Providing a voice for community-based organizations and individuals that enrich the life of the Grand Valley Volume #3 Number 2
INSIDE
FREE
Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
Battlement Mesa/Redstone: ‘A Tale of Two Cities’… (or more like two unincorporated communities)
Local fossils page 5
Better fracing page 7
Ruth is 100 page 11
Colorado arches page 22
Our Schools pages 23-25
Top: Battlement Mesa was initially developed to house oil shale workers for Exxon’s Colony Oil Shale Project.
Photo by Carrie Click
Bottom: Like Battlement, the cottages in Redstone were built to house workers – only 80 years earlier, and instead of oil shale, it was for the coal and coke industries. Photo by Nancy Chromy
Page 2, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
FROM THE EDITOR
The other day – a particularly crisp and clear fall day – I was roaming around Parachute and Battlement Mesa, doing a couple interviews and collecting information for this issue of the Echo. I had my sweet old golden Lab, Jo Mama, with me, so I drove up past the Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse, and let her out so she could stretch her legs and trot along the road a ways. When I looked up, Mt Callahan was right smack in front of us, looking particularly impressive. And in the other direction stood the striking Battlement Mesa rock formation, jutting out amidst the evergreens, high above the valley floor. “Wow,” I said to Jo Mama. She looked up and wagged her tail. She agreed with me. Sometimes, it’s possible to get a little cavalier about our sur-
roundings. So for this Thanksgiving, one of the many things I’m thankful for is the varied and beautiful landscape that surrounds us. It’s good to take time to have a look around sometimes. Happy Thanksgiving. – Carrie Click
LETTER 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.
If I don’t know about it, I can’t fix it Dear Echo: It is THE season. No, I don’t mean “fall” and I am not thinking of the “political” season. Yes we’ve had a wonderful fall this year and, thankfully, the political ads are over and done with for a while. I mean the Annual Meeting Season! Many of Battlement Mesa’s villages hold their annual meetings during the fall. Fortunately, I was able to attend several of these meetings. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to listen to our members and learn what concerns you and what you think the Battlement Mesa Service Association can do better. At times the discussions were lively and the comments direct, but they were sincere and honest opinions. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. People who have known me for a while have heard me say, “If I don’t know that a problem exists, I am sure not able to fix it,” so I truly appreciate the opportunity to listen to you. Keith Lammey Battlement Mesa Service Association 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 $25 annual fee.
Nancy Chromy, Heidi Rice, David Kohls, Igor Skakovsky, Judi Hayward, Keith Lammey, Heather McGregor, M.E. Denomy, Dave Devanney, Bob Knight, Scott Saunders, Sarah Tahvonen,
PUBLISHER/DESIGNER ALYSSA OHNMACHT
Kathy Germano, Colorado Mountain College, Mary DesOrmeau, Pam Szédelyi, Sharon Temple,
EDITOR CARRIE CLICK ADVERTISING SALES BARBARA PAVLIN
285-7634
Mary Lee Mohrlang, Joline Gnatek, Laurel Koning, Mary Anderson, Jason Franke, Dick Ciprich, Betsy Leonard, Rob Ferguson, Sharon Cook, Randy Hampton, Karol Sacca, Barbara Barker,
DISTRIBUTION/CIRCULATION STEVE PAVLIN Dawn Distribution • 963-0874 274 REDSTONE BLVD., REDSTONE, COLORADO 81623 970-963-2373 • gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
Charlie Hornick, Mary Hokanson, Brian Berg, Kathy Keeling, Jeanne Mills, Veronica Duran, Sidney Drinkhouse, Bubby Beecraft, Karsyn Valencia, Jordan Steinke, Emilio Ruelas, Kaiman Spanicek, Eryn Paskett
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 3
H I S T O RY
Battlement Mesa/Redstone: ‘A Tale of Two Cities’… (or more like two unincorporated communities) By Carrie Click, Echo editor
With apologies to Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities” seems an appropriate title to describe the communities of Battlement Mesa and Redstone. At first glance, Battlement and Redstone, a little mountain village located about 70 miles southeast of the Grand Valley, seem as different as night and day. But look a little closer, and striking similarities appear. By comparing these two unincorporated towns, maybe we can learn about where we’ve been, and where we might be headed. Why even make a comparison between Battlement and Redstone? Two years ago, when I started working with Alyssa Ohnmacht, the Echo’s publisher, The Crystal Valley Echo was in its sixth year. Around the same time, the Battlement Mesa Sun’s presses had stopped running. Alyssa knew the Echo’s model for a small community paper was appreciated in the Crystal Valley, and that a newspaper was needed in Parachute and Battlement – and The Grand Valley Echo was born. I’ve been working with these two papers for the past couple of years now – and one day it hit me: Battlement and Redstone have more in common than one would initially think. At the core, both communities were created to house resource industry workers. At the turn of the 20th century in Redstone, that meant coal and coke. In Battlement Mesa in the 1970s and ‘80s, that meant oil shale. Here we have two unincorporated towns initially built to house people employed to pull resources out of Colorado’s geology. Redstone is vintage, while Battlement is retro, but much of the issues remain the same.
First, the differences: • Redstone is a mountain community – at 7,192 feet, winters are snowy, and summers are relatively mild; at 5,500 feet, Battlement is set in the high desert of western Colorado, meaning, as we know, winters are mild and summers are hot. • Redstone is tucked into the narrow Crystal River
Valley with just the two-laned Highway 133 providing access to the village; the four-lane Interstate 70 courses through the wide Colorado River Valley – providing Battlement Mesa with easy access onto one of the country’s main arteries. • Redstone got its start at the turn of the 20th century; plans started percolating for Battlement’s modern planned unit development (PUD) oil shale community in the late 1970s. • Redstone’s scale is much smaller than Battlement’s. Originally, 88 cottages were built for workers and their families along Redstone Boulevard; the Redstone Inn was built for bachelor coke workers. Battlement’s PUD was zoned for approximately 7,000 residents. • After worker housing was no longer needed in these communities, Redstone’s population dwindled, and slowly grew back as a desirable resort area, second homeowner locale, and bedroom community to the Roaring Fork Valley. After Battlement crashed in ’82, it took some time for the town to develop a reputation as a desirable retirement destination. Now it houses families and community members of all ages, and depending on energy industry activity, natural gas workers. Yet, consider these similarities: • Both these unincorporated towns were built from the ground up for the specific purpose of housing natural resource industry workers. Redstone was coal baron John Cleveland Osgood’s social experiment. The Battlement community built up during the ‘70s and ‘80s was Exxon President Charlie Pence’s grand employee housing development. • Both communities’ developers understood that worker housing went beyond ‘man camps.’ They built schools, recreation centers, places of worship, and single family and rental housing, specifically for their workers. • Big money and big corporations were behind the building of both Redstone and Battlement. In 1902, Osgood and Colorado Fuel and Iron Company had invested $5 million in early 20th century dollars into
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way. . . .” – From “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens
building the village of Redstone. Exxon committed $125 million in 1980’s dollars to develop Battlement. • Both these communities had initial short life spans. For Redstone, it was only six years between the time the village was built and the coal mines closed. For Battlement, construction had only been underway for a couple of years when Exxon pulled out of town in 1982. • Both communities were built to be one thing – provide worker housing – and have developed into other uses. • Both Redstone and Battlement had the potential to become ghost towns. In 1941, well past the time the mines closed, only 14 people lived in Redstone. Battlement was a planned community for 7,000. At its peak on Black Sunday on May 2, 1982 when Exxon abandoned the Colony project, 1,700 people lived in town. By 1984, there were just 650.
Drawing conclusions So, what’s to be learned about Redstone’s past and present? And can we draw any conclusions about Battlement’s future? One conclusion that can be drawn is that the only thing constant is change. Even though both these communities were created for one purpose – worker housing – they’ve morphed into something else entirely. In 1989, the ADCO Group, a privately owned U.S. real estate and merchant banking company headquar-
continued on page 5
Both Redstone and Battlement Mesa were built as company towns. Development included not only worker housing but community amenities. Left, Redstone’s former schoolhouse. Right, the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Echo file photos
Page 4, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
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.
• Nov. 16: 7-11 a.m. Diabetes Health Fair for those diagnosed with diabetes, at Grand River Hospital, 501 Airport Rd., Rifle, for $32. Lab work, lipid panel, urine micro-albumin, plus flu shots for $15, and free screenings. 625-6200.
• Nov. 18: 12 p.m. Parachute/Battlement Chamber of Commerce board meeting at Alpine Bank-Battlement Mesa. 285-0388.
• Nov. 18: 6-9 p.m. Gourmet Cheese and Wine Tasting to benefit the E.D. Moore Care Center, is at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center Community Room. Sponsored by Grand River Hospital District Caring and Sharing Committee. Lynne Miller, 625-6415.
• Nov. 18: 6:30 p.m. Sing-along Story Time for toddlers and preschoolers is at the Parachute Branch Library, including the announcement of the winner of the Name the Big Blue Bear contest. Call 285-9870.
• Dec. 7: 7-8 p.m. Internet Safety and Education, presented by the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and KSUN, and sponsored by Williams Production, at the Parachute Branch Library. Free admission, refreshments served. Tanny, 945-0453.
• HEARTBEAT, for those who have lost a friend or loved one through suicide, 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 located at 824 Cooper Street.
• Dec. 10: Story Time involves making gifts to give to Mesa Vista Assisted Living residents. At the Parachute library. 285-9870.
• 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.
• Dec. 11: 1-3 p.m. Kids’ Christmas with Santa at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. 285-9480. • Dec. 14: Village Artists Christmas party. Joline, 285-7642.
ONGOING
• Nov. 20: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 28th annual Craft Fair at Grand Valley High School. 285-0388.
• 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.
• Nov. 23: 1 p.m. Village Artists art teacher Jane Seglem from New Castle, discusses art therapy, at the Parachute Library. Joline, 2857642.
• KSUN Community Radio’s annual membership drive is underway. Support local radio by becoming a member. $25/person. 2852246.
• Nov. 25: Happy Thanksgiving. Most government services are closed, including the Parachute Branch Library. The library will remain closed Nov. 26 and will reopen on Nov. 27.
• 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.
• Nov. 30: 2 p.m. Catch the Christmas Spirit, with Rebecca Talbott and her decorative ornament painting. Learn how to make ornaments. Call 285-9870. • Dec. 4: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Last Minute Craft Fair at the Grand Valley Christian Church, 116 W. Second St., Parachute. Tables available; if interested, call Kelli at 260-1080, or the church at 285-7597.
• Dec. 4: 1-4 p.m. Holiday Home Tour features local homes and benefits the PEO Chapter IP scholarship fund. $10/ticket, available from any PEO Chapter IP member or call Lee at 2855628, or 285-1111.
• Dec. 4: 7-10 p.m. KSUN Community Radio Christmas Gala at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Tickets: $22/KSUN members, $25/pre-event, $30/at the door. Tickets available at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center, Alpine Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, and Old Mountain Gifts. Questions call 285-0388.
• Every Monday from 12:45-4 p.m., Party Bridge is held at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. All levels welcome. • The first Tuesday of every month, at 7 p.m. the West Garfield Democrats meet at Mesa Vista Assisted Living, 285-7206. • Every Tuesday at 7 a.m., the Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley/Parachute meets at the Parachute Senior Center, 540 N. Parachute, in Parachute. Coffee is at 7 a.m., program begins at 7:30 a.m. • The second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., the Grand Valley Citizens Alliance meets at the Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence. Call Paul, 285-7791. • Neighborhood Watch meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Parachute Town Hall, 222 Grand Valley Way, Parachute. 285-7630.
• Every Wednesday at 11 a.m. is Toddler Time, and every Friday at 11 a.m. is Storytime at the Parachute Library. Both open to young children. Call Michelle at 285-9870.
• Every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., the 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.
• 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” interviews with community members on KSUN 103.9 FM.
UPCOMING • Dec. 17: 11 a.m. Story Time kids from the Parachute Brand Library deliver their gifts to Mesa Vista Assisted Living residents. Call 2859870 for more info. • Dec. 24: 7 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service at Grand Valley Christian Church, 116 W. Second St., Parachute, 2857597.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 5
H I S T O RY
Battlement Mesa fossil fan contributes to Smithsonian By Heidi Rice, Echo contributor Move over, Snowmass Village – you're not the only ones with old bones. Fossils of prehistoric bison, mammoth and mastodans were recently found at a reservoir in Snowmass Village that are reportedly estimated to be 12,000 to 15,000 years old. However for 20 years, David Kohls of Battlement Mesa has been collecting thousands of invertebrate fossils in the area from Rifle to Parachute, and DeBeque to Rangely. David has contributed more than 29,000 of the insect fossils he has found to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. and more than 42,000 pieces of fossiliferous materials to the Natural History Museum at the University of Colorado in Boulder. "These two collections constitute, individually and collectively, the largest collections in the world of this type and age fossil materials," David said. "The fossils are more than 50 million years old." The amateur paleontologost is a retired division director from Colorado Mountain College and became interested in the subject after taking a geology class at CMC taught by Bob Koper of Silt – a former high school teacher in Rifle "I'd go out and look for fossils on the JQS Trail [north of Rifle] at the slope where the trail meets the vertical," David said. "I'd donate everything I found. I've never sold or traded anything. I donate it all to science." So why all the interest in bug bones? "They're studied so we can better understand the world that we live in," David explained. The insects in the fossils are not necessarily species
From the top: Fossils of a snout beetle, a beetle, checkered beetle and a cockroach. Right, in 2009 David Kohls received an award from the Paleontological Society for his contributions to paleontology. Photos courtesy of David Kohls
Bring this coupon in and get
10% off a brake job!
