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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Local News

  • Prison sentence for man who killed Aurora woman

    Prison sentence for man who killed Aurora woman

    An Aurora man was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for killing a woman whose body was later dumped in Clear Creek County.

    Shawrae Butler, 22, accepted a plea agreement March 5 in which he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit second-degree murder and to tampering with a deceased human body in the death of Queen Ashby. Other counts against him were dismissed. On Thursday, Arapahoe District Judge Ben Leutwyler sentenced Butler to 20 years in the Department of Corrections on each count, to be served concurrently.

    “The tragedy of her death is more than enough for her family, but added to that is the complete disregard for her and for her family and for human life in general,” Leutwyler said in imposing the sentence. “To have her wrapped and dumped in that manner is appalling to me.”

    District Attorney George Brauchler monitored the case closely.

    “Another felon has found a way to participate in a horrendous gun-related crime … while on probation. Shooting the young mother of a 6-month-old baby in the head is outrageous,” Brauchler said. “Doing nothing to help her and allowing her body to be dumped like garbage … that is despicable.”

    On April 8, 2017, the body of woman was found alongside Highway 103 in Clear Creek County. The woman had been shot in the temple and had no identification.

    When a drawing of the woman was released, tips came in, and investigators used fingerprints to determine the woman was Ashby, 20, who had been reported missing from her Aurora home.

    Identification led investigators to her apartment on Joliet Street in Aurora.

    Aurora Police detectives discovered that on April 1, 2017, a group of friends were at the apartment doing drugs. Witnesses identified Butler as being there and having a gun. Several witnesses said he put the gun against Ashby’s temple and pulled the trigger.

    At Butler’s sentencing, the courtroom was packed to overflowing with friends and family of Ashby.

    When she was killed, she had a 6-month-old baby girl.

    “This is about justice,” the baby’s father told the court. “I’ve been trying to do everything for my baby … she ain’t gonna know her mama at all.”

    Ashby’s mother echoed that: “How will I explain to my granddaughter that her mom is gone, and that somebody threw her away like she was nothing?” she told the court as she wept.

    Ashby’s grandmother gave an emotional statement, saying through tears, “Someone killed her, dumped her … left her there to rot. People care for more for their dogs.”

    Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Pearson acknowledged challenges in the case.

    Still, she said, “The defendant is a felon who never should have been in possession of a firearm at any time.”

    She added: “The death of Queen Ashby is a horrible tragedy and a terrible act on the part of this defendant. … The act of moving her body like trash makes it so much more egregious.”

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  • Egg producers team up with Ronald McDonald House, local food banks

    Egg producers team up with Ronald McDonald House, local food banks

    When: 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday, March 29

    Where: Ronald McDonald Family Room at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children (2001 N. High St. in Denver)

    Contact: Eric Brown, (970) 415-2899,  

    The local farms that make up the Colorado Egg Producers (CEP) Association will once again be helping out the Easter Bunny this year in spreading the holiday sprit.

    This week, the organization will be serving omelettes and other treats to families at the Ronald McDonald Family Room at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. 

    And this comes after CEP member farms partnered up with Feeding Colorado and our local food banks this past week, to donate more than 300,000 eggs — ensuring those in need will have eggs in time for the holiday. While this marks the 11th year in a row that CEP has partnered with Feeding Colorado for Easter, it’s estimated that Colorado’s local egg farms altogether donate about 1 million eggs annually to the state’s food banks through their regular donations year-round.

    Members of the media are welcome and encouraged to attend the upcoming event at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, where the Easter Bunny will also be on hand, in addition to the CEP representatives helping feed families in the Ronald McDonald Family Room. 

    CEP has been involved in a number of other efforts supporting the local Ronald McDonald House organization, having recently donated $30,000 to its radio-thon fundraiser in November. 

    “We’re truly blessed to partner with such wonderful organizations,” CEP Executive Director Bill Scebbi said. “Our local egg farms want to reach out make a difference in their communities, and collaborating with the likes of the Ronald McDonald House and Feeding Colorado makes our impact go farther.” 

  • DOWNTOWN AQUARIUM HOSTS LOW SENSORY MORNINGS

    DOWNTOWN AQUARIUM HOSTS LOW SENSORY MORNINGS

    Denver’s Aquarium will open early for Special Needs — once a month

    WHAT:           For some adults and children with sensory sensitivity and special needs, the Downtown Aquarium’s exhibits can be a bit overwhelming. Join Downtown Aquarium Denver as they host Low Sensory Mornings on the second Sunday of every month beginning April 8 from 8:30 – 9:45 a.m.

    The Aquarium will open an hour and a half early with a calmer, quieter setting, turning down the ambient sounds and turning up the lighting. These mornings will offer families that have children or other family members with special needs a subdued environment to participate in all the fun Downtown Aquarium Denver has to offer! The Aquarium will return to normal operations at 9:45 a.m.

