NEWS: Wednesday March 10, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on March 10th, 2010

Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the recession began. This according to the figures that came out last month from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Seventeen percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed.  According to the Daily Planet this high rate of unemployment is based on many factors including a slump in construction, tourism being down and not much work the agricultural industry during the winter.  But one of the biggest factors is the mines shutting down.
Source: Daily Planet (Posted 5:52a)

A team of six hiked up 900 feet up Glenwood Canyon yesterday and removed loose rock. Today crews will hike up to the location once again and drilling and other equipment will be airlifted by helicopter to the site.  Due the challenging nature of the project, it is difficult to estimate when the mitigation work will be complete and when I-70 may reopen.  Should the rock be brought down successfully, causing minimum damage to the highway, crews could then begin repairs to the eastbound lanes in preparation of opening one lane in each direction using the eastbound lanes.
Source: Press Release   (Posted 5:51a)

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remain leading causes of illness and death in the United States. Each year, approximately 16-22 million persons in the United States are tested for HIV. In Colorado there were a total of 6570 individuals with HIV infection. In Montrose County there were three new cases of HIV infection in 2009.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections.  The four major routes of transmission are unsafe sex, contaminated needles, breast milk, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth. Screening of blood products for HIV has largely eliminated transmission through blood transfusions or infected blood products in the developed world. Most people infected with HIV eventually develop AIDS. These individuals mostly die from opportunistic infections or malignancies associated with the progressive failure of the immune system. Everyone should know there HIV status. The earlier one knows if they are HIV positive, the earlier treatment can start.  Treatment with anti-retrovirals increases the life expectancy of people infected with HIV. Even after HIV has progressed to diagnosable AIDS, the average survival time with antiretroviral therapy was estimated to be more than 5 years as of 2005.

Montrose County Health & Human Services is the only county in our six county region providing rapid HIV screening free of charge for anyone wanting to know their HIV status.  This screening is strictly confidential and results are available immediately.  To take advantage of this free program, call 252-7052 for an appointment or information.  Individuals may also walk in without an appointment if this works better for them.
Source: PSA   (Posted 5:50a)

The liberal group ProgressNow wants Coloradans to boycott Amazon.com over the retailer’s decision to cut ties with online affiliates in the state. KJCT writes the boycott call came yesterday, a day after Amazon broke with Colorado bloggers and Web site operators who help it sell products.
Source: KJCT/AP   (Posted 5:50a)

NEWS; Tue. March 9, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on March 9th, 2010

A CBI background check of 31 year-old Robert McCleland shows arrests on two occasions. In 1997 and 1999 he was charged with disorderly conduct, domestic violence, resisting arrest and other charges.  NBC 11 News reports that last night police say he was responsible for the death of another man and is now facing first degree murder charges.  According to a report by the Grand Junction Police, this isn’t the first time police officers have been called McCleland’s home.  In the past eighteen months, police records show cops have been called out for noise complaints, verbal disturbances and much more.  He is being held in the Mesa County Jail.
Source: NBC 11 News (Posted 5:12p by Jim Kapp)

The indefinite closure from the Glenwood Canyon rock-slide actually has two industries benefiting. KJCT reports that Amtrak and various flights from the Western Slope are seeing increased demands.  Amtrak says the tracks were not affected by the rock slide and is continuing normal operation.  Plane services are seeing increased number of travelers as well. For this week alone, the number of passengers using the Denver Air Connection has gone up exponentially.
Source: KJCT (Posted 5:13p by Jim Kapp)

Dolores County’s unemployment rate is the worst for any county in the state since the Great Recession began. This according to the figures that came out last month from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  17 percent of Dolores County residents were considered unemployed.  According to the Daily Planet this high rate of unemployment is based on many factors including a slump in construction, tourism being down and not much work the agricultural industry during the winter.  But one of the biggest factors is the mines shutting down.
Source: Daily Planet (Posted 3:54p by Jim Kapp)

