Monday March 4, 2013

The Olathe Sweet Corn Festival is scaling back. Olathe Town Administrator Scott Harold tells the Montrose Daily Press the festival is going back to its roots with a more agricultural theme. The advisory board is also looking for public input as it makes its plans. The event hasn't turned a profit since 2008.

Four democrat-sponsored gun laws go before the State Senate Judiciary Committee today.  Grand Junction Senator Steve King sits on the committee and says the bills go too far, infringe on citizen's rights and will have no positive impact on public safety.  In a news release, King says the bills are at best distractions from real problems in society, and don't address the problem of violent crime.

Students in District 51 can find out what skills they need and how to navigate available technology to find a job today.  The District, the Chamber of Commerce's Future Workforce Committee and the Mesa County Workforce Center are teaming up for a virtual job fair.  Five local manufacturers are taking part, and if it's successful, The chamber says virtual career fairs featuring other industries will be planned.

You might not have noticed the price of gas in Colorado was down last week. That's because the price dropped just over a half cent a gallon.  GasBuddy.com says their survey of more than 2,100 gas stations found the price at $3.55/gal. Prices are still 35 cents a gallon higher than a month ago.

The Colorado State Patrol is continuing its investigation of a crash on Highway 65 that killed the driver of a motorcycle.  It happened just after 6:30 Saturday near Orchard City.  The Patrol says 60 year old Christopher Sorensen of Delta slammed into the back of a pick up that slowed to avoid hitting a deer.  The driver of the pickup wasn't injured.  Sorenson died at Delta County Memorial Hospital.

Competitive mountain bike racing is coming to Grand Junction this summer.  Epic Rides President Todd Sadow tells the Daily Sentinel they're hoping to attract 600 riders to the three-day event Labor Day weekend. Epic Rides runs a race in Prescott, Arizona with a $35,000 purse split between a male and female winner.  No purse has been announced for the Grand Junction event.  You can register for "The Grand" as organizers call it, at EpicRides.com.

CU and CSU are already working on their 2013-2014 budgets and both are considering 9% tuition hikes. The possible hikes come even with a $30 million budget boost from the state.  CSU's chief financial officer says without the increased funding they'd be looking at a double digit tuition hike.  The Denver Post says both schools cite faculty raises for increased budgets.  They say other more prestigious schools are luring away faculty with larger salaries.

Former U-S Representative Gabby Gifford's husband is in Denver today to testify in suport of at least one of seven gun-control bills to heard today.  Mark Kelly is scheduled to support House Bill 1229 requiring all private gun sales and transfers to be subject to background checks. Before Kelly's testimony, The Denver Post says family members of victims of the Aurora Theater shootings, and Sandyhook and Columbine school shootings will speak in the press room at the state capitol.

State legislators are looking at a bill that would allow community colleges to offer select four-year degree programs, but not everyone is happy about it.  The Boulder Daily Camera says CU president Bruce Benson and several leaders of other state colleges are opposing the measure.  They say a bachelor's degree from a community college would have limited value in the marketplace and accrediting community colleges would be expensive. Community College System president Nance McCallin says there's a demand for four year trade degrees.  She says those students typically work their way through school and can't afford to move to a four-year institution.

Today is the final day for Grand Junction city residents to register to vote in the April 2nd municipal election. That registration is through the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder's office.

Avalanche conditions across the state are considerable after heavy mountain snows and more on the way.  Another foot of snow is expected in the mountains of northwest Colorado and another 4 to 10 inches in other mountain ranges.  The National Weather Service says snow will taper off from west to east through the afternoon making way for another strong pacific system from Thursday night into Sunday.