Author: Blair Miller
Gov. Hickenlooper pardons Rene Lima-Marin as family fights deportation to Cuba
DENVER – Governor John Hickenlooper heard the calls from lawyers and activists, awarding Rene Lima-Marin a pardon, although he said it’s not yet known if that will help the reformed criminal win his fight to stay in the U.S.
Lima-Marin won a release from prison on Tuesday after a yearslong fight to get him back out of custody. He was originally sentenced to nearly 100 years in prison for a 2000 robbery, kidnapping and burglary case and was mistakenly released into a parole program in 2008. Continue reading
Class-action suit filed alleging Chipotle’s ‘elementary’ security, negligence led to data breach
DENVER – Chipotle faces a class-action lawsuit for the potential data breach the company first reported last month, alleging the company’s willful negligence and “elementary” security measures led to the breach and is now costing banks and customers money.
The Denver-based company first reported the possible breach late last month, saying that credit and debit cards used between March 24 and April 18 of this year may have been compromised by “unauthorized activity” on company servers.
“Consistent with good practices, consumer should closely monitor their payment card statements. If anyone sees an unauthorized charge, they should immediately notify the bank that issued the card,” the company said in its statement. “Payment card network rules generally state that cardholders are not responsible for such charges.”
And that statement is exactly what the lawsuit filed May 4 in the U.S. District Court of Colorado claims is the basis for the suit.
The suit’s class has yet to be certified, but it was filed by New Hampshire-based Bellwether Community Credit Union on the behalf of all “credit unions, banks, and other financial institutions” they may have had to reissue customers’ cards that were compromised in the breach, close compromised accounts, or remedy any false transactions.
The suit claims that there are more than 100 members of the proposed class, and that alleged damages exceed $5 million.
Though it’s still unclear how many customers may have been affected in the alleged breach, the suit claims that the company knew it was putting itself at risk for further security breaches after a 2004 breach and a handful of recent ones involving other food-service companies.
“The deficiencies in Chipotle’s security system include a lack of elementary security measures, which even the most inexperienced IT professional could identify as problematic,” the suit says.
It claims that the company, which had around 2,250 U.S. locations as of March 31, failed to upgrade its security after a breach the company says cost it about $4.3 million between 2004 and 2006.
The suit also cites Chipotle’s February 2017 annual report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in which the company itself said:
“We may in the future become subject to additional claims for purportedly fraudulent transactions arising out of the actual or alleged theft of credit or debit card information, and we may also be subject to lawsuits or other proceedings in the future relating to these types of incidents … Consumer perception of our brand could also be negatively affected by these events, which could further adversely affect our results and prospects.
“The liabilities resulting from any of the foregoing would likely be far greater than the losses we recorded in connection with the data breach incident in 2004.”
The suit claims that one of the biggest problems that led to the hacking was Chipotle’s failure to adhere to credit card companies’ regulations that required companies to start using chip technology by October 2015.
The chips mask information contained within transactions about credit card information, unlike the former magnetic strip cards.
But the suit claims that Chipotle stated specifically that it would not switch over to the chip-only system because it would “slow down customer lines.”
By doing so, the company opened itself up to face damages from litigation, as per the regulations set forth by the card companies that said that any business not adhering to the October 2015 deadline would “agree to be liable for damages resulting from any data breaches,” according to the lawsuit.
The suit says that Chipotle has said that 70 percent of its sales involved a debit or credit card transaction, and estimates that “hundreds of thousands” of Chipotle customers could have had their private credit and debit card numbers, and information relating to them, compromised.
Since the burden is on banks to close accounts and reissue new cards, the suit claims that any bank having to do so because of the Chipotle breach is damaged by the breach and subject to compensation.
The class, should it be certified, requests damages and injunctive and declaratory relief on the basis that Chipotle was negligent in its failure to upgrade its security systems for transactions and data storage.
It asks a judge to issue an injunction forcing Chipotle to adhere to industry-standard encryption methods, switch to chip-card readers, and undergo a large audit and subsequent upgrade of its security systems.
A request for comment made to Chipotle had not been returned as of the time of publishing.
A scheduling conference for the case has been set for July 18 in Denver.
Bipartisan bills to protect marijuana from federal crackdown introduced by Colo. members of Congress
DENVER – Efforts to protect states with legal marijuana programs from any possible federal crackdown are gaining bipartisan momentum in Congress, and several of Colorado’s lawmakers are playing a big part in trying to get legislation passed.
U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D) and Mike Coffman (R) introduced a bill Thursday that revises the federal Controlled Substances Act to keep Congress or any federal entities from interfering in legal state marijuana markets.
