Delta County Independent, Dec. 20, 2017 by Delta County Independent

NORTH FORK TIMES

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

SALES TAX WINDFALL

Paonia allocates unanticipated increase to bonuses, reserves, B1

SPORTS

A WEEK OF MUSIC

COUNTY COMPETITION

Cedaredge Elementary students share holiday cheer, C1

DELTA COUNTY

Cedaredge girls, Panther boys win First Colorado tournament, B7

DECEMBER 20, 2017 VOL. 134, NO. 51

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INDEPENDENT

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Nature Connection awarded $1.7M STAFF REPORT

On Dec. 15, the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board awarded an Inspire Initiative grant in the amount of $1,729,663.50 to Delta County and a coalition of partners called The Nature Connection (TNC), for the group’s work to get kids outside. Locally, announcement of the award was made at opening night of the 2017 Backcountry Film Festival opened in Paonia. Anita Evans, director of

TNC, excitedly displayed the check from GOCO. “We have worked, along with our partners, for over two years to come up with a very detailed plan to connect kids to the outdoors through The Nature Connection with this grant,” she said. The TNC board, which includes representation from the school district, Delta County, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, town governments, and other local organizations, worked

diligently with community partners and resources to create a competitive grant application submitted in July 2017. The grant will fund extensive place, program, and pathway development in six communities, Delta, Olathe, Cedaredge, Hotchkiss, Paonia, and Crawford, along with 140 youth internships and seven community jobs over the three-year grant cycle. The program is expected to impact more than 6,000 youth in the

area. Funding for trail and park development, the expansion and installation of gear hubs in Hotchkiss, Delta and Cedaredge, and plans for edu-

cational outdoor programming are all included in the grant award. A portion of the grant supports executive director and NATURE CONNECTION TO A3

Discovery of remains brings closure to Goldman’s niece STAFF REPORT

Last week, the Montrose County Office of Medical Investigations confirmed skeletonized remains found Dec. 1 at 59741 Highway 50 in Olathe are definitely those of Gary Goldman, 77. Goldman was reported missing from Colorow Care Center on July 17, and had been the subject of many hours of searching by the Olathe Police Department, the Montrose County Sheriff ’s Office, the Montrose County Sheriff ’s Posse, the Montrose County Coroner’s Office of Medical Investigations, Service Dogs of Colorado, Delta County Search and Rescue, Olathe Spray Service, Uncompahgre Valley Water Users, Olathe Fire Department, State of Colorado Fire

Control helicopters, Colorow Care Center and multiple other agencies and volunteers with many thousands of dollars of volunteer labor time and equipment utilization. His niece, Marla Bear Bishop of Paonia, is working with Sunset Mesa Directors to plan a memorial service sometime in the spring or summer. She’s also planning to visit the site where his remains were found by a hunter. She understands they were in a small ditch just under a mile from Colorow. “I really want to see the spot,” she said, having accepted her uncle’s final journey “could not have been good.” Most heartbreaking, she said, is the fact that he was missing for hours before a search was launched. “It was so hot, so hot,” she said.

She is certain that her uncle wasn’t trying to “escape” the facility, but was simply headed out for a walk. “My whole life I saw my uncle walking,” she said in an Aug. 16 interview with the DCI. About seven years ago Bishop, who is Goldman’s legal guardian, moved her uncle to Paonia to live at Creek Vista. As his dementia worsened, she moved him to Colorow Care Center in Olathe. He had been there just a couple of months, and was quite happy, when he slipped out the door of the secure memory unit. She said she’s gotten conflicting reports about how that occurred. Goldman’s cause and manner of death have been certified as undetermined, due to a lack of physical evidence.

Photo by Tamie Meck

Anita Evans, director of The Nature Connection, announced the Inspire grant award to a crowded house at the Paradise Theatre on Monday, Dec. 18. The funds will be used to implement a very detailed plan to connect kids to the outdoors through places, programs and pathways.

Lawsuit cites lack of transparency STAFF REPORT

Taking a stand

Photo by Pat Sunderland

On Friday, Dec. 15, demonstrators expressed their disapproval of a recent BLM decision approving the Bull Mountain Master Development Plan in the North Fork Valley watershed. Area residents, including members of the Valley Organic Growers Association, Citizens for a Healthy Community and students from the Paonia Experiential Leadership Academy, gathered outside the BLM ofﬁces in Montrose, holding signs up high and eliciting support from passing motorists. Lisa Neirmann, a Paonia-area farmer, issued a call for action. She said BLM, the county commissioners and elected ofﬁcials, including Governor John Hickenlooper, have failed to represent the citizens of the North Fork. “It’s up to us to stand up for ourselves and the environment,” she said.

INDEX

Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Back Page ................... D8 Business .......................A10 Church ............................C4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Health & Fitness .........B6-8 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries .................. A7-8 School Zone ............... A5-6 Sports ..........................B5-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-3 TV Listings ................. D5-6

Community Christmas dinners

The communities of Cedaredge and Hotchkiss will host free Christmas dinners on Monday, Dec. 25. In Cedaredge, the Cedaredge Rotary Club and Les and Dorothy Mergelman are teaming up to serve a free meal from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Stolte Shed in Pioneer Town, 388 S. Grand Mesa Drive. Everyone is welcome. Enjoy a meal of turkey, ham and all the trimmings. People are invited to bring their favorite dessert to share. Donations are welcome to offset the cost of the meal. The annual Hotchkiss community Christmas dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hotchkiss Senior Center, 276 W. Main Street. A traditional meal of smoked turkey and ham from Zack’s BBQ and all the fixings will be served. Diners are asked to bring a side dish, salad or dessert to share if possible.

Delta County Citizen Report (DCCR), which describes itself as “an apolitical, nonprofit media organization reporting on Delta County government activities,” filed suit last week against the Delta County Board of County Commissioners alleging violations of state statutes designed to promote transparency in government. News of the lawsuit prompted county attorney John Baier to reiterate the county’s stance that its budget and open meetings processes are in compliance with state statutes. “We remain dedicated to transparency and to service to our citizens,” he said in a written response. “Delta County has consistently been committed to effective, thorough and appropriate communication. As always, we continue to welcome meaningful discussions about how we can better communicate with the public.” Attorney Michael King with Gunnison Law and Mediation filed the complaint and motion for permanent injunction on behalf of DCCR. The suit alleges that routine practices of the Board of County Commissioners violate Sunshine Law and the Local Government Budget Law of Colorado. A press release issued by DCCR last week outlines spe-

cific areas of concern, some of which have been addressed in letters to the editor from JoAnn Kalenak, administrator of DCCR’s Facebook page. She also has a blog where she comments on county commissioner meetings, county projects, county development plans, county policies, and county budget and finance. She cites the BoCC’s procedure of posting agendas without complete access to the public for a full 24 hours; the board’s failure to adopt a policy requiring public notice of meetings and final agendas on the county website; the regular procedure of changing the agendas less than 24 hours from the meetings, with the regular practice of doing it at the actual meeting; the use of a “Commissioner’s Calendar of Events” as appropriate public meeting notice; refusal to acknowledge business meetings involving a quorum of county commissioners as public meetings; and lack of adequate detail in the posted agendas. “Significant policymaking occurs during the Delta County board’s unnoticed or improperly noticed meetings,” the suit alleges. “The board has entered into agreements, developed policy and mandated letters of support for various LAWSUIT TO A3

Fire destroys shed, motorcycles A fire at 14238 Deer Run Road, Delta, destroyed a shed containing four Harley-Davidson motorcycles, motorcycle accessories and a drying rack for firewood on Dec. 12. The property is owned by Glen and Joyce Conger. Glen Conger says his son was working on a metal project outside the shed that morning. He had put his tools away and left the property when the fire broke out. Conger was at work downtown when he got a call about the fire. He said by the time he got home, the shed had burned to the ground. Vinyl siding on the main residence, located about 50 feet from the shed, was curled and two windows were broken. Three of the four motorcycles stored in the shed were fully insured; the oldest, a 2008, had liability insurance only. The Congers are planning to attend a motorcycle rally in California in June, so they’re hoping to begin replacing the motorcycles as soon as they hear from their insurance provider.

A2 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

OPINION

LETTERS Delta County can do better region. Two revelations were observed from this exercise: Firstly, Delta’s per capita rate of government spending is $1,096, which is calculated by dividing the 2018 county government budget by the estimated county population, this produces a rate which allows for comparison. Mesa’s rate is $1,071 and Montrose’s is $1,720. Other nearby counties have higher rates: Pitkin’s is $6,894, Gunnison’s is $5,903, San Miguel’s is $2,663, and Ouray’s is $2,478. Delta and Mesa County’s budgets reflect the commissioners’ efforts to manage our tax dollars with utmost good faith. Secondly, many of our neighboring counties have easy-to-understand budget summaries with infographics that help

Dear Editor: Delta County is a wonderful place to work, play, and raise a family. Our county leaders have been wise to maintain a fiscally responsible budget reflecting the fact that our county is still recovering from the financial crisis. Delta County is the 18th most populace county in Colorado, however, we rank 58th (out of 64) in terms of per capita personal income. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, of the 3,113 counties in the U.S., Delta County was included as one of the 33 which saw a decline in personal income last year. Recently, I undertook a study to examine how Delta County compares budgetarily to other counties in our general

DELTA COUNTY

INDEPENDENT

DELTA COUNTY INDEPENDENT (UPS 152-700) is published weekly on Wednesdays at 401 Meeker St., Delta, CO 81416. Second class postage paid at DELTA, CO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: DELTA COUNTY INDEPENDENT, PO BOX 809, DELTA, CO 81416 401 Meeker St. • (970) 874-4421 editor@deltacountyindependent.com ads@deltacountyindependent.com

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members of the public see where the money is being raised and spent. Delta could improve public education by emulating our neighbors in this area. Delta County can do better. Our leaders have proven, with limited dollars and a little creativity, they can make government services more efficient for the benefit of the public. If the county is to move beyond the 99th percentile, then, I believe, it will take a new generation of leaders to step up to the plate and bear the responsibility of leading our county into the future. Matt Soper Delta

Judge not ... Dear Editor: I am not wealthy, from a wealthy family and have few friends who would be affected one way or the other by repeal of the estate tax. I feel compelled to respond to the diatribe of social justice warrior, Susan Wilmot, and her condemnation of wealthy people. Who is Susan Wilmot (letter to the editor Dec. 6) to decide how and what is fair and just or who should pay it? Moral, ethical and patriotic duty? That’s right up there with challenging anyone with two good kidneys to donate one right now because they have “advantages” and a second kidney to draw on, so it is therefore our duty to donate one. Jakki Taylor Paonia

Delta County Independent

Tax bill clearly benefits the wealthy Dear Editor: I could not resist responding to Mr. Lundberg’s “economics 101” arguments supporting repeal of the estate tax in his Dec. 13 letter. While I’m at it, I’ll explain a few other “quirks” in tax policy that clearly benefit the well-off over the middle class taxpayer. Mr. Lundberg correctly states the estate tax kicks in at $5.5 million of taxable income with a 40 percent tax rate. Two things. That’s for a single filer. For a married couple it doubles to nearly $11M. Second, the tax rate is applied to the amount “over” $5.5M or $11M. The first $5.5M/$11M is NOT taxed. So this horrible tax burden is not quite as bad as he makes it appear. His economics 101 case focuses on how much money these “wealthier” people spend and how many jobs they create with their disposable income. Well, excuse me for my bluntness, but besides $5.5M/$11M plus 60 percent of everything over not being chunk change, these people are dead! They are no longer spending money or creating jobs! Further, if these wealthier folks were so busy spending their money on big ticket items and employee wages, why do they have so darn much money left when they die? A possible answer — one can only consume and buy so much. That’s why most economists agree tax cuts for the wealthy don’t do much to stimulate the economy — their needs are already met, and at some point even extravagant wants become saturated. One might argue this money would go to heirs instead of the government, and they would spend the money. Well, we don’t really know, do

we? They didn’t earn it. Are we creating a class of “trust-funders”? If we base society’s ideal of success upon merit, as Trump would base immigration policy and many would view a pillar of the American experiment, aristocratic inheritance is not necessarily healthy. See French and Russian Revolutions. Mr. Lundberg then refutes as fallacy that repeal of the estate tax benefits the wealthy in return for political contributions, based upon “many wealthy people” living in “blue” cities and states. Well, I’m sorry to reveal that these “blue” states and cities are far from 100 percent Democrat and even further from 100 percent wealthy. Voting demographics clearly show the wealthy predominantly support the Republican Party, whether they reside in “blue” or “red” districts. Shaving 2.6 percent off the tax rate for income over $1M (for married filers, from 39.6 to 37 percent), as the current tax bill does, saves the wealthy $26,000 on each additional million of income over $1M EVERY SINGLE year. That’s a pretty decent payoff for your $2,700 political contribution every four years, whether you live in NYC or Delta. Other tax policy “quirks” that few taxpayers understand. First, how raising income brackets and lowering tax rates favor wealthy earners. In addition to millionaires saving $26K on each million of income over $1M, taxpayers making $1M will save ANOTHER $23K simply from raising the top income bracket from $500K to $1M and lowering the tax rate to 35 percent (4.6 percent tax savings) on that $500K

difference. Besides that, the wealthy will have their tax liability further reduced by the same amount as every middle class taxpayer on income below $500K, because we all pay the same tax rate on each increment of taxable income. So on top of $23K and the $26K per $1M (more than many Americans’ entire annual income), you can add all the tax savings those making up to $500K will get. These aren’t tax cuts for the rich? Second, how deductions create more tax savings for the wealthy than the middle class. I’ll use the mortgage interest deduction, but the example applies to all deductions, whether charitable contributions, state and local taxes, retirement savings, even the standard deduction! Let’s say two families have an identical home mortgage interest deduction of $20,000. One family has income of $60,000 after deductions, putting them in the new 12 percent tax bracket. Assuming this family’s entire mortgage interest exceeds the standard deduction (the best possible case), they will save 12 percent on the $20,000 deduction, or a $2400 reduction in taxes. A second family has income of $500,000 after deductions, placing them in the new 35 percent tax bracket. Again, assuming this family’s mortgage interest is above their standard deduction, they will save 35 percent on the $20,000 deduction, or a whopping $7,000 reduction in taxes — nearly three times more in savings. Result? The middle class family pays net $17,600 of home mortgage interest; the wealthier family pays net $13,000. What a deal! Brian Wegner Paonia

Delta police, sheriff’s blotter From the Delta heater was to blame. A woman reported that Police Department: mailboxes on Lonesome Cove Road, Hotchkiss, Dec. 12: Alaina M. Johnson, had been damaged. A Paonia man report36, of Delta was issued a summons on charges of ed the theft of tools from possession of drug para- his yard on Willow Road. He had left the tools outhernalia. side while he ran into Dec. 13: Joey J. Gates, 23, town; when he came of Delta was arrested back an hour later, the and jailed on charges of tools were gone. He was resisting arrest/disorder- missing two large red Husky bags containing a ly conduct/harassment. DeWalt sawzall, two 18Dec. 14: Jose L. Garcia-Munoz, volt DeWalt drills, four 33, of Delta was arrested yellow DeWalt batteries and jailed on a warrant and numerous handheld tools, with a total with a $1,500 bond. Richard Gomez, 71, value exceeding $1,000. of Delta was issued a A neighbor reported seesummons on charges of ing a light brown or tan display/consumption of full-size pickup drive by, then slow down. Depumarijuana. Ronald H. Gallegos, ties searched the area for 58, of Grand Junction a vehicle matching the was issued a summons description provided, but for display/consumption could locate no suspects. Dec. 12: of marijuana. After showing her Dec. 15: John E. Hawkins, 51, Crawford home to proof Delta was arrested spective buyers, a woman and jailed on a warrant discovered $150 missing from her purse. A friend with a $500 bond. Tara J. Brown, 39, of was also present. A fire consumed a shed Delta was issued a summons on charges of shop- containing four Harley Davidson motorcycles at lifting. Nancy L. Martin, 59, 14238 Deer Run Road, of Grand Junction was Delta, shortly after 11 arrested and jailed on a.m. Deputies responded to charges of driving under the influence/failed to a domestic disturbance on Vista Grande Drive, drive in single lane. Citations: Five tickets Orchard City, at about were issued this week 8 a.m. No arrests were for various traffic viola- made. Dec. 13: tions. A traffic accident Please remember: All criminal charges are involving two vehicles merely an accusation and a pedestrian was and the defendant is pre- reported at Highway 92 sumed innocent until or and Spurlin Mesa Road at about 6:30 p.m. No one unless proven guilty. required medical transFrom the Delta port. The Colorado State County Sheriff’s Office Patrol handled the investigation. (partial list): Dec. 14: Firefighters responded Dec. 11: Firefighters respond- to a fire involving a shed ed to 5268 2000 Road, at 1693 H Road, Delta. Delta, shortly before 8 A heat gun hanging on a a.m. when an an out- wall is believed to be the building being used cause of the fire. The shed as an office filled with was located 20 yards from smoke. The property the main house and was owner speculated a space being used as an office.

Two laptops, a desk computer, printer and telescope were destroyed, as was the shed, valued at $5,000. Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a call on Highway 50, mile marker 56 north of Delta shortly after 2 a.m. They found Betty McDonald, 64, of Delta in a silver Suzuki sedan that had stopped against the cement barrier in the eastbound lane of the highway. Alcohol is believed to be a contributing factor; the Colorado State Patrol is handling the investigation. Dec. 15: Deputies were notified that Mathew Mahan, 44, was spotted in Peach Valley driving an older red Bronco. When they attempted to make contact, he pulled into the driveway of a Peach Valley residence and exited the vehicle. Mahan had eluded law enforcement authorities the previous weekend; this time, they

brought in a K-9 unit from the Montrose County Sheriff ’s Office and Colorado State Patrol troopers to assist with the search. They learned the red Bronco had just been reported stolen out of Olathe. Deputies located Mahan the following day and transported him to Delta County Jail where he is being held on numerous bail bond violations, vehicular eluding, reckless driving, six warrants out of Mesa County and a pending vehicle theft charge from Olathe. Mahan reportedly exhibited injuries consistent with running through brush. Dec. 17: Deputies assisted the Hotchkiss Marshal’s Office with a domestic incident on Barrow Mesa Road, Hotchkiss. Joseph Duncan, 29, was taken into custody. An Orchard City resident reported that someone was camping on his property on Noel Road.

KUDOS Dodgeball tops previous totals Dear Editor: Sincerest THANK YOU to the North Fork community for the success of the 2017 Winter Warrior Dodgeball and Chili Supper! We couldn’t have done it without all of our sponsors and those who played, and attended! This year’s event raised $3,062.44 — our best year to date — which will go to a local veteran, recommended by the Paonia American Legion Post 97, who served their country in Iraq and at the VA hospital. Special thanks to our sponsors: Outdoors Alive, Homestead, Needlerock Brewing Co., Renee Adams, Judy Luther, Beth Allen, Sally Hurr, Lorna Hughes, Karla Head, Wendy Kossler, Jeannette Gerry, Ellie Roberts and Amy Bell. Thank you to junior and senior high student councils for sponsoring the chili dinner, all volunteers who worked the event, our volunteer bakers for the bake sale, Paonia K-12 classes for participating in penny wars (fourth grade won the K-6 wars, and eighth grade won the 7-12 wars and earned ice cream parties), and those who generously purchased items at the auction. Thank you all, and see you next year for Winter Warrior Dodgeball 2018! Kreszenze (Kriss) Allen Paonia High School

LOCAL NEWS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Final student meeting brings drug issues to light BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

Delta is full of nice people and are generally caring and respectful, but the community — and its younger residents — clearly have a drug problem. In the eyes of students from Grand Mesa Choice Academy, Achieve Blended Learning Academy and Vision Charter Academy, students who lack positive after-school activities, have little hope for the future or are simply bored turn to drugs. Their concerns were voiced dur-

ing the fifth and final listening tour conducted by the school district. Previously, district administrators and school board members heard from students at Cedaredge, Delta, Hotchkiss and Paonia high schools. Grand Mesa Choice Academy is for at-risk students who, for a variety of reasons, have failed to thrive in traditional schools. It’s an alternative that’s prevented many students from dropping out of school entirely. Unfortunately, even that safety net doesn’t work for everyone. GMCA students said they’ve seen enrollment steadily decline since the beginning of the year, and they were quick to identify the reason — kids are turning to drugs. “They’re making it their life,” one student commented. When asked about drug prevention programs, students said the best response is simply support and understanding from a trusted adult. Rather than expelling a student for drug possession, they said administrators should sit down and try to learn why that student has turned to drugs. Many GMCA students already have disciplinary issues; they

don’t need more problems dumped on their shoulders. A rehab center for teens was suggested, but some students said that would just turn into a place where teens could get together and cause trouble. In response to a question from a school board member about the drugs of choice, students said methamphetamine is a bigger problem than marijuana, although marijuana is easier to access. They expressed concern for elementary and middle school students who are being exposed to marijuana at home. In the community, they said they value the recreation center, Taco Time and the variety of other dining choices. Even students enjoy the city’s flowers, but they echoed a concern about trashy roadsides that was also voiced by students at Delta High School. In school, they struggle with time constraints and with classmates who don’t take school as seriously as they do. If money was no object, they said they would like better desks, chairs, school supplies and textbooks. Some of those items, they said,

are hand-me-downs from traditional schools. More technology, a bigger building and additional computers were requested by GMCA students. Public transporta-

tion was a unique concern to GMCA students, who attend classes two miles south of Delta on the Technical College of the Rockies campus. Food stamps was another issue

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Staff Writer

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Delta County Commissioners passed a supplemental budget for 2017 at their Dec. 18 meeting. The supplemental budget addresses circumstances not foreseen at the time the 2017 budget was adopted. The Fairgrounds Fund was increased by $15,000 to cover unexpected power repair for the covered arena, increasing the fund from $110,250 to $125,250. The Lodging Tax-Tourism Fund was increased by $25,000 to cover additional direct advertising and grant related expenses. The Lodging Tax-Tourism Fund budget increased from $64,200 to $89,200. The Contingency Fund was increased from $8,037 to $58,037 by the

transfer of Secure Rural Schools Title III funds in the amount of $50,000. An additional CCI Public Lands contribution increased the PILT Fund budget by $1,000, increasing its budget amount from $613,000 to $614,000. The Human Services Fund increased from $3,915,805 to $3,965,805 because of additional Medicaid transportation expenses of $50,000. The Self Insurance Fund was increased from $35,000 to $85,000 to cover unexpected damage to the health department building which is projected to cost $50,000. The additional amounts required to balance the 2017 budget were appropriated from either unanticipated revenue in that fund and/or unappropriated revenue in that fund.

