NEWS: Thur. Sept. 9, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 9th, 2010

Enrollment  is up from 185 to 206  at the Ouray Elementary School. And the new principal , Scott Pankow, couldn’t be happier.  The Watch reports that he and his family moved here from the Garfield School District and has been very impressed with both the town and the school.  He also gave praise to Superintendent Nick Schafer and the school board for conservative planning.  And as a result of the increased students at Ouray Elementary a new full-time teacher for kindergarten, Rebecca Hazen, has been hired….
Source: The Watch (Posted 5:56p by Jim Kapp)

Because of the high winds that have effected much of the state, Boulder residents have been put on alert to be ready to evacuate if that wildfire, that has already destroyed at least 169 home in nearby foothills, approaches the city. Winds are expected to gust near 60 mph late today and early this evening in the Boulder area.  The Daily Sentinel writes that in steep canyon west of the city, firefighters are trying to secure fire lines around a 10 square mile blaze….
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 5:56p by Jim Kapp)

The state is using a new system that’s expected to create a much clearer picture of how school districts measure up. NBC 11 News reports that rather than just looking at scores from the student assessment program tests it will also take into account other test scores as well as high school drop out and graduation rates.  This is called the School Performance Frameworks report.   It also states  that after everything is assessed the districts in the bottom 15 per-cent will be required by the state to go back and create a new plan for next year which also must be approved by the state.
Source: NBC 11 News  (Posted 6:02p by Jim Kapp)

NEWS: Wed. Sept. 8, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 8th, 2010

Delta City Council is wasting no time in getting started on the 2011 city budget. Some of the key things they’re taking into consideration is the potential impact Proposition 101 and Amendments 60 and 61 will have on the city.  The Delta County Independent explains that those three measures will be on this fall’s ballot and could have a negative effect on the city’s revenues.  If cuts have to be made City Manager Joe Kerby says they would come from 3 primary areas, general fund, citywide capital improvement fund and the rec. center fund.  At the work session last week Kerby and the department heads shared their ideas on how they can streamline the budget if those initiatives pass.
Source: Delta County Independent (Posted 3:47p by Jim Kapp)

Earlier today members of the Boyd Group International and Montrose County Commissioners and staff met with the public. The meeting was called for Boyd to present their findings regarding due diligence concerning County support for EXTRA Aircraft, a German airplane manufacturing company. The meeting was continued without even as much as a presentation from Boyd.   Commissioner Gary Ellis reassured the crowd how important this is that it’s done right. Earlier today new information came to light from EXTRA and now the Boyd report is being edited. The next meeting is expected to be later this month…..(Posted 3:53p by Jim Kapp)

The U.S. Forest Service is taking aggressive measures as it makes plans to battle the investation of bark beetles. According to the Daily Sentinel, they’re planning on cutting more than 14,000 acres of trees near communities and in more than 350 recreation sites.  The agency came up with this contingency plan when U.S. Sen. Mark Udall asked how they plan on spending the $30 million to deal with this problem.  Udall is sponsoring a bill to provide more help for the infestation.
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 5:22p by Jim Kapp)

SunEdison is pleased to announce that it is moving forward with its proposal to develop and operate a 2 Megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar energy array system on a site located northeast of the intersection of Ouray County Road 10 and US Highway 550 near Ridgway, Colorado.  SunEdison will conduct an open house in the Ouray County 4-H Event Center on Thursday, September 16, 2010 between 5:30-7:30 PM to give the public an opportunity to review its plans for the facility…
Source: Press Release  (Posted 5:25p by Jim Kapp)

This Friday afternoon, Senator Bruce Whitehead will join Montrose City Councilor Bill Patterson with a stroll down Main Street Montrose. Sen. Whitehead will talk with the citizens of Montrose to see what issues are important to them.  The public is invited to come by and meet Senator Whitehead and tell him what issues concern you.    The purpose of this meet and walk is to give Sen Whitehead an idea of what’s important to the people and what he can do to represent you as your Senator….
Source: News Release  (Posted 5:26p by Jim Kapp)

