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11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley yesterday was disbarred by a Colorado State Supreme Court disciplinary board in Denver. The 11th judicial district comprises Fremont, Custer, Park and Chaffee counties. The disciplinary board ruled that Stanley violated attorney conduct rules while prosecuting two separate cases. One case was that of the murder trial of Barry Morphew, who was charged in connection to the disappearance of his wife, Suzanne Morphew, in 2020. Charges against Morphew were dropped in 2022 after a judge barred prosecutors from presenting their key witnesses. The judge said that he made the ruling because prosecutors failed to follow rules for turning over evidence in Morphew's favor. Suzanne Morphew's remains were found a year ago in Saguache County. Stanley can appeal the decision. Her disbarment will take effect in 35 days.

Alamosa shooting suspect makes appearance in Court yesterday.

Larry Chavez, 33, of Alamosa, made an appearance yesterday in Alamosa County Court where a preliminary hearing was set in his case for October 30th. Chavez is facing charges murder in the second degree, second degree assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, two counts of motor vehicle theft, and four counts of felony menacing. Chavez is accused of shooting and killing Enrique Parra on August 1st at the Sunset Inn in Alamosa. A manhunt ensued after Chavez was identified as the suspect. Chavez was located and taken into custody on August 2nd in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is being held in the Alamosa County Detention center on a $10 million bond.

Pueblo West corrections officer arrested for charges out of Utah.

Kevin Young, 37, of Pueblo West, a corrections officer, was arrested at his home on Friday after officials learned that young was wanted for multiple counts of sex assault charges out of Utah. Young was arrested on charges of rape and forcible sexual abuse. He was booked into the Pueblo County Jail and is now pending extradition to Utah to face the charges there. Young was wanted on a no-bond warrant from Piute County, Utah, for an incident that took place in July of 2023.

Alamosa man found safe after becoming lost in osier mountain area.

Luis Pacheco, 64, of Alamosa, was found on Monday after being lost in the osier mountain area while hunting on Saturday. According to the Conejos County Sheriff's office, the office was notified about 5pm Saturday that Pacheco was last seen around 9am on Saturday. His hunting party had attempted to find him, but were unsuccessful. Deputies covered the area by road well into the night, and continued the search Sunday and on Monday, using an airplane, helicopter, a tracking dog, as well as search and rescue teams. About 11:30am Monday, while the search was ongoing, Pacheco walked into the osier station. An ambulance crew responded and gave aid to Pacheco who was cold, hungry and tired, but otherwise in good shape.

Mt. Emmons land exchange finalized.

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests' Gunnison ranger district, in coordination with the Mt. Emmons mining company, finalized the Mt. Emmons land exchange on August 29th. The forest service exchanged 539 acres of federal land located adjacent to the keystone mine for 625 acres of land owned by the Mt. Emmons mining company located in Gunnison and Saguache counties, part of which is within the Rio Grande national forest. The forest service says that the land exchange will provide numerious benefits to the public, respects the conservation values of the local community and allows for efficient management of federal lands and resources. For more information, go to www.fs.usda.gov and search on project #61798.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser yesterday issued a warning about "deepfakes" saying that the public needs to be on the lookout for election misinformation and disinformation in the form of realistic-looking images, videos and audio that has been created using artificial intelligence, or AI. Colorado lawmakers passed HB24-1147 into law this year. The new law requires anyone using AI to create communications to voters featuring images, videos or audio of candidates for office to include a disclaimer explaining that the content is not real. Failure to provide such a disclaimer can result in fines and other penalties. Weiser encouraged voters to do their research and to be mindful that the sophistication of AI means that you can't always believe what you see and hear anymore.

CPW announces completion of process of capturing Wolf Pack.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced yesterday that it has completed the process to capture all six animals from the Copper Creek wolf pack. The adult female, adult male, as well as four pups from the Copper Creek pack were transported to a secure location for evaluation and monitoring. The male wolf, who was involved in the animal depredation incidents in grand county, was found to be in poor condition with several injures to his right hind leg, unrelated to the capture. Despite efforts to save him, 4 days after his capture he was confirmed to be deceased. CPW plans to re-release the mother and pups at a later date, saying they will have conversations with local elected officials and landowners in possible release areas before a release takes place.

Cause of Fatal crash on I-25 Sunday morning released.

An 18-year-old driver was the cause of the crash that took place on Interstate 25 near Pikes Peak International Raceway on Sunday morning. According to the Colorado State Patrol, the 18-year-old was traveling Southbound on I-25 around 4:35am when he abruptly ran off the left side of the road. His Toyota RAV crashed into a cable rail, spun back towards the roadway, then hit a guardrail, finally coming to a stop part way in the left lane. A 43-year-old motorcyclist was also traveling southbound and was attempting to pass the Toyota on the left, when the Toyota clipped the motorcycle, causing it to run off the right side of the road. The rider was thrown from his bike, and despite wearing a helmet, sustained injuries that were too severe. He died at the scene. The 18-year-old was wearing a seatbelt. He was taken to the hospital as a precaution. I-25 was closed for more than 5 hours Sunday, reopening just after 10am.