Full Throttle Tire & Auto We do brakes, exhaust, struts, shocks, front end & rear end work. We offer fleet management. Hours: Mon. - Fri., 8 am to 6 pm Sat. by appointment
– Owners, Bonnie & Bobby Hancock
“We will treat your vehicle like it’s our own – with your safety in mind.”
970-285-2420
250 West 1st St. • Parachute • 5 blocks down from Napa Auto Parts
David Kohls
that are extinct. About 98 percent of them are still walking around today. "Insects are the largest species, along with bacteria, that have more varieties than anything else," David said As he began collecting the insect fossils, David realized that he couldn't keep them all and decided to contact the Smithsonian and the Natural History Museum to donate his specimens. He has contributed more than 90 percent of these particular type of fossils in the Smithsonian collection. David has been recognized for his work by the Paleontological Society, an international nonprofit organization devoted exclusively to the advancement of the science of paleontology. He was awarded with the Harrell L. Strimple award in 2009 for his "important contributions to paleontology,” which recognizes distinguished accomplishments in the field of paleontology by amateur paleontologists - those who do not make their living through paleontology or the study of fossils. "It's fun - I like to do it," David said. "In the summertime, I'll spend about 15 to 20 hours a week minimum, and in the winter, I go through what I've collected. This area here is one of the largest areas in the world for this age and type of material." To see more information on David Kohls’ collection at the Smithsonian Institution, visit paleobiology.si.edu/greenRiver/index.html.
‘Tale of Two Cities’
from page 3
tered in New York City, purchased the Battlement Mesa PUD from Exxon. The Battlement Mesa Company (BMC), a privately held development company, has since purchased the PUD. Although Battlement’s natural gas worker population has appreciably decreased since the 2008 economic downturn, the BMC still markets Battlement’s village subdivisions as ideal retirement neighborhoods, and economically wise choices for renters and first time homebuyers. However, like Redstone, Battlement has dealt with the impacts of energy development. At the turn of the last century, the Crystal River Valley’s skies were blackened with industrial soot as miners extracted coal from mines and transformed it into coke. Antero’s well-known plan to drill up to 200 wells in Battlement’s PUD has some residents concerned over living amidst a natural gas industrial zone. Since a mine disaster in 1981 near Redstone killed 15, the village is no longer home to the resource extraction industry. Instead, Redstone has been able to capitalize on the beauty of the Crystal Valley, and the now-antiquated and charming architecture of Osgood’s worker village to lure visitors and outdoor recreationists. It seems unlikely, with the Grand Valley’s extensive energy resources, that Battlement Mesa will follow the same path as Redstone with no energy development in its future. Still, it seems prudent to reflect on the histories of these two Colorado communities. After all, these tales of two cities show us that anything is possible.
Page 6, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
G . V. G R AT I T U D E
Are you thankful – and you want everybody to know about it? Please try to keep your gratefulness under 500 words and send to Grand Valley Gratitude, 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623, or e-mail gve@crystalvalleyecho.com.
Thanks for craft fair help
Thank you VFW Post #5485
Dear Echo: Thank you to the following for their help with the 28th annual Craft Fair, held from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Nov. 20 at Grand Valley High School. Thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Grand Valley for help with vehicle parking; the GVHS wrestlers and Coach Rick Gallegos for helping the crafters haul their wares in and out of the school; and Garfield School District 16 and Grand Valley High School for their participation in the fair and letting the fair be held at the high school. Mary Anderson Parachute
Dear Echo: The Colorado State Veterans Home in Rifle would like to take a moment to send a million thanks to the Grand Valley VFW Post #5485 for their constant support and donations to our veterans and their spouses. During the past year, the Grand Valley VFW Post #5485 and its wonderful members donated $2,500 towards the renovation of our second floor bathing room by adding new cabinets, vanity, flooring tile and music. Our friends who live here are now spoiled with their spa-like experience! Grand Valley VFW Post #5485 members are, from left, Don Causbie, Another project was our new library section Gary Bachus, Bud Bachus, Bob Campbell (Quartermaster), Les Wood, and our need for library shelves. Once again, Rusty Caldwell, Jack Blankenship (Adjutant), and John Wenter the Grand Valley VFW Post #5485 and its mem- (Commander), who meet monthly at the Parachute Senior Center. bers came to our rescue by purchasing and Photo courtesy of Colorado State Veterans Home installing new shelving for the library. Rex Smith, also of the Grand Valley VFW, installed the Walmart, thanks to Quartermaster Bob Campbell shelves, much to the delight of all of our friends who who shopped and purchased the television for us. In the past, we have depended on our VFW friends live here. Every avid reader at Rifle's home is thorduring our times of need, and regardless of our oughly enjoying the new library. requests, the Grand Valley VFW Post #5485 continues One of our large screen televisions recently needed to offer their help and support to our Nation's Heroes. repairs. We waited for more than two weeks for the For that we are eternally grateful and we thank each repairman, but when the wait became too much to of you for your generosity! bear (especially during football season), we called the Grand Valley VFW Post #5485 and asked if they could The veterans, their spouses, families and staff replace our broken T.V. with a new one. After only members at the Colorado State Veterans Home one phone call to Adjutant Jack Blankenship, a new Rifle 52" HD television was waiting for us at the Rifle
Thanks for attending spaghetti dinner Dear Echo: The Parachute Senior Center thanks everyone who attended its spaghetti dinner fundraiser. The crowd was larger than expected, and we apologize for having to turn away customers when the food ran out. The proceeds from the event will provide muchneeded funds for recurring expenses. Mitzi Burkhart Battlement Mesa
NEWS FROM COMMUNITY COUNTS INDUSTRY MEMBERS… Our website is back online!
www.communitycountscolorado.com The Community Counts Hotline
1.866.442.9034
The website is back! While it is a continuing work in progress, we hope you’ll find it easier to locate information and resources that are helpful in providing you with facts about the energy industry. One of the new and improved functions is a map that allows you to enter your address and pull up many of the rig locations in your area (some rig locations still being added). You may also enter your email address and receive important updates. To contact us with feedback and ideas for any aspect of Community Counts, please contact our coordinator, Judy Landrum, 1.970.568.0313, jklcolorado@cowisp.net. Antero’s drilling operations: In the area north of Highway 6 and the Town of Silt, one rig has mobilized to the Diemoz “A” pad to drill one well. Completion operations are expected to begin at the Three Siblings “A” pad the first week of November, followed by completion operations at the Diemoz “A” pad. Antero will then review its results to date as it plans future drilling. Bill Barrett Corporation continues to operate 2 drilling rigs south of Silt. Construction continues on a 3.9-mile gas pipeline from BBC's Bailey Compressor Station east of Dry Hollow Road to BBC's Mamm Creek Compressor Station west of Mamm Creek Road. This work should be completed in November. Encana currently has 4 rigs located north of I70 supporting our North Piceance operations in our North Parachute Ranch area. We have 4 rigs supporting our South Piceance operations south of I70: 3 rigs located in areas south and west of Battlement Mesa and 1 rig in our Mamm Creek field south of Silt in the Divide Creek area. Recent community investment projects include bringing classroom performances by members of the Central City Opera House to Glenwood Springs Middle School, Coal Ridge High School (Silt) and Riverside Middle School (New Castle) as part of an arts in education program. Marathon Oil Company, operating north of Parachute, currently has no drilling rigs running. We are nearing the end of our 2010 completion program, bringing roughly 35 producing wells online. Current efforts are focused on preparing for winter operations. Oxy has three rigs operating in Garfield County. Two H&P rigs are located north of DeBeque up on the west end of the Grand Mesa. Oxy's Nabors rig is also located north of DeBeque in Baker Gulch (Valley area). Oxy plans to run three rigs for the rest of 2010. Williams rigs are on the move! Thanks to everyone for your patience. Please check the Community Counts website for our rig locations. Williams continues to be very sensitive about operations in populated areas and, as an example, recently moved two rigs to Battlement Mesa with only a few loads travelling through the PUD due to not being able to negotiate the curves on the alternate route. The rest of the rig was moved in from the east. Another success story is the completion of our “eagle pad.” The rig visited the location three times during allowed months, with the eagle parents and three years’ worth of chicks unaffected. We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 7
O I L
&
G A S
An environmentally-sensitive fracing process Parachute-based engineer has developed new technologies to improve natural gas processes By Carrie Click, Echo editor Oil and gas engineer Igor Skakovsky has developed a fracturing tool that could be used in the pre-fracturing process to better evaluate and pinpoint where natural gas is located. He’s also come up with a new fracturing concept that works in concert with the local environment. Now comes the challenging part: to get these technologies to be used by natural gas companies. Igor, 44, moved to Parachute from Denver last June. “I moved to be closer to the energy industry,” he says. He’s here to encourage natural gas representatives to utilize his new technologies.
Environmentally-sensitive fracing Energy companies generally guard the ingredients used in their fracturing or “fracing” gels from one another and the public; therefore it’s difficult to know what’s going into the ground and if it’s unhealthy to people and harmful to the environment. According to Igor, his new hydro-fracturing technologies could greatly improve the fracing process by eliminating the use of questionable chemicals that are currently used by the industry. Gels under high pressure are usually used to force proppant – often sand combined with other substances – into the rock for gas and other hydrocarbons to move from deep within the rock to the
Above and right, Igor Skakovsky working with his innovative fracing process. Photo courtesy of Igor Skakovsky
surface. Igor’s new process involves organic elements that would eliminate contamination concerns. Igor’s method eliminates the need for gel or high volumes of water to be used in the fracing process. Instead, alcohol is combined with water and sand creating a cleaner
process. Metal particles react to further open the fractures, allowing higher rates of gas production. “We’re not talking about using 100 percent alcohol,” he says. “We’re talking about an alcohol-and-water solution where existing equipment can be used. Such a combination has no negative effect on the environment and keeps underground water unaffected. “Right now, when hydro-fracing is performed in a small zone, like, let’s say 20 feet, it can’t be controlled much,” Igor says. “In some cases, it goes out for a number of feet and then goes beyond the zone, causing environmental concerns. In such cases there’s no way to tell how far the fracing will propagate before leaving the zone.” Igor’s frac/stimulation tool is a device that he calls a Shock Wave Torpedo that has been tested in Canada, and at the Chicantoppec oil field in Mexico where nearly 100 barrels of oil a day has been produced from each of two treated wells. Its effectiveness is approximately equal to a 150-foot hydraulic fracture, and its cost is significantly lower. “This tool could be used as a stand-alone fracturing tool or as a diagnostic instrument for narrow zones, to pre-fracture and evaluate the zone of interest for gas content before fracing an area,” says Igor. “Such treatment can lower the strength of the rock, reducing the horsepower required to break it, saving on energy. And the overall numbers of hydraulic fractures can be lowered,” he says. Trying to get his technology to those who can use it is frustrating for Igor, who holds a patent on the Shock Wave Torpedo and a provisional patent on his environmentally-sensitive hydraulic fracturing process.
From drawing board to oilfield use “This has to proceed,” Igor says of getting his technology out to the local oilfield. “We need to test the concept in the field. The best way to do it is to structure a working group with a few companies that would provide financial support, and where participants get combined ownership.” He says he’s met with Encana representatives regarding the Shock Wave Torpedo, and secured a service agreement with them to test the device. However, in four years, no job to test the tool has been conducted by Encana. He has, however, secured a large contract in Mexico with PEMEX, the country’s state-controlled oil company. Work with PEMEX is scheduled to begin within the next six months. Born in the Ukraine, Igor earned a degree in chemical process engineering in 1985. After moving to the United States, he settled in Colorado, where he’s lived since 1989. Igor and his company, Sigor Corporation, have been involved in numerous energy projects throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Russia. Through Sigor, he has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Nonproliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the Colorado School of Mines, among others. Igor has been featured in trade publications such as the Journal of Petroleum Technology in 2004 and 2006 as well in World Oil, which published a case study on Igor’s stimulation device in its April 2009 edition. For more information, contact Igor Skakovsky at sigor@swtorpedo.com.
