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Providing a voice for community-based organizations and individuals that enrich the life of the Grand Valley FREE
Volume #3 Number 9
Mid-June/ Mid-July 2011
High water
A record-setting runoff courses through the Grand Valley By Carrie Click, Echo editor
During spring runoff this year, the bridge that spans the Colorado River between Parachute and Battlement Mesa had a unique distinction: it was one of four bridges in Garfield County that had the potential to be closed due to high water. According to the Garfield County Road and Bridge Department, the bridge, which joined a list of three others in the county to be watched in Carbondale, Silt and New Castle, was continually monitored until high water threats passed.
Our Schools page 19
Continued on page 3
Sports & Rec pages 12 & 13
Park & Rec page 11
Equine Herpes page 5
Mosquitoes page 3
Inside
The Colorado River, as seen from the bridge that connects Parachute to Battlement Mesa, was running at record levels through the Grand Valley on June 9, closing riverbank trails in Parachute, and creating fertile ground for mosquitoes (see related story, Photo by Carrie Click page 3).
Two peaks possible Everyone knows this has been a banner year for snowpack and runoff. However, even though the bridge spanning the river between Parachute and Battlement was being watched, the area was spared from intense flooding. Jim Pokrandt of the Colorado River Water Conservation District in Glenwood said that the Colorado River peaked around June 9. “Low areas could see some inundation,” Jim said. “[And] it looks like there could be another, smaller peak around June 17.” The Colorado River was above flood stage on June 9, both east of Parachute and Battlement at Rifle, in Glenwood Canyon, Dotsero, and west of the Grand Valley area in Cameo, and further down stream. Flooding on the Colorado River occurred locally in the Parachute area at the Parachute Ponds near Callahan Park, closing the river trail that runs parallel to the Colorado. In recent past years, Garfield County has seen the Colorado River reach high water levels. In 1984, water levels reached more than 30,000 cubic feet per second (CFS). In 1997 and 2010, levels reached more than 22,000 CFS. But as of June 1, the Colorado River in Garfield County had reached more than 28,000 CFS, according to Garfield County water level statistics – and that’s before peak runoff.
Page 2, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
LETTERS TO THE ECHO
Send us a letter. Got something on your mind? We’ve expanded our word-count limit to 500 words or less for Letters to the Echo to give you plenty of space to express yourselves. The Echo welcomes your input, opinions, thanks and whatever else you’d like to share with our readers, provided it’s written in a respectful, civil way. (Please, no unsubstantiated attacks, etc.) The Echo reserves the right to edit and proofread letters. Send your words to The Grand Valley Echo, gve@crystalvalleyecho.com, or 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623. Please be sure to include your name, title if necessary, and where you live. Thanks.
An open letter to parents of our graduates
Dear Echo: This is a complement to the letter, "An open letter to our graduates" by Joe Sluga, in the Mid-May/Mid-June 2011 issue of The Grand Valley Echo. Congratulations! You are now proud parents of a high school graduate. High school graduation is not a passage to adulthood, it is merely the completion of sets of instructional materials prescribed by the board of education. Passage to adulthood is determined by the parents of the graduates. The parents were responsible for bringing them into this world. They are responsible for introducing them to adult life, not just when they graduate from high school. If your high school graduate does not measure up to the standards of adult life, (parents have different standards) it would be interesting to retrieve from the archive of your memory the past 17 or 18 years and make your own reality check. You may ask yourself the following questions: 1. Have you always been a self-starter? Do you have a reasonable amount of initiative when it comes to a task at hand? This trait and practicing it as often as situations allow will definitely be a good example for your high school graduate to follow, which will eventually lead to trash cans on the curbside without being asked. 2. Have you always been thoughtful to people close to you? Some calendars have listed important dates such as Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, Mother's Day, Fathers' Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and many more important family dates such as anniversaries and birthdays. Your high school graduate should have been exposed to this thoughtfulness during their formative years. 3. Do you have a household chores schedule for everyone in the family that was enforced accordingly? Training the kids while young is much simpler than
when they are in their teens or when they graduate from high school. Let them know in simple terms that doing household chores is a collective effort by everyone in the family. There are a lot more things we can say about parenting, but the crux of the matter is when children do not learn, obviously the parents did not teach or were too busy to teach the fundamentals of adulthood. At any rate, you as parents of the graduates deserve a pat on the back regardless of your current predicament. And if you still feel that your high school graduate is inadequately prepared for adulthood, pause a while and do a flashback of what you have done for them. Remember they have been with you for their entire lifetimes. They are your kids, your high school graduates. Sincerely, Angel B. Marbas Battlement Mesa
Bike derby canceled due to weather Dear Echo: On behalf of the Garfield County Sheriff’s Auxiliary, we would like to apologize for having to cancel the bike derby on May 21. The inclement weather was the cause of the cancellation, although as it turned out, it would probably have been OK. We are presently planning to reschedule the bike derby sometime after school starts in the fall and will contact the schools if we are able to do so. We did manage to give out 52 free helmets and backpacks to those young bikers who braved the weather and showed up at the playground. Bob Campbell Commander Battlement Mesa Sheriff’s Auxiliary
Thanks, Grand Valley High School boys basketball team
Dear Echo: Thank you to the Grand Valley High School boys basketball team for their hard work at the dog park. They picked up approximately 30 bags of trash and debris at and around the dog park. They also picked up branches and debris at the Callahan Ball Field area. This is very much appreciated.
Mary Anderson, Director Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District director
Walk/Run for Wildlife more than doubles participants
Dear Echo: The fourth annual Walk/Run for Wildlife in Silt on June 4 this year was a great success with 96 people running the race (with eight kids in strollers and wagons) and 14 dogs. Last year we had 45 runners. We had 108 people take the tour of the Western Colorado Wildlife & Education Center outside Silt and we got a lot of compliments on how well the facility looked. The center is very busy right now with lots and lots of wildlife coming in. We have three elk calves and three deer fawns so far but no bear cubs yet. Thanks to all the participants of the fundraiser.
Gene Pickett, Board Member The Pauline S. Schneegas Wildlife Foundation Battlement Mesa
Thank you to this month’s contributors: All copy submitted to The Grand Valley Echo will be edited and reviewed by our staff for style, grammar and content. The Grand Valley Echo reserves the right to refuse publication of any submitted material that does not meet the publisher’s standard for a positive, informative, educational community newspaper.
MISSION STATEMENT To provide a voice for local schools, nonprofit groups and civic organizations; to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Grand Valley region; to contribute to the vitality of our small town life. The Grand Valley Echo is published monthly, and is distributed throughout Battlement Mesa and Parachute. Subscriptions are available for a $35 annual fee.
PUBLISHER/DESIGNER ALYSSA OHNMACHT EDITOR CARRIE CLICK ADVERTISING SALES BARBARA PAVLIN
285-7634 DISTRIBUTION/CIRCULATION STEVE PAVLIN Dawn Distribution • 963-0874
274 REDSTONE BLVD., REDSTONE, COLORADO 81623 970-963-2373 • gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
Joline Gnatek, Anne Huber, Sarah Tahvonen, Dr. Carol Lybrook, Cam Burns, Tanny McGinnis, Colorado Mountain College, J. Steven Randol, Jeanne Miles, Barbara Barker, Mitzi Burkhart, Chandra Mortensen, Dianne Haynes, Karen Klink, Emily Hisel, Rob Ferguson, Bill Cornelius, Melissa Harper, Keith Lammey, Vina Klahn, Mary Anderson, Charlie Hornick, Laurel Koning, Jim Rada, Steve Anthony, Kathy Germano, Aspen to Parachute Dental Health Alliance, Johnny Goodman, M.E. Denomy
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 3
WAT E R
Warm weather + high water = mosquitoes By Steve Anthony and Jim Rada, Garfield County
As summer temperatures rise, along with the water levels in creeks and rivers, Garfield County mosquito control and public health officials remind residents that these are prime conditions for potentially large mosquito populations. Several mosquito-borne diseases are endemic to Colorado, so people need to use effective prevention measures to protect themselves against disease. Countywide mosquito control efforts through the Garfield County Cooperative Mosquito Control Program are aggressively monitoring and treating mosquito breeding areas. Garfield County residents are encouraged to contact Colorado Mosquito Control, Inc. (CMC) toll-free at 877-276-4306 with any questions or to report mosquito concerns. Local trapping of adult mosquitoes began June 1. If trapped in significant numbers, Culex species mosquitoes are tested for West Nile Virus. No bird testing is currently being conducted in Garfield County. However, to assist the local West Nile Virus surveillance program, citizens can report dead birds to the statewide toll-free help line at 877-462-2911. There is no evidence that a person can get West Nile Virus from handling live or dead birds. However, people should always avoid barehanded contact when handling any dead animal. Pick the carcass up with a shovel or gloved hands. Dispose of the bird by double bagging in plastic bags and placing it in an outdoor trash receptacle. Insecticide use Periodically, adult mosquito populations become such that CMC must do an ultra low volume (ULV) insecticide spray application in order to reduce adult mosquito populations to tolerable levels. Anyone who would like to be notified when these mosquito spraying applications are to take place in their area, or to ensure insecticides are not sprayed near their property, call CMC toll-free, 877-276-4306. The Garfield County Cooperative Mosquito Control Program also recognizes many people are involved with organic farming and organic home gardening. CMC has products that are certified for use on or near organic crops by the Organic Materials Review Institute
Simple, yet effective measures can prevent mosquito bites: • Avoid mosquitoes by staying indoors at dawn and dusk when bugs are most active. • Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outdoors. • Apply insect repellent that contains DEET. Follow directions carefully. • Install or repair window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out.
Reduce the number of breeding mosquitoes: The path aligning the Colorado River east of Callahan Park has been closed due to flooding cas a result of the high runoff on the Colorado River. High water conditions create prime breedPhoto by Carrie Click ing ground for mosquitoes.
(OMRI). Technicians are trained to apply these organic products to areas of larval mosquito production around organic operations. For more information regarding OMRI-certified products CMC has available, call 877276-4306 or e-mail info@comosquitocontrol.com. West Nile risk is small Even in areas where the virus is circulating, very few mosquitoes are infected, and most are simply a nuisance, but not a health threat. Even if a mosquito is infected, the chances a person will become severely ill from any single mosquito bite are extremely small. Although it is somewhat rare to catch this illness, and most infected people will have only mild symptoms including fever, headache, body aches, and occasionally skin rashes and swollen lymph nodes, in rare cases, West Nile Virus can be fatal. More serious West Nile Virus cases can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and/or meningitis (inflammation of the brain's lining). These infections are characterized by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, muscle weakness or convulsions. Persons with these symptoms need to seek medical attention immediately.
