NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
MUNICIPAL ELECTION North Fork voters to decide on 12 town trustee seats, B1
HAPPY ENDING
New year brings a new home for Otto, B5
DELTA COUNTY
SPORTS GRIDIRON HONORS
Local athletes named to CHSAA All-State football squad, B7 JANUARY 3, 2018 VOL. 135, NO. 1
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INDEPENDENT
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GJ man arrested in Delta after pursuit BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Delta County sheriff ’s deputies arrested a Grand Junction man north of Delta last Wednesday after he led law enforcement on a pursuit along Highway 50. Trenton Miller, 38, was booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility Dec. 27 on charges of vehicle eluding, a Class 5 felony; prohibited use of a weapon, a Class 2 misdemeanor; unlawful use of a controlled substance, a Class 1 misdemenaor; and reckless driving, a Class 2 traffic misdemeanor. The pursuit began Tuesday evening after Montrose County deputies responded to a report of a man making suicidal and homicidal threats. According to a press release issued by the Mesa County Sheriff ’s Office, 911 dispatchers were told Miller was headed toward Delta-Montrose in a black Ford F-150 armed with a gun. Deputies were also informed Miller had made
threats toward himself and another party in the Montrose area. Miller was spotted driving east on Highway 50. He failed to pull over and vehicle pursuit began. The Delta County Sheriff ’s Office was notified as Miller approached Delta County. Sheriff ’s deputies and the Colorado State Patrol assisted in closing Highway 50 down at mile marker 60. The CSP successfully used stop sticks to bring Miller’s vehicle to a stop near Rattlesnake Gulch Road. Believing Miller to be armed, a specially equipped SWAT team from Mesa County was used to approach the truck. They found the vehicle abandoned and speculated Miller had taken off on foot. Mesa County sheriff ’s deputies, SWAT team members, the Delta County Sheriff ’s Office and Colorado State Patrol searched the area for Miller. An emergency notification was sent out to residents PURSUIT TO A3
Photo by Pat Sunderland
2018 arrival
José Jerémias Pacheco arrived a week early, at 5:53 a.m. on New Year’s Day, to become the first baby of 2018 born at Delta County Memorial Hospital. His mother, Laura Pacheco of Montrose, received a basket full of clothing, toys and baby essentials from the hospital. José, who was named after his grandfather, weighed in at 7 pounds, 11.2 ounces. He was 19.5 inches in length and was delivered by Dr. Henry Lewis III.
City’s parks, trails Master Plan finalized BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
The city’s Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Master Plan was formally adopted in late December after months of public, city council and staff input. The city’s consultant, Logan Simpson, held three public hearings, met with a citizens’ advisory committee four times, and reviewed surveys mailed to every household in Delta and available online to every resident of Delta County. Jana McKenzie, a principal with Logan Simpson, said she was inspired by the number of people who showed up and participated in the discussion about the future of Delta’s parks and trails. “It was a really healthy process in my opinion,” she said. “Congratulations for participating and making it as good as it can be.” The Master Plan sets forth recommendations to improve the existing parks and recreation system while also identifying priorities for future actions and investments. City amenities currently include 148 acres of developed parks; 201 acres of open space/natural areas; 320 acres of golf courses, cemeteries and special uses; one 18-hole and one nine-hole disc golf course; seven neighborhood/community parks; 6.6 miles of trail; six mini parks/plazas; and six homeowners’ association parks. The city also owns the Cottonwood and Riverbend areas which could be developed for an estimated $14.7 million. During the planning process, the need to address deferred park maintenance emerged as a higher priority. A long list
