Army captain from Springs killed by explosion in Iraq
A 31-year-old Army captain from Colorado Springs was killed in Iraq this week by a roadside explosive, military sources said Wednesday.
Ian P. Weikel, a graduate of Fountain-Fort Carson High School and West Point, died Tuesday when his vehicle was struck by the explosive in Balad, north of Baghdad, officials said.
He was assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.
His experiences in Iraq were chronicled last month by Steffan Tubbs, co-anchor of “Colorado’s Morning News” at 850 KOA. Tubbs was embedded with Weikel’s “Ghost Troop.”
“Instantly very friendly, a big 850 KOA listener before he moved to Texas, it was almost at his invitation that I’m here,” Tubbs said on his blog.
Weikel also was a spokesman for his regiment and, in a story by the San Francisco Chronicle two years ago, he discussed how Iraqi rebels use roadside bombs and how soldiers in his division found 18 of the explosives. Eight of those bombs went off, killing or injuring soldiers in his division, Weikel told the Chronicle.
DENVER
Exhibitors challenge stock show findings
Each of the 17 exhibitors disqualified from the National Western Stock Show after suspicious needle marks and lesions were found on their lambs has sent a letter to stock show officials questioning the disqualification.
“We are at the very earliest stages of studying the responses and then doing follow-up research to see if there is any merit in their responses,” said Andrew Low, attorney for the National Western.
The stock show announced April 5 that 18 lambs from 17 competitors – 13 from Oklahoma – had been injected with a substance that caused inflammation of tissue, making the animals appear more muscular. The injections, in some cases, were more than a month old.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
Man who punched teen gets probation
A man who pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanor assault for punching a 16-year-old girl while on the slopes of a ski resort was sentenced Wednesday to a year of unsupervised probation.
Randell Berg, 52, will also have to complete 24 sessions of anger-management classes, perform 48 hours of community service, write a letter of apology, pay a $900 fine and submit to a psychiatric exam.
During sentencing, Routt County Court Judge James Garrecht told Berg he was fortunate to avoid jail time.
The victim and her family agreed to the plea deal that allowed Berg to avoid jail, Deputy District Attorney Tammy Jen sen has said.
Berg allegedly punched the female snowboarder after she collided with his 8-year-old daughter on the mountain.
CENTENNIAL
Research ship seeks missing crewman
A crewman on an American research ship apparently fell overboard in 43-degree water between Chile and the Antarctic, and the vessel and a Chilean plane were searching for him Wednesday.
Joshua Spillane, 31, a marine technologist from Bellingham, Wash., was reported missing from the Laurence M. Gould on Monday, Raytheon Polar Services said. The ship was in calm, rolling seas and a drizzle was falling at the time Spillane disappeared, Raytheon spokeswoman Valerie Carroll said.
Raytheon Polar Services, based in Centennial, provides science, operations and maintenance services to three U.S. research stations and two research vessels in the Antarctic.
COLORADO
Language ballot issue clears one hurdle
Advocates for a proposed statewide ballot issue that would give many non-English- speaking students a year to study English before being placed in mainstream classrooms cleared one hurdle Wed nesday.
The title-setting review board of the secretary of state’s office on Wednesday approved language for the proposed “Education of English Language Learners” issue that would go on a statewide ballot.
The public has a week to challenge the proposed ballot language with the secretary of state.
A coalition that led the 2002 defeat of a similar measure said it plans to issue a challenge to the wording.
DENVER
5th Coloradan faces Katrina fraud charges
A fifth Colorado resident has been charged with fraud and accused of pretending to be a Hurricane Katrina evacuee to receive thousands of dollars in aid.
Chandra Donley was indicted this week by a federal grand jury in Denver. According to the indictment, she collected more than $13,000 in aid from federal, state and private agencies.
COLORADO
Kaiser to study Rx practices of doctors
With a $400,000 grant from the Colorado attorney general’s office, Kaiser Permanente researchers will investigate why physicians prescribe the types of drugs they do, the health-care provider has announced.
Kaiser’s clinical research unit got the money, part of a national settlement with drugmaker War ner-Lambert.
The company had been accused of using deceptive practices to market the drug Neurotin, which treats epilepsy and the persistent pain of shingles.
Kaiser Colorado is one of 24 sites nationwide that will share $9 million in research money over two years as a result of the settlement.
DENVER
Inauguration today for DU chancellor
University of Denver chancellor Robert Coombe plans to celebrate his inauguration today with Gov. Bill Owens and Mayor John Hickenlooper.
Coombe, DU provost since 2001, was named chancellor last June to replace Dan Ritchie.
Coombe started as an assistant chemistry professor at DU in 1981 and has spent his academic career at the private university, which has 9,700 students.
