NEWS: Thursday September 2, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 2nd, 2010

The City of Gunnison is now exploring alternative locations for their dispatch center instead of moving it to the new jail. Gunnison Country Times says that the cost is more than expected.  Currently dispatch is in the basement of the County Courthouse, it’s possible it’ll just stay there. In May, the city committed nearly $20,000 to early design work for the new dispatch center at the jail, and then in June another $8,000 was added to that equation. When all is said and done, an estimated $60,000 would be required just for the planning of the space.  Whether dispatch moves to the new jail or not, Gunnison County Emergency Operations Center intends on becoming a part of the new jail.
Source: Gunnison Country Times (Posted 11:54a)

Want cheap groceries? Then make a quick stop at the Delta Super grocery store as they are having a liquidation sale. The Delta County Independent says the 35 year old grocery store is shutting down due to hard economic times. The Cedaredge Mercantile, owned by the Bynum family, is not closing. The final business day of Delta Super is undetermined.  It’ll depend on how the liquidation sale goes. Everything in the store (except tobacco products) is 10% off.
Source: Delta County Independent (Posted 11:55a)

Have you been driving slower in Montrose? Well good, because in case you haven’t noticed, the speed limit headed south of town (Highway 50) is lower, and it’s staying that way. The speed limit has been lowered from 45 to 40. It kicks up to 50mph just before Oxbow Crossing.
(Posted 11:46a)

Student enrollment down in Delta County. The Delta County Joint School District #50 was right on target last year when they guesstimated their enrollment would be down this year. The Delta County Independent says that for the third year in a row, enrollment across the school district is down. The official student count will happen October 1st.
Source: Delta County Independent (Posted 11:47a)

The public is invited to another open house of the current Olathe Farm Dorms which the Montrose Housing Authority has accepted to turn into a Community Corrections facility.  That deal though, is only acceptable if approved by the Olathe Board of Trustees on September 13th. The Open House is Saturday from 4-7 at N. River Road in Olathe. Currently clients of the 7th Judicial District are sent to other corrections facilities since there is no CommCorr within the District. There was a push for a CommCorr facility in Montrose in 2007 (across from the Sheriff’s Office), but it was heavily opposed by residents. Source: Daily Press contributed to this story    (Posted 10:26a)

Tonight Scott Tipton is holding a town hall meeting at Grand Junction City Hall. He will take all questions, and discuss immigration, healthcare, jobs, the economy and more. The open meeting begins at 6:30.
Source: PSA    (Posted 10:27a)

NEWS: Thursday September 2, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 2nd, 2010

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is being pretty hush-hush about the death of a teen in Clifton yesterday afternoon. According to the Daily Sentinel, witnesses say the boy was 16-years-old and that he and his friend were attempting to disassemble a .22-caliber bullet in order to, “blow stuff up,” when the round went off and stuck one of the kids in the chest. The boy died on scene. The other teenage boy was led away in handcuffs with his hands covered in evidence-protective bags. The case is under investigation.
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 6:57a)

Another joins the race. Last week, Joe Matyk notified the Gunnison County Clerk’s office of his intention to run as a write-in candidate in the race for County Commissioner. An article by the Gunnison Country Times says that Matyk, a resident of Crested Butte South, was a Republican, but switched to Independent for the race. He joins Phil Chamberland and incumbent Jim Starr in the race for the sole seat up for grabs on the three-person board.
Source: Gunnison Country Times (Posted 6:58a)

The Delta County Sheriff’s Office is actively seeking the public’s help in solving a possible decade-old homicide after human remains were recently identified.  The Delta County Independent says that the remains found in the Bear Creek area in 2009 are those of Sheri Lynn Trujillo (Espinoza), a 22-year-old who went missing in 1998.  Her remains were located by a contractor working for the Oxbow mine. If you have any information on the case of Sheri Trujillo, contact the Delta County Crime Stoppers anonymous line at 874-8810.
Source: Delta County Independent (Posted 7:13a)

Childhood obesity. It’s a health problem with a nearly 130-million dollar annual price tag, but Colorado fares better than the rest of the nation in fighting childhood obesity. September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and new federal standards being proposed this fall could make for healthier eating before, after and during the school day. David Adamson is executive director of Mountain Family Health Centers in Glenwood Springs – he says the problem is particularly acute for poorer children and those in Colorado’s rural communities. Nationwide, one-in-three children is either overweight or obese, but the problem is not quite so bad in Colorado where obese and overweight kids number only one-in-five. Health care to treat obesity-related illnesses and conditions cost the United States an estimated 150 billion dollars every year.
Source: Press Release    (Posted 7:14a)

