Colorado Beef and Water

Colorado News
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Colorado Schools Prefer Beef Less Traveled
"A growing movement that advocates buying and eating locally produced food is gaining momentum in Colorado high schools, where students find homegrown beef can be more palatable — if pricier — than what cafeterias used to serve."

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Fire Danger Threatens Colorado's Water Supply
"Signs of climate change are already with us. Across the West, snowmelt runoff now starts 10 days earlier and fire seasons average 78 days longer than they did 20 years ago. Large forest fires burn six times as many acres and take five times longer to control. These trends threaten forest watersheds with increased floods and erosion and depleted summer flows."

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Spam and Foreign Firefighters

Colorado News
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Prison For Colorado Spam King
"A 35-year-old Louisville man who ran a "spam" empire, sending hundreds of thousands of unsolicited e-mail solicitations to computer users around the world, has been sentenced to prison and fined more than $700,000 by a federal court."

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Europeans Attend Colorado Firecamp
The Mountain Mail - "Instructors at Colorado Firecamp welcomed their first two international students, Paulo Gonçalves of Portugal and Nicola Lazzarini of Italy, earlier this month."

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Biotech, Renewable Energy, Income, and Snow

Colorado News
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Colorado's Per Capita Income Highest in Pitkin County
"Per capita personal income in Colorado ranges from a low of $16,859 in Crowley County to a high of $86,122 in Pitkin County, according to data released Thursday by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis."

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Eighteen Renewable Energy Bills Moving Through Colorado Legislature
"DENVER – Colorado energy czar Tom Plant is keeping a close watch on the last of at least 18 bills related to developing Colorado’s renewable energy resources that are still moving though the legislative process as this year’s General Assembly nears an end."

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Colorado Governor Signs Biotech Incentive Bill
"Colorado reached for its wallet to encourage biotech businesses in a move to match past rhetoric. Governor Bill Ritter has made meaningful economic development measures a cornerstone of his administration."

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Eight Colorado Resorts Set Snow Records
"Among Ski Country’s 26 members, record snowfall was recorded at Beaver Creek (430 inches), Crested Butte (422 inches), Monarch Mountain (482 inches), Powderhorn (320 inches), Silverton (550 inches), Snowmass (450 inches), Steamboat (489 inches) and Telluride (353 inches)."

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Lightbulbs and Lynx

Colorado News
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Conservationists Sue For Lynx Protection in New Mexico
"ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A coalition of conservation and animal protection groups on Monday sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to force it to extend federal protection to Canada lynx in New Mexico. 'Once lynx cross from Colorado into New Mexico — which they have been doing — they're suddenly not protected anymore.'"

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Recycling Program Begun in Colorado For Light Bulbs, Thermostats
"Xcel Energy Inc. and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Monday unveiled a recycling program for compact fluorescent light bulbs and thermostats containing mercury. The light bulbs and thermostats can be dropped off at any Ace Hardware location in Colorado. The retailer has 104 locations in the state. Although the light bulbs use less energy, the drawback is they contain small amounts of mercury. The recycling program is for individuals only, not for businesses."

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Now there's some good news for Earth Day. What do you think of the lynx reintroduction to Colorado? What do you think of those compact flourescent light bulbs? Click on the 'comments' link below to share your opinions.

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Gas and Water in Colorado

Colorado News
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Study: Boom Will Double Northwest Colorado Population
"A new study predicts that the energy industry will drive a doubling in population growth in northwest Colorado by 2035. And that’s not even taking into account what would happen if oil shale development takes place in the region, the report says."

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Alamosa Cleared to Use Water
"DENVER - They couldn't hear the celebration going on in Alamosa - the sound of tap water filling water glasses - when the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment lifted a state-imposed "boil water order" for the San Luis Valley community on Friday. The contamination left 389 people ill, 16 of whom had to be hospitalized."

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Gas Prices Nearing Records Levels in Colorado
"DENVER (AP) ― The price of regular unleaded gasoline is nearing record levels in Colorado while the price of diesel is at an all-time high."

