Bias rule

LOS ALAMITOS, CA -- California's horse-racing regulators approved new rules on jockeys whipping horses during races at their monthly meeting on Thursday, but delayed the results of their investigation into the 37 horse deaths at Santa Anita last season. Under the tentative rule, a riding crop cannot be used more than two times in succession and six times during the entirety of a race. Use of the crop would also be limited to an underhanded position no higher than a rider's shoulder. The whip rules aren't final, and will undergo a 45-day review period for public comment before possible adoption. ``We just passed the most restrictive whip rule in North America and maybe in the world,'' said Greg Ferraro, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board. Currently, the state allows a jockey three strikes with a crop before giving the horse time to respond, but there is no limit on the total number of strokes allowed during a race. Jockeys who violate the rule will be subject to a fine … [Read more...] about California Horse Racing Board Tentatively Passes Whipping Rule

The future of the man who admitted to a 2015 shooting at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic remains in limbo after a federal judge in Denver on Friday delayed ruling on his mental fitness for trial. Judge Kristen L. Mix gave Robert Dear’s defense team and the U.S. Attorney’s Office until the end of the month to review materials from his case in state court and hash out details regarding who might perform a mental competency evaluation on the 61-year-old Dear. Friday’s brief hearing came four days after a federal grand jury indicted Dear on 68 criminal counts in connection with the November 2015 shooting, which left three people dead and eight injured. Judges in state court consistently have ruled Dear mentally incompetent to stand trial since May 2016, postponing the state’s case against him indefinitely. With a five-year statute of limitations about to expire on many of the federal charges, U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn elected to pursue a federal case.The … [Read more...] about Judge delays ruling on competency hearing for admitted Planned Parenthood shooter

Rescue teams recovered a body Friday afternoon that was pinned on rocks in the Eagle River, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office said. About 3:45 p.m Friday, rescue crews received reports of a body in the river between Edwards and Wolcott, the sheriff’s office said. “Foul play has not been ruled out at this time,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office and coroner’s office are working to identify the body and determine the cause of death.The sheriff’s office said there is no ongoing threat. Authorities ask anyone with information about the incident to call the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 328-8500 or Eagle County Crime Stoppers at 970-328-7007 or 1-800-972-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online or via text by texting STOPCRIME plus a message to CRIMES (274637). At least 19 people have died or disappeared this year on Colorado waterways as heavy snowmelt has brought surging currents and … [Read more...] about Body recovered from Eagle River; police have not ruled out foul play

John Hickenlooper has 375 days remaining as governor of Colorado, and during his annual holiday trip to Aspen the 65-year-old, term-limited governor said he’s going to work to keep the federal government from meddling in Colorado. Hickenlooper, who was at the Aspen Art Museum for a charity fundraiser Thursday night, said what Colorado has done in environmental protections, especially with the oil and gas industry, is a model of how things can be accomplished on a state level. His administration created the first methane regulations in America, and Hickenlooper worries about how that might be perceived by the Trump administration. “We’re still the only state that has such rigorous regulations. Some half-cocked official in Washington might decide they want to make an example of that and say it’s too much regulation,” Hickenlooper said. “We’ve worked hard to go through all the regulations to get rid of all the deadwood, the red tape, the … [Read more...] about Hickenlooper ready to fight “half-cocked” feds from changing state rules

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s campaign on Friday released a petition urging the Democratic National Committee to rethink debate qualification standards — the same day the New Jersey Democrat failed to meet the DNC quota. A reported eight other 2020 candidates have acknowledged Booker’s concerns and signed his petition — including front-runner and former Vice President Joe Biden. In a joint statement, they allege that the DNC’s policy of barring certain candidates from the debate stage has “unnecessarily and artificially narrowed” what the group refers to as “the most diverse Democratic field in history,” according to the memo obtained by The Hill.“The escalating thresholds over the past few months have unnecessarily and artificially narrowed what started as the strongest and most diverse Democratic field in history before voters have had a chance to be heard. As a result, candidates who have proven both their viability and … [Read more...] about Cory Booker’s Campaign Demands DNC Change Debate Rules After He Failed To Qualify