Thursday February 21, 2013

A Grand Junction man has been arrested in the armed robbery of the Bradley Sinclair gas station at 2nd and North last weekend.  30 year old James Rucker was arrested yesterday on suspicion of Aggravated Robbery and other charges including possession of a weapon by a previous offender.  At the time of his arrest, officers say Rucker was carrying a fully loaded handgun matching the description of the gun used in the robbery.

The Mesa County Coroner's office releasing a special report on suicide in mesa county in 2012.  Overall suicides in the county jumped 6.8 percent over 2011  increasing from 44 to 47 last year. The suicide rate in Mesa County is nearly 3 times the national average.

The National Weather Service has issued several winter weather advisories through tomorrow evening for 5 to 10 inches of new snow in the higher mountains of western Colorado and 3 to 6 inches in areas along the I-70 corridor.  Snow is expected to continue through tomorrow evening with another system moving through the area Saturday night through Sunday and another one through Tuesday.

The State Department of Agriculture is out with a warning for consumers to watch out for nursery stock included for "free" with the cost of exorbitant planting and landscaping costs.  The department says free plants likely don't meet minimum state standards and consumers could end up with poor quality or soon to be dead trees and shrubs.  Check with the Department of Agriculture to make sure the person or company you're buying from is registered to sell nursery stock.

The National Weather Service has issued several winter weather advisories through tomorrow evening for 5 to 10 inches of new snow in the higher mountains of western Colorado and 3 to 6 inches in areas along the I-70 corridor.  Snow is expected to continue through tomorrow evening with another system moving through the area Saturday night through Sunday and another one through Tuesday.

A special showing of FrackNation is sold out tonight at the Avalon Theater, but the woman who made the documentary is in town to talk about her film.  Ann McElhinney says FrackNation was paid for with individual contributions, not industry money.

The BLM's official comment period on the draft management plan for the Grand Junction region ends April 25th, and now Mesa County is weighing in.  The Daily Sentinel says County Commissioners are looking closely at the plan opposed by many off-roaders.  Commissioner Steve Acquafresca says the county is looking closely at what roads would be closed under the plan.  In the meantime, the Colorado Mule Deer Association says ATV trails and access roads for public sportsmen are threatened.  They're holding a public information presentation Saturday at 2:00 at the Grand Junction City Auditorium.

St. Mary's Hospital's annual donor Dinner tonight will come with word of a $670,000 donation.  According to the Daily Sentinel, it was made anonymously by couple the hospital's foundation director says had no family in town and no known significant link to the hospital or its programs.  The money will be used to purchase equipment and fund building projects.  A large chunk of the money is also earmarked for the hospital's Senior Companion and foster Grandparent programs and the Gray Gourmet.

A Grand Junction man has a plan to upgrade North Avenue. Levi Lucero says because the road is no longer the North boundary of town, it makes sense to re-name it University Boulevard. The Daily Sentinel says some businesses between 1st Street and 29 1/2 Road think the idea is a good one.

Vacancies of Grand Junction apartments stood at nearly 10% as the fourth quarter of 2012 ended.  The Colorado Division of House says that was up from 7% the last quarter of 2011.  According to the Daily Sentinel, the Division says high unemployment was a major reason. They also say fluctuations in survey responses may have factored into the hike.