Wednesday August 15, 2012

WILLIS WANTED
Police in New Mexico are looking for a man who promised a summer concert to rival Country Jam in 2011, but pulled out at the last minute.  The Farmington Daily Times says a warrant has been issued by authorities in San Juan County, New Mexico for Bobby Willis, alleging racketeering, embezzlement, fraud and securities fraud, carrying a $1 million bond. Willis proposed Bobby's Birthday Bash at the Mesa County Fairgrounds in June of 2011.  He's accused now of convincing investors to back a hospital in Kirtland, New Mexico, then stealing money from escrow accounts for personal use.

MONTROSE PRO CHALLENGE
The City of Montrose expects its population to grow by about 10,000  next week as the U-S Pro Cycling Challenge hits town.  The Montrose Daily Press says the city wants all residents to be safety minded on race day next Tuesday.  They say heavy traffic is expected Monday and Tuesday, along with limited parking, street closures and threats of towing.

MONT EDC
The Montrose County Economic Development Corporation is scrambling after learning it won't receive funding from the City of Montrose for everyday operations.  The city council pulled the plug on $24,000 in guaranteed funding, opting instead to make that money available for the EDC to lure new businesses.  The EDC tells the Montrose Daily Press they'll carry on, but we'll have to make adjustments like asking private businesses for help.

GJ PRO CHALLENGE
The U-S Pro Challenge bicycle race will be in Montrose next week, but if and when it might stop in Grand Junction is up in the air.  A local organizing committee tells the Daily Sentinel, the National Park Service has for the 3rd time, turned down a request to stage a leg of the race on the Colorado National Monument.  The committee says it's still committed to hosting a stage somewhere in the grand valley, hopefully next year.

MESACO TRUSTEE OUT
Mesa County Public Trustee Paul Brown is without a job, his resignation taking effect last Friday.  Brown and 9-other governor-appointed trustees resigned last month at the request of Governor Hickenlooper after published reports of inconsistencies in office spending.  The Daily Sentinel says 5 of those trustees have been reappointed, the governor looking for replacements for the others.  Public Trustees are charged with overseeing the forclosure process in Colorado.

D-51 CHARGES CANDIDATES
School District 51 says it's charging the election campaigns of President Obama and Mitt Romney for using district resources when the candidates visited Grand Junction.  The district tells the Daily Sentinel Obama's campaign is getting a bill for close to $2,500 and Romney's campaign about $2,000. Other agencies involved in the candidate's visits will absorb the costs themselves, about 3-4 thousand dollars for Mesa County and more than $13,000 for the City of Grand Junction.