• Remove standing water in ponds, ditches, clogged rain gutters, flowerpots, plant saucers, puddles, buckets and cans. • Check for items that might hold water including wheelbarrows, tires, hubcaps, toys, garden equipment, pool covers, tarps, plastic sheeting, pipes, drains, flat roofs, boats, canoes and trash. Drill drainage holes in tire swings. • Completely change water in birdbaths and wading pools weekly. Well-maintained swimming pools and spas are not a risk since pool chemicals kill any larvae. • Stock ponds and fountains with fish that eat mosquito larvae. • Use mosquito dunks in small ponds. Dunks are natural bacteria that kill mosquito larvae but are harmless to other animals, and are available at home and garden stores.
Symptoms generally appear three to 14 days after exposure. All residents of areas where West Nile Virus activity has been confirmed could be at risk, but people over age 50 seem to be especially vulnerable to severe forms of disease. Complete information about West Nile Virus can be obtained at fightthebitecolorado.com
High water
continued from cover
“Weather will be the determining factor regarding water levels,” said Garfield County Emergency Manager Chris Bornholdt. “This past winter’s uncommon levels of snow pack remaining are also a consideration.”
Although the Colorado River east of Parachute and Battlement Mesa was running high, and fields were receiving plenty of water, the fire danger was still listed as high in early June in the Grand Valley. Photo by Carrie Click
Watch the water “Anyone planning to be around water flows needs to be aware of the speed of the water and floating debris,” says Tanny McGinnis of the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office. “Watch for quick rising water levels, and use extra caution when along riverbanks. And never allow children near moving water without a life jacket.” The river is especially dangerous during runoff because of the amount of debris in the water, many put-ins and take-out are flooded, and low-hanging bridges can be hazardous, among other reasons. Restrictions are more official downriver in Mesa County. From the DeBeque bridge to the Colorado-Utah line, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department has imposed a partial restriction from June 9-24 on the Colorado. People are restricted from using single-chamber flotation devices, such as inner tubes, pool noodles, pool float chairs, loungers and arm floats, and are subjected to a $50 fine. Commercial river running operators are not affected.
Page 4, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
GO GRAND VALLEY
Your calendar for goings on in and around Parachute and Battlement Mesa Help our calendar grow; let us know. Send public event items to gve@crystalvalleyecho.com. Be sure to include the five Ws (who, what, when, why and where), contact info, cost and anything else readers need to know. • June 16: 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Two sessions to make your summer reading book bag your own at the Parachute Branch Library. Use the library’s art supplies and show off your creative talents. For tickets and info, call 285-9870.
• July 8: 11 a.m. Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.
• June 17: 9-10 a.m. A meeting to discuss CMC’s two new bachelor degree programs in business administration and sustainability studies is at CMC in Rifle, 3695 Airport Rd., 625-1871, coloradomtn.edu.
• July 8: Tickets are free and now available at the Parachute Branch Library for a performance on Aug. 5 of Mark Twain, as played by Branson, Mo. actor Dave Ehlert. 285-9870.
• June 17: 11 a.m. Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.
• July 8-9: Rifle Airport 2011 Airshow. See ad, back page.
• June 17: 6-10 p.m. Reel Readers features “The #1 Ladies Detective Agency” for this movie and book discussion. Copies of the book are available at the library. Please bring a snack and prepare for a great evening of fun. 2859870.
• July 12: 3 p.m. Bug, Bon Appetite teen event at the Parachute Branch Library. Challenge your taste buds to an afternoon of bug sampling. This is for real…you will have the opportunity to munch away. Take the challenge, bring your friends, plenty to go round! 285-9870.
• June 21: 12-2 p.m. Ladies Who Do Lunch Bunch (for adults) features the book for this month, “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” by Lisa See, at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.
• July 13: Red Blazer Girls Book Club for grades 5-7 features Sharon Draper’s award-winning “Out of my Mind” will be discussed at this meeting at the Parachute Branch Library. Copies available at the library. 285-9870.
• June 22: 11:30 a.m. Eric Schmela of the Battlement Mesa Company invites you to a Community Coffee Talk, an informal gathering at the Grand Valley Fire Station. Connect with your friends and neighbors over free beverages and snacks from our community's newest restaurant, Rocky Mountain Pizza & Cones. Let's bring the community together.
July 13: 10 a.m.-3 pm. Battlement Mesa Activity Center Kids Fun Day – Sports, food, games, crafts, and swimming for ages fourth through eighth grades. $5/child. Preregister by calling Kaylyn at 285-9480.
• June 23: 10 a.m. Get your tickets for Charlie “The Noiseguy” Williams Love to make weird noises with your mouth? Don’t know how others do it but would love to learn how? Grab a ticket, and take a front row seat at the Parachute Branch Library. For tickets and info, call 2859870.
• July 8: The first outdoor movie night is on the lawn of the Battlement Mesa Activity Center, and is “Despicable Me.” Contact Laurel, 285-1258.
• July 15: 10 a.m. The Parachute Branch Library presents the animals from the Denver Zoo for kindergarten-6th graders only. The program is geared for this age group and not appropriate for a younger audience. Call the library for tickets and more info at 285-9870. (No Story Time this Friday.)
• June 24: 11 a.m. Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870.
ONGOING
• June 26: 4-6 p.m. Fundraising picnic for Penny Rosener’s heart surgery at the Couey ranch, 6275 County Rd. 315, Silt. $5/suggested donation per person. Take I-70 Exit 94 and watch for signs. Co-sponsored by Kelly and Carrie Couey and PEO IW.
• The Battlement Mesa Activity Center has lots of classes and activities: swimming, dancing, personal training, water aerobics, yoga, kung fu, basketball, and more. Call 285-9480.
• June 27: 6-7 p.m. A meeting to discuss CMC’s two new bachelor degree programs in business administration and sustainability studies is at CMC in Rifle, 3695 Airport Rd., 625-1871, coloradomtn.edu. • June 28: The Good, the Bad, the Gross for grades 46. This popular program “Blasts Off “ with this episode that goes out doors….really you will have the opportunity to blast off. Sign up now, space is limited. Contact the Parachute Branch Library, 285-9870.
• Every Monday from 12-1 p.m. the Grand Valley United Methodist Church serves a free soup lunch at the church at 132 Parachute Ave. • Every Monday from 12:45-4 p.m., Party Bridge is held at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. All levels welcome. • Grand Valley Sew and Sew Quilters meet on 9:30 a.m. the fourth Monday of every month at the Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse. Call Ann Arrington at 285- 9757 or Mary Galterio at 285-0243 for more info.
• June 28: 1 p.m. Village Artists meet at the Parachute Branch Library, and feature Karen Aldrich demonstrating basket-making. Joline, jolinebb@comcast.net.
• The first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., the Grand Valley Citizens Alliance meets at the Rifle Branch Library community room. Leslie, 618-0890.
• June 30: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Summer Reading Program presents Folkorico dancers, a family event. For tickets and information, call 285-9870.
• Every Tuesday at 7 a.m., the Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/Parachute meets at the Community Room of the Parachute Branch Library, 244 Grand Valley Way, in Parachute. Coffee is at 7 a.m., program begins at 7:30 a.m.
• July 1: 11 a.m. Story Time at the Parachute Branch Library. 285-9870. • July 1: Last day to purchase a ticket for the Parachute Senior Center’s barbecue on July 4. $5/members, $10/non-members. Call Jeannette at 285-9512, 3099380.
• Every Tuesday, seniors age 60 and older, or anyone with a disability, can take The Traveler to Rifle. The Traveler also goes to Grand Junction the second Tuesday of each month. Call 625-1366 for more info.
• July 4: Happy Birthday, America. The Parachute Branch Library and other government offices are closed today.
• The second Tuesday of every month at 3:30 p.m. the Battlement Mesa Service Association’s Oil and Gas Committee meets at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center.
• July 4: 12 p.m. Parachute Senior Center barbecue, 540 N. Parachute Ave., Parachute. Jeannette, 285-9512, 309-9380.
• Neighborhood Watch meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Parachute Town Hall, 222 Grand Valley Way, Parachute. 285-7630.
• The Glenwood Springs Chapter of HEARTBEAT – Support for Survivors After Suicide – is open to anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one through suicide – no matter how long ago. We all survive one heartbeat at a time. This peer group meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs. Use the Bethel Chapel entrance of the church, 824 Cooper Street. Call Pam Szedelyi, 945-1398, e-mail pamsz@sopris.net.
• The second Tuesday or Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., the Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District Board of Directors meets at the recreation district office, 259 Cardinal Way, Parachute, 285-0388, parachutebattlementparkandrecreation.org. • The third Tuesday of every month at 9 a.m., the Battlement Mesa Service Association meets at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. • Every Wednesday at 11 a.m. is Toddler Time, and every Friday at 11 a.m. is Story Time at the Parachute Library. Both open to young children. Call Michelle at 285-9870. • Every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., the Parachute Valley Senior Center hosts a luncheon prepared by the Rifle Senior Center. $2.50 for those over 60. Reservations taken Mondays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; call 285-7216. • The first and third Wednesday of every month at 3 p.m., the Battlement Mesa Architectural Committee meets at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Open to the public. 285-9432. • Battlement Concerned Citizens meet the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at 1:30 p.m. at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center to discuss issues of concern to the Battlement Mesa community. Open to the public. Dave, 285-2263 or Ron, 285-3085. • Weekly transportation on Thursdays from Parachute to Glenwood Springs and towns in between is available to seniors and disabled people on The Traveler minibus. Call 625-1366, 48 hours in advance for reservations. Service is for door-to-door pick up and return for a fee of $8 round trip. Trips can be for doctor appointments, shopping, visiting or personal needs. Please schedule doctor appointments between 10 am and 2 pm. • Every Thursday at 10 a.m. (except the first Thursday of the month), the Prayer Shawl Ministry meets at the Grand Valley United Methodist Church, 132 N. Parachute, Parachute. Call Sharon, 285-2318, or the church, 285-9892, to join in. • Every Friday from 9-9:30 a.m. “Community Connections” hosts interviews with community members on KSUN 103.9 FM. • Every Saturday at 7 p.m., the Parachute Valley Senior Center hosts Bingo Night with cash prizes. Free hot dogs every third Saturday. 540 N. Parachute Ave., 285-1353.