NEWS: Thursday September 2, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 2nd, 2010

Marsh gets jail time. The former Western State volleyball player who traveled the country with friends to collect money for her cancer treatments will serve time in jail, for lying about having cancer.  According to the Gunnison Country Times, Tausha Marsh was sentenced Monday to spend 36 days in jail and complete 3,000 hours of community service. Marsh convinced her friends to travel the country with her in 2008, but they later became suspicious and turned her over to law enforcement.

Marsh was charged last year with five felonies and one misdemeanor, but as a condition of a plea agreement, Marsh was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. Two were completed and District Court Chief Judge J. Steven Patrick tossed the first one out. The second evaluation showed that Marsh believed that what she did was socially and morally honorable.

In a 2008, Gunnison Country Times article, Marsh explained that she was stricken with bone cancer in 2004, and then three years later was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Marsh finally admitted to Gunnison law enforcement that she’d never been officially diagnosed with cancer, but that she did have an extensive medical history and that that fundraising campaign was launched without her consent.

Marsh’s friends who embarked on a “Why Do I Ride?” journey across the country in her name, Bill Swift and Logan Marlatt, are torn by their friend’s actions. Swift told the paper that she (Marsh) is a “theif, a liar, and a criminal…”

Marsh agreed to plead guilty to one felony and one misdemeanor charge–charitable fraud and second-degree forgery–as part of the plea deal. Marlatt said having the “why” answered, would help her move on from her friend’s lies.  Marsh was also sentenced to four years supervised probation, to pay restitution to the victims who have requested payment, to donate $9,000 (the amount equal to what was spent from fundraising) to the American Cancer Society, and to write handwritten letters of apology to each victim and to the Gunnison Country Times.  The judge said that he decided on the jail time after questioning how long Swift and Marlatt  spent traveling in the country fundraising, saying that, “…sitting in a jail cell is going to be substantially easier than what your friends did.”

I guess if any good came out of this, it’s the fact that she doesn’t have the horrible disease that takes numerous lives every day.
Source: Gunnison Country Times (Posted 6:02a)

The fakeness is spreading. The police officer’s wife told a tragic tale of dying from cancer that elicited sympathy and donations from friends and neighbors, but authorities said Wednesday that it was all a ruse to fund her prescription drug habit. The Denver Post says Ann Crall of Highlands Ranch, raised about $60,000 over four years from her husband’s coworkers, their church, even families of their children’s schoolmates, according to an indictment. The 31-year-old faces six counts of theft, and one count each of charitable fraud and forgery. Her husband, Richard, also believed she had cancer, said John Moore, president of a foundation that donated $2,000 to the family and whose members held pig roasts and other fundraisers for Crall. Richard is not facing any charges.

Crall’s ruse went on for years, with her updating donors about her treatment and cancer, and at one point saying her cancer was at stage IV, which meant it was spreading to other organs in her body, according to the indictment. Her husband applied for financial help with Moore’s Lakewood Police Employees Assistance Foundation, but a department commander told him there was suspicion about whether his wife had cancer.

Officials with the foundation demanded proof, and got it in the form of a letter from a cancer hospital where Ann Crall allegedly was being treated. It was a forgery, according to the indictment.

“Everybody on the (foundation) board was looking at each other and saying, `I’m glad she’s alive and well,’ but here she had some type of cancer that we thought was supposed to be fatal,” Moore said. “You would think somebody would be losing their hair due to chemo or the drugs, loss of weight or something. You know, sick-looking.”

Those who saw her said she appeared healthy. Ann Crall is being held in a Douglas County jail south of Denver on $25,000 bail. She faces charges in Jefferson County, west of Denver, because that’s where most of the money was raised.
Source: Denver Post (Posted 6:01a)

TRIDENT arrest. On August 24, 2010, the Two Rivers Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) conducted an investigation after receiving information about an individual selling cocaine, marijuana, and prescription medication. As a result, the following individual was arrested and taken into custody by TRIDENT:
Name: Steven Power, 33 years of age
Address: Aurora, Colorado
Charged with:
—Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Oxycodone), a Class 4 Felony
—Distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Oxycodone), a Class 3 Felony
—Violation of Restraining Order (for possession of a firearm)
—Failure to Signal as Required for Lane Change, a Traffic Infraction

A Class 3 felony has a range of 2 to 24 years in prison and a $3,000 to $750,000 fine. A Class 4 felony has a range of 1 to12 years in prison and $2,000-$500,000 fine. The suspect was also found to be in possession of a .45 caliber handgun – an action in violation of a judge’s restraining order from a prior case.

