Learn how to apply the Mediterranean diet to enjoy good food and improve your health…
Colorado State University Extension is offering free 2-hour workshops focusing on the Mediterranean diet. Delivered by your local Extension agent, Sheila Gains, the workshops will help to answer your questions about key characteristics of the Mediterranean lifestyle and how foods in the diet contribute to health. After attending one of the workshops, we hope you leave with strategies for incorporating Mediterranean foods and habits into your life!
The SPECTRUM of fashion converges in this year’s CSU Fashion Show
Tonight, Colorado State University’s Department of Design and Merchandising will present its annual fashion show, “SPECTRUM,” at the Lincoln Center at 7:30 p.m.
The CSU event showcases talents from 24 senior designers’ collections and 30 draping designs. The show provides an opportunity to unveil garments conceptualized, designed and constructed solely by Design and Merchandising students.
Diversity theme
“SPECTRUM” was chosen as the theme for this year’s show to encompass diversity. From the collections to the models, and everything in between, the show will be a true demonstration of multifaceted, avant-garde fashion. Every year the show gets better and better. I’m excited about CSU blossoming into an icon of fashion, helping both designers and merchandisers emerge, bringing together raw talents and presenting them in the best light. — Carol Engel-Enright, a faculty member in the department and fashion show production lead
The evening’s events will feature spectacular stage design, lights and music accompanying the 60 models who were handpicked to wear the distinctive garments.
VIP reception
A VIP reception will take place prior to the fashion show, from 5 to 7 p.m. The formal “green carpet” affair will include drinks, appetizers and a silent auction with materials and merchandise from the various sponsors and donors to the show.
The show is entirely produced by students in the fashion production class led by Engel-Enright.
The Department of Design and Merchandising is part of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Colorado State University. This program provides students the knowledge and tools to succeed in the apparel industry. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE
Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump officially signed a memorandum to deploy the National Guard to the southwest border on Wednesday, a move that followed days of him calling for more border security. Key details like the numbers of troops, how long they will be deployed, how much it will cost and where they will go are still being finalized.
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s announcement:
I have long advocated for strengthening border security as part of a comprehensive immigration reform package. Border security resources should be deployed with careful consideration, not as a politically motivated response. For months, my colleagues and I waited for the President to meaningfully engage on a bipartisan immigration bill that would increase border security resources and protect Dreamers. Unfortunately, the President failed to lead, and rather than find real solutions on immigration, he continues to stoke fear. — Bennet
In February, Bennet introduced a bipartisan amendment with Colorado U.S. Senator Cory Gardner that addressed protection for Dreamers and border security. For several months, Bennet also worked as part of a bipartisan group of six senators on an immigration agreement in response to President Trump’s decision to rescind the DACA program. Additionally, he was a member of the Gang of Eight, a bipartisan group of senators that drafted and secured passage in the U.S. Senate of comprehensive immigration reform in 2013.
Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. Arapahoe County raises awareness this April with Prevention Pinwheel Gardens across County buildings. Thank you Commissioners Nancy Sharpe, Kathleen Conti, Nancy Jackson and Jeff Baker for holding steady in the wind to help support an important cause. Today, the County will observe a Statewide awareness campaign to #wearblue. More than 2,000 employees will be showing support many of them wearing blue to work and celebrating strong families, safe kids and stable communities.
The third annual ACT Human Rights Film Festival opens Thursday, April 5, with an evening dedicated to student filmmakers from around the West.
This year highlights include a new Festival Pass, two U.S. premieres and six Colorado premieres, more than 15 international film guests, encore screenings and a closing night concert featuring musicians from the film RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World.
The festival’s hand-picked feature documentaries begin screening Friday, April 6, in Colorado State University’s Lory Student Center Theater at 4:30 p.m.
About ACT
ACT showcases the most critically acclaimed and recently released international documentary films that explore a range of human rights themes, including democracy in crisis, immigration, war, gender rights, race and class in America, occupational health and climate change. The festival closes Saturday, April 14, with RUMBLE, followed by a reception and concert with Pura Fe and Cary Morin in the Lory Student Center.
Films will screen Friday through Sunday at CSU, The Lyric and the Lincoln Center Magnolia Theatre, and resume the following Friday, April 13, at The Lyric before closing Saturday, April 14, at the Lory Student Center Theatre. Encore screenings will occur Monday, April 9, through Thursday, April 12, at The Lyric. The complete festival schedule appears on the festival’s website, www.actfilmfest.org. Festival tickets, four-packs and all-festival passes went on sale today, March 8. Tickets are also available for purchase the day of show, pending availability.