UPCOMING • July 29-30: Grand Valley Days includes rodeo, pancake breakfast, parade, bike rodeo, dance and more. • Aug. 2-6: Garfield County Fair is at the Garfield County Fairgrounds on Railroad Avenue in Rifle. Rodeo, 4H, vendor booths, live music, kids activities, car show, food, and more. 309-6214, garfieldcountyfair.com. • Aug. 5: Mark Twain, as played by Branson, Mo.-actor Dave Ehlert, is at the Parachute Branch Library at 7 p.m. Tickets are free and available at the library beginning July 8. 285-9870.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 5
H O R S E S
High risk to Colorado horses: Equine Herpes Virus By Tanny McGinnis, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office
Beginning in mid-May, cases of the Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) have been recorded in the western U.S. Three cases have been confirmed in Mesa County. This irreversible virus has had many local horse owners concerned. EHV-1 can be transmitted through direct contact, clothing, shoes, equipment, and even through the air. EHV-1 has an incubation period of roughly four to six days. Symptoms may include: • a fever of 102 degrees or higher • coughing • nasal discharge • weakness in hind limbs • gait abnormalities • difficulty defecating or urinating • trouble rising and/or standing Some ways to prevent this virus from spreading: • After handling one horse, wash your hands before moving to the next. • Change clothes when going to another farm. • Disinfect your shoes when leaving the premises. • Do not share water buckets or equipment. • Keep your horses from coming in contact with unfamiliar horses. • Do not rotate horses from stall to stall. • Because this virus can be airborne, try to keep hauling horses to a minimum.
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If you are concerned that your horse may be showing symptoms, call your local veterinarian immediately. Direct any questions to the Colorado Department of Agriculture at 303239-4100 or visit colorado.org/ag. For more information, visit the American Association of Equine Practitioners website at aaep.org.
Page 6, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
O B I T U A R I E S
Vera Vie Nicholson April 23, 1918 – May 21, 2011
Vera Nicholson, formerly of Broken Bow, Neb., passed away May 21 at the Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home in Rifle. She was 93. Vera was born April 23, 1918 in Ord, Neb. to Frank and Ella (Hansen) Witt. She married Gus Nicholson August 7, 1946 in Elkton, Md. Vera is survived by her son Jim Nicholson of Tennessee; brother Russell Witt of Missouri; grandchildren Gail Cunningham, James Nicholson, John (Deb) Nicholson and David (Alice) Nicholson; and great grandchildren Katharina and Jacob Nicholson and Erin Poole. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Gus; sisters Fern and Rhoda; and brothers Donald and Woodrow. Cremation has taken place and graveside services were held May 27 at Ord Cemetery in Nebraska. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the American Diabetes Association or Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home in Rifle.
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GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 7
A R T S New dental practice opens in Parachute Staff report Since 1998, Dr. Scott and Dr. Carol Lybrook have owned and operated Lybrook Dental Center in Fruita, Colo. for people of all ages. Now, Drs. Lybrook have opened their Parachute/Battlement Mesa dental practice. “Today, we continue our commitment to western Colorado by expanding our patient services to the Parachute/Battlement Mesa area,” says Dr. Scott Lybrook. As a full-service dental practice, Lybrook Dental Center focuses on the health and attractiveness of their patients with comprehensive care in preventive, restorative, cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry. The new dental practice is at Southgate Plaza on Cardinal Way, and is accepting new patient appointments. With the addition of the new Parachute/Battlement Mesa practice, Dr. Carol and Dr. Scott Lybrook will continue to operate their Fruita dental practice of 13 years. “We are very excited about this opportunity and look forward to being part of a great community,” says Dr. Scott Lybrook. For more information about Lybrook Dental Center and to schedule appointments, call 970-858-9511 or visit lybrookdental.com. The Parachute office is at 101 Cardinal Way, Unit 3.
Linda & Dave Devanney support The Grand Valley Echo
&
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Family Flick and Food Fest kicks off July 8 on the activity center lawn By Laurel Koning, Echo contributor
Movies under the stars
The Battlement Mesa Activity Center, along with the Parachute/Battlement on the Battlement Mesa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and Activity Center lawn Common Ground have teamed together to present a series of three movies to be shown under the stars. The first movie, Movies start at dusk (8:45-9 p.m.) “Despicable Me,” will be shown on July 8 on the lawn of the activity center. July 8: “Despicable Me” Two other showings will follow later July 22: “ET” this summer. “ET” will show on July 22 Aug. 5: “Toy Story 3” and “Toy Story 3” will conclude the series on Aug. 5. Costs for these movies are being subsidized by the above sponsors. Movies are free. Vendor snacks for sale. Admission is free for all ages! Call Laurel at 285-1258. In addition, local restaurants and food providers are being asked to participate in our first Food Fest. Each vendor will bring a sampling of their menu that will be available for sale. Tickets will be sold onsite and redeemed at each vendor booth for your enjoyment from 7-8:30 p.m. prior to the showing of the movie. A picnic area with seating will also be available for all to enjoy. Movies will start at dusk (8:45-9 p.m.) in the open park area near the tennis courts and playground area. Bring your chairs, blankets and warm clothing, as it will get a little cooler after sundown. No pets will be allowed in the area during this event. The various committees are working very hard to make this summer offering a huge success. If you need any additional information or would like to volunteer to help, please call Laurel Koning at 285-1258. We’ll see you at the movies!
Battlement Mesa: Drilling in a Retirement Community Colorado has roughly 43,000 active oil and gas wells, with 200 more proposed within Battlement Mesa, a former retirement community here on the Western Slope. Battlement Mesa will see drilling near homes, its schools, and on its open space and golf course. The project could take up to 30 years because private corporations lease the underlying mineral estate. Unfortunately, no municipal government oversees the rights of 5,000 Battlement Mesa residents because it is an unincorporated community. At the request of Battlement Concerned Citizens (BCC) and to learn more about the cumulative health impacts of up to 200 natural gas wells drilled and fracked near homes, county authorities sanctioned a "Health Impact Assessment" (HIA). In it, serious concerns were raised about health, environmental, and social impacts – over 70 preventive measures were listed in the HIA by the Colorado School of Public Health. (Available at: http://www.garfieldcounty.com/public-health/battlement-mesa-health-impact-assessment-draft2.aspx) Unfortunately, county officials have decided to leave the HIA in draft form, although they promise to refer to its recommendations before drilling starts. WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS? • Limited information is available about natural gas development's impact on public health and the environment, because the industry is exempt from the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act -- the list goes on…. • Industry continues to fail to disclose ALL of the chemicals used in the drilling and fracking process, so no one knows the effects on community water supplies and air quality from chemicals, pipelines, compressor stations, wastewater ponds, condensate tanks, truck exhaust, and other industry impacts on a residential area.
In the "Health Impact Assessment," the Colorado School of Public Health warned: The "health of Battlement Mesa residents will most likely be affected by chemical exposures, accidents, emergencies, and stress-related community changes." THE BATTLEMENT CONCERNED CITIZENS ARE WORKING TO: • Implement the HIA's 70 recommendations, including moving rigs further from homes and schools. • Ensure scrutiny of industrial air emissions and begin medical monitoring programs when drilling occurs. • Attain full public disclosure of chemicals used in oil and gas development, particularly hydraulic fracturing. • Increase bonding rates and reclamation stands to assure Battlement Mesa's future as a community. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Join the Grand Valley Citizens Alliance for $35.00 and you will be supporting BCC efforts and you will also gain a membership to Western Colorado Congress. Your financial support will help protect your health and home. Please send your check to: WCC Re: GVCA/BBC, PO Box 1931, Grand Junction CO 81502. (Please note your donation above the yearly membership fee should be directed to BCC; all donations are tax-deductible.)
BATTLEMENT CONCERNED CITIZENS/BCC: Dave Devanney, co-chair: 970-285-2263
Grand Valley Citizens Alliance/GVCA: 970-625-8439 Western Colorado Congress/WCC: Frank Smith: 970-256-7650 or frank@wccongress.org Paid Advertisement
Page 8, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
GRAND VALLEY ENERGY A monthly column by M.E. Denomy, CPA
Putting it all together
Lately, there have been a number of federal units that have come to light in our area, so it may be beneficial to understand how they happen and what they mean. A federal unit is a grouping of thousands of acres that is approved by the federal government. Part of the acres must contain federal lands, such as lands managed by the BLM or Forest Service, but often there are thousands of acres included in these federal units that are owned by private people. A company must apply to the federal government for “pooling” all of these lands together based on the science that the minerals travel freely under all the acres included in the unit and that a unit is necessary to pay everyone fairly because your minerals may travel underground to another area within the unit. If the federal government approves the unit, then all acres will be included in the unit, whether they are leased or not and regardless of who owns them For every well drilled within the unit, there is a review of the well’s economics. If the well can make money, it then is added to the unit as a “participating” well. Everyone who has acreage in the unit gets paid a part of the income from the well based on the number of acres that they own compared to the total acres in the unit. For instance, if you have a 1/8th royalty, you own 10 acres and there are 50,000 acres approved in the federal unit, you will receive 2.5 cents for every $1,000 made from the well (10/50,000 x 12.5% x $1,000). Sometimes it takes several months or years for a well to be evaluated for its economics. Often there are times that a mineral owner will get paid in one year and then have to pay back a large portion of their royalties so the other people in the unit can get their share. This can result in no income to you for several months and it also means that a well that was drilled on your property and into your minerals is shared with everyone included in the federal unit. So, if you own minerals near some federal lands, it may be good to check with the BLM if any federal units are pending that include your acres. Mary Ellen Denomy, CPA, is a Battlement Mesa resident and an Accredited Petroleum Accountant. She has been nationally recognized as an expert in oil and gas issues. Mary Ellen is the immediate past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Association of Royalty Owners. If you have questions, contact her at the naro-us.org website or through The Grand Valley Echo.
www.bmac-co.org 970-285-9480 Try a class or enjoy BMAC amenities on your own. Tiger Kun Fu, Total Body Fitness, Taekwon Do, Step Aerobics, Belly Dance, Racquetball, Party and Duplicate Bridge, Literary Guild, Needlework Group, Zumba, Yoga, Indoor Cycling, Basketball, Tennis Club, Playground, Swimming Pool, Spa & Sauna COMING SOON:
FOOD & FAMILY FLICK FEST (outdoor movies on the lawn) SPONSORED BY BMAC, P/BM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & COMMON GROUND
Check out BATTLEMENT MESA METROPOLITAN DISTRICT'S new website for valuable information about water & wastewater operations, district management, documents, employment & association management.
Brenda and Donnie would like to welcome you!
