Wednesday October 17, 2012

Draft management plans for deer in the Gunnison Basin are available for review on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website.  The three plans are the result of comments from hunters and others interested in deer in that area over the summer, and address 5 different herds. The plans will be posted on the CPW website until November 16th.

The  District 51 School Board has passed a resolution opposing Amendment 64 which would decriminalize possession of marijuana.  The Grand Junction City Council and Mesa County Commissioners have also adopted resolutions against the Amendment.

There could be another charter school in District 51.  Superintendent Steve Shultz says the district has received an application for the school called Juniper Ridge, which would use the Waldorf curriculum. The Waldorf website says academics are de-emphasized in the early years of schooling.  Schultz says the review process begins today, with regular updates to the board throughout the process.

Plently of winter weather in the high country overnight with chain laws on and off on I-70 through the mountains.  The final chain law, eastbound to the Eisenhower Tunnel was dropped around 4:30 this morning.

The 2013 budget in Montrose County will look quite a bit different from this year.  It's 7.4% lower, but has several provisions to put the county on more solid ground.  The Montrose Daily Press says there's money for possible merit raises for high performing employees for the first time in four years.  Sales tax collections are also expected to increase, signaling an improvement in the local economy.

The use of plastic grocery bags in Montrose isn't about to be taxed or outlawed soon, but the city council says it encourages a community move to discourage use of the bags.  The Montrose Daily Press says Aspen, Carbondale and Telluride have all banned use of the bags, but council in Montrose agrees a private effort to "discourage" use of the bags is best for their community.

Two Tennessee men have had their hunting privileges suspended for five years after pleading guilty to killing a bear out of season and throwing it off a cliff.  Both received deferred prison sentences and were ordered to pay fines, and donate a total of $10,000 to the Operation Game Thief tip line.

Republican House District 54 candidate Jared Wright is raising a lot of money in his race against Libertarian Tim Menger.  According to the Daily Sentinel, Wright has raised nearly $3,000 in the last two weeks, despite reports of bankruptcy and the loss of his job as a Fruita police officer.  in all, Wright has raised more than $18,000, spending most of it. Menger has raised no money and says he won't.  He does have a facebook page, and a 14 minute video on YouTube.

Former Grand Junctio nPolice officer and firefighter Eric Janusz has been arrested in Fruita after a domestic violence call.  Janusz is free on bond on charges of sexual assault on a child, and scheduled for trial next year. He was arrested Friday on suspicion of harassment, tampering, and domestic violence.

A Denver Medical Marijuana dispensary owner and two associates have pleaded guilty to trying to sell nearly 200 pounds of high-grade marijuana to an undercover officer.  The Denver Post says the three were arrested in a sting last December- and when they were arrested, the pot had an estimated $1 million street value.  Sentencing is in January.