Wednesday June 13, 2012

27 1/4 RD FATAL
Grand Junction Police say one person is dead in a rollover on 27 1/4 Road near H Road.  A passerby noticed the car on its top around 5:45 this morning, the victim inside. The car had crashed into the airport fence.

WSCA SHERIFFS ROUND TABLE
The Western Slope Conservative Alliance is getting ready for a roundtable forum tonight, discussing the "Constitutional Sheriff Movement.  Sheriff's from Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Garfield County are on the panel, along with Grand County Utah Sheriff Steve White.  The Rountable is at the Masonic Lodge in Grand Junction starting at 6:30.


R.V. FIRE ARRESTS
Grand Junction Police have made an arrest in the death of a man in a motorhome fire on Orchard Mesa.  The name of the man who died in the fire hasn't been released. 22 year old Lucas John Schultz and 26 year old Julius P. Sutton are being held on suspicion of Complicity to Commit 2nd Degree Murder and 1st Degree Arson. The motorhome fire was reported early yesterday morning.  Police found the body of a man inside once the fire was out.

GJ FIRE CREWS TO HIGH PARK FIRE
More personnel are on the lines of the High Park fire northwest of Ft. Collins today, including a team from the Grand Junction Fire Department.  Three firefighters and a brush truck were sent to the front range yesterday with a commitment to stay 2 weeks or longer.

MONTROSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
There could be more economic development work in Montrose if several different agencies get together with something called the HomeTown Competitiveness model.  The idea was first implemented in rural Nebraska where Montrose City Manager Bill Bell first got to know it.  He says it's designed for communities to compete on a national economic platform.  An organizing meeting is tomorrow.

EMERGENCY PHONE SIGN UP
Evacuations in the High Park fire are being driven by calls from local emergency providers and calling attention to the need to sign up with your own local agencies.  Montrose Police Chief Tom Chinn tells the Montrose Daily Press land lines are automatically registered, but cell phones are not. He suggests signing up through the Montrose County website. In Grand Junction, you can register your cell phone from the city's website.

GJ BATH SALTS CRACKDOWN
Drug enforcement authorities in Mesa County are ready to crack down on sellers of bath salts.  The Daily Sentinel says the DA's office is sending letters to businesses telling them to get rid of any illegal substances use in making the drug, and the bath salts themselves.  The DEA issued an emergency order banning the substances in October.  Governor Hickenlooper signed a law last week making possession and sale illegal in Colorado.

HIGH PARK FIRE 
The High Park fire northwest of Ft. Collins is still active, but crews are making progress.  Some of those evacuated have been allowed to return to their properties, others are still waiting to find out the fate of their homes.  Crews of nearly 700 are on the ground, with more on the way and air support in full force.  About 50 National Guard military police have been activated along with local police and sheriff's officials to monitor checkpoints and control access.

CAMPFIRE BAN?
Governor John Hickenlooper is considering a statewide ban on campfires in the wake of the High Park fire.  More than 68 square miles have been burned, along with over 100 structures.  The fire considered about 10% contained. In the meantime, fire officials are doing what they can to make sure there's a quick response in case any new fires break out. The Denver Post says a  BLM team of 15 smoke jumpers is stationed in Grand Junction for quick deployment in hard to reach mountain areas.

STRAWBERRY DAYS ICE PROTEST
ICE officials aren't saying anything about making an appearance at the Strawberry Days Festival in Glenwood Springs this weekend, and a local group is planning a protest today about what happened at the fest last year. The Glenwood Post says ICE teamed up with local law enforcement last year in what they called a gang crackdown.  The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition says the action was unconstitutional, serving as an immigrant sweep.  The group sponsoring today's protest says the ICE action creates unnecessary fear and jeopardies Latino participation and success of the community event.