Enjoy friendly service and fresh homemade cooking at reasonable prices Try our Specialty . . ."NAVAJO TACOS" OPEN: Monday - Friday 11 am to 9pm • Saturday 7 am to 9 pm Full Breakfast Menu Saturday 10 am to 2 pm BAR OPEN : Monday - Thursday until Midnight Friday & Saturday until 2 am Featuring our Bloody Mary Bar . . . Saturday & Sunday 10 am to 2 pm
www.bmmetrodistrict.com 970-285-9050 Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm
Group meeting space available by appointment - Call Brenda for details. 73 Sipprelle Drive - Battlement Mesa Plaza
970-285-9930
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 9
G O V E R N M E N T The Battlement Mesa Service Association
Battlement Mesa: One of the “Best Neighborhoods” By Keith Lammey, president, Battlement Mesa Service Association If you’ve lived here for a long time, you may remember when Battlement Mesa “made the front page” of Where to Retire magazine when Battlement Mesa was listed as a “Best Neighborhood.” I’m not making this up. It is absolutely true. Judy Wade of Phoenix, Ariz. wrote an article about our community that was published in the fall 1997 issue of Where to Retire magazine. It is an interesting article. Ms. Wade introduced our community by saying, “Battlement Mesa may seem like a discordant name for such a serene place. But, situated on a Colorado mesa surrounded by mountains that are shaped like battlements, this development takes its name from the very scenery that attracts new residents.” A few paragraphs later, she states, “Battlement Mesa has a true small town ambiance that is likely to prevail as it grows” then continues, “at an elevation of more than 5,000 feet, the community has mild winters and cool summers, and snow doesn’t last long on the ground.” Some of Battlement Mesa’s 1997 residents were quoted in the article. Per Ms. Wade, Nancy Scott told her, “I feel we were divinely directed. We have no family here, and I had never been to Colorado but we knew we didn’t like heat, and we do like four seasons. So when [my husband] Jim became a casualty of career downsizing in the Wall Street banking business, we left our large colonial home and took a Colorado vacation.” Ms. Wade states that, “The state’s scenic beauty immediately appealed to the Scotts” and later in the article says, “The Scotts enjoy the mix of lifestyles and ages, including children, in their neighborhood.” Nancy Scott is quoted as saying, “We like everything about the place, but we like the people here best of all.” As you might expect, the article mentions the Battlement Mesa Activity Center – “the 53,000-square-foot complex offers tennis, racquetball, basketball and volleyball courts, a pool, hot tub and sauna, and workout room” – and “the 18hole championship golf course designed by Ken Dye and Joe Finger [that] is widely considered one of Colorado’s finest.” The article states that Hans and Elizabeth Bieber “retired from Denver, where Hans was a house painter” and explains that Hans “also enjoys the rural setting within a mile of the Colorado River. In wintertime, he says deer and elk come down from higher elevations and can be seen from the windows of his home. Bald eagles are in residence, and in summer, the hummingbirds seek out blossoming flower gardens.” Near the end of the article, Ms. Wade wrote, “With the best of nature as a backdrop, there seems little not to like about Battlement Mesa.” In a previous column, I explained that I still believe our slogan, “Battlement Mesa, The Colorado Dream” and stated that “together we can make the dream come true” so it shouldn’t surprise you that I believe that Battlement Mesa still is a “Best Neighborhood.” Ms. Wade and the people she quoted in her article said nice things about our community. And 14 years later, they are still true. Battlement Mesa still has wonderful vistas, frequent visits from bobcats, coyotes, deer, elk, and even bear, a blend of lifestyles and age groups, including children, and a housing choice to suit most people’s needs. In addition to the activity center and golf course, we now have a beautiful new middle school and a nearly new high school that serve our community. And we have a new pizza and cones restaurant. The 19th Hole restaurant is open and within a few weeks, we’ll have our very own True Value Hardware Store. Tell your friends: Battlement Mesa is a Best Neighborhood!
Page 10, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
S E N I O R S
Mesa Vista News Happy birthday, Charlie Wallace! By Kathy Germano, Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence activity director
June 11 was a great day for a yard sale. Along with the community sale, Mesa Vista also had a yard sale to raise funds for our summer activities program. We received many donations from residents’ families and the community. With the money we raised, we hope to visit the botanical gardens in Grand Junction, sightsee and have lunch in Redstone, and possibly attend the peach festival in Palisade. We also hope to do a second annual fall tour on the Grand Mesa. We will be picnicking at Rifle Falls June 23. The weather didn’t cooperate with our planned picnic and fishing trip earlier this spring to Lions Pond, but we did enjoy lunch at McDonalds. We are looking forward to moving some of our more active games to the outdoors. Ladder golf and bean bag toss are favorites.“ So Many Tunes, So Little Time” will be performing for us on June 21. What a great way to bring in the first day of summer! We are celebrating one June birthday for longtime resident Charlie Wallace on June 17. We are seeing signs of spinach, radishes, snap peas and onions in our courtyard garden. Jim Soefker is the proud gardener of this crop. Opal Ellsbury has planted some beautiful flowers, including columbine, pansies, and other purple varieties, which is Mother’s Day at Mesa Vista. Photo courtesy of Kathy Germano Opal’s favorite color. Speaking of flowers, Mary Lee Mohrlang, Brandy Swanson, Jim Warren and Jack Pretti from Keller Williams Real Estate Group spent a day with us planting flowers and cleaning up our courtyard. We now have beautiful flower pots to adorn our front entry! Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence in Parachute/Battlement Mesa is part of the Senior Housing Options network of residences and apartments providing housing for older adults in Colorado.
Senior Center News
Summer is the time to help seniors By Mitzi Burkhart, Parachute Senior Center
This is the time of year when seniors and disabled persons often need help with yard and garden work as well as house upkeep chores. Free help is available from the Helping Hands for Seniors program, part of the Retired Volunteers Service Program (RSVP). Volunteers can do simple garden and yard maintenance, minor plumbing and electrical repair, light bulb and smoke detector battery replacement, minor carpentry, home weatherization, and installation of grab bars and wheelchair ramps. Jobs that volunteers cannot do are housekeeping, roof repair, gutter cleaning, house painting, major electrical and plumbing repair, furnace or appliance repair and moving/heavy lifting. If you need help, call 384-8746 and leave your name and phone number, and leave a brief description of your needs. The program manager will call back to schedule an appointment. More volunteers (both men and women) are needed to do the various tasks to help seniors, so please call 947-8462 to offer your time to help Parachute-area residents.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 11
PA R K S
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Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District - “Where The Fun Begins”
Summer programs in play and starting soon By Mary Anderson, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District executive director
Current programs: Boys Youth Baseball:
• Two 8-10 year old teams coached by A.J. Buffington, Doug Pfau and Ryan Frink • Two 11-12 year old teams coached by David Pennington and Bill Parkhurst • One 13-15 year old team coached by Ben Evers and Emelio Ruelas assisted by Danny Manzanares Girls Youth Softball: • One 8-10 year old softball team coached by Danny Medina • One 11-12 year old softball team coached by Marilyn Bulger Adult Coed Softball: Play ball: It's looking like summer and another season of ball playing at the Callahan Ball Field Complex. Photo by Carrie Click
Sponsored by
Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park & Recreation District 285-0388 • Where the Fun Begins"
Coed softball is being held on Thursday evenings beginning June 23, at the Callahan Ball Field Complex. Game times are 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. each Thursday. NO ALCOHOL is allowed at the ball park. At press time, six teams are signed up and ready to play. There may room for 2 more teams. Fee is $300 per team, and each team provides their own shirts. Call 285-0388 for more information.
Upcoming programs: Youth Fall Soccer sign up:
Sign up for Youth Fall Soccer for U-10, U-12 and U-14 girls and boys teams is going on from now until July 1. The early deadline is for league scheduling purposes. Fee to participate is $65 per person plus a $35 refundable uniform deposit. Soccer officials needed:
If you would like to become a soccer referee, please call the park and recreation district at 285-0388. Soccer officiating clinics are coming up soon. **
Watch for new playground equipment that will be erected in 2011 at the Callahan Ball Field Complex. Parachute/Battlement Mesa Parks and Recreation is at 259 Cardinal Way, Parachute, 285-0388, parachutebattlementmesaparkandrec.org. Check out the website; it’s updated
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Page 12, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
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Kaylyn Stewart interns at BMAC By Anne Huber, Battlement Mesa Community Center director Kaylyn Stewart moved to Battlement Mesa five years ago when she was a sophomore at Grand Valley High School. She began working that same year at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center (BMAC) as a lifeguard. Later she worked both as a lifeguard and at the front desk until fall 2009 when she left for college at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) in Greeley. Now a rising senior at UNC, Kaylyn asked if she could complete an internship as part of the requirements for a degree in recreation and tourism with a minor in psychology. “I think I can contribute to the programming at BMAC based on my years living in the community, familiarity with the operations of BMAC and the knowledge gained as a student in the field of recreation,” says Kaylyn. The staff at BMAC agrees. Kaylyn was a standout employee: self-motivated, eager to learn, willing to work Kaylyn Stewart hard, versatile, and smart. “As part of my practicum, I hope to implement programs promoting health and wellness to the community as well as youth programs promoting physical fitness and creativity,” Kaylyn adds. Her plans are ambitious. She and BMAC aquatics coordinator Michelle Bargas are attending a certification class to teach Arthritis Water Exercise. Kaylyn also plans to offer an eight-week sports program that will introduce participants to tennis, racquetball, basketball, volleyball, tag variations, soccer, horseshoes, dodge ball and pickle ball. She will expand the youth craft program and partner with local organizations for a possible “lock-in.” Aqua Boot-Camp, Walk to Fitness and a barbeque dinner/dance are also in the planning stages. Kaylyn enjoys working with all ages, youth and adults. She describes her management style as incorporating as many people in her planning process as possible to ascertain needs and preferences. If you have an idea for a program that you would like to see implemented at BMAC, please contact Kaylyn at the activity center by calling 285-9480.
Memorial Day Golf Tournament results Best ball foursome 1st Pete Martinez Thom Hamick Karen Hamick Connie L Stiers
48
2nd Charles Perrin Amy Perrin Lee Harris Rhonda Harris
51
Tie 3rd Pat Devore Manny Rodriguez Leo Macie Pat Breed
52
Dave Linnertz Nora Linnertz Sara McCurdy Eric Edgerton
52
John Keller 52 Jim Landrum Bill Breuer Fran Breuer Closest to Pin #8: Kenda Spaulding Longest Putt Made #9: Nancy Swenson Closest to Pin #13: Dave Ruechel Longest Putt Made #18: John Constine
– Johnny Goodman, PGA, Battlement Mesa Golf Club
S P E C I A L S
Chef’s Choice Daily Specials
Weekday specials under $10!