Page 8, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
The Battlement Mesa Service Association The banks, foreclosed properties, and the BMSA By Keith Lammey, president, Battlement Mesa Service Association At many of the recent Battlement Mesa homeowners association meetings I attended this fall, I kept hearing, “Why don’t the banks have to comply with the same property maintenance standards as the rest of us do? Why don’t you go after the banks? Why do they get special treatment?” Actually, they don’t get special treatment. It just looks that way. We’ve all seen it happen. One of our neighbors, often those who took pride in their property’s appearance, encountered a few too many financial challenges and their mortgage company (“the bank”) filed a foreclosure action. Predictably, our neighbor moved out and almost without exception the property immediately declined to the point that it was downright unsightly. We all know that Battlement Mesa is a covenant-protected community, so how can this happen? Naturally, people conclude it is because the banks get special treatment, but that isn’t the case. Here’s the deal. Foreclosure begin with a notice called the Notice of Election and Demand (NED) that the bank sends to an owner stating the bank is exercising its right to foreclose. Under Colorado state statutes, homeowner associations like the Battlement Mesa Service Association (BMSA) are granted certain rights, called superlien rights, that are superior to the first mortgage holder. In order for the bank to pass clear title onto the next purchaser, they must pay the HOA’s super lien. The bank doesn’t plan to retain ownership of the property, and they want to sell it as soon as they can. In order to do so, the bank must pay our super lien but they don’t have to pay the lien until they own the property, which doesn’t occur until a public trustee’s sale is held. Typically, if property owners aren’t paying their mortgage company, they aren’t paying their HOA assessments either. Normally by the time that an owner receives the NED letter from the bank, he or she already owes the BMSA for several assessment billings, and we may have already referred the account for collection. And since the HOA gives the BMSA the right to charge back collection fees and expenses to an owner, the owner not only owes the assessment fees but owes attorney fees as well. Usually when the bank sends the NED, if the owner hasn’t already stopped paying the BMSA, he or she will now. At this point, the owner isn’t paying and the bank doesn’t own the property yet so the BMSA isn’t getting any payments. That’s when the owner moves out and couldn’t care less what the property looks like. The bank cares but they don’t own the property yet so they don’t have any right to do anything with it and have no legal obligation to maintain the property. Unfortunately, the weeds don’t pay any attention to that. They continue to do what weeds do: grow. And they do. Meantime, the BMSA is left in a quandary because its super lien right is limited to six months worth of assessments. At the current rate, this means the maximum that the BMSA can collect is $148 (six months at $24.67). By the NED date, the owner likely has six months worth of unpaid assessments plus a few hundred dollars of legal fees. If fines are levied for unsightliness, the owner no longer cares, so he or she makes no effort to comply and the bank doesn’t care because they don’t yet own the property. Sure, the BMSA has the right to go on to the property and clean it up and charge the cost of the clean up to the owner. But almost without exception, the BMSA cannot recoup the expense so it is reluctant to spend your money to clean up the property. After what often seems like a lifetime, eventually the public trustee sale is held, the bank finally owns the property, and the BMSA can finally force the bank to clean up the property... and we do.
WATCH EVERY GAME Every Sunday here at VJ’s
50¢ WINGS During Bronco Games & every Tuesday
HAPPY THANKSGIVING from all of us at VJ’s!
EARLY PLANNING – Make reservations now for your company’s Christmas party! We are open 5:30 am daily, 6 am Sundays until 9 pm daily 315 E First Street • Parachute, Co. 81635 970-285-1917 • catering 970-285-7091
Carrie Click Writer + Proofer + Editor Help for any writing project 970-930-0056 clickintoplace@yahoo.com
**
**Not valid for Holiday parties.
ARROWOOD PLUMBING Glass Vessel Sinks starting at $99!
Services Include: * New Construction/Remodels * Water Heaters/Boilers * Swamp Coolers/Sprinklers * Drain Cleaning * Service Work
COME VISIT OUR NEW SHOWROOM FEATURING: Faucets, Fixtures, Cabinets, Countertops, Flooring, Tile, Plumbing Supplies, and More!
243 E. 1st Street - Downtown Parachute -970-270-8869
T
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 9
O I L
Join the Clean Energy Challenge Households throughout Garfield County are invited to team up with the Garfield Clean Energy Challenge for Homes, a countywide effort to save energy, save money, and make homes more comfortable. Homeowners can start with a home energy audit, which can be arranged through Xcel Energy, Holy Cross Energy or SourceGas, or by calling any home energy auditor listed on the Garfield Clean Energy website. The program rebates all of the homeowner’s out-of-pocket costs for the audit, up to $350, while funds last. And homeowners who act on the recommendations can receive rebates up to $500 for making improvements to their home energy systems. For complete information on these and other energy programs, visit garfieldcleanenergy.org or call CLEER at 704-9200. – Heather McGregor, CLEER
Across from Family Dollar on Cardinal Way in Parachute.
Breakfast & Lunch
PRIME RIB every 3rd Friday Prepared by Big John
8 am-2 pm daily
Dinner 5-10 pm daily
Bar Open Daily 11 am
285-9616
Homemade daily specials & soup Delivering Food To Go - Fri. & Sat. 5-10 am Best Food in Town • FREE shuttle Fri. & Sat. LIVE music on weekends NEW remodeled and freshly decorated separate dining room!
&
G A S
GRAND VALLEY ENERGY A monthly column by M.E. Denomy, CPA
BMPs in the road (or how to have your pie and eat it, too)
In my life, I have found that after many times of doing something, I am finally able to hone in on the best possible way of doing it. For instance, let’s take a pumpkin pie recipe. After many years of adding and subtracting ingredients, most of us finally land on the right ingredients, proper order of putting them together, the right cooking temperature and how long to cook it. Some of us use just one recipe and stick to it, while others mix and match recipes and our own creativity to produce a pie that our families will always use as the standard for all others. Standards are also set for working around oil and gas production. Each company tries to come up with a better “mouse trap” to improve their operations. Some have to do with economics, some with how long it takes to drill, and others are done to help keep it clean. Recently, there has been a push to write down these standards as guidelines or recipes for bettering the industry. These are called best management practices or BMPs. The federal government has taken up the battle cry to incorporate BMPs in the oil and gas operations that occur on their lands. The Natural Law Resources Center and it partners have put together a list of BMPs that cover a large number of areas, such as air quality, grazing, health and safety, water quality and many others. They have worked hard at coming up with recipes for the best possible way to address hundreds of issues, based on the experience of many of the operators and their successes. You may take a peek at these BMPs at their website at oilandgasbmps.org. Finally, if anyone thinks that they have the BMP for creating that pumpkin pie, please let me know. I would love to come and evaluate the results.
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.
NOW OFFERING A 10% SENIOR DISCOUNT.
Oil & Gas Update
HEADLINES SALON west is now providing
BRAZILIAN KERATIN SMOOTHING TREATMENTS! The product we use, SIMPLY SMOOTH KERATIN TREATMENT, was developed in the USA and contains no formaldehyde. SIMPLY SMOOTH KERATIN TREATMENT offers these benefits:
• Hair color safe; can be applied same day as treatment. • Eliminates frizz. • Reduces curl 25% to 50% • Restructures and reconditions damaged, Keratin depleted hair, imparting incredible shine. • Cuts drying and styling time more thaN 50% each day. • Treatment lasts for 12 to 16 weeks. The cost of the treatment is $225.00 to $250.00 depending on length of hair.
In salon special offers:
SIMPLY SMOOTH KERATIN TREATMENT $175.00 One color highlight $50.00 (does not include haircut)
offers valid 11/15/10 to 12/15/10
83 TAMARISK TRAIL BATTLEMENT MESA
970.285.9279 970.285.0395
Health Impact Assessment comments are in The deadline has passed to submit public comments regarding the Battlement Mesa’s Health Impact Assessment, which was released Sept. 20. The study, conducted by the University of Denver’s School of Public Health, focuses on the health impacts of Antero Resources’ plans to drill up to 200 wells in Battlement’s planned unit development. The original deadline for comment submission was Oct. 20, but was extended to Nov. 15. Comments received after that are being considered on a time-limited basis. Those comments must be made in writing to the following e-mail address: maperc@ucdenver.edu. Neither communication over the phone nor comments sent to different e-mail addresses will be reviewed. For information about hard-copy versions of the HIA, contact Jim Rada, Garfield County environmental health manager, at 625-5200.
Battlement Concerned Citizens (BCC) meet with New York state citizens group Dave Devanney and Garry Evenson of the BCC met recently with a representative of the Delaware Ostego Gas Drilling Opposition Group from upstate New York. The group is filming a documentary about the impacts of natural gas drilling, and will send a copy of the completed film to the BCC when it’s completed.
Alleged odor and drilling violations being addressed Dave Devanney of the BCC is pursuing the results of a notice by the Colorado Gas Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) regarding odors from Antero’s Watson Ranch pad, and requested that anyone who was affected by odors send him completed air pollution log forms which he is submitting to the COGCC. Garfield County also issued a notice regarding the removal of drill cuttings from the Williams pad near the Battlement Mesa Golf Course. Williams has until Dec. 14 to comply with the county requirement to remove the cuttings.
Grand Junction’s KREX TV features Silt/Antero drilling issues In early November, Grand Junction’s KREX TV broadcast a three-part series about Antero’s pipeline problems in the Silt area, and in Garfield County in general. Links to two of the stories follow: krextv.com/news/around-the-region/Rancher-Exposes-Serious-Natural-Gas-Pipeline-Violations106656008.html krextv.com/news/around-the-region/Hazardous-Pipeline-Installed-With-Zero-Oversight106735253.html – Carrie Click, Echo editor
Page 10, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
G O V E R N M E N T
Town of Parachute News
Bridge, interchange and solar flower vandals update
From Parachute Town Administrator Robert Knight
The Town of Parachute has broken ground on the new bridge over Parachute Creek. This bridge finishes both ends of Parachute Park Boulevard, which will allow traffic to move freely between Highway 6 and County Road 215. And, Garfield County has awarded the bid for the engineering for the new interchange west of town, and Colorado Department of Transportation is working with local companies to develop a plan to relocate utilities in the right-of-way where the interchange will be built. It’s nice to see progress being made toward this much needed and long overdue project. Completion projections for the interchange are a bit sketchy at this point but construction could start as early as 2012. The Wasson-McKay stone house on Cardinal Way is mostly restored so it is worth a trip to see all the changes. The house was painted back to period colors, the stones around the windows repointed and the grout in the stones all around the house has been repaired. I know the Park and Recreation Department is pleased about the upgrades, especially since the repairs have made the house warmer inside during these cold snaps. The pedestrian bridge going from the Wasson-McKay house to the north side of town has also had a facelift. Our police cadets painted over all the graffiti was painted over, and the bridge given a new coat of paint. We have a couple leads on the vandals who threw a rock into the solar flower array and sprayed graffiti on the restroom walls. The $1,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators still stands. Parachute Town Hall will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 25-26. We will be closed on Christmas Eve as well. We will continue to have police officers on duty and public works employees on call during this time period. The Parachute Board of Trustees and town staff wish for you a joyous holiday season.
The Colorado Heritage Group TERRIFIC TOWNHOME Large master suite retreat, vaulted ceilings, gas fireplace, scenic windows in living and master suite. Battlement Mesa $199,900
BEGIN HOME OWNERSHIP HERE MF home borders open space, attached garage, fenced backyard, good condition, recent updates. Battlement Mesa $129,000
SPACES FOR YOU & GUESTS Two level luxurious townhome, view filled windows, deck, patio, high ceilings, super condition. Battlement Mesa $279,900
UPDATES & IMPROVEMENTS New windows, carpet, Pergo floors, upper deck & lower patio with views well maintained townhome living. Battlement Mesa $230,000
ENJOY THE COZY FIREPLACE An array of windows-sunlit views, oak cabinetry, move-in condition, eat-in kitchen, living/dining. Battlement Mesa $189,900 WALLS OF SCENIC WINDOWS Solid hardwood interior doors, cul-de-sac, manicured landscaping, vaulted ceilings, great condition! Battlement Mesa $289,000 OWNING… BETTER THAN RENTING Fenced backyard, oversized garage, enclosed entry, borders open space, MF home with two baths & three bedrooms. Battlement Mesa $105,000 PRIVATE COVERED PATIO Eat-in kitchen, white washed oak cabinetry, open and spacious floor plan, large view filled transom windows. Battlement Mesa $185,000 A GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENT Easy-care vinyl siding, MF home, open living, dining, kitchen area, fenced yard, dog run, garden area, pellet stove. Battlement Mesa $149,900 DECORATOR’S DREAM! Front patio, white picket fence, open kitchen, living, dining, MF home, fenced yard, vinyl siding, quiet location. Battlement Mesa $164,900
A WONDERFUL SUBDIVISION Well planned beautiful stucco ranch, three bedrooms, plus den/office, amenities – tile, custom wood trim. Battlement Mesa $329,900 LOW MAINTENCE HOME! Custom 18” tile, large fenced yard, heated two-car garage, open island kitchen, quiet cul-de-sac. Battlement Mesa $229,900 A SPLENDOR OF AMENITIES State-of-the-art chef ’s kitchen, great curb appeal, covered patio, elegant master with tiled walk-in shower. Battlement Mesa $379,900
VACANT LAND Eagles Point Subdivision Owner financing available. Buy now, build later. Walking and biking trails, close to rec center. Battlement Mesa Starting at $72,500 PLANS AVAILABLE Three great lots with plans ready for you. Buy the lot and do it yourself or have the builder take care of it! Battlement Mesa Starting at $69,000
YEAR ROUND ENJOYMENT Open and airy upper/lower levels, updated tile and hardwood floors, eat-in kitchen nook and dining, views galore. Battlement Mesa $279,900
GOLF COURSE VILLAGE Two premium lots on the golf course. Do not miss this rare opportunity to own one of these premier lots. Battlement Mesa $87,900 - $89,900
BLUE RIBBON WINNER! Borders open space and scenic views, expansive kitchen, granite counters, luxurious master with jetted tub. Battlement Mesa $334,900
GREAT VIEWS and VISTAS Tap and impact fees are paid, walking trails and common areas, several building site options. Battlement Mesa $79,000
mohrlang • jones The NAMES that mean EXCELLENCE in Real Estate…
Karen Jones, 970-379-1353 Mary Lee Mohrlang, CRS, GRI 970-216-5058 73 Sipprelle Drive, Suite J-1, Batlement Mesa, CO 81635
Virtual Tours www.MohrlangJones.com
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 11
G R A N D
VA L L E Y I T E S
A hundred years of living Battlement Mesa’s Ruth Morton recalls a century of experiences By Carrie Click, Echo editor It was the year 1910, and William Taft was the President of the U.S. even though American women didn’t have any say over it. Women didn’t have the right to vote yet. It was the birth year of humanitarian Mother Theresa, Bonnie Parker of Bonnie and Clyde fame – and Battlement Mesa’s own Ruth Morton. ‘Three bedrooms and a path’ Ruth, who lives at Mesa Vista Assisted Living was born on a farm in Indiana, and celebrated her 100th birthday this past October. She and Mesa Vista Administrator Scott Saunders sat down together to talk about Ruth’s wealth of experiences during 100 years of living. Nowadays we can simply flick on a switch and have electricity anytime we need it, but Ruth told Scott that convenience didn’t exist when she was a child. “It was kerosene or coal oil lamps,” she said. And indoor plumbing was still a luxury as well. “It was three bedrooms and a path,” she said, referring to the trail leading to the family outhouse at their Indiana farmhouse. At school, the outhouse was separated into boys’ and girls’ sections.