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Nature Connection

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FROM PAGE A1 program director positions for The Nature Connection. Delta County

THE ELVES AT DELTA HARDWARE CAN HELP YOU FIND GIFTS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST AND CAN ALSO WRAP THEM FOR YOU.

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Warmest Christmas Wishes from all of us at the Chicken Roost

Featuring smoked prime rib and catfish every weekend thru January!

Supplemental budget approved BY ANNETTE BRAND

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School District advertised the positions beginning Dec. 5; the application period ended Dec. 18. Evans hopes to announce �� the filled positions in �� early 2018. �� The grant application �� included an over $1.2 million match from commu�� nity sponsors and orga�� nizations. “We could not �� have accomplished this �� without our partners,” �� Evans explains. �� Delta County’s grant �� is one of nine Inspire Initiative implementation �� awards made in this cycle �� totaling $14.125 million. ��

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that never came up at traditional high schools, but was a concern for a student who said her family earns too much to qualify for the assistance it truly needs.

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Lawsuit FROM PAGE A1 agencies, organizations and special interest groups all without public participation.” The suit also cites limited opportunities for public involvement and citizen participation in decision making, and cites a lack of transparency in the county budget. Prior to filing suit, attorney King outlined some of the organization’s complaints and asked for an arbitrated meeting to resolve the issues. According to DCCR, the board declined the request, which led to the civil action. On Nov. 20, the board did respond to a 2.5-page formal complaint about how the county budget is prepared, answering every allegation on a point-by-point basis. The response has been posted to the county website.

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�� Holiday Hours ��

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Merry Christmas and Thanks for Shopping at Delta Hardware this past year! ��

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A4 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

ACCENT

Delta County Independent

Joe and Esther Bever Jr. celebrate 60th anniversary Joe and Esther (Lampton) Bever Jr. will be married 60 years on Dec. 21. They were married by Reverend Biro at the

Baptist Church in Delta in 1947. They have three children, Victor Bever, Debbie Straus and Kenny

Bever; seven grandkids; and three great-grandkids. Joe was self-employed. Esther worked at Delta Super several years. A family celebration will be held Dec. 21. Cards may be mailed to 885 Pioneer Road, Delta, CO 81416.

Photo submitted

Stocking the shelves

Girl Scouts from Troops 10083 and 15055 in Delta joined together last weekend to stock the shelves at the Delta Food Pantry. Girls solicited donations of non-perishable food items from customers at City Market, Safeway, Walmart and the Dollar Tree to be donated to the pantry. The girls collected enough food to ﬁll several vehicles. “The girls donated LOTS of food,” said food pantry manager Mary Pfalzgraff. “Thank you so much to the Girl Scouts for their help in feeding hungry families!” Girl Scouts strive to “make the world a better place,” and often that starts right here at home, meeting the needs of our local community. Joe and Esther Bever Jr.

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Former residents married 70 years Retired U.S. Navy SCPO Kenneth Smith, formerly of Bowie, and his wife, Mary Esther McMurry Smith, formerly of Crawford, will celebrate their 70th wed-

ding anniversary on Dec. 23 in Aurora. Smith served 20 years in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1963 at various Navy stations and on ships to include the USS

Senior meal sites close for holidays

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The senior center meal sites at Delta, Cedaredge, Hotchkiss, Paonia, and Olathe will all be closed Mondays, Dec. 25, and Jan. 1, for the Christmas and New Year’s Day holi-

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BIRTHS

Learn about Scandinavian culture Vestafjell Lodge invites those interested in Scandinavian heritage and culture to attend the next lodge meeting, followed by lunch, at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8, at The Egg & I, 1st and Patterson, Grand Junction. The program will feature traditional Swedish (or huck) weaving. Guests are always welcome. For more details, call 2455649 or 858-6702, or visit the website, www. vestafjelllodge.org.

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volunteered as an aide in their schools. She became a clown and entertained children. They were active in the Methodist church and served as trustees and financial secretary. Mary was treasurer of the Methodist women’s society.

days, respectively. On Tuesday, Dec. 26, meals will be served at Cedaredge and Olathe only. The regular schedule will resume Dec. 27-29 during Christmas week, and the regular schedule will resume at all senior centers on Tuesday, Jan. 2. On closure dates, no meals will be served by Senior CommUnity Meals, there will be no Meals On Wheels deliveries, and the Delta Senior Center’s Thrift Store will also be closed.

Jennifer and Tyler Valdez of Delta are the parents of a daughter, Parker Skye Valdez, born Dec. 6, 2017, at Delta County Memorial Hospital. She weighed 6 pounds, 11.2 ounces and was 19 inches in length.

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Luce DDD 522, which was sunk by Japanese kamikazes on May 4, 1945. After his discharge, he served as a vice president in the banking industry until his retirement in 2001. In addition to raising their six children, Mary

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Photo by Pat Sunderland

A family tradition

Many of the parents attending the kindergartners’ Christmas concert at the Bank of the West last week can remember standing on the curved staircase when they were in elementary school. Such is the case for Victoria Kasper, the music teacher at Garnet Mesa Elementary School, who directed her son Silas and his classmates. Victoria’s mother, Martha Gilder, also recalls singing at the bank when she was in high school. The entire family of talented vocalists continues to sing in church and other venues.

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LOCAL NEWS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

DHS physics students aim for new heights BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

Absolute zero has been declared physically impossible due to the third law of thermodynamics. Entropy of a system can never reach zero, students from Delta High School learned during their research. But the school’s AP Physics 2 and STEM students are determined to shed light on what’s been called a lost cause. “Bunch of sissies!” Project Zero team members Jordan Gerlach, Ayden

Tucker and Vicente Trevino call the scientists who have proclaimed achieving absolute zero is absolutely impossible. As part of the high altitude challenge issued by physics instructor Ben Magtutu, they plan to launch a weather balloon high into the air to collect pressure and temperature data. They will then plot the readings on a volume v. temperature graph and extrapolate the data to zero to find the theoretical temperature at which molecules

Holiday performance

Under the direction of Victoria Kasper, Garnet Mesa Elementary School fourth graders shared the joy of the holiday season with residents at Willow Tree Care Center. After singing a selection of festive carols, Andrew Bascue (right) and his classmates handed out handmade ornaments. Andrew is shown shaking hands with Margaret Turtura.

Delta High School

Students of the Month Justin Lancaster

Age: 17 Parents: Joe and Jennifer Lancaster

Favorite subject: Math Favorite teacher: Mr. Magtutu Most influential person in your life: My parents, for always working with me to perform to the best of abilities both in and out of school. After graduation I plan to go to college for a mechanical engineering degree. Favorite saying: “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” ~Robert Frost Favorite musician/song: Under Pressure Favorite TV show: Dr. Who Activities: I am enrolled in the Computer Aided Drafting program at the Technical College of the Rockies. In my spare time I like to play a wide variety of board and video games.

Also recognized in November: Alexia Quinn December Students of the Month Shyanne Steele

Age: 17 Parents: Danny and Sherrie English Favorite subject: English Favorite teacher: Mr. Ames Most influential person in your life: My mom. She has served as a great role model as to what I want to pursue and I hope to be half the woman she is. After graduation I plan to pursue a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) at CMU on a full ride academic scholarship. Favorite saying: “And though she be but little, she is fierce.” ~Shakespeare Favorite TV show: Shameless Activities: I was center field for softball. I also play tennis, both for the high school. I work at Dairy Queen and have received my CNA. In my spare time I like to be outdoors hunting, fishing, riding ATVs and snowmobiling. I also spend time with family and friends.

Drake Horn

Age: 18 Parents: David and Tela Horn Favorite subject: Biology Favorite teacher: Mr. Shean Most influential person in your life: My dad. He works hard and will do everything he can for me. After graduation I plan to study wildlife biology at CMU on an academic scholarship. Favorite saying: “Life’s hard, but it’s harder if you’re stupid.” ~John Wayne Favorite musician/song: I like most music. Favorite TV show: Don’t have one. Activities: I play football, baseball and wrestle. I was the quarterback for football and played defense. I pitch for baseball and I got first team All Conference for that. I am the 160-pound varsity wrestler. In my spare time I like to hunt, fish and shoot my guns or bow. I ride four-wheelers and snowmobiles. The Delta County Independent, Delta Elks Lodge and Maverik celebrate the success of these students. DHS would like to thank them for their generosity and support.

stop moving. The high altitude challenge, now in its third year, challenges students to design a unique scientific payload that can reach a minimum altitude of 120,000 feet and be returned safely to their possession. They’ve been brainstorming ideas and putting together proposals since early fall. On Dec. 8, three groups of students pitched their ideas and fielded questions from a group of community members and school administrators.

Photos by Pat Sunderland

They covered several facets crucial to a successful launch, including FAA/FCC regulations, materials, tracking, communication and recovery, instrumentation, design, cost, feasibility and impact. Claire Corbasson, Lucy Streich and Berenice Rascon dubbed their proposal “Apodeixi,” the Greek word for proof, because they planned to measure carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to prove climate change and trigger more environmentally conscious habits. Jaspe Arias, Caleb Frazier, Brianna Rapozo and Isaac Timbreza, Team Beyond Limits, proposed to measure greenhouse gases in an effort to determine if the burning of fossil fuels is connected to recent natural disasters. After give-and-take with the audience members, Project Zero was selected as the most feasible. While only one project is funded, all students will have a role in project development and launch, with one student dedicated solely to ensuring compliance with FAA regulations. The students plan to use a slightly larger weather balloon than in past years. For one thing, their payload is a bit heavier. A styrofoam box will be coated in protective flex seal and filled with redundant pressure/ temperature gauges and GoPro cameras to make sure they get the data they’re after. They also

want a bigger balloon because they’re determined to reach the goal of 120,000 feet. Previous teams have reached 102,000 and 103,000 feet above the earth using smaller weather balloons. Before the payload is launched — hopefully in April — it will be weighed to allow team members to predict the flight path and velocity of the balloon, to assist with recovery. They want to launch the balloon from the football stadium so the two GoPro cameras will capture footage of the school and surrounding area. A ham radio tracker and audio beacon will assist with recovery after the payload has safely landed. In the audience was a

member of the local ham radio club who offered to assist the team member who will be selected to acquire an amateur radio license, in compliance with FCC regulations. Magtutu expects the project to adhere to all federal, state, and local laws and comply with FCC and FAA regulations; be tracked throughout the entire flight, including at elevations above 60kf; return video/photographic evidence of the entire flight; measure temperature (inner and outer) and pressure during the flight; measure acceleration (3-axis); have a maximum mass of 500 g (including parachute and guylines); and minimize instabilities (especially spinning).

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A6 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

SCHOOL

Delta County Independent

LES, CES nominated for Capturing Kids’ Hearts award

Lincoln Elementary School and Cedaredge Elementary School have been nominated for a Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools award for the 2017-2018 school year by the Flippen Group. This initiative has been embraced across the school district as a means to transform every school

campus into an emotionally safe and relationally connected place for students, staff and parents to come together with a love for learning. “I think Cedaredge Elementary has always had a great emphasis on treating kids with the highest level of respect and care,” said CES principal Daniel Renfrow.

The gift of music

“We want to help our students learn from their mistakes, to grow and become the best possible kids they can.” Capturing Kids Hearts has also been a powerful tool for staff members, Renfrow added. The mutually agreed upon social contracts establish expectations about how conflicts are resolved.

LES principal Jen Magner quoted Peter Drucker, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” “This quote holds true in schools especially,” she said. “The feeling you get when you walk into Lincoln Elementary has changed dramatically thanks to the program Capturing Kids’ Hearts, which was adopted by the Delta County School District at the beginning of last year. This program focuses on the fact that kids don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Within the walls of Lincoln Elementary School this mantra is a driving force in daily life. Each staff member believes if we build strong relationships based on

Photo by Pat Sunderland

Delta High School jazz band members led off a band performance that later featured a percussion ensemble and the concert band, all under the direction of Marcos LeBlanc.

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NOON YEAR’S EVE EXTRAVAGANZA FOR YOUTH

FREE

Sunday, December 31 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Food • Games • Fun

FREE

Music by The Rhythm Knights DJ Service YOUTH OF ALL AGES WELCOME!

Delta Elks Lodge #1235 563 Main Street • 874-3624

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respect and care we can overcome anything. Our classrooms are bound by a social contract which is created from input from each member of the class. We are striving to capture the hearts of our students so we can captivate their minds!” Districtwide, teachers and staff continue to learn the processes needed to connect students with their peers and adults on campus and to create classrooms where students are excited to learn every day. Since 1990, campuses across the country have experienced amazing outcomes with Capturing Kids’ Hearts tools and processes, creating the socio-emotional safety conducive to learning. Flippen Group provides educators the skills they need to change the trajectory of students’ lives. Openness replaces defensiveness. Judging and feelings of being judged are replaced with acceptance and real connectedness to the school. “Discipline problems nearly non-existent,” and “Academic achievement

constantly improving,” are common feedback following Capturing Kids’ Hearts implementation. Through the National Showcase Schools awards, Flippen Group seeks to recognize and celebrate schools that go the extra mile each day, building an environment where students and staff feel safe and connected. Over the next several months, a Flippen Group site team will visit both schools to observe the progress taking place and decide whether the campuses qualify to become award recipients. They will compile a matrix of key measurements from campus observation. Finally, they will conduct an additional survey to collect feedback regarding the perceived climate and culture of the campus and its conduciveness to learning. Following the site visit, the selection team will review all accumulated data and select the campuses to be this year’s recipients of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools awards.

Around DHS

Reilly Quist

Quist headed to med school

By Haylee Curry

Reilly Quist, a 2014 graduate of Delta Vision and Boettcher Scholar, has been accepted into the University of Colorado School of Medicine. A biology major, Quist will graduate from the University of Colorado Denver and enter medical school next fall. She plans to enter the rural track and eventually practice family medicine or pediatrics in Delta County. Quist has volunteered at Roundup River Ranch, a camp for kids with lifethreatening illnesses, every summer and fall for the past few years.

11/11 Campaign Elegantly transitioning into the Christmas holiday cheer, the ambassadors took part in the 11/11 campaign. An effort made by Student Council to rein in the kindness within us all and bring to light efforts made by clubs and students. The school was in a comatose state of love and compassion as all were encouraged to do 11 acts of kindness during the month of November. The ambassadors of Delta High participated by delivering flowers and thoughtful cards to the hospital staff in recognition of their meaningful work. These upstanding students also made a unique and heartfelt effort when they crafted

Crowd favorite

a cardboard bus and then went to the extent to fill it with goodie bags for all of the bus drivers, taking responsibility for the children of Delta daily. A successful leader and academic Sarah Bules said, “I felt like it went fantastically. Many clubs and individuals in our school participated. It was all very well executed.” The sophomore, an active member of the Ambassadors, helped in the making of the bus and delivery to the hospital. Pride, cheer, and positivity devoured the small school. A perfect way to glide into December and all that is to come with it. A kickstart to the charities evidenced by the toy drive organized by STUCO.

Photo by Pat Sunderland

Santa drew a crowd of kindergartners at the conclusion of their concert at Bank of the West. Treats were handed out to all. Gathered around Santa are Enrique Sanchez, Roper Gates, Duke Walker, Aaron Huerta and Katie Bascue.

You are invited to

Cookies, Cocoa & Christmas Tales A fun family storytime!

Saturday, Dec. 23 Presbyterian Church of Delta (Corner of 4th and Meeker)

10 a.m. to noon

Bring your favorite Christmas story to read, listen to others share their tales, decorate your cookies and sip on hot cocoa. Come in your pajamas and slippers, blanket or snugglies, and settle in for a fun time telling stories of Christmas, from the Grinch to Mary, Joseph & baby Jesus.

LOCAL NEWS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Area churches celebrate the birth of Christ Cedaredge Community Methodist Church 3rd & Aspen Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve service with hymn sing, 10 a.m. Traditional candlelight service, 4 p.m. New Hope Evangelical Free Church 17464 Surface Creek Road, Cedaredge Sunday, Dec. 24 — Candlelight Christmas Eve service, 5 p.m. St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church 290 NW Cedar Cedaredge Sunday, Dec. 24 — English Mass, 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 25 — Christmas Mass, 8 a.m. Eckert Presbyterian Church 13025 Highway 65 Wednesday, Dec. 20 — Advent Soup Supper at Eckert Presbyterian. The soup supper rotates among All Saints Lutheran Church, Cedaredge United Methodist Church (Dec. 13), and Eckert Presbyterian (Dec. 20). Sunday, Dec. 24 — worship service, 10:30 a.m. Christmas Eve candlelight service, 6:30 p.m. All Saints Lutheran Church 20101 Deer Creek Road, Austin Wednesday, Dec. 20 — Advent supper/worship at Eckert Presbyterian Church. Supper at 5:30, worship at 6:15. Sunday, Dec. 24 — Morning worship cancelled. Christmas Eve worship service, 7 p.m. Delta Christian Church 795 1600 Road Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve service, 5:30 p.m. Presbyterian Church of Delta

4th & Meeker Saturday, Dec. 23 — Cookies, cocoa and Christmas tales for youngsters 0-12, 10 a.m. to noon. Bring a favorite holiday tale to share. Sunday, Dec. 24 — Morning worship, 10:30 a.m.; Christmas Eve candlelight service, 6 p.m. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 5th & Palmer, Delta Sunday, Dec. 24 — Morning worship service has been cancelled. Christmas Eve service begins with Lessons and Carols at 7 p.m. Holy communion follows with reception after. Monday, Dec. 25 — Holy communion, 10:15 a.m. New Year’s Eve — Morning worship service has been cancelled. Evening service begins at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 1 — Holy communion, 10:15 a.m. Grace Community Church 1400 Pioneer Road, Delta Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve service, 5 p.m. at Delta High School. Hear the story of the shepherds in a way that maybe you haven’t heard before! There will be carols, and candles, and maybe even some sheep. Rivers Church (formerly Delta First Assembly) 762 Dodge Sunday, Dec. 24 — A Cowboy Christmas, 10 a.m. Communion, the Christmas story and teen drama. Redeemer Lutheran Church 1000 Pioneer Road, Delta Wednesday, Dec. 20 — Midweek Advent service. Sunday, Dec. 24 —

Morning worship, 9 a.m.; Christmas Eve candlelight service, 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 25 — Christmas Day service, 9 a.m. Garnet Mesa Baptist Church 863 A Street, Delta Sunday, Dec. 24 — Sunday school, 9:45; morning worship, 11 a.m.; evening worship, 6:30 p.m. First Baptist Church of Delta 1250 Pioneer Road Saturday, Dec. 23 — Karen Family Christmas with a dinner at 2 p.m. followed by a program at 4 p.m. The community is invited to attend. Sunday, Dec. 24 — Sunday school, 9:15 a.m.; worship, 10:30 a.m. “Christmas Future,” Rev. 3:20. Christmas Eve candlelight service, 5 p.m., with a special offering going to the Salvation Army. Sunday, Dec. 31 — Sunday school, 9:15 a.m.; worship at 10:30 a.m. Praise and song service, 6 p.m., followed by an old guy/gals movie, “Steve McQueen: American Icon.” Saint Andrew’s Orthodox Church 298 Bert Street, Delta Colorado, 81416 Saturday, Dec. 23 — Vespers, 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve liturgy, 9:30 a.m.; candlelight vigil, 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 25 — The Nativity According to the Flesh of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Divine Liturgy, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 26 — Second Day of Christmas, Divine Liturgy, 8:30 a.m. St. Michael Church Sunday, Dec. 24 — English Mass, 10 a.m.;

OBITUARIES

Joan Towne

Joan Towne died Dec. 17, 2017, at Montrose Memorial Hospital. She was 76. Joan Mabel Clemons was born in Remer, Minn., Oct. 30, 1941, to Ernest and Lydia (Ish-

man) Clemons. She spent her childhood and attended school in Remer and the Grand Rapids, Minn., areas. Mrs. Towne worked with the elderly in St. Paul, Minn., and at Hinsdale Sanitarium and Hospital in Hinsdale, Ill., from 1962 to 1995, serving the last 22-plus years in telecommunications. She moved to Orchard City in 1996 and worked in electronic components assembly, community home care and as a part-time secretary until retirement in 2008. On Nov. 8, 1978, she married Carl Towne in Hinsdale, Ill. She was a member of

the Cedaredge Seventhday Adventist Church. She enjoyed needlecrafts, flowers, traveling, Christmas with family, classical concerts, exercise at Bill Heddles Recreation Center, birds and animals. She is survived by her husband of 39 years, Carl; a niece, Jodi (Scott) Mathison; and extended family. She was preceded in death by a sister, LaVerle Langel; and a brother, Vernon Clemons. Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory is handling the arrangements. Visit the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

In celebration of the Unstoppable Marti Brown Martha Mae Brown, aka “Marti,” born Dec. 16, 1932, led an engaging, adventurous earthly life until Nov. 25, 2017. Having no known surviving family, many friends want to let the greater community know of her moving on to other worlds. She was native Coloradan, born in Golden, to loving parents and one older brother. Always a lover of animals, her three dogs and two cats mourn the loss of their dear companion. Marti was always on the move; exploring, learning and creating fun for herself and others. Gifted with skills and confidence, she touched uncountable lives in occupations as varied as being the first woman ski instructor in Loveland, leading mine tours in Central City, ranching, serving as Colorado Chapter President of the American Association of University Women, as well as several jobs in health care, especially serving those with dramatic memory loss with respect and validation,

getting them up dancing with joy. She was an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve, ran the Leadville burro race twice, taught many subjects including drama, English and sports. So loved was she that her students voted her “Mother of the Year” in Crawford. She publicly demonstrated multiple artistic talents in murals, drawings, crafts, even set designs for plays she coaxed students to perform. A priority in her heart was always music, immersing herself in Broadway tunes, opera, popular songs, singalongs and was able to instantly create parodies out of any of those genres, keeping her wit ever active.