Monday - Steak Nite - $300 off freshly cut steaks Friday - Catfish Day Saturday/Sunday from 1:30 Fresh Baked Prime Rib Dinner
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! Join us for Dinner on Father’s Day 3 Meat Choices, 2 Sides & Dessert $17.95
Simmer Down Band Saturday, July 9th @ 7 pm We are open 5:30 am daily, 6 am Sat & Sun until 9 pm daily 315 E First Street • Parachute, Co. 81635 970-285-1917 • catering 970-285-7091
The Colorado Heritage Group NEW LISTING
ESTATE COUNTRY LIVING Unique upgrades, 360º awesome views 40X60 shop - six garage doors inlaid aspen ceiling - tiled throughout Rifle - $655,000
NO DETAIL OVERLOOKED Immaculate ranch style home with stucco, central AC, sprinkler system great master suite w/ 5 piece bath Battlement Mesa - $229,00 _____________________________ FABULOUS FLOORPLAN GREAT LOT Spacious rancher with two living areas. Nicely landscaped lot with mature fruit trees and water features Battlement Mesa - $289,900 SUPERIOR STYLING AND CLASS Spacious living, superb kitchen dining and master open to courtyard ten foot ceilings- quality throughout Battlement Mesa - $245,000 FASHIONABLE TOWNHOME Fine conditions- Perfect condition Split bedroom plan/ elegant master plush carpet, custom tile, granite Battlement Mesa - $199,900 FOUR BEDROOM - RADIANT HEAT Stainless steel appliances, office/den radiant floor heat, accent paint Battlement Mesa - $335,900 YOUR GET AWAY IN THE FOREST Heavily treed 40 acre parcel a creek runs thru the property borders BLM / Access to Harvey Gap Silt - $45,000 AN AFFORDABLE INVESTMENT Close to I-70, Silt and BLM land undeveloped 20 acre parcel buy this parcel and enjoy life Silt - 25,000 LUXURIOUS CASUAL LIFESTYLE Finished lower level townhome elegant master suite - soaking tub upper deck- lower patio- big views Battlement Mesa - $225,000 VIEWS SUNRISE TO SUNSET Covered deck, fenced outbuilding and RV parking. Open living/ dining room, eat in nook, galley kitchen Battlement Mesa - $189,900 FANTASTIC LANDSCAPING Storage cabinetry abounds in the laundry plus a large walk-in pantry. deco interior colors- fine finishes Battlement Mesa - $289,000
NEED MORE CAREFREE TIME Maintenance free patio home with a large covered patio and open views. laundry room eat-in kitchen Battlement Mesa - $156,900 DELIGHTFUL COVERED PATIO MF Home- upgrades abound- immaculate lovely interior decorator colors three bdrms, office- large home Battlement Mesa - $139,900 WALLS OF WINDOWS AND VIEWS Well built, maintained and land- scaped ranch. Master suitelarge walk-in shower and jetted tub Battlement Mesa - $269,900 LIGHT, BRIGHT, COMFORTABLE Kitchen-lots of cabinets/ counters fenced yard- bedding plant areas fresh interior paint- neat and clean Battlement Mesa - $155,000 INDULGE YOURSELF AND UNWIND Patio with views- tiled flooring corner lot- lovely landscaping kitchen island open to living area Battlement Mesa - $179,900 LOTS OF LIVING SPACES Kitchen cabinets, counters galore large family room and living room lovely townhome- corner lot Battlement Mesa - $230,000 NEW WORKSHOP ON 8.3 ACRES Premium views in all directions utilities to property line- well 1500 sq ft brand new workshop Battlement Mesa - $249,900 DOWNTOWN RIFLE OASIS Newly remodeled spacious home on beautifully landscaped lot steps from shopping and entertainment Rifle - $167,900 COUNTRY FEEL NEAR TOWN Upgrades galore- MF Home in quiet subdivision minuets from Rifle. Textured drywall- walk-in closets Rifle - $163,800 PRICE REDUCED LARGE DECK - FENCED YARD Sodded yard- sprinkler system large dining- living- kitchen MF home- oak cabinets- great closets Battlement Mesa - $134,900 REFRESHING, REMODEL - MF HOME Back yard borders walking trail eat-in kitchen- built in hutch two car attached garage MF Home Battlement Mesa - $119,000 VACANT LOTS Owner financing available. Buy now, build later. Walking and biking trails, close to rec center. Battlement Mesa Starting at - $69,000
mohrlang • swanson The NAMES that mean EXCELLENCE in Real Estate…
Mary Lee Mohrlang, CRS, GRI 970-216-5058 Brandy Swanson, 970-319-3574 73 Sipprelle Drive, Suite J-1, Batlement Mesa, CO 81635
Virtual Tours www.MohrlangJones.com
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 13
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Battlement Mesa Activity Center Tennis Association News
Tennis association members offering tennis to youth this summer By Vina Klahn, BMAC Tennis Association
From left, front row: Caleb Frink, Seth Morrick, Cayden Sproles; back row: Senior Master Robert Haynes, Tracy Morrick, Jamie Ramos, Anthony Smith, Connor Sproles and Travis Sproles. Photo courtesy of Dianne Haynes
Battlement Mesa Taekwon-Do students medal at Rifle tournament By Dianne Haynes, Echo contributor On May 14, students from Battlement Mesa Taekwon-Do took home medals in the sparring and patterns categories at the Western Taekwon-Do Tournament in Rifle. Students from all across Colorado competed in this annual tournament. Caleb Frink: 1st place, peewee yellow/green belt sparring; 2nd place, patterns Seth Morrick: 2nd place, junior yellow/green belt sparring Cayden Sproles: 1st place, junior yellow/green belt sparring Tracy Morrick: 2nd place, women’s sparring yellow/blue belts Jamie Ramos: 1st place, junior yellow belt; 1st place blue belt junior sparring Anthony Smith: 1st place, junior patterns; 1st place junior yellow/green belt sparring Connor Sproles: 1st place, junior green/blue sparring Travis Sproles competed in men’s green/blue belt sparring. Senior Master Robert Haynes, 8th Dan, is the instructor for Battlement Mesa Taekwon-Do. Congratulations to all competitors!
Hopefully, the tennis season is on in Battlement Mesa. Weather is the determining factor for those who play outdoor courts and Mother Nature has certainly been in charge. However, Dave and Leona Anthony Left, Marcella Ach and Kathy Morris at the tennis club kept one court cleared all winter and played party hosted by Carol Donaghue on May 21. Right, regularly, which makes them formidable Hope Perrine, Pat Oakley, Dean Hulse at the Round Robin Tournament on May 22. opponents for those of us who took the Photos courtesy of Vina Klahn winter off. A Round Robin Tournament originally scheduled for May 21 was postponed until May 22 due to inclement weather. The May 21 party was held as planned. Carol Donaghue again hosted the event, with members contributing side dishes to complement the brat and burger meal. A business meeting following the meal focused on two subjects: court repair and the provision of a porta-john at the courts. The matter of lifting the tiles and cleaning/mending the underlying concrete remains unresolved. A majority of members present voted to have portajohn service at the club's expense. Dave Anthony and Don Morton will be offering tennis lessons for youngsters this summer. Contact the Battlement Mesa Activity Center for more information at 285-9480. All members were glad to see Sam and Chris Robinson, who made the Round Robin Tournament and the party part of their annual visit. Chris had recently competed with a national seniors organization, with her team finishing third, so there was reason to celebrate. We are short of active members and invite anyone interested in joining to contact Joy Kemper, 285-6545 or Vina Klahn, 285-6718. Membership fees, at $18 per couple and $10 per single, are a real deal.
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Page 14, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
Battlement Mesa Metropolitan District 2010 Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report For Calendar Year 2010
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 15
Chamber awards scholarships to local students By Bill Cornelius, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce Looking for something for you and your family to do this summer? The Battlement Mesa Activity Center, Common Ground, and the chamber of commerce are working together to provide an outdoor movie night on several Friday nights for you and your family. The movies will be shown outdoors on the lawn at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. There will be food vendors providing all those goodies that we like to enjoy while watching a movie. The dates for movie night are July 8, July 22 and Aug. 5. The first movie will be “Despicable Me” showing July 8. See more about movie nights on page 7. Chamber of commerce scholarship recipients The following Parachute/Battlement Mesa Area Chamber of Commerce scholarships were given out at the Grand Valley High School awards night held on May 29. • A continuing education scholarship of $500 was given to Kaity Brown, who is attending the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley. • Three $1,000 scholarships were given to the following individuals: Christopher Chartier, Stefanie Lane Horton, Amanda Jablonsky. Each of these seniors graduated with a grade point average of 3.566 or above. The Parachute/Battlement Mesa Area Chamber of Commerce was able to give the continuing education scholarships and an additional $1,000 scholarship due to the generosity of Williams Production, RMT and the Grand Valley High School Wrestling Team. The wrestling team was "auctioned off" at the annual chamber auction and were purchased by Williams Production, RMT. The funds that were raised were split 50/50 between the team and the scholarship fund. The team worked very hard one Saturday morning and picked up 52 bags of trash going up 215 Road, plus numerous other articles of debris. That is a good example of the community working together.
Businesses of the Month Optimal Nutrition & Wellness, Sue McKinstry - massage therapist, 0235 Ponderosa Circle, Parachute CO 81635 Phone: 618-6056, e-mail: katkzy40@msn.com Rocky Mountain Pizza and Cone (Old Easy Cuisine building) Phone: 285-2253, Delivery 4-9 p.m., Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thank you, Battlement Mesa and Parachute. We are proud to serve you and your family fresh pizza and ice cream daily.
KIWANIS KORNER
Fundraising golf tournament a success By J. Steven Randol, Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/ Parachute program chairman
The Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/Parachute’s fundraising golf tourney on May 14 was highly successful, with 144 players. More than $35,000 in cash funds was collected. After expenses, more than $22,000 remains for scholarships and other Kiwanis projects. In addition, other funds were raised to be added to the tournament’s profits. Nearly $5,000 in donated prizes were raffled off after the tournament, and the overall return to players exceeded $9,900 in gifts, prizes and winnings, with 20 pin prizes won during play. Garfield County Commissioner Mike Samson was the honorary tournament chairman. Roy Brubacher was the initial club tournament organizer and primary reason for the tournament’s success. When he became ill, Chuck Hall took over for him and did an excellent job. Key Kiwanians who assisted were John Constine, Bob Prendergast, Dan Temple and Bruce Knuth. Other Kiwanians provided time and effort to make the tournament work. The winning teams: 1st – M. McCurdy, T. McCurdy, D. Dixon, A. Papp 2nd – M. Stiers, P. Stiers, J. Elsea, J. Rickstrew 3rd – N. Schaffer, H. Kracht, C. Abbott, C. Compton The businesses and citizens in the area supported this fundraiser and the Kiwanis Club wishes to thank them. It seems every year the tournament grows and we are able to increase our efforts in making our community a better place to live. The Kiwanis Club’s primary effort is to serve children and other community needs. Chuck Hall is our president. We need additional members and wish to invite others to join the club. We meet every Tuesday, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. in the Parachute Branch Library, the building east of Parachute Town Hall. Coffee is served at 7 a.m. for a time of fellowship. All men and women of good will are welcome to come and join us.
