Broomfield City Council members voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night in favor of a pact with the Northwest Parkway highway authority to promote extensions of the toll road initially about 2.3 miles to the west to Colorado 128, and possibly later through Jefferson County to Interstate 70.
Today, the parkway’s board of directors is expected to support a 99-year lease of the toll road to a foreign-owned consortium in a deal valued at $603 million. The group leasing the road had asked officials of Broomfield and the highway authority to commit in their agreement to “actively pursue and use their best efforts to achieve” the extension of the toll road in an effort to complete the beltway around metro Denver. The council vote in favor of the agreement was 9-1.
City officials and residents in Golden have opposed the idea of completing the beltway through their community, and Golden representatives spoke against the Broomfield-toll authority agreement Tuesday night.
Additional local news briefs:
DENVER
Flier faces federal charges of assault
A JetBlue Airlines passenger was charged in federal court Tuesday after allegations that he assaulted a flight attendant by inappropriately touching her while she collected trash.
Robert Thomas Kernan, a 54-year-old Denver resident, was arrested Sunday after the Saturday night flight arrived at Denver International Airport from Boston. He is charged with interfering with the flight crew, abusive sexual contact and simple assault.
Kernan bought one beer after he boarded the plane, according to the arrest affidavit.
He asked for a second beer, but did not have enough cash, the court record says.
The flight attendant was doing a final walk-through collecting trash when Kernan reached between her legs and touched her genitals through her slacks, and then dragged his hands across her buttocks, the affidavit says.
“She yelled at Kernan that his actions were inappropriate, she was having security contacted to have him arrested and that he was disgusting,” the affidavit says.
“Kernan looked away and said two times, ‘It was just a misunderstanding.”‘
BOULDER
Domestic violence blamed in death
A 36-year-old woman died late Monday in what Boulder police said appears to be a case of domestic violence.
She was identified Tuesday by the Boulder County coroner’s office as Laura Swan. Swan was found inside her residence in the 2900 block of 18th Street, said Thomas Faure, Boulder County coroner.
Boulder police said they arrested Alfred Michael Strauss, 45, at the residence after receiving a call of a domestic dispute about 5:35 p.m. Monday.
Officers searching the residence found Swan dead from an apparent stab wound.
Two children, ages 2 and 4, were taken into the care of Social Services. Investigators said the children weren’t in the home at the time of the incident.
DENVER
Housing Authority to save energy, cash
The Denver Housing Authority rolled out an energy plan Tuesday that the group said will have the environmental impact of planting 460,000 trees over the next 20 years.
By retrofitting housing units with energy-efficient lighting, low-flow faucets and efficient appliances, among other things, the authority plans to cut its energy use by 25 percent and save $1.8 million a year.
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper headed to the authority’s Quigg Newton Homes development in northwest Denver to tour one of the first updated units.
The housing authority partnered with Honeywell and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on the $16 million program.
Housing authorities like Denver’s receive energy subsidies from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
HUD will allow the Denver Housing Authority to use the subsidies to pay for financing the program.
LARIMER COUNTY
Windsor man dies in motorcycle crash
A Windsor man died Tuesday when his motorcycle smashed into a vehicle at County Road 5 and Colorado 14, coroner’s investigators said.
The coroner’s office identified the man as 32-year-old Jon Berry.
An autopsy was being conducted Tuesday.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE
Home rental scam found on craigslist
Police are investigating a computer crime scam involving a rental home on .
Victims have inquired about a rental home through an independent real estate broker identifying himself as Dan Reynolds, James Edwards or James Forrest, police said.
Victims have met with the subject, typically at a Starbucks, and have paid the suspect $250 as a retainer for a rental property.
Victims say the checks were cashed despite the fact they were told the check would be cashed only if the owner approved them for the lease, police said.