The two introduced a similar bill in 2012 after Colorado voters first approved the constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in the state, but it ultimately failed.
“This bill makes clear that we’re not going back to the days of raids on legal dispensaries, of folks living in fear that they’re not going to get the medical marijuana they need, or that they might get jailed for using it,” DeGette said.
“While I have opposed the legalization of marijuana, the people of Colorado voted for an initiative in 2012 that legalized marijuana and placed it in our state’s constitution,” Coffman said.
“Since it this is clearly not a matter of interstate commerce, I believe that the people of Colorado had every right, under the U.S. Constitution, to decide this issue for themselves and as their representative in Congress, I have an obligation to respect the will of the people of Colorado and that’s why I’m reintroducing this bill with Congresswoman DeGette,” he continued.
Their bill comes a day after U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R) and Michael Bennet (D), along with a bipartisan group of senators, introduced a bill that would ease regulations on how marijuana businesses are allowed to deal with banks.
It would bar federal regulators from stopping or penalizing a bank from working with legal marijuana businesses or taking away FDIC approval from the bank. It would also stop banks and regulators from barring loans to people operating legal marijuana businesses.
While some Colorado marijuana businesses now allow people to use debit or credit cards, many still operate on cashless ATM or cash-only systems.
“The lack of access to banking services for marijuana businesses is a key issue in Colorado,” Bennet said. “It raises significant public safety concerns for both employees and customers of these businesses and creates compliance and oversight challenges.
Rep. Jared Polis (D) introduced a bill earlier this year that aims to have the feds regulate marijuana like alcohol.
Also introduced in recent weeks was a bill by Virginia Republican Rep. Thomas Garrett, which lifts federal restrictions on medical and recreational marijuana programs and allows states to operate their own. The bill also has support from both sides of the aisle.
Weather hub: Late-season snow blankets much of Front Range
FRONT RANGE – Heavy snow is already falling in the foothills and mountains of the Front Range, and a winter storm warning is in effect for much of the Denver area and northern Colorado through Friday afternoon.
Snow had already fallen across much of the Front Range both north and west of Denver Thursday morning.
Thursday is expected to be wet and slushy in Denver, as rain changes back over to snow late in the morning.
The Denver area is expected to receive between 2 and 6 inches of snow through Friday, as are the western parts of Arapahoe, Adams and Elbert counties.
Denver Public Works officials said Thursday afternoon they will have extra crews on duty through the night to respond to flooding complaints and help clear blocked inlets.
Due to rising water levels, parts of the Cherry Creek Trail were closed near 1st Avenue, according to officials.
VIEW | Current radar conditions
Douglas, Jefferson and Boulder counties could receive between 6 and 12 inches of snow, with higher levels coming as one gets closer to the foothills.
In the mountains, anywhere between 8 and 16 inches of snow is forecast, though the northern mountains could see up to 3 feet in some places.
GALLERY | See photos from this storm as it slams the foothills and metro area.
Rocky Mountain National Park said it was expecting accumulations of up to 3 feet.
The National Weather Service is warning that snow could fall at rates of 1-2 inches per hour in some places.
The Red Cross opened an emergency shelter in Estes Park in case anyone traveling in the area is in need of a warm, safe place from the dropping temperatures. The shelter is located at Presbyterian Community Church, 1700 Brodie Avenue.
Officials with the Town of Estes Park announced Thursday evening offices will be closed Friday due to “deteriorating weather conditions.”
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center issued a special avalanche advisory at noon Thursday, effective through 5 p.m. Friday, warning anyone traveling in the backcountry that avalanches will be likely over the next several days.
But some places could get even higher totals than forecast.
As of 10 a.m. Thursday, the storm had already dumped more than 8 inches in most locations across the mountains, with some places receiving close to 2 feet and more coming.
- Copper Mountain to Silverthorne 19″
- Breckenridge 15″
- Grand Mesa 15″
- Aspen area 8 to 10″
- Crested Butte area 6 to 8″
- North San Juan Mountains 8 to 17″ with the highest totals in the Needle Mountains
- South San Juan Mountains 7 to 13″ with the highest totals northwest of Wolf Creek Pass
- Rocky Mountain National Park 14″
- Berthoud, Vail, and Loveland Passes 12″
- Steamboat/Flat Tops 8-12″
Some areas of the Boulder County foothills had already received 26 inches of snow by 2 p.m. Thursday.
26 inches at 2pm, in the NW Boulder County Foothills. Wow! With plenty more to come pic.twitter.com/EVEbmfdFQz
— Cory Reppenhagen (@CRepp7News) May 18, 2017
Some power outages have been reported throughout the day as the heavy, wet snow takes out power lines — particular in northwest Boulder County.
