Delta County Independent, Nov. 4, 2018 by Delta County Independent

NORTH FORK TIMES

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

PROSPERITY PLAN

Hotchkiss merchants lay the groundwork for growth, B1

SPORTS

UNITED IN RESPECT

Cedaredge community honors veterans Friday and Saturday, C1

DELTA COUNTY

SEASONS CHANGE

Fall sports season comes to a close for local high schools, B6-7 NOVEMBER 7, 2018 VOL. 135, NO. 45

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INDEPENDENT

www.deltacountyindependent.com

BLM defers sale of North Fork parcels STAFF REPORT

The Bureau of Land Management announced last week the deferral of 58 parcels, including 74,516 acres in the North Fork, from the Dec. 13 oil and gas sale. A statement issued by BLM Colorado Nov. 2 explains, “BLM Colorado is deferring parcels that contain big game habitat in cooperation with a request from the State of Colorado to delay leasing to allow consideration of further habitat protections. The State of Colorado had also requested leasing in the North Fork Valley be delayed until the Uncompahgre Resource Management Plan is completed.” “While the deferral of these leases is a great short-term result, we are in need of permanent protections for the lands and resources of the North Fork Valley,” said Patrick Cooling, interim director, Western Slope Conservation Center. “We continue to advocate for the inclusion of the North Fork Alternative Plan in the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office’s Resource Management Plan, as we believe it will provide the necessary measures to adequately protect the incredible natural resources of our public lands.” Gov. John Hickenlooper and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet sent letters to the Colorado Bureau of Land Management

requesting these deferrals, amplifying appeals from the state of Colorado, the Town of Paonia, Gunnison County, and conservation groups. “We appreciate the BLM’s thoughtful decision to listen to the concerns of Coloradans,” Bennet said. “The governor and I worked in lockstep to ensure the input of communities, sportsmen, and conservationists was at the center of this process. We will continue working with the BLM to balance responsible energy development with other natural resource priorities in Colorado.” The Western Environmental Law Center provided technical comments opposing these leases and later filed formal protests requesting their deferral. “We’re grateful to Senator Bennet and Governor Hickenlooper for taking action on behalf of the many Coloradans who voiced concerns about oil and gas leasing on these public lands,” said Laura King with the Western Environmental Law Center. “The Bureau of Land Management did the right thing here by acting to better balance public land use in a state with such strong conservation values.” Earlier in October, BLM removed 142 parcels containing greater sage grouse habitat totaling approximately

141,478 acres from the December sale. The December lease sale, which originally included approximately 225,000 acres,

Staff Writer

Jeffrey Wright will be leaving his post as head of the Delta County Office of Emergency Management, effective Dec. 1. Wright moved to Delta County with his wife and their four children in 2013. “We came here for the water,” he said. “That’s what I like most about western Colorado.” The family of six will soon grow to 10 with the pending adoption of four sibling children. The family plans to spend the next 12-18 months touring the country, visiting national parks, museums and historical sites and exposing the children to new and different experiences. “We plan to make it as educational of an experience as possible,” said Wright. Wright has been with the OEM just shy of four years and spent three and a half years with Delta County Dispatch beginning in 2013. He is also a POST-certified sheriff ’s deputy and a graduate of the Delta-Montrose Technical College (now Technical College of the Rockies) Law Enforcement Academy, and has worked as a firefighter and an EMT. Prior to moving to Delta County he headed the Department of Emergen-

INDEX

Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Agriculture ................... B5 Back Page ................... D6 Business .......................A10 Church ............................C6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone ............... A7-8 Sports ..........................B6-7 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4

cy Management for Kiowa County in southeastern Colorado until budget cuts did away with the position. The best part of his job, he said, has been working with all of the groups, municipalities and districts as the umbrella agency over the past two years as the county updated its 2008 Emergency Management Plan. His decision to leave comes at the end of the process. The final draft was released Oct. 26 and public comments are being accepted through Nov. 14. Kris Stewart will take over for Wright and oversee the final phase of the plan. He will hold the dual title of head of OEM and evidence property room manager. Delta County Undersheriff Mark Taylor called Stewart “a good choice,” in part, because he holds a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice and leadership studies from Johnson & Wales University in Denver and has worked with Wright in the emergency operations center. Stewart also applied for the position in 2013 and decided to re-apply, said Taylor. Wright will spend his final days on the job helping Stewart adjust to his new duties. “I’m just kind of getting my feet under me,” said Stewart.

on proposed oil and gas exploration on private lands and in the Gunnison National Forest north of Paonia.

Photo by Pat Sunderland

When the housing market bottomed out in 2008, Lynn Tallent began building custom homes like this new residence in The Meadows. Now he and other builders are venturing back into spec homes.

Demand for new homes is growing across the county BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

The City of Delta has issued 16 building permits for new

Kris Stewart to replace Jeff Wright as emergency manager BY TAMIE MECK

will now include 23 parcels totaling 8,347 acres. Delta County continues to work with Gunnison Energy

Stewart has seven and a half years of service with the DCSO, beginning in August 2011, as a patrol deputy. He has been the county investigator for the past three and a half years, during which he undertook the duty of designing the Delta County Sheriff ’s Office’s new evidence room. Since he designed the room and has developed accountability protocol, Taylor said he felt it was important Stewart remain with the evidence department. Stewart credits a paid internship with the Department of Homeland Security for launching his career in law enforcement. He is also an EMT with 10 years of service to the North Fork Ambulance Association. Beginning in 2009 he has coordinated the multi-agency mock crash events for Paonia and Hotchkiss high school students. He is also the graphic designer for the North Fork Ambulance Association and designed its new logo when the association underwent rebranding efforts about two years ago. Stewart also plans to continue as the CPR and first aid instructor for NFAA and will be updating the Delta County Emergency Management Facebook page for the public.

single family homes this year, outpacing the combined total of permits issued in 2017 (six) and 2016 (seven). Delta County is seeing a similar increase, although new homes in unincorporated Delta County are measured not by building permits, but by septic permits. Ken Nordstrom, environmental health director for the Delta County Health Department, reports a total of 109 permits in 2018, including 87 for new construction — the most since 2008. With 58 (30 new) permits in 2012, that year was the lowest since the permit process was instituted in 1972. The numbers have steadily been climbing since then — 72 total in 2015, including 48 new; and 76 in 2016, including 51 new. “Things are looking up!” Nordstrom said. In Delta, Steve Gerow of SWG Enterprises decided to test the market with two new spec houses in Stone Mountain Village. “I had no idea what the market would be like, but we got quite a few lookers and contracts on them right away. That tells me there’s demand for new housing so I’m going to build a few more.” He also builds houses in Grand Junction, which he says has a pretty active market. He’s not sure what’s driving the demand for new housing, but speculates Delta might be drawing the overflow from Montrose and Grand Junction. The two houses in Delta sold for about $250,000, which is comparable to prices in Grand Junction but a bit more affordable than Montrose.

Lynn Tallent started building homes in 2000 but moved away from spec homes when the recession hit in 2008 and the market was flooded with foreclosures. “We evolved into custom homes and that’s what kept us going all these years,” Tallent said. “I think in 2008, we dropped from 30 to 40 homes a year to just three, but those three kept us going.” Now Tallent is venturing back into the spec home business with two houses going up in the Fox Hollow Subdivision. “We’re starting to get back into spec homes because there’s a lack of new home stock in town,” Tallent said. “It’s almost non existent.” Between projects in Delta and Montrose, he said he’s doing about 70 percent custom houses and 30 percent spec houses. Nearly all his custom clients are retirees who are coming from the Front Range and finding they can move into a new custom-built home that’s a great value compared to what they sold in Denver. His biggest challenge now is finding skilled workers. Due to a lack of qualified labor, the national average for a home build is now 8 to 10 months. Tallent said he’s fortunate to have a good crew that’s been with him for years, but he recognizes that as the average worker approaches retirement age, the construction industry is facing a huge shortage. That’s creating a competitive environment that’s driving up prices for subcontractors — and for the finished product.

StoryWalk installed at Sweitzer Lake

Weigh in on hazard risks

Delta County Libraries, The Nature Connection (TNC), and Colorado Parks and Wildlife proudly present the StoryWalk® at Sweitzer Lake State Park in Delta. The installation of the StoryWalk® was made possible by funding provided by a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Inspire Initiative grant, awarded to TNC in December 2017. The first StoryWalk® at Sweitzer Lake State Park is “The Pirate Cruncher” by Johnny Duddle, on display through December. A mysterious old pirate tells a tavern of salty seadogs about an island bursting with hidden treasure. But once they set sail, he also mentions that it is guarded by the terrible Pirate Cruncher. When the pirates’ greed gets the better of their fear, there’s a big surprise in store! Find out how the story goes on the Sweitzer Lake State Park StoryWalk® in November and December. Then, visit Delta Library to listen to the book on CD and create a pirate map! Contact Delta Library at 970-874-9630 for more information and stay tuned for more StoryWalk® news in the coming months.

As part of a communitywide natural hazard risk reduction effort, Delta County, the school district, each fire protection district and the communities of Cedaredge, Delta, Hotchkiss, Paonia and Crawford are seeking input on the draft Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Residents are invited to review and provide feedback on information regarding natural hazards in the community and the mitigation strategies developed through this collaborative effort. View the plan at delta.mitigatehazards.com and see a complete article on page A6.

A2 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

OPINION

LETTERS Who does the county planner work for? Dear Editor: On Oct. 17, there was a joint meeting of the Crawford Area Planning Committee (CAPC) and the Delta County Planning Commission (DCPC) to discuss an application for a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) — in this case a 20,000 hen egg laying facility on Fruitland Mesa. There were about equal numbers of public comments for and against this application. There was one vote in each official group to table the final decision to wait for the upcoming revision of the regulations for specific developments.

The two bodies voted to pass on a recommendation for acceptance of the CAFO application to the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC). I had assumed the county planner (a contract employee of Delta County, I’m told) was, indeed, working for the benefit of the people of Delta County. I was disabused of this assumption when after the vote to recommend acceptance, the county planner and the applicant (sitting next to each other during the meeting) gleefully turned, smiled at each other and shook hands vigorously, as if

congratulating themselves on a successful collaboration. A very similar scenario occurred a few years ago (with a different county planner) when the DCPC voted to pass on to the BoCC a recommendation for acceptance of a strip mine gravel operation application for west of Crawford. So who does the county planner work for? Is there any money changing hands in this apparent collaboration? And what else may be going on between the county planner(s) and applicant(s)? Larry Ribnicki Crawford

Planning system is broken in Delta County Dear Editor: Planning commissioners, last week, voted 7 to 1 to recommend approval of a new chicken barn on Fruitland Mesa. Some 60 residents attended the open meeting; nine spoke in favor and nine against. There was also a giant elephant in the room — an elephant in the shape of water, or lack of water, to be clear. The applicant, a recent Missouri transplant, readily admitted that he had no water source for the 20,000 chickens he’d hoped to house in his new chicken barn. Stop right there ... is what the planning commissioners should have done, but more importantly, that’s what Delta County’s planning department should have done since current specific development regulations require water for a project like the one being

proposed. Chair Bob Stechert, did in fact, vote no on the grounds that the application was incomplete and Crawford Area Planning Committee member Bob Pennetta recommended tabling the application until a proven water source was made available. So how did an incomplete application find its way out of the Delta County planning department and find favor with the planning commission? Seems to me that the county failed to do its job and the planning commissioners lost sight of theirs. Never mind the health and safety arguments — only residents brought up these issues at the meeting. Never mind the economic and ag arguments focused on by the planning commissioners

The Midnight Mining Company Dear Editor: In 1916 a new mining company was organized with many of the investors from this area. The mine was located in Pitkin County close to Aspen. The original name of the mine was the Contact Mine. It mainly mined silver and in August Ed Penfield, Fred Willoughby, Pete Grier and CT Meadows returned to Hotchkiss from the mine that they had been looking after. At this point they thought the mine was going to generate enough funds to the stockholders that they had invested plus more! My grandfather was one of the original stock-

holders and his stock was passed down through generations of his family. Recently I received a letter from the president stating the status of the company and asking me to fill out a form. The form asks for information that I do not feel comfortable giving out. I was under the impression that the company had basically folded years ago. If anyone in this area had or has any of the Midnight Mining stock information, I would like to talk to you. My number is 872-3366. Let me know if YOU received this form. Kathy McKee Hotchkiss

