NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
SPORTS
EXPERIENCING HISTORY
CEDAREDGE THEN & NOW
RAISING THE BAR
Paonia resident witnesses presidential inauguration, B1
Longtime resident compiles photos, history of Cedaredge, C1
Delta swimmers post personal bests in multiple events, C6
DELTA COUNTY
JANUARY 23, 2013 VOL. 130, NO. 4
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
School district re-affirms commitment to Vision BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
There are just six contract schools in the state of Colorado, and five of them are located in Delta County. The Vision Home & Community Programs in Delta, the Surface Creek Valley and the North Fork, as well as North Fork Montessori and the Delta Academy of Applied Learning, operate under special waivers from the Colorado Department of Education. One of those waivers — the requirement for highly qualified teachers as outlined in No Child Left Behind — has the state taking a closer look at
the contract school model. Amy Miller, director of the Surface Creek Vision program, said the CDE is looking specifically at teacher licensure. While not all Vision teachers are licensed, they have demonstrated “subject matter competency.” That means a bachelor’s degree and 24 hours in the content area they’re teaching, explained assistant superintendent Kurt Clay. North Fork Montessori and the Delta Academy of Applied Learning both have teachers who are considered highly qualified. The state is also looking at the funding of Vision. In the
past, the school district has received full funding for students who are primarily educated by their parents, with oversight from Vision. The school district retains 15 percent for providing insurance and a variety of services, from payroll to special education. To the state, contract schools are difficult to administer because they’re in a gray area. On the other hand, charter schools are well defined by law — and that’s the direction Vision Home & Community Program may be headed. Clay and Miller agree there would be little change in the VISION TO A3
Community competes to support food drive Delta Opportunity School is partnering with Delta area businesses and churches to tackle hunger in the community through a Souper Bowl of Caring food drive contest. A traveling trophy will be given to the church and business that collects the most food. Many of the Delta schools and Cedaredge Elementary will compete to see which school and which classroom collects the most food. The winning class in each school will win a pizza and ice cream party and their teacher will be treated to dinner for two at Daveto’s, all provided by Delta Opportunity School Food for Thought. DOS will also provide each student in the winning school a piece of candy. Because BELA preschool always does a great job of collecting food, DOS provides popsicles for the entire school. The goal of this friendly competition is to build on the success of previous food drive contests. Last year 4,624 pounds of food were collected in a classroom/school-based contest. The food will be dis-
tributed through Food for Thought, the Delta Food Pantry and Abraham Connection. “During this time of year when many spend excessively on food for Super Bowl watching, it is important to stop and think about the fact that there is hunger in our community,” said Willyn Webb, an instructor at the Delta Opportunity School. “Together we can make a difference by donating to the Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive contests.” The contest ends on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3. Winners will be announced after the students of DOS collect and weigh all donations. Donations may be made at the following businesses: American Family Insurance, 340 Meeker Street; Bill Heddles Recreation Center, 530 Gunnison River Drive; Phillips Machine, 1440 Highway 50; Petunia Beads, 535 Main Street; Image 1440, 453 Main Street; Delta Area Chamber of Commerce, 301 Main Street; Napa Auto Parts, 841 Main Street; Classic Computers, 238 Main Street; RE/MAX Today, 1109 Main Street; City
Snowmobiler killed in accident BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
A snowmobiler from Illinois was killed Monday, Jan. 21, in an accident near Overland Reservoir, in the vicinity of Electric Mountain Lodge. Delta County Sheriff Fred McKee reports Mike Fonderoli, 31, was riding with a group of friends when his machine went airborne. Fonderoli landed awkwardly on the machine when it hit the ground. He died at the scene. Delta County sheriff ’s deputies responded to the scene
around 11:30 a.m. Monday. Fonderoli was transported by helicopter to Delta County Memorial Hospital. An autopsy was conducted Tuesday morning. Fonderoli was a resident of Cherry, Ill. Sheriff McKee expressed appreciation to members of the Paonia Volunteer Fire Department for providing a snowmobile to transport Deputy Georgette Stroud to the scene. Roads in the area are inaccessible in the wintertime.
of Delta, 4th and Main; Wells Fargo, 500 Palmer; Delta Acupuncture, 823 Main Street; Wendy’s, 101 Main; and Crossroads Assisted Living, 1380 Aspen Way. Participating churches include Delta Christian Church, Presbyterian Church of Delta, Center for Spiritual Living, Cowboy Church at Z Barn, Calvary Baptist Church, St. Michael’s Catholic Church and Delta United Methodist Church. For more information call 250-8636 or e-mail wwebb@deltaschools.com.
