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(Archived date is not publication date) STILL COLDER TEMPS, MORE WIND TO COME (Link expired) Colorado 9 southeast of Fairplay in Park County was closed because of treacherous snowfall and accidents caused by icy roads, State Patrol Capt. James Wolfinbarger said. Troopers were scrambling to handle several accidents on U.S. 285 near Fairplay. (Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News, December 27, 2003) SCHOOLS GET REPORT CARDS Colorado's 2003 School Accountability Reports show overall improvement, especially in elementary grades. Park County Schools rate Average and High for the current year. (Park County Bulletin, December 4, 2003) REINDEER ASK COMMUNITY FOR HELP (Link expired) With Christmas Eve drawing very near, Santa's Reindeer are asking for the cooperation of Park County residents. (Park County Bulletin, December 23, 2003) CLAUS FILES FLIGHT PLAN (Link expired) Mr. Santa Claus, annual visitor to Park County, has filed his usual flight plan with the Dept. of Air Sleigh Holiday Event Records (DASHER). (Park County Bulletin, December 22, 2003) CUT YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TREE SPAM TAKES A HIT Congress on Monday approved the first national effort to stem the flood of unwanted pitches known as spam, advertising messages that offer prescription drugs, cheap loans and other come-ons. (Ted Bridis, Associated Press, December 9, 2003) MATHENY SENTENCED IN GUFFEY MURDERS Jonathan Edward Matheny, 20, was sentenced today to 68 years in prison after he was convicted for his role in the slayings of a Guffey couple and their 15-year-old grandson, Tony Dutcher. (Associated Press, December 1, 2003) YOUTH GROUPS GET GRANTS TO FIGHT TOBACCO (Link expired) The Colorado Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (CTEPP) has awarded 41 youth coalitions an average of $3,000 apiece to continue tobacco cessation education efforts for young people. Among the coalitions are the Mountain Mentors in Frisco and the Park County School District in Fairplay, which were awarded $3,878 and $3,258, respectively. (Jane Stebbins, Summit Daily News, December 13, 2003) BOTTORF ACQUITTED ON THEFT CHARGES (Link expired) - A jury of seven men and five women found Bottorf not guilty of felony charges of theft and embezzlement of public property. (Ried Williams, Summit Daily News, December 12, 2003) Related: Capt. Gore testifies in Summit jail theft (Link expired) COLORADO FLU CASES INCREASE The number of confirmed flu cases in Colorado has grown to more than 6,300 and includes at least five deaths, all of them children, the state health department reported today. (Associated Press, December 3, 2003) (December 14, 2003, 06:15)
STATE SUPREME COURT RULES REDISTRICTING UNCONSTITUTIONAL Under the ruling, Colorado's seven congressional districts revert to boundaries drawn up by a Denver judge last year after lawmakers failed to agree. (Steven K. Paulson, Associated Press Writer, December 1, 2003) CHRISTMAS TREE PERMITS ON SALE NOW (SOLD OUT) Cutting your own Christmas tree on the South Platte Ranger District is a special family affair which many families look forward to year after year. This is a great family event with Smokey Bear available for photos. The South Platte Ranger District is offering 7000 tree permits for sale this year at $10 each. (November 7, 2003) COLORADO ROADS STUDIED FOR TOLL LANE FEASIBILITY (Link expired) Last month, the Colorado Department of Transportation's nascent toll-road division, called the Colorado Tolling Enterprise, hired a South Carolina consulting company to study the feasibility of toll highways in the state. US 285 between Denver and Conifer is in the study. (Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News, December 1, 2003) FIGHTING FIRE WITH BETTER HIRES (Link expired) The two words don't belong together: "firefighter arson." According to a government report titled "Firefighter Arson," firefighters around the country - the vast majority of whom are willing to die to protect the public - are being forced to confront the idea of ultimate betrayal. (Jim Sheeler, Rocky Mountain News, November 29, 2003) COLORADO FLU SEASON MAY BE WORST IN 20 YEARS "We have confirmed a total of 3,957 cases of the flu statewide as of today, and the numbers keep climbing," Doug Benevento, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said Wednesday. (Mike Patty and Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News, November 27, 2003) Related: FLU SPREADS, KAISER GIVES WRONG VACCINE Related: FOUR CHILDREN DIE, 3,399 CASES CONFIRMED THIS IS CITY LIFE? Visual evidence of human habitation