— factors outside their role as a review commission. Never mind the $100,000 county paycheck that planning consultant Kelly Yeager has brought home for the past four years. This application was clearly flawed and the decision should have been a no-brainer. While the PC voted to recommend approval (they can only recommend approval or denial of an application to county commissioners), they also included a requirement that no construction begin until a legal water source was developed. Interestingly, among the planning department’s handful of additional recommendations for this application, water wasn’t one of them. Further, the county didn’t require a traffic study, another element of the current specific development regulations. Many area residents expressed extreme concern about the dangerous Fruitland Mesa roads that semis would travel to service the operation. Fellow residents, are we being “spoon-fed” corner-to-corner agricultural zoning for everyone living outside a municipality? Or do we have a county government that really doesn’t give a hoot about its own regulations? In the midst of a landuse code rewrite and the hotbed concentrated animal feeding operation controversy, I’m extremely worried about our county’s ability to competently manage planning in the county. I think we all should be worried. JoAnn Kalenak Hotchkiss

Use and dispose of prescription meds properly Dear Editor: Strategies for addressing the nationwide opioid epidemic often include discussions of reducing or restricting access to opioids. It’s important that conversation however address community members who have a genuine need for prescription pain medications. Prescription pain medication can become increasingly important for aging Coloradans to maintain a good quality of life. Sixty-five percent of U.S. seniors use three or more prescription medications, according to AARP. In 2016, 30 percent of Delta patients ages 55 and older received five or more opioid prescriptions. Helping 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. Delta, CO 81416 (970) 874-4421 News: editor@deltacountyindependent.com Advertising: ads@deltacountyindependent.com

area seniors find ways to securely store and safely dispose of these medications also plays an important role in reducing the potential for medications to be accidentally misused or end up in someone else’s hands. Region 10 is partnering with the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention to pilot a new effort to educate seniors about safely using, storing, and disposing of prescription medication. Positive steps like keeping medications in your home out of sight and away from visitors can make a difference. While a bathroom medicine cabinet seems like the logical place to keep meds, a guest in your home could take your pills without you knowing. Instead, keep medications out of view in a drawer or cabinet in a common room anytime you’re expecting guests. Safely disposing of medication that you’re no longer taking gets it out of your home and eliminates any risk of misuse. You can drop-off unused and expired medications any time at a permanent disposal site in Delta. These are located at: • Delta County Sher-

iff ’s Office, 555 Palmer Street. • Cedaredge Pharmacy, 210 SE Independence Avenue. • Hotchkiss Marshal’s Office, 276 W. Main Street. Eva Veitch Region 10 Montrose

Too many trick-or-treaters! Dear Editor: I am a senior citizen residing in the Cedaredge Golf Course community. We had an overwhelming number of trick-or-treaters last night. Most of the people who live here are elderly, and it is very tiring to keep up with this demand. The parents just kept bringing them until 8:30 or 9 p.m., starting at 5:30 p.m. Don’t get me wrong, the children are very cute, and very polite, it is just too many. There cannot possibly be that many kids in Cedaredge. They must be coming from Delta and other areas. Parents, please keep this in mind next year. Some day you will be this old, too. Denise Burton Cedaredge

Delta County Independent

Women have indeed come a long way Dear Editor: Nov. 7 will mark the 125th anniversary of Colorado women winning the right to vote and also the right to run for office. That date in 1893 saw passage of the first state referendum granting women’s suffrage in U.S. history, and the amendment was co-sponsored by a Montrose County representative, J.T. Heath. The following year, three Colorado women became the first women in U.S. history to be elected to any legislature when they were elected to the Colorado House of Representatives! By looking at the 2018 election scene, it is obvious how far women have come in the political process. But that process needs to be protected, so the League of Women Voters continues to fight against voter suppression to ensure access to the ballot, works to increase voter turnout to protect our democratic republic, and strives to empower voters through education and advocacy. Thanks to the “unsinkable” Margaret (Mollie) Tobin Brown and the

Colorado Non-Partisan where mail-in ballots Equal Suffrage Associa- make voting so easy! tion who helped to secure Nancy Ball Secretary Colorado women’s voting League of Women rights 27 years before Voters of Montrose the passage of the 19th Amendment. County, Serving We Coloradans are Montrose and VERY fortunate to reside Delta counties

Believe in the promise of America Dear Editor: With everything happening in our world today and the upcoming election, things can seem overwhelming. Our hearts break over the senseless hatred that took precious lives in Pittsburgh. We shake our heads as we turn off yet another nasty negative campaign commercial. But don’t lose heart my fellow citizens. Let me invite you to peek into our kindergarten classroom. There is goodness in the world if we know where to look. Just within the last week I have had a beautiful band of angels coming to share their time, passions and resources. They come to help children read, write and wonder. They drop

off boxes of books. They come to help us extract, save and later plant heirloom tomatoes. They generously deliver 30 HUGE pumpkins for children to decorate and then share back with the community by delivering them to the nursing home and others who need a cheerful hello. They help with math and show children how much we use numbers and patterns in our daily lives. There are many wonderful things happening. It is the little things we do for each other that mean the most. Reflect on what you learned when you were a child. Together we can help one another believe in the promise of America. Jodi Simpson Paonia

Thanks to our local election officials Dear Editor: As Election Day was looming I heard a lot of talk about “voter fraud.” Well, how about here in Delta County? My mom, Marge Streza, recently had surgery on her right hand and being righthanded only had use of her left hand. Mom is 85 years old and handled her mail-in ballot like the seasoned pro she is. (I have her permission to tell her age.) After sign-

ing her ballot paperwork as instructed with her left hand, she placed the obligatory stamp where needed and delivered the envelope to the post office. A few days later she was notified by mail that there was an issue with her ballot. After calling Delta County Elections and speaking with Melinda, Mom decided to visit the courthouse to get everything straightened out.

Once home, Mom told me that she had a really good time with Melinda on the phone earlier and in person when Melinda told her that her normally “pretty signature” was not the one on the ballot. My mom’s ballot is now officially part of our election process. Thank you to our good friends and neighbors we have here in Delta County. Nick Streza Cedaredge

Law enforcement blotter From the Delta Police Department (edited for length): Oct. 28: At 3:57 a.m., officers responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 50 (South) near mile marker 77 to assist Colorado State Patrol. Officers responded to Alta Vista de la Montana apartments, 7110 Highway 50, on a report of child abduction. Investigation found the child safe with the biological mother a short time later. Oct. 29: Officers took a report of an alleged sexual assault. Lindsey Shae McKinney, 34, of Cedaredge was arrested and jailed on a warrant with a $1,200 bond. A parked and unattended vehicle was damaged by another vehicle that left the scene at Dollar Tree Store, 121 Gunnison River Drive. Amber A.H. Price, 42, of Cedaredge was issued a ticket for alleged failure to yield right of way from a stop sign after being involved in a twovehicle crash at the intersection of G Road and 1800 Road. No injuries were reported or observed. A theft was alleged in the parking lot of Dollar Tree Store. Officers took a report of dogs attacking livestock in the 1700 block of Pioneer Road. A burglary was reported from a residence on Columbine Circle. Oct. 30: Traven J.C. Horner, 21, of Delta was arrested and jailed on two warrants with a $600 total bond. Officers responded to a report of suspicious activity in the area of 9th and B streets. Traven J.C. Horner, 21, of Delta was arrested and jailed for alleged possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and violation of a restraining order. Criminal mischief was alleged at Affordable Storage, 2200 Southgate Lane. An officer responded to Crossroads at Delta for an incident between two residents. An officer responded to Delta County Courthouse for a disturbance. Officers responded to a residence in the 300 block of Grand Avenue for a disturbance. Oct. 31: Alan Scott Hawk, Jr., 34, of Cedaredge was arrested and jailed on a warrant with a $1,200 bond. A collision involving two semi tractor/trailers was reported at Delta Sales Yard. No injuries were reported or observed. A 13 year-old-male of Delta was issued a ticket for alleged possession/consumption of marijuana by underage person at Delta Middle School. Officers responded to a residence in the 1200 block of Bluff Street for an alleged

burglary and theft. A small fire was reported near the trail between the 700 block of Leon Street and Cleland Park. The fire was put out and a juvenile was released to his parents. Nov. 1: The theft of two 20” bar chainsaws was reported from a vehicle in the 700 block of Columbia. Nov. 2: Marlene Rawn Baca, 57, of Delta was arrested and jailed for alleged obstruction of telephone services as an act of domestic violence. Parker Chase Avondet, 18, of Delta was arrested and jailed on a warrant with a $1,000 bond. Officers responded to McDonald’s on a report of a possible drunk driver. Craig Lonnie Thomas, 35, of Delta was arrested and jailed for alleged driving under the influence and open alcohol container. Parker Chase Avondet, 18, of Delta was arrested and jailed for alleged possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and violation of bail bond conditions. Officers were investigating a possible trespass incident in the 100 block of W. 6th Street. K9 Raico was deployed to search part of a structure for any persons. None were located. Nov. 3: Eduardo Luis Zavala, 27, of Delta was arrested and jailed on a warrant with a $2,000 bond. Arturo Macias-Toro, 52, of Delta was arrested and jailed for alleged driving while license revoked, driving under the influence and driving under the influence per se. An officer responded to the 200 block of Main Street for a report of a hit and run crash involving a parked and unattended vehicle. No injuries were reported or observed. Officers responded to the intersection of Main Street and E. 3rd Street in regards to a young child with no supervision. Aurelio Rodriguez Arias, 51, of Delta was issued a ticket for alleged child abuse/neglect – simple. Reminder: The charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. From the Delta County Sheriff’s Office (partial list): Oct. 29: A Crawford area resident reported the locks to his home had been damaged during an attempted break-in. At about 10:30 p.m., deputies assisted the Hotchkiss Marshal’s Office with an intoxicated female on E. Main Street. North Fork Ambulance provided treatment for a possible broken arm and transport to Delta County Memorial Hospital. Oct. 30: Deputies contacted a 39year-old female who was

walking toward Hotchkiss on Highway 92 after a fight with her boyfriend. Oct. 31: A two-vehicle accident was reported in the 14000 block of G Road at about 8:30 a.m. An Eckert resident reported that his SNAP and commodities cards had been stolen. Deputies were asked to check a Delta County residence for a bicycle that was stolen from the McDonald’s in Montrose. A Cedaredge resident reported that his cleaning lady and her husband had stolen at least $600 worth of tools from his home on Cactus Park Road. Nov. 1: A motorcycle and helmet were found in the 14000 block of G Road at about 9:15 p.m. Both appeared to have been in an accident, but the driver was nowhere to be seen. The next day, the owner reported that a motorcycle he’d abandoned on G Road was missing. Nov. 2: Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a traffic stop on Highway 50, milemarker 60, which originated as a child abduction from Mesa County. Investigation determined the male party was allowed to have the child in his custody. Deputies assisted the Delta Police Department with an intoxicated male in the drivethrough lane of McDonald’s. Nov. 3: While on routine patrol at about 12:30 a.m., deputies came upon a vehicle stopped in the vicinity of F and Pansy Roads, Delta, with its emergency lights activated. The driver, Daniel Packham of Delta, reported he’d just purchased the vehicle and it had broken down. A records check revealed Packham was driving with a suspended license. He claimed he was not aware of that fact, so deputies issued a notice of suspension and told him to contact someone to pick him up from the side of the road. A Grand Junction resident reported that while he was hiking in the ‘dobies off Trap Club Road, someone stole the 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee he’d purchased just two days before. The keys had been left in the Jeep, described as silver in color with damage on the right front bumper. A Hotchkiss area resident reported cars driving up and down a nearby road at a high rate of speed. He suspected juveniles coming and going from a party. Nov. 4: A two-vehicle accident occurred at a residence on Surface Creek Road at about 10:30 a.m. The homeowner reported a truck belonging to an acquaintance had rolled down the driveway and into his vehicle, even though the acquaintance was certain he’d set the emergency brake when he parked.