    COST:                 Exhibit entry purchased required.

    WHEN:              8:30 – 9:45 a.m., Second Sunday of every month, April 8 through December 9, 2018

                                   (April 8, May 13, June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 11, December 9)

    WHERE:            Downtown Aquarium Denver, 700 Water Street, Denver, CO 80211

    MORE INFO:   For more information, please visit www.downtownaquarium.com  

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  • Emerald Ash Borer Detected in Lyons — invasive, highly destructive tree pest

    Emerald Ash Borer Detected in Lyons — invasive, highly destructive tree pest

    LYONS, CO – State officials have confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) – an invasive, highly destructive tree pest – in the Town of Lyons in northern Boulder County. This new detection is still just within a quarantine area established to try and prevent the human-assisted spread of EAB. However, it represents the fourth community with confirmation of EAB in Colorado outside the City of Boulder, where the pest was first detected in 2013.

    An estimated 15 percent or more of all urban and community trees in Colorado are ash species susceptible to being killed by EAB – and a majority of these trees are on private land. EAB attacks and kills both stressed and healthy ash trees and is so aggressive that trees typically die within two to four years after becoming infested.

    An arborist recently identified an ash tree on private land in the vicinity of 4th Avenue and Broadway Street in Lyons as potentially infested with EAB. The property manager notified members of the interagency Colorado EAB Response Team, which is working to manage the spread and impacts of the pest in Colorado. An adult beetle specimen found in the tree was provided to the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) and then confirmed by Colorado State University experts as being EAB. The infested tree and surrounding trees also are being examined by experts from the CDA and Colorado State University Extension.

    So far only the one tree has been identified as having EAB in Lyons, but town officials are looking into nearby ash on public property. Most trees in the immediate vicinity are on private property so assessment of other nearby ash will require coordination with private property owners.

    It is unknown whether EAB arrived in Lyons by natural spread or via accidental human transport, such as in firewood or other raw ash material. Populations of the insect are capable of spreading a half-mile each year on their own, and the City of Boulder is less than 15 miles to the south.

    EAB was first confirmed in Colorado in September 2013, in the City of Boulder. That fall, the CDA established a quarantine zone around Boulder County in an effort to protect the state’s ash trees.

    EAB has also been confirmed in Gunbarrel, Longmont and Lafayette – all within Boulder County. At this time, EAB has not been detected in Colorado outside the county or the EAB Quarantine area. However, the pest is extremely difficult to detect when its numbers are low in an area.

    The EAB Response Team remains committed to EAB outreach and detection efforts in Boulder County and surrounding areas, in addition to enforcing the quarantine. Over the past four years the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), partnering with Boulder County and the City of Boulder, has set hundreds of traps targeting EAB to try and detect its presence along roadways within Boulder County. The CSFS also is currently developing detection strategies with communities in Larimer County – the southern border of which is only a few miles north of Lyons.

    EAB tips for Boulder County and Front Range Residents:

    Determine now if you have any ash trees. Identifying features of ash trees include compound leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets; leaflets, buds and branches growing directly opposite from one another; and diamond-shaped bark ridges on mature trees. More information about a related app for mobile devices is available at www.csfs.colostate.edu/emerald-ash-borer.  If you have an ash tree, start planning. Decide if the overall health of the tree merits current or future treatment or if it would be best to remove and replace it with a different species. If you aren’t sure, contact a certified arborist. If pesticide treatment is the preferred option, the applicator must be licensed by the CDA as a Commercial Pesticide Applicator.  Recognize signs of EAB infestation. Property owners with ash trees should be on the lookout for thinning of leaves in the upper tree canopy, 1/8-inch D-shaped holes on the bark and vertical bark splitting with winding S-shaped tunnels underneath. Report suspect trees by calling the Colorado Department of Agriculture at 1-888-248-5535 or filling out their EAB Report Form at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/agplants/eab-identification-and-reporting.  Be aware of EAB imposters. Other insects like lilac/ash borer, ash bark beetle and flat-headed apple tree borer may look like EAB or cause similar tree symptoms. For more information, visit www.eabcolorado.com.  Help prevent further spread of EAB. Do not transport ash or any hardwood firewood, or any other untreated ash wood products, to other locations. Boulder County and some surrounding areas are under a federal EAB quarantine, allowing for significant fines for those who move untreated wood from the area.
    For more information about ash tree identification, the symptoms of EAB and treatment options, go eabcolorado.com or csfs.colostate.edu/emerald-ash-borer.