NEWS: Mon. Sept. 7, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 7th, 2010

The Republican and Democratic nominees for governor pledged today in a joint press release to run campaigns specific to the issues, and they agreed to a fall debate schedule. Lots of debates.  In fact, Maes and Hickenlooper have agreed to 10 in all including the Colorado Decides 2010 “Gobernatorial General Election Debate” that aired last week.  The two have agreed to stick with the issues and let the voters decide whose best for the state.  Both campaigns will discuss a range of issues and participate in numerous forums before Election Day.
Source: Press Release  (Posted 5:26p by Jim Kapp)

Gov. Ritter has issued a state of emergency in Boulder County where the Four Mile Canyon wildfire continues to rage. The state has received a fire management assistance grant from FEMA to manage and control the fire that is threatening hundreds of homes and buildings.  U.S. Senator Michael Bennett says that FEMA assistance will help firefighters contain the blaze but as a whole the state needs to do more to prevent these disasters.  So far, over 7 thousand acres have burned forcing at least 3500 people to evacuate their homes.  There is no estimate on how many homes and buildings have been destroyed….
Source: News Release  (Posted 5:28p by Jim Kapp)

NEWS: Mon. Sept. 7, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 7th, 2010

The Board of County Commissioners will hold a special meeting tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday, September 8^th at 2:00 p.m. at Friendship Hall. Boyd Group International (the professional consulting company the county hired to conduct due diligence on Extra Aircraft Manufacturing Company) will present their findings on the due diligence of Extra Aircraft.  They will be available to answer questions.  The Board will make a decision regarding County support for Extra Aircraft at this meeting.  The public and the media are encouraged to attend.
Source: News Release  (Posted 4:01p by Jim Kapp)

Late yesterday afternoon the Burning Mountain Fire Crew were dispatched to a structure on fire in the Apple Tree Community south of New Castle. When they arrived they found a single-wide mobile home on Lot 44 engulfed in flames and smoke.  Officials requested help from Rifle and Glenwood Springs fire depts.  All departments were able to extinguished the fire within an hour however, the residence is considering the home a total loss.  There were no injuries reported…
Source: News Release  (Posted 4:02p by Jim Kapp)

NEWS: Fri. Sept. 3, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on September 3rd, 2010

Single home sales in Delta County dropped 50 per cent from last year according to Lynn Vogel of Comparable Sales Research. However, on the flip side The Watch writes that Ouray County saw their numbers go up 12.5 per cent with 5 sales last year and 7 so far this year.  Vogel explains that where the local housing market is going depends on who you talk to…..
Source: The Watch (Posted 5:33p by Jim Kapp)

Area churches in Montrose have banded together to help feed the hungry. The churches formed a group called “Weekend Blessings”.  The Daily Press explains that Weekend Blessings fills a much needed void.  While Christ’s Kitchen serves meals each week day, it does not serve on weekends.  So this group fills that gap.  Coordinator for Weekend Blessings, Carolyn Hickerson, says this concept also grew out of the Backpacks for Kids program….
Source: Montrose Daily Press (Posted 5:35p by Jim Kapp)

A day after Troy Martinez died from a gunshot wound, friends are remembering him as having a wonderful personality and enormous heart. KJCT writes that last night, they held a candlelight vigil for the teenager who just started his sophomore year at Central High School in Grand Junction.  It was a vigil organized by his friends at Central High School. Their relationship as students kept them together, but outside of school is what kept them close.  While they don’t know what exactly happened yesterday afternoon, they do know one thing. They’ll never forget Troy.  Meanwhile the Sheriff’s office is continuing its investigation and understands that those close to Martinez want some answers but they’re trying to cover aspect of the case first…..
Source: KJCT (Posted 4:50p by Jim Kapp)