LOCAL NEWS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Colorado River District representative discusses drought contingency planning BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer

Tom Alvey, representing the Colorado River District, met with Delta County Commissioners Doug Atchley, Don Suppes and Mark Roeber at their Nov. 5 meeting to give them an update regarding water availability from Lake Powell and Lake Mead to water users in the Upper Basin states and the Lower Basin states. Alvey identified the problem as declining elevations in Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two “buckets” for managing operations of the Colorado River under the 1922 Colorado River Compact. Currently Lake Powell is at 3,590 feet of elevation, down over 35 feet over the last year, and at only 45 percent of capacity — 10 million acre feet versus being at full capacity of 22 million acre feet. (Lake Mead is at 38 percent of capacity.) Lake Powell’s minimum power pool elevation is 3,490 feet, but it starts losing operational ability at 3,525. Also, at 3,525 acre feet, the Upper Basin’s obligation to the Lower Basin to release 5.5 million acre feet becomes compromised. There is

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not enough head to push that volume, which would trigger a compact call. Alvey notes two causes for this situation. One, hydrology: In 2018 some areas experienced the driest year on record. McClure Pass and Grand Mesa had the lowest runoff ever. The trend has been drier years since 1999. Three of the five driest years on record have been in the last 16 years. Extreme drought has become the condition all over the southwest. Two, overuse by Lower Basin states. The Lower Basin is entitled to the release of 8.23 million acre feet, which includes the entitlement to Mexico, but has been using over 9 million acre feet yearly. This overuse keeps Lake Mead at a low level, which under the 2007 operational plan, causes higher releases from Lake Powell. The net effect is critical low levels in the two reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The Secretary of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation have been pushing the seven states of the Upper and Lower Basins to come up with a plan to minimize the risks of elevations falling below critical levels, calling for a Drought Contingency Plan (DCP). There would be two plans, an Upper Basin DCP and a Lower Basin DCP. The Lower Basin DCP would require Arizona, Nevada and California to stop over-using their entitlement from the Colorado River and reapportion the shares of those three states. The Upper Basin DCP has three main parts: 1. Reoperation of the three upper basin federal reservoirs, Aspinall,

Call for entries

Rockies West National 2019 sends a call for entries for its 29th annual watercolor exhibition, March 1-30, at the Art Center, 7th & Orchard, Grand Junc-

mulate a policy by the end of November to frame the demand management discussion. “In October the UCRC and CWCB did release the draft DCP and held a webinar to explain it. We applaud these actions and are cautiously optimistic that we can come to agreement about what a demand management program would look like,” he said. The Colorado River District principles stress two main points: 1. Water would come only from voluntary, temporary and compensated sources; and 2. There would be an equitable contribution from all water users, a proportionate share from both the Front Range and Western Slope. Alvey said, “Our fear is that, without guidelines, the Front Range will push for an anticipatory and mandatory cut of water use which could focus on Western Slope agriculture as the main supplier. “These are extremely important issues that will shape water use for the next 50 years, and, to me, they are probably as important as the original compact,” he said. The commissioners and Alvey discussed the impact of water to the Delta County agricultural community, agreeing that “water is money,” and pledged to support each other in bringing about legislation to protect the Western Slope in receiving its share of Colorado water. They agreed to solicit the support of Colorado Senators Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet in protecting the future of Western Slope water availability.

tion. Multiple cash awards are presented. Entry deadline is Dec. 1. Go to www.wcwsociety. org for the 2019 prospectus and additional contact information.

LEAP launches online application for heating assistance program Colorado’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), will kickoff the 2018-19 season with a new online application process for individuals and families needing heating assistance. Enrollment for the 20182019 program starts Nov. 1 and continues through April 30. “With the new online application process, individuals can apply from any device, or they can still visit one of our county locations,” said Theresa Kullen, LEAP manager. “We believe everyone who needs assistance is going to find this is easier, takes less time and overall the whole process is more efficient.” Applications can be accessed through LEAP’s website at www.colorado. gov/cdhs/LEAP, which links to the state’s CO PEAK system for online application, which consolidates resources in one easy-to-use location.

Library closures Delta County Libraries will be closed Monday, Nov. 12, in observance of Veterans Day and Thursday, Nov. 22, in observance of Thanksgiving. All libraries will be closing at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21.

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Navajo and Flaming Gorge, to put more water into Lake Powell; 2. Continue cloud seeding; and 3. Demand management, which is the tricky part. Alvey said, “Demand management simply means reductions in use in the Upper Basin. Some water users will have to use less. Also, to get any benefit from this reduction, there must be a place to deposit any saved water. “To this end, the Upper Basin DCP would require federal legislation to create a separate pool in Lake Powell, a pool within a pool, which would be administered separately from the rest, not subject to equalizing releases to Lake Mead. “The question then becomes where will the water come from?” Alvey said. The Colorado River District has been directing its attention to this question. Since its seminar in Grand Junction in September, the Colorado River District has been calling for full transparency from the State and the Upper Colorado River Commission (UCRC) concerning discussions and documents about DCP and demand management. “We have drafted a set of principles that we want the state Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to adopt to guide any discussion of demand management,”Alvey said. “The River District staff and I went to Steamboat Springs for the CWCB board meeting in September and requested they adopt a resolution affirming our six principles. They declined to take any action, but agreed to for-

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For program eligibil- office,” said Kullen. ity, candidates must Call Heat Help at 1pay home heating costs 866-432-8435 for more directly to a utility com- information. pany or landlord as part of their rent, be a permanent legal resident of the United States and Colorado or have a legal U.S. citizen in the household. A family household income cannot surpass 165 percent of the federal poverty index. If approved, LEAP payments are usually made directly to the primary heating vendor and a notice is sent to individuals regarding the benefit amount. Last year, approximately 65,000 applications were approved with assistance averaging $337 to $674 across the state. Other benefits provided by the program include repair or replacement of a home’s primary heating system. To determine the monthly income eligibility according to the household size, visit www.colorado.gov/pacific/ cdhs/program-eligibility. LEAP is a federallyfunded program that helps Coloradans pay a portion of home heating costs during the winter. “For those not comfortable with online processes, applications can still be faxed, mailed or delivered to the appropriate county/contractor LEAP

e ng m o s e v a h Relanxd, enjoy an eveni re’s fun a elta Hardwa at D

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SAVE THE DATE!

Tuesday, November 13 6:30-8:00 p.m.

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Correction

Delta Bee Keepers, a club started by Mike Suppes to educate those in the community who have an interest in bees and bee keeping, was featured in an article in the Oct. 31 issue of the Delta County Independent. Unfortunately, there was an error in the meeting date. The club meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Odd Fellows Hall in Delta the third Monday of each month. For more information, call Suppes at 970-8740705.

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A4 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

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Delta County Independent

Delta Elks invites vets to free brunch

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ACCENT

Delta Elks will be honoring all military veterans, and those currently serving, and their spous�� es with a free brunch on �� Sunday, Nov. 11 from 10 �� a.m.-12:30 p.m. It will be �� served downstairs in the �� dining room of the Delta

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Email ads to: ads@deltacountyindependent.com

Elks Lodge located at 563 Main Street. There is an elevator on the south side of the building for those who are unable to use the stairs. Please come to enjoy a great meal and be honored for your service to our country.

Colorado Springs artist to give demos, workshop The November Delta Fine Arts meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 13, 1 p.m. at Orchard City Town Hall, 9661 2100 Road, Austin. Following a short business meeting, guest artist Reveille Kennedy, Colorado Springs will present an

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art demo. She has taken many workshops around the world and her paintings hang in England, Scotland, Japan and around the U.S. She is currently teaching out of her house/studio. Kennedy will also be a special guest at the Nov. 14 meeting of the Western Colorado Watercolor Society. This group meets at 12 noon at Hillcrest Congregational Church, 611 S. Hillcrest Drive, Montrose. After a light luncheon, guest artist, Kennedy will present an art demo. On Thursday, Nov. 15, she will offer a workshop. For workshop information, contact Dani Tupper, 970874-3088.

Dianne McGee of Delta, Belva Smith of Decorah, Iowa, Mary Heins, Indianapolis and Dixie Hutchinson of Decorah, Iowa, are pictured hugging their incarcerated “friend” during a visit to the Delta County Museum. These four mischievous rabble-rousers tried to break the museum’s resident jailbird out of prison. Fortunately, they were caught red-handed. The only upside may be that their friend saw the light of day for the ﬁrst time in years. The museum, located at the corner of 3rd and Meeker, is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during the winter months.

Delta woman dedicates her life to libraries BY TRACY IHNOT

Delta County Libraries

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Jailbreak

Alice Lister loves libraries, plain and simple. She loves the people. She loves the books. She loves the opportunities. Lister, a resident of Delta for 61 years, has spent much of her life working, volunteering and browsing the shelves at Delta Library. Interviewing Lister is like opening a book on its history. “1969 was my first year with the library,” Lister says. “Then, the city decided they couldn’t afford a librarian.” At that time, the libraries in Delta County were not part of a countywide district. According to Lister, the City of Delta planned to close the library altogether. That news did not go over very well with many parents. Lister, along with a team of parent volunteers, set up a schedule to keep the library open. “Sometimes I was there until 10 o’ clock at night.” Lister explains. “I lived right across the street, so it was convenient.” Over the next year, volunteers would open the library at about 3 p.m. and stay open into the evening to meet the needs of students. Several years later in 1973, Lister accepted a position at Delta Library. According to Lister, the

newly built technical college in Delta did not have space for a library and so a partnership formed between the two organizations. “The vo-tech paid for the books and the library provided the space,” Lister explained. Lister continued to work at Delta Library until 1978, when she resigned to assist her husband in running the family business. In 1983, Lister’s husband passed away and by 1984, she was back working at the library. “The library has been my love since I lost my husband,” she reflects. Lister retired from Delta Library in 2002 after decades of service. Then, she started volunteering. Today, Lister is a dedicated patron, but it is not always easy to simply browse the shelves and check out books after such a long career. “It hurts ... because I want to get behind the desk and start working,” Lister says. At 86 years old, working is no longer an option for Lister, but her passion for libraries remains strong. When asked what she would say to someone who says that libraries are no longer necessary, Lister’s response is clear. “I would say, ‘look again.’ You’re talking to a librarian! There’s no better place to meet people.

Delta resident Alice Lister sits in the original Carnegie section of Delta Library. After decades of service as an employee and volunteer, Lister is now a dedicated patron of the library.

BIRTHS

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People that come to the library are looking for information. They are looking to expand their minds. They are looking for something they don’t have at home.” Reflecting back on her many years as a librarian, Lister remembers a time when the Delta Library closed for two months during a major construction project. According to Lister, the community did not handle the closure very well. One patron even came to Lister’s house regularly to borrow books from her personal collection. “That is what librarians do,” Lister says. “They help people find access to the things they are looking for. We can’t let the libraries disappear.” For more information about Delta County Libraries, library hours and locations, visit www. deltalibraries.org.

Photo submitted

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Photo submitted

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Brittni and Zack Love of Delta are the parents of a daughter, Rilynn Rae Love, born Oct. 20, 2018, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction. She weighed 7 pounds and was 19 inches in length. Her maternal grandparents are Jacki and Danny West of Delta. Her paternal grandparents are Deanna Terry of Grand Junction and Ryan Love of Nucla. Stephanie and Chad Pennington of Delta are the parents of a daughter, Izybela Louise Pennington, born Nov. 1, 2018, at Delta County Memorial Hospital. She weighed 7 pounds, 14.4 ounces and was 20 inches in length.

LOCAL NEWS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Veterans have a plan to pay homage to fallen comrades BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

While Nov. 11 is officially recognized as Veterans Day, two Delta residents have a plan to honor veterans every day of the year through beautification of the Garnet Mesa Trail. Jim Ball, a veteran of World War II, lives just above the trail that he’s walked “hundreds” of times. At the age of 92, he’s not quite as ambitious any more, but he still wants to see the trail lined with flowers, vines and bushes that will attract birds and butterflies. He believes the beautification project will also draw visitors, who will then stop and read the plaques honoring fallen veterans of not only World War II, but also World War I, the Korean War, Vietnam and Iraq/ Afghanistan. Ball has pledged funds to this project, and has spent hundreds of hours researching suitable plants, such as wisteria, lilacs, butterfly bushes and milkweed. He’s look-

Jim Ball

ing for low maintenance bushes that will propagate readily (to keep costs down) and bloom all summer. Steve Dunivan, who joined the Army right after he graduated from high school in 1974, shares Ball’s passion for the idea. Dunivan has a special place in his heart for veterans. At his home, he maintains a museum where he preserves the military service history of our local heroes. It was through museum acquisitions that he met Ball. When Ball shared his vision for the Garnet Mesa Trail restoration project with Dunivan, the City of Delta was in the process of developing its parks, recreation and trails master plan. Dunivan and Ball attended visioning sessions, talked with parks and recreation director Wilma Erven, and enlisted the support of parks director Tony Bohling. Dunivan says the project has not taken off as they’d originally hoped, but the city is still on board and he and Ball are hoping to begin the project in the spring. They plan to start small, on the portion of trail directly below Ball’s house, and hopefully find volunteers or a service organization willing to help out with propagation and maintenance. They don’t believe watering the plants will be an issue. A number of seeps come off Garnet Mesa near the trail, and the water could easily be collected and diverted to the plantings. As they bloom, the

vines and bushes will add color and a delightful fragrance to be enjoyed by all who walk the path. The sense of tranquility will be enhanced by plaques honoring Delta County veterans who have been killed in action. Ball has traveled widely in his 92 years and has fond memories of the acres of floral displays at the Butchart Gardens in British Columbia, the lush gardens at Shore Acres State Park in Oregon and other botanical sites. These attractions draw thousands of visitors and Ball believes the trail beautification project could do the same for Delta, albeit on a smaller scale. Ball was raised in Durango. When he was a senior in high school, his sweetheart died of a systemic viral infection. He quit school the

next day and he and two buddies joined the Marine Corps. The year was 1943, and the U.S. and its allies were fully engaged in World War II. Ball, a talented musician, was assigned to the West Coast Band. When the band disbanded four months later, he put down his trumpet and picked up a rifle. He soon found himself on a train to Treasure Island, where he boarded a ship bound for the Pacific with the 2nd Marine Division. His division was involved in three military campaigns

prior to his discharge in May 1946. “There’s not much to say about the war, except that it’s terrible,” he said. “Those who serve are oftentimes incredibly brave under very difficult circumstances.” Ball went on to become a professional playwright and has used his skills to help World War II combat veterans write their memoirs. “I’ve found out so many of our progenitors lived a life that their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren

had no idea about, even what they did for a living, what kind of conditions they grew up, when they went to school, what they studied,” he explained. With Ball’s help, 52 veterans now have a written legacy for their families. And if his vision for trail restoration comes to fruition, the sacrifices of those who died to keep America free will never be forgotten. For more information on the trail restoration project or to volunteer, call Dunivan at 970-4622137.