Endowed with a sensitivity for words and their meanings coupled with interest in the workings of our minds, her two college degrees in English and Psychology were a given. Despite her vast intelligence she was also admired for being down to earth with everyone. She never beat around the bush. You could count on her honesty, straight-forwardness and lasting friendship. In her later years, as physical limitations unfolded in vision and eventually with internal organs shutting down, she lived her life vicariously through stories friends shared of their travels or adventures. Those last years were tough to endure, not being free to drive herself and dogs to walk in areas much loved by them. The consistent movement and appreciation of the outdoors every day with her canine family is indicative of how she always lived her life in fullness and gratitude. So shall we who cherish her. Paid obituary

Spanish Mass, noon; Anticipatory Mass (bilingual), 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 25 — English Mass, 10 a.m.; Spanish Mass, noon. Delta United Methodist Church 477 Meeker Street Sunday, Dec. 24 — Morning worship, 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. Service of Carols and Candlelight, 6 p.m. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sunday, Dec. 24 — Delta Ward, 9 a.m.; Uncompahgre Ward, 11 a.m.; Cedaredge Ward, 10 a.m. Paonia Ward, 10 a.m. All wards will have services focusing on Christmas and the sacrament. Hotchkiss Community United Methodist Church 2nd and Orchard Wednesday, Dec. 20 — Blue Christmas service, 5 p.m. Candles will be lit in remembrance of

those lost. Sunday, Dec. 24 — Morning worship celebrating the birth of Jesus, 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve service, 7 p.m. Candlelight service celebrates the “Gift of Christmas.” Sunday, Dec. 25 — Morning worship celebrating the birth of Jesus, 11 a.m. Crawford Community United Methodist Church 297 Dogwood Avenue Sunday, Dec. 24 — Morning worship celebrating the birth of Jesus, 9 a.m. Christmas Eve service, 5 p.m. Candlelight service celebrates the “Gift of Christmas.” Sunday, Dec. 24 — Morning worship, 9 a.m., celebrating the birth of Jesus. All are welcome. Paonia United Methodist Church Third and Onarga Sunday, Dec. 24 —

Miracle on Main Street

Christmas Eve service, 6 p.m. Immanuel Lutheran Church, Paonia Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve candlelight service, 5 p.m. Mountain View Bible Church Lazear Wednesday, Dec. 20 — Christmas caroling and chili supper, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24 — Worship service, 11 a.m.; Christmas Eve candlelight communion service, 6 p.m. Bible Baptist Church Olathe Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve candlelight service, 10:30 a.m. Olathe Assembly of God Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve service, 6:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. For more info or directions to Olathe Assembly of God please call 970-323-5647.

Photos by Pat Sunderland

A shepherd keeps watch on his “ﬂock” — youngsters from the Early Childhood Center in Olathe — during a parade through downtown Olathe Friday. Santa and Mrs. Claus led the way to the American Legion Hall, where they handed out goodies to the kids, listened to last-minute wishes and warmed up with chili provided by the Olathe Rebekah Lodge.

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A8 Wednesday, December 20, 2017 Agnes LeRoy

Agnes Joan LeRoy, who was born and raised in Paonia, died Dec. 7, 2017, in Pueblo. She was 90. She was born May 7, 1927, on Bone Mesa to Ernest and Anna Winter. She lived in Colorado Springs numerous years before moving to Pueblo after her husband’s death three years ago. She is survived by three daughters, Danna (Dave) Hamling of Larkspur, Nancy (Larry) Lopez of Pueblo and Janet LeRoy of Lamar; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters, Norma Keenan of Paonia and Chirp Roderick of Cedaredge; and brother, Merle (Marlene) Winter of Aurora. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dan LeRoy; and sister, Wilma O’Connor.

OBITUARIES

Lodge in Grand Junction. As a child, he attended St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Delta. He enjoyed cars, mechanics, dancing, auctions and playing bingo. Mr. Triantos is survived by his wife, Tammra Triantos; two sons, Nicholus Triantos and David (Sarah) Triantos, all of Delta; a brother, Frank (Sherry) Triantos of Colorado Springs; and two granddaughters, Alexis Triantos of Paonia and Porsche Triantos of Delta. He was preceded in death by his parents and son, Craig Triantos Jr. Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory is handling the arrangements. Visit the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

Raymond Werner

Craig Triantos

Lifetime Delta resident Craig Triantos died Dec. 11, 2017, at San Juan Living Center in Montrose. He was 68. Funeral services were held Dec. 18 at Taylor Funeral Chapel in Delta. Interment followed at Delta City Cemetery. He was born on Dec. 13, 1948, to John and Deloris (Gillenwater) Triantos in Delta. He spent his childhood and attended school in Delta, graduating from Delta High School in 1968. On Sept. 27, 1970, he married Tammra Elliott in Olathe. Mr. Triantos was a member of the Delta Elks Lodge, Delta Eagles Lodge and the Moose

Raymond “Ray” H. Werner of Delta died Dec. 11, 2017, at San Juan Living Center in Montrose. He was 83. No services are planned at this time. He was born in Kimball, Neb., on May 21, 1934, to Herman and Anna (Huff) Werner. The family moved to Delta in 1937, and in 1952 he graduated from Delta High School, where he lettered in football, wrestling and track, and he was active in FFA. He attended Colorado A&M for two years but returned after his younger sister was injured in a car accident on Brickyard Hill. Mr. Werner then enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1955, serving as an engine man on the USS Toucan, a

Auk-class minesweeper. After his service, Mr. Werner worked as a fieldman for Southwest Production Credit Association in Delta and Montrose counties. He worked various jobs, eventually becoming the vice president of Skyland Food Corporation. He also farmed. On Dec. 23, 1965, he married Mary Ficke of Joliet, Ill., in Albuquerque, N.M. They shared over 50 years of marriage. Mr. Werner was a member of the National Food Processors Association, past president of Rocky Mountain Food Processors Association, served on the technical committee for the Processed Apple Institute, and belonged to the Western Colorado Horticultural Society. He was a member of the Delta Elks Lodge, the Tri-County water board and the Colorado Water Conservation Board. He enjoyed water skiing, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, farming and being active in the Republican party. Mr. Werner is survived by his wife, Mary; son, Scott (Jauna) Werner; and three grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Montrose Animal Shelter, 3383 N. Townsend Avenue, Montrose, CO 81401, or to Delta Elks Lodge Scholarship Fund, 563 Main Street, Delta, CO 81416. Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory is handling the arrangements. Visit the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

Esther Raff

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Esther Allene Raff died Dec. 16, 2017, at her home in Hotchkiss. She was 90. Esther Allene Westlund was born in La Junta Jan. 25, 1927, to Alban and Allene (Jones) Westlund. She was delivered by her grandfather, Dr. Thomas Jefferson Jones. The family lived in La Junta and Saguache, then moved to Grand Junction where she graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1944. On June 20, 1944, she married Joseph “Joe” Raff in Grand Junction. They farmed and ranched in the Grand Junction-Fruita area, raising Polled Hereford cattle before moving to Hotchkiss in 1981.

Delta County Independent

He preceded her in death in 1990. She enjoyed spending time with family. Mrs. Raff is survived by her children, Joseph (Kathy) Raff Jr. of Grand Junction, Harold (Karen) Raff of Fruita, Esther (Larry) Peebles of Hotchkiss and Mary Lynn (Bill) Hensley of Montrose; and grandchildren, Joe Raff, Andy Raff, Karl Raff, Danny Raff, Renee Raff-Moore, Gary Peebles, Dinah Peebles, Rex Peebles, Katie Peebles-Denny and Krystal Hensley of Montrose; and 17 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph “Joe” Raff; her brother, Jack; and two grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, at Orchard Mesa Cemetery in Grand Junction. Crippin Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Jimmy Retherford

Jimmy Eugene Retherford Jr. died Dec. 12, 2017, at his home in Delta. He was 54. A celebration of life was held Dec. 15 at Taylor Funeral Chapel with James Gall officiating. Mr. Retherford was born in Carrolton, Ill., on May 9, 1963, to Jimmy and Mary (Gardner) Retherford Sr. He spent his childhood in San Diego and Escondido, Calif. Mr. Retherford moved to Delta 12 years ago. On Aug. 5, 2014, he married Teri Aragon in Delta. He became active in and served as president of the Delta Men’s Club at the Devil’s Thumb Golf Course. He enjoyed playing and participating in the American Cancer golfing benefits. He also enjoyed camping, boating and fishing. He is survived by his mother, Mary Russell of Delta; his wife, Teri Retherford of Delta; children, Jimmy (Sara) Retherford III of Valley Center, Calif., Michelle Retherford of Escondido, Calif., Christopher Troxell of Hemet, Calif., Brian Retherford of Mt. Olive, Ill., Jordon Retherford of Jerseyville, Ill.; stepson, Clint (Andrea) Wilhelm III of Delta; stepdaughter, Kristine (Nathan) Toole of Gunnison; brothers, Terry (Trisha) Retherford of Escondido,

Calif.; Richard (Patricia “Patty”) Russell of Delta; sister, Susan Retherford of Delta; and 14 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Jimmy Retherford Sr.; and stepfather, Jim Russell. Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory is handling the arrangements. Visit the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

Grover Thurman

Grover J. Thurman died Dec. 9, 2017, at the age of 98. He was born to Ernest and Jimmie Thurman on Oct. 6, 1919, at the family home in Hotchkiss. He grew up in Hotchkiss, where his parents owned fruit orchards on the Fire Mountain Ranch. After graduating as the first National Honor Society student from Hotchkiss High School in 1937, Mr. Thurman attended Grand Junction Business College on a scholarship. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corp and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He made the Navy his career and retired as a senior chief petty officer in September 1965 after 20 years of service. After retirement, he was employed by ATAC in Warren, Mich., until his final retirement at age 55. On Feb. 11, 1945, he married Helen Lezon in Philadelphia prior to his deployment to the Pacific. She moved to Colorado to live with his parents until he returned home from the war. She died in 2003 after 58 years of marriage. Mr. Thurman is survived by three children, Jean (William) Leeds, Mark (Debbie) Thurman and Grady (Chandan) Thurman ; five grandchildren: Jonathan Leeds, Jennifer (Tom) Haag, Rachel (Mike) Hudspeth, Jessica (Josh) Schamberger and Jackie (Matt) Dawson; and seven great-grandchildren, Collin Haag, Lucas Haag, Trever Haag, Aaron Hudspeth, Garrison and Oliver Schamberger and Ezra Dawson. Mr. Thurman was an avid reader who enjoyed good conversation, music, dancing and movies. He valued his faith, his fam-

ily and the freedom of this great country. A funeral service was held Dec. 16 at Yates Funeral Home – Coeur d’ Alene Chapel, 744 N. 4th Street., Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. Interment will take place at Riverside Cemetery in Hotchkiss. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory. View the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

Lewis Leatherwood

Crawford resident Lewis R. Leatherwood died Dec. 5, 2017, at his home. He was 70. Private services will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver in spring 2018. A celebration of life will be held at that time for family and friends. Lewis Robert Leatherwood was born Sept. 3, 1947, to Delbert and Jean (Williams) Leatherwood in Tacoma, Wash. He spent his childhood and attended school in Washington and Montana until he moved to Wyoming when he was 14. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968 and served in Vietnam. Once he returned home, he did a carpenter’s apprenticeship in 1974. On Dec. 12, 1970, he married Kathleen Schultz in Denver; they shared nearly 47 years of marriage. Mr. Leatherwood was a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed fishing, snowmobiling, hunting, camping, NASCAR and football. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Leatherwood of Crawford; son, Shad Leatherwood of Centennial; daughter, Sara Leatherwood of Englewood; brother, Dan Leatherwood of Cheyenne, Wyo.; and two grandchildren, Easten and Brayden Leatherwood. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Wally Leatherwood. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory is handling the arrangements. Visit the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

David E. Smith Dec. 21, 1937 ~ Dec. 11, 2017

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David Ewell Smith was born in Phoenix, Ariz., Dec. 21, 1937. He passed away at Horizons Care Center in Eckert, Colo., just 10 days prior to his 80th birthday. David was the youngest child of Ewell and Irene Smith. He attended school in Phoenix and married Joyce Jacoby in 1956. This marriage ended in divorce with no children. David served in the United States Air Force from 1956 through 1959. He then worked for Motorola in Scottsdale, Ariz. There he spent five years in the development of side-looking airborne radar and support systems, and 7 1⁄2 years in microwaves and antennas for military and NASA. In the early 1970s, David moved to Peach Valley in Delta County, Colo. He married Ruth Goldsworthy in 1977 and they made their home in Hotchkiss, Colo. Together Ruth and David added three children to her

seven from a previous marriage. David adopted Paul, the youngest of his stepchildren. David was skilled in radio and electronics and all things mechanical. He worked for Mt. Sopris Instrument Co. in Delta, then began working as an Electrician/ Mechanic at the various coal mines in the area, and retired in 2000. David’s hobbies included an interest in politics and flipping salvage vehicles. He also spent a lot of time gardening with his wife. David had been a member of First Baptist Church in Hotchkiss, and also attended Mountain View Bible Church in Lazear.

David was preceded in death by his parents; siblings; Modene and Buster; stepchildren. Amy, Matt and Joyce; son, Paul; children-inlaw, Daryln, John, and Roy; and one grandson, Charlie. David is survived by his wife, Ruth; children: David V. (Katie) Smith, Steven V. Smith (Heather Clark), and Kate (Tim) McDaniel, all of Hotchkiss, Colo.; stepchildren Charles Townsend of Grand Junction, Colo., Laurie Brewer of Hotchkiss, Colo., and Robin Miller of Lakewood, Colo.; 21 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren. No services are planned. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory. View the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice. com. Paid obituary

Delta County Independent

ACTIVITIES

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

�� Sweitzer hosts First Day Hike ��

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Sweitzer Lake State Park is joining a statewide program to welcome 2018 by heading outside to enjoy the trails in a Colorado state park. The hike runs from 10 a.m. to noon. Monday, Jan. 1. “We will be walking around the lake,” said head ranger Scot Rist. “We will see waterfowl, tracks from animals, and learn about plant life. We will talk about the salt on the ground and how it got there. Plus, we are going to celebrate our new bridge that completes the trail around the lake. First Day Hikes offer a chance to start the new year right by getting people out for some exercise in nature. This year, 26 state parks are participating by hosting an organized hike. Each park offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the new year, with most parks offering guided hikes

and some parks providing multiple options to choose from, allowing you to select the time and route you prefer. The hikes are free but

Santa’s helpers

Photo courtesy Bill Heddles Recreation Center

Enjoy winter at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Enjoy winter with your friends at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Ranger guided programs are designed to help you get started on experiencing the snow.

Historian to discuss Powderhorn Ski Resort The Mesa County Historical Society and the Museums of Western Colorado will present a program on Powderhorn Ski Resort. Alice Sisac, who serves as Powderhorn’s historian will give a talk on the 50-year history of the ski resort on Grand Mesa. The December oral history presentation takes place Thursday, Dec. 21, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Whitman Educational Center, 248 S. 4th Street, Grand Junction. The traditional cookie exchange will also be

held, so bring some cookies and take some cookies home! Coffee will be served. This program is jointly sponsored by the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society and is free and open to the public. Please feel free to bring a lunch. For more information contact MCHS president Priscilla Mangnall at 970-260-5226 or at Priscilla.Mangnall@gmail. com or contact the Loyd Files Research Library at 970-242-0971, ext. 209.

Ski clinics and snowshoe walks are dependent upon snow conditions. Call the South Rim Visitor Center for updates at 970-249-1914, ext. 423 Cross-country ski clinics — Saturday, Dec. 30, and Saturday, Jan. 6, 1 p.m. Learn the basics of cross-country skiing. This two-hour clinic will cover simple striding and gliding and traveling in variable terrain and snow conditions. Meet at South Rim Visitor Center. You must provide your own ski equipment. Reservations required: (970) 2491914, ext. 423. Snowshoe walks — Jan. 13 – March 3, 10 a.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays. Meet at South Rim Visitor Center. No special skill is needed to participate in these 1.5 mile walks. Allow 2.5 hours for the program. Snowshoes are available to use, free of charge, for

Christmas concert will benefit Healing Harmonies Montrose Memorial Hospital will host a benefit Christmas concert featuring Dr. Rhonda Parker and Bethany Ward at the Montrose United Methodist Church on Friday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m. Admission is free; however, a $10 donation is encouraged for the MMH healing arts music therapy fund. The first benefit concert held this last May raised over $6,500 to go toward a future music therapy program at MMH. Montrose Memorial Hospital, through the healing arts fund, is working to bring music

available for $70. See the complete list of participating parks on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website, cpw. state.co.us.

The racquetball elves played in the Santa ShootOut hosted by Bill Heddles Recreation Center Saturday. The event was a blind-draw doubles format. Players from Montrose to Grand Junction gathered to help Santa bring cheer to Families Plus of Delta which used the donated toys to brighten local children’s Christmas. The next scheduled racquetball tournament is Feb. 8-11. The “Racquetball Rumble” features divisions for all levels of players. Singles and doubles will be offered. Entries are available at BHRC, or for questions call Gary West 874-0923.

Grand Mesa ski clinics rescheduled Grand Mesa Nordic Council ski clinics have been postponed until Saturday, Jan. 6. A guided ski tour will be provided, as well as group ski clinics. Classic ski technique will be taught in the morning session and skate ski technique will be taught in the afternoon session. Check the schedule and sign up on the GMNC website, www.gmnc.org.

park visitors must possess a valid parks pass to participate. The daily pass for entry to most parks costs $7 per vehicle; annual passes are

into each patient room as a supportive treatment to improve patients’ health and experience. Music therapy is the use of music and musical elements to achieve nonmusical goals, such as reducing pain or anxiety, inspiring movement and encouraging rehabilitation. A growing body of research suggests that the power of music can have significant benefits to patients and their family in clinical settings. “I’ve seen music calm my students, bring them to life, and transport them to happier places,” said Bethany Ward, a local musician and music

teacher. “It did the same for my mother, a cancer patient, by easing her mind from the pain, discomfort and worry. It gave her something positive to focus on.” “This is a way for me to combine my art of medicine and passion for music to help support the people I care about in this community,” said Dr. Parker, a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon in Montrose. The community is invited to the United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, to enjoy this incredible concert with all your Christmas favorites.

these programs. Reservations required: (970) 2491914, ext. 423. Full moon open house — Wednesday, Jan. 31, and Thursday, Feb. 1. South Rim Visitor Center will be open 4 to 9 p.m. Experience a moonlit winter night on snowshoes. The visitor center will remain open into the evening to warm up, watch the park film, tour the exhibits and browse the bookstore. Snowshoes are available to use free of charge for self-guided hiking along park snowshoe trails. Hot drinks will be available. Reservations are not required; snowshoe checkouts are first-come, first served. Winter night skies — Saturday, Feb. 17, and Saturday, March 17, 7 p.m. Meet at the South Rim Visitor Center. Join rangers and the Black Canyon Astronomical Society to learn more about what is happening in the night sky. The evening starts with a special program followed by night sky viewing. If the weather looks cloudy, call (970) 249-1914, ext. 423. Be prepared for cold weather. The South Rim Visitor Center winter hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day (closed Christmas Day).

Opals featured in program Rock Wranglers will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, at the Calvary Baptist Church, 1290 A Street, Delta. The program will be a presentation by Del Canty on opals. Everyone is welcome.