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News From Around Colorado

Colorado News
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The Fastest Growing Town in Colorado
"NEW CASTLE, Colo. -- Dale Gray remembers when it wasn't a big deal for kids to walk around downtown New Castle with their guns. A community survey by RRC Associates of Boulder estimated the town's population at 3,443 in 2007, and New Castle maintained an average annual growth rate of 8.9 percent since 2000. Some wonder if New Castle hit 4,000 last summer. 'Per capita, it is the fastest growing town in Colorado,' said building official David Hunsicker."

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Grim Record Broken With 17 Deaths on Colorado Slopes
"17 skiers or snowboarders have died on slopes and mountains this season in Colorado, the most ever."

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Fire Danger Classified as Critical in Parts of Colorado
"KUSA – Officials have issued a RED FLAG WARNING for Saturday afternoon and evening for most of south central and southeast Colorado due to the increased potential for wildfires."

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Fine For Killing Colorado Bald Eagle Rises
"DENVER, Colorado — With a bald eagle named Adam looking over his shoulder, Gov. Bill Ritter signed into law a bill on Thursday that increases the penalties for poaching a bald eagle in Colorado after the federal government took the bird off the endangered species list. 'This law gives the bald eagle the same status in Colorado as the golden eagle, Rocky Mountain goat, desert bighorn sheep, the American peregrine falcon and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep," Ritter said as the bewildered bird looked on.'"

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Colorado Wind Power

Colorado News
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Austin Wind-Energy Company Moving to Colorado
"Austin's Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. is moving its headquarters to Broomfield, Colo., relocating 70 full-time employees. RES-Americas also said it plans to add 70 more employees at its new Broomfield site over the next year. Company officials said Broomfield is close to other RES-Americas operations, that Colorado's business and political climate supports renewable energy, and that the area enjoys a high quality of living."

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Woodward Plans to Build Wind Turbine Inverters in Colorado
"Woodward Governor Co. plans to add up to 100 new jobs in Colorado through the expansion of its wind turbine inverter business, which will include a new production line in northern Colorado to support the growing demand for clean energy in the U.S. Inverters are used to convert a wind turbine's variable output into grid-compatible electrical power."

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Who said renewable energy isn't good for the economy? It is certainly boosting the Colorado economy. Thank goodness we have some progressive thinking here. While many of us here in Chaffee County have been complaining about all the wind we've been having the last week or so, we might want to turn that thinking in a more positive direction. It would be nice to see some wind turbines around here generating clean renewable energy.

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Coffee and Buffalo

Colorado News
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Dozens of bison shot to death in Colorado
"Case looks like ‘random shooting that’s completely egregious,’ expert says."

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Starbucks Must Pay $100 million in Back Tips
"California judge rules supervisors can not take share of gratuities."

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This recent buffalo slaughter in Colorado is reminiscent of the wholesale slaughter of buffalo in the 1800's for nothing more than "sport." Have we not evolved any since then?

Starbucks earned 672 million dollars in profit last year but they won't pay their supervisors living wages. They augment their pathetic supervisory pay by allowing the supervisors to take a substantial amount of the tips customers leave for the hourly wage baristas. While this landmark case involves only Starbucks employees in California it will soon affect us here in Salida. After all, there are, not one but two, Starbucks opening up in Salida this year. (One in the local Safeway and one in the local McDonalds.) Will local Salidans be very willing to tip their Starbucks baristas knowing that a significant portion of their tips doesn't go to those baristas but rather to the managers of those Starbucks? Will they be willing to pay top dollar for coffee and then tip on top of that knowing that Starbucks profits while both the employees and the managers are utterly dependent on tips to make a living? What's your opinion on this? Click the "comments" link to share your opinion.

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Colorado Snowfall Nearing Records

Colorado News
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Colorado On Flood Watch
"Lakewood - Super-sized snowpacks and forecasts for a warm spring have large parts of the state on flood watch. State snowpacks, at 126 percent of average, are their highest in a decade, with some regions like the Arkansas River Basin seeing the deepest snows in 40 years, according the National Resources Conservation Service."