Six premieres
The festival’s lineup represents the most relevant, recent and acclaimed films produced within the last two years. ACT is proud to premiere in Colorado six international and U.S. films, including two U.S. premieres, Chega de Fiu Fiu from Brazil and Dead Donkeys Fear No Hyenas from Ethiopia, as well as a sneak preview of Minding the Gap, which won the U.S. Documentary Competition Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
“This is the strongest lineup of films we’ve yet curated,” said Professor Scott Diffrient, who conceived the festival during his time as the William E. Morgan Endowed Chair of Liberal Arts (2014-16), and now directs festival programming. “The fact that we’re premiering six films in Colorado tells us that in just a few years ACT has emerged as a nationally recognized festival catering to a discerning crowd — audiences who are well-informed and who want something more from movies than just an escape from reality.”
“In fact, each of the films selected for the ACT Human Rights Film Festival highlights acts of human kindness, perseverance and bravery in the face of adversity, and each celebrates the kind of empathy-building connectedness and border-dissolving kinship that so many of our elected officials and political leaders seem to have forgotten or turned their backs on during these divisive times,” he added.
Special guests from the films
Directors and film subjects from around the world will appear in person for the majority of post-screening Q&A sessions.
Guests include Heather Wright, director of Complicit,a breakthrough story about poisoned phone assembly workers in China; Col. Honorine Munyole, a senior Congolese policewoman in charge of stopping sexual violence and physical abuse against women in children and the subject of Mama Colonel, directed by Dieudo Hamadi (also appearing in person); and Stevie Salas, executive producer of RUMBLEand the recipient of the festival’s 2018 Harry Belafonte Resistance Through Art Award.
2018 highlights:
Odell Brewing Co.hosts the ACT Human Rights Film Festival Kickoff and Release Party at its taproom (800 E. Lincoln Ave., Fort Collins) on Tuesday, March 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. Taste the 2018 Screening Session IPA, brewed exclusively for ACT, win an all-festival pass and ACT T-shirts, meet some of this year’s Call to ACT nonprofit partners, see select trailers and purchase tickets.
The Lyric hosts a festival preview on Tuesday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m. with a special screening of Human Flow, directed by Ai Weiwei. Tickets available atwww.lyriccinema.com. Proceeds benefit Rams for Refugees.
The Music Districtjoins ACT in presenting RUMBLEmusicians Pura Fe and Cary Morin in a closing-night concert and reception.
Encore screenings of select opening weekend films will screen at The Lyric from Monday, April 9, through Thursday, April 12. Tickets available atwww.lyriccinema.com.
NEW: A limited number of all-festival passes being offered at $90 ($45 for students) feature priority seating for all screenings. Individual tickets cost $10 ($5 for students), and four-packs cost $30 ($15 for students).
ACT is produced by the Department of Communication Studies at Colorado State University with generous support from university and community partners, including the College of Liberal Arts, the City of Fort Collins Fort Fund, the Lilla B. Morgan Memorial Endowment, One Tribe Creative, The Lyric, Odell Brewing, The Music District, KUNC 91.5 FM, The Coloradoan, The Armstrong Hotel and the Colorado Office of Film, TV, and Media. ACT is the Intermountain West’s only film festival dedicated to curating the most relevant, recent and acclaimed documentary and narrative fiction human rights cinema produced around the world. Learn more at www.actfilmfest.org.
Senator Michael Bennet Issues Statement on Decision to Roll Back Fuel Efficiency Standards
Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today released the following statement in response to the announcement by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt of the Trump Administration that he would roll back standards that cars and light trucks sold in the United States must reach a fuel efficiency of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.
This announcement is a true loss for American families and workers. The standards were on track to save American families up to $8,000 per vehicle at the fuel pump, support the creation of more than 100,000 American jobs, and boost manufacturing, while also driving American innovation and protecting our environment. I have yet to hear from a Colorado company that is concerned by these standards. On the contrary, numerous companies have voiced their support of keeping the current fuel efficiency standards in place. We have a proud history of promoting innovation in Detroit, and America was on track to create the most efficient cars in the world. With Administrator Pruitt’s announcement, he is causing severe damage with no clear winner. States should have the ability to protect children and the environment. I will fight against any attempt to roll back the flexibility that states have to create more stringent rules.— Bennet
Bennet also expressed concern about Administrator Pruitt’s comments on reexamining a waiver granted to California to create stricter rules to prevent air pollution, which 12 other states follow.