VETERAN’S DAY

APPRECIATION CELEBRATION

Photo by Pat Sunderland

This plaque contains the name of Delta High School alumni who paid the ultimate price during World War II. The plaque, and an exhibit of World War I and II military uniforms, are displayed at the Delta Museum.

Photo by Pat Sunderland

Steve and Chris Dunivan have become good friends of Jim Ball, a 92year-old World War II veteran who still writes plays, as well as the memoirs of fellow combat veterans.

25th Annual

Open House

Veterans invited to DMS assembly In appreciation for all current and former members of our armed forces, Delta Middle School is holding a Veterans Day assembly Monday, Nov. 12. All veterans and active service members are invited to a reception in the foyer of the Delta Performing Arts Center, 822 Grand Avenue, beginning at 9 a.m. The assembly will follow at 9:30 a.m.

Photo by Pat Sunderland

Garnet Mesa Trail starts just above Cleland Park and runs south along the edge of the mesa, eventually climbing to Lincoln Elementary School.

Veterans to be honored at memorial park in Fruita The Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado and the Western Slope Vietnam War Memorial Park present their annual Veter-

Stutzman Family Singers return to Delta The Stutzman Family Singers are coming back to First Baptist Church of Delta for a concert on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. This family has been traveling and sharing with audiences across North America for several years. This is the third time they have visited First Baptist Church in Delta. They have been on the Tour of the West since the first week of October, visiting communities, churches and prisons in Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Oregon and Alberta, Canada, on this trip, in addition to Colorado. Beyond the concert they will include a display table where you can purchase CDs and DVDs of music and teaching’s that Steve and Dorcas Stutzman have available. Also, you can pick up a copy of Dorcas’ books, “Trust or Control” or “Amish Gourmet,” filled with Stutzman family recipes.

Holiday

The public is invited to this special event on Thursday, Nov. 8, starting at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Delta. For more information contact the church office at 874-3847.

ans Day ceremony Saturday, Nov. 10, at 11:11 a.m. Grand Valley Home Loans will be providing water bottles and support at the event. Veterans of the armed forces of the United States will be honored at a ceremony at the Western Slope Vietnam War Memorial Park in Fruita. The ceremony is open to the public. Parking is available at the park. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating to this event, which is expected to last an hour.

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A6 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Dona Lee Cockroft

Dona Lee Cockroft of Delta died Oct. 30, 2018, at Willow Tree Care Center. She was 84. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, at the Delta United Methodist Church with Rev. Tom Hazelwood officiating. Inurnment will take place at Delta City Cemetery at a later date. Dona Lee Gore was born June 18, 1934, on the family ranch in Eckert to William “Gordon” and Glendalene (White) Gore. She graduated from Delta High School in 1951. She was an accompanist for the choir and glee club and played the saxophone in the band. She served as worthy advisor of the Rainbow girls and received the Grand Cross of Colors award. On June 10, 1952, she married Lee Russell Cockroft at the United Methodist Church in Delta. Mrs. Cockroft was a member of Delta United Methodist Church and was church organist since 1971. She taught many students piano. She and her husband organized the Delta Ground Observer Corps at the request of the U.S. Air Force. Mrs. Cockroft served as president of her homeowners associations, secretary of the Delta County Historical Society board of directors and volunteered at the museum. She is survived by three children, Gordon (Patricia) Cockroft and Larry (Teresa) Cockroft, all of Delta, and Janelle Rae and Mario Penaherrera of Nunn; six grandchildren, Nicole, Allison, Amber, Mike, Danielle and Whitney; 10 greatgrandchildren, Makenzie, Chloe, Dylan, Cooper, Madison, Hadlee, Everett,

OBITUARIES

Hayden, Odin and Ellie; two sisters, Janet Connaway of Grand Junction and Myrna Leasher of Morrison; and extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband and a great-granddaughter, Aubrey. Memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Church Bereavement Fund, 477 Meeker 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.

Lee “Chuck” Farmer

ceded in death by one sister, Patricia Jarboe. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hotchkiss Crawford Historical Society, PO Box 724, Hotchkiss, CO 81419 or to HopeWest, PO Box 24, 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.

Colin Kurtz

Delta resident Colin Kurtz died Oct. 26, 2018, at the HopeWest Care Center in Grand Junction. He was 67. Services are pending. Colin Lee Kurtz was born Nov. 3, 1950, to Albert and Joyce (Cox) Kurtz in Jamestown, N.D. He spent his childhood and attended school in North Dakota. The family moved to Montrose and Mr. Kurtz graduated from Montrose High School in 1968. He served his country in the U.S. Army, then attended Mesa State College, earning his associate degree in 1978. He was an artist who enjoyed painting, writing poetry, reading and especially spending time with his children and grandchildren. He is survived by a son, Paul (Becky) Kurtz; daughter, Wendi Jeffryes; brothers, Brian Kurtz and Lynn Kurtz; sister, Renee (Jim) Lee; grandchildren, Miranda Milham, Cade Kurtz, Lila Kurtz and Chloe Kurtz; and greatgrandchildren, Thomas, Deegan and Zayden. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Elizabeth Offerman. Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory is han-

Lee “Chuck” Farmer died Nov. 3, 2018. He was 80. At his request, there will be no services. Cremation has taken place. He was born on Oct. 10, 1938, in rural Macon County, Mo., to Rodney and Alice (McMurtry) Farmer. He graduated from Clarence High School in 1956 and the University of Missouri in 1960. On Aug. 20, 1960, he married Mary Hotchkiss near Malta, Mont. Mr. Farmer served eight years in the Army Reserves as a first lieutenant. He was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Montana for eight years and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Portland, Ore., and Chicago, Ill., for seven years. He moved to Hotchkiss in 1975, where he did ranch work, served as the superintendent of the Fire Mountain Canal and owned a tax service business. He enjoyed learning about local history and was president of the Hotchkiss Crawford Historical Society for several years. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary; three sons, Brian, Kenneth “Jim” and Patrick; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchilBY TAMIE MECK dren; two sisters, Nadean Staff Writer (Bill) Wood and Clara Following more than a Murphy; and one brother, year of meetings between Robert (Carol) Farmer. Delta County staff and Mr. Farmer was prekey stakeholders, Delta County’s draft 2018 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan is now available for public review and comment. Delta County, the City of Delta, Orchard �� City, Cedaredge, Paonia, Crawford and Hotchkiss �� as well as five fire protection districts and the �� Delta County School District participated in the �� process of drafting the �� plan. The two-volume draft �� identifies the hazards associated with each of �� the six Delta County municipalities and provides information on risk �� assessments planning �� methodology, mitigation strategy and plan imple�� mentation and mainte�� nance as well as informa�� tion on hazard risk ranking, vulnerability assessment and total assets at

Delta County Independent

dling the arrangements. Visit the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

Frances Mallett

Crawford resident Frances M. Mallett died Oct. 24, 2018, at her residence. She was 80. A memorial service will be held at Mountain View Bible Church in Lazear at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17. Frances Marion Gonser was born on March 7, 1938, to Kenneth and Lolo (Eden) Gonser in Colorado. She spent her childhood in Sullivan and graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 1957. On March 29, 1958, she married Terence Mallett. Mrs. Mallett was a member of the Onion Valley Ladies Club and Mountain View Bible Church. She enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, horseback riding, flying, crafts, especially quilting, and playing the piano. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Terry Mallett; sons, Marc (Yamile) Mallett, Clay (Kristi) Mallett and Curt Mallett; brother, Budge (Elsie) Gonser; sister-inlaw, Jo Gonser; six grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by a brother, K.C. Gonser. Memorial contributions may be made to HopeWest, PO Box 24, 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.

Linda Bjork

Austin resident Linda J. Bjork died Nov. 4, 2018, at Delta County Memorial Hospital. She was 73. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Mrs. Bjork was born in Long Beach, Calif., June 9, 1945, to Jay and Frances (Reynolds) Fritz. On Oct. 23, 1964, she married Kenneth Bjork in Denver. They lived in Denver until retiring to Austin in 2005. She was a member of Eckert Presbyterian Church and the Red Hats. She enjoyed quilting and spending time with her grandchildren. She was her family’s caretaker. She is survived by her mother, Frances Fritz of Eckert; two sons, Keith Bjork of Sidney, Mont., and Russ Bjork of Lakewood; brothers, Joel (Susan) Fritz of Vail and Robert Fritz (Gerald Roberts) of New Mexico; sisters, Kathy (Skip) Dennis of Austin, Rebecca Fritz of Ouray and Mary (Richard) Bromerski of Ouray; six grandchildren, Bryan (Melinda) Lankston of Casper, Wyo., Ashley Bjork of Williston, N.D., MaKenzie Bjork of Sidney, Mont., Connor Bjork of Pagosa Springs and Evan and Peyton Bjork of Lakewood; and one

great-grandchild due in December. She was preceded in death by her father, Jay Fritz; her husband, Kenneth Bjork, on Nov. 19, 2016; and a brother, John Fritz. Memorial contributions may be made to Eckert Presbyterian Church, PO Box 7, Eckert, CO 81418. Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory is handling the arrangements. Visit the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

Sylvia Ewing

Paonia resident Sylvia Lorraine Ewing died Oct. 30, 2018, at her home. She was 87. Services were held Nov. 2 at North Fork Baptist Church. Chaplain Justin Williams officiated. She is survived by four children, Michael (Carol) Ewing of Durango, Roger Ewing of Northern California, Kevin (Holly) Ewing of Arvada and Linda Loper of Paonia; five grandchildren, Peter Ewing, Jim Nichols, Paul Nichols, Shane Ewing and Ashley Ewing; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory is handling the arrangements. Visit the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www. taylorfuneralservice.com.

Orlis Belvill

Delta resident Orlis Arlene Belvill died Nov. 2, 2018. Graveside services will be held Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 10 a.m. at the Olathe Cemetery.

LOCAL NEWS

Draft hazard mitigation plan enters public comment phase

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risk and other interesting data. While 32 threats were identified through the process, the hazards identified as most likely to occur within Delta County include wildfires, floods, drought and dam failure, said Delta County emergency management director Jeffrey Wright. The issue of climate change was largely avoided due to the political nature of the topic, but disasters likely to occur due to any changes in climate were addressed through the identification and discussion of perceived hazards, mainly wildfires, floods, severe winter weather and drought. The two-volume searchable draft provides a formal explanation of prevalent hazards within the county and how they may affect each of the communities and the county as a whole. Volume one lists all federally required elements of a hazard mitigation plan that apply to the countywide planning area and a description of addressing them, including planning processes, goals and objectives, countywide hazard risk assessment and more. Volume two provides jurisdiction-specific elements for each municipality and special district. Wright said the county was awarded a grant of up to $70,000 from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to update the 2008 plan. Dynamic Planning + Science (DPS) was selected from a field of six candidates for the project, at a cost of $45,000. “That saves the taxpayers some money,” said Wright. This two-fold process was aimed at assisting in reduction of repetitive damages to community infrastructure and at meeting the requirements of the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act

of 2000 for state and local governments. These entities must develop hazard mitigation plans as a condition for grant assistance under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Most importantly, according to a press release from DPS, the mitigation strategies presented in the plan respond to the known vulnerabilities within each community and provide prescriptions or actions to achieve the greatest reduction of natural hazard risk. The end result of this planning effort could result in saved lives, reduced injuries, reduced property damage, and protection for the environment in the event of a natural hazard within the county. Public comment on the draft will be accepted through Nov. 14. Comments can be made in the documents by opening them as a PDF file within a web browser. Members of the public may enter as a guest, but are required to sign in under an Adobe ID and password in order to comment and edit or delete comments. DPS will make needed changes to the draft. The final document is expected to be released in December, and the entire process must be completed prior to the closing of grant funding on Jan. 17.

