State Supreme Court lets stand $4 million award

GRAND JUNCTION — The Colorado Supreme Court has declined to consider an appeal of a $4 million jury award to a western Colorado sheep rancher who sued an energy company for mineral royalties he said he was owed.

The decision Monday lets stand the award to William Clough, who won his lawsuit in 2004 against Tulsa, Okla.-based Williams Production Co.

Clough died last year at the age of 89. His widow, Genevive Clough, and estate will receive the money.

Clough, who owned 12,000 acres near Rifle and Parachute, was earning about $3 million a year in royalties from natural gas drilling on his land. He argued that Williams and Barrett Resources, which merged with Williams in 2001, had not paid him agreed-upon royalties from February 1996 to February 2004.

A Garfield County District Court jury agreed, finding Williams guilty of breach of contract, violating the state Consumer Protection Act and acting in bad faith in its dealings with Clough.

Williams appealed the decision, saying that evidence was improperly excluded and jury instructions and the calculation of damages were flawed.

Last February, the Colorado Court of Appeals upheld the award to Clough.

BANK ROBBER BELIEVED IDENTIFIED THROUGH OWN CHECK USED IN NOTE

ENGLEWOOD (AP) — A note demanding money from a bank teller was written on a check that authorities believe belonged to the suspect.

Forest Kelly Bissonnette, 27, apparently scratched his name off one of his own checks, then used that check to write a note used in a bank robbery Sept. 5, according to authorities.

A federal warrant was issued Friday for Bissonnette’s arrest.

Nearly $5,000 was taken during the robbery at the Bank of the West in Englewood.

ONLINE NOW: G-TV

Wednesday night is the start of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year. Food editor Teresa Farney discusses how to start the holiday right by letting the crockpot do the cooking for you.

Live broadcasts from The Gazette newsroom are available Monday through Friday on KOAA's "News First Now" broadcast, on Comcast Channel 9 and will also be available online at gazette.com.

COMING IN TOMORROW'S GAZETTE

Springs Utilities violated its own policies in documenting travel in 2005 and 2006 on which the city-owned operation spent $8.1 million, according to a recent city audit. Among City Auditor Jeff Litchfield 13 findings: One in six travelers reviewed failed to get prior approval for travel, and 41 percent of the travelers examined failed to include itemized meal receipts.

The Colorado and national economies will sink into a recession by early next year — if they’re not already there, according to the latest forecast from Tucker Hart Adams, chief economist in the Rocky Mountain region for U.S. Bank. She said consumers are cutting spending because of the declining housing market and weak job market.

Increases in the cost of health insurance premiums for Colorado workers and employers are nearly double national averages released today. Nationwide, premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose an average of 6.1 percent this year. In Colorado, however, health insurance premiums increased by 11 percent.

When El Paso County farmers and ranchers need to see about federal funds, they could face a longer drive. The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to close the county’s Farm Service Agency office in Colorado Springs, forcing farmers and ranchers to drive to the nearest office in Pueblo or Simla.

A Stratmoor Valley woman was robbed at gunpoint Tuesday morning when a man and a woman forced their way into her home. The robbery took place about 7:50 a.m. in the 1200 block of Forest Road. A man and woman fled the house with an undisclosed amount of cash and various electronics, according to the report.

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn wants to make Pikes Peak a national monument. The attraction is already a national historic landmark and federal land, but the idea could bring more exposure, and more tourists, to the area.

School supplies and fire-fighting equipment are on their way to Nueva Casas Grande, Mexico thanks to a delegation from Colorado Springs. A group led by Mayor Lionel Rivera and including firefighters and school board members will spend four days in the sister city of Colorado Springs. Firefighters will offer training as well as equipment that is no longer used by the department, said Jesse Ortiz, a captain with the Colorado Springs Fire Department.

STOCKS END HIGHER ON HOPES FOR RATE CUT

NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street rose sharply Tuesday as investors grew more confident that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates next week, even after its chairman gave no clues about the central bank's intentions. The Dow Jones industrials rose 180 points.

Traders had been hoping Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke would give some indication during a speech to Germany's Bundesbank about the Fed's next move. Wall Street is looking for a rate cut to help bolster the U.S. economy and ease problems caused by tightening credit availability.

HAPPENING TONIGHT

“BRAISES, STEWS AND CHOWDERS” COOKING CLASS: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sept. 11 or 12, Williams-Sonoma, 1885 Briargate Parkway, $40. Reservations required: 593-0261.

“SHOULD YOU START YOUR OWN BUSINESS” SCORE WORKSHOP: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Penrose Library, Adult Meeting Room, 20 N. Cascade Ave. Free orientation workshop to provide some perspective about the risks and types of activity involved in owning a small business; 636-3074.

COLORADO VIRTUAL ACADEMY PARENT INFORMATION SESSION: 5:30 p.m., Garden Ranch YMCA, 2380 Montebello Drive West. Information for grades K-8, free; www.covcs.org.

SPORTS TONIGHT

The Colorado Rockies are at Philadelphia at 5 on FSN (850 AM). The WNBA Finals have Detroit at Phoenix at 7 on ESPN2.

There will be women's World Cup soccer starting at 3 a.m. on ESPN and ESPN2.

Air Force hosts Wyoming in volleyball at 7 p.m. Included in a big high school schedule is Pueblo Central and Pine Creek at Doherty gymnastics, 6 p.m.