Page 16, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
Grand Valley Fire Protection District Wear PFDs around high water By Grand Valley Deputy Fire Chief Rob Ferguson
Rivers are raging; be safe In May, seven more Grand Valley firefighters went For the month of May 2011, through swift water rescue training. Please be very the fire district responded to careful by the Colorado River and other rivers. We are 46 calls for service: experiencing higher levels and faster moving waters 4 fire incidents in the rivers this year. And If you play around the river, 0 structure fires please be sure you and your children wear personal 1 fire alarm floatation devices (PFDs). 1 brush fire Be safe and have a great summer! 2 trash\rubbish\other – Rob Ferguson type fires 29 emergency medical calls If you should have an emergency, 4 vehicle crashes please call 911 as soon as possible! 4 public assists 4 gas leak/hazmat assignments 4 good intent calls In addition, 10 commercial quick reference/company safety inspections were conducted. Training hours per crew: 9.25 Green crew, 41.5 Black crew, 26 Red Crew. The month of May was very busy around the fire station. The fire district received its new Ambulance 31 that replaced our old Ambulance 31, which was traded in towards the purchase of the new ambulance. You will also see our newly refurbished Engine 32 running on incidents while Engine 31 is in the shop finally to repair the bumper from a vehicle that was on fire and hit the unit. In may, we also visited the schools to participate in “water days” where the kids get wet playing with the fire trucks and firefighters. Also remember that the fire district is not issuing any burn permits from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Grand Valley Fire Protection District covers a wide area of residential, commercial and some very remote areas with fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, public education and training in cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The district covers roughly 321 square miles. This is I-70 from mile marker 66.4 to mile marker 82.5, then all the way north to Rio Blanco County and south to Mesa County, including threequarters of a square mile of Mesa County. If you should have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact Deputy Fire Chief Rob Ferguson at 285-9119 or by e-mail at gvfpdops@sopris.net.
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Take a Hint Household How-to Hints by Barbara Barker Put ice cubes in a brown paper bag • When painting small objects on newspaper, the object will stick to the paper. Use wax paper instead. If you don’t have wax paper, rub a candle on a piece of a brown paper grocery bag used to catch drips and the painted object will not stick to the paper. • A wrapped, unwashed paint brush or roller can be stored in the freezer indefinitely waiting for the next use. • Most metals will shine like the sun if rubbed with cork; great use for those wine corks. • Clothing should not be stored under plastic covers. Use those worn-out pillow cases to cover clothing stored on hangers in the closet. Cut a small hole in the center of the seam and slip it over the hanger. • If you see snow on the television screen while playing a videotape in the VCR, try putting a piece of clean foil between the VCR and TV. This may cut down on the interference and clear the picture. • To keep the shape of your cloth hat, dry it on an inflated balloon. • Deadhead daffodils but don’t cut back the foliage for at least six weeks. • Ring a child’s drinking glass with rubber bands for a better grip. • To clean chrome on appliances, rub on baby oil, club soda, or a piece of lemon, wash and then rub dry with a soft, clean cloth. • When the family is going on vacation, pack some of everyone’s clothing in each bag, so no one person loses everything should a suitcase disappear. • When you want to accumulate ice cubes in the freezer, keep the extra cubes in a brown paper bag in the freezer. This helps prevent them from sticking together in a big frozen blob. • Help seedlings get started by watering them with a solution of a teaspoon of baby shampoo in a quart of water. This keeps the soil soft and moist so seedlings can break through easily. • For extra-clear ice cubes, fill the ice cube trays with distilled water. • When a small job needs sandpapering, it may be easier and more efficient to use an emery board rather then a piece of sandpaper. • When a marker has just about had it, dip the tip into distilled white vinegar for a few seconds. Instead of diluting the ink, the vinegar will help bring out the marker’s last drop of color. • Instead of going around in circles trying to fasten your bracelet, tape one end to your wrist, then fasten the clasp and remove the tape. • There is no need to reapply fragrance throughout the day – just put a light layer of petroleum jelly on your pulse points and then apply your perfume or cologne over it. The stickiness of the jelly attracts the fragrance molecules and locks them in. Just be sure you want that scent with you around the clock. • When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar; this will help bring out the corn’s natural sweetness. • If you are not real swift with a flyswatter, grab some water-soluble hair spray and spritz it near the fly. Barbara Barker of Battlement Mesa has lots more of these hints, which she’ll reveal in future issues of the Echo.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 17
H E A LT H • Decluttering your home is a major goal during spring cleaning, but make sure all the boxes and bags full of stuff you plan on redistributing through the house or getting rid of don’t trip you up. Place them outside or in areas away from steps and stairs where someone may trip over or catch their shoes on them.
Spring clean safely Spring is in the air, and if you’re like a lot of people, you have been spring cleaning. Nothing welcomes in warm weather and weekend vacations like a clean, fresh house. As you open the windows and dust the shelves, remember a few key tips to make the process safe and smooth. • When moving large furniture or appliances, be careful! Keep your back straight and lift with your legs when picking up heavy items. You should also put on shoes when you start moving big items. Nothing will ruin your day more than a broken toe. Another important thing to note about lifting or moving heavy items – if you feel like you can’t move it yourself and it’s too heavy, don’t try. Get someone to help you or wait until you can find someone who can. • Be careful when trying to reach high places. Use ladders and stepstools, not countertops and chairs. Try not to lean too far to either side. A good rule to follow is to not allow your belly button to go beyond the sides of the ladder. If possible, have someone hold the ladder steady for you. Make sure the ladder is never wet and that you are wearing good, non-skid shoes. • You are going to want to mop those floors and get them nice and shiny this time of year, but make sure to use caution when walking on wet surfaces. It’s very easy to slip and fall when you aren’t paying attention. Kitchens and bathrooms, where many falls happen, can be especially dangerous because of the sharp edges of countertops and the items that could fall on top of you.
• Don’t stack your arms up too high. Carrying too much, especially through rooms or up stairs, can be dangerous. You should try to keep one hand free in case you need to grip a wall or stair railing. You also need to be able to see over the items so you know where you are going. • Cleaning supplies are a safety topic entirely of their own. They can create awful fumes so circulate fresh air by opening windows, turning on exhaust fans, or placing fans throughout the area being cleaned. Some chemicals, like ammonia and bleach, cannot be mixed together without creating toxic fumes. If in doubt, don’t mix and just use one product. Wear rubber gloves to keep from injuring your hands. If you or someone in your household is sensitive to chemical fumes, consider using natural cleaning products. • If you have small children or pets, avoid leaving buckets of water around your home or yard. It may seem like overkill, but even small amounts of water can be a drowning hazard. • Last but not least, put away what you take out to clean. Cleaning supplies are sometimes attractive to children and pets, and small amounts of some products can make them severely ill. Better safe than sorry.
Keep safety in mind when you do your spring cleaning and you will be out and about enjoying summer for a few months to come.
Sarah Tahvonen writes about health issues for the Echo from Rifle. If you have any comments or suggestions for a health-related topic you’d like to see covered, e-mail toyourhealth35@yahoo.com.
Page 18, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
FA I T H
As I See It Freedom is not free By Pastor Charlie Hornick, Grace Bible Church Grade school children still ask each other the trick question, “Do they have a fourth of July in Spain?” The answer, often given back before taking the time to think about it is, “Of course they don’t.” Truth is – while other countries have a fourth of July on their calendar, none revere that date as we do. The fourth of July for us has become synonymous with freedom, and so it should be. It is a day we celebrate our liberty. It is important to take time to reflect on the price that was paid so we might be free. The Scriptures exhort us to “give honor to whom honor is due.” I would like to make a few suggestions on making the Fourth of July a memorable day for you and your family. First, take a few minutes and read the Declaration of Independence. Take note of the passion of its words as well as the grit and wisdom expressed in its substance. Take note of the appeal to “Nature’s God” and “the Supreme Judge of the world.” Read the history behind the signing of the declaration. “Signing Their Lives Away – the Fame and Misfortune of the Men who Signed the Declaration of Independence” by Denise Kurnan and Joseph D’Agnese is an excellent resource that makes for fascinating reading on these brave men. In the last paragraph of the declaration it states, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” It is important to know the price these men were willing to pay. Each knew full well that signing the declaration could mean facing the hangman’s noose. They knew that freedom would come at a price. Five were captured by the British and tortured. Twelve would have their homes ransacked, looted, occupied by the enemy or burned. Some had sons who died in the Revolutionary War. Francis Lewis’ wife was imprisoned, denied a bed, a change of clothing, and decent food for weeks. The ordeal took its toll on her and she never regained her health. John Hart was driven from his home as he and his 13 children fled for their lives. He lived in caves and returned to find his property destroyed. Thomas Nelson ordered the American troops to fire on his own home. Some of the 56 signers died bankrupt. They paid a price and each deserves our honor. To whet your appetite on interesting tidbits of history, let me mention one fascinating act of providence or what some may call, a weird coincidence. Thomas Jefferson, the main draftsman of the declaration, and John Adams, who was on the drafting committee, both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th birthday of our nation. Another suggestion for the Fourth of July is to visit a national cemetery and take a stroll, taking time to read the inscriptions on the tombstones. Reflect on what these brave men and women were willing to sacrifice. I also want to recommend one of the Fourth of July parades. I have always enjoyed the parade in Battlement Mesa that starts at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center and ends at the Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence. It is an event for the whole family with a color guard, the singing of patriotic songs, decorated bicycles, and people of all ages proudly wearing their red, white and blue. Last, but not least, I would encourage that you do research on the statistics of our wars for freedom. Reflect upon the amazing number of men and women who gave their lives to secure and to maintain the freedoms we now enjoy. Because of the wisdom, determination, and sacrifice of those who have gone before us, America has been a free country for 235 years. It is important as well that each of us commit ourselves to keeping our nation free. Whether it involves supporting our military, speaking up for injustice, or giving a helping hand, each of us has a role to play. We must never forget that freedom has never been free.
• The Echo Worship Directory • To be listed in The Echo Worship Directory, please contact gve@crystalvalleyecho.com to set up an account, there is a small monthly fee of $10.
