Local Briefs JUDGE DENIES TRIAL REQUEST

A Jefferson County District Court judge Thursday turned down a request from Michael Blagg to allow a theory of an alternate suspect to be presented in his upcoming murder retrial, but his attorney indicated she intends to appeal that decision.

Blagg is the Grand Junction man convicted of his wife’s murder in 2004 and sentenced to life in prison. The body of his daughter Abby, who was 6 at the time of her disappearance, has never been found, and no criminal charges have ever been filed in her presumed death. Blagg was granted a new trial in January 2016 after juror misconduct came to light.

Commerce City to hold all-Spanish telephone town hall.

Commerce City will host its second ever all-Spanish telephone town hall, dubbed Junta Con Lideres de la Ciudad, at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The meeting will focus on issues of interest in the Spanish-speaking community, including immigration, code enforcement, trash and recycling, and victim services. Commerce City held its first Spanish telephone town hall in May.

Participants will be anonymous so residents can openly ask questions and leave comments.

The number to call is 877-229-8493, with PIN 116538. Residents can register by texting C3GOB to 828282 to receive a call right before the meeting begins.

Clerk fired for keeping too much cash.

A convenience store clerk said she tried fighting off a robber before he made off with cash from the register. Then she was fired.

After the Sept. 9 robbery at Western Convenience Store, the clerk said she was fired for violating company policy limiting how much money can be kept inside the cash register.