is limited to a couple of ranches, the hamlet of Jefferson and a ribbon of concrete marking U.S. 285. However, [Park] county is now classified as part of a "metropolitan statistical area," according to the federal government, as are Gilpin, Clear Creek, Elbert and Teller counties, said Jerry O'Donnell of the U.S. Census Bureau. (Kit Miniclier, Denver Post, November 24, 2003) PARK COUNTY TO EXPAND FAIRPLAY JAIL Park County commissioners have given Sheriff Fred Wegener and jail Capt. Monty Gore the go-ahead to work out a contract for construction of a 100-bed expansion of the Park County Jail. (Linda Balough, Summit Daily News, November 21, 2003) MILLIONS OF ACRES PROPOSED FOR MEXICAN SPOTTED OWL (Link expired) DENVER (AP) - More than 13 million acres in four Western states would be designated as critical habitat for the endangered Mexican spotted owl under a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal released Tuesday. (AP/Casper Star Tribune, November 18, 2003) CONGRESS REACHES COMPROMISE ON FORESTRY BILL House and Senate negotiators agreed Wednesday on a compromise bill for reducing the risks of wildfires in national forests, focusing at least half the effort on areas near homes and towns. (Matthew Daly, Associated Press, November 19, 2003) TREE PARASITE CAUSES HAVOC IN FAIRPLAY PARK Recently, Bob Post, timber manager of the Forest Service in the Park County area, did a survey of all 176 trees in the park and determined that nearly all the lodgepole pines were beyond saving, and the three clumps of aspen were diseased as well. (Linda Balough, Summit Daily News, November 24, 2003) EXTREME FALL FIRE DANGER An especially dry autumn has resulted in extremely high wildfire danger levels across Colorado. (Christine McManus, Summit Daily News, October 22, 2003) COLORADO FLU CASES TOP 1500 - FAIRPLAY SCHOOLS CLOSE The state health department says there have been 1,525 confirmed cases of the flu in Colorado. Park County Re-2 District [Fairplay] decided to cancel classes at its schools on Thursday because of the epidemic. The superintendent says 30 percent of the students are out sick. (Jeannie Piper, 9News, November 19, 2003) ICE FISHING - HOLE-ISTIC THERAPY ...the most popular destinations among Colorado ice anglers are the mountain valley reservoirs in the middle. The king of them all is Eleven Mile [Elevenmile] Reservoir south of Fairplay. (Ed Dentry, Rocky Mountain News, November 15, 2003) CELL PHONE NUMBER PORTABILITY COMING The Federal Communications Commission's "local number portability" mandate is resulting in a rash of aggressive promotions as carriers seek to lure new customers and offset the expected loss of some of their current customers. (Jeff Smith, Rocky Mountain News, November 10, 2003) PARK COUNTY MINING CAVE YIELDS ANCIENT CLIMATE DATA In one Park County, Colorado cave, a pack rat collection of teeth and bones has yielded a layered slice of vole history between 600,000 and a million years ago, providing an unprecedented picture of how a species changes and evolves, and how its evolution is affected by climate change. (Science Daily, October 31, 2003) ANOTHER DOWNSIDE TO IMMIGRATION The CIS report, "Remaking the Political Landscape," says that the presence of millions of illegal immigrants in a relatively small number of states like California, Texas, Florida and New York has cost a number of other states congressional representation. The CIS concludes: "The presence of illegal aliens in other states caused Indiana, Michigan and Mississippi to each lose one seat in the House in 2000, while Montana failed to gain a seat it otherwise should have." (Al Knight, Denver Post Columnist, October 29, 2003) EVACUEES MAY GO HOME Residents evacuated in the wake of the Buckhorn Creek Fire may return home starting 6 PM Wednesday. Cooler temperatures and light winds compared to Tuesday’s 50 mph gusts were helping firefighters gain an upper hand on the 145-acre blaze. (Jeannie Piper, 9News, November 12, 2003) FIRES SPUR THINNING URGENCY Lawmakers from both parties are calling for fast action on President Bush´s forestry initiative, as wildfires that have killed at least 15 persons and destroyed more than 1,100 homes race through Southern California. (Audrey Hudson, The Washington Times, October 28, 2003) GROUND BREAKING - South Park Recreation Center will hold a Ground Breaking Ceremony and Luncheon Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003 at 11 AM - 1190 Bullet Road, next to Fairgrounds (Fairplay. Luncheon at the Hand Hotel follows the ceremony. For information, contact Kim at 719-836-0501
Leave No Trace builds awareness, appreciation and respect for our wildlands.
