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• Trading for marijuana: Is this legal? Play Video

  February 22, 2013 1:28 AM

  Marijuana users are getting creative when it comes to getting their hands on pot. They're using web sites like Craigslist to trade merchandise for marijuana. Plug in "marijuana" on Craigslist and a laundry list of postings will appear. People are looking to trade anything and everything from cell phones... more »

• Gov. Hickenlooper prefers state regulation of drilling over federal

  March 8, 2012 6:11 AM

  HOUSTON (AP) - Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper says that like most governors, he prefers state regulation of oil and gas drilling to federal regulation. At an energy industry conference Wednesday in Houston, Hickenlooper said states can create regulations that are less onerous but more effective than blanket regulations that come... more »

• Congressman pitches feds on Fort Lyon

  May 22, 2011 11:37 AM

  DENVER (AP) - A Colorado congressman is pushing for the federal government to find a new purpose for a Bent County state prison due to be closed next year because of state budget cuts. Republican Rep. Cory Gardner has written a letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs urging... more »

• Requested firefighting funds down for FY 2012

  April 28, 2011 12:31 PM

  DENVER (AP) - The national budget for fighting wildfires may be cut next fiscal year with fire season well under way in Colorado. For fiscal 2011, which began Oct. 1, President Barack Obama's administration requested nearly $3.6 billion in appropriations and discretionary funds for the U.S. Forest Service and... more »

• Colorado gets marijuana warning from federal government

  April 27, 2011 3:26 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Colorado is the latest state to receive marijuana warnings from the federal government as state lawmakers mull regulating the drug. The top federal prosecutor in Colorado sent a letter Tuesday to Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and some lawmakers. The letter says that states shouldn't pass bills... more »

• White House: President Obama to lay out spending plan

  April 10, 2011 9:51 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A top White House political and economic adviser says President Obama will lay out new plans this week to reduce the federal deficit. Obama adviser David Plouffe, speaking Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," says Obama plans to offer ideas for what Plouffe calls "long-term deficit... more »

• Experts in Colo. debate fed budget woes in forum

  April 9, 2011 6:04 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Bridging the political divide dominated the discussion at a Colorado forum on taming the federal deficit. The partisan back-and-forth in the nation's capital prevented the two senators who assembled the panel from attending their own event in person. Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet were... more »

• Springs military bases brace for shutdown

  April 9, 2011 10:48 AM

  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - Prior to the congressional agreement to keep the government running, the military said food and other services for troops in war zones wouldn't have been interrupted by a shutdown. Col. Robert McLaughlin, the Fort Carson garrison commander, said prior to Friday night's compromise that... more »

• Suit filed over Colorado clean energy standard

  April 4, 2011 3:06 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Two groups and a Morrison businessman are challenging Colorado's renewable energy standard. They said Monday that they've filed a lawsuit in federal court asking a judge to declare the law unconstitutional. They argue the Colorado law mandating that larger utilities get 30 percent of their energy... more »

• Job of the Day: 2 electricians

  January 28, 2011 10:44 AM

  Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs has two openings for civilian electricians. You'll be federal employees with benefits. The deadline to apply is Monday. Starting pay is $20.15 - $23.53 /hour. MORE INFORMATION more »

• Florence inmate convicted in U.S. Court

  January 20, 2011 7:23 PM

  An inmate at the federal prison complex at Florence was found guilty today of assaulting an officer with a weapon. Timothy Young, 52, an inmate at the Administrative Maximum Security institution was found guilty today by a jury on a charge of assault on a federal officer with a... more »

• Walkaway captured in Pueblo

  December 17, 2010 2:39 PM

  An inmate who walked away from a federal prison camp in Florence Wednesday has been captured in Pueblo. Robert Muzny, a minimum security inmate serving time for a drug conviction, walked away Wednesday from the federal prison complex south of Florence. He was arrested last night in Pueblo and... more »

