BOULDER – Prosecutors have offered a deal to one of two former Boulder police officers accused of illegally shooting a trophy elk on New Year’s Day.

The Daily Camera of Boulder reported the proposal filed Friday would allow 39-year-old Brent Curnow to plead guilty to felony tampering and four misdemeanors. Three other felonies and a misdemeanor would be dropped.

Curnow hadn’t accepted the offer as of Friday afternoon, and his attorney couldn’t be reached for comment.

Fellow officer Sam Carter is accused of shooting the elk while on duty, and Curnow is accused of picking up the carcass. Carter said he shot the elk because it was injured, but an examination found no signs it was hurt before it was killed.

Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett says the deal was offered to Curnow because he was “less culpable” than Carter.

Woman hurt rock climbing near Boulder

BOULDER – Authorities say a 20-year-old woman was seriously injured when she fell about 30 to 40 feet while rock climbing in a canyon west of Boulder.

Deputy Brandon Bussard with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office says the woman, whose name has not been released, fell at about 3:40 p.m. Saturday when a piece of her equipment pulled free from the rock face she was climbing in Boulder Canyon. She suffered serious injuries to her head, shoulder and arm but was conscious when rescue crews arrived.

The woman is recovering at a Boulder hospital.

Golden school secretary pleads guilty to theft

DENVER – A former financial secretary at Golden High School accused of embezzling almost $156,000 from school funds for her personal use has pleaded guilty.

The Denver Post reported 54-year-old Judith Marie Eakins of Wheat Ridge pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of theft over $20,000.

An internal audit last September revealed losses in numerous school accounts managed by Eakins between 2009 and 2012. Investigators also found that cash turned over to Eakins wasn’t deposited into the school’s account, and financial documents had been manipulated.

Some of the stolen money was from ticket sales to school events such as prom, concerts, drama productions and homecoming. Eakins, who also was accused of misusing a school credit card, is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 21.

Chaco Culture Park touted for dark skies

FARMINGTON – Chaco Culture National Historical Park has earned another international designation: the refuge of dark night skies.

The International Dark-Sky Association recently certified the park, known for its monumental ancient buildings, as an International Dark Sky Park.

Officials say the park’s natural nighttime darkness, commitment to reducing light pollution, and ongoing public outreach recently led to its certification.

The park is the twelfth to receive the designation worldwide and only the fourth unit of the U.S. National Park System.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park started its bid to become an IDA International Dark Sky Park in response to the National Park Service initiative, “Starry, Starry Night.”

Whooping cough cases high in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Whooping cough has sickened more than 300 people in New Mexico this year, a drop from last year’s record pace, but still a high enough rate that state health officials have expressed concern.

The Albuquerque Journal reported that so far this year 343 people have had pertussis. The New Mexico Department of Health says the bacterial illness has hospitalized 17 New Mexicans, including 11 infants. No pertussis deaths have been reported.

Whooping cough had sickened 519 New Mexicans through Aug. 28, last year.

Associated Press