Three men armed with handguns broke into an apartment early Wednesday, threatening residents. They stole various electronics, Colorado Springs police said.Officers were called to the 700 block of Chapman Drive in the Pine Creek Village Apartments at about 4:25 a.m. Three men had kicked in the front door of the apartment where four people were sleeping, police said.The robbers ordered the residents to the ground while they rummaged through the apartment, police said. No one was injured.Police said the occurrence does not appear to be a random act and the investigation is ongoing.  Anyone with information about the robbery can call Colorado Springs police at 444-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 634-7867. Tips can also be texted to 847411.WEATHERSlightly cooler temperatures are ahead for Colorado Springs. The National Weather Service expects a high of 80 degrees Wednesday, with partly sunny skies and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. There’s a 60 percent chance of rain.Rain and thunderstorms are expected to move in again overnight, with a low of about 60 degrees.Thursday will bring a 30 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms with temperatures topping out near 80 degrees.AROUND COLORADO

Firefighters continue to battle Wetmore fireWETMORE, Colo. (AP) — Crews have built more containment lines around a 154-acre wildfire in southern Colorado.

Fire managers said crews had contained 80 percent of the fire late Tuesday.

No houses have been evacuated and standby orders have been lifted near Wetmore.

Authorities are investigating whether the fire was sparked by a fatal crash of a vintage plane. The plane’s pilot, 50-year-old Sidney Emmert, died. The passenger, Robert Hamilton, of Wetmore, was treated at a Colorado Springs hospital and released.

3 homes burn in Northern Colorado; fireworks suspected

FREDERICK, Colo. (AP) — Authorities are investigating fires that burned three homes in northern Colorado.

All three fires occurred Monday night. Fireworks are suspected in a fire that destroyed a vacant house in Fort Collins.

Investigators say improper disposal of fireworks in a trash container caused another fire that destroyed one home and heavily damaged another in Frederick.

An officer driving home from work spotted the fire just before midnight Monday. He and neighbors helped alert the residents of the two homes.

Frederick-Firestone division chief Tim Zimmerman said Tuesday that fireworks should be disposed of in a fireproof container filled with water even if the fireworks have been discharged and cooled.

More New Mexico dogs going to Colorado following wildfire

DENVER (AP) — More shelter dogs have arrived in Colorado because of the wildfire near Los Alamos, N.M.

The Denver Dumb Friends League took in 23 dogs Tuesday. The dogs came from an animal shelter in Santa Fe, N.M., which had to free up room for pets displaced by the Las Conchas fire.

The breeds of dogs include Labrador retriever, Australian shepherd, German shepherd, and corgi mixes. Some are expected to be available for adoption later this week.

Another Denver-area shelter received 11 adoptable dogs from another New Mexico shelter on Friday.

Residents of Los Alamos were allowed back home Sunday but about 400 homes remain threatened by the fire.

Report: Former GOP official charged with theft

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) — The former head of the Larimer County GOP faces criminal charges for allegedly misspending money.

The Coloradoan in Fort Collins reports that Larry Carillo has been charged with one count of theft between $1,000 and $20,000. Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck investigated the case and issued the charge Tuesday.

The current head of the Larimer GOP, Tom Lucero, told party members in an email last month that Carillo used a party debit card to make ATM withdrawals. Lucero said that some of the withdrawals were at casinos.

Carillo has denied using party money improperly.

The Coloradoan reports the violations could cost the county party more than $200,000 in fines because they appear to violate state campaign finance laws.

Denver ballot proposal would mandate sick leave

DENVER (AP) — Denver voters could be asked whether to require businesses to give paid sick leave to all employees.

Backers of a ballot proposal to do that say they’ve got enough signatures to get it on Denver’s ballot in November. Organizers with The Campaign for a Healthy Denver say they turned in petitions with more than 12,000 signatures to the city clerk’s office Tuesday.

Petitions with 3,973 valid signatures are required to place the proposal on the ballot. The clerk’s office has 25 days to verify the signatures.

The proposal would apply to businesses of all sizes. Companies with fewer than 10 employees would have to offer five days of sick leave but larger employers would have to provide nine days.

Similar proposals have failed to pass at the state Legislature.

Denver mayor-elect names chief of staff

DENVER (AP) — Denver Mayor-elect Michael Hancock has chosen the head of a group of business executives as his chief of staff.

Hancock said Tuesday that he has appointed Janice Sinden, 39. She is executive director of Colorado Concern, an alliance of more than 100 top executives from across Colorado.

The Denver Post reports Sinden began her career working for former U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo. Hancock says he selected Sinden because of her experience with economic development and education issues.

Sinden says she is a fourth-generation Coloradan who grew up in Fort Collins and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. She founded a political and public relations consulting firm.

Hancock easily defeated former Sen. Chris Romer in a runoff election in June and will be sworn in as mayor July 18.

CU gets $300,000 for coal gasification research

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The University of Colorado is getting federal funding for research aimed at helping use coal more efficiently and cleanly.

The Department of Energy said Tuesday that CU would get $300,000 for work on improving reactors that gasify coal, rather than burn it. Princeton University and Iowa State University also received grants for related projects.

Professor of chemical engineering Christine Hrenya will lead Ph.D. students on the project in Boulder.

Their aim will be to help make gasification reactors more efficient so they can harness up to 60 percent of coal’s energy, as opposed to 40 percent with traditional burning.

The greenhouse gases produced in gasification can be captured more easily and at lower costs than those from conventional combustion.HAPPENINGS– “Get Fit in the Garden – Wellness Walk,” 8-10:30 a.m., Nature programs at Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center, 1805 N. 30th St., free, meet at lower level foyer.– Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Western Museum of Mining and Industry, in front of red house, 225 North Gate Blvd.– Farmers market, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., parking lot, 7610 N. Union Blvd.– “Bugs Around the World” children’s program, 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., East Library, 5550 N. Union Blvd, free.– “Hear Ye, Hear Ye” children’s program, 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., East Library, 5550 N. Union Blvd., free.– “Animals Around the World”: Children’s program, 10:30 a.m., Palmer Lake Library Branch, 66 Lower Glenway, Palmer Lake, free; 481-2587.– “Ballet Folklorico” children’s program, 10:30 a.m., Sand Creek Library Branch, 1821 S. Academy Blvd., free.– Colorado Farm and Art Market, 3-7 p.m., Sculpture Garden, outside Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St.– “Historic Manitou Walking Tours,” 5:30 p.m., Manitou Springs Heritage Center, 517 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, $10 per person.– Promises with Bob Alexander, 6-8 p.m., Gateway Park at Wolf Ranch, Powers Boulevard and Research Parkway, free.– John Stone, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Hillside Gardens, 1006 S. Institute St., $4 for a ticket that’s redeemable for $4 at the bar.