• Fugitive sentenced in 1995 case

  November 27, 2010 12:37 PM

  DENVER (AP) - A former Colorado Springs man and a longtime fugitive has been sentenced to about 14 years in federal prison for drug and weapons crimes - and failure to show up for his sentencing in 1995. The U.S. attorney's office for Colorado says 49-year-old Ronald Thrasher was... more »

• U.S. Chamber likes budget cutting ideas

  November 11, 2010 2:42 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - There's finally some praise for the deficit-cutting ideas that were put forward by the leaders of President Barack Obama's bipartisan panel. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says it agrees that "any solution will require commitment and sacrifice on both the spending and revenue fronts." But the... more »

• Trial begins 8 years after Elizabeth Smart kidnapping

  November 1, 2010 8:33 AM

  SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Eight years of delays are scheduled to end Monday as jury selection begins in the federal trial of a man accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart from her Utah home. Brian David Mitchell is accused of slicing through a kitchen window screen and whisking away... more »

• Bernanke: Fed wrestles with size of aid program

  October 15, 2010 8:24 AM

  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the central bank is prepared to take steps to rejuvenate the economy through the purchase of Treasury bonds but is wrestling with how big the program should be. Bernanke also says the Fed could use its communications powers to prevent the United States... more »

• Columbus Day rally in Pueblo attracts supporters, protesters

  October 11, 2010 2:06 PM

  Supporters outnumbered protesters at an annual Christopher Columbus Day rally in Pueblo this morning. The federal holiday honors Columbus' trek to America more than 500 years ago. However, some Native Americans say Columbus brought slavery to their people, and they want the holiday abolished. Monday's annual event was held at... more »

• Stabbed federal prison officer treated at hospital

  October 7, 2010 5:12 PM

  A corrections officer at the federal penitentiary in Florence was stabbed in the back three times by a prisoner using a homemade shank. The officer was treated at a hospital for his injuries and released. The attack happened around noon on Wednesday. The prisoner was quickly subdued by other... more »

• Colorado Springs D-11 receives huge federal grants

  September 24, 2010 8:43 AM

  Colorado Springs School District 11 has received two federal grants totaling nearly $21 million. The largest, a $15.17 million grant from the Teacher Incentive Fund, will be used to train teachers at ten schools to improve student achievement, as measured by classroom observations and student growth data. The... more »

• Denver Children's Hospital doctor faces federal charges

  September 24, 2010 8:24 AM

  A Children's Hospital doctor indicted on 655 counts of prescription fraud appeared in court to be advised of his charges and the punishment he faces if convicted. Dr. Louis C. Hampers made his first appearance Thursday in federal court after his arrest in Virginia earlier this month. A... more »

• Job of the Day: Florence Federal Prison Pharmacist

  September 23, 2010 5:35 PM

  The Federal Bureau of Prisons has an opening for a Staff Pharmacist in Florence. You have until Wednesday, Sept. 29 to apply. Starting pay is $57,400 - $74,600 per year. "The Pharmacist is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the medication delivery system and assures that the integrity of... more »

• Judge rules Colorado pot laws don't protect from federal prosection

  September 22, 2010 7:46 PM

  DENVER (AP) - A pot grower won't be allowed to use Colorado's medical marijuana law to fend off federal drug charges. Wednesday's decision by U.S. District Judge Philip A. Brimmer means that Christopher Bartkowicz faces a possible life sentence on federal marijuana cultivation charges. Brimmer said that suggestions by... more »

• Pueblo Community College gets $1.6 million grant

  September 21, 2010 3:29 PM

  Pueblo Community College has received a $1.6 million grant to help disadvantaged students over the next five years. The program is called TRIO. It is a federally funded program that provides support for first generation, low income or disabled college students in hopes of keeping them in school. The... more »

• BLM to offer first geothermal lease in Colorado

  September 17, 2010 9:32 AM

  The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is offering the first geothermal lease on federal land in Colorado during its Nov. 10 auction. The BLM withdrew the lease from two previous sales after protests and questions about the impacts. Federal officials say an environmental review shows the lease complies with... more »

