DENVER – The Colorado Department of Transportation has suspended construction projects across the state in anticipation of heavy traffic this Labor Day weekend.

Heavier than normal weekend traffic is expected on Interstate 25 along the Front Range and on Interstate 70 west of Denver. Officials say increased traffic is expected on westbound I-70 on Saturday and in the eastbound lanes Monday, especially between Summit County and the Denver area.

The projects were suspended late Friday afternoon and will resume Tuesday.

Body found near Grand Junction ID’d

GRAND JUNCTION – Authorities have identified a man whose body was pulled from the Colorado River near Grand Junction.

The Daily Sentinel reports that 57-year-old Rodney Crumbaker of Grand Junction was found in the Persigo Wash area northwest of the city Aug. 20. Investigators say his body may have been in the water for two to six months before it was recovered.

The Mesa County Coroner’s Office has not said how Crumbaker died, but investigators do not suspect foul play.

Minor injuries in crash of plane

DENVER – Authorities say two people suffered only minor injuries when the small plane they were in crashed near Granby Airport.

The Denver Post reports the plane had been flying from Nevada when it stalled and crashed at about 12:40 p.m. Friday. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office has not released the names of the two people on board or said why the plane stalled.

Granby is about 60 miles northwest of Denver.

More than 30K show up at Zozobra

SANTA FE – Old Man Gloom burned brightly during a record-setting Zozobra, which returned to Friday night after a 15-year absence.

Santa Fe police estimate more than 30,000 people turned out for the annual ritual kicking off Fiestas de Santa Fe.

One man was taken to a hospital from Fort Marcy Park after reporting breathing problems.

Zozobra is put on by the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe each year. It was traditionally held on Friday nights from 1962 until 1997, when a shooting left one dead.

The 90-year-old event concludes with the burning of a towering figure stuffed with shredded paper to help drive away the doom and gloom of the previous year.

Officials censure N.M. county treasurer

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Doña Ana County commissioners are calling on the county treasurer to resign after a complaint he solicited an employee for sex.

Commissioners Friday unanimously voted to censure county Treasurer David Gutierrez, who was not present at the meeting. Gutierrez declined to say if he will resign when asked by the Las Cruces Sun-News.

According to the complaint made by a female employee, she accompanied Gutierrez on a routine trip to the bank Aug. 18. She says Gutierrez asked if she would spend a couple hours at a hotel with him in exchange for $1,000.

Associated Press