All Saints' Episcopal Church 150 Sipprelle Dr. Battlement Mesa 285-7908 Pastor's mobile: 985-5797 The Reverend Edmond-Joseph Rivet, Priest-in-charge Website: allsaintsepiscopal.info Church e-mail: office@allsaintsepiscopal.info Pastor e-mail: frej@allsaintsepiscopal.info SUNDAY Sunday Eucharist: 10:30 a.m. Choir: 9:30 a.m. Children's Godly Play: 10 a.m. WOW: Worship On Wednesday Contemplative Eucharist: 6 p.m. Soup Social: 6:30 p.m. Episcopal Theology: 7 p.m.
••• Crown Peak Baptist Church 101 W. Battlement Parkway Parachute 285-7946 crownpeakbaptist.com Rick Van Vleet, Senior Pastor Dan LaRue, Associate Pastor Matt Loftin, Youth Pastor Brian Jarrett, Minister of Music Sunday Morning Worship – 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. Sunday Morning Bible Study for all ages – 9:45 a.m. (Children's Church offered during 11 a.m. service) Wed. Night Dinner 5:30 p.m. Wed. Night Programs 6:30 p.m. (Adult, Children & Youth Groups)
Grace Bible Church 755 Spencer Parkway P.O. Box 6248 Battlement Mesa 285-9862 Charlie Hornick, Pastor Lance Easterling, Youth Pastor Josh Elliott, Pastoral Intern Penni Nichols, GBC Child Care Director SUNDAY Blessing Up for Church Broadcast 103.9 FM Sunday School: 9:30-10:15 a.m. Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m. Evening Service: 5:30 p.m. Youth / Children’s Activities Grace Bible Church Child Care: Mon – Fri. Awana: Tuesdays 7:00pm (Sept. – April) High School Youth: Sundays 5:00-7:00 p.m. Middle School Youth: Wed. 7:00-8:30 p.m. *Bible Studies, Special Activities (Call for times and places) Website: grace-bible-church.com 24-Hour Prayer Line: 256-4693
••• Grand Valley Christian Church
••• Faith Baptist Church 235 N. Railroad Ave. Parachute John Yadloski, Pastor 285-7424
Ladies’ Bible study and luncheon: Tuesday, 12-2 p.m.
••• Shepherd of the Mesa (WELS) Website: shepherdofthemesa.org Bill Cornelius, Pastor 987-3093 Youth Directors: Kristy and Rory Roder, Brandon Downing WORSHIP: Sunday at 10 a.m. Bible Information Class: Monday at 7 p.m. Family Bible Study: Wednesday at 7 p.m. Location: Historic Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse on County Road 300
Second Street & Parachute Avenue Parachute Richard Counts, Pastor 285-7597, 260-1080 e-mail: office@mygvcc.info Church Office 285-7597
In Home Bible Study throughout the week. Call for times and locations in your area.
Sunday worship 10:00 a.m.
•••
••• Grand Valley United Methodist Church 132 N. Parachute Ave. Parachute
Wellspring of Life Church at Grand Valley High School Cafeteria 800 Cardinal Way Parachute
Dr. Bob Toll, Pastor
Pastor David Bartlett
Sunday Worship Service: 10 a.m.
Sunday Service Time: 10 a.m. Youth and Children’s Sunday School
Contact Us P.O. Box 125, Parachute, CO 81635 285-9892
Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship: 11 a.m. Children’s Church: 11:15 a.m.
grandvalleyumc@qwestoffice.net
Wednesday Bible Study: 7 p.m.
The Lighthouse
•••
SERVICES Sunday school: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Worship service: Sunday, 10:30 a.m. (Children's Church & Nursery)
Lutheran Catechism: Wednesday at 3 p.m. Women’s Bible Study Group: Monday at 9:30 a.m. Location: 12 Rosewood Way
Small groups meet throughout the week ... Visit our website for more information. Come -- Experience God's Power for life & living Know -- Christ through a loving family for fellowship Grow -- In Christ through a foundation of discipleship Go -- With Christ in a ministry of service with a focus for evangelism
285-7236 or 379-5947 (Pastor's cell) Pastor: Dr. Robert C. McNew
••• (Assembly of God) 1833 S. Battlement Parkway Battlement Mesa
210-5795 210-5849
•••
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 19
O U R
S C H O O L S
Addyson Harper selected for Junior National conference in D.C. By Carrie Click, Echo editor
St John Elementary students joined students from Carbondale. Front row, from left from Crystal River Elementary in Carbondale are Eliot Carballeira, Rex Hamilton, Solana Teitler and Jack Hamilton. Back row, from left from St John are Kailey Davis, Brianna Vanvalkenburg and Faith Novess. Photo courtesy of CLEER
St John Elementary wins the Garfield Clean Energy School Challenge By Cam Burns, Garfield Clean Energy
St John Elementary School in Parachute has won the Garfield Clean Energy Home Room and School Challenge. Students at the school saved $2,101 in avoided energy costs during the competition and cut their carbon dioxide emissions by 2,012 pounds from April 25-29. St John Elementary earned a total of 18,373 points, and took home a cash prize of $2,000 after the fiveday challenge. During their regular Monday morning meeting, Garfield County Commissioners John Martin, Tom Jankovsky and Mike Samson awarded cash prizes to St John’s students. Besides St John’s $2,000 prize, Crystal River Elementary received $500, and Highland Elementary in Rifle received $100. In awarding the prizes, Martin congratulated the students and noted that he has been walking to work for 40 years. Alpine Bank provided funding for the prizes “We had an unbelievable response to the challenge,” said Cathy Tuttle, project manager for Clean Energy Economy for the Region, which organized the competition. “Seventeen schools in three school districts (approximately 7,000 students) across the county participated. All told, this represents several thousand Garfield County residents who are becoming aware of energy issues and how to address them.” Schools won points for students walking, biking, carpooling, or riding the bus to school. Schools won additional points when students signed their families up to take energy-saving actions in their homes. More than 1,000 students signed up their homes and families, and hundreds walked, biked, or took the bus. Schools in Parachute, Rifle, Silt, New Castle, Glenwood Springs and Carbondale participated. Altogether, the 17 schools participating saved more than $37,500 in avoided energy costs during the competition and cut their carbon dioxide emissions by more than 43,000 pounds, according to Tuttle. The challenge also honored the top three homerooms in each participating school. For District No. 16 schools, these were, at St John Elementary, Meek, Mulligan, and Nickelson; at Bea Underwood Elementary, McMillan, Daugherty, and Hanner; at Grand Valley Middle School, Wise, Newlin, and Sorenson. “We are hoping to be able to purchase a new bike rack because we don’t have enough room in the existing rack,” says Jenna Hemphill, St John P.E. teacher. “We also want to have the kids help with safety issues and concerns in crossing the street. We have a busy road that we have to cross on the way to school. And, we also want to buy some new equipment. The Clean Energy Challenge is a project of Garfield Clean Energy, a countywide collaboration between towns, county government, RFTA, and the Garfield Library District, with program management provided by Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER). CLEER is a Carbondale-based non-profit that provides technical assistance and programs to create a stronger economy through energy efficiency and clean energy. For more information, visit garfieldcleanenergy.org or call 704-9200.
Addyson Harper, who just completed the fifth grade at St John Elementary, is headed for a trip of a lifetime. Addyson’s teacher, Lorile Loesch, nominated the Battlement Mesa student to represent St John Elementary at the Junior National Young Leaders Conference this fall in Washington D.C. The conference honors and inspires the most exceptional students in the nation, distinguished Addyson Harper by their academic excellence, leadership potential and maturity, and reinforces the virtues of leadership, citizenship and democracy using the nation’s capital as their classroom. Students attend a six-day conference and visit some of the area’s historic museums, memorials, and the White House. “Addyson has never been to D.C. but she has had it on her bucket list,” says Addyson’s proud mom, Melissa. “She is hoping they get to go to the Smithsonian since that is where she wants to visit most.” Addyson’s inclusion in the Junior National honor came as a real surprise. “She was so excited when she found out she was nominated that she screamed out loud!” adds Melissa. If you’d like to help Addyson with her expenses for the conference, see the box, below.
Help Addyson get to D.C. Addyson is collecting donations for her participation in the Junior Nationals conference in Washington D.C. this fall. If you would like to donate, please contact her parents, Jeff or Melissa Harper, at 970-314-0766.
Terrific Kids for May
The Parachute/Battlement Mesa Kiwanis Club sponsors Bea Underwood and St John elementary schools’ Terrific Kids. The program promotes character development and self-esteem. “TERRIFIC” is an acronym meaning Thoughtful, Enthusiastic, Respectful, Inclusive, Friendly, Inquisitive and Capable.
May’s Terrific Kids from Bea Underwood are, from left, first row, Opal Morganthaler (Kiwanis representative), Parker Franco, Dayra Loya, Aunna Hergumueller, Kimber Lang, Gwen Scalise, Ryleigh Fannin, Brian Berg, (principal); second row, Brody Christman, Cade Wilkins; third row, Anisa Orona, Damon Downing, Jaydee Lynn Goodman, Nichole Hughes, Savannah Drinkhouse, Salomon Reyes
As of press time, we did not receive information from St John Elementary about their Terrific Kids, but we know there are plenty. Congratulations to all of May’s Terrific Kids!
THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY:
GARFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 16 www.garcoschools.org
Page 20, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 21
Echo briefs Village Artists meet on June 28 Village Artists will be meeting, as usual, on the fourth Tuesday of the month. In June, we will meet at 1 p.m. on June 28 at the Parachute Branch Library. At our June 28 meeting, Karen Aldridge of Carbondale will demonstrate basket-making. Our upcoming July meeting will be short, from 12-1 p.m. at the library. Coming up, we will choose the painting to be featured on our poster for the Village Artists’ October show at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Our annual art show opens Oct. 3. At our May meeting, we each showed a piece of our art. It was very very interesting, because all of our work is so different. We also approved our new website design, and a finished layout will be shown at our June meeting by Debra Streit. We welcome a new member, Lorraine Sadler and our own Jane Seglem is the guest artist of the month at the Glenwood Springs Art Guild. Her paintings are being shown at the 809 Gallery at 809 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs, – Joline Gnatek, Village Artists
Volunteers honored at GRHD Grand River Hospital District honored volunteers on May 13 at its annual Volunteer Appreciation Gala. The event honored the 2010 Volunteer of the Year, Victoria Kesler, and the 2010 Young Adult Volunteer of the Year, Gina Marjanen. Victoria has been a volunteer with the hospital for many years. She manages the gift shop at Grand River Hospital and Medical Center and volunteers at many events. Gina has volunteered at Grand River for two years. Starting when she was 15, Gina spends two days a week in the marketing department. In addition, she volunteers her time to help at Grand River health fairs. The Volunteer Appreciation Gala also paid tribute to new volunteer programs, such as HOPE emergency pet therapy and Gracenotes music program. A large portion of the volunteer base at Grand River helps with Meals on Wheels of Garfield County, which has been supported by Grand River since 1976. In 2010, the Meals on Wheels program had 100 volunteers and delivered over 10,000 meals. – Sarah Tahvonen, Grand River Hospital District
CMC, Colorado Workforce team up to offer job skills training Go2Workshops, a free, drop-in job skills training, is offered every Monday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at CMC Rifle, 3695 Airport Rd., Rifle. Participants can take the Career Ready 101 program as well to earn a certificate, after being quizzed on certain skill levels in applied math, reading for information, and locating information through a test called WorkKeys. Based on test results, the Workforce Center awards participants one of four levels of CareerReady Colorado certificates – bronze, silver, gold or platinum. For more information, contact 947-8361, coloradomtn.edu. – CMC
Heartfelt fundraiser for Ron and Penny Rosener The Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Chapter IW and Kelly and Carrie Couey are co-sponsoring a fundraiser picnic for Penny Rosener to raise money for her heart surgery.The picnic is on June 26 from 4-6 p.m. at the Coueys’ ranch, 6275 County Rd. 315 in Silt. Take I-70 to Exit 94 – the Garfield County Airport exit; south onto Mamm Creek Road – this is CR 315. Go approximately six miles to the ranch, which is on the west side of the road. Keep an eye out for signs posted!Hamburgers with all the fixings, corn, baked beans, coleslaw, brownies and beverages will be provided. We are asking for a minimum donation of $5 per person for the meal, but will accept any amount. Please come and support the Roseners! – Karen Klink, PEO IW
Mark Twain live at the library on Aug. 5 “The only sure things are death and taxes…but at least death doesn’t get worse every year!” Save the date to join the Friends of the Parachute Library on Aug. 5 at 7 pm for an evening of wit and wisdom as Mark Twain’s life story (with all of his famous quotes) plays out before your eyes. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are free and will be available at the front desk of the library beginning July 8. Dave Ehlert from Branson, Mo. will perform the role of Mark Twain. For more information call 285-9870. – Parachute Branch Library
Parachute Senior Center to host Fourth of July BBQ What's the Fourth of July without a barbecue? Don't miss the one at noon on July 4, at the Parachute Senior Center decked out in patriotic colors. Hamburgers, brats and hot dogs will be cooked outdoors, but the meal will be indoors away from bugs and bad weather. Come, enjoy greeting friends and making new ones, as well as filling up on delicious food. If you're a senior center member, the cost is $5; if not a member, the meal is $10. Tickets must be purchased in advance from Jeanette Osman at 285-9512 or 309-9380. The deadline for buying tickets is July 1. Members can also buy tickets at the Wednesday lunches and are reminded to bring either a salad, beans or a dessert. The Parachute Senior Center is located at 540 N. Parachute Ave., Parachute. – Parachute Senior Center
Senior Mobile Dental Program to deliver care to area seniors in Rifle The Aspen to Parachute Dental Health Alliance is sponsoring mobile dental clinics for area seniors during the month of June. The Senior Mobile Dental Program, a nonprofit organization out of Colorado Springs, will be bringing dental hygienists to senior sites in Garfield and Pitkin counties. The program will provide dental care to area seniors at a low cost (on a sliding fee scale) ranging from $35 to $112 based on the ability to pay. Services will include professional dental exams, fluoride varnishes, dental cleanings, and cleanings of partials and dentures. “We are proud to be able to offer this service to any senior who would like to take part in the program,” said Kelly Keeffe of the Dental Alliance. “Seniors have a unique set of dental needs and because Medicare does not cover dental services, seniors often neglect their mouths. We chose Senior Mobile Dental because they focus specifically on senior care and have won nine national and two state awards for their work.” The closest clinics to Parachute and Battlement Mesa will be held on June 23 at the Rifle Senior Center, and June 24 at the E. Dene Moore Center in Rifle. To schedule an appointment call Judy Martin in Garfield County at 945-9191 ext. 3061. – Aspen to Parachute Dental Health Alliance
E. Dene Moore Care Center completes fireplace renovation E. Dene Moore Care Center in Rifle has completed an exciting and meaningful renovation, replacing a drab, non-working fireplace in the center of the dining room to a inviting rock fireplace. The Grand River Volunteer Association contributed a generous check to the fireplace update, followed by Vogelman West Stone Materials, which donated the stone needed for the project. And Todd Emory and Zach Kelly donated much of their labor. “The new fireplace is loved by residents and truly makes the Care Center feel more like home,” said Kenda Spaulding, director of life enrichment for Grand River Hospital District. During the past year, E. Dene Moore Care Center has instituted an environment change to evolve into more resident-centered care. This has involved a stronger focus on the needs and wants of residents, including no set meal or bed time, continued education classes such as astronomy and cooking classes, a robust garden and much more. Anyone interested in learning more about resident-centered care or who would like to inquire about charitable support is encouraged to call Kenda at 625-7446. – Sarah Tahvonen, Grand River Hospital District
Take the Garfield Clean Energy Financing Survey, win a prize Garfield Clean Energy (GCE) is conducting a survey and wants local residents and business owners to participate. The survey is designed to help GCE develop effective financing tools to make energy improvements and renewable energy more affordable to area homeowners and businesses. Feedback from local residents and business owners is valuable and will be used to improve future financing programs. Participants in this survey will be entered in a lottery for a chance to win a free energy audit and six compact fluorescent light bulbs. To access the survey, please visit garfieldcleanenergy.org/survey.html. To be entered in the lottery, complete the contact information at the end of the survey. If you have any questions relating to the survey, contact Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) at 704-9200. – Cam Burns, CLEER
Page 22, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011
Where’s Redstone?
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Where’s Redstone – and why should you care? The Grand Valley Echo’s seven-year old sister, The Crystal Valley Echo, is based in Redstone and is the monthly newspaper for the Crystal Valley. Besides, Redstone is a perfect, quick getaway for Grand Valleyites. Get to know your sister: Come visit.
By Carrie Click, Echo editor The same water – at least some of it – topping out the Colorado River through Parachute and Battlement Mesa has been raging through the Crystal River Valley, about 70 miles upstream. The Crystal Valley is a lot narrower and higher in elevation than the upper Colorado River Valley, so you can almost see the snow melting into waterfalls as the runoff works its way downstream. By the latter part of June, the runoff will have run its course, and the river will have returned to a less hectic level. That’s a perfect time to come up for a getaway at Avalanche Ranch, just downriver from Redstone. The ranch, which has rental cabins and an antique store, has just added a new feature to its amenities: hot springs pools. The Ogilby family, who own and operate the ranch, discovered natural hot springs on the property in 2008, and just completed constructing three pools, which are surrounded by red sandstone and flagstone walls and decking. The pools have pebble bottoms and there is even a waterfall going into the lowest pool named The Grotto. See Avalanche Ranch’s ad on this page for contact information. Redstone is located on Highway 133, 18 miles south of Carbondale. Take I-70 to Glenwood Springs and Highway 82 to the junction of Highway 133 at Carbondale. Hope to see you in Redstone! Avalanche Ranch’s new hot springs pools. Photo courtesy of Avalanche Ranch
The Redstone General Store WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! Open Daily
963-3126 292 Redstone Blvd. Redstone Across from the park
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THE HEART OF REDSTONE WITH A UNIQUE SELECTION OF CENTERPIECES FOR YOUR HOME! REDSTONE CASTLE TOUR TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE! OPEN YEAR ROUND • OPEN DAILY
970-963-1769 225 Redstone Blvd. • Redstone
redstonecolorado.com
REDSTONE CASTLE TOURS Saturday & Sunday • 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $15 adults, $10 seniors, children 5-18 Children under 5: FREE (FOR GROUP TOURS CALL 970-963-9656) Tickets savailable at Tiffany of Redstone, the Redstone General Store and Crystal Club Cafe. CASH OR CHECK ONLY
www.redstonecastle.us
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011, Page 23
THE ECHO CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT: FOR RENT - PARACHUTE - Newer townhome, opposite park. 3BD/2.5BA. 1-car garage, fenced patio, W/D with all appliances. N/S. $850/mo. plus utilities. Call 970-683-3768. pd1x
THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO CLASSIFIED ADS
PHOTO CLASSIFIED AD–Run an photo and 25 words for $15/month* LISTING CLASSIFIED AD–Run up to 40 words for $10/month* *25¢ per word extra. These ads must be prepaid.
Name:__ _______________
Phone Number:___________
Ad:
FOR RENT - RIFLE - In pleasant, family neighborhood. 3BD, 2.5BA townhome, with fenced yard and storage shed. All appliances inc. W/D. N/S. Pet considered. $950/mo. plus utilities. Call 970-618-4930. pd1x
Submit this form and payment by the 1st of the month to: The Grand Valley Echo 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 IF YOU ARE RUNNING A PHOTO CLASSIFIED, SEND PHOTO TO gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
Steve’s Painting & Decorating Inc. New Construction, Commercial & Mold Prevention
SERVICE DIRECTORY GRAND VALLEY INSURANCE SERVICES Home-Health-Auto-Life & Commercial Lines Sherry Loschke 970-285-7343 • 970-640-3115 email: s_loschke@msn.com
• Basic and Full Service Oil Changes • Automatic Transmission Flushes • Tire Sales • ASE Certified Mechanic on duty full-time
#1 IN A #2 BUSINESS
285-9217
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE! DEBEQUE TO ASPEN
120 S. Columbine Ct. • Parachute
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • MUNICIPAL • Rooter work • Electronic locate • Unclog lines and drains • RootX Treatments • Hydro-jet of lines/grease traps • Septic tank inspections • Camera/Video inspection of lines 2” to 36”
OUTSI DE STOR AGE
Writer + Proofer + Editor
NEW TO THE PARACHUTE / BATTLEMENT MESA AREA
Help for any writing project
Carrie Click
LOCATED IN PARACHUTE
CALL RICK or SCOTT
970-930-0124 P.O. BOX 1349 • RIFLE, CO 81650
Travel Trailers, RV's, Boats, Trucks, etc.
970-930-0056 clickintoplace@yahoo.com
CALL JOHN - 970-986-1820 OR SHERRY - 970-640-3115
TO RUN YOUR AD IN THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO SERVICE DIRECTORY CALL 963-2373 TODAY!
Page 24, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-June / Mid-July 2011