Colorado

May 08, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of four Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Casey L. Casanova, 22, of McComb, Mississippi.

Cpl. Miguel A. Guzman, 21, of Norwalk, California.

Lance Cpl. James F. Kimple, 21, of Carroll, Ohio

Sgt. Glen E. Martinez, 31, of Boulder, Colorado.

All four Marines died May 2 in Al Anbar province, Iraq, supporting combat operations.

They were assigned to the Combat Logistics Battalion 1, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Source: DOD

May 8, 2008 -- By the authority vested in the Governor of the State of Colorado, under Article IV, Section 2 of the Colorado Constitution, Governor Bill Ritter today has ordered that flags be lowered to half-staff to mark the following occasions on the following dates:

1. Gov. Ritter has granted a request from the City of Colorado Springs to lower U.S. and Colorado flags on state buildings within the City of Colorado Springs on Friday, May 9, 2008, in observance of the funeral of former Mayor Bob Isaac. Isaac, 80, passed away Friday, May 2. He served as mayor from 1979 to 1997.    » read more »

May 02, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They died April 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Killed were:

Cpt. Andrew. R. Pearson, 32, of Billings, Montana.
Spc. Ronald J. Tucker, 21, of Fountain, Colorado.    » read more »

April 24, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1st Lt. Matthew R. Vandergrift, 28 of Littleton, Colorado, died April 21 from wounds he suffered while conducting combat operations in Basrah, Iraq.

He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

   » read more »

April 24, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed several pieces of legislation into law today, including a measure that removes a barrier to energy efficiency by providing better guidelines to homeowner associations (HOAs) and expanding the list of devices and measures allowed on individual homes to improve energy efficiency. He also signed a bill that ensures job security for members of the Civil Air Patrol who get called away for an emergency.    » read more »

April 23, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today signed into law a measure that strengthens protections against spammers and another that supports the 9Health Fair, which has provided low-cost health care tests and screenings for Coloradans for 25 years.

House Bill 1178 makes a violation of the federal CAN-SPAM Act a deceptive trade practice, and invokes the Attorney General's enforcement authority and other available remedies under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.

Spam email    » read more »

April 21, 2008 -- The newest research center of the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory aims to find ways to directly convert the sun's energy to low-cost electricity and fuels.

The Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion (CRSP), announced today by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and the Collaboratory at the state Capitol in Denver, will be dedicated to basic and applied research at the Collaboratory's four member institutions, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), Colorado State University (CSU) and the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder).    » read more »

April 21, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Benjamin K. Brosh, 22, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, died April 18 at Forward Operating Base Anaconda in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Paliwoda, Iraq, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.    » read more »

April 21, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed several pieces of legislation into law today, including a measure that strengthens consumer rights against unfair business practices by insurance agents and another bill that will help preserve Colorado's rivers, streams and lakes.

House Bill 1228 was sponsored by Rep. Gwyn Green and Sen. Ken Gordon. It authorizes the insurance commissioner to order an insurance agent or company to pay restitution to a consumer for violating state insurance laws or for engaging in unfair business practices. It passed the House 65-0 and the Senate 26-8.    » read more »

April 19, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter issued the following statement today commemorating the ninth anniversary of the tragedy that occurred at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999:

"It is with great sorrow and a heavy heart that we pause this weekend to remember what happened at Columbine High School nine years ago. My thoughts, sympathies and prayers will forever be with the families, victims, students, teachers and others who lost so much that terrible day.

Columbine Memorial, Littleton, Colorado: Photo by David Keyzer (CC)    » read more »

April 17, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Ritter today praised U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and Reps. John Salazar and Mark Udall for introducing legislation regarding land management and energy development on the Roan Plateau.

"The legislation introduced today substantially addresses the same goals reflected in the uniquely Colorado plan I proposed in December," Gov. Ritter said.

Roan cliffs, Colorado: Photo by Anita Gould (CC)    » read more »

April 15, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter tonight declared the fire burning in Crowley County a state emergency and made $500,000 available from the State Disaster Emergency Fund.

The funds will be used to help defray firefighting and recovery costs in and around Ordway.

Gov. Ritter also has directed the Colorado Division of Emergency Management to seek any available federal assistance, including Small Business Administration loans, to help those who sustain damage from the fire.

"We will be doing all we can to assist the people of Ordway and Crowley County as they try to bring this fire under control," Gov. Ritter said.

Source: Colorado Governor

April 15, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today said his campaign committee has taken out a $200,000 loan to repay campaign expenses that were incorrectly paid out of his inaugural committee's account.

The incorrect payments were discovered in February 2008 as the inaugural committee's accountant began trying to prepare a federal Form 990.

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter: Photo by DemConvention (CC)

A comprehensive financial review was then conducted at Gov. Ritter's request in March and April 2008 by the outside accounting firm Patten, MacPhee and Associates.    » read more »

April 14, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today announced that 22 Solar Residential Program partners have been selected to promote the installation of residential solar electric and solar domestic hot water systems statewide. The Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) has committed $550,000 of Clean Energy Funds and created a total program budget of $1 million to advance solar investment in the state.

Solar cell closeup: Photo by Scott Robinson (CC)    » read more »

April 11, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today announced that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has lifted the state-imposed "boil water order" for the city of Alamosa.

Initially, the state issued a "bottled water order" on March 19 due to a salmonella outbreak associated with the city's municipal water supply.

Boiling water: Photo by Luigi Anzivino (CC)

The bottled water order was modified to a "boil order" on April 3 after the city completed a chlorination disinfection process of the city's water storage and distribution facilities. That boil order was lifted today.    » read more »