NORTH FORK TIMES
NATIONAL FFA WEEK
BIG ON BEEF
SPORTS
89 YEARS OF TRADITION
Pauline Carr named Colorado CattleWoman of the Year, 3B
FFA members “Transform Purpose to Action” Feb. 18-25, A6-7
DELTA COUNTY
SMITH WINS TITLE
High school wrestlers lay it on the line at the Pepsi Center, B5-6 FEBRUARY 22, 2017 VOL. 134, NO. 8
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‘Dog free’ zones weighed for Grand Mesa ski trails BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
As the popularity of the Nordic trails on Grand Mesa has grown, an increasing number of cross-country skiers and snowshoers are visiting Grand Mesa — often with their dogs. Grand Mesa Nordic Council is the nonprofit organization that grooms 32.4 miles of ski trails on the Skyway, County Line and Ward trail systems on Grand Mesa. Thanks to the financial support of GMNC members, no trail use fees are assessed. In the past, Grand Mesa Nordic Council has welcomed dogs at Ward and at the County Line trail systems. Although the Grand Mesa Nordic Council has asked “vigorously” for years that skiers keep their dogs from Skyway as a courtesy, there are no formal restrictions on use. Now, GMNC members and other trail users are being asked to comment on whether formal restrictions are appropriate for some or all of the Nordic ski trail systems on Grand Mesa, to decrease conflicts between winter recreationists and dogs.
“The U.S. Forest Service, Grand Valley Ranger District has received complaints and requests for additional restrictions and/or closures related to dogs at parking areas and on trails on the Grand Mesa National Forests,” the ranger district said in a press release Feb. 16. USFS representatives also attended the February board meeting of the Grand Mesa Nordic Council to discuss the issue. “Forest Service regulations (already in place) identify that dogs must be under physical restrictive control, including a leash not longer than six feet, within developed recreation sites. The majority of trailheads along Highway 65 are defined as developed recreation sites,” the Grand Valley Ranger District points out. Additionally, Mesa and Delta counties have resolutions regarding the control of dogs and prohibitions associated with waste issues as well as unrestrained dogs that create a safety hazard or result in bodily injury. “For many years the informal, voluntary exclusion of dogs from the groomed, crosscountry ski trails at the Sky-
way Trailhead on Grand Mesa, while allowing dogs on other, extensive trail systems, has facilitated safe, enjoyable recreational opportunities for different user groups.This year I have encountered people with dogs at Skyway which has created tensions and potential conflict,” Charles Kerr posted on the GMNC website. His comments were copied in a letter to the Grand Valley Ranger District. “Other people’s dogs and serious skate skiing don’t mix well. Other people’s dogs and little children don’t mix well. Other people’s dogs and the pristine quality of the natural, wondrous, winter world don’t mix well,” he stated. Kerr concluded his comments by stating that at least one dog-free trail system should be maintained on Grand Mesa. Many comments mirrored his opinion that Skyway should remain dogfree, while dogs be allowed on County Line — with signage to encourage dog owners to be respectful and courteous. “The problem isn’t the dogs, it’s the owners not keeping track of them pooping on the DOG FREE ZONES TO A3
Photo by Randy Sunderlandr
Dog owners maintain that public lands are for everyone to enjoy, but the Grand Valley Ranger District is hearing complaints about dogs, their poop and parking lot behavior at Grand Mesa trailheads.
Teachers, principals get high marks BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Performance reports for Colorado teachers and principals released to the public for the first time show the majority of educators in Delta County received evaluation ratings of “effective” or higher. A total of 88 percent of Colorado teachers and 98 percent in Delta County — received an overall rating of “effective” or “highly effective” according to the metrics released by the Colorado Department of Education. The release of the data is mandated by a 2010 state law called the Great Teachers and Leaders Act, SB10-191, which requires every Colorado teacher and principal
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be evaluated every year with specific data points. The data being released today is from the 2014-15 school year. (The lag in reporting is due to the timeframe in which districts submit ratings to CDE.) “The purpose of the Great Teachers and Leaders Act was to support our teachers and leaders in improving their practice through regular, meaningful feedback,” said Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes. “These metrics act as a tool to help educators and principals understand where they can improve, but even more important than the ratings are the meaningful conversations that are taking place during evaluations to help lift up our
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teachers and principals so that all students can achieve their academic potential.” The metrics are not intended to be used to compare districts, as local educator evaluation systems vary across the state. Caryn Gibson, superintendent of Delta County Joint School District #50, does the principal evaluations, and the principal evaluates every teacher in his or her school. The school year begins with goal-setting, followed by classroom observations and multiple walk-throughs throughout the school year. “It’s kind of a daunting process,” she said, “and it can be quite time-consuming, but if done right I believe it grows teachers and gives them a little more support.”