“So the teacher would know how long we’d be, we’d hold up one finger for urine, and two fingers for BM,” Ruth said. This was the pre-Charmin’ toilet paper era. “We’d use the Sears catalog,” she said.
End of World War I As a young girl, Ruth remembers horse and buggy were the main modes of transportation in rural Indiana. “Only the wealthy had cars,” she said. Ruth attended a three-room schoolhouse, with first through third graders sharing one room. Ruth was in third grade when World War I ended in 1918. She remembers that bells rung and whistles blew, and school was let out early to celebrate. As far as food was concerned, Ruth’s family took wheat to a mill’s water wheel to grind. Except for buying coffee, spices and candy, the family was self-sufficient. “Most of our food we canned, and produced at home,” she said. “We processed Ruth Morton shows a 100th birthday certificate she received from Photo courtesy of Mesa Vista Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. our own hogs, made our own lard, and baked our own bread. We sold eggs, and made but- dust covering the ice blocks. The ice lasted one day.” ter.” Later, an ice man would deliver ice. Ruth rememThe farmhouse had a big cellar, since there was no bers getting free shavings from him. refrigeration. “We always had work to do. We had lots of “It seemed colder back then,” she said. “We’d cut chores.” ice from ponds. We had an ice house, that had sawContinued on page 21
Page 12, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
H E A LT H
No substitute for active lifestyle and healthy eating
November is American Diabetes Month and it’s a good time to get educated on the disease, including risk factors and prevention. Nearly 24 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. The most common form of diabetes in adults is Type 2, when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or cells ignore the insulin. There are many risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. Some you can control and others, like genetics, that you cannot. The No. 1 risk factor is obesity. The National Center for Health Statistics states that 30 percent, or 60 million people, in the U.S. are obese. A greater weight means a higher risk of insulin resistance. Another risk factor is a sedentary lifestyle. Inactivity and a heavy weight work together towards Type 2 diabetes. Unhealthy eating habits also play a role towards obesity, which in turn leads to diabetes. Too much fat, not enough fiber, and too many simple carbohydrates contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle. Family history and genetics also can lead to an individual being diagnosed with diabetes. Studies have shown that people who have family members with Type 2 diabetes are at a greater risk for developing it themselves. The older you get, the more likely you will be diagnosed with diabetes. Of course, there’s nothing you can do about the progression of age, but you can take steps to lessen other risk factors. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are precursors to diabetes, as well as many other diseases. Lastly, if you are a woman who had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, you have a greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes years later. Babies whose mothers had gestational diabetes also are at risk for developing the disease later in life. Whether or not you have any of the above risk factors, there are steps you can take to prevent getting the disease. Changing to a healthier lifestyle can make a world of difference by lessening your risk of getting many diseases, including diabetes. Try to get more physical activity. Regular exercise can help you lose weight and lower your blood sugar. Eat your fiber. Eating a diet rich in fiber can help control blood sugar, lower your risk for heart disease, and promote weight loss. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Make an effort to lose those extra pounds. Diabetes prevention often hinges on weight loss. One study found that overweight adults reduced their risk of diabetes by 16 percent for every 2.2 pounds lost. The benefits of losing weight are significant. Make healthier choices, every day. Fad diets may seem like a good idea, but nothing replaces adopting a healthy life. In honor of American Diabetes Month, Changing Lifestyles at Grand River Hospital and Medical Center is hosting events geared towards education and management of diabetes, including a health fair geared towards those who have been diagnosed. For more information about the Changing Lifestyles Department or any of the American Diabetes Month events, call 625-1510. 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
S E N I O R S Mesa Vista News Fall festivities include a birthday, Halloween, student visits, and Thanksgiving By Kathy Germano, Mesa Vista Assisted Living Residence activity director
The residents at Mesa Vista Assisted Living have enjoyed a couple of different celebrations this fall. First we had the joy of sharing Ruth Morton’s 100th birthday celebration. We had a lovely cake, balloons and so many beautiful flowers that Ruth received and shared with us. (See story about Ruth on page 11.) We also enjoyed our resident Halloween party. There were masks, music, dancing and treats galore. In addition, the Grand Valley Middle School honor students made their second visit and painted pumpkins with the residents. Our residents really enjoy the students! The middle school choir performed for us on Nov. 2, and the kids are returning again in November for an ice cream social and story telling with the residents. We had some wonderful entertainment this October from the group, So Many Tunes, and also Tammy Russell, who played guitar and sang a variety of songs. Thanks to all our volunteer musicians. Mesa Vista hosted a health care reform presentation, given by Elizabeth Arenales, which provided important information on what health care reform means for seniors. We had great attendance and thanks to the Mesa Vista cook, we enjoyed an array of desserts. For Thanksgiving, we are making a string of thanks, creating turkeys out of cookies and chocolate covered cherries, and of course, enjoying our bountiful Thanksgiving feast with residents and families.
Twenty-seven residents call Mesa Vista Assisted Living in Parachute/Battlement Mesa home. Mesa Vista has a capacity for 45 residents, and is part of the Senior Housing Options network of residences and apartments providing housing for older adults in Colorado.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 13
Echo Briefs Holiday support for survivors after suicide Election results in local county and statewide races During the national general election Nov. 2, local voters passed a ballot question proposed by the Grand Valley Fire Protection District. Voters approved the question, which allows the district to continue to collect, retain and spend funds as it has in the past, without asking the voters for a mill levy tax increase. In other races: Proposition 101 and Amendments 60 and 61, which sought to severely alter funding for tax-supported services, such as roads, fire protection services, schools and town and city services, were voted down. Colorado voters elected Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper to become the next governor of the state. Voters in the three of four precincts in the Parachute/Battlement area voted for Steve King to be the next State Senate District 7 representative. For Precinct 24, voters chose Randy Baumgardner for the State Representative District 57. Jim Yellico took the Garfield County Assessor’s position from incumbent John Gorman, and Tom Jankovsky won the District 1 Garfield County Commissioner post over incumbent Trési Houpt. In the Garfield County Sheriff’s race, Lou Vallario retained his job, beating out challenger Tom Dalessandri Garfield County voters approved allowing medical marijuana to be grown in unincorporated Garfield County. However, voters rejected allowing dispensaries or infused medical marijuana products to be sold in unincorporated areas of the county. Currently, municipalities have control over whether medical marijuana – infused or not – is sold in Garfield County’s incorporated communities. – Carrie Click, Echo editor
The upcoming holiday season will be one of anticipation and happiness for many. For others, it will bring difficult emotions while facing cherished traditions that have been forever changed. 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. This peer group does not provide or replace therapy; it is simply a safe place where mutual support can be found with others who share this unique pain. HEARTBEAT 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 located at 824 Cooper St. For more information, please call Pam Szédelyi at 945-1398 or e-mail at pamsz@sopris.net. – Pam Szédelyi
Holiday Home Tour tickets available Tickets are still available for the annual Holiday Home Tour from 1-4 p.m. on Dec. 4, sponsored by the PEO Chapter IP. Four beautifully decorated homes are being featured in four different areas – Battlement Creek Village, Stone Ridge, Monument Creek Village and Tamarisk Meadows. Collections include beautiful antiques, David Winter cottages, Lenox dolls and Bearfoot Bears. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased from any IP PEO member or by calling 285-5628 or 285-1111. – Sharon Temple, PEO Chapter IP
It’s Christmas Gala time CMC’s No Barriers Fund helps college students with immediate financial needs A fund set up to provide emergency money to students attending Colorado Mountain College (CMC) has raised more than $105,000 since it began last March. Alison Limoges of the CMC Foundation said the fund is the first of its kind at the college, offering a quick, helping hand to students who have a sudden financial emergency that might cause them to drop out of a degree program. Though the amount of funds provided to students is usually less than $500, there are times in life when even just a few hundred dollars can mean the difference between continuing in school or dropping out. Recipients are asked to give back to the fund at a future time, if possible, or give back to others through community service. Colorado Mountain College students who want to learn more about the fund, and community members who might like to donate, can contact Alison Limoges in Glenwood Springs at 947-8380 or alimoges@coloradomtn.edu.
