Greeley Tribune

A new Web site aims to help increase transparency in Valley Re-1 District. The district this week launched "Viking Matters," which includes information on decisions made by the Valley Re-1 Board of Education. Marsha Harris, president of the board, said in a release that the move came as a response to a call by community members for the information during recent community input meetings. To view ... Full Story »

OMAHA, Neb. - Justin Gaethje, a 157-pound junior at the University of Northern Colorado, was beaten in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships today. Gaethje lost to Harvard's J.P. O'Connor, the bracket's top seed, 8-1. Gaethje dropped into the consolation bracket with his next opponent being Shane Vernon of Oklahoma. For more, check back to greeleytribune.com. Full Story »

It's the last blast of the winter. What are you doing to enjoy the snow today or this weekend? Share your photos with us on The Tribune's Snow Fun Photos gallery at http://tinyurl.com/yg9vtd8. Full Story »

Full Road Closures March 22-March 31 - Lakeside Drive and Prospect. Utility construction. May 17-June 3, 2010 - 2nd Street from 13th to 14th Avenues. Utility construction. Partial Road Closures March 15-March 26 - Promontory Pkwy & Promontory Circle from Hwy 34 Bypass to Hwy 34 Business. Landscaping. March 16-March19 - 17th Street and 9th Avenue. Crack Seal Program. March 17-March26 - University ... Full Story »

The parent company to Greeley-based JBS USA is not yet done with its expansion plans. After spreading rapidly in the last few years through throughout the globe, JBS South America on Friday announced its intentions to acquire a second Australian beef company. The company announced it has reached an agreement with shareholders of the Rockdale Beef Partnership to acquire the Rockdale Beef business ... Full Story »

DENVER - The state-chartered workers' compensation insurance fund that wants to be privatized has increased its offer to the state. Pinnacol Assurance President Ken Ross said Thursday the company is offering $330 million to the state so it can go private. That's $130 million more than it offered earlier for a buyout. The increased offer comes a week after the release of an analysis from ... Full Story »

DENVER - A bank research firm says the number of Colorado financial institutions with high levels of delinquent loans has jumped from 13 three years ago to 70 today. Bauer Financial Inc. says levels are considered high if nonperforming loans are 3 percent or more of average assets. About 36 percent of the 195 Colorado banks that the firm tracks have high levels of bad loans. Bauer Financial ... Full Story »

Heavy snow continues to fall, particularly in the high northern and central mountains and travel on Interstate 70 is tricky. Motorists on I-70 in Eagle County can expect closures both directions at Avon, East Vail and West Vail due to numerous slide offs and semi's who have not chained up. As of 8 this morning, there was 10 inches of snow already on the ground at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain ... Full Story »

DENVER - Lawyers for the Army and the Colorado health department are returning to court after reaching an impasse in negotiations on monitoring chemical weapons stored outside Pueblo. A conference is scheduled Friday in federal court in Denver. The two sides announced an agreement in January on the state's lawsuit seeking stepped-up monitoring of the 2,600 tons of mustard agent at the Pueblo ... Full Story »

DENVER - Colorado lawmakers are hoping to avoid another round of budget cuts when state budget officials release their latest revenue forecasts. The Joint Budget Committee is scheduled to get the latest updates Friday before they begin debating their budget for next year. Rep. Jack Pommer, a Boulder Democrat who heads the Legislature's Joint Budget Committee, says lawmakers have few options as ... Full Story »

Expect snow today, especially in the morning, and beware of areas of blowing snow. Snow accumulations should total 2-4 inches, with the storm totals reaching 3-8 inches. The wet snow may weigh down tree branches. The high today will be around 30 degrees, and north winds will blow between 10-20 mph. Tonight will be cloudy with about a 50 percent chance of snow in the evening, and a slight chance ... Full Story »

FRIDAY, MARCH 19 DISNEY ON ICE, 7 p.m. at the Budweiser Events Center, 5280 Arena Circle, Loveland. Tickets start at $25. Tickets: (877) 544-TIXX or www.comcasttix.com. "SUMMER AND SMOKE," 7:30 p.m. at the Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., Greeley. Presented by The Stampede Troupe. $15. Details: (970) 356-5000. THE OLSTAD-CHIARALUCE QUINTET, 6:30-10 p.m. at the ... Full Story »