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of improvements to restrooms, play areas and irrigation systems adds up to $1.5 million. Logan Simpson calculated a minimum of $200,000 per year is needed to catch up; currently, the city budgets half that amount for parks maintenance. “It is clear that additional revenue is required to keep the city’s park system from further decline, and also to fund new projects,” the Master Plan concluded. The Master Plan identifies two key factors that are important to keeping the existing system in good condition — continuing to partner with the school district to maximize the benefits of public properties for recreational purposes, and establishing a dedicated funding source that will provide money to match grants. Council member Gerald Roberts questioned whether the project identified in the plan could be completed in the 10- or 20-year window identified in the Master Plan. Wilma Erven, director of parks, recreation and golf, responded, “It will be many years, many more than 20, to develop this plan. We all know what our financial situation is; we all know what our grant matching ability is, but this is an excellent road map for us to have.” Without a Master Plan in place, she added, it will be very difficult for the city to apply for grants to fund any of the projects. “We will do as much of it as we can,” she said. The key word is plan, said council member Ron Austin. “Without a plan, without a vision, we don’t know what to
prepare for, so we thank you for all of your great work.” “This does give us a living document we can start working with,” commented council member Christopher Ryan. Even before completion of the plan, the city responded
to citizen comments by purchasing a movable climbing wall and by pursuing a grant for improvements at Cleland Park. The city has applied for $200,000 from GOCO to make the playground ADA compliant, as well as construct
an ADA trail from the playground to the parking area on 7th Street. The city also intends to enlarge the horseshoe pits from four to six, fence the horseshoe pit area and upgrade the sand volleyball court.
Sweitzer hike kicks off 2018 BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer
Photo by Don Benjamin
Cathy Hartt of Montrose put her senior dogs through their paces on New Year’s Day. Sazi and Kachina were eager to travel on but Maizzy decided to ride.
On the first morning of 2018, 50 area residents (and five dogs) hiked three miles around Sweitzer Lake State Park near Delta. It was the largest group ever to turn out for the activity. The hike, led by Ranger Scott Rist from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), was one of hundreds of “First Day Hikes” held nationwide on Jan. 1 to encourage people to get outdoors and experience their state parks. Rist provided interpretive information regarding the history of Sweitzer Lake and the habits of area wildlife. He serves as senior ranger for the Colorado state parks located at Sweitzer Lake, Crawford, and Paonia. The Jan. 1 hike was sponsored by CPW and Great Outdoor Colorado (GOCO), an organization which invests a portion of Colorado lottery proceeds into preserving and enhancing state parks and other state recreational sites. Sweitzer Lake is a popular summer destination for swimmers and boaters. Fishing is available for warm water species and waterfowl hunting is allowed in season. Sweitzer is one of 41 state parks FIRST DAY HIKE TO A2
DCMH, 50J find new lawyer
DUI/DWAI have serious consequences
Attorney Aaron Clay is beginning his transition to retirement by resigning as legal counsel for Delta County Memorial Hospital and Delta County Joint School District. After conducting separate searches and interviewing prospective replacements, both entities selected Julie Huffman, who joined Clay & Dodson in February 2017. Huffman is a graduate of Cortez High School and the University of Northern Colorado. She obtained her law degree from Salmon P. Chase School of Law in Kentucky nine years ago. She practiced family law and is broadening her knowledge to broader civil matters. Clay represented DCMH for nine years and has worked with the school district for 38 years, first in association with Jim Briscoe and then full-time since 1988.
New statistics from the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles indicate 96 percent of impaired driving suspects have their driver licenses revoked, regardless of whether they are ever convicted of a DUI in court. This finding underscores the consequences Colorado drivers face if they attempt to drive impaired. Data provided for Delta County indicates 137 DUI/DWAI charges were filed in 2017; the average blood alcohol content (BAC) for suspects was 0.148. If your ability is impaired to the “slightest degree” by alcohol, drugs or even prescription medications, or if your BAC is found to be in excess of .05 but less than .08, you can be charged with driving while ability impaired, or DWAI. Those who are “substantially incapable” of operating a vehicle after consuming alcohol, drugs or prescription medications, or whose BAC is at or above .08, may be charged with driving under the influence, or DUI.