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Crested Butte Snowfall Nears Record
"Mt. Crested Butte, CO - Crested Butte Mountain Resort's (CBMR) ski season is on pace to break the resort's snowfall record, and resort officials are extending three weeks of half price skiing and riding to everyone with a season pass or card from any ski resort in the country. With more than 350 inches of snowfall by the beginning of March, CBMR is on track to top the existing record of 415 inches, recorded during the 1979-1980 winter season."

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Closer to home, Monarch Mountain has already passed the 400 inch mark.

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Pink Poodles, Turtles, and Vandalism

Colorado News
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Colorado Woman Faces $1,000 Fine for Dyeing Poodle Pink to Raise Awareness for Breast Cancer
"BOULDER, Colo. — Just about every product you can buy is available in pink, or at least pink packaging, to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research. But one hair stylist's move to color Cici, her white poodle, pink for the cause has gone too far and could cost her $1,000, authorities in Boulder said." Photo included.

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Vandalism at Catholic Church May Bring Charges Fro Mormon Missionaries
"Police said they will decide by Wednesday whether to press charges against three Mormon missionaries who allegedly vandalized a Catholic shrine in the San Luis Valley."

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Bill Making Turtle the Official Colorado Reptile Crawling Ahead
DENVER—A bill designating Colorado's official state reptile is still slowly moving through the Legislature.

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Teen Driving Deaths, Colorado Government & More

Colorado News
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Young Drivers' Fatalities in Colorado Dropped 34% in '07Denver Post: "The number of Colorado teens killed in car crashes has dropped by more than a third, but deaths could be even lower if more teenagers buckled up, authorities say."

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Report: Colorado Government Gets C+
"The Pew Center on the States released the report Monday, ranking states based on how well they manage their budgets, staffs, infrastructure and information. Colorado received a "C+" overall. The center complemented the state for passing Referendum C, which helps provide more funding for higher education by allowing the state to keep tax surpluses for five years."

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Colorado Ski Resort Dispute Starts Over
"WOLF CREEK PASS, Colorado — It’s now official. Environmental groups, including Colorado Wild, have dropped their lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service, which has agreed to take another stab at its environmental study of a road that would connect a real estate development to the base of the Wolf Creek Ski Area. But whether the Forest Service will draw any different conclusion is the key question. A press conference called by the U.S. Forest Service suggested it won’t."

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Costs, Prison Population Going Up in Colorado
"A new report by the Pew Center on the States' Public Safety Performance Project finds that the prison population in this country has crossed a sobering threshold, including here in Colorado. The report shows more than 1 in 100 adults in America are behind bars–and details what that is costing state taxpayers. Last year Colorado taxpayers footed a bill of $599 million to incarcerate 23 thousand people..."

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Medicaid Reduction Would Hit State Hard
"Colorado will lose $787 million in health care funds for low-income people during the next five years if proposed Bush administration cuts to Medicaid take effect, according to a new congressional report."

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Colorado Lynx, Tamarisk, and a Big Pipeline

Colorado News
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Local Lynx Survival In Doubt
The Durango Herald: "Federal wildlife officials will not designate land in Colorado as critical habitat for lynx, citing concerns about the long-term sustainability of the elusive, tuft-eared cat. The agency left Colorado out of its recent proposal to designate more than 40,000 square miles in six states as critical lynx habitat, despite the ongoing success of Colorado's eight-year-old reintroduction program. The agency's main concern was the decreasing number of litters born in the wild."

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Invasive Tamarisk Takes Over Colorado Basin
PUEBLO, Colo. -- Nearly 70 percent of Colorado land taken over by tamarisk is in the Arkansas River Basin, a recently completed mapping project reveals. Right now, tamarisk is covering about one-third of the acreage where it has been found, but it likely will choke out other plants until it is the only vegetation in the area. The leaves of the plant provide little nutrition to wildlife and the plants leach large quantities of salt from the soil into the water. Unlike native cottonwood trees, the plants also spread to upland areas.