TRIDENT is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force funded through Federal, State and Local government funding sources. Anyone with information about drug trafficking in the area is encouraged to call TRIDENT at (970) 945-0744.
Source: Press Release    (Posted 5:57a)

U.S. Representative John Salazar (D-CO) spoke to members of the Fort Lewis College, Native American, Durango and La Plata County communities at the College’s Student Union Addition Grand Opening ceremony. The ceremony took place at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday in the Union’s new Animas Lounge.

The congressman was present to speak about the legislation, H.R. 5974, that he introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives on August 3, 2010. The legislation would change the way the Native American Tuition Waiver at Fort Lewis College is funded.

Currently, the state of Colorado is responsible for paying the tuition for all Native American students that attend Fort Lewis. If this new legislation passes, the bill states that it would “direct the Secretary of Education to pay to Fort Lewis College in the State of Colorado an amount equal to the tuition charges for Indian students who are not residents of the State of Colorado.” In short, the aim is to divide the cost of the Native American Tuition Waiver, with Colorado paying for resident students and the U.S. Department of Education paying for non-resident students. The goal is to not cut into other Native American funding the federal government provides.

Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Mark Udall (D-CO) introduced companion legislation into the U.S. Senate on August 6, 2010.

Representative Salazar was introduced by his friend, former Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. Senator Campbell is a longtime supporter of Fort Lewis College, as well as Rep. Salazar’s legislation.

“One of the issues that we’re facing across the entire state of Colorado is state funding of public education,” said Representative Salazar.

Over the last 25 years, Colorado has spent more than $110 million on the Native American Tuition Waiver. This has led some state legislators to challenge the amount that is paid for the waiver. The most recent challenge came in January 2010 when a bill was introduced in the state legislature that would have reduced the funding that Colorado paid to Fort Lewis College for the waiver. The funding reduction bill was withdrawn from consideration.

The justification for Representative Salazar’s legislation is two-fold. First, the cost of the tuition waiver has far surpassed the monetary value of the land in Hesperus, CO, that was given to Colorado in exchange for tuition-free education for Native Americans. The Hesperus land, called the Old Fort Lewis property, is valued today at approximately $19 million, a small amount when compared to the $110 million that Colorado has paid in the last quarter century.

Second, the benefits of educating Native American students reach beyond just the borders of Colorado. In fall 2009, 608 non-resident Native American students attended Fort Lewis College compared to 130 resident students. Upon graduating, many of those non-resident students return to their home states and reservations where they put their education to work. As the benefits of an educated Native American community extend beyond Colorado, so should the cost of offering a tuition-free education to those Native American students.

“One of the things we wanted to do is try to make the feds responsible for the out-of-state tuition portion, $10 million a year,” the congressman explained. “We’ve introduced this legislation. I think it’s time for the federal government to start paying their fair share of tuition.”

The bill introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives is co-sponsored by Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Rep. Betsey Markey (D-CO), Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM).

Fort Lewis College and Native American Education Today
Thanks to the Native American Tuition Waiver and the exceptional educational experience offered at Fort Lewis College, the number of Native Americans taking advantage of the waiver has continued to increase over the years. In fall 2009, 738 Native American students attended the College.

A few noteworthy statistics:

• Fort Lewis College confers more bachelor’s degrees upon Native American students than any other bachelor’s degree-granting institution in the country.
• In fall 2009, approximately 20 percent of the Fort Lewis College student body was Native American. Members of over 120 tribes from 44 states were represented in the student body.
• In 2009, Fort Lewis College awarded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees to 95 Native American students. This number represents approximately 10 percent of the total number of STEM degrees awarded to Native American students in the entire United States.

History of the Native American Tuition Waiver at Fort Lewis College
The Native American Tuition Waiver at Fort Lewis College dates back 100 years to an agreement between the federal government and the state of Colorado. The Old Fort Lewis property in Hesperus, CO, was home to a military post and Indian boarding school, both operated by the federal government, until 1910 when the land was offered to Colorado. If Colorado chose to accept the land, the state would need to follow two conditions.

