SUNRISE: State lawmakers reject vote on dispensaries
DENVER (AP) — Colorado lawmakers have rejected a proposal to ask voters to ban medical marijuana dispensaries.
The Senate Judiciary Committee killed the proposal from Republican Sen. Scott Renfroe of Greeley on Monday.
His referendum sought to allow only individuals — not shops — to provide medical marijuana to patients.
Prosecutors and Attorney General John Suthers backed the proposal. They've been urging lawmakers not to regulate dispensaries, arguing that it would legitimize an industry they say wasn't sanctioned under the medical marijuana law passed by voters in 2000.
The law does reference dispensing of the drug and backers say dispensaries help patients get the strains of marijuana they need.
WEATHER
Expect blue, sunny skies today as temperatures should climb to 71 — a warm temperature that should also come with some wind, as gusts are expected to reach 35 mph. Temperatures should dip to 36 tonight before climbing back up to the mid-60s Wednesday.
AROUND COLORADO
Man sentenced for causing girlfriend to lose fetus
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — A man who two years ago gave his pregnant girlfriend pills that caused her to lose the fetus has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Jared Ahlstrom, formerly of Grand Junction, was sentenced Monday in Mesa County District Court. The 32-year-old had pleaded guilty to a felony charge of unlawful termination of a pregnancy.
Authorities say Ahlstrom drugged the woman twice to induce the miscarriage.
District Judge Thomas Deister says he balanced several factors when imposing the sentence, including that Ahlstrom told his then-girlfriend what he did and expressed remorse.
But Deister says he believes a prison sentence is warranted to deter others.
The possible penalty ranged from probation to 12 years in prison.
2 homeless men convicted of camping out in Boulder
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Two homeless men have been convicted of camping in Boulder in public without a permit and likely will be sentenced to community service.
Thirty-year-old David Madison and 39-year-old Mark Wray Sr. were ticketed last year for violating a city ordinance that outlaws sleeping overnight in public places, including in parks or under bridges.
The American Civil Liberties Union and homeless advocates have criticized Boulder for ticketing the homeless for sleeping outside.
Boulder attorney David Harrison represents the two men convicted of the offense and says he plans to appeal both cases on grounds that the city ordinance law violates the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
Colorado man sentenced in mislabeled Gatorade case
DENVER (AP) — A Colorado man who replaced labels on dozens of Gatorade bottles with an image of Tiger Woods and his wife and the word "unfaithful" has been sentenced to two years of probation.
Jason Kay also was ordered Monday to pay a $1,000 fine. He pleaded guilty in February in U.S. District Court to a misdemeanor charge of mislabeling a food product.
Prosecutors say the bottles with the replaced labels were found in Safeway and King Soopers stores around Colorado in January, with several orange Gatorade bottles incorrectly labeled as mango.
An FBI investigator says Kay claimed he considered what he did to be pop art in the style of Andy Warhol.
Defense attorney Paul McCormick says Kay regrets putting the items back on the shelf.
Federal judge upholds drilling in southwestern Colorado
DENVER (AP) — A federal judge has upheld approval of gas wells in parts of the southwestern Colorado mountains, rejecting arguments by environmentalists that the plan doesn't adequately protect sensitive areas and wildlife.
The ruling issued Monday by U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch says any flaws in the plan authorizing about 140 wells in the San Juan National Forest are "minor in proportion to the full context of the agency action under review."
Environmental groups contend that federal agencies' pledges to avoid old-growth forests and protect key wildlife habitat and waterways on the public land have been ignored.
Of special interest are the HD Mountains (Part of the San Juan range), which include roadless areas and make up roughly 45,000 acres of the 125,000-acre project area.
HAPPENINGS
- “Family Board Game Night,” 5-8 p.m., Compleat Games and Hobbies South, 326 N. Tejon St., free.
