Local News

Several Columbine Courier reporters were recognized with awards March 1 by the Colorado Press Association during its 130th annual convention at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver.

A quick rundown:

• Reporter Matt Gunn, who has moved on to the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses Journal, was recognized with two first-place awards, for best story-picture combination and best deadline reporting.

DENVER — A family’s frantic emotions in the face of a missing child were remembered at the state Capitol on Feb. 29, as Allyn Atadero of South Jefferson County continued his push for improvements in search and rescue efforts.

Former Jeffco treasurer Mark Paschall will face another trial related to charges that he tried to solicit a kickback from a political appointee on his way out of office in 2006.

Paschall was charged with two felonies — criminal attempted theft and compensation for past official behavior — and was acquitted on the attempted theft charge Feb. 15. The jury deadlocked on the other charge on an 8-4 vote in favor of acquittal, according to one juror, but the Jeffco DA's office says it is confident it will get a conviction in a second trial.

The on-again, off-again saga that is the investigation into the theft of $125,000 from the South Jeffco Sports Association has reached another landmark, as the report from the sheriff's investigator handling the case was presented to the Jeffco DA's office late last week.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Jacki Kelley said the officer completed his investigation and moved it to the DA's office late last week, but she declined to comment further.

Pam Russell, spokeswoman for Jeffco DA Scott Storey, confirmed that their office had received the report.