Wednesday May 30, 2012

SUNRISE MINE FIRE
Firefighters at the Sunrise Mine Fire say they have almost 50% control after gaining the upper hand along the north perimeter of the 6,000 acre fire.  Heavy helicopters are dropping water on hot areas, making it safer for the crews.  A forecast wind shift today is expected to help crews on the northwest corner of the fire.  Work today is being concentrated on protecting structures northwest of Buckeye Reservoir near the old landing strip.

25 RD @ 6 & 50 CLOSED
The intersection of 25 Road and Hwy 6 & 50 is officially closed.  No north/south traffic is allowed during 18 days of construction.  East/West traffic is still moving, and right hand turns are allowed from all directions, but no left hand turns.

O.D. IMMUNITY
A new law in Colorado creates immunity for persons who report a drug or alcohol overdose and cooperate with law endorcement or emergency responders.  Fear of police involvement is the number one reason people fail to call emergency services after witnessing an overdose. In 2010, Colorado ranked 3rd in the nation for deaths from overdose.

ENGLEWOOD PD OFFICER DIES
A 39 year old Englewood Police officer has died of injuries suffered when he and a motorist he had stopped were hit by a suspected drunk driver.  Jeremy Bitner was an Army veteran serving in the Airborne Infantry during the Bosnian War.  He was married with two children. The man Bitner had pulled over was released from the hospital yesterday.

MCSO AEDs
Rural area deputies with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office are getting a new tool today to help save lives while responding to emergencies in remote places.  Family Health West Hospital has donated two AEDs, or Automated External Defibrillators for a total of six in rural deputies' and Alternative Sentencing Unit vehicles.  The AEDs give automated instruction on treating victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

HEAT IS ON NUMBERS
Stats are in from the first weekend of the 100 Days of Heat drunk driving campaign in Colorado.  6,700 vehicles were stopped over the four-day weekend with 93 arrests for suspected drugged or drunk driving and 81 arrests for other violations.  Two crashes killed a total of three people, two of whom were not wearing seatbelts.

MONUMENT CRASH ARREST
A 21 year old Grand Junction man has been arrested in a crash on the Colorado National Monument.  It happened early yesterday morning when a car driving by Timothy Taylor went off the road and down a 60 foot embankment.  A front seat passenger suffered only minor injuries, but two people in the backseat were seriously injured and remain hospitalized.  Taylor was jailed on multiple counts, including suspicion of drunk driving, reckless driving and vehicular assault.

DELTA SCHOOL INTERIM SUPER
The Delta County School District 50J is putting another patch on its administration, planning to hire the district's personnel director as the interim superintendent.  Jerre Doss had been acting superintendent since the resignation in January of Mike McMillan at the request of the school board.  The Daily Sentinel says the post now is being offered to Caryn Gibson, with the board expected to approve a contract with Gibson at its regular meeting next week.

SERRA OUT OF PRISON, BUT FREE
Former Montrose DA Myrl Serra is out of prison, but not out of jail.  Serra entered a so-called Alford plea to charges he sexually harassed employees, and was found guilty on harassment and bond violations last fall. The Montrose Daily Press says Once he finishes a 60-day sentence in the Montrose County Jail, he's to serve 4-years probation under the supervision of the Mesa County probation department.