BRIEFLY

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 4, 2005 | by THE GAZETTE

4th district court clerk leaves

Citing personal reasons, 4th Judicial District Clerk of Court Lee Cole resigned late Wednesday.

His last day in the $82,000 job will be April 2, District Administrator Victoria Villalobos said. A nationwide search for Cole's replacement will last about eight weeks, she said.

Cole, who spent eight years with the 4th Judicial District and 16 years in the state court system, said he'll look for another position in the judicial branch. He declined to give reasons for leaving.

The 4th Judicial District, which encompasses El Paso and Teller counties, handles more than 95,000 court filings per year, more than any other district in Colorado.

Canadians plan reassignments

Three senior Canadian officers are being replaced this summer at the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command.

"We are proceeding with our review of Canada's defence policy and the transformation of the Canadian Forces to meet the defence challenges of the new century," Canadian Defence Minister Bill Graham said in a statement.

"I am confident that (these) senior officers... are more than ready to meet those challenges," he said.

Graham's announcement of the 2005 senior Canadian Forces promotions and appointments calls for three key positions in NORAD and Northern Command to change hands:

Maj. Gen. Angus Watt will be appointed assistant chief of the air staff at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, replacing Maj. Gen. Marc Dumais.

Brig. Gen. Brett Cairns will be promoted to major general and appointed director of combat operations at NORAD Headquarters, replacing Watt.

Col. Mark McQuillan will be promoted to brigadier general and appointed liaison officer to Northern Command, replacing Rear Adm. Jamie Fraser, who will retire.

Col. Andre Viens will be promoted to brigadier general and appointed vice commander of Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, replacing Brig. Gen. Jim Hunter, who will retire.

Scouts plan food drive

Colorado Springs-area Boy Scouts will conduct a food drive Saturday to benefit Care & Share.

The Scouts, from the Jamboree District of the Pikes Peak Council, will distribute paper grocery bags in their neighborhoods. Participants are asked to fill the bags with nonperishable food items and leave them on their doorsteps for the Scouts to pick up.

Items needed most include boxed pasta, rice, canned soup, peanut butter, canned fruits, canned vegetables, canned meats, canned tomato products, canned beans and powdered milk.

Donations can be dropped off between noon and 5 p.m. Saturday at the Tiffany Square Shopping Center parking lot, 6805 Corporate Drive. Nonperishable food and monetary donations can be dropped at Care & Share Food Bank, 4875 Northpark Drive.

For information, call Rachel Gollhofer, 528-1247.

Science fair needs judges

The Pikes Peak Regional Science Fair needs judges to run this year's fair March 12 on the campus of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Prospective judges should have a college degree or equivalent technical skills and an interest in helping young people.

Judges will be asked to report at 7:15 a.m. and finish no later than 3:30 p.m.

Complete information and registration is available at judge.pprsf.org.

Texas Towers Vets plan reunion

The Texas Towers Veterans will hold a reunion Sept. 28 in Colorado Springs.

For more information contact retired Master Sgt. Ken Taylor, 392- 6952, 6775 Caballero Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80911, KePa9@Juno.com.

Crowley sheriff gets trial date

ORDWAY - Crowley County Sheriff Jeff Keyes was ordered to stand trial next month on charges of evidence tampering, violating hazardous-waste laws and trying to influence a public servant.

Keyes, 45, is accused of spilling barrels of contaminated waste during a raid of a suspected methamphetamine lab last year and then lying about it.

District Judge Robert Ogburn on Wednesday ruled there's sufficient evidence for Keyes to go to court and scheduled an April 11 trial date. Keyes has pleaded innocent.

Defense attorney Casey Irwin said Keyes' arrest was based on inadequate evidence and a defective warrant and was therefore illegal.

District Attorney Rodney Fouracre said the affidavit shows Keyes lied to officials when he told health officials he had found the chemical spill.

"That was not something he found; it was something he caused," Fouracre said.