District Judge Brian Flynn has rejected a plea agreement in a drug case for a Grand Junction man convicted of dragging a dog to death. According to the Daily Sentinel the judge said the plea agreement was weak especially coming from one who has low prospects for rehabilitation considering he’s got a rap sheet that includes six prior felonies and several trips in and out of prison in several states.  The person in question, Steven Clay Romero, shook  his head in disbelief and escorted back to Mesa County jail.  He’s scheduled for trial on Jan. 4^th…..
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 4:52p by Jim Kapp)

Thanks to Jerry Sutherland and a handful of other volunteers from the Black Canyon Racing Assoc. horse racing returns to Montrose. It’s been about six years since the track at the fairgrounds hosted a meet of any size.  According to The Watch it’s taken two years of hard work to get the track back to racing form.  It was the county that urged the association to getting the track back in shape.  That meant re-welding fences, repairing the track, and smooth out the surface.  Sutherland explains that one of the main goals of the association is to bring more races in next year and have more than just one race meet.  The first race meet this year will be Sept. 11th and 12^th….
Source: The Watch (Posted 3:45p by Jim Kapp)

Cottonwood Elementary School kids no longer have to lunch in the gymnasium, but their new “cafetorium” also benefits the kids, school and community in other ways. The Daily Press describes the new gym as being quite versatile.  This new facility includes a new lunchroom which has bathrooms, water fountains and windows.The cafetorium will also serve as the school autditorium and art classroom.  Plus, it not only be used by the kids but the community in general.  The school opened the cafetorium next to the gym earlier this week, and students poured in Tuesday eager to eat in their new lunchroom.
Source: Montrose Daily Press (Posted 3:47p by Jim Kapp)

NEWS: Tue. Aug. 31, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on August 31st, 2010

Last night  a crash involving two off duty Eagle County deputy sheriffs riding a motorcycle resulted in the closure of I-70 east bound for a short while. KREX says that about 7pm officer Alex Iacovetto crashed when driving his motorcycle near the Glenwood Springs exit near mile marker 129.  He skidded across the interstate and struck a barrier where he was ejected from his bike.   His passenger, another deputy was unhurt in the crash and called 911.   Iacovetto was taken to Valley View hospital in Glenwood Springs with leg injuries.  He remains in stable condition this afternoon.   The incident is still under investigation.
Source: KREX (Posted 3:55p by Jim Kapp)

A Paonia man who sexually assaulted three children inside a Delta church has been sentenced to probation. NBC 11 News reports that according to a Delta Court Clerk, Reginald Jackson pleaded guilty to harassment and was sentenced to 4 years probation and will have to pay court fines and costs.  It was back on Sept. 16^th of last year that Delta Police were called out to the First Assembly of God Church where 3 kids explained to the police that while they were playing Jackson came into their room and touched them inappropriately.  Jackson admitted those charges during an interview with the Delta Police….
Source: NBC 11 News (Posted 3:56p by Jim Kapp)

A man who died in a mobile home fire near New Castle on Sunday has been identified. He’s Sanford Vaughn Griffin, age 78.  The Garfield County Coroner’s office has listed his cause of death from carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke and soot inhalation.  According to the Daily Sentinel, a witness says that it was a burning barrel of trash which may have caused the fire to erupt. A neighbor had explained that Griffin had been burning trash close to his porch but was inside when the home caught fire.  The neighbor also said that the trash had made some small explosion noises and he though that maybe something blew out of the barrel and ignited nearby gasoline or some other accelerant….
Source: News Release and Daily Sentinel (Posted 5:05p by Jim Kapp)

The Colorado National Monument is gaining national recognition as one of the favorite national parks in the west. KJCT has learned that since the beginning of August a national grant program has been asking the public to vote for their favorite state or national park.  To this point the Colorado National Monument has been getting growing supporters and could end up helping local kids.  The winner of this national grant program contest will receive $100 grand.  So far the Monument has a tally of over 26 thousand votes….
Source: KJCT (Posted 5:07p by Jim Kapp)

