Thursday April 26, 2012

RABIES WARNING
The Montrose County Health Department is warning about the potential for rabies.  Domestic animals account for fewer than 10% of reported cases, with cats, cattle and dogs most often reported.  The largest number is among bats and skunks.  Rabies is treatable is caught before symptoms appear, but after than, cases are usually fatal. No cases have been reported this year, and the health department wants people to be extra careful as warm weather and outdoor activities increase.

JAPANESE NUCLEAR VISIT
Because of the Fukushima nuclear plant accident in Japan, that country is looking to reduce reliance on nuclear power.  Today, Japanese experts are meeting with officials at DMEA to learn about their Community Solar Array model for leasing solar photovoltaic panels to consumers. Kyushu Electric Power generates, transmits, and distributes electricity on Japan's southernmost island...serving more than 8 million residential and business customers.

ASSET TURNED DOWN
Undocumented students in Colorado will not be getting a break on college tuition after the House Finance Committee killed a bill that would have done that.  Colroado ASSET would have created a third category of tution for undocumented students who attend 3 years of High School in Colorado.  Tuition less than out of state, but higher than in-state.  Democrats say the republicans walked away from $4 million in tuition the bill would've generated.

RIVER WATER CALL
Grand Valley Irrigation Company is keeping a close ey on the Colorado River.  Low flows Monday led the company to put a call on the river, but as the level went up, the call came off.  The Daily Sentinel says the CALL ensures farmers and ranchers get the water to fulfill their senior water rights.  Water managers say although the call is off right now, it's likely a call will come at some point this eyar.

CIVIL UNIONS AHEAD
A Civil Unions bill is moving forward in the Colroado Senate. It's designed to give same-sex couples some of the protections and responsibilities heterosexual couples have including jointly owning property, adopting children and sharing end-oflife decisions. The bill still faces a final vote in the Senate and goes back to the House where its future is uncertain.

NEW MONUMENT SUPER
The Colorado National Monument has new Superintendent.  Lisa Eckert sworn in yesterday.  Eckert began her career with the park service at the Monuemnt in 1984, and has worked her way up through the ranks at parks across the west.  Eckert takes over amid talks of changing the Monument to a National Park and having been on the job for the past 7 weeks, has been attending meetings about the possiblity.

SCHOOL TO CAREER
High School students interested in the medical field are getting a hands-on look at Community Hospital today in a Schools to Careers Day.  More than 80 students will attend a 4-hour event, following a fictitious patient through his hospital visit following a severe automobile crash. The exercise includes presentations by hospital departments including radiology, laboratory, rehab services, nursing and EMT and others.

AG WEIGHS IN ON NORTH FORK COMMISSION
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers says he's opposed to a state commission being set up to compensate victims of the Lower North Fork Fire.  Three people died in the fire and 23 homes burned.  The state currently has a liability cap of $600,000 for incidents involving the state.  Suthers says it would be unfair to others with legitimate claims against the state to allow only victims of the fire to receive more.  he tells the Denver Post a better fix would be for lawmakers to look at raising compenstation in lawsuits or expanding the list of claims exempt from immunity.

POST OFFICE
A list of 71 post offices marked for closure has been reduced, saving about 25 of those, many in rural western Colorado.  U-S Senator Mark Udall says the post offices are the anchors in some communities and the move will save thousands of jobs.  A bill passed last night still has to go to the house and be signed by the president by May 15th, the expiration of a moratorium on closures.