Threats of violence leads to cancellation of HS Football game.

Last night's Canon City high school sub-varsity football game that was to take place at Eagle Valley in Eagle County, was canceled out of caution after an anonymous report of threats of violence was received. The threat was a photo circulated on snapchat that included a suspected rifle and a list of schools that included schools in Eagle County, the Denver Metro area and in Texas. The individual who made the photo has not been identified. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

CO SOS Griswold certified upcoming November ballot yesterday.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold yesterday certified the ballot for the upcoming election in November, officially placing 14 measures on the ballot. Legislative-referred measures include: a modification of property tax exemption for veterans with a disability, judicial discipline procedures, bail exemption for first degree murder, repealing the definition of marriage, modify election deadlines, retain more sports betting tax revenue, and a firearms and ammunition excise tax. Citizen initiatives include: a right to abortion, prohibiting trophy hunting, eligibility for parole, school choice, registration for veterinary professional associate, funding for law enforcement, and conduct of elections.

Families of loved ones who were found in the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose are reporting that a United States Attorney told them the federal government is seeking 15 years in prison for each of co-owners Jon and Carie Hallford. The Hallford's are facing federal wire fraud charges. The US Attorney's Office did not provide comment when asked about the possible plea deal, and no court papers appear to have been filed indicating that a deal is formally on the table. Victims, however, say the attorney's office has informed them of their intention to offer a plea deal to the Hallford's. Investigators say 189 bodies were found improperly stored in one of the Hallford's buildings in Penrose last October. 5 have yet to be identified.

Alamosa City Council approves marijuana measure for November Ballot.

The Alamosa City Council last week voted to place a measure on November's ballot to let voters decide if the sale of recreational and/or medical marijuana and a related tax amount should be allowed within the Alamosa city limits. After public comment and following a long and sometimes heated discussion, the decision to place the measure on the ballot passed with a split vote of 4-3. After a motion to pass the resolution with the wording that had been decided on by council, the council vote 5-1 to pass the resolution. Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman was the sole vote against the resolution. Coleman explained that he voted no because he says the voters already expressed their feelings when marijuana was voted down in 2017. Council took up the issue again this year on July 17th after a number of council members had been approached by constituents asking for another vote to be held.

Fatal accident shuts both directions of I-25 Sunday Morning.

A fatal accident shut down both the Northbound and Southbound lanes of Interstate 25 yesterday morning near the Pikes Peak International Raceway. According to the Colorado State Patrol, the accident took place around 4:35am yesterday when as many as three vehicles crashed, sending at least one car into the median. One person was killed in the crash. a second person was transported to the hospital. The accident closed the interstate between Exit 123, clear spring ranch, and Exit 122, the Pikes Peak International Raceway exit. Detours were in place for travelers. Following the investigation, CDOT workers cleaned up the scene. All lanes of the interstate reopened around 10am yesterday. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

CO Gov Polis orders flags to be lowered Friday.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Friday ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff today in remembrance of the CDOT workers that were killed last Wednesday east of Grand Junction along Highway 6 when they were struck by a car. The CDOT employees who were killed have been identified as Trent Umberger and Nathan Jones. The pair were performing roadside work when they were struck. Polis called the incident a "terrible tragedy".

Alamosa County Treasurer Office issues notice on 2023 property taxes.

The Alamosa County Treasurer's Office wants you to know that 2023 property taxes are now considered delinquent. Please make your payment to the Alamosa County Treasurer's office as soon as possible. Advertising costs will be added on 9/27, so avoid those fees and pay prior to the 27th. The annual tax lien auction is set for November 19th and 20th. As a reminder, due to a software conversion in the treasurer's office, the office will be completely closed this week. Normal business hours will resume next Monday, 9/16. For more information, call The Alamosa County Treasurer's office at 719-589- 3626.

The Colorado State Patrol yesterday released the top five counties in Colorado with the most speeding citations issued in low speed zones last year. Low speed zones include areas like school and construction zones. According to CSP, 48 of Colorado's 64 counties had at least one citation given out in a school or work zone. The top 5 counties for speeding citations in low-speed zones are as follows: El Paso County with 222 citations, Larimer County with 131 citations, Adams County with 127 citations, Mesa County with 111 citations, and Garfield County with 88 citations. CSP says that they believe speeding is a common type of aggressive driving that happens in neighborhoods and highways. CSP says that no matter the day of week or time, motorists should assume people could be present in these low-speed zones, and follow the law because people's lives literally depend on you.

