Regional News

 
Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), which provides financial assistance with home heating bills, has announced additional federal funding of $2 million, allowing the state to increase LEAP’s average benefit by nearly 15 percent.
 LEAP is a federally funded program that provides cash assistance to help families and individuals pay a portion of winter home heating costs. The program pays the highest benefits to those with the highest heating bills and lowest incomes by family size. Applicant income cannot exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty index, which equals a maximum income of $2,794 per month for a household of four people. LEAP began accepting applications on November 1, 2011 and will continue to accept applications thru April 30, 2012.
 “This season more than 100,000 Colorado families have applied for LEAP and he program has helped more than 75,000 families cover heating costs but there are thousands of additional Coloradans who are eligible for program benefits and have yet to apply,” said Todd Jorgensen, LEAP director. “Our goal is to make sure that everyone needing assistance knows help is available and where they can find it.”
To qualify for LEAP, applicants must be responsible for paying heating costs directly to an energy provider, fuel dealer or as part of rent; be a permanent legal resident of the United States and Colorado or have household members that are U.S. citizens.
LEAP applicants must provide a copy of valid identification and a completed affidavit indicating that they are lawfully present in the United States. Valid forms of identification include, but are not limited to:
1. Colorado Driver¹s License or Colorado Identification card; or
2. United States Military Identification card or Military Dependent’s Identification card; or
3.    United States Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card; or
4.    Native American Tribal document.
  As defined by the Colorado Department of Revenue, other forms of identification may be required as well. For more information on lawful presence requirements, contact the DOR or visit www.colorado.gov/revenue.
Completed LEAP applications can be faxed, mailed or delivered to the appropriate county office. Potential program applicants may obtain an application through the following:
·  Call 1-866-HEAT-HELP (1-866-432-8435) to have an application mailed.
·  Visit any county department of social/human services across the state. To locate your county’s office, visit the program’s website at www.colorado.gov/cdhs/leap.
·  Download and print an application from www.colorado.gov/cdhs/leap
LEAP eligible households may also qualify for the Crisis Invention Program [CIP] and the Governor’s Energy Office’s Weatherization Program. The CIP operates year-round and provides assistance with a home’s primary heating source such as a furnace or wood-burning stove. The Weatherization Program improves the energy efficiency in homes throughout Colorado, thereby permanently reducing heating costs.
 To find out if you qualify for LEAP, call toll free 1-866-HEAT-HELP (1-866-432-8435) or visit www.colorado.gov/cdhs/leap to view the most current program application requirements.

 Pikes Peak Area Crime Stoppers is asking for your assistance in locating the following individuals for whom felony arrest warrants have been issued:

 
  ANTHONY MICHAEL MOLESWORTH is a White Male, 24 years old, 6’2” tall, and 180 lbs., with red hair and brown eyes.  MOLESWORTH is wanted for First Degree Criminal Trespass.
  MICHAEL ANTHONY SHANNON is a Black Male, 19 years old, 6’2” tall, and 200 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. SHANNON is wanted for Menacing.
  GREGG DANIEL SWANSON is a White Male, 50 years old, 6’1” tall, and 190 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes.  SWANSON is wanted for ESCAPE.
  ALONZO JEAN PAIGE is a Black Male, 20 years old, 5’11” tall, and 169 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes.  PAIGE is wanted for First Degree Murder.Warrants verified 02/9/2012
  If you have information regarding these fugitives or any serious crime, call CRIME STOPPERS at 634-STOP(634-7867) in Colorado Springs or 542-STOP(542-7867) in Pueblo. You do not have to give your name and could earn up to $1,000 in CASH for information given to CRIME STOPPERS.
  277-8860, 277-9308, 1398, 1423
A current list of featured fugitives wanted in the Pikes Peak region can be found on the Crime Stoppers website: www.crimestop.net.

 
  Following a lengthy public hearing last week, the Board of El Paso County Commissioners approved a dramatically scaled down version of local oil and gas regulations. The Board eliminated most of the proposed regulations which had been recommended for approval by the County Planning Commission. Commissioners also directed staff to develop an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) which will give the county a designated representative to make sure local concerns are heard by the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission when the state agency reviews oil and gas applications.
  Regulations approved by the Board are limited to damage to roads and bridges, impacts on emergency response agencies, and the mitigation and control of noxious weeds.  They also incorporate Colorado Oil and Gas Commission standards which establish baseline water quality testing and monitoring of wells in the vicinity of oil and gas drilling operations at one-year, three-year and six-year intervals.
   All of the other regulations proposed, including those covering setback requirements from neighboring properties, mitigation of visual impacts, noise, wildlife and open space issues will be reviewed through the Enhanced Local Government Designee program which was recently established by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.  The program is designed to minimize conflicts between state regulations on the oil and gas industry and the historic principle of local control over local land use matters.
  The County will work with the Attorney General’s Office and the State Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to develop an Intergovernmental Agreement to include areas of local concern that should be addressed by state regulators during their permit process.  Similar agreements have been forged between the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and local government agencies throughout to avoid the creation of a patchwork of local regulations which may overlap or pose operational conflicts with state laws.
 

  A Fountain woman died in a single-vehicle accident which occurred at 2:45 p.m. Wed., Feb. 1, on Colorado 50, approximately three miles east of Pueblo.
  According to the Colorado State Patrol, a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling eastbound, when it traveled off the right side of the road, avoiding another eastbound vehicle.  The Chevrolet then began to rotate counter-clockwise, re-entering the road.  The Chevrolet continued eastbound and rolled one and one half time, coming to rest on its roof facing left, in the left shoulder of the road.
  The Chevrolet’s driver, 39-year-old Amanda White of Fountain, was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle.  She sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased by the Pueblo County Coroner.
  The Chevrolet’s passenger, 45-year-old Thomas Encinias of Rocky Ford, was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.  He sustained serious injuries during the crash and was transported to Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo.
  Inattentive driving was a factor in the crash, according to the state patrol.