NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
NORTH POLE GREETINGS Santa visits the special folks of the North Fork Valley, B1
SPORTS
SPIRIT OF GIVING
WELCOME BREAK
Cedaredge community comes together to distribute food, toys, C1
DELTA COUNTY
Hotchkiss boys, girls look to regroup for January basketball, B6 DECEMBER 23, 2015 VOL. 132, NO. 51
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INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Tests raise learning expectations BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
In the 2014-15 school year, students in Delta County joined those in 11 states and the District of Columbia in taking a national assessment known as the PARCC. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test is intended to measure students’ achievement levels in math and English language arts/literacy. More rigorous academic stan-
CMAS PARCC Spring 2015 Achievement Results % Met or Exceeded Expectations
English Language Arts Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
50J 40.5 42.4 38.1 31.9 36.2 39.8 31.7 29.1 29.2
State 38.2 41.7 40.5 39.1 41.0 40.9 37.8 37.4 39.9
Mathematics Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Algebra I Geometry Algebra II
50J 34.9 21.7 18.8 21.3 19.6 9.8 18.8 19.9 23.9
State 36.7 30.2 30.1 31.7 27.4 18.9 30.4 24.0 27.8
dards have been adopted in those areas, to ensure students are ready for college and/or a career by the time they graduate. The tests were administered in grades 3-11 last March, and because they were so new, results were released to school districts just a few weeks ago. Student reports will be distributed shortly after the beginning of the second semester, according to Kurt Clay, assistant superintendent of Delta County Joint School District #50. As expected, most Colorado students did not meet state expectations on the new, more difficult assessments. State and district officials emphasize that the first PARCC scores serve as a baseline, a foundation on which students and educators can build as they continue to adapt to the Common Core standards in language arts and math. In language arts, 40 percent of Colorado students rated as meeting or exceeding expectations, ranging from a high of about 43 percent in fourth grade to a low of 37 percent in 10th grade. Students did worse in math: 29 percent of Colorado students hit those marks, ranging from about 19 percent in eighth grade to 37 percent in third grade. Those results are laid out in the accompanying table, alongside Delta County results.
Roadless comment period extended The Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S. Forest Service announced an 11-day comment period extension for the proposed reinstatement of the North Fork Coal Mining Area exception of the Colorado Roadless Rule. The 45-day comment period, which began on Nov. 20, was scheduled to end on Jan. 4. The extension gives interested individuals and groups the opportunity to provide comments until Jan. 15. The Department of Agriculture and Forest Service received requests for an extension due to the holidays. The publication of this extension in the Federal Register is pending. The Colorado Roadless Rule is a state-specific rule that provides direction for conserving and managing approximately 4.2 million acres of Colorado roadless areas on national forest system lands within the state of Colorado. The North Fork Coal Mining Area exception allowed for temporary road construction for coal exploration and/or coal-related surface activities in a 19,500-acre area defined as the North Fork Coal Mining Area.
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Agriculture .....................C6 Back Page ................... D8 Business ...................... A8 Church ............................C4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ......................B8 School Zone .................. A6 Service Directory ........ D7 Sports ..........................B5-7 Surface Creek News ...C1-3 TV Listings ................. D5-6
The Forest Service, on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, has prepared a supplemental draft environmental impact statement (SDEIS) addressing the specific environmental deficiencies identified by the District Court of Colorado. Also, the Department of Agriculture is proposing to correct certain Colorado Roadless Areas boundaries associated with the North Fork Coal Mining Area based on updated information obtained since the promulgation of the 2012 Colorado Roadless Rule. The SDEIS details the environmental, social and economic impacts of three a5lternatives. All alternatives include the boundary corrections of the Colorado Roadless Areas. The SDEIS is available for review and comment online at: http://www. fs.usda.gov/goto/coroadless rule. The extended comment period ends on Jan. 15. Comments may be mailed to: 740 Simms, Golden, CO 80401, or faxed to 303-2755134. An electronic comment form is available at go.usa. gov/3JQwJ.