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Colorado Springs Gets Support To Build Massive Pipeline From Pueblo
The debate continues over a billion dollar pipeline project affecting every community from Pueblo to Colorado Springs. The Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday it supports building the pipeline from the Pueblo reservoir straight north to the east side of Colorado Springs. This announcement is a victory for leaders in Colorado Springs, but it's not the plan the Sierra Club liked.

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Foreclosures, Job Loss, and Cloud-Seeding

Colorado News
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Colorado Ranks 5th in Nation in Foreclosures
The figures are out for 2007 and Colorado was ranked 5th in the nation for foreclosures. This is a slight improvement over 2006 when Colorado ranked number one. Click the link for a list of the 10 worst states in the nation.

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654 Jobs Lost in Colorado in January
"Seven Colorado companies were responsible for the mass layoffs of 654 people last month... The report shows fewer mass layoffs at Colorado companies than in the recent past, with 12 employers eliminating 767 jobs in December and 14 businesses laying off 1,244 workers in November."

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Cloud-Seeding Halted Over Concerns
Denver Post: "Even as wildlife managers were feeding deer deprived of grazing land by deep snowdrifts in the Gunnison Basin, clouds were being seeded to bring more precipitation in another part of the county."

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Mining Problems

Colorado News
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Colorado Residents Fight Uranium Mine
"NUNN, Colo. (AP) — Jean Hediger can stand at the edge of her organic wheat farm and look west to the Rockies, east toward this speck-in-the-road town and straight ahead into what she sees as her worst nightmare. A Canadian company's plans to establish a uranium mine just across the two-lane county road from Hediger's farm has triggered a bitter tug-of-war with residents of this fast-growing region about 70 miles north of Denver who fear the risk of contaminated water and other health problems."

"How do you farm organically next to a uranium mine?" Hediger asks.

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Lamborn Calls For Presidential Intervention in Leadville
Included in this article is Doug Lamborn's letter to President Bush. Here are more articles about the drainage problem in Leadville:
Colorado Residents Brace for Disaster (Los Angeles Times)
Leadville 'Disaster' Releases Cascade of Dissent (Rocky Mountain News)
Tunnel Flooding Worries Town (Denver Post)
Work Begins to Ease Leadville Mine Pressure (Pueblo Chieftain)
Leadville: Pumping to Begin in Three Months (Vail Daily News)
The Leadville tunnel drainage problem and the threat of an imminent disaster has been a hot topic of discussion lately in Salida. Being downriver from the problem we would be affected by the release of any contaminated water. Fishing on the Arkansas River could be wiped out for a long time. Are people freaking out too much or is this a real threat? Click on the 'Comments' link below to express your opinion.

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Cats, Deer, Rugby, and Liquor

Colorado News
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New Mexico Cat Flees Fire, Is Found 240 Miles Away in Colorado
The black and white cat ended up in Pueblo, Colo., some 240 miles north of her Albuquerque home. She was returned Sunday to her owner, Jade Schulte. Miko's adventure began after Schulte's home burned in December. The cat disappeared that night.

"We didn't think we were going to get her back," Schulte said. "We had basically given up hope and were hoping that she was with a good family."

About two weeks ago, she got a call from Pueblo that her cat was safe and sound.

"I was like, 'Great I'll pick her up!'" Schulte said. "I figured she was here at the shelter but they said, 'We're in Pueblo, Colorado,' and I said, 'How on earth did she get to Pueblo, Colorado?' and they said 'I don't know, where are you?' I said, 'We're in Albuquerque."'

Officials at the Pueblo shelter speculate that Miko, scared and trying to keep warm, hid in a truck and rode it up Interstate 25. When the Pueblo animal shelter got her, her collar was missing, but shelter officials scanned the microchip in her neck and came up with her owner's name.

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Colorado Does More Emergency Deer Feeding
EAGLE, Colo. (AP) -- Because of a heavy snow season that will go into the record books in some areas, wildlife staff soon will begin feeding famished deer near Eagle and Wolcott. Although feeding has been required more frequently in the Gunnison Valley, which not only experiences heavy snow but is much colder, this is only the third time in 25 years it has happened in the Vail Valley.