Tickets are now on sale for the KSUN Community Radio’s Christmas Gala. Battlement Mesa’s local radio station, at 103.9, is planning its festive event from 7-10 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. This event is the second annual and it’s hoped it will exceed the fun and satisfaction enjoyed by those who attended last year. This year’s event will highlight music provided by Mr. D.J., whose talents have been used by regional high schools, and wedding and anniversary celebrations in our area. Great food will also be part of our gala menu, as well as a cash bar. Dress is semi-formal. Complimentary onsite babysitting, along with coat check, has been added for attendees. Babysitters are members of the Grand Valley High School Key Club. Parents should pre-register at the activity center if you plan on bringing a child. Ticket donation is $25 in advance, and $22 for KSUN members. Tickets are available at the activity center, Alpine Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, and Old Mountain Gifts store. Ticket price at the door will be $30. Funds raised are used to insure that KSUN 103.9 remains on the air. – Mary Lee Mohrlang, KSUN Community Radio
– Colorado Mountain College
Village Artists: artists, classes, meeting GRHD fundraiser Nov. 18 features wine and gourmet food The Grand River Hospital District (GRHD) Caring and Sharing Committee is sponsoring a gourmet cheese and wine tasting fundraiser from 6-9 p.m. on Nov. 18 at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center Community Room. The event is featuring imported cheeses, salmons, dipping oils, and breads. Wine pairings are also available for tasting. Gourmet foods may be purchased that evening or ordered for Thanksgiving week delivery. Proceeds from product sales benefit the E. Dene Moore Care Center. Contact Lynne Miller at 625-6415 for more information. – Mary DesOrmeau, Grand River Hospital District
Village Artists received many good comments about the last art show at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. Frank Gnatek’s “Horses” and Terri Richards’ “Pumpkin Patch” tied for first place,. If anyone would like a “Pumpkin Patch” painting, call Terri. There was another surprise – a three-way tie for second place: Terrie Richards’ “Buckwheat”, Lillian Wyant’s “Maroon Bells,” and Noemi Kosmowski’s “Olives in a Jar.” Bill Smith’s” Little Rose” came in a good third. Village Artists are having oil and acrylics painting classes on Nov. 15, 29, and Dec 6, given by Bob Harper, an artist from Grand Junction.. Call Jean Buchan at 285-2234 for details. The next meeting is at the Parachute library on Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. Jane Seglmen will be presenting her experiences as an art therapist. Refreshments will be served. – Joline Gnatek, Village Artists
Page 14, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
S P O R T S Golf
A N D
R E C R E AT I O N Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District “Where The Fun Begins”
Doug Choate’s the man at the Men’s Club Finale and Two Man Championship By Jason Franke, Battlement Mesa Golf Club
By Mary Anderson, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Park and Recreation District executive director
Battlement Mesa Golf Club Superintendent Doug Choate showed some great course knowledge by winning the final two tournaments of the year. The Men’s Club Finale on Sept. 25-26, saw 28 players vying for the annual title. Doug was the overall champion with a two-day gross score of 148, edging out local Jack Elsea by one shot. Results are as follows: 1st Flight GROSS 1 148 Doug Choate 2 152 Chuck Perrin 159 John Santos 3 NET 1 2 3
135 136 139
Jack Elsea Chuck Hall Gordon Elliott
2nd Flight GROSS T-1st 176 176
Glenn Stott Al Tanner
NET 1 2
Bob Coons Nate Robinson
130 131
The following weekend, Oct. 2-3, was the annual Tom Beard Memorial Two Man Championship. A full field of 54 two-man teams competed, with Doug Choate and his partner Joe Elliott winning in a two-hole playoff against the teams of Jake Firkins and Jeff Chaubet , and Roger Walters and Mark Cowan. This was the first win at this event for Choate and Elliott. Results are as follows: 1st Flight GROSS 1st 134 Doug Choate - Joe Elliott 2nd 134 Jake Firkins - Jeff Chaubet 3rd 139 Sey Johnson Gregg Mueller NET T-1st
125 125
3rd
129
2nd Flight GROSS T-1st 147 147 3rd
149
Mike Moser Roland Gauthier Roger Walters Mark Cowan Russ Paiz - Brian O'dell
Darrell Carr Chris Meister Ben Compton Dennis Compton John Santos Bob Prendergast
Park and Rec welcomes Danny Manzanares to staff
Doug Choate
NET 1st 2nd T-3rd
128 131 134 134
3rd Flight GROSS 1st 147 2nd 3rd
151 154
NET 1st 2nd
121 127
3rd
129
Jeff Franke - Pat English Doug Houg Ashton Durrett Jim Houg - Peter Hille Dan Jarosz - Eric Lundin
Dirk Anderson Mike Thompson Bob Fuller - Ron Nadon Jim Griffin Bayard Hovdesven
Fred Frei - Robbie Gibson David Vanderhoof Terry Wilson Dick Vanderway Thom Hamick
Golf Battle for the Cure raises nearly $1,000 On Sept. 28, the Battlement Mesa Women’s Golf Club sponsored this year’s Rally for the Cure. This event was extended to the men in the community as a challenge. Entry fees, along with donations, helped raise nearly $1,000. The 18 women tried hard against the 20 men during this nine-hole event. The 10 lowest net scores of both teams determined that the men’s team defeated the women’s team at the end of the day. After play, a great dinner was shared by all in the clubhouse. Prizes of a new golf club were awarded to both Dee Hall and John Constine for closest to the pin on No. 8. Additional donated prizes were drawn by attendees. The Rally for the Cure is the yearly fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. All funds raised are used to fight the battle against breast cancer. Many thanks to all that participated and donated prizes for this event. It was a huge success. – Laurel Koning
New program supervisor The Parachute/Battlement Park and Recreation District would like to introduce and welcome its new program supervisor, Daniel Manzanares. Daniel is a 2007 graduate of Grand Valley High School and a 2010 graduate of Mesa State College with a degree in sports management. Danny got through college in three years because he took college classes while attending Grand Valley High School. He lives in Parachute. Danny participated in sports at Grand Valley High School including baseball, football, basketball and wrestling. He also played football at Mesa State.
Adult Coed Volleyball: Coed Adult Volleyball is held at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center each Tuesday from 6:307:30 p.m., now through Dec. 1, with eight teams participating, up two teams from last winter: Gilstrap’s, Frontier Electric/Valley Car Wash, Valley Automotive, Mountain Temporary Services, Crown Peak Baptist Church, Shepherd of the Mesa Lutheran Church, Los Sicarios, and Alpine Bank Battlement Mesa. (Thank you, sponsors.) Games began on Oct. 19 and the teams are very competitive. It looks to be a very fun fall season.
Tiny Tot Basketball: Tiny Tot Basketball began on Nov. 8 and will conclude on December 8. Tiny Tots is held on Mondays and Wednesdays, right after school, and is for the little ones, kindergarten through second grade, at the Bea Underwood Elementary School gym. The little ones learn the fundamentals of basketball, from dribbling and passing, to shooting.
Boys Basketball: This program, for fourth through sixth graders starts the first of January. Please get your child pre-registered by Dec. 15. The fee is $55 with a $35 refundable uniform deposit. There is also a developmental league for third through sixth graders and a more competitive recreation league for fourth through sixth graders. Games are held in Rifle and Parachute with practices in Parachute at the St John Elementary School gym. Coaches are needed.
Spring Soccer: Yes, spring soccer. Please get your youngsters signed up for Spring Soccer 2011 by Jan. 28 for the U10, U12 and U14 groups.
The 28th Annual Craft Fair: The fair runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Nov. 20, at Grand Valley High School. This is a great shopping opportunity for gift giving. All items are hand crafted, and beautiful poinsettias will be for sale, also.
And remember… The skateboard park, which is located on Battlement Mesa at the Saddleback Recreation area, is closed during inclement weather (rain or snow).
Parachute/Battlement Mesa Parks and Recreation is at 259 Cardinal Way, Parachute, 285-0388, parachutebattlementparkandrecreation.org. Check out the newly updated website.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 15
S P O R T S
A N D
R E C R E AT I O N
Let’s Go Bowling By Dick Ciprich
Pick and practice your approach
This month, we are taking a look at the approach and its mechanics. Most professionals subscribe to the theory that 85 percent of the game takes place behind the foul line. With this in mind, you can see that the approach is a critical factor to good bowling. A good approach controls such things as your arm swing, timing of the delivery, ball speed, and your balance. A proper approach should be like dancing a waltz, and not a 16-foot race. Smooth and fluid are the buzzwords here. There are four types of approaches considered acceptable. The descriptions below assume a right-handed bowler. If you are left handed, just change the starting foot.
THE THREE-STEP: While not in favor with modern day bowlers, many bowlers from the 1940s and 1950s eras mastered this method. It requires the ball to enter the swing before the feet begin. This is very difficult to achieve and requires lots of practice. The three-step approach is not recommended for beginners.
THE FOUR-STEP: The four-step approach is probably the simplest, and is used by the majority of bowlers. It is easily learned, and provides good balance on the way to the line. When you are addressing the pins, most of your weight should be on your left foot. This allows the right foot to be free to move forward. To get started, move the ball forward and your right foot forward in the same moment. This sets up your timing, and is important for balance. Just develop this starting movement and your body will follow smoothly. I use a count cadence of 1-2-3-4 that is equal in spacing. Try it, you’ll like it.
FUEL Up Your FLEET! AUTOMATED PROPRIETARY CHARGE CARD SYSTEM Available 24 hours daily Car Wash Fleet Card Program
THE FIVE-STEP: The five-step is a variation of the four-step approach and is widely used by both amateurs and professionals. The key here is that the ball and foot go forward just as in the four-step. You have your weight on the right foot so that the left foot can move forward first. The ball DOES NOT move on this step. Then you go into the four-step approach as per the above. My count cadence becomes 1, a very slight pause, then a smooth 2-3-4-5. The ball and your right foot move forward on the 2 count and you are into it.
THE SIX-STEP: While not that popular, a few top bowlers are using it to allow them to gain more approach speed and generate the ball velocity they require. This approach requires two steps before entering the four-step and is difficult to master without a lot of practice. At the address, you will be standing with your weight on the left foot. The steps will be right foot; left foot, then the ball and the right foot start forward at the same time. The count cadence should be 1-2, no ball movement, a very slight pause, and then the smooth 3-4-5-6. This approach is also not recommended for beginners.
Available at the following Phillips 66 Stations
PARACHUTE GRUB N SCRUB 28 Cardinal Way • Parachute
Car Wash / Dominos / Shommy’s Restaurant Shommy’s Restaurant Now Open – Asian/American Cuisine
RED RIVER QUICK MART 1-70 at South Rifle • 702 Taghenbaugh Blvd.
Dominos Pizza - 625-0505
TIP OF THE MONTH: Mastering the right approach for you requires practice. You can practice the approach at home. Work on the steps without the ball. Naturally, you won’t be able to slide, but you can get the steps down. At the lanes, you’ll know when the approach is right when you deliver the ball and your sliding foot is straight and you are on balance. You should not be concerned with your scores while you are working on fundamentals. Once you have the approach down, bowling becomes much easier. A good solid approach will produce good scores. Drop over to your nearest bowling center and LET’S GO BOWLING! Next month: The arm swing and delivery
Touch Free Carwash / Convenience Store
Battlement Mesa resident Dick Ciprich is a longtime professional bowler and has won numerous titles on local, state, national and international levels. He has 29 – 300 games and 12 – 800 series and is a member of the Buffalo Bowling Association’s Hall of Fame, and The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. He is a freelance consultant to the bowling industry and a private instructor. He can be reached at rjc300@aol.com.
BOOKCLIFF CAR WASH
THIS COLUMN SPONSORED BY:
THE CORNER STORE & LASER CAR WASH 9th & Railroad • Rifle
1st & West Ave • Rifle
Touch Free Carwash / Convenience Store
A Great Place to Bowl!
SWALLOW OIL COMPANY • 945-8823
BURNING MOUNTAIN BOWL
WHOLESALE GAS & OIL
880 Castle Valley Blvd. New Castle CO.
Rifle - 970-625-1467 • Eagle - 970-328-7788
970-984-2739
Page 16, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
Nature at Home and Afield by Betsy Leonard A two-pika day in Grand Mesa’s subalpine life zone
Recently, the Battlement Mesa hiking group enjoyed the Crag Crest Trail in the Grand Mesa National Forest southwest of Battlement and Parachute. The trial has an elevation gain of 1,850 feet with sheer drop-offs on both sides of the trail. However, I can attest there are majestic views in all directions. At the crest, the trail overlooks some beautiful lakes and Grand Junction far below in the valley. As we hiked along, we noticed differing vegetation. But the highlight was when we glimpsed the fleeting body of a tiny pika darting among the rocks. That got us talking about the changes that we were seeing. We were just high enough to enjoy this little mammal. When you see a pika, it will steal your heart. Most species average less than 200 millimeters in length, and weigh between 125-400 grams. There is no visible tail, and their ears are small and rounded. Pikas do not hibernate. Instead, they compile “haystacks” of grasses, sedges, and weeds for use as food during the winter. Because of their restricted range, pikas are particularly vulnerable to human disturbances and climate change. When we saw the pika, we were at an elevation of 10,500-11,000 feet. A climb of 1,000 feet is roughly equivalent to a journey of 600 miles to the north. In general, air temperature decreases with increasing altitude at the rate of 3 degrees Fahrenheit with each 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Therefore, higher elevations usually have cooler average temperatures than lower elevations. Ecosystems change in a regular way from lowlands to the mountain tops. These life zones, along with their corresponding elevation limits are: alpine, above 11,500 feet; subalpine, 9,50011,500 feet; montane, 8,000-9,500 feet; and foothills, 5,500-8,000 feet. These life zones form altitudinal belts around mountains and regardless of the direction of approach, each belt will be encountered when traveling from the lowlands to mountain peaks. The foothills life zone is characterized by extensive dry shrub ecosystems, such as piñon pinejuniper woodlands and sagebrush. This is a transitional region between grasslands and the higher tree dominated montane life zone. The greatest species diversity of all the life zones occurs here. The montane life zone is forested, consisting primarily of ponderosa pine ecosystems on the warm south-facing slopes, and Douglas fir ecosystems on the cooler north-facing slopes. Numerous mountain meadows dot the hillsides; aspen and lodgepole pine ecosystems are common in this zone. As we were driving to the trailhead, we passed through beautiful stands of autumn-colored aspens. The subalpine life zone is marked by dense, moist forests of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. At the upper forest edge, there are bands of wind-sculpted tree islands known as krummholz, which become smaller and more shrub-like with increasing elevation. It was in this life zone that we saw, not one, but two pikas. The alpine life zone consists of low shrubs and herbaceous plants. This highest life zone is dominated by a cold, windy climate. Plants must survive a short growing season and can seem to bloom instantaneously creating spectacular floral displays in late June and early July. Boundaries between adjacent life zones are rarely distinct. There is usually a great deal of mixing of ecosystems as one passes through these transitional areas. Slopes facing north receive considerably less direct sunlight than those facing south and accordingly are cooler and more humid. Northern exposures lose less water from evaporation, hold snow longer, and have a shorter frost-free season. Different kinds of animals respond to different altitudinal variables. Each species is adapted to use specific resources of the land, minimizing competition with other species and ensuring its own survival. Hence, the pika survives in rocky talus or broken rock slopes. The southern Rocky Mountains retain much of the wild character of animal life that has disappeared from more developed sections of our country. Native animals still dominate the mountains and portions of the plains. Herds of elk and mule deer roam the woodlands. Mountain lions and black bears are sighted occasionally, as are bobcats and foxes. Golden eagles and a host of other birds nest in many areas. We live in a special place. Go out and enjoy it! Betsy Leonard is an environmental education specialist who lives in Parachute.