• Federal disaster declared for farmers

  September 16, 2010 6:02 PM

  Fremont County farmers should be harvesting a huge crop of apples right now, but a late freeze damaged the crop. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared Fremont County a natural disaster area. The freeze occurred between April 30 and May 3. Also included in the disaster... more »

• Colorado BLM plans roundup of 138 wild horses

  September 15, 2010 9:10 AM

  The U.S. Bureau of Land Management says it will gather an estimated 138 wild horses in northwest Colorado and place most of them up for adoption. The BLM says the horses southwest of Meeker are outside an area designated for managing wild horses. The roundup is set for... more »

• Colorado Springs gets chunk of $100 million grant

  September 13, 2010 12:23 PM

  The Air Force Academy and Colorado College will benefit from a $100 million federal grant to upgrade broadband in Colorado. Colleges, universities, libraries, schools and underserved communities will all receive high-speed internet access. Gov. Bill Ritter will announce details at a Monday afternoon news conference. According to the... more »

• Appeals court allows stem cell funding for now

  September 9, 2010 2:22 PM

  A federal appeals court is permitting federal funding of stem cell research to proceed temporarily until the court rules on the merits of the Obama administration's position in the case. The government is asking the appeals court in Washington to strike down a preliminary order by U.S. District Judge... more »

• FAA close to proposing pilot fatigue rule

  September 9, 2010 8:28 AM

  Aviation officials are on the verge of proposing new rules governing the number of hours airline pilots may work in an effort to prevent tired flight crews from making fatal errors. The Federal Aviation Administration has taken 15 months to propose the rules despite promises of swift action from... more »

• Forest Service maps out plan of attack on beetles

  September 8, 2010 9:05 AM

  The U.S. Forest Service will cut more than 14,000 acres of trees near communities and in more than 350 recreation sites as it deals with damage from an insect epidemic that has killed millions of acres of pines in Colorado and Wyoming. The agency has mapped out the projects... more »

• Montana plane crash revives 'lap child' debate

  September 7, 2010 9:31 AM

  Federal transportation safety officials are using the crash of an overloaded plane in Montana to revive a debate about whether infants and toddlers should be allowed to travel on the laps of adults. The National Transportation Safety Board is asking the Federal Aviation Administration to require children under 2... more »

• Teens with 150 baby turtles in Pueblo ticketed

  August 31, 2010 8:26 PM

  On Monday, police busted two teenagers selling about 150 baby turtles on a street corner in Pueblo. The men set up a stand on the corner of Northern and Pueblo Blvd. Officials say the men were selling a species known as red ear sliders. Ofc. Matthew Ballard says the turtles... more »

• Canon City man arrested on firearms charges

  August 31, 2010 6:42 PM

  A Canon City man has been arrested on several federal firearms charges, including possessing a machine gun. John Joseph Waldron, 34, was arrested by the Fremont County Combined Investigations Response Team in cooperation with the ATF and the CBI. Charges include possession of a firearm by a felon,... more »

• Former Colorado Springs executives indicted

  August 31, 2010 8:36 AM

  Three former executives of a Colorado Springs medical equipment company and a consultant are named in a federal indictment claiming that they imported medical devices that weren't cleared for use by the federal government. The U.S. attorney's office in Denver said Monday that the former Spectranetics Corp. officials have... more »

• Outfitter, guide indicted on game-baiting charges

  August 27, 2010 8:24 AM

  A longtime Colorado hunting outfitter and a hunting guide indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver are accused of putting out hundreds of pounds of salt to lure deer and elk for their clients. State and federal authorities say Dennis Eugene Rodebaugh of Meeker and Brian Douglas Kunz... more »

• Colorado summit on stimulus spending

  August 26, 2010 2:07 PM

  Denver city auditor Dennis Gallagher says the federal stimulus program is working, but it presents unprecedented challenges to auditors keeping track of the money. Gallagher says most financial audits examine spending after the money has been spent. He said Colorado is one of 16 states under a microscope by... more »