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New Stadium May Be Coming to Downtown Colorado Springs
"A field bigger than Invesco field could be coming to downtown Colorado Springs." Can you guess which sport this stadium will house?

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Customer Concerns Color Debate On Sunday Liquor Sales
What do you think of that article and what do you think of liquor being sold on Sundays? Click on the "Comments" link below to voice your opinion.

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Trout, Wolves, and Popcorn

Colorado News
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Rainbow trout revival underway in Colorado?
ASPEN, Colorado — For the first time since whirling disease decimated most naturally reproducing rainbow trout populations in Colorado more than a decade ago, a new strain of the sport fish has reproduced naturally. The breakthrough took place in ponds along the Fryingpan River above Basalt. A second population of the new cross-breed of trout has spawned successfully in the Gunnison River, according to state wildlife officials, giving rise to the hope that wild, self-sustaining rainbow trout populations will thrive once more in Colorado rivers.

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Wolf Reported in Rocky Mountain National Park
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colorado — Rocky Mountain National Park officials say a recent report of a possible wolf sighting is credible, but they say it's difficult to be sure without more evidence. Ranger Jack Dinsmoor said Friday that two experienced park volunteers reported seeing what looked like a wolf on December 4th. They didn't get a photo, but large paw prints were later found in the area.

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Easier For Western States To Kill Wolves
BILLINGS, Mont. — A new federal rule would allow state game agencies to kill endangered gray wolves that prey on wildlife in the Northern Rockies. An estimated 1,500 Wolves in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana are scheduled to come off the endangered species list in coming weeks, which would allow public hunting of the predators for the first time in decades.

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Colorado Company Recalls Popcorn
The federal Food and Drug Administration says Rocky Mountain Popcorn Co. has voluntarily recalled more than 1,600 bags of ready-to-eat low-fat caramel popcorn. The FDA said Monday an ingredient was found to have a trace amount of tree nuts, which could cause a reaction in anyone allergic to such nuts. The agency said no allergic reactions have been reported. The recall covers green, nine-ounce bags with UPC number 10449 32050 and with a manufacturing code less than D1231xx.

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Colorado Town Loses Legal Fight

by Crazy Eddie

The town of Fraser, Colorado lost its fight with the town of International Falls, Minnesota over the trademarked use of the term, Icebox of America. Both towns claim they are the coldest towns in the lower 48 states. International Falls claims to have been using the phrase to describe their town for a longer time. They have photographs of their 1955 Pee Wee Hockey Team with Icebox of the Nation printed on their jackets.

In 1989 International Falls paid Fraser $2,000 to stop using the phrase and Fraser stopped using it. It looked like everything was settled but recently International Falls neglected to renew their patented trademark on the phrase and it briefly slipped into public use. Fraser made a bid for it. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office made a ruling on the dispute and awarded the trademark back to International Falls.

Anyone who has lived in Salida over the past two and a half months might think that they have been living in the coldest spot in America but this legal battle reminds us that there are even colder places! Heck, just think about Leadville, Gunnison, and Alamosa. To the people of those towns Salida must seem like a tropical beach. But to us Salidans who have put up with non-stop snow and ice and wind and brutal cold for the last two and a half months it is hard to see our situation as even remotely resembling a tropical beach. It's all perspective. So it's good to occasionally remind ourselves that we are a banana belt and that there really are colder places. I purchased a bunch of bananas at Safeway yesterday to help remind me of that. They are so beautiful! Just looking at them I am filled with hope and I can feel myself warm up ever so slightly.

Copyright © 2008 by Crazy Eddie. All Rights Reserved.