About 1,200 homes were without power in Red Feather Lakes, Livermore, Crystal Lakes, Bellvue, Masonville and surrounding areas, as well as in the foothills, according to Poudre Valley Rural Electrification Administration officials said Wednesday evening.
Homes around Longmont, Loveland and Wellington are also experiencing power outages.
Rolling traffic information
The Colorado Department of Transportation shut down westbound I-70 at the Eisenhower Tunnel around 10:30 a.m. Thursday for a safety closure as heavy snow fell in the area.
It reopened around 11:30 a.m., but heavy delays are expected throughout the day on I-70.
Highway 36 was shut down from Lyons to Estes Park about 30 minutes earlier. Estes Park could see some of the heaviest snowfall in this storm. Highway 34 remains open at this time, though it is expected to close at 1:30 p.m.
U.S. Highway 6 was also closed at Loveland Pass overnight.
Traction laws remain in place along the I-70 mountain corridor.
Traffic was starting to back up in the Monument Hill area along I-25 around 11:15 as well. Colorado State Patrol said heavy delays should be expected throughout the day as snow continues to fall.
You can always look at our traffic page or the CDOT page for the latest road conditions in the state.
For tips on driving in the snow, click here.
Some schools closed, delayed Thursday; events too
The Boulder Valley School District canceled classes at four schools Thursday as weather conditions worsened. Nederland Middle/Senior, Nederland Elementary, Jamestown Elementary and Gold Hill Elementary will be closed. All other schools in the district will be operating as normal, officials said.
Colorado State University decided to close at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, cancelling all classes and events for the rest of the day.
Most of the Colorado state baseball tournament has also been rescheduled, according to CHSAA.
VIEW: Full list of school closures
Jefferson County Public Schools announced at around 3:30 p.m. that some of their graduation events scheduled for Thursday had been moved or rescheduled.
All graduations scheduled at Red Rocks Amphitheater were affected by the weather. The following schools have changed venues:
Bear Creek, Columbine, Golden, Dakota Ridge, Evergreen High and Chatfield high schools have all rescheduled their events. Check each school website for more information about graduation events.
Weather conditions have also prompted school officials in Summit County to cancel classes. All schools in the district are closed Thursday. The district had originally announced a delayed start but moved ahead with a full closure hours later.
No other major school districts in the area are reporting closures. However, some districts have delayed or rescheduled school-related activities, including the state track and field championship.
The meet was going to be held at the Jeffco Stadium Thursday, but officials said track conditions won’t allow for safe competition. The meet has been postponed to Sunday.
Thorntonfest was also cancelled for just the second time in 22 years because Carpenter Park flooded. More information on its closure and other events that are being rearranged in Thornton can be found here.
Late-season snow history
Though late-season snow is not abnormal whatsoever in Colorado, Denver could see some of its higher late-season totals in history in this storm.
The heaviest late snowfall, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder, was a May 25-26, 1950 storm that dumped nearly 11 inches on Denver.
Heaviest late May Snowfalls for Denver (corrected) #cowx pic.twitter.com/1lDj9UUmOu
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) May 17, 2017
The heaviest Denver snow in recent history, according to the weather service, was May 17, 1983, when Denver saw 7.1 inches.
In six out of the last 10 years, May has been the month the Denver area has gotten its last measurable snowfall for the season.
This story will be updated throughout the day with the latest weather conditions. Check on our weather pages, and with the Storm Shield App for the latest updates.
Some Colorado Republican congressmen back away from Trump amid concerns over Russia conduct
DENVER – Two of Colorado’s most-scrutinized Republican members of Congress said Tuesday they have grave concerns about President Donald Trump sharing highly classified information with two high-ranking Russian officials last week.
The responses from Sen. Cory Gardner and Rep. Mike Coffman came after the Washington Post reported the information sharing, which included details on ISIS operations and plans the U.S. had obtained from a sensitive Middle Eastern ally and had yet to share with other close allies, according to the report. Continue reading
Affidavit: Teacher at Fountain Valley School, son wanted to cause ‘terror and panic’ with smoke bomb
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. – The Fountain Valley School of Colorado’s Director of Information Technology and his 16-year-old son were the two arrested Tuesday on terrorist training activities and other charges for trying to set off a “military grade” smoke bomb in the school’s cafeteria.
Bryan S. Bolding, 46, and his son, who attended the school, faces numerous charges in the case, which forced the school to evacuate more than 300 students and faculty members Tuesday afternoon.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by our news partners at KRDO, Bolding learned in February that his contract to work at the school would not be renewed.