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  • Downed line leads to power outage in and around Byers, Deer Trail

    Downed line leads to power outage in and around Byers, Deer Trail

    by Steven Vetter, Managing Editor

    At approximately 12 p.m. today (Friday, March 23), residents in the Byers and Deer Trail zip codes lost power after strong winds blew down a main line along I-70 near mile marker 320.

    Crews with Intermountain REA continue to work to restore power as quickly as possible. As of 1:45 p.m., power was still out in both towns and surrounding areas.

  • ArapCo plans telephone town hall meeting March 12

    ArapCo plans telephone town hall meeting March 12

    Talk to your County Commissioner and Elected Official, share your ideas, ask questions and give us your feedback. All Telephone Town Halls are 1 hour and begin promptly at 7 p.m. Call 1-855-840-6970  toll free or visit http://bit.ly/ACTownHall to participate. You also can pre-register for upcoming Telephone Town Hall Meetings. 

  • Byers boys in 2A Final Four tonight

    Byers boys in 2A Final Four tonight

    by Steven Vetter, Managing Editor

    LOVELAND — The Byers Bulldogs beat Ignacio 66-45 in the 2A quarterfinals at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland yesterday (Thursday, March 8) and will take on the Yuma Indians in the semifinals at 8:30 p.m. today. With a win, the green-and-white will play in the 2A title game tomorrow (Saturday, March 10) at approximately 8:30 p.m. against the winner of Crowley County and Meeker. The third-place game is tentatively set for 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.

    Fans unable to attend the game can view it live online by visiting www.chsaa.tv. There is a charge to watch the rest of the state tournament this weekend.

  • Strong winds raise wildfire risk across Eastern Colorado

    Strong winds raise wildfire risk across Eastern Colorado

    DENVER (AP) — Strong winds continue to raise the risk of wildfires across eastern Colorado.

    Monday’s fire risk is the greatest along the Front Range and across the southeastern plains but strong winds are also forecast across the northeast part of the state.

    On Sunday, a wind-driven grass fire near a rural area southeast of Denver destroyed five homes and four barns but no one was hurt. The Elbert County Sheriff’s Office says the fire near Kiowa (KY’-oh-wah) appears to have been started accidentally.

    Another brush fire at Fort Carson forced soldiers and their families to evacuate. The flames came close to a housing area but firefighters were able to save the homes.

  • Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert counties and others: Air Quality Health Advisory for Blowing Dust

    Arapahoe, Adams, Elbert counties and others: Air Quality Health Advisory for Blowing Dust

    Issued for large portions of northeast Colorado.
    Issued at 12:45 PM MST, amended at 2:00 PM MST, Monday March 5th, 2018
     
    Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
     
    Affected Area:  Northeastern Weld County, northern Lincoln, eastern Adams and Arapahoe, northeastern Elbert, and the entirety of Morgan, Washington, Logan, Yuma, Kit Carson, Sedgwick, and Phillips Counties, including, but not limited to, the communities of Fort Morgan, Akron, Sterling, Wray, Julesburg, Burlington, Hugo, Deer Trail, Limon, and Holyoke.
     
    Advisory in Effect:  12:45 PM MST, amended at 2:00 PM MST, Monday, March 5, 2018 to 6:00 PM MST, Monday, March 5, 2018.
     
    Public Health Recommendations:  If significant blowing dust is present and reducing visibility to less than 10 miles across a wide area, People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children in the affected area should reduce prolonged or heavy indoor and outdoor exertion.
     
    Outlook:  Prolonged strong and gusty winds are producing areas of blowing dust on Monday.  Areas of blowing dust will persist throughout the region during the afternoon.  The threat for blowing dust will gradually diminish across the entire region during the early evening hours.
  • Air quality, evacuation center in Elbert County

    Air quality, evacuation center in Elbert County

    Red Cross Disaster Action Team in Elbert County is supporting an evacuation center at the Elbert County Fairgrounds, located at 95 Ute Ave, Kiowa, CO 80117, as firefighters continue to work on containing the Forest Ridge Fire south of the town of Kiowa. The overnight sheltering team is on standby if needed, though currently there are only four citizens at the evacuation center.

    We encourage those in the community who have lost property, due to the Forest Ridge Fire, to reach out to the American Red Cross for assistance with immediate needs. Caseworkers are on standby to assist as needed. For immediate assistance, please call 1-800-REDCROSS and select option 2.

     

    Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke

    Affected Area:  central parts of Elbert County.  Cities include, but are not limited to Kiowa. 

    Advisory in Effect: 12:00 PM MST, Sunday, March 4, 2018 to 4:00 PM MST, Sunday, March 4, 2018.

    Public Health Recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors.  This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly.  Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present.  Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill.  If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.

    Outlook:  A large grass fire near Kiowa will produce periods of moderate to heavy smoke Sunday afternoon.  Smoke from the fire will generally travel from southwest to northeast, but could be erratic in direction at times.