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As a young kid playing "cowboys and Indians," Crazy Eddie always insisted on being an Indian. He wanted to be a chief. Well many, many years later he finally became a chief when he took on the task of being editor-in-chief of Blog Salida

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Colorado Snow and Pueblo Aircraft Woes

Here's a Colorado Snow Report from an Australian travel newsletter, eTravel Blackboard:

Colorado Resorts offering super bowls of snow
Monday, February 04, 2008

Thanks to a steady pulse of storms streaming across the state this month, Colorado ski resorts are seeing record amounts of snowfall, abundant powder days and robust mid-season conditions. All 26 resorts have received fresh snow in the last 24 hours and season-to-date snowfall totals have surpassed 28 feet in some areas.

Combined, Colorado’s 26 member resorts have received 4,750 inches of snow this season, equaling roughly 395 feet. Since December 1, 2007, it snowed at Colorado resorts 59 out of 62 days, resulting in 51 official powder days (calculated as at least one resort receiving 5 or more inches of new snow).

January snowfall records were broken at both Crested Butte and Snowmass. Crested Butte broke their record after they received 41 inches of new snow this past week and Snowmass broke their record after receiving 38 inches of new snow.

This week in Southwest Colorado, Wolf Creek received 60 inches of fresh snow, Silverton 47 inches of snow, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort 42 inches, and Telluride 32 inches of snow.

The Central Rockies have also been getting fresh snow with 26 inches at Monarch Mountain this week. On the Western slope, 31 inches of new snow fell on Powderhorn Resort and nearly two feet has fallen on Sunlight Mountain. Aspen Highlands received 32 inches of new snow, Aspen Mountain 30 inches and Buttermilk 24. Click here for full article

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Colorado aircraft builder hits rough air

PUEBLO (AP) — The city of Pueblo is seeking to reclaim more than $2 million in incentives given to Adam Aircraft, which fell short of promises to provide 448 local jobs for seven years.

City Manager David Galli says Adam Aircraft could get credit for employing between 80 and 90 people, though. Layoffs wiped out most of the company's local work force. The privately owned aircraft developer said last month that it laid off 80 workers in Pueblo.

Galli says that of the $3 million made available to the company to come to town, about $2.4 million was spent on a building and equipment. He says the city owns the building and has placed liens on the equipment. Full article here.

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Gambling in Colorado

Vegas-Style Gambling in Colorado?

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) State Rep. Al White is working on a proposal to allow Las Vegas-style, no-limit gambling in Colorado. He said his proposal could bolster tourism and funding for state colleges and universities.

White, R-Hayden, said the $100 million that the gambling industry generates every year for Colorado could double if betting caps were scrapped and if casinos could operate around the clock. Colorado voters in 1990 approved a constitutional amendment allowing gambling with betting caps of $5 per game in Black Hawk, Central and Cripple Creek. Casinos cannot operate between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.

Currently, revenue fosters historic preservation, aids communities affected by gambling and supplements the state budget. White said his proposal would require voter approval.

Chad Hills, analyst for gambling research and policy for the Christian ministry group Focus on the Family, called gambling a "cancerous cyst."

"You can count on Focus on the Family to launch a full-fledged war against any legislator or legislation that promotes 24-7 gambling," he said.

But Colorado Department of Higher Education Director David Skaggs told lawmakers Tuesday that any additional revenue could help the state adequately fund its colleges and universities. The Colorado Gaming Association has not taken a position on White's measure, Executive Director Lois Rice said.

What do you think about this? Leave a comment.

Politics and Wind

Colorado Lawmaker Switches Parties

DENVER (AP) — A state representative abruptly left the Republican Party and became a Democrat, the first time in 20 years that a Colorado lawmaker has switched parties. Rep. Debbie Stafford, 55, who also is a minister, said the Republican Party no longer represents her values.

"Ideally, I find myself a moderate and I think I would be best suited for a third party. However, the reality is that our political system is not designed for a third party voice to be strong," Stafford said Thursday. She added: "I am not leaving the Republican Party as much as I believe the Republican Party left me," she said.

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Governor Bill Ritter Turns On Massive Wind Power

This past week Colorado has turned on the power of a 274 turbine, 300 megawatt wind generating station at Cedar Creek in northern Weld County. The new facility will provide power for about 90,000 homes by the year's end.

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