Through Nov. 30, citizens can complete a short, online community survey to help the county establish public perceptions on local hazards and mitigation strategies. Survey results will help the county and participating jurisdictions prioritize mitigation actions during the next five years and assist county and city officials in establishing incentives for mitigation. Respondents are eligible for a drawing for a $300 voucher toward Stihl products and other prizes. To review the draft plan or take the survey please visit www. mitigatehazards.com/ delta-hmp.com.

Sign up for Parade of Lights Delta’s Kickoff to Christmas, scheduled Saturday, Nov. 24, includes Small Business Saturday and the Parade of Lights. Contact the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce, 874-8616, for a parade application. On Saturday, Dec. 1, the annual City of Delta Holiday Craft Fair will take place at Bill Heddles Recreation Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free, so come on down and shop 75+ vendors.

Men’s city league basketball returns The City of Delta Recreation Department is bringing men’s city league basketball back to Delta. Six teams will participate, each with a guarantee of 10 games. The two teams with the best league record at the end of the season will play in a one-game championship. A $275 team fee is required at the time of registration. Individual $20 player fees will be collected the first night

of games. Games will be played Monday nights starting Dec. 3 and will continue through the end of February. This fun, competitive league will require a higher level of player conduct and good sportsmanship from all participants. Registration deadline is Nov. 16. For more information, contact Tyler Schumacher at 874-0923 or tyler@cityofdelta.net.

LOCAL NEWS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Parks admission is free for veterans, active military

Lincoln’s Terriﬁc Kids

Photo submitted

The Delta Kiwanis presented Lincoln Elementary students with Terriﬁc Kids awards on Oct. 24. The students are recognized by teachers for outstanding characteristics, achievement, and effort. The recipients (and their reason for recognition) were: (back row, left to right) Tatum Kalana (perseverance), Ashlynn Johnson (diligence), Jasmine Saenz (character), Carlos Sabato (self-discipline); (front row) Jesus Martinez (perseverance), Katie Perez (trustworthiness), Michelle Candelario (respect), Omar Yepiz (responsibility), and Xin Xin He. Not pictured: Haven Medrano (cooperation), Maya Anderson (diligence), David Chaves (perseverance), and Evan Parker (kindness).

Delta FFA Chapter hosts oyster fry and member auction BY CYLIE SPRANG/WILKERSON and is a long-standing Delta High School

Instead of having May flowers and light showers, members of the Delta High School FFA Chapter decided to host their annual oyster fry and member auction in the colors of fall and chilled winds. Under the direction of Delta FFA Alumni organization to put less pressure on their supporters, they moved this to the fall. With this, Delta FFA Chapter saw an uprising in their sales and community involvement. Delta FFA Chapter holds this event to raise money for the chapter

tradition in Colorado to show leadership and provide strong labor for the community. It’s not just the kids, but Kendal Butterfield, ag teacher, does this for the community. A lot of the parents help out and donate additional time into Delta’s chapter as well. Logan Cooper, the starter of a new tradition in the Delta FFA Chapter, made a wooden chair to be sold at the auction to also help raise money. Mrs. Butterfield said, “Cooper was very excited to show off his skills when I asked him.”

Cooper on the other hand, said, “It’s just something she asked me to do, another task that she wanted me to take on.” “As the night went on, supporters never stopped laughing and enjoying our marvelous food,” said Hunter St. Clair. A representative from Allen Community college who is also the livestock judging coach flew in from Kansas. His sole purpose was to come and support the Delta FFA Chapter and talk to some of Delta’s members about attending college. The Delta community came out full force to help the Delta FFA Chapter.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will honor all veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. military, military reserve and National Guard on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, with free admission to any of Colorado’s 41 state parks. It’s CPW’s way of saying “thank you” by giving our veterans and activeduty military a chance to unwind and enjoy the wildlife and wild spaces across the state. “CPW is proud to offer free admission to our state parks in honor of Veterans Day to thank our veterans and military members,” said CPW director Bob Broscheid. “We greatly appreciate the selflessness displayed by these men and women through their service. “Inviting them to enjoy a free day at our state parks with their friends and family is our gesture of appreciation for their sacrifice in protecting our country and the places we in Colorado hold so dear.” Military members or veterans visiting the parks must present proof of military service at the park gate. Free entry extends to all passengers in the same vehicle with

a qualified service member. All other park fees, such as camping or fishing fees, still apply. Fishing, picnicking, camping, hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing are

just some of the activities enjoyed in Colorado’s state parks in November. Use the Park Finder to locate a park near you and plan your Veterans Day visit.

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Contact the DCI: Website: www.deltacountyindependent.com

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E-mail articles and letters to the editor at:

editor@deltacountyindependent.com

Photo submitted

Logan Cooper, Dusty Long and Kelvin Graham stand up on Delta High School’s stage as they’re auctioned off to the highest bidder by John Cunningham.

In the spirit

Photos by Pat Sunderland

Downtown Delta merchants embraced Halloween with creativity and thousands of pieces of candy, as costumed families (including some dogs) strolled up one side of Main Street and down the other. Churches and organizations without a Main Street presence ﬁlled in the gaps in front of vacant stores, adding to the festive atmosphere. Above, three queens from 1440 Apparel hand out goodies; below, Stacie Siennicki greets trick-or-treaters outside The Sunﬂower Room.

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A8 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

SCHOOL

Delta County Independent

DHS students connect with Make-A-Wish Foundation BY CHARLIE COSTOPOULOS Delta High School

Delta High School students are always looking for ways to help out the community. Senior Reagan Clay thought out of the box this summer and found a way to help a family in our community along with other families in the United States. Over the summer Clay contacted the Make-AWish organization and got the school set up with the program. She was encouraged to do this she says because, “There have been kids within our community that have gotten cancer these past couple of years. We were thinking what could we do to help our community have hope throughout all

of this?” One of the most difficult things the school has had with raising money for this program has been getting the word out and people understanding what the money is going toward. Also Clay said, “Just bringing up memories of past things that have happened.” The school is raising money by having student council organize activities for the students. Homecoming was the first Make-A-Wish based fundraiser. The ticket prices were increased as well as there being higher priced entry fees on the Friday before Homecoming peach fuzz volleyball and corn hole tournaments. During Delta

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basketball games there will be opportunities for spectators to make donations. Also during casual dance week will be a wish week. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a nonprofit organization that gives fighting cancer patients an experience called a “wish” of their choosing. A specific family in the Delta community that is battling cancer is the Abilas. In May 2018 Clayton Abila, a senior now at Delta High, was diagnosed with cancer. Abila said, “I am most grateful to be as healthy as I am. [It] makes me feel good about my school [that they are raising money for my wish].” The school has made over $1,600 that is going to Abila’s wish that is being granted to him in June. He is using his wish to go to the Bahamas with his family. The school plans on continuing to raise money for the Make-AWish Foundation even if it’s not for someone in the community. Shawna Magtutu is a counselor at DHS and also sponsors Student Council. Magtutu said, “We knew for a long time that we wanted to do something bigger and we wanted to help a good cause.”

Photo submitted

Top spellers

Tuesday, Oct. 23, was the day that the top sixth grade spellers in Delta County met to test their spelling skills against one another. The top 35 sixth grade spellers competed in 19 rounds of elimination before determining this year’s spelling bee champion. The top five finalists are pictured in order from left to right: Paul Duckworth, Cedaredge Middle School, first; Willon Rice, Delta Academy of Applied Learning, second; Isaac Nichols, Cedaredge Middle, third; Mary Locke, Cedaredge Middle, fourth; 5th Julian Hallenbeck-Ross, North Fork School of Integrated Studies, fifth. Congratulations to all of the students that participated in this year’s sixth grade district spelling bee!

Kindness inspires writings of Lincoln Elementary students Every fall, Lincoln Elementary School hosts “Pumpkins and Poems,” an event to get the young authors’ creative juices flowing. Principal Jenn Magner commended the authors for their outstanding writing skills. Many wrote stories or poems revolving

around kindness. “Thank you to everyone who participated in this event!” Winners are: Bryson Zunich, Wyatt Brozina, Willow Bond, Ayden Tejeda, Brody Kirkman, Mariah Bellew, Isabella Hickman (not pictured), Teyen Persons, Kianah Miller and Jenna Neely.

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Check out the DCI Print Shop. Call Randy Crespin at 874-4421.

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Pumpkins and Poems winners

DHS shows gratitude through 11 for 11 Challenge DHS Student Council presents an 11 for 11 Challenge during the month of November. The challenge involves 11 opportunities to show gratitude — 11 acts as a school and 11 acts as an individual during the 11th month of the year. The first activity is a kindness paper chain. Every Friday morning during the month of November, students will write something they are thankful for, or an

act of care performed for someone. The chains will decorate the hallways at DHS. Turkey hands are a fun DHS tradition where students write and sign a brief note of thanks on a turkey hand. Student Council members will deliver the notes to the recipient, to let them know they’re appreciated, and why. “Attitudes of Gratitude” involves at least 11 DHS groups or classes

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adopting an individual or organization in our community they wish to extend an act of care. This week, National Honor Society students will visit residents at Willow Tree Care Center, and the JROTC will reach out to veterans through community events. The marching band presented a community tribute on Tuesday, and the band’s musicians will be stopping by Doghouse Espresso with notes of appreciation. Community members are invited to join the 11 for 11 Challenge. More details can be obtained from Shawna Magtutu, Student Council advisor, or any Student Council member.

Tractor Supply raises funds for 4-H’ers Colorado 4-H youth will experience valuable hands-on learning opportunities as a result of Tractor Supply’s 2018 paper clover campaign, a biannual fundraiser held in partnership with National 4-H Council. Colorado Tractor Supply stores collectively raised $18,889 in 2018 through donations made with purchases in store and online. These donations fund scholarships for numerous state-level 4-H programs. Scholarships are used for camps and leadership conferences, where attendees learn everything from animal care and woodworking to networking practices and civic responsibility.

Delta County Independent

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ACTIVITIES The Western Slope Concert Series will present two concerts with the Embodying Rhythm Marimba Ensemble — Saturday, Nov. 10, at 3 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 536 Ouray Avenue, Grand Junction, and on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 3 p.m. at the Montrose Pavilion. Tickets are available online at

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All ages are invited to participate in the annual amateur chess tournament to be held at Bill Heddles Recreation Center Saturday, Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Registration fee is $15 for adults and $10 for kids ages 16 and under, which covers the awards. Please register in advance or by 9:15 a.m. the day of the event. The tournament will consist of six rounds with a limit of one hour for each game. Please bring a snack to share. For more information or to register in advance, call 874-0923.

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Concert showcases the amazing marimba

All ages can compete in annual chess tournament

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Wednesday, November 7, 2018

www.JunctionConcerts. com, and the Montrose Pavilion. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door for adults, $7 for children. The unique and beautiful Embodying Rhythm Marimba Ensemble plays soulful, uplifting, groovy, polyphonic music. This delightful eight-piece “marimba orchestra” is led by FEAST drummer, David Alderdice, who composes and arranges for the group. Besides original compositions, they play their renditions of traditional tunes from Africa, Europe and the Americas, along with a sprinkle of choice modern tunes. At the ensemble’s foundation is a four-anda-half octave set of beautiful wooden marimbas (including a really big bass marimba), featuring some woodwinds, brass, percussion, and a little bit of singing for a broad and engaging music experience. It’s sure to be a delightful musical program for the whole family, so bring a friend! This is a performance not to be missed! Get your tickets early. Call 970-241-4579 for more information, or buy tickets online at www. JunctionConcerts.com

Embodying Rhythm

A capella chorus plans two concerts

The Del-Rose Chorus has joined a sister chorus in Grand Junction to become Grand Mesa A Capella Chorus. This means double the sound, more music and great shows. The fall show is planned Nov. 17, 3 p.m. at Dr. Batten is a retired the Delta Performing Arts professor of archaeology Center, to be followed by from Eastern New Mexi- a second show Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. in the Love Perforco University. The presentation will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Montrose United Methodist Church, 19 S. Park Street. The public is invited. Note: this is one week earlier Arts Coalition of than our normal meeting Delta County concerts date due to the Thanks- are now scheduled. The giving holiday. nonprofit organization asks the residents of Delta County for their support at two upcoming concerts. The first is at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. binoculars. Be sure to wear 18, at the Grand Mesa warm clothing as this is an Art and Events Center outdoor event. featuring Lindsey Lewis The observatory is and Richard Weldon in located in a remote area a “Trumpet Favorites” at 7475 Purdy Mesa Road fundraising concert for in Whitewater. A direcAC/DC. Tickets may be tional map is available on reserved by calling 640the observatory website: 6520 and will be on sale grandmesaobservatory. at the door. com. For information call The second concert will (970) 242-1089.