Alamosa County Clerk and Recorder in court again Wednesday.

Alamosa County Clerk and Recorder Mari Felix was in court again Wednesday to enter a plea of not guilty to the charge of accessory to a crime. Felix entered the plea following a series of delays following her first appearance in court in February. Felix had hoped to reach a disposition in the case with the district attorney's office, however, no disposition was reached. The charge against Felix is connected to a case that involves her husband, Martin Felix-Lopez, who is accused of sexual abuse of a child by a person in a position of trust. Trial for Felix has been set for March 21st, 2025, and is expected to last 4 days. Felix waived her "right to a speedy trial", allowing the trial to begin more than 6 months after she entered her plea. Felix is next scheduled to appear in court on November 18th for a status hearing.

City of Pueblo to receive grant from Federal Government.

The City of Pueblo is scheduled to receive more than $16 million from the federal government to build more outlets to make it easier for people to get around the city. Specifically, the money will: extend sun mountain boulevard from 24th street to 31st street, improve or add 70 bus stops, and design a road that gives people easier access to the downtown area from the west side of Pueblo. If the expense is approved by the Pueblo City Council, work on the improvements is expected to begin by the middle of next year.

Alamosa County house fire victim identified.

43-year-old James Gombas has been identified as the victim whose body was found after fire crews extinguished a house fire at Alamosa County road 105 and 6 south on labor day. Gombas had reportedly been occupying the small home for about six months. Fire fighters were called to the home about 8:20am on Monday and remained on scene until after 2pm. The single-story garage converted into a home was fully engulfed when fire fighters arrived. The home was a total loss. The cause of death has not yet been released.

CPW asking for help with information regarding shooting incident.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking the public for help with any information regarding the shooting of a critically endangered California condor in late March. The California condor was discovered just 24 hours after it was killed in March in a remote area northeast of Lewis, Colorado, and west of the Mcphee reservoir in Montezuma county. CPW is asking the public for information regarding the incident and those who are responsible. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to come forward and assist with the investigation by calling Colorado operation game thief at 1- 877-265-6648, or email game.thief@state.co.us.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed HB24B-1001 into law, a bill that lawmakers say is a permanent solution to the rise in property taxes. After years of deliberation and short-term solutions focused on the rise in property taxes, lawmakers say the new law will help lower assessments and will create a new property tax limit for school districts. Polis called a special legislative session last month to try to find a solution to Colorado's rising property taxes. The special session was called in an effort to avoid adding some ballot measures to the November ballot that Polis says would have impacted funding for schools. By passing the bill, sponsors of Proposition 108 and Initiative 50 have agreed to remove those questions from the ballot. While lawmakers are celebrating, they acknowledge that those with higher-valued homes will be getting bigger tax cuts, saying equity is a concern when it comes to property tax cuts.

Drivers being urged to use caution following roadside tragedy.

Following the roadside tragedy in Mesa County yesterday where three people lost their lives, including two Colorado Department of Transportation workers, drivers are being urged to follow Colorado's "slow down, move over" law to help save lives. Yesterday morning, just before 10:45am, a Jeep Grand Cherokee struck two CDOT employees who were working outside of their vehicle, then struck the parked CDOT vehicle, causing the jeep to roll on Highway 6 near Milemarker 40 in Mesa County. Both CDOT workers died on scene as did one of the occupants of the Jeep. Colorado law requires drivers to move one lane away when passing a stationary vehicle with hazard lights, or drivers must slow down to at least 20mph below the posted speed limit if they cannot change lanes. Triple-A says that despite move over laws in all states, 23% of people are unaware of the law in their state.

City of Alamosa announces streets to be prepped for resurfacing.

The City of Alamosa has announced that city crews will be prepping streets for resurfacing this week. The city is asking residents to remove vehicles from the impacted streets between 7am and 7pm. Streets affected today include west 7th from Washington Avenue west to the end of the paved road. Tomorrow, Pikes Peak and Monroe Place will be affected. The project is weather dependent and dates may vary based on weather conditions. For more information, contact the City of Alamosa public works department at 719-589-6631.

CDOT announces emergency road work taking place on I-25 in Colorado Springs.

The Colorado Department of Transportation has announced that emergency road work taking place on Interstate 25 between Exit 150, North Academy Boulevard, and Exit 146, Garden of the Gods Road, in Colorado Springs, is prompting slowdowns. CDOT says that drivers are advised to slow down as road work continues in the area.

Huerfano County announces Gardner Boil Water order lifted.

Huerfano County reported earlier this week that repairs had been made to the Gardner Water System, however, the boil order was left in place pending testing. The county announced yesterday that it had received the test results for Gardner water and that all levels are normal and usage of the water can resume. That means that the boil order is now lifted and residents can begin using water once again.

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