“Honestly, these results are pretty close to where we thought they were going to be,” Clay said. He said district administrators discovered that schools that put a lot of time and effort into training students how to take the online tests did a lot better than the schools that
didn’t. “We’re getting up to speed on how to test on the computers, and the type of concept-based questions that are being asked.” Students had to do much more complex thinking than just fill-in-theblank answers, he added. Overall, Clay said, the district feels the assessments are
Delivering holiday cheer
a valuable tool for measuring competency of Colorado academic standards. “It’s important to find out where students are in relation to other students. That’s the true measure of our students’ understanding. Are there some things we have to TESTSTO A3
Photo by Tamie Meck
The owners of this house on Hawthorn Drive in Hotchkiss made sure the postal carrier can find their mailbox — it’s adorned with Christmas lights. And if the weather forecast is accurate, it could also have a dusting of snow by Christmas Day.
New chamber director gets down to business Fargo, as a personal banker. She previously worked at VerHolly Piatek is clear about izon and 94 KIX/KUBC. She and her husband Mike the focus of the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce as the are the owners of PTK Ranch new year approaches with a LLC, which offers riding lesnew executive director at the sons and training for horse lovers. Piatek also provides helm. “I’m here to build business,” carriage services for speshe said. “What’s going to cial occasions, including last help grow our community and summer’s Downtown DeltaFests. She is an animal lover bring our economy back?” She’s educating herself who has eight horses of her about resources already avail- own, as well as five dogs. She able to local business own- does some dog breeding and ers, and exploring wants grooming. With all those animals, as and desires through a short questionnaire she takes along well as a 16-acre ranch, it’s as she introduces herself to clear Piatek isn’t afraid of chamber members. She’s hard work. She believes her making 50 to 60 calls a week, strong sales background will so members can put a face to also be an asset in her new her name. “I want to let them position. Organizational abilities are know I’m open to suggestions, to criticism. It’s all about com- equally critical, as evidenced by the white board munication.” outlining 2016 chamPiatek is very ber events, beginning familiar with chamwith the Small Busiber activities, having ness Resource Expo recently served on on Feb. 23. The chamthe chamber board. ber’s annual meeting She’s also knowlis set for March 12, edgeable about the and the Spring Expo business community (formerly known as — her most recent Holly Piatek the Home and Garden job was with Wells
BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Show) takes place April 15 and 16. Piatek and the chamber board are exploring ideas to enhance those events, as well as the Downtown DeltaFest. “I’m not sure we need additional events,” Piatek said. “We just need more participation in the events we offer.” She’s excited about some of the changes made in 2015, including the return of the Deltarado Days rodeo, Downtown DeltaFest and the chamber’s Facebook page. “Those were great additions,” she said. In addition to event planning and business support, the chamber is a primary contact for visitors to Delta and the surrounding area. Folks will notice the fish display has been removed, but there are still lots of maps and brochures highlighting places of interest on the Western Slope. Piatek said she would like to see more focus on local attractions, again with the intent of supporting local businesses first and foremost. “That’s my focus,” she said. “It’s not about me; it’s about helping your business grow.”
Community dinner
Labor force report
Holiday closures
On Christmas Day, Delta area residents are invited to share a traditional meal at Delta United Methodist Church, 5th and Meeker. The free community Christmas dinner will be served, along with live music, from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. The community Christmas Day meal is a partnership of Delta United Methodist Church, community businesses and other local faith-based organizations. More information is available by calling the church at 874-9501.
According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the state the unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point in November to 3.6 percent. That places state unemployment at the lowest level since June 2007. On the Western Slope, however, unemployment more closely reflects the national unemployment rate of 5.0 percent in November 2015. Delta County’s unemployment rate is estimated at 5.2 percent, up from 4.8 percent the previous month. In November 2014, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent. Montrose and Mesa County are at 4.6 and 5.1 percent, respectively.
City of Delta offices will be closed both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Devil’s Thumb Golf Club will also be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Bill Heddles Recreation Center is open Christmas Eve from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and closed Christmas Day. The facility will be open 5:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. New Year’s Eve and noon to 5 p.m. New Year’s Day. Trash pickup that normally takes place on Friday will take place Saturday. The Delta County Courthouse and North Fork Annex will close at noon Christmas Eve and remain closed for Christmas.