Have a story idea? Contact the Echo gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
Grand Valley Fire Protection District Frying a turkey? Be safe By Grand Valley Deputy Fire Chief Rob Ferguson 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, from I-70 from mile marker 66.4 to mile marker 82.5, north to Rio Blanco County, and south to Mesa County, including three-quarters of a square mile of Mesa County. For the month of October 2010 the fire district responded to 44 calls for service: 10 fire incidents • 2 structure fires 4 fire alarms • 4 brush fires 27 emergency medical calls 4 vehicle crashes • 2 public assists 1 gas Leak / HazMat assignment Training hours per crew: Green Crew: 7 hrs Black Crew: 88 hrs Red Crew: 81.25 hrs Also in October, we built a maze to help train firefighters to learn maneuvering through obstacles just like in buildings while we perform searches for victims and fires. This is performed with bunker gear (protective clothing) and self contained breathing apparatus. Three firefighter / emergency medical technicians (EMTs) started their intermediate level medical training. This training is the halfway point of becoming a paramedic. We would like to say good luck to FF Charlesworth, FF Duprey and FF Reece. The district also participated with Williams Production on their annual drill, which consisted of the district working with Williams employees on a mock emergency drill. During Fire Prevention Week, firefighters went to schools and did 16 presentations for the kids. We also did water rescue drills with the lifeguards at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. A fire extinguisher presentation was given at the Garfield County Sheriff’s for those who attended the meeting at the Battlement Mesa Fire Station. EMS also stood two Grand Valley High School varsity football games. And the district participated in the Harvest Festival, the Jungle Mobile, the Chamber of Commerce’s Oktoberfest and fireworks, and the carnival at St John Elementary School. Please remember to drive safe during the holidays, and if you are deep frying a turkey this year, remember to follow the instructions for the fryer and cook the turkey outside and away from your home. You should be at least 15 feet from any combustible materials. Have a great holiday and be SAFE. If you should have an emergency, please call 911 as soon as possible!
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 17
Echo Brief Financial advisor to host second dinner Russell Andrews, a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial in Basalt, will once again visit the Parachute and Battlement Mesa area to host a dinner, “Wine, Dine & Dance in Retirement!” focusing on retirement income strategies. The dinner is on Dec. 11 from 5-8 p.m. at the Battlement Mesa Aciitivy Center, and will feature speaker Tom Isaacs, a regional vice president with Riversource Life Insurance Company. Topics covered include “Planning for a Confident Retirement” and “Recreating Your Paycheck.” A similar event was held in Battlement Mesa in September. Admission is free, though an RSVP is requested by calling 927-6403 by Dec. 9. The band, “Swing Set,” from Grand Junction will play, and there is no cost or obligation. For more information, please contact Russell Andrews at 970-927-6400 or visit ameriprise.com. – Sharon Cook, Ameriprise Financial
G R A N D
VA L L E Y
N E W S
Recent rescues a reminder to hunters to be prepared By Randy Hampton, Colorado Division of Wildlife
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is reminding hunters to be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions in the Colorado high country. "While hunter success increases with snowfall, folks need to have the proper winter gear before heading out to hunt at this time of year," said Perry Will, area wildlife manager for the Division of Wildlife in Glenwood Springs. The recent regional searches for hunters highlights the need for hunters to be prepared. With increasing snows, DOW staff are patrolling hunting areas to make sure hunters are adequately prepared. "Some of the hunters we are contacting are glad to see the snow because it makes the hunting better," Will explained. "Those are the hunters who are prepared." Heavy snowfall tends to concentrate elk into larger winter herds and gets the elk moving towards winter range areas. In warmer weather conditions, elk tend to stay dispersed and take cover in remote, dense stands of high elevation timber, making it more difficult for hunters to locate and reach the animals. "Hunters should always carry a personal survival kit that includes signaling devices, shelter and fire starter," said Mark Cousins, hunter education coordinator for the DOW. "A larger vehicle survival kit with sleeping bag, food, water, shovel, sand and tire chains is also a good idea." A guide to being prepared for the hunt is available on the Division of Wildlife website at: wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/PlanYourHunt/ResourcesTips/Survival.htm Fourth season is Nov. 17-21. For more news about the DOW go to wildlife.state.co.us.
Happy Thankgiving!
MIX AND MAX 4 packs of batteries either 4 AA, 4 AAA, 1 9 volt, 2 C’s or 2 D’s for and get a FREE
$10 FLASHLIGHT just
with advertisement.
Check out our store… it is bursting with deals for Christmas! Open the day after Thanksgiving at 8 am with great Shack Friday deals.
PARACHUTE RADIO SHACK 316 E 1st street next to Napa Auto Parts M-F 9 am – 6 pm and Sat 9am -4 pm
970-285-2111
Page 18, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
C H A M B E R
N E W S
L I B R A RY
N E W S
Santa’s coming to town on Dec. 11
Holiday season at the library
By Mary Lee Mohrlang, Parachute/Battlement Mesa Chamber of Commerce
By Karol Sacca, Parachute Branch Library
Upcoming Events Nov. 18 - Chamber Board Meeting, Alpine Bank, 12 p.m. Dec. 11 – Kids’ Christmas with Santa at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center, 1-3 p.m. Dec. 16 - Chamber Board Meeting, Alpine Bank, 12 p.m.
Businesses of the Month Swallow Oil / Grub and Scrub Swallow Oil Company was started in 1951 in Rifle by Ray and Vera Swallow. It has evolved into the fourth generation being active in the business, beating the odds that only 3 percent of family businesses survive to the third generation. Swallow Oil operates five gasoline locations in the valley, including the new station in Parachute that has a large car wash, C-store, Domino's Pizza, Shommy's restaurant and a large fueling area. Swallow Oil employs 55 people in the valley, supplies six other independent locations, operates several trucks that supply fuel to a wide array of customers within a 100-mile radius. The latest project in the works is a compressed natural gas fast fill fueling station in Rifle and Parachute. Swallow Oil has been very active in the community supporting numerous groups, projects, and schools during the past 59 years.
Williams Production Williams Production has been a member of the Parachute and Battlement Mesa community since 2000. Williams is committed to remaining a vital part of the Western Slope economy. Williams is the 10th largest natural gas producer in the United States. Williams is making natural gas development a reality every day as the company works to produce the natural gas that the nation needs. As always, the chamber is looking for businesses that would like to support our communities by becoming a member of the Parachute/Battlement Chamber of Commerce. For more information, contact one of the board of directors or call 285-0388.
Sing-along Story Time: Toddlers and preschool children, this is your night to strut your stuff at the Parachute Branch Library. On Nov. 18, at 6:30 p.m., little voices and bodies are going to give a rousing rendition of “The Goldfish Song,” “Flip Flap Jack,” and other young favorites. This night will also feature the winning entry in the Name the Big Blue Bear contest. Everyone young and old is invited to an evening guaranteed to make you smile no matter your age. Come prepared to shake your sillies out!
Catch the Christmas spirit: On Nov. 30 at 2 p.m., local artist Rebecca Talbott will demonstrate how she crafted her Christmas ornament that is proudly displayed at the Smithsonian. Rebecca will then let you try your hand at this style of decorative painting. Space is limited to10. Christmas cookies (and their recipes) will be served. Call the library at 285-9870 to reserve your space – beware, the Christmas spirit is contagious!
Holiday closures: The Parachute Branch Library will be closed on Thanksgiving, Nov. 25, and Nov. 26. We will reopen Saturday, Nov. 27, at 10 a.m.
Special Holiday Story Time activities: On Dec. 10, Story Time participants will be busy making gifts to give to the Mesa Vista Assisted Living residents. The gifts will be delivered Dec. 17, at 11 a.m. during a special traveling Story Time. Need more information? Call the library at 285-9870. Visitors of all ages are always welcome.
Happy Thanksgiving!
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 19
Take a Hint Household How-to Hints by Barbara Barker
A new use for helium balloons 103.9 FM
TUNE IN! BROADCASTING 24/7!
• To clean car battery corrosion, slowly add plain tap water to a cup of baking soda until it becomes a paste. Use a small paintbrush to apply the paste to the battery posts (terminals). Leave the paste on for an hour, then clean off with a damp cloth. • Or, fizz away the corrosion by pouring a can of cola over the terminals. After it is done bubbling, wipe clean with a moist rag and then towel dry the area. Caution: If cola is splashed on the car’s paint, wipe it off quickly; it will eat through the paint.
Syndicated Radio Programs • Local Programming
• Prevent battery corrosion by smearing petroleum jelly on the battery before attaching the battery cables.
YOUR SOURCE FOR EMERGENCY WEATHER AND AMBER ALERTS
• Or, using regular transparent tape, attach a copper penny to the top of the battery. The penny may corrode, but the electrodes should remain clean.
KSUN Radio would like to thank all of those that supported us during our recent membership drive.
• Cattails are here. Give each a thorough coating of hair spray and your wild bouquet will last indefinitely.
Your financial support is very much appreciated. Memberships ($25) are still available to anyone interested in joining. Please call 285-2246. KSUN is proudly sponsoring the 2nd Annual Christmas Gala to be held Saturday, December 4th at the Activity Center. Tickets for our dinner/dance are $25 in advance/$30 at the door. Members receives a discounted ticket price of $22. Hope to see you there!
KSUN COMMUNITY RADIO 398 Arroyo Drive, Battlement Mesa • 285-2246
www.ksunradio.org
• When making a cake that calls for nuts or dried fruit in the batter, try coating them with flour before stirring them in. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom. • When going on vacation, if you have no one to water your houseplants, make a wick for automatic watering. Take a cotton shoestring and push one end deep into the soil around the roots of the plant and put the other end into a container of water: automatic watering. • Soaking oysters in club soda for about five minutes should make their shells easier to open. • If your club soda goes flat, don’t pour it down the drain. Pour it into the toilet bowl and let it soak for about an hour. You will end up with sparkling porcelain. • A cabbage leaf works wonders at cleaning pewter. • When planting bulbs, sprinkle some Epsom salts on the soil after planting. It gives bulbs a dose of much needed nitrogen and keeps chipmunks away. • Sprinkle medicated baby powder on bulbs before planting them to help fend off fungi and four-footed felons in the area. • For houseplants that need a lot of light like geraniums and cacti, line a windowsill with aluminum foil. The reflection will increase the amount of light available to the plant. • Never mix products containing ammonia with bleach or products containing chlorine. Ammonia and chlorine can form a deadly gas when combined. • The dinner rolls will stay warmer longer if you put a piece of aluminum foil under the napkin in the breadbasket. • Hate cleaning that bathtub ring? Try sprinkling a little talcum powder in your bath water. It will feel good on your skin and your tub will stay clean. • To keep debris and foreign matter from getting into your gun barrel, slip a balloon over the end. • Make use of that helium-filled balloon. Put a damp cloth over it and bump away those spider webs on the ceiling. It’s safer than climbing a ladder. Barbara Barker of Battlement Mesa has lots more of these hints, which she’ll reveal in future issues of the Echo.
Page 20, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
• 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 to help offset the cost of producing this page.
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
Grace Bible Church
Shepherd of the Mesa
755 Spencer Parkway P.O. Box 6248 Battlement Mesa 285-9862
Lutheran Church (WELS) Bill Cornelius, Pastor 987-3093 Adam Lambrecht, Staff Minister 987-1992 Sarah Lambrecht, Music Coordinator, 285-7255
Charlie Hornick, Pastor Lance Easterling, Youth Pastor Josh Elliott, Pastoral Intern Penni Nichols, GBC Child Care Director
Worship: Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Monday at 7:00 p.m.
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: 384-7999
101 W. Battlement Parkway Parachute 285-7946 crownpeakbaptist.com
Family Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Location: Historical Society School House on County Rd 300 Women’s Bible Study Group: Monday at 9:30 a.m. Location: 12 Rosewood Way Babysitting available In Home Bible Study throughout the week. Call for times and locations in your area. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Wellspring of Life Church at Grand Valley High School Cafeteria
Rick Van Vleet, Senior Pastor Dan LaRue, Associate Pastor Matt Loftin, Youth Pastor Brian Jarrett, Minister of Music
Grand Valley Christian Church
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)
Richard Counts, Pastor 285-7597, 260-1080 e-mail: keeperoffaith@aol.com Church Office 285-7597
Second Street & Parachute Avenue Parachute
800 Cardinal Way Parachute Pastor David Bartlett
Wed. Night Dinner 5:30 p.m. Wed. Night Programs 6:30 p.m. (Adult, Children & Youth Groups) 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
Sunday worship 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Service Time: 10 a.m. Youth and Children’s Sunday School 210-5795 210-5849
Daily Prayer Tuesday thru Friday 9:30 a.m.
Grand Valley United Methodist Church 132 N. Parachute Ave. Parachute Dr. Bob Toll, Pastor
Faith Baptist Church 235 N. Railroad Ave. Parachute John Yadloski, Pastor 285-7424 Sunday Sunday School: 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship: 11 a.m. Children’s Church: 11:15 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study: 7 p.m.
