The Home Front: More oil-and-gas death coverage, an Air Force colonel found dead at home, and more

Nearly every Colorado newspaper showcased coverage of last night’s presidential debate on the front page. But they also carried local news items. Here’s the morning’s roundup.

The Denver Post continued its series into accidental deaths on Colorado’s oil and gas fields, today looking at how new technology that might save lives is cited as “unnecessary costs” by some in the industry. “Another potentially life-saving technology — remote sensors in tanks that eliminate the need for manual measurements — also is optional for operators. Industry groups have argued that remote sensors are prohibitively expensive for many companies and that requirements for the technology would place ‘unnecessary costs on oil and gas development.'”

The budget in Fort Collins has plenty to help local parks, according to today’s edition of The Coloradon. “The concept is reflected in current construction projects as well as items in the city’s recommended 2017-18 budget, which calls for spending more than $34 million each year for parks, park planning and recreation. Keeping parks, trails and rec centers in good shape and entertaining for residents as the community grows is part of the refresh goal.”

The Boulder Daily Camera reports today on changes in a local homeless shelter. “When the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless opens Saturday evening for its yearly winter sheltering program, it will do so with a new intake system that staff believes will afford clients more “dignity” than in previous years.”

Vail Resorts growth is continuing, according to Vail Daily.

“The Longmont City Council on Tuesday will discuss spending $1.9 million to buy the property at 1140 Boston Ave.,” reports The Times-Call. “City staff wants to buy the land and building in order to construct that portion of the Resilient St. Vrain project.”

The Loveland Reporter-Herald profiles a local man who “crafts custom pens from different kinds of wood from around the world, from antlers and from red, white and blue Corian countertop materials for Freedom Pens, a nonprofit that sends them to active-duty members of the military.”

A mysterious hazardous material call tied up work at The Tilted Kilt restaurant and evacuated an apartment building, leaving Greeley residents confused, according to The Tribune.

“Crystal River Elementary School in Carbondale, which has been under the watchful eye of state and school district officials since 2014 following multiple years of lagging test scores and poor teacher and community survey results, appears to have turned a significant corner,” reports The Glenwood Springs Post-Independent. “Growth data released by the Colorado Department of Education last week measured progress over the last two years for students from third through ninth grade in meeting the new, more stringent standards on state math and English literacy assessments.”

Meet the Waffle Wagon, a staple in Cañon City for 35 years, per The Daily Record.

The Gazette in Colorado Springs reports Air Force Base colonel Eugene Marcus Caughey, who was facing rape charges and a court-martian, was found dead in his home, and likely took his own life. “A 23-year Air Force veteran, Caughey’s responsibilities included running a 22-nation missile defense war game in 2014 for U.S. Strategic Command. At Schriever, he was the No. 2 officer in the wing, which oversees the military’s navigation and communication satellites.”