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A10 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

Delta County Independent

A generous community supports the Delta Food Pantry Delta High School together with Delta Police Department, Bank of Colorado, State Farm, Bill Heddles Recreation Center, U.S. National Guard and Delta Area Chamber of Commerce collected over 1,300 pounds of food for the Delta Food Pantry. Tayshen Automotive contributed 920 cans of vegetables, soup and meat

after a two-month-long food drive. Ace Hardware delivered a dozen bins of nonperishable food this Christmas season. The Methodists, Presbyterians and Seventh-day Adventists supplemented their regular fare with extra cereal and peanut butter. Competition at the Delta County Memorial Hospital resulted in over 2,000 pounds of food

for the Delta Food Pantry — two full pickup loads! The Grand Mesa Campers and many individual citizens continue to gather food for the pantry. And most of these food drives were accompanied by cash donations as well! DHS Student Council organized a friendly competition among all fourth hour classes. Special

congratulations go out to Mrs. Houser’s fourth hour class which raised over 283 pounds and collected over 394 items. An additional “percentage” winner went out to Mrs. Cronenberg’s fourth hour class, with only five students! They collected 86 pounds and 207 items. Delta Middle School, which joined the competition, successfully matched the high school. They delivered a full pickup load of nonperishable items — 1,300 pounds of

canned goods, pasta and peanut butter! Four Girl Scout troops hosted a Saturday Food Drive during the holidays. They collected food from four locations to help those who need some extra groceries. In 2017 the Delta Food Pantry served an average of 460 people each month. The pantry is for everyone in our community who needs an extra boost — no income guidelines or special criteria. It is open behind

St. Michael’s Catholic Church Monday through Friday 10:30 to 11:30. It is operated by big hearted volunteers. Individual donations, local businesses and these community contributions are the sole support of the organization. With ever-increasing numbers of people served, it is this generosity that keeps us helping one another. A special thanks to everyone for their kindness and spirit of community!

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Delta High School collected 1,535 items and over 1,228 pounds of food for the Delta Food Pantry. Students also delivered personalized family care boxes Photo submitted containing food and toys. They’re pictured below with boxes full of toys and Delta Middle School delivered 1,300 pounds of canned goods, pasta and peaofﬁcers from the Delta Police Department, who partnered with the students nut butter to the Delta Food Pantry. and State Farm to make Christmas merrier for local families.

Photo submitted

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Tayshen Automotive collected 920 non-perishable food items for the Delta Food Pantry. Unloading the donations are (left to right) Seventh-day Adventist School students Narcelle, Thane, Natalie, Sora, teacher Debbie Curran, Shandon, Benji, Delta Food Pantry volunteer Judy Picard, student Swayde, Mike Picard, Barbara Mitchell, Jami Taylor and Robert Shenold from Tayshen Automotive.

GMUG employee receives prestigious Pinchot award Anne Janik, public affairs specialist for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG), recently received the Rocky Mountain Region’s Gifford Pinchot Excellence in Interpretation and Conservation Education Award. The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated accomplishment in developing and delivering interpretive and educational programs, allowing the Forest Service to engage the public through worldclass visitor services,

expand volunteer programs, and strengthen local partnerships that address resource issues. Janik has worked tirelessly to develop a robust conservation education program for the GMUG National Forests engaging local youth through field trips and classroom visits promoting environmental stewardship, Leave No Trace ethics, and fire safety. Her natural leadership, positive and energetic approach has led to the strengthening and development of interagency and community partners includ-

Growing program

ing partnering with The Nature Connection to host the yearly Winter Ecology and Skis for Kids program, which provided educational activities for 2,000 Western Slope students in 2017 alone. “We are very proud of Anne for receiving this prestigious award. Her service to the Forest Service in conservation and youth outreach in our nearby communities is legendary, the recognition was well deserved,” said Scott Armentrout, forest supervisor for the GMUG.

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Senior CommUnity Care’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) recently expanded its Eckert day center adding approximately 3,000 square feet to the dining room and activities areas. The growth of the program in the last few years necessitated the expansion to better accommodate the program’s participants. Senior CommUnity Care is a program of Volunteers of America and has served Delta and Montrose Counties since 2008. Pictured at a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month are Delta Area Chamber of Commerce representatives Portia Vigil, Bobbie Carmichael, Cecelia Tafoya and Susan Welk Valdez. Representing PACE were Craig Ammermann, regional director of operations; Jody Roeber, PACE board member; Tom Turnbull, outgoing chief operating ofﬁcer; Wayne Olson, senior vice president, health services; and Sharon WilsonGeno, incoming chief operating ofﬁcer.

NORTH FORK December 20, 2017

TIMES

Section

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Hotchkiss community invited to dinner

The annual Hotchkiss community Christmas Day Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 25, at the Hotchkiss Senior Center, 276 W. Main Street. A traditional meal of smoked turkey and ham from Zack’s BBQ and all the fixings will be served. Diners are asked to bring a side dish, salad or dessert to share if possible. Making the event run smoothly takes a lot of helping hands. Anyone wishing to

volunteer is asked to arrive at 10 a.m. Takeout is available on request, and free home delivery is available in the Hotchkiss area for those who are unable to attend the dinner. To arrange for takeout or delivery, please contact the Senior Center at 872-3494, Hotchkiss Town Hall at 8723663, or Larry Jakubiak at 260-9628. The meal is free, and donations are gratefully accepted.

Paonia splits tax windfall between bonuses, reserve BY TAMIE MECK Staff Writer

After learning that Paonia will receive unexpectedly high 2017 sales tax revenues, town trustees found themselves somewhat in disagreement about what to do with the windfall. In the end, you might say, The Grinch and Santa Claus found a way to compromise. At last week’s board meeting, town treasurer Ross King explained that unexpectedly high projections in 2017 local sales tax revenues will leave the town with a windfall of roughly $18,000 in unallocated funds. King suggested the board put the money toward year-end bonuses for the town’s 10 employees. Trustees Karen Budinger and Chelsea Bookout, representing the town’s Finance and Personnel committee, recommend that, while acknowledging the board is looking at a very tight 2018 budget, the board approve the bonuses, and that they be distributed based on annual employee performance reviews, as determined by Town Administrator Ken Knight. Trustee Bookout backed their recommendation with some examples of exemplary employee performances. Since taking over collection of utility payments, town clerk Corinne Ferguson has reduced money owed on accounts more than 90 days past due from $40,000 to less than $150. Since being promoted to police chief last April, Neil Ferguson has saved the department roughly $10,000 by going after grants to purchase equipment, said Bookout. Before his promotion, “There were no grants being sought.” The department has also increased revenues for fines and fees. “That’s a big asset for the town.” Public works director Travis Loberg has acquired some

400 hours of comp time while overseeing a major water plant improvement project and two major water distribution improvements projects. PAONIA WINDFALL TO B2

Check out the driver

Photo by Tamie Meck

Each year this little snowman spends Christmastime in the driver’s seat of a classic Triumph sports car parked on Second Street in Paonia. Paonia residents, be sure to turn your Christmas lights on, as the annual Town of Paonia holiday light contest judging takes place this week.

Judge rules that Paonia was right and wrong on records requests BY TAMIE MECK Staff Writer

A former trustee for the Town of Paonia who was repeatedly denied documents requested under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) may get copies of some of those documents, but they won’t come directly from the town. At a Nov. 21 hearing in Delta County Court, Judge Jin Ho Pack ruled that while the town can deny access to the documents in question to the public, the town must grant employee Eric Pace access to his personnel file. The hearing was requested by the town in response to CORA requests filed by former trustee Bill Brunner. Among his nine-point request were records related to an injury Pace suffered in 2016 while working for the Paonia Public Works Department. Pace has also asked for these documents. The hearing was requested to allow the court to make a determination on the requests. The board held executive sessions specific to Brunner’s CORA requests at the Oct. 24, Nov. 14 and Nov. 18 town meetings. Nerlin and town administrator Ken Knight also attended the sessions. No public discussion about the requests were held prior to or after the sessions, and no

Hotchkiss holiday

action was taken following the sessions. Brunner, who was elected to the board in 2016, resigned in June after facing sanctions for releasing a series of emails to the press. The town repeatedly has denied Brunner access to Pace’s records under the state’s “medical data and personnel exemption,” stated town attorney Bo Nerlin during testimony. While Colorado open records law requires that most public records be made available to the public upon request, medical and personnel records are among

those which records custodians “shall” deny access. Pace has been employed by the town public works department since 2007. His injuries were reported to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, and a Workers’ Compensation insurance claim was filed. Pace has not worked since he was injured. Pace testified during the hearing that he attempted four times to get copies of his personnel record and was denied each time. “I’ve been neglected this right from day one,” said Pace. The state’s open records

laws define public access to government documents. Once the documents are released to Pace, he is free to do with them as he pleases, including releasing them to the public and redacting any data he wishes to keep private. The case is an issue of privacy, said Judge Pack. “The case law is pretty clear that if the individual is not exerting a privacy right, that there is no privacy right.” If Pace is not requesting that his medical information remain private, “Quite frankly, I don’t know why we’re here,” said Judge Pack.

Crawford hears request for help from health clinic BY RANDY SUNDERLAND General Manager

The Town of Crawford adopted its 2018 budget following a public hearing on Dec. 6, with two people speaking. Jay Ziegler spoke first, describing how he opened a medical marijuana dispensary in Crawford seven years ago. He was interrupted by Mayor Wanda Gofforth, who asked if his comments pertained to the town’s budget.

Photo by Pat Sunderland

A colorful lot between 1st and 2nd Street on Hotchkiss’ main thoroughfare caught the eye of Tracy Ihnot and son Finley, who judged business entries in the lighting contest sponsored annually by the Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce. The festive display is the work of Gambles ACE Hardware. In second place was Hotchkiss Inn. The residential winners were John and Billie Martia, 583 Juniper Street, ﬁrst; Amanda Meredith, 476 Willow Drive, runnerup; and Sheryl Farmer, 236 Orchard, honorable mention. The residential category was judged by Hotchkiss K8 Junior National Honor Society members. Winners in each category receive $75; runners-up are awarded $25. John Marta said they do not decorate for awards, but for the enjoyment of their fellow residents. Each year, they try to add a new element to their holiday decor; this year, it’s an inﬂatable Santa poking his head out of an outhouse (pictured).

He said his statement was directly related to the budget, and was asked to continue. Ziegler told the town board that seven years ago his marijuana dispensary was locally supplied, and would have generated taxes for the town if it had been allowed to continue. Closing his operation encourages black market, illegally grown product. Referring to a letter to the editor in the Delta County Independent, he outlined a concept of establishing a co-op of growers and an outlet which could generate needed tax revenue and jobs for the community. Jenny Mitchell, who opened the non-profit Needlerock Family Health Clinic in Crawford five years ago, inquired with the town if there were any support available for the clinic. “The clinic is a non-profit,” said Mitchell. “This means it’s not my clinic; it’s the town’s ... it is very important for the town. Does the council think it is vital to have a health clinic in Crawford?” She added, “What happens when I’m gone or retire ... I need some help.” As Mitchell continued, she said the operation needs new board members; that the opening of clinics in Hotchkiss and Paonia by Delta County Memorial Hospital has reduced the number of clients she is seeing, resulting in scaling back to only three days a week. She asked if the town could help with grants. “Operational grants, operational monies is what I need,” said Mitchell. Mayor Gofforth told Mitchell the town did not have access to grant money for her operation. Noting that she had read about the town having some $240,000 in reserves, Mitchell asked, “If there is room in the budget for the clinic, it would be really nice.” After public works direc-

tor Bruce Blair explained the town must maintain reserves and it was not good practice to dip into reserves, Mitchell said, “I’m not really asking for reserves. I am asking the town for some help, some recognition would be nice ... the town can’t even blade a road so my handicapped patients can’t get up there.” Blair explained that the clinic’s entryway is private property which legally the town cannot do anything on it, including plowing. As it became apparent the discussion was veering away from the budget, the town board tabled Mitchell’s topic until the hearing ended and the regular meeting was convened. When the board shifted to its regular agenda, Mayor Gofforth read a letter from Carl Page, demanding that she issue a public apology for comments made during the November meeting. He stated that Gofforth had made a “slanderous attack on my character” when she stated that he had been reprimanded by the Delta County Court during a dispute last year. The mayor then apologized, stating she had used the wrong words. Page accepted her apology. The board then resumed the discussion with Jenny Mitchell. She explained how she came to Crawford in 2008 to establish the clinic. The building housing the clinic opened in 2013. After elaborating on the operation, board member Chris Johnson said, “It is not in the best interest of the town to be involved in the health business. The questions you are posing ... what happens to the building, to the clinic ... is for your board to consider.” “So the town doesn’t have any interest in helping?” asked Mitchell. CRAWFORD COUNCIL TO B2

B2 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

NORTH FORK TIMES

Delta County Independent

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Photo by Pat Sunderland

A musical evening

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Hotchkiss band and choir members in grades 6-12 were featured during a holiday concert Monday, Dec. 11, at the Delta Center for Performing Arts. Music teachers Jeanette Carey and Dylan Fixmer put together a program that included the sixth grade band, seventh/eighth grade choir, seventh/eighth grade jazz band, high school jazz band, high school choir, high school band, a combined community/high school band and “The Ultimate Christmas Sing-Along.” The North Fork Community and Parade Band meets Monday nights from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the music room at Hotchkiss High School. Anyone who loves to make music is invited to join the group.

Paonia windfall FROM PAGE B1 Town finance officer Cindy Jones worked to secure large grants for those major projects. “It’s not easy to get grants of that size and to account for them,” said Bookout. In doing so, Jones has “gone beyond the scope of her job.” With the exception of modest raises for the town clerk and police chief, who are paid well below the salary range for their position, town employees won’t see cost of living increases in 2018. What they will see is “huge increases” in health insurance costs, effectively reducing their net pay. “I think this is a way that the town can at least offer something to the employees who really make this town run,” said Bookout. The town regularly awarded end-of-year bonuses until 2016, noted town administrator Ken Knight. He contacted area communities and found that “most” are giving between 2.5 to 3 percent wage increases in 2018. Those pay raises are “nowhere near what the bonuses would amount to,” said Knight. Those communities, he said, have also seen an even higher increase in sales tax revenues than Paonia. Knight said he preaches setting money aside for a rainy day, but in looking at the big picture, $18,000 won’t go far. “As a gesture, I believe this would be appreciated,” said Knight. Calling it a “difficult decision,” mayor pro tem David Bradford urged trustees to put the entire windfall into reserves. He said he would have a difficult time looking citizens in the eye and saying they awarded bonuses despite the town’s financial difficulties. “I question how we can consider making bonuses

when we just canceled the parks maintenance contract for economic reasons,” said Bradford. “And on top of that, we’re asking for a sales tax increase because we don’t have enough money. Those seem to be conflicting desires.” The town is operating on a “bare-bones staff... and they have done a very good job, and it would be nice to recognize that,” said Mayor Charles Stewart. But with building town reserves a priority, “Is there a potential compromise?” Bookout motioned that the $15,000 go to staff bonuses and $5,000 reserves. Budinger seconded. Trustee Bill Bear motioned to modify the main motion and limit bonuses to no more than

Alpine wonderland

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eye and be okay with saying, ‘We did this, and we need to have a sales (tax) increase,’ because these people are an asset to this town.” The town will never find a Cindy Jones, Corinne Ferguson, Neil Ferguson or Travis Loberg for what they are currently paid, said Bookout. “And if you think that you can, you are sorely mistaken.” “I think there is an attempt here tonight to try to make sure that we recognize the contribution that employees make, yet at the same time, make sure that we do what we need to do to maintain the town’s financial stability,” said Stewart. The final motion passed, 4-0. “Thank you, folks,” said Mayor Stewart. “It’s a tough issue.”

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Crawford Library staff member Jan Ryan set up her locally famous Alpine Village for all library-goers to view during the month of December.

Crawford council FROM PAGE B1 “The town doesn’t have the revenue to help,” replied Gofforth. Chriss Watters compared her situation to that of other businesses in town, needing to find ways to get more people

With and Warm W G Emp ratitude ishes loyee to ou s , at th and N Frien r is Jo eighb ds y ous T ors At hom ime o you ’re we, at w f Ye ishe ork, Joy, ar! lau and d a ha ght at fro p e p m a

50 percent, with the balance going to reserves. With two trustees absent, the vote was tied at 2-2. Mayor Stewart cast the tiebreaker vote in favor of the modification. Bradford said his reasoning is based on his 34-year career with the U.S. Forest Service. In government, he said, any bonuses must be tied to a specific reason or accomplishment and must meet guidelines. Seeing little support for putting all of the money in reserves, he declined to make a motion, and suggested the board consider a policy for staff bonuses. Speaking from her background as a business owner, Bookout said she was “appalled” that anyone would try to deny the bonuses. “I will look any person in this town in the

to come. The chamber, noted Watters, is trying to build up the business community to generate more revenue. Mitchell concluded, “The weight is on my shoulders to keep the clinic open ... I think it is a good business for the town. It’s not my building, it’s not even my road ... I’ll try to keep it operational as long as I can.” The council approved the 2018 budget for the town. It appropriated $99,353 for the general fund, with budgeted expenses of $98,993; $85,754 for the water fund with expenses of $85,393.52; $96,354 for the sewer fund with expenses of $95,993; and $15,000 to the Colorado Trust Fund with expenses of $15,000. It also certified its mill levy of 2.42. After adopting the budget, the board held a lengthy discussion on awarding bonuses to its employees. As council

worked out the 2018 budget, it was decided there would be no changes to employee salaries in the coming year. However, they agreed to look at the town’s financial position at year end and consider bonuses. Mayor Gofforth explained that after reviewing the numbers, the town will be approximately $15,000 “in the black” in its general fund and even in its water and sewer fund. It decided to award $500 bonuses to the town’s three employees. Mike Tiedemann was the only board member to oppose the motion. The next meeting of the Crawford Town Board will be Wednesday, Jan. 3, beginning at 7 p.m.

Paonia cancels Dec. 26 meeting

Nominations for Volunteer of the Year, Business of the Year and Non-Profit of the Year are being accepted by the Crawford Area Chamber of Commerce. Please submit the name and your reason for choosing your nominee to Crawford Chamber@gmail.com. Awardees will be presented at the Old Timers & Newcomers Event in February.

Due to it falling on the day after the Christmas holiday, the Paonia board of trustees canceled its regularly-scheduled Dec. 26 meeting. The board will return to its regular meeting schedule on Jan. 9.

Crawford chamber seeks nominations

NORTH FORK TIMES

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Paonia voters will decide sales tax hike in April Paonia town council is asking voters for one percent sales tax hike BY TAMIE MECK Staff Writer

Paonia voters will be asked to consider a sales tax increase next April. At the Dec. 12 board meeting, trustees approved language for “Ballot Question #1,” a proposed 1 percent increase in local sales taxes. If approved by voters, revenue would go to the town’s general fund. Paonia currently collects total sales taxes of 6.9 percent — 2.9 percent state tax, 2 percent county tax and 2 percent in local sales tax. Of the 2

percent in local taxes collected, half is allocated to the general fund and half to the capital improvement fund. Based on the current tax rate, the town projects fiscal year 2018 local sales tax revenues of $275,000. Ballot language caps increased annual revenue at $150,000. That’s a high estimate, said town attorney Bo Nerlin. But if the town underestimates the first-year revenue, the balance, under the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) would have to be re-funded to taxpayers. The 2018 budget, which was approved at the meeting, has been summed up as “extremely lean.” To balance the budget, trustees cut more than $160,000 from the general fund, including a $42,000 parks maintenance contract and pro-

Grinch comes to life

posed staff pay increases. Trustees Bill Bear and David Bradford have urged the board to consider allocating the proposed sales tax to street repairs. “I pushed very hard for this 1 percent, for that specific purpose,” said Bradford. He said the town would have a better chance of selling the idea to voters if they knew it would help fix the streets. “If we don’t tie it to street repairs, I’m not very comfortable with this proposed resolution.” The town’s budgetary problems “go beyond streets” said Mayor Charles Stewart. Fixing the streets is “a very expensive proposition” that will require other options such as grants. The general fund, however, is what keeps the town operating and pays

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A holiday puppet show entertained over 50 children and their families Saturday, Dec. 9, at Paonia Library. Staff member Laura Lee Yates narrated the popular holiday children’s story “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” while other staff members brought the story to life with puppets.

staff salaries. Stewart reminded the board that two police officers recently accepted better paying positions elsewhere. “The reality is, we need money going into the general fund for the town to operate efficiently.” Town treasurer Ross King said he was “uncomfortable” with tying future revenues to streets, and Stewart and town administrator Ken Knight urged trustees to consider what future boards will face and not tie their hands. While future boards could approve allocation of general fund money for streets, election results can only be changed by another election, said Knight. The 2018 biennial election is scheduled for April 3. Trustees also: • Approved resolutions adopting the 2018 budget and setting the 2017 property tax at 8.322 mills. The final draft budget can be reviewed at Town Hall, or online at townofpaonia.com under the “Government” tab; • Adopted on second reading Ordinance 201712, regulating the possession of marijuana within town limits; and • Awarded a contract for engineering for the proposed sewer line from the Samuel Wade Bridge to Highway 133 to SGM. The Glenwood Springsbased engineering firm, which has contracted with the town on other projects, was one of four firms to submit bids. SGM’s bid of $56,890, discounted from $62,662 if all three phases of the project are awarded under one bid, was about $10,000 lower than the next lowest bid submitted by High Country Engineering.

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Nice to meet you!

Teagan Ihnot meets Santa for the ﬁrst time at the Hotchkiss Fire Station on Saturday, Dec. 16. Members of the ﬁre department were on hand to also show Santa’s visitors all of the big trucks and other gear parked at the station.

Hotchkiss musicians earn recognition Seventh and eighth grade band members Izzi Houseweart (flute), Addi Neal (clarinet) and Tia Moore (percussion) were selected to participate in the CBA Western Slope Select Band. High schoolers Katie Powers (flute) and Tristen Allen (percussion) were also named to the CBA Western Slope Select Band. Jordan Denison and Tristen Allen were select-

Holiday potluck Elsewhere Studios, 107 Third Street, Paonia, invites the community to a holiday potluck at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22. Bring a dish, your favorite beverage, and/or a friend and celebrate the holidays.

ed for the CBA Western Slope Honor Jazz Band. Makahla Johnson, Ruby Shiflet, Jordan Denison, Christian Matus and Sam Rodriguez took part in the Colorado Choir Directors’ Select Choir for high schoolers. After a highly extensive audition process, five middle school students were named to the middle school All-State Choir — Victoria Clark, Dana Hart, Bailey Miller, Emma Miller and Araina VenJohn. The students were recognized at the Dec. 7 meeting of the school board, which was held at Hotchkiss K-8. Director Jeanette Carey said the middle school choir is just in its second year, yet more Hotchkiss K8 vocalists were selected for All-State Choir than from any other school in the region.

