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CBS Colorado

Boulder dentist arrested in Florida as suspect in DHS child sex sting
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Boulder dentist arrested in Florida as suspect in DHS child sex sting

By Austen Erblat | CBS Colorado A Colorado dentist is facing charges of trying to entice a mother and her underaged daughter into having unlawful sex, federal prosecutors say. Jason Atha, a dentist who practiced in Boulder, is accused of speaking to a woman to arrange to have sex with her and her 9-year-old daughter. The person he was allegedly talking to was an undercover federal agent and he was arrested in West Palm Beach after flying there last week. Atha, 49, didn't know he was messaging with an undercover Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations agent on a chatroom centered around "taboo" sex acts, according to a 27-page indictment. In those messages, Atha allegedly talked to the agent who he thought was a single mom about having sex with her and her ...
Westminster Schools ‘reimagining’ learning with new Ranum Reimagined Campus
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Westminster Schools ‘reimagining’ learning with new Ranum Reimagined Campus

By Gabriela Vidal | CBS Colorado It is inside the walls of a former high school and recently former middle school where leaders with Westminster Public Schools sparked a new idea: to create a campus where high school students can learn the skills needed to be ready for the workforce. "There is nothing worse than somebody who graduates and just feels lost," said Lottie Wilson. Wilson is the Career Tech Education Administrator for Westminster Public Schools and one of the leaders behind the Ranum Reimagined Campus. "I've seen a lot of our graduates that are turning 30 years old, 32 years old and they're still just trying to find their place in the professional world," she said. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
One of the country’s largest rodeos, at Denver’s National Western Stock Show, is run by a woman
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

One of the country’s largest rodeos, at Denver’s National Western Stock Show, is run by a woman

By Jeff Gurney | CBS Colorado Caroline Lukens was born a cowgirl. "I got this cute little quarter horse named Ranger and he was my first horse," Lukens said. Now she's running the one of the nation's premier livestock, rodeo and horse shows at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. As the rodeo operations coordinator, Lukens is responsible for producing one of the largest rodeos in the country. "Sometimes there are advantages to being a woman in a male-dominated industry; and it's becoming less and less male-dominant too," Lukens said. READ THE FUL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Security badge data reveals RTD police chief rarely visited RTD facilities
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Security badge data reveals RTD police chief rarely visited RTD facilities

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado It's been over a month since RTD Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald Sr. was put on leave and the public agency has yet to explain why. According to internal memos obtained by CBS News Colorado, Fitzgerald is under investigation for "alleged policy violations." While it's unclear what policies the chief is accused of violating, current and former staff under Fitzgerald raised concerns with CBS News Colorado about his time at RTD, prompting a public records request for Fitzgerald's security badge data. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
‘I’m opposed to the timing’: Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb pushes back on tax initiative
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

‘I’m opposed to the timing’: Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb pushes back on tax initiative

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb says now isn't the time to ask voters to approve a sales tax hike for affordable housing.   Webb says the measure, pushed by current Mayor Mike Johnston, will put a tax measure by Denver Health in jeopardy. "I'm not opposed to affordable housing, I'm opposed to the timing," Webb said. "I was surprised that Mayor Johnston, who has a lot of issues on his plate primarily around homelessness, did not delay it until the spring in order to get one of these issues passed." READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Heavy rain, mudslides over weekend wreak havoc in Telluride area
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Heavy rain, mudslides over weekend wreak havoc in Telluride area

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado Some roads and mountain passes were closed near Telluride on Monday morning after heavy weekend storms in western Colorado resulted in flooding and mudslides. The storms also caused a closure of Highway 85 between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. The passes that were closed were Bear Pass and Imogene Pass. The town of Telluride and neighboring Mountain Village remain accessible from the west via Highway 145. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Man dies after falling from paddleboard at Carter Lake in Larimer County
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Man dies after falling from paddleboard at Carter Lake in Larimer County

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado A man who was paddleboarding died over the weekend in Larimer County. It happened on Saturday afternoon on Carter Lake, located west of Berthoud. Officials from the Larimer County Sheriff's Office said a witness reported that the man wasn't wearing a life jacket. The witness saw the man fall into the water and said he didn't resurface. Divers first tried to locate him using sonar. Then, a few hours later, first responders searched the area where the man was last seen and found him. The man's identity hasn't been released. READ THE FULL, STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Puppy at Englewood adoption event tested positive for rabies, Colorado health officials warn
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Puppy at Englewood adoption event tested positive for rabies, Colorado health officials warn

By Tori Mason | CBS Colorado The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is contacting people who attended a puppy adoption event last month in one Colorado city. The health department is screening attendees after a puppy tested positive for rabies on Wednesday. CDPHE says the rabies-positive puppy came from Texas and has since been euthanized. The puppy was part of an adoption event with its 11 littermates at Moms and Mutts Colorado Rescue for Pregnant and Nursing Dogs, located at 2721 West Oxford Avenue in Englewood on July 20. Jessica Eden adopted Masubi, a puppy from the litter. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
‘Wellington is killing its residents’: Some say water bills have increased to more than $1,000 a month
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

‘Wellington is killing its residents’: Some say water bills have increased to more than $1,000 a month

By Dillon Thomas | CBS Colorado Many residents in a small but growing town in northern Colorado are accusing the town of increasing water bill rates to levels that are unaffordable, leaving many to wonder if there is a system error while others are contemplating moving. Wellington, a town of nearly 12,000 people, is at the center of the dispute. The town, which is located just north of Fort Collins, has had issues with its water system for many years now. CBS News Colorado has covered issues from the water quality to the smell and even to the price, since 2016. The town has seen steady growth in recent years, some describing it as a "commuter town" in which many new residents purchased their homes there in order to have more affordable housing while still working in other major co...
Dog lover marshals animal welfare community to save four-legged friends
Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Dog lover marshals animal welfare community to save four-legged friends

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado The high cost of living in Colorado is impacting not only families but their beloved pets. Dog surrenders are up and adoptions are down at shelters across the state and the cost of pet care is one of the many reasons.     According to the National Canine Advocacy Group, about 55,000 dogs were brought into Colorado shelters last year -- nearly 20,000 of them were surrendered by their owners. Not only are shelters taking in more dogs, but they're also putting down more dogs; 5,000 dogs were euthanized last year in Colorado. While many shelters have "no-kill" policies, they don't cover dogs that are unhealthy or unsafe. Elizabeth Coalson, founder of the nonprofit National Canine Advocacy Group, says many of the dogs that were euthanized ...