Skywest Airlines says a plane that returned to the Aspen Airport because of smoke inside didn’t complete the flight to Denver as officials originally said. NBC 11 News reports that Skywest spokesperson Marissa Snow had said that passengers were booked on later flights to their destination.  The plane itself was flown to Denver for maintenance with no passengers aboard.  Snow says her earlier statements were incorrect. Initial reports said the smoke was in the cockpit, but some passengers witnessed the  smoke coming from the  main cabin.
Source: NBC 11 News (Posted 3:55p by Jim Kapp)

A section of 18 Road is closed this week to allow construction of a new convenience store. A Maverick convenience store is being built at the corner of Highway 6 & 50 and 18 Road in Fruita. KJCT reports  the store is set to open at the end of April. The intersection will be closed through Sunday. Traffic is being re-routed onto 19 Road.  Maverick is a family owned company based out of Utah and Wyoming. They have about 200 stores in seven western states. Maverick plans to build two more stores in the Grand Valley this year.
Source: KJCT (Posted 3:56p by Jim Kapp)

AREA STATE BASKETBALL BROADCASTSPosted by Jim Kerschner on March 9th, 2010

We will be broadcasting State Basketball this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Ouray and Ridgway boys will be covered on 103.7  The Blast starting Thursday with Ridgway playing Hi Plains at 10:15 am and Ouray vs. Creede  at 1:15 pm. Friday and Saturday contests will also be on 103.7 The Blast.

The Paonia Girls will be broadcast live on 94Kix commencing Thursday at 11:45 am vs. Holyoke. All Paonia games will carried on 94Kix.

The Olathe Pirate Girls play Coal Ridge Thursday at 8:45 am and you can follow all of the Olathe State Basketball games on AM580 Kubc.

For up to date results of all State Basketball games go to http://www.coloradopreps.com/ .

NEWS: Tuesday March 9, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on March 9th, 2010

San Miguel Power Association, Inc. (SMPA) will have two board positions up for election this year. The director representatives for District 3 and 6 will be elected at the co-op’s annual meeting to be held June 5, 2010 at the San Miguel County Fairgrounds. The district areas are listed below.

District 3: Norwood Town, Rural Norwood, Rico, Elk Mountain, Placerville, Specie Mesa
District 6: Ridgway, Colona, Idlewilde Estates, East Log Hill, Elk Meadows

Members living within those districts who are interested in running for a board position must pick up a nomination packet from SMPA. For further information or questions please contact, SMPA Executive Secretary Toni Bertorello, (970) 626-5549 or toni@smpa.com.

Nominees must reside within the district for which they are running and return their nomination petition, signed by 15 or more registered members from within that district, on or before 5:30 pm, April 20, 2010. SMPA will not be responsible for missed deadlines due to delays in mail service.  Nomination petitions can be mailed or dropped off in person at any of the following office locations:

Mailing Address
PO Box 1150, Ridgway, CO 81432

Physical Address
170 W. 10th Avenue, Nucla, CO 81424
720 N. Railroad Street, Ridgway, CO 81432

SMPA board members serve four year terms and have the responsibility of setting the strategic direction for the cooperative. Directors are required to represent the membership on a fair and impartial basis for the best interest of all members and attend regularly scheduled board meetings. Attendance at national, state and local meetings, where the interest of San Miguel Power is concerned, is often necessary as well.

“Directors deal with many complex issues facing the changing utility environment.  They must invest the time to learn and stay abreast of these issues to effectively represent the members in board decisions,” explained SMPA General Manager Kevin Ritter.