B4 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

NORTH FORK TIMES

Delta County Independent

Haystack wins ‘Best American Cheese’ award the day-long global competition. Haystack cheese maker Jackie Chang gets Haystack Mountain the credit for the awards, Goat Dairy’s Gold Hill said Schott. She develCheese was recently oped the recipe and is named the “Best Amerithe one who suggested can Cheese” at the 30th trying a pasteurized milk annual World Cheese recipe. Awards at Tobacco Dock Two other varieties, in London. Funkmeister and Queso Paonia farmer James de Mano, also won gold Schott is the big cheese medals in London. at Haystack Mountain. Haystack produces He founded the famabout a dozen cheeses, ily-owned business near Photo by Pat Sunderland which are sold throughNiwot in 1990. In 2002, out the U.S. City Market he and wife Carol purcarries its Chevre goat’s chased a small farm on Hotchkiss K-8 hosted its ﬁrst annual Reverse Caroling Night on Dec. 14. milk cheese. Each year Lamborn Mesa, where Previous vocal music concerts in the school gym suffered from poor Haystack enters cheesthey planned to reloacoustics, so music teacher Dylan Fixmer and school administrators John es in the World Cheese cate the company. But Marchino and Carey Carlquist came up with the idea of Reverse Caroling Awards competitions. It Night. During the one-hour presentation, community and family memhas won other awards bers moved from classroom to classroom to take in four of the six choral over the years, said groups. Direction was provided by seventh/eighth grade choir students Schott, but this is the of Jeanette Carey. Above, Sara Morris and Tristan Barnash lead the ﬁfth first time it won in the graders in Mr. Miller’s classroom. Lyrics to the carols were provided so “Best American Cheese” audience members could sing along. After the performances, carolers and category. their families were invited to stop by the “Cookie Cottage.” Over the years Haystack has also won numerous awards at the annual American Cheese Society conference and competition, which this year was held in Denver. The “Best American Photo submitted Cheese” award is a big Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy’s Gold Hill Cheese deal for Haystack, said was recently named “Best American Cheese” in Schott. “To get the ‘best North Fork Ambu- expected to serve a two- northforkambulance. a global competition. Paonia residents James and of show’ at the American Carol Schott own the family-owned company, Cheese Society would be lance is currently seeking year term and attend a com or 234-6169 if you or two new board members. monthly meeting and someone you know may which is located near Niwot. the next big thing.” The mission of the North work sessions as needed. be interested in serving. Fork Ambulance is to North Fork Ambulance provide all people in the is currently not publicly North Fork Valley with funded by tax dollars, compassionate, excellent and financially supported and timely pre-hospi- by memberships, patient tal care and emergency fees, grants and donatransport. tions. The organization is The organization researching other options for future funding. Candistrives to: • Provide the best dates with prior nonprofit possible care to every and/or board experience Crawford Community patient with the shortest are welcome. North Fork United Methodist Church response time possible; Ambulance is looking for will hold a Christmas Eve • Maintain economic members with an atten- service at 5 p.m. Sunday, and financial sustainabil- tion to detail, experience Dec. 24. The candlelight ity; and in strategic planning/ service celebrates the Photo by Tamie Meck • Uphold a work cul- development, or a strong “Gift of Christmas” with ture where each patient, desire to help pave the favorite Christmas carols customer and employee way for the North Fork and scripture readings. Red, white and blue is the theme for this holiday lights display in Paonia. is valued and respected. Ambulance. All are welcome. Paonia residents, be sure to turn your Christmas lights on, as the annual Contact Kathy Steckel A board member with The church is located Town of Paonia holiday light contest judging takes place this week. North Fork Ambulance is by Dec. 31 at ksteckel@ at 297 Dogwood Avenue.

BY TAMIE MECK Staff Writer

the popularity of artisan cheeses surged and the company quickly grew too large for the small farm, said Schott. In 2009 the Schotts moved to their farm to start a small goat dairy. They eventually sold their goats, and now grow lavender and raise chickens, sheep, and Scottish Highland cows at Lamborn Mesa Farmstead. Gold Hill cheese, which the Schotts describe as a very flavorful pasteurized milk version of a Spanish-style raw milk hard cheese, was among some 3,000 cheeses judged at

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North Fork Ambulance needs board members

Christmas Eve service planned in Crawford

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SPORTS

Delta County Independent

SPORTS December 20, 2017

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Freed named MVP

Delta boys earn FCNB title

BY WAYNE CRICK DCI Sports Editor

Delta coach Rob Ames congratulated his Panther basketball team following last Saturday’s championship win in the second annual First Colorado National Bank Basketball Tournament. Ames also praised his squad for accomplishing one of several team goals for the season. The first goal was to win the annual FCNB tournament and take an undefeated record into the Christmas break. Delta has been in postseason play for the past several years and is looking to extend that streak a few more years.

The Panthers return eight off last year’s Sweet 16 team and six have substantial experience at the varsity level. Seniors Logan Freed, Jaspar Carmichael and Dylan Hollenbeck lead the way this season. Juniors Andrew Baier and Jonathan Robinson compliment the three seniors and together make up a starting five that has been potent. Delta faced Paonia in its opening game of the First Colorado National Bank Basketball Tournament. The Panthers used constant pressure and a stingy defense to score a 60-32 win in their opening game. Saturday’s title game

Photo by Wayne Crick

The 2017 Boys MVP for the second annual First Colorado National Bank Basketball Tournament is Logan Freed. Freed is ﬂanked on the left by FCNB representative Christy Harding and Stan Park with Brad Harding pictured on the right.

was more demanding as both teams play an uptempo game and like to pressure the ball as much as possible. Delta had an early advantage and kept an offensive edge throughout the contest to score a 71-54 decision for the tournament title. Delta’s win represents its 14th victory in the tournament, which began as the Bank of the West Basketball Tournament in 1994. Friday’s opening round game against Paonia had solid first quarter starts for Freed and Carmichael from their guard positions allowing them to score four points each in the first quarter. The play of junior Joe Bules on the inside generated six points helping Delta score 19 points. Freed was persistant from his guard’s position and found his way to the rim for eight more points and John Ames drilled a three-pointer and a regular goal for five points. At quarter’s end, Delta owned a 42-12 halftime advantage over the Eagles. In the third period, it was Baier’s turn to go to work on the inside with six points to lead Delta on a 16-8 run. Paonia’s Enoch Kropp was busy in the fourth quarter and scored seven points to lead the Eagles on a 10-4 run to make the final score 62-30. Freed’s 19 points led all scorers in the game with Delta teammates Carmichael, Baier and Bules adding 10 points each to the win. Kropp had 16 points to

lead Paonia shooters and Sean Devlin added 11. Against Cedaredge in the title game, a fastpaced game caused miscues for both teams. The Panthers seemed to have control early with a 148 scoring advantage in the first quarter. Freed scored two field goals and four other Panthers contributed a single goal each. Second-quarter play produced more offense from both teams. Jacob Lewis got hot from the left corner and helped himself to a pair of three-pointers and two regular field goals. A free throw was added to Lewis’ totals giving him 11 points in the quarter. Baylee Piper added a trey and a two-pointer for five more points in a

16-point run by the Bruins. Delta countered with Carmichael’s 10 points which helped lead Delta on a 17-point spree to keep the Panthers on top, 31-24, at halftime. Freed kept Delta ahead in the third quarter with an eight-point shooting effort that was aided by Robinson and Hollenbeck’s four points each that helped the Panthers gain a 21-17 advantage over the Bruins in the frame. Piper had six of Cedaredge’s 17 points in the third quarter with Lewis and Jared Reynolds adding four points each to the team total. Delta was able to hold off a determined Bruins’ squad in the fourth quarter. Carmichael and Freed contributed five

points and Bules chipped in another four in Delta’s 18-point run. Peter Carlson, one of the state’s top scorers, scored six of his 10 points in the fourth quarter and Piper tossed in another five for the Bruins. Piper and Lewis finished with 18 points to pace Cedaredge scorers. Carmichael’s 19 counters gave Delta the game’s leading scorer with Freed completing the night with 18 points. Freed averaged 18.5 points a game in last weekend’s tournament and was honored by coaches with the MVP trophy. Delta heads to Christmas break with a 5-0 record and the Bruins are 4-2 following last week’s tournament play.

Photo by Wayne Crick

The Delta Panthers are this year’s First Colorado National Bank boys basketball champions. From the left, FCNB CEO Stan Park and FCNB President Brad Harding, Delta players Joe Bules, Alex Fausto, John Ames, Jaspar Carmichael, Andrew Baier, Logan Freed, Jonathan Robinson, Eli Farmer, Felipe Bedoy and FCNB HR Manager Christy Harding.

Freeman MVP

Bruin girls win FCNB title

BY WAYNE CRICK DCI Sports Editor

This year’s First Colorado National Bank Basketball Tournament was an interesting event for the four Delta County high school teams involved in the two-day tournament. On the girls’ side of the tournament there was not a single team returning a squad which had more than a handful of players who saw considerable playing time last season. Cedaredge, one of this year’s FCNB title game teams, had six players on last year’s team with Courtney Freeman, Jade McGovern and Grace Andrews seeing the most playing time. Addison Schwarz was a fourth

player who picked up more playing time as the season progressed but was not a starter. Freshman Makayla Kehmeier began playing more for the Bruins as her skills made it obvious she would be a strong player and wound up playing in 11 games. Clarity Call and Dalia Alejandre were not listed in last year’s statistical categories and Camie Baldozier played in one game as listed in varsity game results last season. Freeman, a starter as a sophomore, is this year’s top performer with the most experience (22 games last season). She leads this year’s starting roster as the top scorer from a year ago with

seven points a game in her sophomore season. What the Bruins do have is the mindset of what it takes to be a winner. Hustle, desire, skill and armed with a defensive attitude taking a back seat to no one, the Bruins can disrupt the offensive flow of any team they face. The Bruins began their title chase in this year’s FCNB Classic with a solid 50-32 win over Hotchkiss on Friday, Dec. 15. A scare in the title game produced an overtime period in which the Bruins outscored Delta 10-6 for a 47-43 win. The Bruins used the scoring of McGovern (six points) and Alejandre (four points) to take a 13-

5 lead after one quarter against Hotchkiss. Cedaredge’s defense limited the Bulldogs to another five points in the second quarter while its offense tacked on 10 more points to lead 23-10 at halftime. Freeman was the catalyst for Cedaredge in a third-quarter run which netted 19 points. Freeman accounted for all eight of her game points in the third frame with Kehmeier adding five in the scoring run. Hotchkiss sophomore Shay Glaser had four of Hotchkiss’ eight points in the quarter. A slow fourth quarter produced eight points for the Bruins with Kehmeier hitting a pair of three-

Photo by Wayne Crick

Beginning on the left is FCNB representative Al Formicola, FCNB President Brad Harding, assistant coaches Greg Medill and Haley Benson, Shannon Goff, assistant coach Russell Coleman, Courtney Freeman, Kammie Henderson, Makayla Kehmeier, Dalia Alejandre, Camie Baldozier, FCNB District Manager Amy Crick, FCNB CEO Stan Park and Adam Hoffman. In the front row is Clarity Call, Addison Schwarz, Jade Gummo and Grace Andrews.

pointers and a common field goal to account for all of Cedaredge’s scoring in the frame. Hotchkiss outscored the Bruins by six with Glaser’s four points leading the way in a 14-point spurt for the Bulldogs. Glaser finished with 13 counters to lead Hotchkiss with Carson Collins contributing nine points. Kehmeier’s 16 points led the Bruins attack while McGovern’s 10 points was next to go with Freeman’s eight points. In the title game against Delta, the Bruins found themselves in a whirlwind as the Panthers raced to a 13-4 lead after one period. The Panthers’ offense was slowed down a bit in the second quarter but still managed

to add points to their lead in a 9-6 advantage and a 22-10 lead at halftime. The hand-check rule found its way into the game in second period play as the Bruins shot seven free throws and Delta had six shots from the charity stripe. The Bruins turned things around in the second half and began chipping away at Delta’s lead with a 15-10 advantage in the third quarter. Kehmeier’s six points and another four from Schwarz helped spark Cedaredge’s run. The Panthers countered with four points each from Missa Webb and Aubrey Jones in the frame. Cedaredge got four points each from Kehmeier and Freeman in the BRUIN GIRLS TO B6

Photo by Wayne Crick

Cedaredge junior Courtney Freeman was selected as the 2017 First Colorado National Bank’s MVP. From the left is FCNB HR Manager Christy Harding, Courtney Freeman, FCNB CEO Stan Park and FCNB President Brad Harding.

B6 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

SPORTS

Delta County Independent

Panthers place three; Church wins Classic BY TAMIE MECK DCI Sports Writer

Delta placed at three weights, including one champion, at the 41st annual Warrior Classic wrestling tournament. Senior heavyweight Logan Church scored 34 team points and won four matches by technical fall on his way to his second straight Warrior title. Brandon Harper made Photo by Tamie Meck an impressive showing Delta senior Logan Church scores back points Saturday in the semiﬁnal round at the Warrior. Harper, of the Warrior Classic in Grand Junction. Now a two-time Warrior champion, who wrestles at 152, was Church signed in November to wrestle for Western State in Gunnison. seeded 44th and placed fifth. This is the first year

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team didn’t do as well as they’d hoped, said Curtis. Freshman Ben Koch (120) was one win away from placing and finished the tournament at 3-2. Senior Drake Horn was also one away from placing, going 3-2 for the tournament and scoring 13 points. Horn pinned his way to quarterfinals, where he lost by decision to 5A Pueblo South. Ayden Tucker (126), Brendon Starr (145), Kolby Keller (182) and Gauge Lockhart (220) also scored team points for Delta. “This is a tough tournament,” said Curtis. With multiple top-ranked schools and almost 400 wrestlers competing at the Warrior, statistically, “It’s a tough place to place.”

Bruins place four, Geyer takes third at Warrior Classic

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Harper made the varsity squad, said head coach Clayton Curtis, and this weight was among the most competitive at the perennially highly competitive Warrior. Last year he wrestled some varsity matches, but was competing for the varsity position with senior Kole Roberts, at 145. “It was hard for him to crack the line-up the last couple of years,” said Curtis. This season Harper is 14-4 and ranked in the top 10 in state heading into the winter break. One of three Delta wrestlers to win a quarterfinal match, sophomore Cody Sauve (138) placed sixth. Delta scored 106 points to placed ninth out of 42 teams. With a few wrestlers battling injuries the

He was ranked third in Class 2A by On the Mat. At 126, Sean Dale, placed fifth. The only Bruin to advance to the semifinals, Dale lost by decision to top-ranked wrestler Randon “Cubby” Deets of Uintah, Utah. In consolation matches Dale pinned his first four opponents in a total mat time of 4 minutes, 7 seconds — ranking him eighth for the tournament in the “most pins, least amount of time” category. “I’m not satisfied at all. This is not where I want to be,” he said. “But you can only work from there.” After pinning a top-10 wrestler from 5A Rocky Mountain in 37 seconds in quarterfinals, Dale lost to Deets, then lost in sudden victory consolation semifinals to Fabian Lujan of Montrose. In the fifth-place championship match Dale won, 13-11 over Pagosa Springs. Dale, who placed fourth at state as a freshman, called his performance a “wake-up call... It showed me I need to keep working to get where I want to be.” Fortunately, said Dale, “We’ve got a long way until state. We’ve just got to keep grinding.” Junior Taj Van der Linde (220) was ranked third in state heading into the Warrior. He was BRUINS TO B7

If there’s a tournament Delta’s Brandon Harper glances at the clock in his championship round ﬁfth-place match win over that tests a wrestler’s Colton Hoerr of Cedaredge Saturday night at the ability before February’s state tournament, it’s the Warrior Classic. Warrior Classic. The highest placer for the Bruins at last week’s Warrior was Trey Geyer, who at 120 pounds placed third on a 12-5 decision over a wrestler from Pueblo South. Geyer didn’t plan top-ranked wrestler, win- on placing third. “I was BY TAMIE MECK ning a consolation match just kind of looking to DCI Sports Writer At the Warrior Classic, or two, or scoring against place anywhere I could,” where even the best wres- a state champion from a he said. Cedaredge scored 122 tlers in the state can get bigger school. Last Saturday night points and had four wresbeaten, and up-and-coming wrestlers can gain the Paonia Eagles cel- tlers place in the top six taking sec- at the 41st annual Warinvaluable experience ebrated against athletes they ond place among small rior Classic. Held Dec. might otherwise never schools at the 41st annual 15 and 16 at Central see, victories often come Warrior Classic. Paonia High School, the all-class in small measure: not placed four wrestlers and tournament attracted 42 getting pinned against a scored 126.5 points. “Not teams from three states, too bad,” said head coach and almost 400 wrestlers. Nate Wiggins with a hint The Warrior consistently of exhaustion in his voice. attracts top-ranked ath“I think we got second in letes from all classes and small schools last year.” in each weight division. Geyer (120) was a (He was right. Paonia took second among small dark horse, winning six schools last year to Mon- of his seven tournament matches and scoring 51 ticello, Utah.) Uintah High School in match points and 25 Vernal, Utah, took first team points. In quarteramong the small schools finals he lost, 8-6, in sudand placed fourth overall. den victory against reignClass 5A Grand Junction ing state runner-up A.J. and 4A Rocky Mountain Serna of Grand Valley. Geyer is a freshman. and Thompson Valley took the top three spots. In 2017 he was the midFor the first time in dle school regional and recent history the Eagles state champion at 110 ended the two-day tour- pounds and won the 15nament with no Warrior and-under division at the champions. “That hap- New Mexico National pens at this tournament,” Showdown last January. said Wiggins. “It’s pretty brutal to get through there. We’d always like to get a few more through.” Junior 138-pounder Sackett Chesnik was the only Eagle to get to the championship match. In semifinals Chesnik won in sudden victory over 13-2 Tannen Kennedy of Meeker. Chesnik’s match against Zac Musselman, the reigning state champion from Utah, was a back-and-forth battle for control, with Chesnik in control and leading, 3-2, in the final seconds of the Photo by Tamie Meck match when Musselman pulled a reversal as the Wrestling at 120 pounds, Cedaredge’s Trey Geyer referee blew the whistle. controls Kristian Arguello of Pueblo Saturday night “It was a good perfor- at the Warrior Classic champion round third-place match. Geyer, who won the match, 12-5, is a freshmance,” said Wiggins. EAGLES TO B7 man and is ranked third in the state.

Eagles 7th at 42-team Warrior

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Bruin girls CONTINUED FROM B5 fourth quarter sparking a 12-5 run which earned a 37-37 tie for the Bruins to force overtime. As the fourth quarter ended, Delta was whistled for a technical foul. The overtime period began with Freeman knocking down both free throws with the Bruins getting the ball back at mid-court to begin play. A quick basket from Freeman gave the Bruins a four-point lead (41-37). A three-point shot by Sara Geddes brought the Panthers to within one

(41-40) and a Keeley Porter basket put Delta back in front (42-40). After that, the whistles blew and free throw shots were taken. In all, Cedaredge shot 14 free throws in the four-minute overtime period and Delta had opportunities for just three tries from the line. A 10-6 edge for the Bruins salvaged the FCNB championship title with a 47-43 decision. Cedaredge, with the win, picked up its seventh win since the tournament began in 1994 under the heading of Bank of the

West Basketball Tournament. Kehmeier, Freeman and Schwarz shared top scoring honors for the Bruins with 10 points each in the game. Freeman’s play in the tournament earned her this year’s FCNB MVP honors. Delta’s Jones was the game’s leading scorer with 11 points, including five of seven on free throws in the second half. Geddes and Jenna Sutliff were next high for the Panthers with eight and seven points respectively.