The Eight Ogallala Region States Come Together for Interstate Collaboration
The Ogallala Aquifer Summit will bring together water-use decision makers in Garden City, Kansas, April 9-10. Summit participants will be discussing current management and policy best practices as well as exploring interstate approaches to managing the aquifer for the long-term benefit of the region’s communities and the ag industry.
Eight states in the Ogallala region include: Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, South Dakota and Wyoming.
The Summit will take place over two half-days, the afternoon of April 9 and the morning of April 10, and includes a social on the evening of April 9 that will feature producers involved with Kansas’ Water Technology Farm program.
The importance of groundwater used for irrigated agriculture in the Ogallala Aquifer Region cannot be overstated. We’ve recognized through our work on implementing Kansas’ Long-Term Vision for the Future of Water Supply that we needed to bring together water management leaders including producers, commodity and tech leaders, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders from across the Ogallala region to share and exchange valuable expertise. — Tracy Streeter, Director of the Kansas Water Office
Logistical support for the Ogallala Summit has been provided by the USDA-NIFA-funded Ogallala Water Coordinated Agriculture Project (CAP) in partnership with the Kansas Water Office. Additional support in planning this event has been provided by individuals from all eight Ogallala states.
April 5 registration deadline
Visit the Ogallala Water CAP website to see a detailed agenda and access online registration. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. The registration deadline is Thursday, April 5.
Policy and decisions about water management are often made at the local or regional level within states. This Summit will cover emerging innovations, research, and policies and help identify opportunities for working together across state lines to help address the water-related challenges facing this region. — Meagan Schipanski, assistant professor at Colorado State University and co-director of the Ogallala Water CAP
Brighton, Colo. – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Joseph Alan Yost, DOB 071864, a white male 5’10” tall 185lbs with brown hair and blue eyes.
Joseph was released from the Adams County Detention Facility on 040318 at 1am after posting bond on DUI charges for an Adams County Case.
Joseph was inadvertently released with pending charges of Driving Under the Influence and Driving Under Revocation out of Arapahoe County. Detectives and Deputies have attempted to contact Mr. Yost over the course of the day, but have yet to locate him.
If you see Joseph or someone matching his description; please call 911 or Adams County Sheriff’s Office at 303-288-1535.
The Colorado Department of Transportation, in partnership with Douglas County, will officially open the state’s first Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training site this week. This will be one of only two TIM centers in the United States. It will be dedicated to Colorado’s first responders. It also will honor two State Patrol troopers who lost their lives while serving the citizens of Colorado and responding to two separate traffic incidents in Douglas County. This will be a statewide facility, training and serving first responders from around the state. Attendees also will have an opportunity to walk through a staged crash scene, with responders describing their roles and the strategies they use to safely and quickly clear incidents from the roadway.
WHEN: Thursday, April 5, 2018, noon
WHERE: 8500 North Moore Road – Douglas County. From U.S. 85 – Santa Fe Drive – travel west on Titan Road approximately ¾ of a mile to Moore Road. South on Moore Road approximately 1 ½ miles. Turn left (east) just south of the light blue metal building.
WHY: Increased traffic, loss of life and severe injuries among incident responders and the traveling public lead to the creation of this dedicated area for the state’s responders to safely train and quickly clear traffic incidents. In addition to the lives lost during incident response, two Colorado State Patrol troopers have lost their lives responding to traffic incidents within the last three years.
SPEAKERS:
Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Michael Lewis
Colorado State Patrol Chief Mathew Packard
Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock
Douglas County Commissioner Roger Partridge
Federal Highway Administration – Colorado Division Director John Cater
ITINERARY:
Facility Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting and Unveiling of Commemorative Sign
Dedication of facility to Colorado’s first responders
Presentation of plaques to the families of CSP Troopers Jaimie Jursevics and Cody Donahue, honoring their service and sacrifice to the citizens of Colorado
Attendees also will have an opportunity to walk through a staged crash scene, with responders describing their roles and the strategies they use to safely and quickly clear incidents from the roadway.
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.”
I have long advocated for strengthening border security as part of a comprehensive immigration reform package. Border security resources should be deployed with careful consideration, not as a politically motivated response. For months, my colleagues and I waited for the President to meaningfully engage on a bipartisan immigration bill that would increase border security resources and protect Dreamers. Unfortunately, the President failed to lead, and rather than find real solutions on immigration, he continues to stoke fear. — Bennet
In February, Bennet introduced a 
