SUNRISE: 3 arrested after 6,000 pounds of copper wire stolen

Colorado Springs police have arrested three people on suspicion of stealing and selling around 6,000 pounds of copper wire stolen from streetlight poles.

The arrests are part of an investigation that began about six months ago. Seven search warrants on three properties and four cars have been issued, police said. Police made the arrests based on evidence gathered during these searches.

The thefts wreaked up to $500,000 of damage, police said.

Police believe there will be additional arrests and they are not releasing names of the people they believe are involved in the thefts until the investigation is complete, they said.

Police estimate metal thefts caused more than $2 million damage in Colorado Springs in 2011.

Winds tearing through the area knock out power to hundreds
Colorado Springs Utilities crews were kept busy Wednesday night trying to restore power to four areas of the region.

Severe winds blew power lines off some poles and sent trees crashing onto others, but fewer than 1,000 customers were left without power, said Eric Isaacson, spokesman for Utilities.

There were two power outages in the area of Woodman Road and Interstate 25, one near Garden of the Gods Road and I-25, and a fourth on Wood Avenue, in the Old North End neighborhood downtown. Power to the Woodman and Garden of the Gods areas was restored last night, Isaacson said.

Power was restored to the Wood Avenue area at about 5:20 a.m. Thursday. One of the many trees that line the avenue fell on a utility pole, which crews had to replace last night, Isaacson said.

Volunteer sought for county retirement board
The El Paso County Board of Commissioners is looking for a volunteer to serve to a four-year term on its Board of Retirement. The term would begin on April 1, and applications for the position are due by Feb. 3.

The Board of Retirement manages the El Paso County Retirement plan, which also keeps track of federal regulations to retirement plans and makes suggestions for local improvement.

To fill out an application online visit www.elpasoco.com and click the “Volunteer Boards” tab. Applicants are asked to reference the board and position they wish to represent and include a mailing address and daytime phone number.

Info: 719-520-6436.

TODAY IN HISTORY

January 19, 1912
Merchants who do a great deal of shipping plan to meet to see what can be done toward making Colorado City a shipping point.  “The railroads are giving us the small end of the deal” said one merchant. “Denver can ship freight to Pueblo, a distance of about 150 miles, for 90 cents a ton.  Colorado City can ship freight to Pueblo, a distance of about 47 miles, for $1.40 per ton.”

BEST OF THE SITES

• coloradosprings.com: Missed the Beatles? Now’s your chance
• outtherecolorado.com: For fair weather days, take your dog on a hike
• pikespeakparent.com: Ban on trans fats proposed for schools
• springsmilitarylife.com: Springs to host 2012 Warrior Games
• csfreshink.com: Check out the Stanley Hotel, Estes park

WEATHER
The National Weather Service predicts a high of 58 degrees Thursday, with an overnight low of 33 degrees.

Damaging winds will continue to rage through Teller County and western El Paso County on Thursday, with speeds exceeding 80 mph above 1,100 feet. The strongest gusts in Colorado Springs on Wednesday were measured at the Air Force Academy, where winds whipped up to 73 mph

AROUND COLORADO

Police: No one had key to restroom where body lay
LOVELAND, Colo. (AP) — Police say no one apparently had a key to the locked movie theater restroom where a 66-year-old Colorado man lay undiscovered for days after he died of a heart attack.

A police report released Tuesday says neither the theater nor its cleaning service had a key.

George DeGrazio's body was found Jan. 14 in the Fort Collins theater when employees forced their way into the small family restroom to investigate an odor. Authorities say DeGrazio died of a heart attack, probably about five days earlier.

Police found a ticket for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" in his wallet. DeGrazio lived in Loveland. He was last seen Jan. 9 and was reported missing Jan. 10.

The theater operator, Cinemark, said five employees were placed on leave while the company investigates.

Authorities ID man killed by family member
LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — Police have released the identity of a man apparently mistaken for an intruder and stabbed multiple times and killed by a family member.

The Denver Post reports the Arapahoe County Coroner identifies the man as John Jones, 48.

Few details, including the relationship between Jones and the family member who stabbed him, have been released. No charges have been filed. Littleton police and the Arapahoe County district attorney's office are investigating.

Erie mom pleads guilty to locking son in room
GREELEY, Colo. (AP) — An Erie mother has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from allegations that she kept her 14-year-old son locked in his room for most of three years.

Amanda Joliff pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony false imprisonment and misdemeanor child abuse. The charges carry a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a year in jail. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13.

Authorities charged Joliff after a neighbor found her son under the porch of Joliff's trailer Sept. 27. An arrest warrant affidavit says the boy and his sister had been left in the care of a man who lived in a car outside Joliff's trailer while she and her boyfriend, Richard Smith, visited New York.

Smith has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor child abuse.

Kentucky man facing stalking charge in Colorado
LONGMONT, Colo. (AP) — Police say a man traveled from Kentucky to Longmont to find his ex-girlfriend and her son at a women's shelter after offering $10,000 on Facebook for help finding them.

Police arrested Joshua Payne Saturday on suspicion of domestic violence, felony stalking and felony to commit stalking. Police also arrested Madison Greenfield, 21, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit stalking.

Jail records show Payne posted $40,000 bail and was released Wednesday.

The Longmont Daily Times-Call reports that a witness told police that Greenfield had offered to deliver Payne's son to him in exchange for the money.

Police say Payne's girlfriend had moved to Longmont with the boy and that Greenfield befriended the ex-girlfriend at the shelter and transported the woman's son to and from school.

TODAY'S HAPPENINGS

-- Independent film screening - “Short Circuit,” 6 p.m., Colorado College, Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center, Screening Room, 825 N. Cascade Ave., free.

-- Black Rose Acoustic Society radio oldies jam, 7-9 p.m., Colorado Springs Senior Center, 1514 N. Hancock Ave., free, donations accepted.

-- Jeremy Vasquez, 9 p.m., Southside Johnny’s, 528 S. Tejon St.