SPORTS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Bruin boys in title game BY WAYNE CRICK DCI Sports Editor

A big win over Hotchkiss (69-63) in Friday’s first round of the First Colorado National Bank Tournament had Cedaredge High School’s boys basketball team anticipating a highly competitive game in the

title game on Saturday night. That title game turned out to be against the tournament host school Delta High School. The Panthers turned back last year’s champions Paonia (62-30). The Bruins were unable to match Delta’s firepower in every quar-

ter and eventually fell, 71-54, to finish second (see related story). Getting past Hotchkiss would not be an easy task, taking into consideration the Bulldog’s seven-footer Jacob Stucker. Good passing, and some luck, might be a combination that could lead to points

Campos, Mayberry place at Warrior meet BY TAMIE MECK DCI Sports Writer

Hotchkiss placed two wrestlers at the 41st Central Warrior wrestling tournament. At 120 pounds, Sergio Campos was seeded first and won silver Saturday night after falling in the first round to Utah High School state champion Gavin Ayotte of Uintah. Campos placed fourth at the Warrior as a sophomore. The loss was his first of the season. Campos pinned Fruita Monument’s Tayton Skufca in 1 minute, 21 seconds to advance to quarterfinals, where he won in a 5-3 tiebreaker over 4A wrestler Kristian

Arguello of Pueblo South. In semifinals, Campos won by a 13-4 major decision over Meeker senior Jacob Pelloni. Junior Landen Mayberry (106) placed sixth after a championship round loss to 5A Denver East’s Armando Garcia. Mayberry opened the tournament Friday by pinning Battle Mountain’s Sasha Gordon in seven seconds, which marked the shortest match of the two-day, 42team, tournament. Mayberry lost in quarterfinals after being pinned by Garcia with four seconds remaining on the clock. Mayberry wrestled back to consolation semi-

finals on a technical fall over Uintah, Utah — the seventh-fastest technical fall of the tournament, and a 12-11 decision over Pagosa Springs. He dropped to the fifth-place match on a loss to 5A Grand Junction’s Kieran Thompson. Considered one of the most competitive tournaments in the state, last weekend’s Warrior Classic attracted 42 teams from and 398 competitors from throughout Colorado, and from Utah and New Mexico. Hotchkiss will open the new year on Jan. 4 with a dual against Palisade’s Bulldogs at Colorado Mesa University.

in the paint for opposing teams. Stucker’s wing span is deceiving as many of Hotchkiss’ opponents can attest. Early in the contest, Stucker would not be as big a problem as anticipated. An outside attack from the perimeter gave the Bruins much more to be concerned with. Hotchkiss’ Braxton Trujillo hit four straight three-pointers in the first quarter, and Jonathan Gonzalez hit another in a 20-18 Bulldog run. Baylee Piper was half as effective with his trio of field goals inside the arc with Jacob Lewis scoring five points and Peter Carlson adding another four to account for 17 of the Bruins’ 18 points. Hotchkiss continued to shoot outside the arc in second-quarter action with Gonzalez and Trujillo nailing two more three-pointers each. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs scored just 14 points in the frame while Cedaredge netted 23 points, led by Carlson’s 11 points (including seven of eight free throws). The scoring burst vaulted Cedaredge to a 41-34 halftime lead. After the break, scoring dropped off for both teams. Cedaredge added to its lead with a 1412 scoring advantage in the third quarter. Carlson found the net for six more points for the Bruins while Trujillo scored with a three and a twopointer for Hotchkiss. The Bulldogs had three players with four or more points in the fourth quarter allowing Hotchkiss to outscore the Bruins 17-16 in the game’s final eight minutes. BRUIN BOYS TO B8

Photo by Wayne Crick

Cedaredge’s Peter Carlson takes the ball to the basket against Delta defender Andrew Baier during the First Colorado National Bank championship boys game last Saturday evening. The Panthers built an early lead and held on to win the title, 71-54.

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Photo by Tamie Meck

Sergio Campos works toward a 13-4 win over Jacob Pelloni of Meeker in the 120-pound semiﬁnal match of the Warrior Classic. Campos ﬁnished second to a top-ranked wrestler from Uintah, Utah.

Eagles CONTINUED FROM B6 Chesnik is now 15-1 for the season. Clay Campbell (145) was 6-2 for the tournament and placed fourth. In the championship round Campbell lost by pin to Cole Hernandez, a top-five wrestler from 4A Pueblo Centennial. On day one of the twoday tournament, Campbell lost his third-round match to Hernandez by a 6-4 decision and paid dearly for the loss, working his way back to Saturday night’s championship round by winning five consolation matches,

Wonderful ��

four of them by pin. “Hopefully I’ll see him again,” said Campbell. It was also Campbell’s first time to place at the Warrior. “He had one of the tougher brackets,” said Wiggins. “He just had a phenomenal tournament.” At 220, Cyrus MalekMadani placed sixth on a 3-0 decision to Cedaredge’s Taj Van der Linde. Malek-Madani is a senior, but this is his first appearance at the Warrior. “Not bad for a first appearance,” said Wiggins. Malek-Madani has improved a lot since last

Photo courtesy BHRC

A brighter Christmas

The racquetball elves played in the Santa ShootOut hosted by Bill Heddles Recreation Center Saturday. Players from Montrose to Grand Junction gathered to help Santa bring cheer to Families Plus of Delta which used the donated toys to brighten local children’s Christmas. Pictured above are Kristi Hensley, business and development director for Families Plus; Gary West, BHRC ﬁtness coordinator; and Dennis Bollig, Families Plus board president.

year, said Wiggins. “To go into this undefeated and get sixth” shows how far he’s come. Paonia wrestled at 10 weights and won matches and scored team points in every weight. The Eagles will begin winter break Wednesday with a home dual against Palisade. Matches start at 6 p.m.

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Bruins CONTINUED FROM B6 5-2 for the tournament and dropped to the consolation bracket on a quarterfinal loss to 4A Thompson Valley. In his only match against a 2A wrestler, Van der Linde took fifth on a decision over Paonia senior Cyrus Malek-Madani. “Really tough tournament,” said Van der Linde. But the Warrior does give wrestlers a chance to see different styles and compete against athletes they wouldn’t otherwise meet. Colton Hoerr (152) was seeded 12th at 152 pounds and finished sixth. After dropping to the consolation bracket on a loss to Delta’s Brandon Harper, Hoerr won five straight matches, including a 5-2 decision over top-10 ranked Central High School wrestler Paul Salazar, to advance to consolation semifinals. The Bruins’ eight non-placing wrestlers, Ryan Imhoff (113), Alex McCracken (132), David Schipmann (145), Jared Hulteen (160), Drew Markley (170), David Lopez (182), Toby Waddell (195), and Derek Sanchez (285), scored a combined 46 team points. The Bruins head into the holiday break and will dual Hotchkiss when they return on Jan. 5.

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B8 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

SPORTS

Delta County Independent

Delta girls beat Paonia BY WAYNE CRICK DCI Sports Editor

After rolling over Paonia 48-36 in their opener in this year’s First Colorado National Bank Basketball Tournament, Delta’s Panthers had control of the title game over Cedaredge but suffered lack of consistency in the second half in a 47-43 overtime loss to the Bruins (see related article). Delta came into the title game with a 4-0 record while Cedaredge was 5-0 coming in. There were five players who are listed on this

year’s Delta varsity roster who saw any playing time on the court a year ago. Of the five, juniors Jenna Sutliff and Missa Webb had the most minutes. Sutliff, a part time starter, is a guard who has improved markedly in 2017. Webb has speed and is a dangerous break away threat this season. Senior Aubrey Jones and sophomore Sara Geddes are valuable inside players who are starters this season and are gaining valuable experience each game. Junior Kaylee St. Peter is the fifth play-

er and she is this year’s starting point guard. As a young team the Panthers bring enthusiasm and determination to each game. Coupled with their hustle and a solid defense, the Panthers are making plays on both sides of the ball. Delta started the second annual FCNB tournament against Paonia last Friday evening. A 20-3 first quarter was sparked by the play of Webb who had eight points in the run by Delta. Play was more even

in the second period with each team scoring 12 points. Senior Andi Todd provided the Eagles with a spark on offense with eight points leaving Paonia on the negative side of a 32-15 deficit at the break. Paonia held the upper hand after halftime with junior Kassidy Rapke leading the way with five points in an 11-6 run for the Eagles. Each team scored 10 points in the final quarter leaving the margin of victory at 12 (48-36). Geddes finished the game with 13 points to lead Delta scorers and Webb was good for 12 points. Freshman Keeley Porter finished with eight points. Todd had 13 to top Photo by Wayne Crick Paonia shooters and Mckenna Palmer was close Delta’s Aubrey Jones pulls down a rebound against solation honors. Neither team had behind with 12 counters. Cedaredge’s Addison Schwarz in a title game loss. much offense in first quarter play. Hotchkiss’ Kaiya Firor scored four of the Bulldogs’ six points helping Hotchkiss take a 6-5 lead to second stanza play. Hotchkiss kept offensive momentum into the second quarter with Carson Collins, Elsie Vasquez points helped keep Paonia the fourth quarter and BY WAYNE CRICK and Kaleigh Little scorin front of the Bulldogs Trujillo’s third shot from DCI Sports Editor ing four points each in a After suffering through as the Eagles increased beyond the arc wasn’t 12-9 Bulldog run. Paonia spent plenty of time at a cold shooting night their lead by one in a 14- enough to close the gap after an 18-7 Eagles’ run. the free throw line in the against Delta the previ- 13 second quarter. The game’s complex- Kropp’s seven points in second quarter and took ous day, Paonia’s Eagles 10 shots, making just bounced back in the First ion changed after half- the final stanza led the four of them, in a nine- Colorado National Bank’s time with Paonia dou- way with Caden Meilner point run by the Eagles. consolation game for a bling the Bulldogs’ score adding five and Slater A four-point halftime 60-43 win on Saturday. on a 14-7 run. Trujillo another four points in the deficit became a one-point Paonia scored just 30 was the leading scorer for Paonia run. Kropp finished the advantage following a 9- points against Delta in Hotchkiss with his three4 third quarter offensive Friday night’s opener. for-three shooting at the game with 15 points to Enoch Kropp held his free throw line. Paonia’s lead Paonia’s offense. effort by the Eagles. The two teams battled own offensively against Sean Devlin sparked Meilner was next high for evenly through fourth- the Panthers with 16 an Eagles’ run with two the Eagles with 10 points quarter play with Paonia points and tallied 15 three-pointers in the and Slater and Devlin keeping the lead with a counters against the third quarter and Paonia scored nine points each. Trujillo was the only 12-10 edge to preserve a Bulldogs on Saturday to led 42-32 with one period Hotchkiss player in dou35-32 win. Paonia made lead the Eagles scoring left to play. Hotchkiss was stuck ble figures with his 18 four of 10 free throws in attack both days. Hotchkiss’ Braxton on the number seven in points. the period with Lightfoot adding a pair of field goals Trujillo began Saturday’s to match Andi Todd’s four play with two long-range shots for six points in free throws. Vasquez’s six points in the first quarter. Trujilthe fourth quarter kept lo scored 26, in a losing the Bulldogs close and cause, against Cedaredge within reach in the final on Friday. Braxton had seven three-pointers in moments. Vazquez’s 11 points that game. Saturday’s game was was high for the game with Collins’ seven coun- evenly played between ters next high for the the Bulldogs and Eagles. Bulldogs. Paonia’s lead- Kropp began his day with ing scorer was Palmer a pair of three-pointwho finished with nine ers for the Eagles and points. Lightfoot and Paonia managed to come Kassidy Rapke had six away with a two-point lead after one period of points each. Prep hoops resume in action. Slater Podgorny’s five January 2018.

Paonia girls lose to Delta; beat Hotchkiss BY WAYNE CRICK DCI Sports Editor

Paonia won last year’s girls division of the First Colorado National Bank Basketball Tournament and Emily Pieper was named MVP. This year’s Paonia Eagles are competitive but lack experience and the depth of last year’s squad. This year’s Paonia basketball roster contains just four players who have had varsity experience. Senior Mckenna Palmer is one of the leading players on that list with 20 games played last year on a highly talented team that won all 25 games it played to capture the 2A State Basketball Championship. Palmer scored at a 5.7 per game clip and

averaged three rebounds a game. Kassidy Rapke played in 21 games for the Eagles and averaged 1.7 steals a game. Sister Randi played in 19 games with a 9.5 scoring average. Freshman Poppy Lightfoot had playing time in 16 games and is contributing heavily this season. Paonia began play in this year’s FCNB Basketball Tournament against Delta (see related article). Delta was too much for the young Eagles early in the season and the Panthers claimed a 48-36 victory. The Eagles bounced back on Saturday night against Hotchkiss with a 35-32 win to capture con-

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Second half play nets win for Eagles boys over Hotchkiss five

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Hotchkiss’ Sam Rodriguez gets off a shot over the outstretched arm of Paonia’s David Lozano. The Eagles had a good shooting night and scored a 6043 win in the second annual First Colorado National Bank boys consolation game.

ACADEMIC Cele brating stu dents with a cade mic excellence!

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Photo by Wayne Crick

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Hotchkiss’ Shay Glaser (13) dumps a pass over the defense of Paonia’s Randi Rapke (3) during consolation action of the First Colorado National Bank tournament.

Bruin boys CONTINUED FROM B7 Jared Reynolds had a pair of treys and a deuce to lead Cedaredge in scoring 16 points in the final stanza. Trujillo finished the game with seven threepointers and Gonzalez scored four times from beyond the arc. Sam Rodriguez also scored once from behind the

three-point line as the Bulldogs lost 69-63. Trujillo’s 26 points were the most scored by any player in the game. Gonzalez added 14 points in the loss. Carlson’s 24 points topped Cedaredge scorers. Reynolds finished the game with 17 points, Jacob Lewis had 15 and Piper scored 10.

SURFACE CREEK December 20, 2017

NEWS

Section

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Holiday musicals require teamwork BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer

What’s it like to harness the talents and focus the attention of a hundred squirming children? In the case of Cedaredge Elementary School’s fifty-five first graders, you might say that it’s like herding energetic bears or, where CES’s fifty-seven kindergarteners are concerned, like organizing swirling snowflakes. Just ask CES’s music teacher, Andrea Kallsen, because she knows. Every year — for four years running — Kallsen has worked with her school’s teachers and the entire student population to produce a whirlwind of holiday performances. Kallsen started at CES five years ago as a kindergarten teacher but her minor in music with an emphasis in voice led to her music role. She graduated from York College in Nebraska and taught kindergarten for seven years in Crawford

before coming to CES. And she’s certainly been busy this year. Since Dec. 1, she and a host of helpers have labored to prepare 400 children for five separate musical programs. This meant two weeks of intensive setpreparation, creating props, costuming, rehearsing, and choreographing. And it all paid off last week as parents and families packed into the CES gymnasium every evening from Dec. 11-15 to hear children sing and recite holiday cheer. All six grades (kindergarten through fifth) performed and the name of every child who sang was listed in programs handed out at each night’s performance. The programs also acknowledged those who worked behind the scenes to make the shows possible. CES teachers found time for their students to practice. CES staff including the principal, Daniel Renfrow; librarian, Marla

Photo by Don Benjamin

Pirates and elves and Santa together for Christmas? As one character observed, “It must be the pointy hats!” A chorus of singing and swaying ﬁfth graders opened a week-long series of Cedaredge Elementary School performances when they navigated their way through their rollicking holiday musical: “A Pirate’s Christmas.” Stratman; and P.E. teacher, Amie Henderson, helped with rehearsals and other logistics and students and teachers helped make decorative backdrops, cut out bear masks and snowflakes, and set up chairs. Herding bears? Organizing snowflakes? CES organizers can testify that’s exactly what it takes to launch a series of holiday musicals. In fact, the organizers take those metaphors literally because this year all the first graders actually dressed up as bears while the kindergarteners sang a snowflake song. So thanks to everyone who made the programs a success and Merry Christmas!

Photo by Don Benjamin

Before the audience arrived for last week’s holiday musicals, CES music teacher Andrea Kallsen, double-checked the sound system.

Join friends at Cedaredge community Christmas dinner Photo by Don Benjamin

Polar bears fall in line as CES ﬁrst graders run through a dress rehearsal for their musical play “A Bear-y Merry Holiday.” Organizing the other end of the bear-line is P.E. teacher, Amie Henderson, one of many who helped with the school’s weeklong performances.

The Cedaredge Rotary Club and Les and Dorothy Mergelman are again teaming up to offer a free community Christmas Dinner in Cedaredge this year. The meal will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Stolte Shed in Pioneer Town, 388 S. Grand Mesa Drive. Everyone is welcome. Enjoy a meal of turkey, ham and all the trimmings. People are invited to bring their favorite dessert to

share. Donations at the door are welcome. Proceeds beyond that needed to purchase food will go to a Cedaredge Community Rotary Club project. This popular dinner continues to grow each year. More than 250 people have attended the meal in recent years. The volunteers begin work early to prepare for the community dinner. Please contact

Shayes White at 835-3366 if you can lend a hand during the meal; on Christmas Eve to help set up the site, food preparation; or afterwards with cleanup. All volunteers are welcome to enjoy the dinner as well. Don’t spend Christmas alone. Enjoy wonderful food and fellowship with your friends and neighbors at the Cedaredge Community Christmas Dinner.

Fundraising efforts intensify as shelter renovation progresses BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer

Photo by Don Benjamin

It was snowing indoors at CES last week as a standing room only crowd gathered to watch the rousing musical play: “Flakes.” The second and third grade performers included smiling snowﬂakes and troublesome snirts (a ﬂamboyant combination of snow plus dirt).

The Surface Creek Animal Shelter is attempting to raise funds to pay for building renovations which are in progress and projected to be finished in spring 2018. Jacki Dapkus, secretary for the Friends of Cedaredge Animal Control (FCAC) board which operates the nonprofit shelter, reports that the board is actively seeking local donations while also waiting to hear on a grant application. Fundraising has taken many forms. A haunted building experience at Pioneer Town on Halloween night raised money and an annual Thanksgiving dinner held at a local restaurant encouraged participant donations to support the nonprofit shelter. The Thanksgiving event at Cedaredge’s Creekside Café served 250 people and raised

$2,300 in donations. The shelter’s thrift store is also a continuing source of funds. And as the year draws to a close, organizers have launched an all-out campaign entitled “Give ‘Em Shelter!” Shelter pets and volunteers marched in the Cedaredge’s popular Parade of Lights and posters have appeared around town encouraging donors to purchase a building tile or naming rights to a room in the newly renovated facility. As a further incentive to donate, Susan Jochum of Apple Studios is painting pet portraits and passing on a percentage of her commission to the shelter. The Jochum fundraiser can be viewed on her website, applestudioportraits.com. Other cash donations can be made online through the shelter website (listed below); or at ColoradoGives.org (search by Friends of Cedaredge Animal

Erik Hasen and Larry Murphy

Murphy’s sendoff capped by surprise announcement BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer

The retirement party for Larry Murphy, golf pro at the Cedaredge Golf Club, included plenty of surprises but none bigger than when Murphy announced his successor. Well-wishers who gathered at the clubhouse on Dec. 11 were among the first to learn that Erik Hasen, Murphy’s assistant for the last two years,

was selected as the new golf clubhouse operations director. Murphy, pictured above with Hasen, began his service as golf pro in 2008. Five candidates applied for the position and the screening process had been completed earlier Photo by Don Benjamin that day but — along with everyone else — Hasen, on the Surface Creek Animal Shelter renovations are progressing as left, was totally surprised by the facility looks to raise funds to add more dog kennels and cat spaces by spring 2018. the announcement.

Portrait by Susan Jochum

Local artist Susan Jochum is painting pet portraits as part of the Surface Creek Animal Shelter’s “Give ‘Em Shelter” fund drive. Control); or by regular mail sent to Surface Creek Shelter, PO Box 853, Cedaredge, CO 81413. The animal shelter and the thrift store are operated and staffed entirely by volunteers. The shelter is located at 265 SE High Country Avenue in Cedaredge and it remains open during construction every day from 8 to 11 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. The shelter website is surfacecreekshel ter.org; the phone number is 970-856-2346. The Shelter Shoppe thrift store is located at 290 North Grand Mesa Drive in Cedaredge. Thrift store hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Sunday and Wednesday. For more information on the thrift store call 970856-7913 or visit The Shelter Shoppe’s Facebook page.

C2 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

Delta County Independent

What’s bugging you? Local gardening questions and answers BY JIM LESER Cedaredge Tree Board

How many of you have looked wistfully at the beautiful orchids at City Market? I have and I finally purchased one, a white moth orchid from the genus, Phalaenopsis. I know what you are thinking. Indoor plants, that’s not gardening! But I beg to differ. My younger son in Texas loves plants but most are planted in pots and live either in his enclosed patio or in his house. Actually most are in his house in the winter time. And I’m talking almost 50 plants.

But let’s talk moth orchids. They come in a variety of colors from white to purple to blue to multicolored ones. These orchids are inexpensive and easy to grow. They generally come planted in a bark potting medium that drains very well. Most are in plastic pots with many holes, allowing good drainage. These plastic pots are then generally placed in a decorative ceramic container without holes. Since these orchids grow on trees, they do not like their roots sitting in perpetually wet soil or potting media.

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They produce many aerial surface roots that often climb right out of the pot. When these roots turn silvery, your orchid needs water. There are other orchids to choose from other than moth orchids but some of these are toxic to cats and dogs. Moth orchids are safe. These orchids need indirect light to flourish. Too much sunlight and the leaves will turn light green. Too little light, the leaves turn very dark green. Watering is fairly simple. I remove the plastic pot containing the orchid and place it in a container or sink where it can stand in tepid water for about five minutes. Then I drain the pot before placing it back in its decorative container. Some people put these pots on trays with gravel and water to increase

Surface Creek Community Services meeting

Moth orchid local humidity. I find this is often unnecessary. Watering should take place every seven to 10 days. Do not use the ice cube method of watering. They really don’t like cold water. I would also fertilize with a balanced fertilizer like Miracle-Gro® every second or third watering using a half rate of the recommended amount. These orchids hold their flowers for a very long time. After they are through flowering you can cut the flowering stem all the way down to the leaves. This would delay the next flower-

ing anywhere from 4-12 months but the flowers would be larger. If you buy smallish plants you would be advised to prune this way. But once plants are larger, you can force more frequent flowering (2-3 months) by cutting between the first and second node down from the branched flower stems. Make all cuts with a sharp blade like a single edged razor blade. You can repot every 23 years making sure not to choose too big of a pot. These orchids do not like a lot of wet, unnecessary potting media. I recommend bark over other types of potting media. Well that’s my take on these beautiful flowering plants. And don’t tell me I’m not gardening when I take care of indoor or container grown plants. Because I am! Jim Leser retired to Cedaredge in 2007 after a career with Texas A&M University Extension in entomology. He is a member of the Cedaredge Tree Board and a Colorado Master Gardener.