• Feds to release report on Colorado fire that killed 5

  August 25, 2010 8:13 AM

  The U.S. Chemical Safety Board will release a 15-minute safety video and its final report of its investigation into a tunnel fire that killed five workers at a hydroelectric plant in Colorado. The independent federal agency investigates serious chemical accidents and makes safety recommendations. In a trailer for the... more »

• Colorado weighs changes to fingerprint program

  August 20, 2010 10:14 PM

  Colorado is considering possible changes to a growing federal program that uses fingerprints to catch illegal immigrants. Several groups have written Governor Bill Ritter to say they worry the program will intimidate crime victims and lead to racial profiling. Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said Friday the concerns have prompted the... more »

• Worst unemployment report of the year released

  August 19, 2010 9:29 AM

  New applications for unemployment insurance reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November, a sign that employers are likely cutting jobs again as the economy slows. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 12,000 last week to 500,000, the... more »

• People have right to lie about military medals

  August 17, 2010 11:27 PM

  A federal appeals court panel in California says people have a right to lie about receiving military medals. The Tuesday ruling involves the case of Xavier Alvarez, who falsely claimed in 2007 to have won a Congressional Medal of Honor. He was charged with violating the federal Stolen Valor Act,... more »

• BP to begin forcing cement down well

  August 5, 2010 8:20 AM

  BP officials say they plan to begin forcing cement down the blown-out Gulf oil well today. The announcement came last night shortly after their plan was approved by the federal official in charge of the oil spill. The company plans to shove cement down from pipes attached to ships... more »

• Federal ruling on same-sex marriage expected today

  August 4, 2010 9:57 AM

  Round one in a landmark case involving gay marriage is expected to end today when a federal judge issues his ruling on California's voter-approved same-sex marriage ban. Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker has reached a decision on whether to uphold or overturn the voter-approved ban known as Proposition... more »

• Pueblo postal worker indicted for embezzlement

  July 29, 2010 7:17 PM

  Another postal worker in Pueblo is in hot water. Gil Trujillo has been indicted by a U.S. federal court for embezzlement of funds. That's according to Al Desarro, Public Information Officer for the Unites States Postal Service's western region. According to Desarro, Trujillo has worked at the main post office... more »

• Immigration ruling puts states on guard

  July 29, 2010 8:13 AM

  States that had been planning to copy Arizona's new immigration law will have to wait and see what happens in the courts. The law was set to take effect today, but a federal judge yesterday put most of it on hold. The judge agreed with the Obama administration that... more »

• Pueblo council split on immigration reform vote

  July 28, 2010 5:40 PM

  On Monday, Pueblo city council has passed a resolution urging Colorado lawmakers to support comprehensive federal immigration reform. The resolution passed 5 to 2, with council members Vera Ortegon and Judy Weaver voting against it. The resolution reads as follows: The Pueblo City Council urges our United States Senators for... more »

• Bill would outlaw inmate cell phones in federal prisons

  July 20, 2010 7:37 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The House has passed a bill that bans inmates from using or possessing cell phones in federal prisons. A similar bill already has passed the Senate. Congress is trying to crack down on the smuggling of cell phones into federal prisons, where they can be used... more »

• Fake collection agency calls may come from overseas

  June 22, 2010 1:22 PM

  Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said Tuesday his office has received reports of fraudulent and threatening debt-collection calls. The calls often involve a supposed payday loan debt consumers have allegedly incurred. The callers, who resort to threatening tactics, use a variety of business names and have even invoked the Office... more »

• Federal regulators adopt bank bonus policy

  June 21, 2010 12:21 PM

  Federal regulators have adopted a plan to ensure that banks' pay policies don't encourage employees to take reckless gambles like those that contributed to the recent financial crisis. The plan, originally proposed by the Federal Reserve last year, was also endorsed by other key banking regulators - the Federal... more »

• Colorado senate candidate blasts wilderness plans

  June 11, 2010 8:43 AM

  Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton says she would oppose federal wilderness bills she calls "land grabs," including one backed by Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette and the proposed Hidden Gems plan. Norton said in a speech Thursday to Colorado Ski Country, a trade group, that proposals by DeGette and... more »

