Police identify 23-year-old killed in fall from high-rise
Police identified 23-year-old Brian Thompson as the man who fell 10 stories to his death at a downtown high-rise Tuesday night.
Thompson’s death was determined to be an accident and it is possible that alcohol was involved, said Denver police spokeswoman Virginia Quinones.
Several friends had a gathering at Brooks Towers at 15th Street between Curtis and Arapahoe streets when the incident occurred about 9:40 p.m., Quinones said.
Thompson fell from a balcony on the 13th floor and landed on the concrete roof of a third-floor building near the complex’s swimming pool.
He died at the scene.
DENVER
Marriage proposal set to gather signatures
Backers of a constitutional amendment defining marriage cleared a procedural hurdle Wednesday, setting the stage for a signature-gathering campaign.
The state Initiative Title Setting Review Board signed off on the title and wording of a measure that would define marriage as between one man and one woman.
The board decides whether initiatives violate Colorado’s single-subject requirement and does not debate the merits of a proposal. Opponents did not show up to challenge the title.
The board also approved titles for an initiative that would limit residential housing growth in select counties and a measure that would restrict oil and tax severance tax revenues collected by the state and deliver revenues over that limit to taxpayers.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Ex-county official to run for Hefley seat
Former El Paso County Commissioner Duncan Bremer will run for the office held for 20 years by Rep. Joel Hefley.
Bremer, 62, served as a county commissioner from 1995 to 2003. He has worked as a lawyer in El Paso County since 1981 and worked as director of solar energy research for the American Institute of Architects. Bremer’s brother, Paul Bremer, is the former U.S. administrator charged with civilian rebuilding efforts in Iraq.
Bremer, a social conservative, joins three others in the Republican race for the six-county congressional seat. John Anderson, a former sheriff; Jeff Crank, a former vice president for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce ; and state Sen. Doug Lamborn are in the race.
SILVERTON
Mine-claim owner wins, but gets just $1
The operators of Silverton Mountain ski area trespassed on an Aspen businessman’s mining claims near and within the ski area, a district court judge has ruled.
Judge Gregory Lyman on Tuesday ordered Silverton Mountain owners Aaron and Jenny Brill to pay landowner Jim Jackson $1 in damages.
“I’m going to the bank right now to get 100 pennies for him,” Aaron Brill said.
Jackson filed a civil suit in December 2004 accusing the Brills of allowing employees and skiers to trespass on a patchwork of claims he owns adjacent to and inside the ski area boundaries. Jackson argued in the civil suit that the 6-year-old steep-and- snowy ski area’s avalanche-control work – part of which is contracted by San Juan County to keep two public roads open and safe – further injured his property rights.
Lyman agreed that Jackson’s precipitous parcels of rock had been violated by skiers and avalanche debris. He refused, however, Jackson’s request to force the Brills to stop avalanche control and the skier traffic required for the work.
COLORADO SPRINGS
Council member quits to work for Salazar
Colorado Springs City Council member Richard Skorman resigned from his post Tuesday to become a regional director for U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar.
Skorman, first elected in 1999, was instrumental in helping to preserve Red Rock Canyon, an area south of Garden of the Gods Park, extending a tax for parks and open space and helping Hurricane Katrina evacuees last year.
Applications for the open at-large council seat will be accepted through March 15. The council will select a replacement by March 28.
COLORADO
State to share grants for hurricane aid
Colorado is one of seven states that will share $19.2 million in federal grants to provide mental health and crisis counseling for survivors of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
This state’s share of the money, $1.16 million, will go to the Colorado Hurricane Evacuee Support and Recovery Project. That program provides individual and group counseling to hurricane survivors throughout the state.
Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin will share the remaining money.
AMARILLO, Texas
Body of Northglenn man found in ravine
A body found in a remote ravine has been identified as that of a missing Colorado man, authorities said Wednesday.
A ranch worker found the man’s remains Monday about 7 miles north of Bushland. The body was identified as Michael David Strange, 47, after authorities matched a photograph of his finger to fingerprint records, said Lt. Gary Trupe, coordinator of the Potter-Randall Special Crimes Unit.
The Northglenn man was reported missing in August. He checked out of an Amarillo motel room in July and told a friend he was returning to Colorado.
Officials said they found no signs of foul play.
