Department of Transportation said Wednesday.
The rules had been scheduled to go into effect starting Monday, but now will be delayed until January 2007. They impose requirements for driving instructors, driving schools and new teen drivers.
Requirements for driving instructors include that they be at least 25 years old, undergo a state criminal background check and receive state training.
Schools will be required to submit a curriculum that meets state standards, provide actual in-car instruction, sign and abide by a contract with the state, and take out special insurance policies along with a bond.
New teen drivers between ages 15 and 15 1/2 will be required to enroll in and complete 6 hours of in-car instruction during the first six weeks after being issued a permit.
DENVER
Private jet sounds alarm, lands safely
A private jet with an apparent fire in the cockpit landed safely Wednesday evening after putting Denver International Airport emergency personnel on the highest level of alert.
A DIA spokesman said the pilot reported the fire just before landing, alerting firefighters stationed at the airport as well as crews nearby. But the jet, carrying nine people, landed without incident.
Firefighters searched the cockpit and found no immediate danger.
FORT COLLINS
State’s health plan for children expanded
The government has approved a plan that will expand health care to about 4,000 Colorado children from lower-income households.
The plan approved Tuesday will let children whose parents earn up to 200 percent of the poverty level enroll in Colorado’s Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The new limit is $38,700 for a family of four, up from $35,798.
Every state offers similar programs, managing them jointly with the federal government. They are intended to help families whose incomes are too high for Medicaid and Medicare but not enough to pay for private insurance.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Allard, Salazar keep news releases flowing
Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar of Colorado have sent out more than 500 news releases this year, covering everything from the war in Iraq to the University of Denver’s national hockey championship.
Cody Wertz, Salazar’s press secretary, said his 250 releases are intended to keep constituents informed about what the freshman Democrat is doing.
An Allard spokeswoman, Carolyn Williams, said his 273 statements – up from 140 last year – are part of the Republican’s higher profile as a new member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
One expert suggested the onslaught is because Colorado has one senator from each party for the first time since 1995.
“If the other senator from your state is in your party, you don’t have to feel great pressure to speak out on every issue,” said Bob Loevy, a Colorado College political science professor. “They need to get their message out so that the other congressman from the other party doesn’t establish his point of view.”