San Miguel Power Association, Inc. is a member owned, locally controlled rural electric cooperative with offices in Nucla and Ridgway, CO. It is the mission of San Miguel Power Association, Inc. to demonstrate corporate responsibility and community service while providing safe, reliable, cost effective and   environmentally responsible electrical service. SMPA serves approximately 9,600 members and 13,000 meters and supports local communities with $200,000 annually in property taxes.
Source: Press Release   (Posted 11:29a)

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers today announced his endorsement of former Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton for the United States Senate. Before serving as Attorney General, Suthers served as District Attorney in his hometown of Colorado Springs.

“Jane Norton is a person of principle and integrity, and I am certain she will be an exceptional representative for the citizens of this state in the U.S. Senate,” commented Suthers. “She has a proven track record of experience in tackling and solving big issues, and I believe she is the right person to stand up for Colorado’s law enforcement community in our nation’s capitol.”

Suthers is a former U.S. Attorney and former member of Governor Bill Owens’ cabinet.  He currently serves on the executive committee of the National Association of Attorneys General and as chairman of the Conference of Western Attorneys General.

“Jane Norton is just what we need in the U.S. Senate: a Colorado conservative,” continued Suthers.  “She will be a strong voice for common sense solutions to the challenges we face.”

“The people of Colorado couldn’t ask for a better Attorney General than John Suthers,” said Norton. “He is a true statesman and model of how to solve law enforcement challenges through cooperation and hard work. I am proud to have his backing as we continue to work to return Colorado values to the United States Senate.”
Source: Press Release   (Posted 10:40a)

NEWS: Tuesday March 9, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on March 9th, 2010

I-70 remains closed.
Crews have begun their hike up the hillside in Glenwood Canyon and will begin rock scaling by around 10:00 A.M. They will start scaling above the unstable rock and work towards it with the goal of prying it loose and/or gaining a better understanding of its stability. The rock is approximately 20 feet in diameter.
Source: Press Release   (Posted 9:03a)

The Tri-County Independence Caucus/9-12 Project is hosting a forum 7:00p tonight at the Montrose Board of Realtors (125 Merchant Drive). This forum will be for Montrose City Council At-Large candidates, Pat Tracey, Ray Rose, and Bill Patterson and also the Sheriff candidates, Rick Dunlap and Shawn Cline. The public is encouraged to attend and bring questions for the candidates.
Source: PSA   (Posted 9:00a)

While an Aspen attorney drove through Glenwood Canyon an hour and a half before the rockslide Sunday night, he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief…actually he does that almost every time he drives through there.  Art Daily tells the Daily Sentinel that while he clearly made it through the canyon this time, he didn’t in 1995.  He was driving home from one of his son’s hockey games then, with his wife and kids in the car when a boulder crashed into them, killing all but him. He’s since remarried and has two more sons, and recently co-authored “Out of the Canyon” with his wife, a story about cosign with loss and moving on with life. He says he appreciates all that highway officials do to protect those on the roads from falling rock, but that complete protection isn’t possible. He said he’s just glad this time, no one was hurt from Sunday’s rockslides.
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 8:47a)

Garfield County Regional Airport is scheduled to close to airplane traffic for about seven months for improvement projects, including a realignment of the runway. Airport officials say the only landings will be helicopters that don’t need a runway. KJCT says The airport will undergo federally funded improvements, including new runway lighting, new parking spaces for planes and equipment.
Source: KJCT/AP   (Posted 8:46a)

The Montrose Meteors Special Olympics basketball team earned a Silver Medal at the Special Olympics State Basketball Tournament in Denver last weekend.  The team coached by Sandi Mike narrowly missed the gold by a 3-point game, 23-20.
Source: Press Release   (Posted 8:46a)

NEWS: Tuesday March 9, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on March 9th, 2010

If all the paperwork goes through six medical marijuana dispensaries could be operating in Crested Butted by this summer. Crested Butte News reports that out of 24 applications taken, six were returned to the town with a $1,000 fee. The town of Crested Butte recently passed an ordinance regarding medical marijuana, and yesterday was the deadline to turn in applications.
Source: Crested Butte News (Posted 8:16a)

