SURFACE CREEK NEWS
NORTH FORK TIMES
CLEAN AND SOBER
Annual Serenity Run celebrates healthy lifestyles, C1
DELTA COUNTY
SPORTS
HEADLINE
NEW GENERATION
Teaser copy covering two lines, 3B
Paonia alumni form core of Eagles coaching staff, B5
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AUGUST 9, 2017 VOL. 134, NO. 32
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Delta County Fair hits full stride BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Photo by Tamie Meck
Demolition Derby competitors get down and dirty in the mud during the finals Saturday night. The fairground grandstands were packed, but just a few die-hard fans returned for the finals after being cleared out for almost an hour while a thunderstorm rolled through. The yellow and blue “Minion” claimed the grand prize, making driver Madison Milner the first female in history to win the event.
The Delta County Fair hits full stride this week, with livestock shows, Heritage Hall exhibits, rodeos, a concert, coronation of the 2017 fair royalty and the junior market livestock sale. The fairgrounds in Hotchkiss have been hopping for several days. On Friday, 4-H’ers gathered in Heritage Hall for a wall decorating party. They were back Saturday morning with their 4-H exhibits for judging and interviews. On Saturday night, the grandstands were packed for the Demolition Derby and ATV Barrel Challenge. English and Western horse events took center stage in the Events Center on Sunday, while two teams battled it out for people’s choice honors in a
Dutch oven cooking contest. Ranch horse events and a team roping saddle shootout provided plenty of entertainment Monday. All junior livestock was weighed, entered and stalled by the end of the day Tuesday, and ribbons were awarded at the 4-H fashion revue and dog obedience show. An antique tractor pull closed out the day. For the remainder of the week, food vendors will be in place and exhibits will be open to the public until 7 p.m. nightly. Members of the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce will be manning a beer garden during the evening events — on Thursday, there’s a ranch rodeo; Friday is the concert by William Michael Morgan; and Saturday is the rodeo, team COUNTY FAIR TO A3
Arborist assesses Ute Council Tree BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
A professional arborist has been employed by the Delta County Historical Society to assess the health of the Ute Council Tree. Early this week, Gil Mitchell of Davey Tree Company got a close look at the tree, courtesy of a DeltaMontrose Electric Association bucket truck and crew. Mitchell stretched a tape measure through an old wound on the north side of the tree, and it came out the opposite side, through a new wound sustained last week when a huge limb fell from the tree. Mitchell came from Denver to offer his expertise. “We’re trying to exhaust all options before we make a final decision on the fate of this very unique, very historical
tree,” said Keith Lucy, president of the board of directors of the Delta County Historical Society. The Ute Council Tree belongs to the Delta County Historical Society by virtue of a quit claim deed many years ago from Ruth and Fred Wild, adjoining property owners. The 215-year-old cottonwood is a tribute to Chief Ouray and his wife Chipeta, who strove to promote peace between the Utes and the white man. Chief Ouray met with white settlers under the tree. The site is not only a historical landmark, it’s also said to be sacred to the Ute Indians. They, too, should be involved in a final decision about the tree, Lucy said. “This will be an expensive ordeal; all parties who have
an interest in this should be involved,” he said. Mitchell said the tree is about 110 feet in height, with a canopy beginning about 70 feet up. The canopy is very healthy, he said; the question is whether the tree itself can be pruned to keep the mass centered and take weight off the sail, to reduce the risk of additional breakage. When asked if maintenance would simply delay the inevitable, Mitchell said, “Everything you’re doing now is buying time.” Board member Brad Davis observed that if the tree were in the middle of nowhere, it could be left to die a natural death. Unfortunately, the Ute Council Tree is surrounded by neighbors who have seen limbs fall from the tree on
numerous occasions. As a historical landmark, it’s also a local attraction and public safety must be considered. Those factors, plus Mitchell’s final report, will be discussed at an upcoming meeting of the Delta County Historical Society board. The final decision will be made by the entire board, Lucy said. Wilma Erven, director of parks, recreation and golf for
Some landfill fees to increase BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer
Following action by the Board of County Commis-
New name becomes official at Technical College of the Rockies BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
It’s official — Aug. 9 marks the date the name change for Delta-Montrose Technical College takes effect. The college will now be known as the Technical College of the Rockies. The name change was approved during the most recent legislative session and became official when Governor John Hickenlooper signed the bill into law during a stop in Delta May 20. In addition to a new name, the tech college also has a new director. Former director John Jones retired at the end of the school year and has been replaced by Michael Klouser, who comes to Delta from Pickens Technical College in Denver.
