The Home Front: Colorado’s largest driller is ‘closing a natural gas gathering system in northern Colorado, citing safety’

“Anadarko Petroleum Corp., the largest energy driller in the state, is closing a natural gas gathering system in northern Colorado, citing safety considerations,” reports The Denver Post. “The system — a network of pipelines known as Third Creek that carries natural gas from wells to processing facilities and then to market — serves dozens of other, smaller energy producers in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Elbert counties, providing a crucial link between wells and buyers. “We recognize this may create hardships for some producers that utilize the system; however, our commitment to safety and the environment must take precedence,” Anadarko spokeswoman Jennifer Brice wrote in a statement.

“One is an incumbent. The other, a longtime Greeley City Council member,” reports The Greeley Tribune. “Steve Moreno, the Board of Weld County Commissioners chairman and at-large representative, will attempt to defend his seat against challenger Sandi Elder in the Republican primary in June. Elder is one of two candidates who decided to run against the status quo, with the longtime Greeley City Council member saying the infighting among commissioners has reached a tipping point and a new face is needed. Moreno, for his part, says he hasn’t taken part in the infighting. “I’m not in the paper; I’m not out there exposed,” Moreno said. But should he have a responsibility, as chairman, to fix it? Elder certainly thinks so, as do many of her supporters.”

“Both men seeking the democratic nomination for Boulder County District Attorney stood before a full house inside the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder on Wednesday to field questions on mental health, drug abuse, jail overcrowding and numerous other social justice issues,” reports The Longmont Times-Call. “Representatives from the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition and American Civil Liberties Union moderated the community forum, and candidates Michael Dougherty and Mike Foote held similar views on many of the issues. Both men, for example, support easing overcrowding at the Boulder County Jail, where many inmates are awaiting trial for low-level, non-violent crime. The candidates also support programs for veterans, juveniles and those with mental health problems that allow them to work through the criminal justice system without incarceration or probation for minor offenses.”

“A group of local police officers is trading their running gear for tactical gear during Sunday’s Steamboat Marathon events,” reports The Steamboat Pilot. “Steamboat Springs police officer Gregory Griffin and seven other officers will run while wearing up to 35 pounds of gear in an effort to raise money and awareness for a nonprofit organization. The Colorado Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors, or COPS, raises money to help family members with emotional and psychological well-being after losing someone who was killed in the line of duty.”

“Grand Junction’s new mayor, Barbara Traylor Smith, missed more than a quarter of the City Council’s meetings in a year’s time, absences the working woman attributes to her retirement planning business,” reports The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. “Smith, the president of Retirement Outfitters, LLC, and an independent wealth adviser with Wealth Source Partners, said in a recent interview she won’t make promises to attend more of the twice-monthly, nighttime public meetings. She’ll weigh her future attendance on a case-by-case basis considering her work commitments because she often travels for work or works late two to three nights a week.”

“If the money will be used to increase pay for teachers and staff, maintain schools and infrastructure, improve safety/security and make more mental health services available for students, Puebloans seem to be willing to accept a property tax hike,” reports The Pueblo Chieftain. “So noted researcher Chris Keating, who recently provided the findings of a second mill levy ballot question survey to the Pueblo City Schools (D60) board of education. The most recent survey, conducted in April, comes on the heels of a similar one last November.”

“Loveland residents always have loved their farmers markets, and this year they will find a lot more to love,” reports The Loveland Reporter-Herald. “Traditionally, the city hosted a midday market on Tuesdays in the parking lot east of Hobby Lobby and another on Sunday mornings at Fairgrounds Park. Both of those markets will continue this year, but two more will join them — both from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday and both in east Loveland. All three Tuesday markets will kick off June 5.”

“Colorado State University hopes to avoid going to court over a sexual harassment retaliation lawsuit filed by a former assistant professor,” reports The Coloradoan in Fort Collins. “CSU is asking a judge to rule the suit has no merit, filing a 43-page motion for summary judgment Monday in Larimer County District Court. That means the judge could essentially toss it out before it goes to a scheduled jury trial Aug. 20. Christina Boucher, a former assistant professor at CSU in the computer science department, sued the university last year, saying she was denied tenure and forced to resign after accusing a co-worker of sexual harassment.”

“Fremont County Clerk and Recorder Katie Barr, who was arrested in March on charges of embezzlement of public property, harassment, intimidation of a witness and fraud by check, pleaded guilty Wednesday to issuance of a bad check, a class 3 misdemeanor,” reports The Cañon City Daily Record. “District Judge Ramsey Lama granted Barr deferred judgment with one year of unsupervised probation. The terms of the agreement include a $750 fine and 100 hours of community service. She also must complete a financial responsibility class, must not commit any new crimes and must not write any checks for overages or cash checks at a county office. If Barr violates the terms of her plea agreement, she will face up to six months in jail. ‘I’m largely accepting the agreement because there isn’t a loss of (county) money,” Lama said. “However, there is a factual basis for writing a bad check. Had this practice continued, I wonder if this would have caught up with you and there would have been losses; you may not have been able to cover the bad checks. … I find your conduct irresponsible.'”

“Erie officials have begun the search process for a new town administrator, releasing its latest request for proposal aimed at prospective search firms on Tuesday evening,” reports The Boulder Daily Camera. “When a firm is eventually selected, it will be charged with marketing the town and the position to potential candidates, before compiling a group of finalists to bring to Erie’s Board of Trustees for a final decision. A similar process played out in Louisville’s search for a new city manager after Malcolm Fleming exited the post last summer. The search firm eventually compiled five finalists, including Broomfield Community Development Director David Shinneman, before selecting then-Deputy City Manager Heather Balser to fill the role.”

“After a series of controversial and failed attempts to curtail panhandling in downtown Colorado Springs, a new campaign from the city is asking residents to give money differently,” reports The Gazette in Colorado Springs. “The city’s traffic department hoisted 65 signs at strategic spots around the city Wednesday with the message “HANDOUTS DON’T HELP” and “HELP LOCAL AGENCIES PROVIDE SERVICES,” said Andrew Phelps, the city’s homelessness prevention and response coordinator. The signs are part of the newlyminted HelpCOS campaign, encouraging people to donate online or by text. Donations will be held by the Pikes Peak Area United Way, which will grant all of the money annually to the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care, a local consortium of charitable organizations, city spokeswoman Jamie Fabos said. The Continuum of Care will then allocate the donations to different member organizations. Related: Homeless population reaches 10-year high in El Paso County.”