Amazon.com told many of its Colorado online business affiliates yesterday that it would sever its business relationship with them after lawmakers enacted a law that requires some consumers to pay state sales tax.  The Denver Post says the law mandates Amazon and other retailers notify their online shoppers they must pay 2.9% sales tax on purchases when purchased through a local website. Senator Greg Brophy intends on trying to reverse the tax measure. On the other hand, Governor Ritter issued a statement saying Amazon is “simply trying to avoid compliance with Colorado law.”
Source: Denver Post (Posted 8:14a)

Gunnison elk hunters will see significant regulation and license changes for the 2010 big game seasons. Two groups–archery hunters and second-season rifle hunters–are affected most by changes to license allocation and should plan carefully before arriving to the Gunnison area this fall.

“We want to make sure hunters accustomed to purchasing over-the-counter elk licenses are aware of these changes well before the start of the seasons,” said J Wenum, DOW area wildlife manager for Gunnison. “We don’t want hunters showing up here realizing they cannot purchase licenses or that licenses have been sold out.”

Beginning this year, archery hunters can no longer purchase over-the-counter licenses for Game Management Units 54, 55 and 551. All Gunnison archery licenses are allocated by the limited drawing only for the 2010 season. Therefore, bow hunters must participate in the spring drawing and have applications submitted prior to the April 6 deadline to obtain licenses for these Units.

In addition, the Division of Wildlife is planning to reduce archery elk licenses approximately 30 to 50 percent for the upcoming season based on guidance already given by the Wildlife Commission. The 2010 license allocation is based on a three-year average of license sales during the 2007-09 seasons.

Second-season rifle hunters will also see a change in license allocation in Unit 54. Similar to previous years, hunters may purchase over-the-counter elk licenses, but licenses will be “capped” and limited in quantity. Licenses are sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning July 13 at statewide DOW offices and license agents, and online on the DOW Web site.

Approved last year under the Five-Year Review of Big Game Season Structure, the Colorado Wildlife Commission implemented these changes to improve hunter harvest rates and to bring overpopulated Gunnison elk herds closer to objective.

During the past several years, the number of archery hunters has increased significantly in the Gunnison Basin. Increased hunting pressure has caused an early movement of elk into sanctuary areas–private ranches and wilderness areas–making animals inaccessible to both archery hunters and rifle hunters later in the season.

Wildlife managers are optimistic that reducing early season hunting pressure will improve overall hunter success and help to lower elk populations.

“Overall, these changes should provide expanded opportunities for rifle hunters to harvest antlerless elk,” said Wenum.

For a list and explanation of all 2010 Gunnison Basin big game regulation changes, please visit the following link: http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/97D14105-03A3-40EA-9C26-010C3C41DCEB/0/GunnisonBasinChanges2010.pdf
Source: Press Release   (Posted 7:57a)

NEWS: Tuesday March 9, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on March 9th, 2010

A handful of people lost power yesterday evening after a car struck a telephone pole on Ash Mesa Road. DMEA says 93 customers were without power for just over an hour after a car accident at 4:30 yesterday.
Source: DMEA   (Posted 5:46a)

CDOT crews worked until dark yesterday to clear rocks from a slide in Glenwood Canyon. I-70 remains closed. Work will continue at daybreak today where rock scaling crews will determine the best way to mitigate the rocks. Crews continue to work fast to clear debris. As a result of this rockslide, Governor Ritter declared this section of I-70 a disaster emergency. This will allow the state to seek  funding from the Federal Highway Administration to help pay for repairs.
Source: Press Release   (Posted 5:46a)

It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it. Grand Junction firefighters were called to a home on N. Sparn Ct. yesterday after a 9-year-old boy was stuck in the mud—waist deep.  NBC 11 News reports that the more the boy tried to free himself, the more he sunk. He was safely rescued and wasn’t injured, just cold and muddy. Firefighters were able to hose him off.
Source: NBC 11 News (Posted 5:45a)