Photo by Pat Sunderland
Making tracks No new snow has been reported on Grand Mesa, but the snow that’s there is great for snowshoeing, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. And when inversions trap cold air in low-lying areas, the mesa can actually be warmer than the valleys.
BLM officials talk energy development BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
In advance of the Feb. 14 auction of oil/gas parcels in the North Fork Valley, local and state BLM officials made an unusual visit to elected officials in Paonia, Hotchkiss and Crawford. State director Helen Hanks, district manager Lori Armstrong, field manager Barb Sharrow, deputy state director Lonny Bagley, who works in the energy, lands and minerals division, and communications director Steve Hall also discussed the controversial topic with DCI staff members. In December 2011, the BLM announced an environmental assessment was being prepared for an August 2012 oil and gas lease sale in the North Fork Valley. That sale originally contained 22 parcels totaling 29,890 acres near Paonia, Hotchkiss, Somerset and Crawford. After receiving nearly 3,000 comments from the public both in support and in opposi-
tion, the BLM decided to defer all 22 parcels to allow time for additional environmental analysis. In November, the BLM completed its final environmental analysis for the nominated parcels and posted a sale notice for Feb. 14. About a third of the acres were removed from the Feb. 14 lease sale, leaving 20 parcels covering 20,555 acres in the North Fork Valley. One parcel was removed because of its proximity to Crawford School; others were dropped because of concerns related to watersheds or water sources. Parcels situated on steep slopes were removed, at least for now, because they’re not currently addressed in BLM’s Resource Management Plan. “We had very specific reasons for every acre we deferred,” Sharrow explained. “It’s been an exhaustive public process.” Posting of the sale notice on Nov. 16 initiated a 30-day protest period which closed Dec. 17. Of the 172 protests
received, 150 were for parcels in the North Fork Valley. “Our office is going through each of those protest letters to see if we missed something,” Sharrow said. “We’ll be getting through all those, hopefully, before the sale on Feb. 14.” The majority of those objecting to oil and gas activity, especially the use of fracking in the North Fork Valley, have asked for a permanent deferral. Hall pointed out there’s already considerable oil and gas development in the North Fork, particularly in the Muddy area. “It’s been difficult for us to convey to folks that this has been going on for 10 years, on the federal mineral estate, and we haven’t seen the kind of impacts that are being predicted now.” He also pointed out that projects like the coal methane recovery project at Oxbow would not be possible without oil and gas leasing on federal lands. ENERGY DEVELOPMENT TO A3
INDEX
March for Life
Sled dog races
Crimestoppers
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Agriculture .....................B6 Back Page ................... D8 Business ........................ A6 Church ........................... D6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-5 North Fork Times ........B1-5 Obituaries ..................... A8 School Zone ............ A5, A7 Service Directory ........ D7 Sports ..........................C3-6 Surface Creek News ...C1-2 TV Listings ..................B3-4
St. Michael’s Church is sponsoring a non-denominational prayer breakfast and pro-life gathering along Delta’s Main Street Saturday, Jan. 26. A free breakfast will be served at the church, 628 Meeker Street, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The pro-life gathering will immediately follow breakfast and will last for about an hour. Families, teens, youth and singles are invited to join the Delta County March for Life. “Help us fight for life. Take a stand and be counted among God’s people,” a spokesman from the church said.
Sled dog races are scheduled to take place on Grand Mesa Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26 and 27. Events are staged at the Mesa Top facility beginning about 8 a.m. and continuing into early afternoon. Snub Liles of Cedaredge said this year the local event will be one of five qualifying races for the world championships in Fairbanks, Alaska. The event is co-hosted by the Colorado Mountain Mushers and the Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club. Any proceeds from the event will go to Hospice & Palliative Care’s children and teen programs.
The Delta County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the burglary of a home at 26332 Cactus Park Road near Cedaredge. The homeowner called dispatch when she returned home and found the door to her house open. Deputies searched the house but didn’t find anyone inside. The homeowner reported clothing, jewelry, a television, Xbox and Xbox games were missing. She estimated the total value at about $1,700. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 874-2000 or Crimestoppers at 874-8810.