*Plan Ahead and Prepare
*Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
*Dispose of Waste Properly
*Leave What You Find
*Minimize Campfire Impacts
*Respect Wildlife
*Be Considerate of Other Visitors
FOREST FINANCES AMONG AGENCY'S CHALLENGES It will take money to fix the four big problems facing our national forests: invasive species, wildfires, loss of open space and unmanaged recreation. This year was the first time the U.S. Forest Service got a clean audit from federal accounting experts. But the agency needs to improve its financial practices to be taken seriously on capitol hill, according to Chief Dale Bosworth. (Editorial, DenverPost.com, October 3, 2003) WATER PROJECTS ON THE BALLOT (Link expired) On Nov. 4, Colorado voters will decide whether to approve a new $2 billion state-run financing authority to help build water projects. (Jerd Smith, Rocky Mountain News, September 25, 2003) REFERENDUM A - DROUGHT FIX OR WATER GRAB? While proponents say it provides another tool to store additional water in our semi- arid state, critics like to call it an unneeded "blank check" for those wanting to siphon more Western Slope water for Front Range development. (Todd Hartman, Rocky Mountain News, September 15, 2003) WEST NILE VIRUS CONFIRMED IN PARK COUNTY A Fairplay veterinarian confirmed the first case of West Nile Virus in Park County. (July 26, 2003) CHEROKEE RANCH FIRE EVACUATIONS LIFTED ~ All Douglas County evacuations have been lifted. Residents may return home. Strong police presence is on hand to prevent looting and other illegal activity. BIGGER SOLAR STORM HITS TODAY Another solar storm is expected to hit Earth today, and scientists say this one will pack a bigger wallop than last week's celestial squall, which disrupted airline radios but caused no major problems. Today's storm is expected to reach G-4 to G-5 intensity and possibly last 16 to 18 hours. (Jim Erickson, Rocky Mountain News, October 29, 2003) MAN FEARED DROWNED AT SPINNEY Rescue crews continue to search for a man who was fishing Friday afternoon with two friends at Spinney Reservoir and is believed to have drowned. Searchers have been using boats equipped with sonar and dogs to try and find James Henley, 42, of Woodland Park. (Paola Farer, 9News, October 26, 2003) SOLAR STORM AIMS AT EARTH (Link expired) - The spots and flares are already causing problems on Earth, particularly for people who use high-frequency radios. But on the bright side, people in Colorado might be able to see aurora borealis tonight if they look north, scientist Bill Murtagh said. (Ryan Morgan, Bouder Daily Camera, October 24, 2003) Related: Sun Erupts With Intense Activity (NOAA) SCHEDULED CONTROLLED BURNS POSTPONED The fire danger in the high country is getting worse, because there has not been significant moisture in many parts of the mountains. Vegetation is drying out. (Paola Farer and Susan Wells, 9News, October 20, 2003) CALIFORNIA WATERED DOWN Today California agrees, after more than 80 years of political wrangling, to give up its "thievin' ways" with Colorado River water. (Jerd Smith, Rocky Mountain News, October 16, 2003) PINE MAN SHOT BY DENVER POLICE A Pine man has died after being shot by Denver police at a hotel Saturday night. Brant Murphy, 38, died after he was taken to Denver Health Medical Center, police said Sunday. (Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News, October 13, 2003) HOMEOWNER ACQUITTED IN SHOOTING (Link expired) It took a Park County jury a little more than two hours to find LaQuine Thomas not guilty in the shooting death of Samuel Reece, said Bill Buckley, LaQuine's attorney. (Brian D. Crecente, Rocky Mountain News, October 11, 2003) THIRD IN MURDER CASE PLEADS GUILTY (Link expired) The last of three former high school students charged with killing a classmate and his grandparents has pleaded guilty and faces 48 to 80 years in prison. Matheny admitted to conspiring to kill Tony Dutcher, 15, of Colorado Springs and his grandparents, Carl and JoAnna Dutcher, who were found dead Jan. 3, 2001, at the Dutchers' home near Guffey. (The Associated Press, October 9, 2003) COURT OKS NO-CALL LIST PENDING APPEAL A federal appeals court today cleared the way for the Federal Trade Commission to finally start running its national do-not-call list, pending a court fight over whether the registry violates the industry's free-speech rights. (The Associated Press, October 7, 2003) WILDFIRE SEASON OF RECENT PAST NOT REPEATED As wildfire season ends this month, fire managers credit timely weather, luck and preparation for a rather calm summer in most of the region. (Patrick O'Driscoll, USA TODAY, October 6, 2003) JOHN O'SHEA DIES AT AGE 69 The Rev. John Leonard O'Shea, the former Denver deputy police chief and father of 10 who in June launched a new life as a Catholic priest, died from pneumonia this morning at St. Joseph's Hospital. He was 69. After running a mental-health program and serving as a school psychologist in Park County, he became head of the police academy at Trinidad State Junior College in 1993. (Paola Farer, 9NEWS, October 2, 2003)
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