General Motors and Chrysler are dropping their fight against a bill aimed at helping Colorado auto dealers whose businesses were dropped by the struggling automakers. KJCT says they changed their stance after winning some concessions backed by the Colorado Senate. The bill would require that manufacturers reimburse dealers for money spent upgrading their dealerships. Dropped dealers would also get a right of first refusal if manufacturers later award their franchise to another nearby business.
Source: KJCT/AP   (Posted 5:43a)

NEWS: Mon. March 8, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on March 8th, 2010

Bond has been set at $1 million for the Grand Junction man accused of shooting and killing another man Sunday night. Earlier today  court documents shed some  new light on what led up to the tragic events on Texas Avenue.  According to NBC 11 News Thirty-one-year-old Robert McCleland  is facing many charges, the most serious is first degree murder.  During an interview with police, McCleland said the neighbor was being confrontational and he told him to leave several times. When the man wouldn’t, McCleland says he walked inside his house and got gun.  He fired one shot at his feet, then a 2^nd that hit his foot and when he wouldn’t leave fire at 3^rd shot at his head.  McCleland told investigators that he did have a few beers that night.  He is due back in court next week.
Source: NBC 11 News (Posted 5:17p by Jim Kapp)

Federal prosecutors in Utah say that despite the death of an undercover informant they’ll move ahead with cases against more than 20 people charged after a long-running artifacts looting investigation. The Daily Sentinel says that acting U.S. Attorney for Utah Carlie Christensen says she feels the cases will move forward.  Ted Gardiner died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 1^st.  He was one of the main characters in the government’s case.   Ultimately 26 people were indicted.  The first case for trial is set for May 3.
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 5:18p by Jim Kapp)

Officials say a jet carrying 74 people made an emergency landing at the Aspen airport after smoke entered the pilot’s cabin. Pitkin County Sheriff’s Dept. says Skywest Airlines Flight 5940 made a safe landing Sunday afternoon and there were no reports of injury among the passengers and the 4 crew members.  A spokewoman from the airline told Glenwood Springs Post Independent that the emergency occurred shortly before 1pm after the aircraft left Aspen on its way to Denver…
Source: Glenwood Springs Post Independent (Posted 5:19p by Jim Kapp)

NEW: Mon. March 8, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on March 8th, 2010

The Telluride Regional Airport will complete runway project, thanks to $17 million from the federal government. According to the Daily Planet, on Thursday the federal gov’t allocated the money to the airport to be used to improve the runway safety area.  This marks the 2^nd project for the runway totaling some $58 million in improvements.  The previous phase of construction shut down the airport from last spring through this fall and entailed what amounted to a complete overhaul of the runway.  This latest phase will widen the remaining safety areas and add an engineered material arresting system.
Source: Daily Planet (Posted 4:01p by Jim Kapp)

Amazon is cutting off affiliates that help it sell products in Colorado because of a new tax on online sales imposed by Gov. Ritter. The Daily Sentinel explains that affiliates earn money by using their Web sites to link customers to online sellers like Amazon. Amazon told affiliates in an e-mail today it would no longer pay them advertising fees because of the new law. The law says online retailers have to start collecting state sales tax themselves or send annual notices to customers telling them to pay the tax.
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 4:02p by Jim Kapp)

Crews are preparing to blast away huge boulders deposited on Interstate 70 by a weekend rock slide. As a result, I-70 by Glenwood Canyon will be closed until the road is cleared out.  NBC 11 News reports that CDOT spokesperson, Stacy Stegman says crews are drilling holes in the boulders and inserting explosives  and blast them into smaller pieces so they can be hauled away.  She said the westbound lanes had the worst damage.  The slide struck around midnight near Hanging Lake Tunnel.  N o injuries or damage to vehicles were reported……
Source: NBC 11 News (Posted 4:04p by Jim Kapp)