NEWS: Mon. Aug. 30, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on August 30th, 2010

A diverse advisory group to the Bureau of Land Management is criticizing plans to prohibit oil and gas drilling in the Vermillion Basin northwest of Craig. The Daily Sentinel writes that the Northwest Resource Advisory Council is asking the BLM not to proceed with issuing a final decision that would reverse earlier plans to allow drilling there.   The council has pointed out that the proposed reversal represents a Washington-imposed policy that ignores the BLM’s previous preference for a locally generated compromise proposal to allow drilling that disrupts about 1 percent of the basin at a time….
Source: Daily Sentinel (Posted 5:22p by Jim Kapp)

For years, the Town of Telluride has owned the Bear Creek Preserve, a canyon located just south of Telluride and is home to waterfalls, forests and  very popular with hikers and joggers. The Daily Planet says just this past week the town annexed 382 acres of the Bear Creek Preserve.  The land is also under a conservation easement administered by the San Miguel Conservation Foundation.  The annexation is not expected to have noticeable impacts on the way the land is managed.  The biggest change will probably be the transfer of Bear Creek Road from county to town jurisdiction.    This preserve was established 15 years ago….
Source: Daily Planet (Posted 5:23p by Jim Kapp)

Gunnison County sold $18 million in bonds last Tuesday to fund the construction of a jail and public works facility over the next 18 months. The Crested Butte News explains that this sale was a combination of a few traditional tax-exempt bond-backed certificates of participation and Build America Bonds.  Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Build America Bonds are an authorization that allowed municipalities and counties to issue taxable debt, but still get a 35 per cent tax subsidy, in cash from the federal government for interest paid.
Source: Crested Butte News (Posted 5:26p by Jim Kapp)

94KIX: Cabela’s “Ugliest Campsite” ContestPosted by Janine Mayfield on August 27th, 2010

Winner: Bruce Bufkin of Hotchkiss!!!

Prize: Gift Certificate to Cabela’s!!

(Retired canoe–lovely Duct Tape, really. A place for the goats to lounge now.)

(Archery target.)

(Anchor.)

(Cooler…again, there’s that Duct Tape.)

CONGRATULATIONS BRUCE!!!

Now get over to Cabela’s and replace your ugly stuff with brand new stuff!!!

NEWS: Tuesday August 3, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on August 3rd, 2010

Are voters getting tired of Colorado’s Senate primary candidates? The folks in southern Colorado appear to be, with a major debate planned in Pueblo being canceled for lack of interest. The Daily Press posts that Action 22, a civic group that advocates for 22 southern Colorado counties, planned to play host to Democrat Andrew Romanoff and Republican Senate rivals Ken Buck and Jane Norton on Wednesday. But the group canceled the debate Tuesday morning. Action 22 president Cathy Garcia blamed early voting and negative campaigning for the lack of interest. She said that many in her group said they’d already voted in the mostly mail-in election that wraps up Aug. 10. Garcia also said that members said they were tired of hearing the candidates attack each other.
Source: Daily Press/AP   (Posted 10:33a)

More than 2,000 Colorado businesses, from growers to dispensaries, have applied for new state medical marijuana licenses. The Daily Sentinel says the applications were due Sunday and provide the first good sense of the size of Colorado’s medical marijuana industry. The figure could still rise because applications postmarked by the due date will still be counted. The 2,059 forms received so far include applications from 717 dispensaries, 271 marijuana product makers and 1,071 marijuana growers. Those applicants paid more than $7 million in fees, an average of about $3,400 per business.
Source: Daily Sentinel/AP   (Posted 10:23a)

Senator John McCain will be making a visit to Grand Junction Sunday, on the campaign trail with senate candidate Jane Norton. According to NBC 11 News, the two will make an appearance Sunday at 2 p.m. at Mesa State College. Norton and McCain are calling for a renewed commitment to victory in the War on Terror. Norton is facing off against fellow Republican Ken Buck for the GOP nod in the August 10th primary. Norton is a Grand Junction native.
Source: NBC 11 News (Posted 10:25a)

Mesa State hires former Swiss Army CEO. Mesa State College has hired former Swiss Army Brand, Inc. Chief Executive Officer and President Rick Taggart as Acting Executive Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment. Taggert will take on his new role on Monday, August 2nd.