He and his son started building the devices about two weeks ago, in what Bolding said was originally planned to be a “prank” at graduation. The affidavit says the two instead decided to put the device in the school’s cafeteria sooner.
Bolding admitted to putting the device in the cafeteria around 11 p.m. on Monday, according to the affidavit.
Though he initially denied any knowledge of the incident, he later admitted to having chosen the cafeteria’s salad bar area as the location because it was near ventilation fans and “because that is where the most people would be seated,” according to the affidavit.
Bolding’s son told police that he and his dad had planned to set the device off with a remote in order to cause “terror and panic,” according to the affidavit.
The entire school had been at an assembly before students headed to lunch, which is when the device was discovered by another school staff member.
The staffer unhooked a battery from the device, put it in a cardboard box, and walked in down to the administrative offices.
While en route to contact school officials and security, the staffer passed Bolding’s son, who turned white when he saw what the staffer was holding, according to the affidavit.
Bolding allegedly admitted to having more smoke canisters in his residence at the school, in addition to the remote detonator.
His son admitted to police that there were similar devices and components in his vehicle at the school, and though he also initially admitted to helping his father, the affidavit says that the teen made several false statements after his admission.
Bolding initially denied his son was involved or coerced until officers told him his son had admitted to his involvement.
The affidavit also says that the two tested a similar device around 5:30 p.m. on Monday evening at the Gold’s Gym parking lot on Main Street. The metro bomb squad responded to calls of a suspicious device at the gym, the affidavit confirmed.
A spokesperson for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said the device did not have the potential to detonate. Bomb squad members and ATF agents were called in to render it safe. No one was injured in the incident.
Bolding posted a $3,000 bond Wednesday and was released from custody. For a full list of the charges the two face, click here.
Records confirm ax was found next to body of slain 4-year-old Broomfield boy
BROOMFIELD, Colo. – Police documents show that investigators found a bloody ax next to the body of a 4-year-old boy allegedly killed by his uncle in late April.
Authorities on Wednesday released the arrest affidavit and search warrants surrounding the murder of the boy, allegedly at the hands of his uncle, 25-year-old Emanuel Doll. A Broomfield County Court judge ordered the documents to be released last Friday.
The documents show that Emanuel’s parents, whom he lived with, went to pick up the boy—who was Doll’s sister’s son—that morning as the boy’s mother had to go to nursing school.
They brought the boy back to their home around 8:30 a.m. on April 27, and were playing with him before Emanuel asked the boy to come down to the home’s basement.
Shortly afterward, Doll’s mother heard noises she described to police as “a pillowcase loaded with items hitting the floor.” When she called out to her son to ask about the noises, he told her they were “nothing,” according to the documents.
But Doll came upstairs, and his mother went downstairs, where she discovered her grandson with the mortal injury and a bloody ax sitting next to him.
Much of the remainder of the documents are redacted, but investigators seized several computers from the home—two of which were used by Doll often—as well as cell phones and the ax.
The context that provides insight as to why the computers and phones were seized was redacted from the reports, but they note that Doll sometimes worked for his father, who runs a computer coding business.
Doll faces first-degree murder after deliberation and first-degree murder by a person in a position of trust charges. Should he be convicted, he faces a sentence of life without parole, or even death.
Project Unsolved: Police, family still searching for Denver mother of 3 who vanished without a trace
Nearly 11 years ago, a young mother of three living near Sloan’s Lake in Denver left to drop medicine off to one of her sons who was visiting another family member just blocks away. She never arrived at her final destination, and not one of her family members has heard from her since.
Nicholle Torrez was 27 when she disappeared that night—December 14, 2006—and left her mother and young family with a never-ending series of questions, which were only multiplied when a car she had been driving showed up on the other side of the metro area months later. Continue reading
Lakewood man, 24, arrested on murder charges in Coal Creek Canyon triple homicide
BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. – Authorities arrested a 24-year-old Lakewood man Tuesday on first-degree murder charges, among others, in the deaths of three people found killed in a home in Coal Creek Canyon in mid-April.
Garrett Matthew Coughlin, 24, was arrested by Boulder County sheriff’s investigators after an interview at the Lakewood Police Department Tuesday afternoon. Continue reading
Trump allegedly leaked classified info to Russians: How Colorado’s members of Congress are reacting
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump shared highly classified information about U.S. operations involving the Islamic State with two high-ranking Russian officials in a meeting last week, according to a story first published by the Washington Post and later corroborated by multiple other news organizations on Monday.
The White House has called the report false, but news outlets are standing by their stories. In Congress, most members have been cautious in their reactions, but many say if the stories are true, that Trump’s actions are concerning. Continue reading