Real trees needed for All Saints bonfire All Saints Lutheran in Cory celebrates the 12th Night of Christmas and closes down the Christmastide season with a huge bonfire of real, undecorated Christmas trees! This annual event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 5 p.m. Along with the singing of Christmas carols, enjoy a cup of chili plus cocoa or hot spiced cider. Please help supply real trees; just make sure they haven’t been sprayed with fireproofing. You can bring your trees the night of the bonfire or bring your trees anytime to the field between the church and the highway. Seats will be provided for those who would like to sit down while they sing and enjoy the refreshments. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight to read the song sheet. All Saints is located on Highway 65 one mile north of the Cory General Store. For more information, call 835-3667.

The Surface Creek Community Services will be conducting its annual board meeting on Jan. 18 at 3:30 p.m. in the Wick Hall at the First Baptist Church, 370 W. Main Street, Cedarege. All interested community members are welcome to attend the meeting.

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Photo by Don Benjamin

Happy helpers ... still needed

Santa (masquerading as Cedaredge resident Tim Key) and Shelby Stone, Cedaredge High School junior and FFA member, were among two dozen volunteers who handed out Christmas dinner boxes last Saturday, Dec. 16. The Cedaredge Food Bank distributed meal boxes to 225 families. Another 25 families who signed up but couldn’t come on Saturday can pick up their boxes at the food bank on Thursday, Dec 21 from 1-3 p.m. In addition to the holiday distribution, the food bank is open for monthly distributions on Thursdays 1-3 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m.-noon. On distribution days volunteers are needed to help with preparation beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursdays, or 8:30 a.m. on Fridays. Volunteers are also needed every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. to help unload delivery trucks.

Plants of the Western Slope

Free Cedaredge Community Christmas Day ~ Monday, December 25 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Stolte Shed at Pioneer Town Everyone is Welcome!

Menu: Turkey, Ham and All the Trimmings, plus Desserts of every kind.

Bring your favorite dessert to share if you wish. For more information call Marsha Bryan at 970-234-8800 To volunteer to help please contact Shayes White at 970-835-3366

DONATIONS AT THE DOOR ARE WELCOME. PROCEEDS ABOVE THOSE NEEDED TO PURCHASE FOOD WILL GO TO A CEDAREDGE COMMUNITY ROTARY CLUB PROJECT.

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A look at local flora with Evelyn Horn The Pinyon Pine I take a deep breath. Enjoying the scent of these native trees. When we came to this area, I wanted native trees because they would withstand the drought. When we first planted them, we watered well and they became established. A couple of years later, when water became more scarce, our trees got less water, but that fits their nature. And they’ve done very well. They’re much taller than I am! Each spring, I notice their new growth and it’s always a pleasure. The slightly curved needles are one to two inches long. There’s a scaly structure (properly called a sheath) at the base of each pair of needles. This leads to a basic distinction: if the needles come one at a time the tree is in the category of spruce or fir. If the needles come in clusters, we recognize it as a pine tree. And the pine trees are sorted out by the number of needles in each cluster. This small, bushy

provided building materials and tools, fuel and shelter. The pitch could be made into glue, dyes, waterproofing and varnish. The inner bark served as emergency food or could be made into clothing and bedding. The needles made teas for a host of ailments. But of course, the major item was food: the nuts provide significant vitamins, minerPhoto by Al Schneider© als, and about Pinyon pine 2,800 calories per pound (roughly a pinyon-juniper wood- about as much as a pound land which covers 75,000 of chocolate). The nuts square miles: reaching can be stored for future from Wyoming to New use. But of greater conMexico, through Cali- sequence, the nuts take fornia and Arizona and two years-plus to mature into Mexico. This is the (there’s still debate about forest-type of the south- that length of time!) So west. The pinyon-pine is the crop was predictable! so significant that entire The tribes could become volumes have been writ- agriculturists. And the pinyon jay ten about it: my favorite book is “Pinyon Pine: A and the tree have a symNatural History” by Ron- biotic relationship: The ald M. Lanner. In his jay collects the pine nuts, work, he discusses the eating only the best. The trees’ importance to the best of the uneaten nuts indigenous people of the are stored in the forest arid southwest. The pin- litter to sprout into betyon was to tribes just as ter trees. The bird gets the buffalo was to the fed and the trees’ quality people. These small trees increases. tree occurs throughout the southwest, most often in the company of Utah Juniper. These two shrubby trees comprise

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Students walk new story trail BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer

For the second year in a row, Cedaredge High School students have created a story for the Surface Creek Trail StoryWalk ®. The original work was written and illustrated by a team of

five students from the CES gifted and talented program. The book, entitled “Cleo’s Christmas Party,” is mounted in segments along the urban trail that follows the creek from S.E. Independence Avenue to S.E Deer Trail Avenue. Last Friday

morning, the studentauthors teamed up with high school classmates to welcome Cedaredge Elementary School kindergarten students to the trail. Guided by older students and adults, clusters of children moved from one set of pages to the

next, reading the book as they walked. Teachers and staff from the high school and elementary schools joined the walk along with parent volunteers. The walk was followed by hot chocolate and cookies served at the high school.

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Nevaeh Martinez, a junior at Cedaredge High School, introduces CES kindergarten students to the opening page of the story she and fellow high school students wrote and illustrated Photo by Don Benjamin about Cleo, a lonely ﬁsh CES kindergarten students arrived by the bus-load, bundled up and eager to who wished for a Christbegin their StoryWalk® last Friday in Cedaredge. mas party.

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Email ads to: ads@deltacountyindependent.com

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Co-author/illustrators present for the walk were (left to right): sophomore Grace Hatheway; seniors Holly Jenkins and Hannah Hatheway; and junior Nevaeh Martinez. Not pictured is senior Jessica Craig.

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Photo by Don Benjamin

Parent volunteer Zack Loucks helped kindergarteners illustrate their Christmas ideas after a Friday morning walk along Surface Creek.

Axyle Belveal named student of the month BY RICK SMITH Contributing Writer

Cedaredge High School senior Axyle Belveal was acknowleged as the Orchard City Student of the Month. Axyle maintains a 3.95 GPA and has received awards in a number of scholastic areas. He was the Outstanding Math Student in geometry his sophomore year, Outstanding Math Student in Algebra 2 his junior year and Outstanding Art Student as a freshman. Axyle is a member of National Honor Society and has been selected as an outstanding GPA student all four years. He loves the FFA and participating in the events, receiving a Green Hand and an Agriscience

award. This year, he plans on receiving his state degree in FFA. While in FFA, Axyle has competed in the state career develcompetition, opment received a bronze medal in ag mechanics, with his team taking second place. He also shovels snow for people with this organization. Axyle loves gymnastics. He has been in the sport since he was in sixth grade. After graduation, he plans on attending the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs to study computer science and becoming a game programmer. He hopes to attend college through the Army ROTC scholarship program and the National Guard.

Photo by Rick Smith

Cedaredge High School senior Axyle Belveal received the Orchard City Student of the Month award from mayor Ken Volgamore.

C4 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

CHURCH

Delta County Independent

Financial Peace University offers hope to families More than 4.5 million people have positively changed their financial future through Ramsey Solutions’ Financial Peace University (FPU). Created by financial expert Dave Ramsey, the nineweek course provides families and individuals with practical tools to gain control of their finances and set themselves up for long-term financial success. FPU will be held in Delta at Calvary Baptist Church, 1290 A Street. The classes will begin Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. Go to www.fpu.com/1052234 for more information or to

register. Through commonsense principles, FPU gives people the tools they need to change their behavior and succeed financially. Along with Ramsey Personalities Rachel Cruze and Chris Hogan, Ramsey teaches lessons on budgeting, relationships and money, getting out of debt, saving for emergencies and investing. On average, families who complete FPU pay off $5,300 and save $2,700 in the first 90 days. Following the class nearly 94 percent of those families budget regularly. “FPU will not only

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transform the way you handle money, but also your marriage and other areas of your life,” says Ramsey. “This isn’t a boring financial class. We make learning about money fun and easy to understand so people in every situation can benefit from the information.” An FPU membership includes access to online video lessons, a one year subscription to the EveryDollar Plus budgeting tool, member workbook for all nine lessons and other additional resources. Go to DaveRamsey. com/FPU for more information.

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Dusty Lightfoot, service area coordinator for the Delta Salvation Army loaded a pickup and van full of gifts, warm clothes, toys and four brand new bikes from Delta County Memorial Hospital employees who generously donated to 25 children and parents in need of a little help with Christmas this year.

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A helping hand

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AGRICULTURE

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

White-tailed prairie dogs won’t be listed The white-tailed prairie dog won’t be listed as a threatened or an endangered species partly due to extensive survey work by biologists from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and other state wildlife agencies where the species exists. Petitions to list the white-tailed prairie dog on the federal endangered species list were filed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) starting in 2002. The USFWS did not have enough information to make a listing determination, so the wildlife agencies in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming — the states with the most extensive habitat for this species — conducted wide-ranging surveys that showed white-tailed prairie dogs still occupy areas throughout their known historic range. “Petitions for listing species are often based on incomplete information,” said David Klute, species conservation unit supervisor for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “On issues like this we rely on our scientists and proven scientific methods to determine the reality on the ground. It’s always good news when we help to keep species from a federal listing.” The USFWS

announced Dec. 5 that the species was not warranted for listing. The white-tailed prairie dog is one of three species of prairie dogs in Colorado. The whitetailed variety occupies areas in western Colorado primarily below 6,000 feet from Ridgway to the Grand Valley to northwest Colorado and North Park. The Gunnison’s prairie dog is found in the Gunnison area, the San Luis Valley and other areas in southern Colorado; and the black-tailed prairie dog occupies areas along the Front Range and eastern plains. All prairie dogs burrow underground which also helps to provide habitat for a variety of other species, including burrowing owls, badgers, small mammals and hawks. On ranches on the eastern plains, colonies of the black-tailed prairie dog are playing a critical role in the reintroduction of the endangered blackfooted ferret. Large tracts of public lands managed primarily by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are critical for the white-tailed prairie dog species and those species associated with it, explained Amy Seglund, a CPW species conservation coordinator in

Montrose who helped to design and conduct the surveys. To determine the health of the population of white-tailed prairie dogs, scientists used a study technique called an “occupancy survey.” Basically, it works like this: Scientists first model areas of known and suitable habitat where the species is expected to live. Then, they overlay a grid of plots measuring 500 x 500 meters and randomly select plots to sample over an extended time frame to look for trends in changes in distribution of the animals. Field crews visit randomly selected plots from the ground and also view them from airplanes to see if animals are living on the plots. In Colorado, crews have visited the same 317 plots in 2004, 2008, 2011, and 2016 and found that though prairie dog occupancy fluctuated, overall the number of occupied plots across the range has not changed enough to warrant concern, Seglund said. Most of the changes have been influenced by known plague outbreaks that have caused populations to decline, and by several wet seasons that have caused populations to increase. Similar results were found in Utah. Wyoming conducted its first occupancy surveys in 2016. The next surveys in Colorado and rangewide will be conducted in 2022. The primary limiting factor for all prairie dog species is plague, a deadly non-native disease that can wipe out huge prairie dog colonies in a matter of days. The disease is transmitted by fleas. Fortunately, Seglund explained, populations of white-tailed prairie dogs are wide-spread so the species, so far, has been able to weather plague infestations. “Plague is the big issue. We’ve seen ups and downs in our surveys but prairie dogs are resilient. Humans have tried to eradicate the species through extensive poisoning campaigns and now Colorado Parks and Wildlife photo this non-native disease The white-tailed prairie dog occupies vast areas of has impacted populations range-wide. Though it western Colorado.

GMUG reports on five prescribed burns Fire crews from the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests conducted five prescribed burns during the months of October and November, successfully treating approximately 3,465 acres of the Uncompahgre National Forest. During the week of Oct. 16 GMUG fire crews ignited the Rocky Pitch prescribed burn treating approximately 310 acres along the south rim of Unaweep Canyon. The Little Monitor prescribed burn took place on Oct.

25 and treated approximately 125 acres along 25 Mesa Road. The Thunder Road prescribed burn was ignited on Oct. 30 treating approximately 130 acres south of Norwood. The Cottonwood prescribed burn took place between Nov. 13 and 15 with operations on both Dillard and Iron Springs Mesas, and totaled approximately 2203 acres. The Sawmill prescribed burn took place on Nov. 15 in the vicinity of the 25 Mesa Guard Station and Cottonwood Road, and treated approximately 650 acres.

A prescribed burn is a wildland fire originating from a planned ignition used to improve wildlife habitat, reduce hazardous vegetation (fuels) build-up, and increase stand health and diversity. Fire managers officers and fuels specialists spend countless hours developing detailed prescribed fire plans that dictate conditions, staffing and safety requirements. Burns are ignited only if conditions are conducive to a safe, effective burn and within appropriate smoke dispersal parameters set by the state.

appears the white-tailed prairie dog is not a species that’s going extinct, we need to continue to monitor it and manage populations not only to benefit this species but also all of the other species associated with it,” Seglund said. Brian Holmes, a CPW conservation biologist in Meeker, explained that the largest stronghold for the white-tailed prairie dog species in Colorado is in Moffat and Rio Blanco counties where they occupy vast areas of BLM managed public lands. CPW biologists, in cooperation with the BLM

and Dinosaur National Monument, are developing management plans that could help the longterm survival of the species. Plans could include habitat improvement projects and deploying a vaccine bait to help protect animals on an annual basis from contracting plague. The USFWS announced its decision in a news release. It said: “After a thorough review of the best-available scientific and commercial information, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the white-tailed prairie dog

is not currently in danger of extinction and is not likely to become in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future. Consequently, the service has released a 12-month finding stating that the species is not warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act at this time.” Prairie dogs breed once a year and can produce litters from 4-8 young. They usually go into hibernation in early autumn when their food sources dry up. They emerge again at the first sign of warm weather, usually in March.

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It’s beautiful outside

Photo by Don Benjamin

While looking for something to do during the holiday break, consider taking the kids for a hike. The Surface Creek Trail in Cedaredge, with its Story Walk, is an easy walk in a beautiful setting. Conﬂuence Park in Delta and the River Park in Paonia also offer opportunities to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

C6 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Delta County Independent

DCMH physician billing to again be handled in-house

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The new year brings big changes for Delta County Memorial Hospital’s physician billing department. Beginning Jan. 1 physician billing will again be done inhouse for all NEW services. Patients will no longer receive statements from Reventics (ER and radiology) or AR Services. A�� press � release provid� ed by the billing department explains: “We understand that during the past couple of years it has at times been difficult for our patients to adjust to the outsourced billing companies. Due to the hard work of our new director of physician bill-

ing, Darla Ballard, and the dedication of our billing team, we are now at a place where we can once again provide the billing services that our patients deserve. Delta Physician Billing will take out the confusion over the many statements received when seeing our providers, and become your ‘go to’ for your physician billing needs.” Department staff consists of several billing specialists and certified medical coders who will be available to answer all of your billing questions. Billers and coders are knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to help you

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BY ANGELA FEDLER

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Executive Director Delta Family Center

Many home providers, preschools and even elementary schools participate in home visiting programs. Some home visits are conducted through a program or structured curriculum; however, many are facilitated in a more relaxed structure. Often feelings around home visits can be varied. Parents may feel that their home life is being evaluated or scrutinized. Teachers and caregivers may feel as though they are being intrusive or that they simply do not have time to travel to homes. There is also the concern of safety for the home visitor. With all of these barriers in mind, one has to wonder what the benefits of a home visit are. Mul-

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Physician billing For your convenience, Delta Physician Billing offers multiple payment options to include automatic monthly payments, online bill pay (pay via the portal listed on your statement), payments over the phone (no checks over the phone), payments by mail, or payment in person. Physician billing takes all forms of payment such as cash, money orders, check, HSA payments, and major credit cards. For self-pay patients, a

20 percent prompt pay discount is offered for balances paid within the first 30 days of receiving your first statement. If you are unable to pay the balance in full within the first 30 days, monthly payment plans can be tailored to fit your financial budget. Physician billing department takes care of the billing for provider services for the following: DCMH Family Medicine - Delta; DCMH West Elk Clinic - Hotchkiss; DCMH

Why home visits?

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understand the billing statements you receive. The department’s main office is located in the oncology building on the Delta County Memorial Hospital campus. Hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please stop by or feel free to call 874-2470 with any billing questions you may have. Some clinic locations have coders on site who are able to assist you as well. Department staff can answer questions about Reventics (DCMH ER & Radiology Group), Athena (physician billing), AR Services, A1 Collections and facility billing. “If we are unable to answer your questions at that time, we will research it, find a solution, and call you back with the information in a timely manner (within 24 hours),” the press release continues.

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tiple data sets say home visiting is an important tool or that it is beneficial. So what is the key element that makes home visiting effective? It is relationships. Relationships are the heart of quality home visits. It is an opportunity to really know one another in a less formal way. Having a strong relationship with teachers, caregivers, principals and other program providers allows children and parents an opportunity to share concerns, fears and celebrations in a more authentic manner. When relationships are stronger and more predictable they can also have a large scale impact on academic and developmental success. Home visits are successful for students because they have the opportunity to visit with influential adults in their lives on their own terms in their own environments. Home visits can also be successful in terms of accessibility for parents that have other small children, limited vehicle access or health concerns that prevent travel. What a unique strategy to sit and relax with students and get to know the reasons that they are successful in school or struggling. Asking questions such as “What are your hopes and dreams?” is an amazing opportunity to find that you have something in common with the educators in your life. Realizing that you have similiar interests as another can often lead to a level of comfort that may allow for a deeper conversation. Knowing the hows and whys of others’ interactions and behaviors can often lead to the realization that there are more opportunities than once thought. Goals are often created and acted upon during these conversations, not only goals and aspirations of students and their caregivers, but of the teachers and program leaders themselves. With this being said, goals are often met and

successful when they are self initiated and identified. Family engagement is the heart of home visit programs no matter what they look like and at the heart of family engagement is relationships.

West Elk Walk In Clinic Paonia; DCMH Primary Care - Delta; Internal Medicine - Delta; Grand Mesa Rheumatology Center - Delta; Grand Mesa Oncology and Infusion Center - Delta; DCMH emergency department; DCMH radiology department; DCMH Urgent Care; DCMH cardio pulmonary; surgery; anesthesia; dietary; sleep lab; Premier Women’s Healthcare of Delta - Obstetrics and Gynecology; and High Country Orthopedics and Sports Medicine - Dr. Huene. Please keep in mind that you may receive separate billing from DCMH facility, hospitalists, ambulance services and pathology depending on the scope of your care. For more information, go online to the DCMH website www. deltahospital.org, click on the “Services” tab, “Physician Billing.”

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DELTA PRIMARY CARE

Have A Happy & Healthy Holiday

970-874-6158

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10-year employee

Laura Myers was recently recognized for 10 years of employment at Delta County Memorial Hospital.

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

What is a school-based health center? BY JOEY BOESE A Kidz Clinic

Citizens of our community have been asking, “What is a school-based health center? We hear we have one in Delta County, but we don’t really understand what it is.” A school-based health center is a health care facility located within or on school grounds. The goal of the health center

is to improve the health and education outcomes of students. School-based health centers primarily serve students who have limited access to care, they serve those who may not have a medical home, and they also provide care when children are unable see their regular provider. Delta’s school-based health center is A Kidz

Clinic, located at 360 E. 8th Street. Its doors opened in 2014 in partwith Delta nership County Schools to provide whole child healthcare and make it possible for every child to have affordable, accessible, and quality care. As access to healthcare continues to be a barrier for far too many families, A Kidz Clinic exists to close

the gap and provide care for children ages 0-21. The goal of A Kidz Clinic is to provide children with the tools they need to thrive. The team recognizes the importance of addressing the needs of the whole child — including an assessment of their physical health, mental health and oral health. The team at A Kidz Clinic screens all children

Healthy resolutions for 2018 Many people see the dawn of a new year as the perfect time to implement changes that they hope will have positive impacts on their lives in the year ahead. New Year’s resolutions have a way of falling by the wayside as the year progresses, but sticking with the following healthy resolutions can have lasting impacts on the lives of men and women. Read more. Many adults wish they had more time to read, but busy schedules filled with commitments to work and family can make it hard to pick up a book every day. But perhaps more men and women would find time to read if they knew doing so could add years to their lives. In an analysis of 12 years of data from the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study, researchers at the Yale School of Public Health

found that people who read books for as little as 30 minutes a day over several years lived an average of two years longer than people who did not read at all. Sleep more. More time to sleep might seem like an unattainable goal for many men and women. But the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute notes that ongoing sleep deficiency can increase a person’s risk for chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults age 18 and older get between seven and eight hours of sleep per night. Turn off your devices. As recently as 15 years ago, many adults made it through their days without smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and other devices that are so

prevalent today. While it might seem impossible to live without such devices in the 21st century, turning them off can have profound impacts on people’s quality of life. A 2013 survey of more than 1,000 people conducted by the resilience platform meQuilibrium found that 73 percent of respondents felt their devices contributed to stress in their lives. The American Psychological Association notes that stress can negatively affect the musculoskeletal system, the respiratory system and the nervous system and potentially increase a person’s risk for heart disease and gastrointestinal problems. Work less. Working fewer hours may help many professionals cut back on their stress, as the APA notes that 65 percent of Americans cited work as their primary source of stress. But working fewer hours

may also make you more productive. A recent experiment funded by the Swedish government compared nurses at a retirement home who worked six-hour days on eight-hour salaries to a control group that worked the more traditional eight-hour workday. Nurses in the experimental group reported having more energy in their spare time and at work, which allowed them to do 64 percent more activities with facility residents. Nurses in the experimental group also took half as much sick time as those in the control group. As a result, the study’s authors ultimately concluded that productivity can increase with fewer hours worked. Committing to healthy New Year’s resolutions can have profound and unexpected consequences that can greatly improve one’s quality of life.