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Church ............................C6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A6 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................B5-6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
Klouser began his professional career in real estate development on the Front Range. With a degree in electrical engineering, he switched to teaching electronics and math at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. He initially joined Pickens in 2002. There, his role transitioned into administration and for three years, he served as assistant director. When he began looking for other opportunities in administration, his search took him across the Midwest, the southern U.S. and eventually to Delta County. “My wife Kimberly and I fell in love with the community and with the people,” he said. Although he did not begin his new role until July 1, he spent several months prior to
his official start date getting to know the communities and the students served by the tech college. As he’s listened to the needs of the community, he’s developed a vision for the future and is working with the staff to energize career and technical education programs across TCR’s service area. “Everybody wants this school to be the best it can,” he said of the support he’s seen from the school district, the community and staff. Assistant director Tony Bowling furnishes the institutional knowledge Klouser is lacking, and Angela Valentine continues her role as student services coordinator. Together they have reached out to Telluride to support early childhood education and
possibly hospitality. They’re working to solidify relationships with Gunnison School District for cosmetology and computer aided drafting. They are instituting courses at the new PIC Place in Montrose. A course in clinical medical assistance will be started this fall, and the classroom may also be used for CNA and dental assisting programs. In addition, Klouser said the tech college is collaborating with Western Colorado Community College to create a pipeline for TRC students to continue their educations and obtain associate applied science degrees. For existing programs that have been compartmentalized, Klouser sees opportunities to integrate coursework. TECH COLLEGE TO A3
American Legion Riders to come through Delta On the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 13, an estimated 400 motorcyclists will be passing through Delta. The American Legion Riders are en route from Fort Dodge, Kan., to the national American Legion convention in Reno, Nev. After stopping in Montrose to gas up, they’ll head to Delta, taking Confluence Drive around town between 4:45 and 5:15 p.m. The riders are participating in the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Legacy Run, which covers education costs for the children of our fallen and disabled, post-9/11 veterans. Lee White, president of the American Legion Riders of Colorado, Post #24, and three other
the City of Delta, last week reminded city council members that cuttings were taken from the tree and nurtured into seedlings for America’s Historic Forests project. Seven of the seedlings were planted near the arbor in Confluence Park, to represent the seven bands of Utes. Wind destroyed one, but six still stand. The Utes also have clones of the tree, she added.
local riders will be joining the group as it passes through Delta. He urges local residents to come out to wave the riders on. A good spot to stand, he said, would be the parking area on the north side of Confluence Drive, across from McDonald’s. White estimates the convoy will stretch about five miles. The American Legion Riders raise funds throughout the year for children’s hospitals, schools, veterans homes, severely wounded service members and scholarships. “This isn’t just a bunch of rowdy bikers,” White said. It’s a group of patriots who are dedicated to a good cause. For more information, call 970-549-7637.
sioners on Monday, some fees at the county landfill will be raised beginning Jan. 1, 2018. The per-ton charge assessed mostly to commercial haulers will rise from the current $28 per ton to $40 per ton. The charge for freon-containing appliances will rise to $25 each. And the charge for containment soil drill cuttings will rise to $28 per ton. The $10 minimum charge will not change, nor will other charges assessed users of the landfill. The current cost of operating the landfill factor out to $34 per ton, commissioners were told. Commissioners noted that even with an increase from $28 to $40 per ton, Delta County will still be one of the lowest cost providers in the region. The need for the fee increase is being linked to the increased costs of state regulatory compliance, equipment replacement, and the cost of future synthetic membrane liners that will have to be used as new cells at the landfill are opened. The county intends to review the landfill fees every other year going forward.
Abachiche sentenced
On July 24, Delta resident Ernest Abachiche pled guilty to distribution of a controlled substance (Schedule 1 or II), a class three drug felony, for selling heroin. The case was investigated by the 7th Judicial District Drug Task Force. He also entered pleas of guilty to vehicular eluding, two cases of domestic violence and probation violations. Montrose District Judge Keri Yoder sentenced Abachiche to prison for the stipulated eight years in the Colorado Department of Corrections, plus parole upon release.