Wednesday October 10, 2012

29 DMEA employees could lose their jobs if a 5% Tri-State Generation and transmission hike comes to pass.  The Montrose Daily Press says DMEA is working to avoid passing such a hike on to customers, but to do that they'd have to cut 10 to 15% from their operating budget. DMEA is looking at buying as much as 5% of its power from renewable sources including the South Canal hydro power project expected to come online next year. Which could help save money.  Company officials say they want to avoid layoffs and passing on rate hikes.

Three sawmills in Grand County are taking advantage of beetle kill pine and making it through a tough economy.  The state forest service says one mill cuts and peels lodge pole pine logs to produce fence posts and corral poles. A second cuts materials for pallets and other uses, and another focuses on custom decorative beams, flooring and wood paneling.  Together the mills employ 50 full-time workers and countless support workers for a vibrant spoke in Grand County's economy.

Colorado Senator Mark Udall is taking to Social Media to talk about his position on renewable energy. Next Tuesday, Udall is hosting a Twitter Town hall. Constituents can enter the discussion through Udall's congressional website then ask questions about renewable energy using hashtag AskUdall.  On Twitter, @MarkUdall will answer the questions tweeted using hashtag AskUdall. The event is next Tuesday from 1:30 to 2:30.

Mesa County has filed suit against three contractors they say were negligent in the design and construction of the county's $3 million Animal Services facility near the county landfill.  According to the Daily Sentinel, the suit describes multiple structural failures and says engineering and construction were far from proper.

More than two dozen western slope physicians have come out in support of Amendment 64 to legalize marijuana in Colorado. According to the Daily Sentinel, some of the group say they've seen numerous injuries and accidents involving alcohol and rarely such things with marijuana.  The Sentinel says more than 300 doctors in the state have endorsed Amendment 64.

Bond has been set at $1 million for a former Fruita man accused of killing a male escort in Grand Junction in August of last year.  36 year old Billy Joe Delacey was arrested in Pennsylvania last month and returned to Mesa County Monday.

Colorado's voter registration website had some problems yesterday, but the secretary of state says they were intermittent and record numbers of registered voters are expected.  Secretary of State Scott Gessler, a Republican, is expected to announce results of his large-scale voter registration effort today.

Investigators in the case of a missing 10 year old are looking at a similar case in Wyoming.  Jessica Ridgeway went missing Friday in Westminster.  Then Monday, a little girl in Cody Wyoming was taken by a man in White SUV, but later released.  Investigators tell the Denver Post they're not ruling out anything in the case.

The BLM has approved a request from Arch Coal to reduce the federal royalty rate from 8% to 5% for five years on some of its West Elk Mine operations near Somerset.  The Daily Sentinel says Governor John Hickenlooper supports the move and is backing similar temporary reductions for the Colowyo Mine near Meeker and the McClane Canyon Mine North of Fruita.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is starting a huge re-stocking program for fish in the Colorado River below Dotsero and through Glenwood Canyon.  Thousands of fish were killed by silt and debris washed into the river by a downpour in July.  Wildlife officials say they're stocking Hofer rainbow trout which are resistant to whirling disease that can cause deformities in trout.

The BLM Grand Junction office is seeking public input on an Environmental Assesment on the modification of a federal coal lease.  McClane Canyon mine is on BLM land 18 miles north of fruita.  the company that owns the mine wants the lease boundary adjusted to access coal reserves within the lease.  The EAS is available on the BLM website for public comment.

HUD has announced nearly $1 million in grants to help 209 senior citizens and people with disabilities to receive health care, meals and other critical support services in Colorado. The grants are awarded to eligible owners of private housing developments receiving rental subsidies from HUD to house low-income individuals.

The Department of Justice, the AARP, the SEC and the Colorado Attorney General's office, the better business bureau and the cu Denver school of public affairs are teaming up to inform seniors about fraud. A summit today will cover what's being done to protect seniors from scams, red flags of investment fraud and tricks of the trade to avoid being scammed.