Archaeologist discusses ancient Puebloan sites The Colorado Archaeological Society’s November presentation will be about the distribution of pottery and artifacts at Guadalupe ruins on the Rio Puerco in New Mexico. David Batten of Montrose will present a case study of how using GIS computer analysis can uncover surprising information about ancient Puebloan sites.

AC/DC presents ‘Trumpet Favorites’

Grand Mesa Observatory offers public viewing The public has two opportunities this week to experience the Grand Mesa Observatory — a sky imaging and telescope hosting site located high on Purdy Mesa. On Thursday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. interested individuals can learn more about the observatory at a program sponsored by the Friends of the Cedaredge Public Library. The speaker will be Nancy McGuire who coordinates the observatory’s outreach and public relations. Her presentation is titled “Grand Mesa Observatory: the Education, the Science, and Astrophotography.” The Friends meet at the Cedaredge Library at 180 SW 6th Avenue just off Highway 65 at 2 p.m. and the program will follow their regular meeting. On Friday, Nov. 9, the observatory will be open to the public for night sky viewing. Viewing runs from 5:15-11:30 p.m. (weather permitting). The program is billed as a public star party. Telescopes will be set up by the Western Colorado Astronomy Club to allow people to view the night sky and experience astrophotography. Those attending are encouraged to bring their own astronomy gear from telescopes to

mance Center at Colorado Mesa University. “It has been a long time since we performed at the old middle school auditorium and we are looking forward to performing there again,” said director Susanna Sorensen. The women will be joined by the Delta High School show choir and the Black Canyon Chorus at the Delta venue.

be a “Brass Singalong” Christmas concert featuring solos, trios, quintets and special guests from throughout Delta County. It will also be a fundraiser for the Arts Coalition of Delta County with half-price tickets for those who bring canned goods to benefit the local food banks. Regular cost is $10 per person, but with canned goods, the cost is $5 per person. This fun concert, scheduled Sunday, Dec. 23, at 4 p.m., will help you settle down for a wonderful and thoughtful Christmas.

Beneﬁt concert planned

Photo submitted

The Rhythm Method will perform a beneﬁt concert at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, at the Grand Mesa Art and Events Center. All proceeds will go to the Surface Creek Animal Shelter. Tickets are available at Stacy’s on Main or the GMAEC.

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A10 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

BUSINESS

Delta County Independent

Innovative product is a win for ag, environment BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

Sediment from the Muddy River has piled up in the Paonia Reservoir, reducing active storage capacity and the amount of irrigation water available for agricultural producers in the North Fork Valley. At the same time, industry leaders and environmentalists are looking for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal mines through the recovery and use of methane. In a true win-win for agriculture, the environment and the economy, Chris Caskey has come up with a plan to turn Paonia Reservoir sediment into bricks using captured methane gas. This innovative project earned Caskey a spot in the business accelerator known as the ICELab@Western. He and four other entrepreneurs will “pitch” their ideas at the second annual Trout Tank on Monday, Nov. 13, at the Egyptian Theater in Delta from 6 to 8 p.m. Caskey attended graduate school at the Colorado School of Mines and worked for a chemical consulting firm and at the National Renew-

Photo by Pat Sunderland

Sand, silt and clay — the essential components of brick — can be found in mancos shale (top brick) as well as the sediment that’s built up in Paonia Reservoir (bottom brick).

able Energy Laboratory before starting his own business. Although his venture was not successful, he learned a lot. He returned to Mines as research assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering. He was most recently involved in research into carbon dioxide capture and storage, to prevent the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere from fossil fuel power plants and other sources. While vacationing in the North Fork, and pursuing his love of hiking, he happened to meet the executive director of the Western Slope Conservation Center and began volunteering with the environmental organization. As often happens, Caskey said he kept taking on more responsbilities until he ended up on the board. A resident of Denver, he serves as WSCC’s Front Range representative, networking with legislators as the opportunity arises. When the North Fork Coal Mine Methane Working Group was formed and WSCC was invited to the table, WSCC looked to Caskey for his expertise in chemistry and greenhouse gas management to help the group in its goal to develop a comprehensive strategy for the capture and utilization of coal mine methane. The vision is to create economic activity and help stabilize operations at the remaining coal mine. “As a climate scientist, I’m not as worried where our energy comes from, I care about the chemistry of the atmosphere,” said Caskey. “Methane is much worse than CO2 when it comes to trapping heat in the atmosphere, so if we just burn methane and turn it into CO2, that’s a better option.” With the goal of capturing and burning as

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much methane as possible, using the heat for a beneficial purpose, he began brainstorming ideas. He came up with a lot of ideas, but one really stood out. “We have the Paonia Reservoir filling up with mud and that mud happens to be high quality clay,” he said. “What if we take that mud and try to solve two problems at once?” That’s where the Delta Brick & Climate Company comes in. The historic structures in Delta prove that brick making has been a successful venture. Caskey capitalized on that historic tie when he modified the original name of Delta Brick & Tile Company, which was no longer trademarked, and established Delta Brick & Climate Company. Through ICELab, Caskey hopes to get a small pilot plant off the ground. To avoid transportation costs, that plant would logically be situated in the North Fork Valley, where it would also create jobs. Caskey has created his prototypes by hand, taking the bricks to the art center in Grand Junction and firing them in a standard pottery kiln. He tested the finished product at the National Brick Research Center, so he knows the Paonia Reservoir mud will work. There’s solid science behind the capture of methane, plus the possibility of selling greenhouse gas offsets. “That’s a reasonable business in and of itself,” he said. Caskey said there’s enough sediment in Paonia Reservoir to make five billion bricks — more than he’ll ever be able to sell. The long-term solution is getting the sediment downstream, but in the meantime he sees only the upside for agriculture, for job creation

and for the climate with his bricks and tiles. He has already visited a potential client in Moab, who would use the tiles in window sills, to absorb heat in the day and push it into the building during the night. ICELab is federally funded through an Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant. The grant was written to provide economic development support for Gunnison and Delta counties, and is intended to offset the negative impact of mine closures in our communities. Caskey is appreciative for the EDA grant, and the county officials who support its goals. He said the future of Delta Brick and Climate Company rests with grants such as the one that is helping pay his rent, and with private investment he hopes to attract through Trout Tank.

Photo by Pat Sunderland

Chris Caskey displays a prototype of a brick comprised of sediment from Paonia Reservoir. While this brick was ﬁred in a pottery kiln, his business concept utilizes heat generated by burning coal mine methane.

Technical College of the Rockies student places in design contest Paul Pyles has been a student at Technical College of the Rockies for 1 1/2 years and is working his way through the technical CAD program, with both the technical CAD crafting and the architectural CAD drafting program under his belt. To say that Paul is a dedicated student is an understatement as he drives from Telluride every day; dedication is something near and dear to Paul’s heart as he is a disabled Army veteran. One day Paul was perusing Instagram and stumbled upon an Auto Desk University Design Challenge, which was to design a piece of stack flat furniture, much like that which Ikea puts out, that must be “put together” without any

screws or glue and must be comprised of 100 percent plywood and dowels. The submission was to be via social media only. To make things just a bit more challenging, Pyles had less than a week to figure it out and pull it all together. After three full days of 11 1/2 hours, in addition to his full school workload, Pyles submit-

Plywood chair

Know Your Neighbor

US Health Advisors offers a broad portfolio of alternatives to Obamacare

Frank Walch recently moved from Vermont to Delta — via the Front Range — bringing with him a level of innovative health coverage previously unavailable to residents of the Western Slope. Walch is a health insurance agent with US Health Advisors, which offers an alternative to Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act. Walch can help tailor a plan for you and your family to meet your specific needs at significantly lower premiums. His specialty is working with the self-employed — farmers, ranchers, lawyers, CPAs or anyone who doesn’t qualify for a subsidy and is forced to pay the full premium for health insurance. US Health Advisors offers flexible, customizable insurance coverage with its PremierChoice sickness and accident plans. Plans feature a $0 deductible and a 15-month rate lock. Any doctor, any hospital — but you can stretch your dollars further by choosing an in-network provider.

In addition to offering flexible, affordable and secure coverage in the event of an accident or illness, US Health Advisors offers additional supplemental coverages for: • Critical illness insurance • Excellent accident insurance • Vision insurance

Frank Walch

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“US Health Advisors understands that every customer has different needs,” Frank said. “We believe in choice and we believe our customers truly value the array of options we provide as they choose the protection that is most appropriate for them.” Once a customer chooses a plan, Walch solidifies their decision with award-winning customer service and exceptional claim processing. US Health Group has built a stellar reputation for customer care, earning the company an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Frank has 30 years of experience as a licensed health insurance agent. He looks forward to creating long-term relationships with his customers, and becoming a trusted ally in the uncertain arena of health insurance. For coverage you can depend on when you need it the most, give Frank a call at 970-7753652. His email address is frank. walch@ushadvisors.com.

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• Dental insurance

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ted his design. Almost immediately he received positive feedback on his submission from a high-level designer, which was a happy surprise for Paul. And soon after that Pyles was notified that his design came in fourth out of 60, which is quite an accomplishment given the fact that he was competing against licensed engineers and designers. Pyles’s plan for the future of his chairs is to market them and price them to sell, so that he can compete with the big box stores. There are lots of avenues to pursue for his winning stack flat plywood chair, and no doubt he will be able to capitalize on his big win in the Auto Desk University Design Challenge.

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NORTH FORK November 7, 2018

TIMES

Section

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Hotchkiss explores growth, economic diversity BY EMY LYNN ROQUE CISNEROS Staff Writer

On Nov. 1, over 40 people filled Memorial Hall to hold a kickoff meeting for the Hotchkiss Prosperity Plan. The purpose of this plan is to assess the economy to identify opportunities for local business development and economic growth. To start, Michelle Haynes with Region 10 Economic Assistance and Planning, welcomed the group. Previously, Haynes applied for a Local Government Economic Planning Grant through the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) program. This program is “designed to help rural communities comprehensively diversify their local economy and create a more resilient Colorado,” according to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). For 2018-19, Hotchkiss was awarded the requested $38,000 to complete its proposed project, Town of Hotchkiss Economic Survey and Diversification Plan. During the meeting, Gabe

Preston and Erica Weeks with RPI Consulting gave an overview of the prosperity plan and process. This Durango company, according to its website, is “the only comprehensive planning firm focused exclusively on the small towns, resort communities and rural counties of the Mountain West.” Essentially its role is to help Hotchkiss define its economic future and implement a plan for success. “We bid on projects when the community is looking to evolve and make positive economic change,” said Preston, in an interview following the meeting. “Our end goal is to come up with a plan for diversity and for encouraging people to be here for long term and future generations. I want to see not only good ideas but action and implementation from the community.” An Overview The proposed plan covers four main components: a database of business and property/building inventory, a retail market and base industry opportunity assessment,

Photo by Emy Lynn Roque Cisneros

Gabe Preston with RPI Consulting discusses the meaning of prosperity and identity for Hotchkiss with business owners at the Prosperity Plan kickoff meeting Nov. 1. business visits/surveys and a economic development work plan. The business inventory will be a comprehensive database to track commercial activity. The property and building inventory will allow details of the properties to be listed in promoting available spaces. Retail supply gaps and opportunities for existing business, expansion and new businesses will be identified in the the retail and base industry market assessments. Approximately six person days will be used to complete on-site business visits and surveys. This survey will cover various information such as number of employees, customer types, origins and challenges/opportunities for growth. An online survey will also be available. The work plan will analyze the surveys and assessments to identify opportunities for Hotchkiss to grow economically while acknowledging businesses’ needs. To finish, this plan will prioritize action

steps, stakeholders, resources and timelines for the community to implement. At the end of the plan, RPI Consulting will deliver its databases, findings and workplan. A public presentation/ open house is also planned. Discussion To conclude the kickoff meeting, Preston asked, “What is prosperity for Hotchkiss?” Several answers aligned with the theme of diversity, specifically with business opportunities. Other opinions voiced included intellectual advancements (art/music), availability to meet needs, being socially attractive, money, open-mindedness and keeping people here for generations to come. Preston then asked the group to focus on identity with “What makes Hotchkiss unique to you?” A common highlight was the “live and let live” mentality of the community/area. Because of this, one citizen explained, there’s more tolerance for people to “do their own thing.”