The two conditions, as stated in the 1910 agreement (36 Stat. 273, chapter 140) that officially offered the land, are (1) “…That said lands and buildings shall be held and maintained by the State of Colorado as an institution of learning…” and (2) “…that Indian pupils shall at all times be admitted to such school free of charge for tuition and on terms of equality with white pupils…”

In short, Colorado would get the land and keep it as an “institution of learning” and Native American students would be offered a tuition-free education and be treated equally with other students.

After choosing to accept the land, Colorado opened an agricultural high school in 1911. Almost two decades later, the high school became a junior college before moving to Durango in 1956 and evolving into a four-year institution. In 1964, the college officially adopted the name of Fort Lewis College.
Source: Press Release    (Posted 5:56a)

NEWS: Wed. Sept. 1, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 1st, 2010

A teenage boy is dead following a shooting at a Clifton home. This was confirmed by  a Mesa County sheriff’s deputy who recently talked with NBC 11 News.   A neighbor explains that  two teens at a house on Susan Street in Clifton were taking apart bullets when one went off and hit one of the boys in the chest, killing him.  Mesa County Sheriff’s office has no further comment and have cordoned off the scene with crime scene tape.  One neighbor said he did hear screaming from the house and went over to investigate.  He found a teenage boy on the porch coughing with a gunshot wound in his chest.  He died on the scene.  An ambulance had been dispatched but left without taking anyone away….
Source: NBC 11 News (Posted 5:32p by Jim Kapp)

The Democrat running for Garfield County sheriff says the man who lost the Republican primary will be his undersheriff if he’s elected. The Daily Sentinel has learned that Tom Dalessandri has chosen Doug Winters for the job.  Winters had lost in a narrow primary to incumbent Lou Vallario.  Winters is a Rifle resident and an Eagle County Sheriff’s detective.  Dalessadri said he chose Winters because the two have similar philosophies.  Both have also critized Vallario for the oversized sheriff’s office budget during Vallario’s term.
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 5:33p by Jim Kapp)

The fall open burning season begins in Mesa County tomorrow and continues through Oct. 1^st. KJCT explains that all residential and commercial open burning requires a permit from either a local fire dept. or from the Mesa County Health Dept.  Some fire districts are also asking for permits for agricultural burning and notification of burns prior to ignition.
Source: KJCT (Posted 5:41p by Jim Kapp)

The reading of the resolution opposing Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 took much longer than the unanimous decision of the Norwood School Board to adopt it at last week’s regular meeting. The Norwood Post said as a result  the members decided to quickly move to officially oppose the measures and hope that others will follow suit.  The measures all propose cutting taxes and fees in various ways and proponents say this will save taxpayers money.  Opponents, however, claim that the passing of these amendments and proposition will not only break the state but break it beyone the point of repair….
Source: Norwood Post (Posted 5:44p by Jim Kapp)

NEWS: Wed. Sept. 1, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 1st, 2010

Hostage situation is over.  Gunman has been shot dead.  Police shot a man upset with the Discovery Channel network’s programming who took three people hostage at the company’s headquarters Wednesday, officials said. All three hostages escaped safely.  According to the Denver Post, authorities have identified the gunman as James J. Lee.
Source: Denver Post (Posted 3:57p by Jim Kapp)

Triple A in Colorado says gas stations are taking advantage of what they expect to be a very busy weekend on the roads. KJCT reports that with Labor Day weekend fast approaching, the average gallon of gas will cost you about $2.79 in Grand Junction,  That’s up from $2.75 last week.  Some communities in the Western Slope are expected to pay even more.  Montrose is averaging $2.85 a gallon.  However, the national average is actually going down.  Triple A explains that by saying its all about supply and demand as a result the national average can sometimes be misleading.
Source: KJCT (Posted 3:50p by Jim Kapp)

PSA ANNOUNCEMENTS; WED., SEPT. 1, 2010Posted by Jim Kapp on September 1st, 2010

Around the Corner Art Gallery will be showcasing two guest artists this month.  Cari Ann Sample-Malver who will be exhibiting her original and colorful tapestries and Earl Alford of Cimarron will showcase his exceptional wood sculptures. On Tue. Sept. 10^th MAPA, Montrose Animal Protection Agency, will announce the winner of their logo art contest during a reception at Around the Corner Art Gallery.  Everyone is invited….               

