Tuesday August 7, 2012

BLM VANDALISM SUSPECT
The BLM is trying to identify a vandal who damaging a petroglyph in the Bangs Canyon Speical Recreation Management Area.  It happened in February this year and the act was caught on video.  A picture of the suspect is posted at mbcgrandnews.com.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
The 29th annual National Night Out is tonight and being recognized in communities around western Colorado.  In Grand Junction, 30 neighborhoods have signed up to host events, spending time with neighbords to promote safety and crime prevention in their neighborhoods.  In Clifton, Crimestoppers and the Mesa County Sheriff's Department are hosting an event at Kimwood Park with activities for kids and adults.  You can contact your local law enforcement agency for information about events near you.

POWERBALL JACKPOT CLIMBS
If you're feeling lucky, you might want to buy a Powerball lottery ticket. Tomorrow night's jackpot is up to $212 million.  One person in Edwards matched all 5 numbers drawn last Wednesday for a cool $1 million.  If the ticket had included the optional $1 power-play, it would have been worth $2 million... A powerball match would have scored the jackpot. Money from Colorado's lottery games stays in Colorado funding the state's Great Outdoors Colorado programs.

COLO RIVER LEVELS
If you thought Colorado's rivers were dry, think again.  The Colorado River Outfitters Association says most rivers in the state are running and have good water available for rafting and other sports. The Association says only a handful of rivers are closed.  A report on 16 rivers is available on the Colorado River Outfitters Association website.

CLIFTON SUSPICIOUS DEATH
The Mesa County Sheriff's Office isn't releasing information about the "suspicious" death of a woman in Clifton.  According to the Daily Sentinel, records in the case have been sealed, so the nature of a 9-1-1 call to a home on 2nd Street in Clifton can't be released.  A woman found inside the home around 2:00 yesterday morning, died later at a hospital. Sheriff's investigators were at the address most of the day.

JANUSZ BOUND OVER
A former Grand Junction Police Officer and Firefighter has been bound over for trial on charges of sexual assault on a child following an affair with an underage girl in 2000.  42 year old Eric Janusz was arrested in April following an investigation after the victim, who is now 28, came forward and reported the crime. Janusz is free on bond and is to be arraigned later this month.

AURORA APT FIRE DEATHS
Two people are dead, 15 taken to the hospital in a fire at an Aurora apartment complex.  The Denver Post says both people who died were on the 4th floor of the 4-story building across the street from the CU Health and Science Center.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

ANTI-ABORTION AMENDMENT
A pro-life group has turned in signatures to get an anti-abortion measure on the November ballot.  The Colorado Personhood Coalition needs about 86,000 valid signatures and turned in more than 121,000.  Personhood USA founder Keith Mason tells the Denver Post ballot language this year is different from the group's previous two tries to amend the state constitution.  He says wording extends constitutional rights to all humans at any stage of development, and expressly would not prohibit all forms of contraception. Opponents say they'll work to defeat the amendment.


WOLF FIRE UPDATE
A 6,100 acre fire burning in Moffat County is now 75% contained.  The Wolf Fire broke out in lightning last Friday in very rough terrain. No homes or building have been threatened, but the area is considered critical wildlife habitat.  Officials say fire danger remains high in Moffat and Rio Blanco counties.



MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS
The Department of Health and Human Services say average basic Medicare prescription drug plans are expected to remain the same next year thanks to the Affordable Care Act.  The department says since the law was enacted, seniors and people with disabilities have save nearly $4 billion on prescription drugs.