• Colorado murder ordered by drug dealer

  June 4, 2010 8:54 AM

  Federal authorities say a Littleton man who was gunned down after opening his apartment door was ordered killed by an alleged drug dealer in Michigan. Authorities say Franco Gonzalo Sierra-Rodriguez is the suspected hit man and police arrested him Wednesday night in Houston. He is suspected of shooting Joaquin... more »

• President Obama extends benefits to gay and lesbian partners

  June 2, 2010 7:31 PM

  President Obama sent a memo Wednesday to departments in the executive branch of government extending benefits to same sex partners of government employees as much as is possible under existing laws. The ruling includes children of same-sex domestic partners. This would cover child care subsidies and child care services.... more »

• Hispanic ranchers lawsuit drags on

  May 28, 2010 7:13 PM

  U.S. Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet say they want a resolution soon on a 2000 federal lawsuit filed by Hispanic farmers and ranchers who allege unfair treatment during the distribution of disaster loans. The senators' statements Friday came during the week the government began discussions to resolve the... more »

• Paying for the peaks: hiking charges considered

  May 17, 2010 8:24 AM

  Hikers who tackle some of Colorado's highest peaks could soon face a toll beyond the physical. The federal government is considering charging hikers up to $20 to access popular mountaintops. The U.S. Forest Service says it will consider permit fees to cover trail improvements at some of Colorado "fourteeners"... more »

• Analyst: Fed to show confidence in recovery

  April 28, 2010 12:22 PM

  One analyst predicts Federal Reserve policymakers will come out of today's meeting confident, yet cautious. The chief economist at John Hancock says the Fed will let the public know it has more confidence in the country's economic recovery. But Bill Cheney says Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues will... more »

• Fed boss: Trim deficit or US economy will be hurt

  April 27, 2010 10:29 AM

  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says failing to curb federal budget deficits would do "great damage" to the U.S. economy in the long run. Bernanke once again urges the White House and Congress to come up with a credible plan to reduce the nation's red ink, which hit a record... more »

• New federal law forces 2,500 layoffs

  April 22, 2010 10:32 AM

  A new law that cuts banks out of the federal student loan business is costing 2,500 workers at Sallie Mae their jobs. The nation's largest student lender has told 1,200 staffers in service centers in Killeen, Texas, and Panama City, Fla., they will lose their jobs by year-end. The... more »

• Taxpayers got even bigger windfall from Fed

  April 21, 2010 11:23 AM

  A new report shows taxpayers got a record $47.4 billion last year in earnings from the Federal Reserve. The payment to the Treasury Department is slightly higher than the $46.1 billion first estimated in January. The new figure is based on more complete information contained in audited financial statements for... more »

• El Paso County gets extra money for food distribution

  April 16, 2010 5:05 PM

  El Paso County will receive $350,000 in federal funds to address the growing strain on existing resources related to administering the Food Assistance Program. The funds will be used to pay for temporary staff and overtime to insure the El Paso County Department of Human Services is processing Food Assistance... more »

• Need more time?

  April 15, 2010 10:04 PM

  Do you need more time? Whether you've procrastinated or you have a complicated tax return that's taking longer to prepare than expected, you still have a deadline to meet on Thursday. Applications for extensions are due the same due date as tax returns. It's easy to file, and... more »

• Colorado still in 'Race to the Top' competition

  April 6, 2010 6:39 PM

  Colorado will try again to win millions in federal funding for education reform. Gov. Bill Ritter announced Tuesday that the state will enter the second round of the "Race to the Top" competition after losing in the first round. Colorado placed 14th out a field of 16 finalists. Just... more »

• Judge keeps Supermax inmate's lawsuit alive

  March 24, 2010 5:28 PM

  A judge says a federal inmate who killed at least two other inmates and a correctional officer can proceed with a lawsuit challenging his placement in solitary confinement. Thomas Silverstein has been in the federal prison system since 1978 following a conviction for an armed bank robbery. He has... more »