The Ouray County Performing Arts Guild will host the 8^th Annual San Juan Music Fest with Chamber Music Series featuring Max Levinson.  On Sat. Sept. 11^th there’ll be a Happy Birthday Tribute Concert featuring the works of Chopin and Schumann which will be held at 4-H Event Center in Ridgway at 7:30pm.  On Sun. Sept. 12 it’s the Piano and Cello Master Class at 2pm.  The Young People’s Concert will take place Mon. Sept. 13^th at Ouray School.  For tickets and information visit their website, www.ocpag.org….    

GED Test Preparation classes will begin on Wed. Sept. 8^th.  Morning classes will take place Mon, Wed, and Fri. from 8:30am to 11:30am.  Eve. Classes will be on Mon. and Wed. from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.  Classes will be held at the School District Administration Complex at 900 Colorado Ave.  Registration fee is $25 per semester.  For more information call Adult Basic Education at 249-2028…. 

Tue. Sept. 10^th  The Homestead at Montrose invites everyone to enjoy  “Coneys and Cars” from 5 to 8pm.  The Black Canyon Classic Car Club will be on hand to display many of their classic vehicles and the Homestead will provide Coney Dogs.  The entire event is free and open to the public and will be held at The Homestead at Montrose at 1819 Pavilion Drive.  For more details call 252-9359. 

Partners is holding their 2010 16^th annual Partners Challenge Ride Weekend Get-Away Sept. 25^th and 26^th.  This two day event will trail along Cerro Summit over Owl Creek Pass to Ouray on the first day then on Day 2 participants will go over Log Hill to River Road and back to Montrose.  There will be dinner and lodge stops in Ouray.  Check in is at 7am at Cerro Summit on Sept. 25^th.  Registration deadline is Sun. Sept. 8^th.   For complete details call Partners at 249-1116…. 

The San Juan Healthcare Foundation is presenting its 13^th annual National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo to help benefit the San Juan Healthcare Foundation Caring Friends Fund.  The event is set for Fri. and Sat. Sept. 17^th and 18^th at the Turn of the Century.    Friday’s show features International Cowboy Family Variety Show at tickets are $10.  Sat. Night the Cowboy Poetry Contest Winners will be showcased and special guest will be singer/songwriter Brenn Hill.  Tickets are $20.  Tickets for both nights are $28.  For more details call 252-2814…. 

The horse races are back in Montrose with the Black Canyon Race Meet, Sept. 11 and 12^th at the Montrose County Fairgrounds.  Post time is 1pm.  In between races there’ll team sorting competition.  Admission is free and for more information call 970-749-5841….

Ute Indian Museum is celebrating Chipeta Day on Sat. Sept. 4^th with a variety of events planned.  There’ll be an Indian Picture Opera film at Noon, Culture Program with Jemez Pueblo Dancers at 4pm, Buffalo feast at 5pm, Art and Wine reception  with Silent auction at 7 and live auction of art works at 8pm.  All events and entrance to the museum are free.  For more information contact the museum at 249-3098…

NEWS: Wednesday September 1, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 1st, 2010

Around 11:00 this morning, Grand Junction Police responded to a 911 call at the Opportunity Center located at 1129 Colorado Avenue. The call stated there was an out of control male harassing students. Because of safety concerns the school was immediately placed on lock down. Officers arrived and the subject fled on foot to an apartment in the 100 block of S. 11th Street. The subject was contacted and was subsequently taken into protective custody. He was transported to Colorado West Mental health for evaluation. The school was on lock down for about 1 hour. There are potential charges pending. No further information is available at this time.
Source: Press Release    (Posted 12:53p)

NEWS: Wednesday September 1, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 1st, 2010

Four more people have confirmed cases of West Nile virus in Mesa County, bringing the total number to six affected people. The Mesa County Health Department tells the Daily Sentinel that the demographics of those with the West Nile virus include one female and five males. All of the people who have contracted the virus are between the ages of 20 and 51.  One of those people has meningitis while the other five have West Nile fever. Symptoms of West Nile virus include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen lymph glands. An estimated 1 in 150 people with West Nile virus will develop a more severe form of the disease, such as encephalitis and meningitis. Illness can occur in people of any age, but those more than 50 years old or with compromised immune systems are at higher risk of getting severely ill after contracting West Nile virus.
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 12:05p)

Montrose County: The Montrose County Health & Human Services Department says as of August 31st there have been NO confirmed cases of the West Nile Virus in the county. No mosquitoes have tested positive for the virus within the county either.
(Posted 1:12p)

Pine Mountain prescribed burn scheduled. The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest is planning a small prescribed burn in the Pine Mountain area on the Uncompahgre Plateau, sometime during the month of September or early October, when weather and vegetative conditions allow. The burn site is located on the Uncompahgre National Forest approximately 8 miles southeast of the community of Gateway, Colorado.

