Strasburg man faces charges in 4 dogs’ poisoning deaths
A Strasburg man was issued a misdemeanor summons ordering him to appear in court Monday after being connected to the deaths of four dogs.
Daniel Bowen, 55, faces four charges of cruelty to animals and four charges of poisons not to be used after he allegedly poisoned and spread pieces of meat around his farm.
The owners of five dogs told the Adams County Sheriff’s Office in early March that their pets had fallen ill and died. Through an investigation, it was discovered that at least four of the dogs had ingested meat injected with poison used to control weeds.
The fifth dog could not be tested because it had already been buried by the owner.
Bowen allegedly used the poisoned meat to kill wild animals that were attacking his livestock.
Bowen will appear in court June 5. He faces up to 18 months in county jail and a $5,000 fine.
WESTMINSTER
Five Tasers stolen from store in mall
Police are looking for a burglar who made off with five Tasers from a store at the Westminster Mall.
Frank Brown, the owner of Today’s Upper Edge Security, told police that the Tasers came up missing overnight after he locked the store Monday.
Westminster police said there is no evidence of forced entry into the business and no other items were reported missing.
The Tasers look like black semiautomatic handguns and deliver 50,000 volts of stopping power. The Tasers that were stolen retail between $399 and $599, police said.
The store does not have surveillance video, police said.
CHEYENNE
42 dogs euthanized to curb flu outbreak
Despite an outcry from pet lovers, the Cheyenne Animal Shelter has euthanized 42 dogs in an attempt to eradicate an outbreak of canine influenza.
Local veterinarians said euthanizing the dogs would prevent spreading dog flu outside the shelter. But other people said a quarantine would have kept the virus in check.
The disease resembles a common condition known as “kennel cough” but can cause fatal pneumonia. Dog flu is fatal in up to 10 percent of cases, although many infected dogs never show symptoms.
Shelter director Alan Cohen, whose first day on the job was Monday, said Wednesday was “probably by far” the worst day of his life.
“I am not a veterinarian, and I made my decision based on the suggestions and advice of the veterinarians I talked to,” he said.
“The state veterinarian’s office is still saying it’s the only responsible thing to do,” Cohen said. “If people want to blame me for the decision, that’s fine. I did the best I could with the information I had at the time and the support of the veterinary community.”
Nineteen other dogs remained alive while the shelter tried to determine their legal status and until influenza tests for them come back this week or early next week. Cohen said he did not want to euthanize a dog that belongs to someone.
Several people reacted angrily to the euthanasia decision.
“There is no reason to do this,” said Debbie Jones of Wheatland, the state contact for Airedale Rescue. “It is treatable. An animal shelter is supposed to take care of animals, not kill animals.”
FORT COLLINS
CSU governors approve tuition hike
Colorado State University officials have approved tuition increases that mean in-state students will pay $85 more a year and out-of-state students will pay an additional $645.
The tuition hikes were approved Wednesday at CSU’s Board of Governors meeting. The 2.5 percent hike was expected because of an earlier agreement between the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and Colorado’s colleges and universities.
In all, residents of Colorado who are full-time students at CSU will pay $4,648 a year for undergraduate classes, while out-of-state students will pay $16,169.
Last year, in-state undergraduates had to adjust to a 15 percent tuition increase. Officials said the smaller hike this year was in part due to November’s passage of Referendum C, which suspended the tax-collection limits of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
“As the result of Referendum C, we have very, very good news this year,” CSU president Larry Penley told the board.
CANON CITY
Former pastor pleads guilty to sex assault
A 72-year-old former church pastor has pleaded guilty to one charge of child sex assault as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
Allan M. Miller of Williamsburg, the former pastor of Victory Apostolic Church in Florence, pleaded guilty Wednesday. He was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female church member last year.
As part of the plea agreement, two other charges were dropped.
Miller faces an indeterminate prison term ranging from less than two years to life when he is sentenced July 12.
The girl said the abuse repeatedly occurred, according to an arrest warrant affidavit by Fremont County Sheriff Deputy Bruce Briscoe. The girl also told investigators that Miller sexually assaulted her after performing a fake wedding ceremony with her in August.
Miller remains in the Fremont County Jail.
GRAND JUNCTION
Group gives state an F on sex-offender reports
Colorado is doing a poor job of notifying communities about sex offenders, according to a report card issued by a national child-advocacy agency.
Parents for Megan’s Law said Colorado received the country’s most common grade: an F. Just two states, Florida and Wisconsin, earned A’s.
States were evaluated on what details state Internet registries had about registered sex offenders, how much information was available to residents and if door-to-door notification was required when a sex offender moves into a neighborhood.
Colorado requires door-to- door notification for sexually violent predators but not for other sex offenders. The state’s Internet registry also doesn’t include all offenders, according to the report.
NEBRASKA
Lake McConaughy level near yearly max
Lake McConaughy might be at its highest level for the year, according to a report presented at the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District’s board meeting this week.
Civil engineering supervisor Jeremie Kerkman said McConaughy’s level of 731,600 acre-feet of water is close to its maximum for the year.
Kerkman said that the lake is gaining water at a slow rate but that releases are being made to begin refilling the Sutherland and Maloney reservoirs.