Another said Hotchkiss is a place that provides for outlying areas. Preston related this comment to the Hotchkiss’ master plan slogan, “Hub of the North Fork.” The desire to continue growing with this intention in mind was evident based on the meeting, he said. The next steps in this plan are the business visits/surveys and market assessment to identify gaps in retail supply. “I’m hoping to see the community create a plan to help move forward in growing the businesses for benefiting the community,” said Haynes. Preston said a challenge he sees will be working with the shift from citizens thinking primarily about their business to considering the overall local economy. “I don’t think that’s necessarily a problem in Hotchkiss, but is inherent to any businesses,” he explained. “We want the community to see the big picture of working on the whole economy to help the individual businesses succeed.”

West Elk Layers gets okay from the county BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer

Photo by Tamie Meck

Foggy dawn in Paonia

A fog falls over downtown Paonia Halloween morning, allowing the early sunlight to cast an interesting glow on the trees. Town Park has a total of 112 trees, including silver and Norway maple, catalpa, elm, ash, linden, hawthorn, oak, cottonwood, honey locust, and Colorado Blue Spruce.

Noah and Colleen Knox received approval for West Elk Layers, a confined poultry operation for 20,000 laying hens, cage free, from the county commissioners at their Nov. 5 meeting, under requirements set forth in the county’s specific development regulations. In presenting the application, planner Kelly Yeager read from the Delta County Master Plan: “Delta County will remain an agricultural county by protecting agricultural lands and operations and supporting agricultural innovation.” The property is located at 35754 Fruitland Mesa Road, Crawford, and consists of 47.5

acres. Noah and Colleen Knox closed on the property Oct. 1. The operation will be a “family farm” cage free organic egg laying facility with outside access. It will house up to 20,000 laying hens. The latest technology will be used to monitor water use, barn temperature, feed consumption, chicken weight, etc., to ensure the integrity of the operation and the welfare of the chickens. A flock will be housed for approximately 14 months, then sold for food processing. The barn will be cleaned and new chickens will arrive approximately two weeks later. The daily operation will consist of walking the barn at least two times a day, check-

ing the feed and water systems, gathering up any floor eggs, checking for sick birds, etc., and packing the eggs and storing them in the cooler. The operation will be “certified humane” and go beyond the FDA requirements. A random audit from the FDA is expected. Close monitoring and record keeping will be done on fly control, rodents, etc. Positive impacts of the operation include potentially providing high quality organic fertilizer for local agricultural use, increased market opportunity for local grain growers and job opportunities for other services related to the needs of the owners. The owners would consider donating POULTRY FACILITY TO B2

Friends recall Chuck Farmer’s passion for history BY TAMIE MECK Staff Writer

The North Fork Valley has lost one of its richest sources of local history. Lee McMurtry “Chuck” Farmer passed away Nov. 3. Farmer shared his passion for local history through presentations, field trips, and for the past few years, as president of the Hotchkiss-Crawford Historical Society. Friends immediately began recalling his sharp memory and ability to readily pull facts to the surface. “He had a mind like a steel trap,” said Hotchkiss-Crawford Historical Museum volunteer and society board member Karen Martin. He also had a knack for research, was always digging up something interesting, and knew his way around the World Wide Web. Farmer also knew people around the country who were connected with history and would book them to give presentations at the historical society’s annual meetings, which always attracted a big crowd. “His pet peeve was history that was erroneously written in newspapers or books,” recalled longtime friend

Photo by Tamie Meck

Hotchkiss-Crawford Historical Society president Chuck Farmer speaks at a 2016 museum presentation. Farmer passed away on Nov. 3. He was well-known for his encyclopedic knowledge of local history. Kathy McKee in an email. “He was a stickler for being sure of the facts.” Or as he would say when a story of unknown authenticity was printed, “As the story goes...” added McKee. McKee, a fourth-generation North Fork area native who has written extensively about local history, joined the his-

torical society to learn more about her ancestry. She soon found herself learning about the history of the entire area, thanks to Farmer. “Immediately Chuck helped find some information of my grandmother’s brother who had died in the flu epidemic of 1918,” wrote McKee. She was soon volunteering at the museum,

ultimately becoming historical society secretary and museum curator. Where he got his passion for local history, no one could say for sure. But some believe it had something to do with the fact that wife Mary Louise is a descendent of the local Hotchkiss family that first settled the area in the early 1880s, and for whom the town is named. Chuck and Mary Louise were married in 1960 in Montana and moved to the Hotchkiss area in 1975. They documented the Hotchkiss family history and their paths to the North Fork area in the self-published 2009 book, In the Footsteps of the Hotchkiss Brothers, one of many local and regional history books available at the museum. “For someone who never grew up in this area, he probably knew more about the history of this area than any native,” said McKee. “He was well-rounded, he knew a lot,” said museum membership coordinator Karen Lacey. She also cut his hair for the past 20 or so years. When her son was little and learning to play baseball, Farmer offered up some advice on the art of pitching

that helped him become a better player. Lacey said she nominated Farmer for the Hotchkiss Chamber’s Citizen of the Year award many years ago. Because he isn’t out in public a lot, he wasn’t that well known around town and didn’t get selected, said Lacey. But a lot of people called upon him when they needed help with a genealogy or history question. She called him the “investigative guy... You can’t believe how many people from out of state call the museum and ask him to help,” she said. “He worked hard to promote history and its value so that people have a better way of understanding it,” said Paonia author and historian, David Bradford. “He was like a walking encyclopedia, always pulling out facts.” He also had great organizational skills, said Bradford, who for the past four years worked with Farmer and other local historians, including McKee, on a project to document the history of Black Mesa, using Danny Cotten’s vast collection of historical photographs. Cotten passed CHUCK FARMER TO B2

B2 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

NORTH FORK TIMES

Delta County Independent

Poultry facility FROM PAGE B1 eggs for local fundraisers, such as fire department breakfasts, and others. Access to the property is from Hwy. 92, using Black Canyon Road to 7745 Road, to Fruitland Mesa Road to the property. Truck traffic to the operation will average two trucks per week, one to deliver feed and the other to pick up eggs. Truck weights will vary but will be well within the comfortable legal range. No safety issues are anticipated. A construction stormwater control permit has been received from the Water Quality Control Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. A drainage plan, drawn by a registered professional engineer, has been submitted showing how precipitation runoff and runon from a 25-year, 24-hour storm will be managed in the area surrounding the hen house, driveways, outside pens and

surrounding property. The plan was drawn and calculations included showing the final grading of the location. The planning commission approved the West Elk Layers project on a 7-1 vote, which included developing an adequate livestock water supply and that the construction of the facility not proceed until that adequate water supply is demonstrated. Community members expressed their concerns. Larry Ribnick encouraged the commissioners to do more research on health effects from the facility. He said Kelly Yeager and Mr. Knox shook hands after the planning commission meeting and he felt there was “collaboration” rather than Yeager taking an objective view. Rita Clagett showed a video she took of the road through the neighborhood, stating the road is not appropriate for commercial traffic and citing safety concerns. Rick Pulley said he

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Photo submitted

Top ag mechanics

The HHS ag mechanics team competed at the 91st National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis in October. As a team they earned the Silver Award and ﬁnished in the top 20 nationally. In addition, they placed ninth in the nation in the category of welding and as a result received a new welder. Pictured above (left to right) are FFA adviser Coley Wondra, Teagan Sommer, Karsen Sommer, Will Ela, Nathan Mattler and Jason Wrich, coach. Team members also received the following individual honors: Will Ela, gold; Karsen Sommer, silver; Teagan Sommer, silver; and Nathan Mattler, bronze.

Creamery Arts Center celebrates CCI grant The Creamery Arts Center is pleased to announce it was awarded a $4,000 grant by the Creative Industries Division of the Office of Economic Development for 2019. The funding is designated as general operating support. David Strong, presi-

dent of the board of directors, said, “This grant helps to ensure that CAC will continue to enrich our community and the lives of 105 students who take art classes each week, exhibit the work of local artists, and serve an estimated 6,400 visitors again this year.”

Creamery hosts opening social Nov. 9 The November show opening at the Hotchkiss Creamery Arts Center is Friday, Nov. 9, beginning at 6 p.m. The event also marks the opening of the Holiday Gift Gallery. The photography of Mary Hockenbery will be featured in the Peach Gallery. Clay and bronze sculp-

tures created by Daphna Russell, Debbie Bradley, Dan Glickman and others will be featured in the main galley. The theme is Wildlife and Christmas. Local author Karen Gallob will be on hand for book signing. The show will continue through the month of November.

Crawford author to sign books at the Creamery Garrett/McCracken series So. include “All the Bad Stuff Comes in Threes,” “Baby Skulls” and “Fowl Odors,” which was a finalist in the Eric Hoffer Book Awards in 2015, and “The Climbing Dog Affair.” Also available at the signing will be “After the End: The Sumbally Fallacy,” a science fiction novel in four volumes. Gallob is a Crawford rancher, writer and anthropologist. Are you really the kind of person who wants to know the gruesome place where they found the body, who found it, who put it there and why? I think you are that kind of person, or you wouldn’t be browsing the back cover of this book. Unfortunately, to get your questions answered, you are going to have to read the book. Believe me, this is not the place to do spoilers and tell you whether or not that corpse was the ICE agent. I can’t tip you off here about why the other murder happened, whether it was gang related or drug related or related to something or somebody else. �� Sheriff Garrett: meet some of the neighbors and cowboy up for whatever it takes to deal with this mess.

“Wonderful twists and sly humor. Love it, love it! I love the way Alma’s mind works, or doesn’t work. I had no idea what happened to Jesus until the very end.” — Diana Matus, Private Investigator “This is my absolute favorite Garrett/McCracken mystery. The ending is exactly perfect. The kids are adorable. The villains are heinous. I loved it!” — Sara Ferguson, English as a Second Language Instructor,

Grossmont College, San Diego

EARTH STAR PUBLICATIONS ISBN 978-0-944851-57-9

HIDDEN TREASURE (or) WHERE IS JESUS? FICTION Karen Weinant Gallob $11.95

Paonia Town Hall will be closed on Monday, Nov. 12, in observance of Veterans Day, which officially falls on Sunday. Trash services will not be conducted Monday, and will resume under the regular schedule on Tuesday. Hotchkiss Town Hall

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KPP dinner benefits Nordic Council The Kids Pasta Project dinner for Nov. 12 will be served at Delicious Orchards, 39126 Hwy. 133, Paonia, and will benefit the Grand Mesa Nordic Council. A drawing for a new or renewing GMNC membership will be held, which includes a gift certificate for one night’s stay at Grand Mesa Lodge. Cost is $14 for adults, $8 for kids and includes salad, lasagna and dessert (vegetarian/gluten-free options available). Reservations required by emailing kppreservatoins@gmail. com or by calling 9859220. ••• “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” — Albert Camus

GALLOB

During the opening of the Holiday Gift Gallery at the Hotchkiss Creamery Arts Center on Friday, Nov. 9, Crawford author Karen Gallob will be on hand to sign copies of her books, beginning at 6 p.m. The most recent book in the Garrett/McCracken mystery series — “Hidden Treasure or Where is Jesus?” — has just been released. Other books in the

BAR CODE GOES HERE 978-0-944851-57-9

EARTH STAR

Veterans Day closures announced

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The Creamery Arts Center opened in 2008 after an extensive remodel of an old creamery building. The vision was to serve as space for the community to meet, for local artists to add a supplemental source of income and to provide art education for youth and adults. CAC hosts frequent musical performances, events and exhibitions. Visit https://www. creameryartscenter.org for more information. The Creamery Arts Center is a 501c3 nonprofit organization to promote the enjoyment and appreciation of the arts in the community. CAC offers art made by local artists, handcrafted pottery, jewelry, cards and paintings. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday.

HIDDEN TREASURE (OR) WHERE IS JESUS?