“We are very excited to have someone with Mr. Taggart’s breadth and depth of experience in marketing, branding and strategic planning join the Mesa State management team,” said MSC President Tim Foster. “We look forward to him bringing his wealth of knowledge from the private sector to this institution as it continues to grow and evolve.”

Taggart served as Swiss Army Brands, Inc. CEO and President from 1995-2001 and again from 2007-2010. He was co-owner of Pyramid Printing in Grand Junction from 2001-2008. He is well known in the community and was president of the former Marmot, Inc. from 1983-1985, when he negotiated the sale of the company to The Timberland Company.

“Higher education played a huge role in my career and having the opportunity to help students pursue their educations is exciting,” Taggart said. “Mesa State has always felt like my home since my days as an adjunct professor.”

Prior to his return to Swiss Army, Taggart also taught marketing at Mesa State. He will also return to the classroom at Mesa State. Taggart has a Bachelor of Science in Business administration from Syracuse University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

“As Mesa State faces an increasingly competitive environment and as we face additional cuts in state funding, one of the avenues in which we must continue to excel    is the recruitment and retention of more students,” Foster said. “We believe Mr. Taggart will help us continue to advance and evolve in the highly competitive arena that is higher education.”

Foster credits the recent increases in enrollment and retention as key in the college’s ability to provide a quality education experience at an affordable price.

“It’s not the only thing but it is a significant part of that balancing act,” Foster said.
Source: Press Release   (Posted 10:36a)

NEWS: Thursday April 29, 2010Posted by Janine Mayfield on April 29th, 2010

A big change in the way teachers and principals are evaluated is up for a vote in the Colorado Senate. According to KJCT, senators are scheduled to debate and take an initial vote on the issue Thursday. Currently, teachers can earn tenure after three years in the classroom but a bipartisan proposal would change that. Only teachers who have improved student performance for three straight years would be able to earn job protections. Teachers already tenured could lose that status if their students fail to show progress for two straight years. Principals would be judged based on both how their students and teachers are doing. They would have to evaluate their teachers every year. Currently, tenured teachers only have to be evaluated every three years. The measure is Senate Bill 191.
Source: KJCT/AP   (Posted 10:33a)

Today at noon, Governor Ritter will sign the Fiscal Year 2010-11 state budget – House Bill 1376, also known as the Long Bill – into law. During the recession, Ritter and lawmakers have taken a balanced approach to keeping the budget balanced by cutting costs, reducing spending and closing shortfalls of roughly $3.5 billion.
Source: Press Release   (Posted 9:37a)

A Colorado sheriff’s deputy who resigned after allegations he used a stun gun on high school students during a job fair now faces child abuse charges. The Denver Post says Lake County prosecutors filed 11 misdemeanor charges of child abuse and nine counts of reckless endangerment yesterday against Deputy John Ortega. Lake County Sheriff Ed Holte says Ortega “foolishly agreed” to use the stun gun on the students earlier this month after they insisted they wanted to know what it felt like to be shocked. He faces up to more than 27 years in jail if convicted of all charges.
Source: Denver Post (Posted 9:38a)

The annual Gunnison Sate of the River meeting is set for Monday May 3rd and anyone is invited to attend. Streamflow conditions, reservoir operations, and an exploration of the critical decisions concerning the Colorado River will be discussed during this 7 o’clock meeting which follows the regularly scheduled Gunnison Basin Roundtable meeting.  Both meetings are being held at the Holiday Inn Express in Montrose.
Source: PSA   (Posted 9:38a)