Sunday Worship Service: 10 a.m. Contact Us P.O. Box 125, Parachute, CO 81635 285-9892 grandvalleyumc@qwestoffice.net
GRAND VALLEY SPELLBINDERS is looking for volunteers. Call 285-7175 for more information.
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 21
Ruth Morton continued from page 11 One nice set of clothes Sunday was for church and chicken dinners. “Saturday night we’d prepare for church,” she said. Ruth and her family took turns bathing in a washtub. There was no water heater and the family took multiple baths in the same water. They polished their shoes, and Ruth would curl her hair using rags for rollers. Sunday morning, the whole troop would head off to church. They’d invite the preacher home for dinner, where the adults would eat and the kids would play first, then eat later. Ruth’s mother made all the family’s clothes. “You were lucky if you had a Sunday outfit, or one nice set of clothes,” she said. “And Mother would fix everything. She’d darn socks.” Eventually, the family got a car. Their first was a REO. “It was hard to start,” Ruth said. “You had to boil water in the radiator to get it started.” The family’s second car was a Dodge. “I remember it had wooden spoke wheels,” Ruth said. “There were no driver’s licenses, and no laws about age.” Girls had limited choices for future careers where Ruth lived. Jobs were usually limited to nurse or housemaid. And young men she knew worked in factories or were hired as farm hands. “Young men couldn’t marry until they had a decent job,” she said. Grown kids generally lived with their parents until they could build up enough savings to strike out on their own (which, actually, doesn’t sound much different than today).
The start of World War II Ruth moved with her family to Arizona, and later, when she married, in 1931, moved to a rural area in central California with her husband when they got their first radio. Their first TV wouldn’t come until 1956. She was a young woman during Franklin Roosevelt’s 12-year presidency, from 1933-45. She remembers him with fondness. “I saw FDR when he campaigned on a train,” she said. “He was in the observation car. FDR inspired confidence. Today’s politicians don’t. Too many want notoriety. So much is kept from us. We don’t know what’s going on in D.C.” Just like Ruth remembers the end of World War I, she remembers when the U.S. joined World War II in 1941. “I was sick with the mumps,” she said, “My hubby announced, ‘We are at war,’ and he enlisted in the National Guard.” These were the days of the “Fibber McGee and Molly” radio show, and Big Band music played on the phonograph. Ruth remembers war rationing. Money was tight, and extras were few. “You couldn’t buy nylons,” she said. “There was no Crisco or sugar, and you had to have ration stamps to buy meat. Liver was only one stamp. We ate lots of liver.” From childhood and throughout her life, Ruth has had the philosophy, “fix it up, wear it out, or do without.” It’s a philosophy that’s as wise today as it was when Ruth Morton was growing up in the beginning of the 20th century. “She’s one of the toughest people I’ve ever met in my life,” said Scott. Happy, happy 100th birthday, Ruth. Scott Saunders contributed to this story.
IF YOU ENJOY READING THIS PAPER, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! The Echo is available at many valley locations for free pick up (see box on classified ad page)… AND IS DELIVERED TO THE HOMES IN THE BATTLEMENT MESA AND PARACHUTE AREA FREE OF CHARGE You can help support the paper by becoming a paid subscriber. Mailed paid subscriptions are available for readers outside our area.
Name: ________________________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________ City: ___________________________________________ State: ________ Zip: ___________ Please complete this form & submit $35 per year to:
THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 We appreciate your support!
FA I T H
As I See It Thanks for the privilege By Pastor Charlie Hornick, Grace Bible Church Unemployed and overtaxed, Claude Powell thought he had gone through enough. Then one more thing happened that added to his frustration. Five of his six children were badly in need of shoes. And then on top of that, when he had come home from doing an odd fix-up job, his wife greeted him at the door lamenting, “The washing machine just broke down.” With their infant (the only one who hadn’t worn out her shoes) in diapers, a washing machine was close to being a necessity. Claude looked at his wallet and sighed. The odd job he had just come from provided only enough money to purchase, at best, a used clunker washing machine. His wife had circled “Used washer for sale” in the newspaper ads. Claude needed to find the address to try and dicker a price within the range of their remaining cash. He drove to the neighborhood matching the address to find it filled with upscale houses. His heart battled with envy and anger at the same time as he wondered how the folks in that community could do so well. Finding the address, he walked up the sidewalk and knocked on the front door of a beautiful home. When the man of the house opened the door, Claude greeted him and then explained his purpose for being there. The man showed him to the laundry room to check out the washing machine. The man explained to him that he and his wife were upgrading the appliances, that they would like to sell the washer immediately, and that he could name his own price. Claude was surprised that the man would take so little for a washer in such good condition and immediately said, “I’ll take it.” Just then the woman of the house came into the room. Feeling so good about the deal he had just gotten, Claude opened up to the couple. He started relating that times had been hard for him and his family during this time he was out of work. He then complained to them about his children needing shoes. He displayed his annoyance at their tendency to kick rocks and scuff up their shoes, wearing them out faster than need be. The woman, who up to this point, had listened to his gripes sympathetically, got a tear in her eye, a quiver in her lip, and left the room. Claude, feeling a little embarrassed, said to the man, “Was it something I said?” The man replied, “Please excuse us for our emotions. You could not have known. I suppose I should explain. You see we have only one child and he is a special needs child. He is 12, confined to a wheelchair and has never been able to walk a day in his life. We have been listening to you complain about your children wearing out their shoes. I must tell you that we would give everything we have here if our son would have had the privilege of wearing out just one pair of shoes. When I first heard this story a number of years ago, it touched a nerve in my emotions. So often, I find myself complaining about what I don’t have and forget to be thankful for what I do have. Counting our blessings in hard times is certainly not easy, but it is extremely valuable to our spiritual health. Taking time to reflect and to take inventory of the good things from God around us can transform our outlooks and our attitudes. Instead of being grumbly hateful, we can become humbly grateful.
Page 22, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
T R AV E L
Grand Valley Hikers travel to Rattlesnake Arches By Mary Hokanson, Echo contributor
On Nov.18, the Grand Valley Hikers walked the seven-mile trail to Rattlesnake Arches in the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area near Fruita. Starting with temperatures of 36 degrees, the hike ended with 73 degree temperatures, cameras filled with memorable photographs, and another successful adventure into the wilderness. Though the arches in Utah are very wellknown, such as Delicate Arch that appears on the state’s license plates, there are more arches per square foot in this area of Colorado’s McInnis Canyons than anywhere in Utah. Hikers have the opportunity to walk on a winding trail between the arches’ shadows and the wide expanse overlooking the Colorado River Valley. On brochures advertising the hike, it is described as “mildly strenuous.” Seeming to be a conflict of terms, that is exactly what it is. A section toward the beginning of the hike contains a steep, rocky trail that can be slippery due to smaller rocks and gravel. That part could be called strenuous. From then on, it is, indeed, a mild, almost flat, walk to the last arch. Unlike the arches in Utah, the arches along this stretch are nameless. One arch in particular looks like Utah’s famous Landscape Arch, though the Colorado arch is much smaller. Looking directly up at it from the bottom, one Colorado’s own: Hikers Richard Heroux and John S. Richard head up an gets the feeling of being very close to a spec- National Conservation Area near Fruita. tacular example of nature’s beauty. Nowhere in literature does it say how many arches are in this area, and it does not seem These steps partially fit a foot and acted as a ‘ladder’ to worth the bother to count them. gain access to higher rock. The last arch could be missed unless the trail is folIntruders would not know in what order to place lowed to its end. There the hikers took a break and their feet, and soon would be helplessly hanging on ate their packed lunches. rock and unable to get up or down. Residents would John Sargent from our group brought rope, just in not have to bother with unwieldy ladders and could case someone wanted to climb up and through the scamper back and forth with no problem. last arch. On this day, four took that route back, going Some of us watched the climbers fit their feet into along the ridge top to return to the trail. the five moki steps found on the left side of the arch, The best way to begin the climb is to walk across and then do a diagonal crouch to the west. the base of the arch over to the moki steps, which were “Hiking up through the arch was a steep climb used by Mesa Verde Indians and others. Instead of where the footing was very tenuous,” said Grand using ladders, which they could pull up for safety, they Valley Hiker Dick Buchan. “That first part [by the designed secret, intricate steps carved out of the rock. moki steps] was actually the easiest. There were sev-
arch in the Rattlesnake Arches area of the McInnis Canyons
Photo by Mary Hokanson
eral steep sections. Some of the upper ones were not visible from the trail below.” Rattlesnake Arches are accessed from several different ways, each with some difficulty. One way is to come in via a four-wheel drive road from Glade Park. A check at the visitor center before attempting the drive is advisable, however, as the road is impassable if wet. Coming up from the river, hikers face a long trek up the canyon edge. Or, coming in from the Pollack Bench Trail, instead of a seven-mile hike, it turns into an added eight miles. However, the Grand Valley Hikers acquired permission to cross private property, thus eliminating that eight miles.
Secure Your Financial Future WORKING FROM HOME Earn monthly residual income with America's foremost green wellness company PLUS Get Bonuses and Profit Sharing For more information contact Barbara Pavlin 970-285-7634 • 970-309-1354
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 23
O U R BEA UNDERWOOD ELEMENTARY • FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Parenting classes are helpful at home – and work By Brian Berg
S C H O O L S
Terrific Kids for October 2010 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.
The students at Bea Underwood Elementary (BUE) are always learning! How do I know this? In the month of September, the students read more than 100,000 minutes at home, the highest total we have ever had since we started the goal of 1,000,000 minutes for the school year. Way to go students and parents! At parent/teacher conferences, the teachers were able to give more information about learning with the HERO (Having Everything Ready and Organized) notebook which contains student-made graphs, charts, lists, goals and other samples of student learning. Learning is about doing and our goal as a school is to keep getting better at it. Later this year, more learning will be demonstrated by students with what we call Project Based Learning. For example, first grade students are learning about community and they are going to fill two extra classrooms with everything they learn about this subject. At BUE, we want students to be engaged, which means learning by doing, hands and mind together. To continue the learning, I want to invite any parent or community member to free parenting classes that I will be teaching each month. These classes are fun, informative, and life changing. Over the years, many people who have taken the classes say they use the strategies more at work than at home! I hope you can attend class, which is every third Thursday in the BUE library from 6:30-8:00 p.m. from November until April. Please come and be a part of the fun and show your child you are a learner as well. Please call the school office to sign up for the classes at 285-5703.
ST JOHN ELEMENTARY • FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Meeting the needs of students By Kathy Keeling
The first quarter is over and the students at St John Elementary School have been hard at work. The school year began with teachers evaluating and analyzing student test scores from the Colorado Student Assessment Program and the Northwest Evaluation Association. This was coupled with data from formative and summative classroom assessments throughout the first quarter. Using this data, teachers have been able to individualize instruction for the students. Students who may struggle with some of their academic goals may be referred to our Response to Intervention team. This team of teachers and administration work together to further analyze the needs of these students. The team then formulates a plan to help the students succeed. This process is also set in place for students who are advanced. The team again comes together to develop a plan to help enrich and challenge these advanced students. In addition to the regular classroom, all students are attending intervention classes the last hour of the day. During this hour the students attend a class where they receive instruction to help strengthen their academic weaknesses or enrich their classroom instruction. Another resource we have is a reading intervention class, where a teacher meets with various students throughout the school day. Students are instructed in both fluency and comprehension. They are also taught strategies to help them become better readers. These interventions were all set in place at the beginning of the year and are now continued into the second quarter using the new data teachers gained during the first quarter. Student data is continually reviewed to ensure that students are receiving instruction that matches their individual needs. We are also excited about starting an advanced math class. This class has a mix of fourth and fifth grade students who have scored high on formalized assessments, or proven to be advanced in their math class. This class is geared to challenge these students with problem solving and hands-on activities.
Bea Underwood Elementary School October’s Terrific Kids from Bea Underwood are, front, Principal Brian Berg; from left, first row, Kiwanis representative Opal Morgenthaler, Kaleb Pressler, Logan Paskett, Kaiden Kump; second row, Belle Stevenson, Torrey Metcalf, Shayleigh Copeland, Ashlee Moreno; third row, Asa Grice, Luis Magallanes, Allison Chartier, Dominic Harrison.
St John Elementary School October’s Terrific Kids from St John are, from left, first row, Hayden Gardner, Wyatt Pfau, Eric Tabarez; second row, Kiwanis representative Bill Coelho, Keyah Hurley, Stephanie Garcia, Lorenzo Capellino, Principal Kathy Keeling. Congratulations to all of October’s Terrific Kids!
THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY:
GARFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 16 www.garcoschools.org
Page 24, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
O U R
S C H O O L S
GVHS NEWS
It’s not over! By Sidney Drinkhouse, Grand Valley High School
Craft Fair is at the Grand Valley High School on Nov. 20 By Karsyn Valencia, Grand Valley High School
It’s that time of year again at Grand Valley High School to come on down to the Craft Fair to do some last minute Christmas shopping. The fair, on Nov. 20, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., offers a variety of items, from home baked goods to sterling silver jewelry. You’re bound to find something. Great present ideas are personalized sculpted bread dough ornaments and pins created by Paul and Julie Spaeth. Other fun gifts are the handmade gold, silver and brass jewelry made by Dick Barnhart, or dips and salsas made by Log Cabin Foods. There are also great toys for your kids such as the Santa samplers, bags, bears, dolls, pillows and sheep, made by Patty McCabe. If you are shopping for your boss, there are beautiful wreaths and centerpieces created by the one and only Marcia Yaskoweak. Need a gift for Mom and Dad? The craft fair offers great furniture accent pieces, small to large; tri colored wood made by Rondelle Simpson; and home baked goods made by the Grand Valley Historical Society that the family will surely enjoy. Make sure to run on down to the craft fair on Nov. 20! You won’t regret it.
Senior Shawnee Young competed as the first-ever GVHS softball all-state athlete in the 2010 3A games. Shawnee also earned the first team all-conference award as well. Photo courtesy of GVHS
"It’s not over until you stop trying." This quote applies to the Grand Valley Softball Team, especially to three very talented girls. The season did not end quietly like the team had hoped, but for Kendra Hill, Shawnee Young, and Brooke Ward their softball days are not over just yet. Kendra and Brooke were chosen to play in the All-Star Game to be played in May 2011. And Shawnee, who’s a senior, was the only one chosen for the 3A All-State Softball Game. This game consists of all the best players from all over the state and was held in Louisville, Colo. on Oct. 31. In order to make it into such a prestigious game, players must have some of the best statistics and skills when compared to other players throughout the state. Shawnee continuously proved her skills and perseverance throughout her high school career, earning her a chance to play with the best. Luckily for Shawnee, she was able to achieve one last win with the Louisville with an ending score of 6-4. With her family, coach, and fellow senior GVHS softball athletes in the stands, Shawnee played a great game with some of the best players in the state. For all her fans and school, Shawnee represented Grand Valley with pride. “I am so proud of her achievements,” said Head Coach Brooke Whitman. “She earned her spot on the all-state team and it was so much fun watching her play again. All of these athletes worked tremendously hard throughout the season to be placed in the games, and created a solid foundation for GVHS first year varsity softball program. Congratulations girls on your achievements!
Brandi Krieg has a top-five finish at state cross country By Bubby Beecraft, Grand Valley High School
Senior Brandi Krieg made her third appearance at the 3A State Cross Country meet on Oct. 30 with her best finish yet. Brandi placed fourth in the meet, despite an injury she continued to battle throughout the season. Brandi has learned that this sport is not the easiest , but it is about persevering through the pain and giving it your all. “I’m disappointed that I couldn’t be a hundred percent,” said Brandi, “but you don’t always get perfect conditions so you learn to deal and give what you do have, and I felt like I did that.” This year’s state course was at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in Denver. Throughout the grueling 3.1 mile race, Brandi was in fourth place before being passed by four girls on the last hill. With only 400 meters left until the finish line, she gave it everything she had and passed those same four girls to finish with an impressive fourth place medal. “This course was a definite test of true stamina,” she said. Some runners have set their goals to just make it to state, but Brandi has set hers to be not only a very awarded high school runner, but to carry on and run in college. Not only is she a great runner, but also is a student body president and a very important piece to her senSenior Brandi Krieg holds her fourth ior class’s success. Congratulations Brandi for place medal after a successful high an outstanding high school career. school career. Photo courtesy of GVHS
THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY:
GARFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 16 www.garcoschools.org
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 25
O U R
Striving for perfection By Jordan Steinke, Grand Valley High School Every month, three students are picked to be the Striver of the Month, Student of the Month, and Most Improved. These students are picked because of their drive to get better, their outstanding performance in community service and academics, and Striver of the Month Cody Pfau works hard in the weight their above and beyond room to better herself as an athlete. Photo courtesy of GVHS strive. Cody Pfau, who was chosen as the Striver of the Month, said that she wasn’t expecting it. She was just trying to do her best and it proved to have paid off. As a reward for her outstanding performance, she received an awesome sticker. Cody said that even though she is only a sophomore, she works as hard as possible to make sure her future is bright. Cody participates in volleyball, wrestling, and track and field, with numerous awards in each, including a third place rank in the nation for girls in wrestling. “I don’t try my hardest to impress other people,” Cody said, “I do it because I know it will pay off in the end even though it’s hard now.”
S C H O O L S
It's Turkey Time! By Eryn Paskett, Grand Valley High School “Coexistence: What the farmer does with the turkey – until Thanksgiving.” – Mike Connolly
That time of year is coming around again! Get your ovens ready, turkey prepared, and begin cooking those amazing rolls that only come around once a year (for me anyway!). Thanksgiving is held on the fourth Thursday in November each year, and this year it will be held on Nov. 25. Thanksgiving is a U.S. holiday that celebrates the good harvest of the Pilgrims in the year 1621. As you can see, starting a diet this day is a BAD idea! Do not get me wrong – the turkey, rolls, and yams are extremely yummy, but my favorite part of the meal is when we get dessert. At my house, we enjoy a fresh, out-of-the-oven pumpkin pie to tie off the meal. However, preparing the pie gets hectic because of the number of other items that must be prepared for this amazing feast. This is when quick and easy recipes become your best friend. For those of you who do not know, the Internet is very handy when it comes to finding a number of recipes that will make your life so much easier on this crazy day. The Food Network offers countless recipes that will make the holidays memorable. Sweet potatoes with marshmallows, yummy rolls, and even that delicious pumpkin pie can be found at foodnetwork.com. Check it out and start planning your menu. The turkeys are gobbling and the holidays are right around the corner!
Hacky sackers play by three simple rules By Kaiman Spanicek, Grand Valley High School
The theater is ‘an amazing experience’ High school play ran Nov. 11-13 By Emilio Ruelas, Grand Valley High School Lights, camera…ACTION! Earlier in November, theater was in the air and the fall play was a real gutbuster. “A Company of Wayward Saints,” with performances Nov. 11-13, was about a comedian improv group who were far from home and had no way to get back. With their pride and arrogance standing in the way, they each had their own ideas about who the star of the show was. While journeying, they came upon a nobleman and realized he could be their savior if they put on a good show for him. They had to work together if they wanted to make it home. Senior Bryanna Emmons was part of the play this year. “Being a part of the theater is one of the most amazing things you can experience in high school,” she said.
Help support the Echo’s Our Schools pages... become a sponsor today!
BAM! KICK! THUMP! That’s the sound of a group that has arisen in the past few years called the hacky sackers Hacky sack is a game where players gather in a circle and use their body, but mostly their feet, to keep the hacky sack in the air. The only exception is your hands Tyler Cose passes the hacky in a game after lunch. Photo courtesy of Kaiman Spanicek Trust me, being a hacky sack player since third grade, keeping it in the air with a group is a lot harder than it looks. There are other difficulties too. For example, one goal of the group is for everyone to kick the sack at least once before it hits the ground and this is called a hack. Of course there are also plenty of tricks. One of the most common tricks is to stall the hacky sack on one of your feet. To do this, you have to move your foot in a downward motion as the hacky sack is falling, then rise slowly as the hacky nears your foot. This cushions the hacky sack so it doesn’t just bounce off the foot of the player. Hacky sackers accept all who want to play the game, even the ones who are unfamiliar or new to the game. We usually play in the mornings before school, after we eat lunch, and any free time we have. Just remember these three simple rules: 1) Do not use your hands. 2) Do not serve the hacky sack to yourself. 3) If you screw up, don’t get mad or say sorry, just pick up the hacky and keep playing. Follow these rules and you’ll be fine and as with any sport, practice makes perfect.
Page 26, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010
Where’s Redstone?
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Where’s Redstone – and why should you care? The Grand Valley Echo’s sixyear 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.
Be waited on hand and foot on Thanksgiving By Carrie Click, Echo editor How many times have you slaved away in the kitchen all day, preparing the Thanksgiving feast for family and friends? Maybe this is the year to kick back and let someone else do the work. If so, head to the Redstone Inn up the Crystal River Valley and enjoy a sumptuous meal without lifting a finger. You can literally go over the river and through the woods to the inn, and treat you and yours to this Redstone tradition. From 12-7 p.m. the inn is serving classic Thanksgiving fare, with the addition of filet mignon, salmon, and duck. Reservations are necessary and can be made by calling 963-2526. And if you’ve already got your Thanksgiving plans set, Redstone still welcomes you to attend its Grand Illumination celebration the day after Thanksgiving. On Nov. 26, head up the Crystal Valley to see Redstone’s candlelit Redstone Boulevard. Santa will be on hand from 2-5 p.m. taking requests from children at the Redstone Museum, followed by an ornament-making workshop at 6 p.m. at the Church at Redstone. Redstone shops and restaurants will be offering specials all day and evening, and a tree lighting takes place at 5 p.m. at Redstone Park. And warm up at a holiday bonfire, with music and caroling near the Redstone Inn starting at 5:30 p.m. For more information on the Grand Illumination, go to redstonecolorado.com. Just getting to Redstone is a pleasant experience as you leave busy highways and cruise along the West Elk Scenic Byway starting in Carbondale. This two-lane road winds along the Crystal River and is soon surrounded by towering cliffs of red sandstone that give the town its name. Redstone is located on Highway 133, just 18 miles south of Carbondale. Take I-70 to Glenwood Springs and Highway 82 to the junction of Highway 133 at Carbondale. Or, take the scenic byway across the Grand Mesa on Highway 65 to the junction of Highway 92 near Hotchkiss and continue past Paonia on Highway 133 over McClure Pass into the beautiful Crystal River Valley. Hope to see you in Redstone!
The Redstone General Store WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! Open Daily
963-3126 292 Redstone Blvd. Redstone Across from the park
Avalanche Ranch Cabins & Antiques 12863 Hwy 133 • Redstone, CO 81623 info@avalancheranch.com www.avalancheranch.com 1-877-963-9339
i|á|à exwáàÉÇxVtáàÄx‹
THE HEART OF REDSTONE WITH A UNIQUE SELECTION OF CENTERPIECES FOR YOUR HOME! REDSTONE CASTLE TOURS
REDSTONE CASTLE TOUR TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE! OPEN YEAR ROUND • OPEN DAILY
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)
970-963-1769
Tickets savailable at Tiffany of Redstone, the Redstone General Store and Crystal Club Cafe.
225 Redstone Blvd. • Redstone
redstonecolorado.com
CASH OR CHECK ONLY SUMMER MUSIC ON THE PATIO EVERY SUNDAY 3-5PM STARTING IN JUNE
www.redstonecastle.us
GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010, Page 27
THE ECHO CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT: ROR RENT: BATTLEMENT MESA – 3 BD/2 BA condominium with deck, mountain view, 1-car garage. Extra storage areas. W/D plus all appliances. N/S. $800/month. 618-4930 HELP WANTED: Marketing rep wanted for fast growing health & wellness co. Commissions + bonuses + profit sharing. Full or part time. Contact Barbara 309-1354 or 285-7634.
ONLY $10: The Echo Classified Ads - an inexpensive way to advertise... Do you have something for sale, a home for rent or services you offer... let your neighbors know with a classified ad in the Echo. Only $10 for up to 40 words - a bargain that can’t be beat! gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
Even your classified ad helps the Echo have more pages to share the news! Place your ad today!
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:
gve@crystalvalleyecho.com
THE GRAND VALLEY ECHO IS AVAILABLE FOR FREE PICK UP AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS RACKS OUTSIDE: Outlaw Ribbs • Wendy’s • Clark’s Market • Southgate Plaza/Grand Valley Pub INSIDE AT: Kum & Go Stations • The Battlement Mesa Activity Center and at MANY local businesses! • Septic Tank Pumping • Experienced Operators • Senior Discounts! Locally Owned & Operated. • Specials! DeBeque to Aspen to Vail & Beyond • Best Prices! 970-216-7576 • Guaranteed! www.peakseptic.com
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
SERVICE DIRECTORY NOW SERVICING PARACHUTE AND BATTLEMENT MESA • Commercial dumpsters, full time service • Commercial roll-offs 10, 20, 30, & 40 cubic yards available
#1 IN A #2 BUSINESS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISPOSAL
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE! DEBEQUE TO ASPEN
947-0990
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • MUNICIPAL • Electronic locate • Rooter work • Unclog lines and drains • RootX Treatments • Hydro-jet of lines/grease traps • Septic tank inspections • Camera/Video inspection of lines 2” to 36” CALL RICK or SCOTT
OUTSI DE STOR AGE • Basic and Full Service Oil Changes • Automatic Transmission Flushes • Tire Sales • ASE Certified Mechanic on duty full-time
NEW TO THE PARACHUTE / BATTLEMENT MESA AREA LOCATED IN PARACHUTE
Travel Trailers, RV's, Boats, Trucks, etc.
970-930-0124
285-9217
P.O. BOX 1349 • RIFLE, CO 81650
120 S. Columbine Ct. • Parachute
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 28, GRAND VALLEY ECHO • Mid-November / Mid-December 2010