During the late summer/early fall of 2010, approximately 290 acres will be initially targeted for implementation. All of this will be within Unit 1 and will only involve Forest Service lands. Implementation is expected to take 2 days, however patrols will occur over following days to assure the fire is within prescribed limits and areas. If burning prescription parameters hold until the end of fall hunting seasons, portions of Unit 3 may be burned in late fall.

This area supports stands of naturally occurring Ponderosa Pine with an understory of assorted brush species (oak, snowberry, serviceberry etc). Ponderosa Pine ecosystems are fire dependant systems meaning they require fire to maintain system viability.

According to Grand Valley District Ranger Connie Clementson, “Over the past several years, various vegetative treatments of the area have occurred, including commercial timber harvest, pre-commercial thinning and reducing the remaining understory and slash. These management ignited fire treatments will be the final treatments within the Pine Mountain Project Area. “ Clementson went on to explain that the reduction of fuel loads and enhancement of wildlife habitat will also result from burning.

The area will be posted with signs. Hunters and recreationists are advised not to set up camp in this area during September or early October.
Source: Press Release    (Posted 12:37p)

NEWS: Wednesday September 1, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 1st, 2010

Pavement Preservation Project to Begin in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. On September 9, 2010, pavement preservation work will begin on the South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. In order to facilitate the safe and timely completion of this work, some disruption of traffic and parking patterns will occur. All paved roads and parking areas within the park will be improved under this project, including the South Rim Drive, campground, parking lots, and viewpoints.

This Pavement Preservation Project consists of patching, crack sealing, chip sealing, micro surfacing, and striping. Chip sealing requires the use of large pieces of equipment approximately ten feet in width. Delays of up to 15 minutes are possible. The project is expected to conclude at or near the end of September, weather permitting.

Visitors, community members, and park partners are encouraged to visit the park’s website regularly at www.nps.gov/blca for the latest updates and changes. The National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, contractors, and subcontractors are all committed to minimizing impacts to visitors and community members.
Source: Press Release    (Posted 12:00p)

TRIDENT arrest. On August 24, 2010, the Two Rivers Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) conducted an investigation after receiving information about an individual selling cocaine, marijuana, and prescription medication. As a result, the following individual was arrested and taken into custody by TRIDENT:
Name: Steven Power, 33 years of age
Address: Aurora, Colorado
Charged with:
—Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Oxycodone), a Class 4 Felony
—Distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Oxycodone), a Class 3 Felony
—Violation of Restraining Order (for possession of a firearm)
—Failure to Signal as Required for Lane Change, a Traffic Infraction

A Class 3 felony has a range of 2 to 24 years in prison and a $3,000 to $750,000 fine.  A Class 4 felony has a range of 1 to12 years in prison and $2,000-$500,000 fine. The suspect was also found to be in possession of a .45 caliber handgun – an action in violation of a judge’s restraining order from a prior case.

TRIDENT is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force funded through Federal, State and Local government funding sources.  Anyone with information about drug trafficking in the area is encouraged to call TRIDENT at (970) 945-0744.
Source: Press Release    (Posted 11:53a)

Commanders at Fort Carson said the suicide rate among their soldiers is on track to drop by 45 percent. News Channel 13 in Colorado Springs writes that Fort Carson’s deputy commanding general for support, Brig. Gen. Jim Pasquarette, said Wednesday the decrease might be due in part to a campaign to make mental health experts more accessible and to reduce the stigma sometimes associated with seeking help. He cautions that the rate could still climb. He said officials are still studying the reasons for the declining rate at the post. Suicide rates are measured in deaths per 100,000 people. Pasquarette said Fort Carson’s rate was 44 per 100,000 in 2008, and this year is on track to be 25 per 100,000. The Army’s overall suicide rate is about 22 per 100,000.Source: News Channel 13/AP    (Posted 11:09a)