Staff Writer
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Agriculture .....................C8 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A5 Church ............................C6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 FFA Week ................. A6-7 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A8 School Zone .................A10 Sports ..........................B5-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-3 TV Listings ..................C4-5
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about the confidentiality of personnel information, but each teacher has seen their own personal results,” Gibson explained. Teachers who disagree with the evaluation rating may appeal the principal’s decision; the same due process is available to principals who disagree with Gibson’s assessment. The accompanying graph shows the percentage of teachers rated “effective” and “highly effective” for novice (novice (first, second, and third year), experienced (four or more years) teachers, and all teachers. Delta County showed no teachers in the other two rating areas of “partially effective” and “ineffective.” School results can be viewed on the CDE website.
County adopts changes to development regs BY HANK LOHMEYER
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The goal is to help teachers and principals continually improve their instructional and leadership practices, Gibson stressed. “It’s not a ‘gotcha,’ ” she said. “We want our teachers and principals to be the best they can be for the students.” Fifty percent of an educator’s evaluation is based on professional practices; the other 50 percent is based on multiple measures of student learning, including state assessments. The publicly reported metrics reveal only how teachers and principals are doing as a group at the school, district and state level. Protections are in place to ensure educator privacy. “Superintendents wanted CDE to be very cautious
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Following a public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 21, the Board of County Commissioners approved changes to development regulations that had been forwarded by the county planning commission. According to discussion held at planning commission meetings, the changes were proposed as a way of speed-
ing up the process of required hearings and approvals on specific developments. Applicants have complained of months-long delays occuring in the sequence of hearings by the APCs, planning commision and county commissioners. The changes adopted on Tuesday have been under consideration since at least last summer. They have been pub-
lished and advertised numerous times and were the subject of at least one news article in August. The proposed language revisions approved are as follows: • The regulations will “work towards achieving the long-range vision and goals of the Delta County master plan, which provides a policy DEVELOPMENT REGS TO A3
Fatal under investigation
Citizens organize town hall
Detour
Kristen Huff, 26, of Delta, has been identified as the driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal traffic accident Feb. 16. The Colorado State Patrol reports that Huff was driving a 1989 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight westbound on Highway 50 near Whitewater at about 3:08 a.m. Her vehicle traveled off the roadway into the grass median. When she attempted to return to the roadway, the car rolled twice, coming to rest on its wheels. Larry Linn, 34, of Delta, died at the scene. Huff was transported to St. Mary’s with serious injuries. The use of alcohol and/or drugs is being investigated.
Grand Mesa Indivisible, We the People of the North Fork Valley and Indivisible Delta County have organized a constituent town hall meeting Saturday, Feb. 25, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Paradise Theatre, 215 Grand Avenue, Paonia. Because members of Congress are in recess this week, invitations have been sent to both Senator Cory Gardner and Congressman Scott Tipton, but it is unlikely that they will be present. The event will be held with or without their presence. Citizens who have questions and concerns for their representatives are encouraged to attend and prepare a short, succinct statement or question in advance, highlighting a single issue. The event will be video recorded, and the YouTube link and written comments will be sent to the elected officials. Visit www. facebook.com/groups/1334433903286412/ for details.
Escalante Canyon Road at Escalante Creek just west of the Gunnison River bridge will require a detour onto a temporary one lane bridge due to replacement work on the Escalante Creek bridge. This will be completed in late May.