Friday, March 19 Pro Hockey Colorado Eagles at Arizona Sundogs, 6 p.m. College Softball Northern Colorado vs. Eastern Michigan, Mizzou Classic. 11:30 a.m.; Northern Colorado at Missouri, Mizzou Classic, 1:30 p.m. College Wrestling Northern Colorado at NCAA Championship, Omaha, Neb. Baseball Briggsdale at Otis, doubleheader, 1 p.m.; Weld Central at Hotchkiss Tournament, 3 p.m.; University at Kent ... Full Story »

U.S. Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Colo., has jumped on board the latest health care reform legislation, saying the bill significantly reduces the deficit, expands coverage to millions and helps small businesses. In a conference call with reporters Thursday, Markey said she opposed the bill that passed the House in November because she felt it didn't sufficiently reduce health care costs for families and ... Full Story »

A new source of funding for cash-strapped Greeley-Evans School District 6 could soon surface from a deal struck by district officials nearly 13 years ago. The source: Black gold - along with some natural gas - believed to be resting comfortably 7,500 feet to 8,400 feet below the plot of land where Northridge High School and Winograd K-8 stand. After a series of delays, the district should soon ... Full Story »

The University of Northern Colorado men's basketball team will host the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, the school announced Thursday. The Bears will play Pacific at 7:05 p.m. Monday at the Butler Hancock Sports Pavilion in Greeley. On Wednesday night, the Bears defeated Portland 81-73 in the first round of the tournament. It was the first postseason win for UNC as a Division ... Full Story »

Omaha, Neb. - Justin Gaethje, a 157-pound junior at the University of Northern Colorado, won three matches Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships. Gaethje will face top-seeded J.P. O'Connor, of Harvard, when the tournament resumes at 8:30 a.m. today. Although Gaethje will face a ranked opponent in the quarterfinals, he already defeated two in his path so far ... Full Story »

WINDSOR - Zeb Chadwick looks like your typical freshman - lean, a bit unassuming and sporting peach fuzz - until he hits the water and then his youth disappears. Thursday afternoon, Chadwick was anything but a typical freshman, leading the Windsor boys swim team to a 126-41 rout against Northridge in a Class 4A Northern Conference meet. Chadwick, in his first high school dual meet, won the 200 ... Full Story »

Weather alters UNC's weekend plans Greeley In advance of an expected winter storm, the University of Northern Colorado has shifted the schedule for two teams. The baseball team, scheduled to open its home schedule against South Dakota State University at 2 p.m. today, has canceled that game. It will play the Jackrabbits at 1 p.m. Saturday and a doubleheader at 11 a.m. Sunday. The women's tennis ... Full Story »

In the early 20th century, Americans became ardent supporters of "good roads movements," as the age of the automobile had arrived. Denver hosted "good road conventions," and by 1908, Colorado began to employ convicts from the state penitentiary in Caon City for road construction. Convict labor built 1,000 miles of Colorado roads by 1915. In 1912, Greeley Commercial Club president D.J. Crockett ... Full Story »

GILCREST - Exhibition game or not, LaRona Mondt had plenty to prove Thursday. Mondt, Briggsdale's versatile senior guard, proved big-time players can come from small schools during the Weld County girls basketball All-Star game at Valley High School. Mondt was named the game's most valuable player after leading the GoJo's team to a 81-49 win against the Garretson's team. The game featured the ... Full Story »

Greeley - The Greeley Central girls tennis team swept a Class 4A Northern Conference match with Skyline 7-0 without losing a set. Although the Wildcats (1-2, 1-2) played well across the board, they were led by No. 1 singles player Beth Bohnenblust, who won a close first set before winning handily in the second, and the No. 1 doubles (Jillian Ryan and Federica Sgroi) and No. 2 doubles (Kirby Qua ... Full Story »

Mandatory vehicle emissions testing will come to the most populous portions of Weld County later this year, following a decision by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission to expand a testing program already in place in the Denver metro area into northern Colorado. The commission voted unanimously late Thursday to include parts of Weld and Larimer counties in the program, which tests for ... Full Story »

Western Sugar Cooperative officials and Colorado sugar beet growers are happy with a decision by a judge in San Francisco who ruled that genetically engineered sugar beet seeds can be used until an environmental review of the seeds is completed. A coalition of organic growers and environmental groups filed suit to ban the use of the seeds. Monsanto Co.'s Roundup Ready seeds were used extensively ... Full Story »

The rosy feelings in Greeley-Evans School District 6 show no signs of relenting on Thursday. Representatives of District 6 and the Greeley Education Association, which represents the district's teachers, emerged from the year's first round of teacher contract negotiations having made progress via "solid teamwork," according to a joint statement released on Thursday by the two sides. David ... Full Story »