Monday August 27, 2012

The unofficial end to summer is next weekend and the Colorado State Patrol is putting out reminders to not drink and drive.  The CSP and agencies in Vail, Avon, and Eagle, all part of the Gore Range DUI Task Force, are planning saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints throughout the weekend.  The goal is to reduce the number of alcohol related crashes in Colorado between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  

The price of gas in Colorado hasn't moved much in the past week.  The average still $3.48/gallon.  Nationally, the average has increased 3 cents to $3.73/gallon.  GasBuddy.com says although Tropical Storm Isaac doesn't look to cause significant refinery outages or production losses, the website is keeping a close eye on the situation since it's likely to temporarily drive prices higher in the short term.

It's been a week since the USA Pro Challenge was in Montrose, and the start of the second stage of the race is getting mixed reviews.  The Montrose Daily Press says most businesses in town have only positive  things to say about the event, many question the amount of time and money put into it. Several hotels and restaurants say business was about average, or even below average.

A hiker is dead in a rockslide on Hagerman Peak, about 11 miles southeast of Aspen in Gunnison County.  The Aspen Times says a goup of five were hiking in the area when the slide happened Saturday afternoon.  Mountain Rescue Aspen workers air lifted to the scene at about 13,000 feet.  One injured hiker-- taken by ambulance to a hospital, the other three transported to the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport.

Ideas for transportation through the mountains on I-70 are coming in and include a project calling for a 120-mile high-speed transit system shooting a train through a series of elevated hoops.  A Texas businessman has that idea and tells the Denver Post the system is as innovative as the construction through Glenwood Canyon was in the '70s.  The state's Division of Transit and Rail says a high-speed system must be inplace by 2025, or C-DOT will turn to either widening the highway or other roadway improvements.

A 19 year old Clifton man faces 24 to 48 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree murder, menacing and robbery in a gang-related crime spree in Grand Junction last Summer.  According to the Daily Sentinel, Lester Miranda-Davis signed the deal last week in the murder of 31 year old Jorge Carrasco, and robberies at two businesses and the burglary of one home last July 16th. A second suspect, is to stand trial in December.

At least 27 people have been arrested in warrant sweep in Grand Jucntion.  The Daily Sentinel says Street Crimes officers from Grand Jucntion PD and the Mesa County S-O made the arrests last Thursday and Friday.  Most were for unpaid traffic or parking tickets and other low-level offenses.