11 and older for depression and anxiety. The team also ensures children are receiving their annual physical exams and immunizations, as well semi-annual dental screenings/cleanings. The staff of A Kidz Clinic provide teambased, integrated care. What is integrated care? While a child may visit the clinic for their annual well-child check or for a dental cleaning, they may meet the entire team including the medical provider, the therapist, and the dental hygienist. The mission of A Kidz Clinic is to “provide comprehensive, quality inte-

grated healthcare services to children ages 0-21 in Delta County so they have the tools needed to be healthy and in school learning. A Kidz Clinic serves over 700 children per year, providing primary medical care (including wellchild exams and immunizations), behavioral and mental health care, and preventative dental care. At A Kidz Clinic, whole child healthcare for every child is possible. To learn more, call 874-2753 or visit kidzclinic.delta schools.com. Joey Montoya Boese is the executive director at A Kidz Clinic.

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A decade of service

Marty Kauzlarich and Melissa Bland (right) recently completed 10 years of employment at Delta County Memorial Hospital.

Food allergies are on the increase According to Food Allergy Research & Education, more than 170 foods have been reported to cause allergic reactions. However, many of the serious allergic reactions to food can be traced to eight allergens in particular. These allergens include crustacean shellfish, eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, and wheat. If it seems as though food allergies in children have increased in recent years, they have. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention report that, between 1997 and 2011, the prevalence of food allergies in children increased by 50 percent.

Though some people may only experience an itchy mouth or a few hives after eating food they’re allergic to, symptoms of allergic reactions to food can be severe and may include anaphylaxis, which occurs suddenly and can cause death. Anaphylaxis can produce a host of frightening symptoms, such as rapid heartbeat, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and weak pulse. Food allergies often resolve during childhood, though FARE® notes that today’s youngsters appear to be outgrowing their food allergies more slowly than kids did in the past.

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Now accepting new patients

The Center for Mental Health & River Valley Family Health Center are now offering:

Medical, Dental, and Mental Health Services in One Location

COMPLETE. CONNECTED. CARE.

The Center for Mental Health

River Valley Family Health Center

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107 W. 11th St Delta, CO 970.874.8981 centermh.org rivervalleyfhc.com **We accept most major insurances including Medicaid, Medicare, and serve the uninsured**

C8 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Delta County Independent

Delta hospital reports on tobacco cessation program Delta County Memorial Hospital’s cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation department kicked off a six-week tobacco cessation program during September. The program was designed to help individuals recognize triggers and to work on ways to get through each situation. Many of the par-

ticipants were able to set a quit date and successfully quit throughout the remainder of the class. The 11 participants in the tobacco cessation class dedicated an hour every Monday evening for six weeks to overcome their tobacco addiction. Participants worked on envisioning a life with-

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Photo submitted

Spreading holiday cheer

On Wednesday, Dec. 13, the seven students, grades one through seven, from the Delta Seventh-day Adventist School and one homeschooler visited the police, sheriff, ﬁre and ambulance stations. They sang “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” dropped off some goodie bags for all teams, and said “THANK YOU!” for all the work they do to keep our community safe.

Antioxidants go to battle for your body BY MELISSA WDOWIK, PHD

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CSU Food Science and Nutrition

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out tobacco, behavioral changes and most importantly provided each other with needed support and encouragement. During the six-week program, 67 percent of participants either quit or reduced their tobacco use. “The fellowship is super important; the human element is necessary. I already took steps to quit and I am hopeful I will succeed. This class was so helpful,” stated a graduate of the program. Delta County Memorial Hospital plans to host another six-week tobacco cessation program beginning Jan. 22, from 6 to 7 p.m.. in classroom A in the main hospital building. Please call 970-8742420 to register and/or for more information.

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Antioxidants are like warriors in your body, fighting against free radicals and oxidative stress. While not a new topic, antioxidants are often misunderstood and underappreciated. This time of year, as we are exposed to armies of bacteria and viruses, it is worth exploring the functions, benefits and food sources of these little powerhouses. Let’s start by understanding what they do. Natural body functions, such as breathing and physical activity, as well as exposure to cigarette smoke or pollution, produce substances called free radicals that attack healthy cells. Stress and infections, from bacteria and viruses, cause additional free radical formation. Antioxidants help protect healthy cells from the damage, or oxidative stress, caused by these

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free radicals. Oxidative stress and free radicals lead to atherosclerosis, heart disease and cancer, and appear to contribute to the development of diabetes, dementia, arthritis, eye diseases and aging processes. Benefits of antioxidants include their ability to protect us against chronic disease, infection and cognitive decline, to name just a few. What is important to understand is that we can, and should, get plenty of these warriors from natural food sources, not supplements. Studies have shown antioxidant supplements increase health risks and interact with certain medications. Supplements can also give you too much of a concentrated source of one or more antioxidants while neglecting others. Most importantly, there are many other compounds in foods that improve both the absorption and function of antioxidants, compounds that cannot be replicated in supplements. So, be wary of supplements and head for the market. Good Sources Food sources of antioxidants are abundant. An overarching rule of thumb, if you want to skip the details, is to eat 2 cups of fruits and 2 1⁄2

cups of vegetables daily to reap the benefits. Specific antioxidants in fruits and vegetables include vitamin C, vitamin E and carotenoids, such as betacarotene, lycopene and lutein. Try the following sources: Vitamin C: berries, citrus, kiwi, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and broccoli Vitamin E: olives, avocados, spinach, beet greens and pumpkin Carotenoids: red (beets, tomatoes), orange (squash, carrots), green (spinach, kale, brussels sprouts) and purple (cauliflower, eggplant) vegetables Additional food sources of antioxidants include nuts, coffee, tea, wine and dark chocolate (my other favorite food groups). They contain a list of antioxidants too long for this story (resveratrol, polyphenols, catechins and flavonols, for example) but what’s important is the food themselves. Try a variety of each but go easy on the wine and chocolate; they do not contain the significant amounts found in the other foods and drinks mentioned here, and consuming these daily not only adds calories but replaces the more beneficial sources. No one individual

antioxidant can do everything, so be sure to get a variety of foods, of all colors, from all food groups. Enjoy the pleasures of eating while your warriors do all the work. Melissa Wdowik, PhD, RDN, FAND, is an assistant professor at Colorado State University in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and director of the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center.

Photo submitted

15-year employee

Becky Sharpe was recently recognized for 15 years of employment at Delta County Memorial Hospital.

Delta County 2018 ��

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December 20, 2017

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CARBONDALE BASED excavating company looking for an experienced Heavy Equipment Mechanic. Good pay & benefits, please call 970-948-1915 or email resume to troy@-excava tionservices.biz. (4x49) NEW ADDRESS? PLEASE notify the Delta County Independent 10 days prior to moving. PO Box 809, Delta, CO 81416 or 970-8744421. YOUR LISTING HERE! call now... 874-4421 and talk with an Ad Rep. PEOPLE LOOK FOR JOBS in the classifieds. 874-4421

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WHAT TYPES OF Cottage Foods Can I Produce? Whole eggs, spices, teas, dehydrated produce, nuts, seeds, Honey, jams, jellies, and preserves, fruit butter, candies, certain bake goods If you have any questions, please call: 8742165. Delta County Health Department. (4x49) SUBSCRIBE!

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HUNGRY? PLEASE JOIN us for a free meal. Tuesdays, 5:30 - 7 p.m., and Saturdays 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Served at Westminster Hall, 135 E. 4th St., Delta, across from the post office. No income restrictions - if you're hungry, please feel free to join us. For questions, to donate or to volunteer, please call the Abraham Connection, (970) 773-8290.

Quality Color Printing • Business Cards • Brochures • Letterhead • Posters • Flyers • Calendars • Greeting Cards • Announcements • Invitations

Communicate in color with our high-quality and highly affordable, four-color printing services. Whether it’s a business presentation or a personal project, our friendly, helpful staff gets your job done quickly and easily.

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FREE DIAPERS FOR UP to one year! Pregnant women in Delta County can now get help to quit smoking and get something they can really use after their baby arrives — free diapers. Healthy moms have healthy babies. Enroll in the Baby & Me Tobacco Free program WANNA PLAY A ROUND? today. Contact the Delta Golf with a fun group of County Health Department ladies. Two membership at 874-2165 or your local options available. Sign up physician. at www.cedaredgeladies golf.com. Get to know us SUPPORT THE DELTA on Facebook at “cedar Public Library. Give a gently edgeladiesgolfclub” used book in the Downstairs Book Store. ALCOHOLICS ANONYmous meets Thursdays at 7 WELCOME RETURNING p.m. Friends of Bill W. Club. Veterans, Post 9221 VFW meets at 5:00 p.m. on the 897 Palmer Street, Delta. 4th Thursday of each month CO FATHER’S NETWORK- in Cedaredge. To find out dedicated to providing how to participate in procommunity and education moting patriotism and to fathers of special needs assisting veterans, contact kids. Meets twice monthly Wayne Hamrick, (970) 250on the 1st Saturday at 11 1180. a.m. and the 3rd Monday at 6:30 p.m. - 511 E. 10th St, AARP DRIVER SAFETY Delta. See our website for Course. Save on insurance, more details: www.codads. keep up on newer traffic org laws, learn defensive driving techniques. For details CARING FOR CARE- and schedule contact John givers, C4C - support- Loring (970) 856-6924 or ing hearts that care. Open (970) 424-1778. to ANY caregiver. Meets monthly in Delta, 2nd HOTCHKISS-CRAWFORD Tuesday at 11 a.m. - 511 E. Historical Museum. Winter 10th St, Delta. hours, Saturdays 1-4 p.m. thru December 24. $3 admisTHE ABRAHAM CONNEC- sion or free to members. tion homeless shelter, Come see our museum at located at 480 Silver St., 2nd & Hotchkiss Streets in Delta, offers emergency Hotchkiss. 872-3780. overnight shelter and food to men, women and fami- CHECK OUT THE BOOK lies in the Delta area mid- store at the library. You'll October- April. Call us at find a great selection of 970-773-8290 to make a paperbacks at reasonable referral, or for informa- prices. tion on how to volunteer or donate. www.Delta IF YOU LOVE BOOKS, A b r a h a m C o n n e c t i o n . you will love the Downstairs Bookstore in the basement org. of the Delta Public Library. HOSPITAL VOLUNTEERS ANONYWanted! Delta County NARCOTICS Memorial Hospital needs mous meets at 9th and hospital volunteers. Days Palmer, Delta, Mondays and and hours are flexible. Fridays at 8 p.m. There are currently open- DELTA FOOD PANTRY ings in the ER, Oncology, needs meals for Delta famiGift Shop and some addi- lies who are temporarily tional areas. If you are in need. Donations of noninterested, please contact perishable food may be Volunteer Coordinator, brought to 628 Meeker. Percy Ake at (970) 596-7458 PARENTS FREE! INFORMfor an application. ation and referrals to WOMEN ONLY AA MEET- licensed child care providings, Delta, Saturdays, 11:00 ers, call Bright Futures Child a.m., at St. Luke's Episcopal Care Resource and Referral, Church, 5th & Palmer (back 1-877-728-5613. door).

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Public Service HELP!!! KEEP THE animal population under control, and SAVE an animal's life. Adopt your new cat or dog from the Delta County Humane Society. Adoption fee is minimal. Call 874-2149. THERE IS A VFW MEETING on the first Monday of each month. At 6 p.m. there is a potluck and the meeting is at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 1250 Pioneer Rd., Delta. For further information, call 874-8172 Jim Baker, Quartermaster. CHAPTER, UNITS OF DAV regular meetings on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Veterans Building, 15th & Howard, Delta. For further information, call Paul Carter 874-5150. PAONIA AMERICAN Legion runs a year round non-perishable emergency food pantry. This is for the North Fork area. For information, call 527-6252. SAVE EYEGLASSES, OLD jewelry and silver or bits of gold and silver scraps. The Grand Odd Fellow Lodge is sending them to: New Eyes for the Needy, 549 Millburn Ave., Short Hills, NJ 07078 or send them to: Gale Conger, Secretary of IOOF Lodge #116, 544 St. Hwy. 548, Delta, CO 81416. THE AMERICAN RED Cross needs you. Become one of the Red Cross volunteers who says, “We’ll Be There, Because Help Can’t Wait!” Call your local Red Cross Chapter at 970-2424851 or 1-800-HELP NOW for information on the difference you can make in someone’s life as a disaster volunteer. DELTA HAS A BOOKstore in the basement of the library featuring gently used books and magazines. Come check it out! FAMILIES BELIEVING in families: Tandem Families is an innovative, private non-profit mentoring program providing services for at-risk children of Delta and Mont-rose counties. Anyone interested in volunteering their services or donating usable items should call 874-3000 or 252-7445.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

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Wednesday, December 20, 2017 ��

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D4 Wednesday, December 20, 2017

LOCAL NEWS

Delta County Independent

What’s happening at your library? The Delta County Libraries offer many educational and entertaining activities and events for you and your family to enjoy. If you want to know what else your library is offering, please contact the library or visit the Delta County Libraries website at www.delta libraries.org. Cedaredge Storytimes. Storytimes for babies, tots and preschoolers are Thursdays starting at 10:30 a.m. Teen Scene Holiday Party. Crafts, games, and yummy food! Friday, Dec. 22, at 4 p.m. December Maker Space. This month we will be making a snowman head that you can hang from your tree. Give away as a gift or keep for your own tree! All month long during library hours. December - January “Cleo’s StoryWalk®. Christmas Party,” written and illustrated by Cedaredge High School gifted and talented students Jessica Craig, Grace Hatheway, Hannah Hatheway, Holly Jenkins, and Nevaeh Martinez, will be on display on the Surface Creek Trail during the months of December and January. Crafts Group. Crafters meet every Tuesday at 10 a.m. to share ideas and show and tell. Tech Soup Saturday. Bring your devices and your questions. Our

expert “techies” will do their best to answer your questions. Every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Who’s Genealogy. Who in Whoville? Find out who you really are! The first Friday of every month from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Crawford Storytimes. Storytimes for babies, tots and preschoolers are Thursdays starting at 10:30 a.m. Contact the library at 399-7783 for details. Holiday Card Making. Make your own holiday cards at Crawford Library. All ages are welcome. All supplies are provided. Dec. 13-21 during library hours. Alpine Village. Jan’s locally famous Alpine Village will be on display at Crawford Library during the month of December. Tech Help. Librarians will be available to help you with questions and problems about computers or mobile devices. Wednesday through Saturday by appointment. Contact the library at 399-7783 for details. Delta Storytimes. Storytimes for babies, tots and preschoolers are Wednesdays starting at 10:30 a.m. Contact the library at 874-9630 for details. Holiday Movie. Wear your PJs and drink hot chocolate while watching a holiday movie that takes you on a train ride to the North Pole! Thurs-

of every month through April at 4 p.m. Hotchkiss Book Club. The Hotchkiss Book Club meets the third Thursday of every month at 3 p.m. October through June. December’s book discussion is “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Bachman. Call 399-7781 for details. Library Lab: Movie Makers Club. Learn how to direct and produce a short film to submit for the summer reading teen movie challenge. This year’s theme: Libraries Rock! For teens age 1319. Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 2 p.m. Tech Help. Librarians will be available to help you with questions and problems about computers or mobile devices. Tuesday–Thursday by appointment, 399-7781. Paonia Storytimes. Baby, tot and preschooler storytimes are Tuesdays starting at 10:30 a.m. Contact library at 399-7881 for details. Paonia Reads... Again! Join the community for the second annual Paonia Reads event. Read the book, “Wonderstruck,” a #1 NY Times bestseller by Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznik through Jan. 21. Then, watch a free showing of the movie on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 3 p.m. at The Paradise Theater. A book vs. movie discussion will follow the movie. Paonia Library has multiple cop-

day, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m. Black Light New Year’s Noon Party. Wear your neon colored clothes and bring your friends for a pre-New Year’s party! Food, music, and games for teens. Saturday, Dec. 30, at 11 a.m. Holiday Maker Space. Make a holiday coding ornament. All month long in December during library hours. Holiday Scavenger Hunt. Fill in the blanks and finish the holiday poem! All month in the children’s area. Genealogy One-onOne. Get the help you need researching your genealogy in this ongoing class taught by Mickey Watts. Meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at 5 p.m. Talk & Tangle Yarn. This is a group of knit and crochet enthusiasts who get together to talk and work on their individual projects. Anyone is welcome to join. Mondays starting at 5:30 p.m. Hotchkiss Storytimes. Baby, tot and preschooler storytimes are Wednesdays starting at 10:30 a.m. Contact the library at 399-7781 for details. Master Builder Club. Explore your creativity as a master builder with LEGO and other materials! Join us for monthly design themes and free building time. All ages welcome; children under 7 should bring an adult. Meets the first Tuesday

ies of the book available for a one-week checkout period during the read portion of the event. Or, you can request a copy through your home library in Delta County. BeyBlade Tournaments. Games and snacks provided. Meets Thursday, Dec. 21, from 4 to 5 p.m. Teen Movie. Watch Seth Grahame-Smith’s contemporary interpretation of Jane Austin’s “Pride and Prejudice.” Learn about the effects of too much prejudice and too much pride with a

zombie spin. Check out the book on display at Paonia Library before the showing, then come to watch the movie on Friday, Dec. 29, at 2 p.m. Tech Café. Tech assistance for all ages and skill levels. Every Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. Holiday Closure Delta County Libraries will be closed Saturday, Dec. 23, through Monday, Dec. 25, for Christmas. Delta County Libraries will be closed on Monday, Jan. 1, for New Year’s Day.

Photo submitted

Knit one, purl two

Members of the Hotchkiss Library Knitting Group met on Thursday, Dec. 14, in the basement of the Hotchkiss Library to share ideas, grab a hot cup of coffee, and, of course, knit! The group meets the second Thursday of every month, October through April, at 10:30 a.m.

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A library to love

For WinterFest at Lincoln Elementary School, school librarian Nancy Green drew inspiration from two books — “Polar Bears” by Mark Newman and “Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear” by Erik Carle to create a wintry scene that complemented the school theme of “Polar Express.”

show off an extensive collection of nutcrackers. She came s the school librarian, across a 5-foot-tall nutcracker Nancy Green helps at Sam’s Club several years students locate suit- ago, and that was the beginable reading materials, checks ning of her “obsession.” According to wikipedia, out books, tracks Accelerated Reader exams and reads to nutcrackers — often in the the younger students. But form of wood carvings of a most of all, she shares a love soldier, knight or king — have of the library, and nurtures existed since at least the 15th a lifelong desire to continue century. Figurative nutcrackreading, by making the school ers are a good luck symbol in library a delightful place to Germany. A folk tale recounts that a puppet maker won a visit. “You know why I like to nutcracking challenge by credo this?” she asks, pointing ating a doll with a mouth to shelves lined with holiday for a lever to crack the nuts. decorations. “I do it because These nutcrackers portray a some of these children don’t person with a large mouth which the operator opens by get this at home.” She decorates for every sea- lifting a lever in the back of Nancy Green owns three Christmas villages, but this desert scene, reminiscent of Bethleson, but Christmas is undeni- the figurine. hem, is a favorite among those visiting the school library. These days, nutcrackers ably one of her favorite times of year — and a chance to are primarily decorative and a traditional symbol of Christ- book, she tests comprehen- for the “Lincoln Lions.” As mas. Green has added to her sion and vocabulary with a reward for good behavior collection with yard sale finds computerized Accelerated in the library, she crowns a and souvenirs from trips to Reader tests. Her library was young girl or boy queen and once twice as large; now half king, drapes them in crowns Hawaii. While nutcrackers figure is devoted to a computer lab and capes, and sings a special ditty. “They love it,” she prominently in the decora- that she also monitors. In the library, one deco- said. tions at the Lincoln Elementary School library, Green rative item doesn’t change, It’s just another way also displays snowman figu- regardless of the seasons Nancy Green has discovered rines, a Christmas village and — it’s a very unique book to bring a love of books into other holiday delights. Often, chair accessorized with lions the hearts of her students. students who have moved on to middle or high school will stop in to see how the library is decorated. Green also loves to decorate her home, and now has so many holiday decorations she’s had to rent a storage unit. She and her husband fill a flatbed trailer twice to transport decorations to their home and to the library. “I love it!” she said. “I decoThird graders Isaac Aguilera and Sheylen Downs had the rate for every season — Valprivilege of sitting in the “book chair,” a specially decorated entine’s, St. Patrick’s Day, chair that’s reserved for the library king and queen. Kids Easter.” love the honor of being crowned king/queen as a reward Green has been the school for good behavior in the library. librarian for 16 years, and before that played school with her two children when they were very young. “I read to them a lot,” she said. This assortment of nutcrackers comes straight out of the At Lincoln, every K-1-2 stu- “Wizard of Oz.” dent visits the library twice a week. Students in grades 3-5 come in to the library whenever they need books. She taught them the Dewey Decimal system so they can properly re-shelve their books after they’ve been checked in. When kids are done with a

BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

This Seussiﬁed reading corner is reminiscent of the castlelike reading rooms that were removed from the library when it was cut in half to create the computer lab.

This nutcracker rocks out in the library.

A colorful collection of nutcrackers — the tallest standing at 5 feet — commands attention the minute you enter the library at Lincoln Elementary School.