DENVER – Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 005 this week that would give the voters a chance to weigh in on the Colorado’s medical marijuana industry.
“I believe when voters approved medical marijuana in 2000 that they did not envision a pot dispensary on every street corner,” Renfroe said Friday in press release. “There are more medical marijuana dispensaries in Denver than Starbucks locations. The people deserve the opportunity to tell us if that is what they wanted.”
Renfroe’s resolution would narrow the definition of “primary care-giver” and get rid of medical marijuana retail outlets and grow operations.
The bill will have it’s first hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday.

Greeley has received federal stimulus money to perform energy efficiency and conservation, including assistance programs for commercial building and business owners in the city’s redevelopment district.

Greeley’s newly launched gREeNEWAL Program provides two forms of assistance to commercial building owners and businesses in this district.

First, businesses can apply for rebates to offset costs of energy audits. The audits identify energy efficiency and conservation strategies that help lower utility costs, improve facility operations and provide environmental benefits.

Businesses can contact Xcel Energy through their account manager or the Business Solutions Center at 1-800-481-4700 to arrange for a low-cost energy audit or they can contract with a company that performs audits. The city will provide up to $300 in a rebate after the audit has been completed; funds are available for the first 50 to 75 applicants.

Second, funds are available for low-interest loa

Full Road Closures
April 26-May 3 – 16th Avenue between 8th and 9th Streets. Utility construction.
April 17-May 17 – 7th Street from 18th-21st Avenues. Utility construction.
April 26-May 10 – 21st Avenue and 6th Street. Utility construction.
April 24-May 12 – 7th Street between 25th and 26th Avenues. Utility construction.
May 3-May 17 – 16th Avenue and 7th Street intersection. Utility construction (w).
May 3-May 17 – 21st Avenue and 8th Street intersection. Utility construction.
May 3-May 31 – 18th Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets. Utility construction.
May 4-May 6 – 5th Street between 6th and 8th Avenues. Railroad crossing repair.
May 3-Aug. 16 – 71st Avenue from W. 10th to W. 20th Streets. Street construction.
May 10-May 24 – 20th Avenue between 8th and 9th Streets. Utility construction.
May 17-June 3 – 2nd Street from 13th to 14th Avenues. Utility construction.
May 17-June 7 – 19th A

Jurors took almost three hours today to convict Cecil Joe Erb of the murder of a west Greeley man last year in front of his home.
Weld District Court Judge Julie Hoskins immediately sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Erb, 28, plugged 29 bullets into the car of Jeffery Watson Sr., shortly after 5 a.m. on Feb. 19, 2009, an act he called self-defense after he said Watson punched and threatened him.
Prosecutors, however, convinced the jury that Erb ambushed Watson, after plotting the murder to cash in on a $100,000 life insurance policy on Watson’s life.
Erb sat quietly at the defense table with a trembling hand rubbing his chin while he listened to the jurors one by one affirm that was their verdict.
Watson’s mother, Bonnie Watson of New York, listened in to the sentencing via telephone, while Watson’s son, Jeff Watson Jr., who also now lives in New York, opted not to attend.
“I just hope you give him all he deserves. It couldn’t be enough,” Bonnie

FREDERICK – Vice President Joe Biden used the success story of a southwest Weld County company Friday to show the U.S. is coming out of the recession.
Biden was joined by U.S Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Colo., Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and Gov. Bill Ritter to showcase UQM Technologies, which received $45 million in funding from the federal recovery act and is building a new factory.
UQM manufactures electric propulsion systems.
“We are an innovative country. We’ve always been an innovative country. That’s always been the secret of this country,” Biden told a crowd of about 600 people at the UQM plant during a speech that lasted about 40 minutes this afternoon.
“Right here, UQM gets that. It’s all about innovation and change,” Biden said.

For more, see Saturday’s Tribune.