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felt the planning commissioner’s decision was made before the meeting. “We want quality of life, too,” he said. Danny Todd said the property is a good place for a chicken farm and the road is like any other county road; dead deer show up on other county roads. He said an organic egg operation is a good thing and will help the Delta County tax base. Braden Todd said he is in favor of the operation, that it is good for Delta County growth, will create jobs for people his age, and will create revenue for the county. When the discussion reached the commissioners, Commissioner Mark Roeber asked Noah Knox if the well had been drilled. Knox said he has made arrangements with a well driller. He did not want to spend $15,000 to have the well drilled until the commissioners had given their approval for the West Elk Layers to proceed. He has two Fruitland taps for the house. Commissioner Don Suppes asked about the amount of water needed for the chicken operation. Knox said it takes 1,000 gallons a day for water for the chickens and water to clean the concrete floor. There is no egg washing involved in the operation. Commissioner Roeber commented on the issue of the road, saying it is a county road like roads all over the county and the county will put up more speed limit signs if that becomes a problem. Commissioner Suppes noted that the applicant has gone above and beyond to meet all the county’s requirements and to provide a clean operation in the exercise of his private property rights. Roeber moved to approve the West Elk Layers application, including all staff recommendations. Suppes seconded the motion. The motion passed on a 3-0 vote.

will be closed Monday, Nov. 12, in observance of Nov. 11 as Veterans Day. The closure will not affect trash pick-up services.

HIDDEN TREASURE (OR)

WHERE IS

JESUS?

A Pat Garrett, Leigh McCracken Mystery

Karen Weinant Gallob

The cover from Karen Weinarnt Gallob’s latest book, “Hidden Treasure,” features a photo of a “wonderful local fellow” taken by Brian Matus of Hotchkiss. Gallob will be signing copies of her books at the Creamery on Nov. 9.

Chuck Farmer FROM PAGE B1 away in 2015. “It is our hope that it still can be a dream come true in the near future with those who have worked with Chuck on the project,” wrote McKee. She also shared that Farmer researched extensively at the Delta County Court House, and at the Delta County Museum with close friend Jim Wetzel, who recently retired. Farmer was always willing to lead field trips to cemeteries and homesteads and other interesting sites of historical interest. He often gave talks on local history, portrayed characters from the past, and even led educational walks through downtown Hotchkiss, sharing the history of the old buildings. Shortly before he fell ill in late October, he was scheduled to lead a group on a tour of the petroglyphs in Smith Fork Canyon. Friend Susan Grover responded to the news of Farmer’s passing with a

text about how he inspired her husband Phil’s genealogical research. She quoted a favorite saying of Farmer’s: “Get at least two sources to confirm a ‘fact.’” “Phil also admired Chuck’s curiosity and willingness to delve into far corners,” wrote Grover. “We can only imagine how huge his contributions to the Historical Society and how the community will miss him.” Farmer presided over his last historical society board meeting on Oct. 8, two days before his 80th birthday, recalled McKee. Mary requested that everyone sing Happy Birthday. “Cupcakes were baked, coffee made and cider served,” wrote McKee. “We gave him cards and listened to him talk of his childhood and life beyond.” The family suggests memorial contributions go to the HotchkissCrawford Historical Society or to HopeWest Hospice in Delta. Farmer’s obituary can be found on page A6.

NORTH FORK TIMES

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Natasha Léger honored with national community award BY TAMIE MECK Staff Writer

Natasha Léger was one of four community advocates recently honored with the 2018 Community Sentinel Award for Environmental Stewardship. Léger joins Ellen Gerhart and Rebecca Roter of Pennsylvania and Nalleli Cobo of California in receiving the national award. Coordinated by FracTracker Alliance and selected by their peers,

the four recipients were honored for their work in addressing oil and gas impacts in their communities. Recipients receive $1,000 for their efforts. They, along with other organizers who have recently passed away, will be recognized this month at a reception at the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel in Pennsylvania. CHC is a North Fork Valley-based grass-roots organization established

Photo by Tamie Meck

Natasha Léger, interim executive director of Citizens for a Healthy Community, was among four community organizers recently honored with the national Community Sentinel Award for Environmental Stewardship.

in 2009 by a group of residents concerned about the risk of large-scale oil and gas development and its potential effects on the community’s health. CHC has more than 500 members, an advisory board, and is overseen by a six-member board of directors. “It was a team effort,” said Léger, whose background is in international trade. She has also been an independent business consultant, magazine editor, and author of Travel Healthy: A Road Warrior’s Guide to Eating Healthy. “The impacts of the oil and gas industry are visible across the United States, but hope abounds in the volunteers working in their communities and cherished places to document, report, and confront fossil fuel harms,” said FracTracker Alliance executive director, Brook Lenker. “We are proud to honor Ellen, Natasha, Rebecca, and Nalleli this year, whose noble actions exemplify the transformative power of caring, committed, and engaged people.”

Gabrielle Louise releases music video depicting fight to stop fracking Industry, by Gabrielle Louise, an award-winning Colorado singer/songwriter, tells the ongoing and true story of a small town in Colorado fighting the threat of oil and gas development. In process for almost a year, the public release of the song and accompanying music video coincides with a push by the Trump administration to expand fracking and oil and gas development across America’s public lands, including around Paonia, Louise’s hometown. With several hundred planned fracking sites and a massive seismic mapping project taking place all over the fragile ecosystem of the North Fork, citizens are deeply engaged and profoundly concerned. “They will be using explosives to do the testing,” said Louise, “around seven miles behind my house.” Industry was first written and performed at a benefit concert at the Paradise Theatre in Paonia on Dec. 23, 2017. Gabrielle Louise has long used her songwriting to highlight important issues, including making and scoring a

movie about water conservation, a song about the abandoned silver mines in Leadville which threaten the Arkansas River, and a deeply moving tribute for the #MeToo movement. Colorado has been an inspiration for several of her songs, and Industry reflects her passion and commitment to the struggle to preserve and protect Paonia and the North Fork. However, the North Fork Valley’s future remains in jeopardy. As the video was in production, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that new oil and gas leases are being put up for auction in December. When asked about the timing for the video, Louise said: “I wrote this song almost a year ago, but only just began the video production about 10 days ago. With the collaboration of Naropa

Sabine, also a Paonia resident and veteran filmmaker, we were able to bring the vision to life very quickly. The process of giving voice to our community’s rage felt necessary, and, coincidentally as we were finishing the video, BLM announced that the North Fork parcels were remaining in the upcoming sale. [The BLM has since deferred many of these parcels from the December sale.] Also in the same week, I discovered that a massive seismic mapping project was happening without permit on land quite near my home. Our community only found out about it because hunters reported it.” Seismic testing is also planned on adjacent national forest lands, and the surveying has begun ahead of the end of the Forest Service’s public comment period.

Halloween hay ride

Kids and adults alike enjoy a hayride through the streets of Paonia on Halloween evening as part of the eighth annual Harvest Fest Halloween celebration. The community event is put on by the Paonia Christian Fellowship, Paonia Assembly of God and Friends Church.

River park Hotchkiss chamber plans annual meeting cleanup The Hotchkiss Com- be presented to Farm munity Chamber of Runners Station, Busiplanned Commerce announc- ness of the Year; John The Western Slope Conservation Center’s River Park Working Group invites volunteers to join it Saturday, Nov. 10, to support the Paonia River Park. This July, a flash flood damaged several sections of trail at the park. WSCC is looking for volunteers to repair the trail and give the park some TLC. Meet at Paonia River Park at 9 a.m. WSCC will have all the supplies you need. Bring water and protection for whatever the weather may bring.

Dine with veterans American Legion Post 97, 40772 Lamborn Mesa Road, Paonia, will serve its annual Veterans Dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9. The menu includes beef tritip, baked potato, salad and dessert. Veterans dine for free; all others welcome. You do not have to be a Post member to attend this meal.

Silent auction to benefit Peace Circle The Hotchkiss Community United Methodist Peace Circle women’s group will host a benefit silent auction on Saturday, Nov. 17, at Memorial Hall in Hotchkiss. Bidding will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pick up winning auction items between 3 and 3:30 p.m. Only cash and local checks will be accepted for payment.

Pink Out proceeds

Photo submitted

Proceeds from the Pink Out volleyball game between Hotchkiss and Paonia on Oct. 6 were recently presented to DCMH oncology staff meetings including Dr. Miller, Dr. Goldberg and staff. A total of $9,147 was raised through rafﬂe tickets, a silent auction and a bake sale. The evening was a huge success.

Photo submitted

Student of the Month

The Hotchkiss Elks Lodge #1807 recognized its outstanding October Hotchkiss Student of the Month, George Arroyo during dinner before the regular meeting Oct. 29. Pictured with Arroyo is exalted ruler Chuck Sickles.

Photo by Tamie Meck

es its annual meeting Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Chamber president Nathan Sponseller will provide a brief review of 2018 and a look ahead to 2019. Board members for 2019 will be elected, and awards will

Marta, Citizen of the Year; and S&B Quilters Guild, Nonprofit of the Year. All members of the community are invited to attend at no cost. No RSVP required, and refreshments will be served.

B4 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

NORTH FORK TIMES

Delta County Independent

Let your artistic spirit shine for Pioneer Christmas Festival

Season in transition

Photo by Tamie Meck

A grove of quaking aspen holding on to its fall colors along Stevens Gulch road provides a nice backdrop for a red tailed hawk. Storms have brought rain to the lower elevations and light snow higher up, marking the transition from fall to winter.

Hotchkiss K-8 honor roll

Calling 2-D and 3-D artists and all other creative people to participate in the Crawford “Pioneer Christmas Festival.” Pioneer Christmas Festival Auction items may be done in any medium you choose and present your artwork to be enjoyed and sold at auction on Nov. 30. Proceeds will benefit the Crawford Town Hall Community Room swamp cooling system project. Get inspired and render a holiday-themed home décor piece, large or small. All media accepted, including original fine art, fine craft including work in paper, leather, glass, metal, stone, wood, clay, fiber or even culinary, and anything in between. Mixed media welcome, functional or

The Blue Sage Center for the Arts is now accepting submissions of writings and photographs for the annual Convergence: Words and Images from

the West Elks contest. Formerly titled “Write On!” Convergence is an annual writing and photography contest providing opportunities for

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all genres and amateur and professional photographers to showcase their work. The contest includes adult and youth divisions and categories include prose (fiction and non-fiction), poetry, and black and white photographs. All submissions will be judged for consideration in the annual publication, “Convergence: Words and Images from the West Elks.” No previously published work will be accepted. Submission fees will help cover Convergence publishing costs. There are two divisions, adult and a youth (18-and-under). Winning photographs will be displayed at the Blue Sage Gallery during the month of July, 2019, and selected winning writers will have an opportunity to read their works at a literary event at the Blue Sage the evening of June 28, 2019. Winners will receive a complimentary copy of Convergence. Prose entries are limited to one submission per entrant and should be no more than 3,000 words, submitted in PDF format and double-spaced. Entry fee is $10 for adults and $3 for youth. Up to three poems may be submitted, with a maximum 50 lines. Entry fee is $3 per photo for adults, $1 per photo for youth. The writer’s name and title should be on each piece. Up to three black and white photographs of 300 pixels per inch may be submitted in both adult and youth divisions, each reflecting the essence of life in the West Elk region. Fee is $3 per photo for adults and $1 per photo for youth. Deadline for submission is Jan. 28, 2019. Submit online at www. bluesage.org.

munity potluck and auction on Friday, Nov. 30. (The auction will start at approximately 6:30 p.m.). Entries will have a “no bid minimum” in order to keep the auction process moving forward. Artists (young and old) will be given recognition throughout this event. Artists can donate 100 percent of the auction proceeds (we would be most grateful), or any percentage down to 50 percent. Purchases will be payable to Friends of Town Hall, so the portion of the artist’s donation is 100 percent tax deductible. Please see a copy of the Auction Entry Application/Rules online at www.crawfordpioneer days.com.

Crawford gearing up for Pioneer Christmas Festival

The Crawford Pioneer Christmas FestiThe following students were named to honor roll at Hotchkiss K-8 for the first val is a week of holiday fun, beginning with the quarter of the 2018-19 school year: Parade of Lights on Nov. Cora Tunnell* Lola Mitchell* Third Grade Fourth Grade 3.0-3.699 23, and concluding with 3.0-3.699 Jesi Muse* 3.7-4.0 3.7-4.0 Gage Adam a community potluck and Brailey Angelovich Payson Pene* Aliza Beveridge* Lucero Alvarado Juliana Alvarado Landon Brown Ayla Reed Ava Caldwell* Kelty Andregg Chayton Falkner auction on Nov. 30. Tyler Carlquist Emma Reed* Julian Campos* Kyler Clark* Pearson Fouts Everyone is welcome to Damon Gilmore Kaylee Simpson* Alyssa Dawes* Sophia DeMoss Ryker Gallob participate in the Parade Kaitlyn Hart Loryn Thompson* Lukas Denison* Ellie Emmons Mya Guyer Annalise Hendrix Grace Ware* Rebecca Emmons* Danna Govea Garnica Braydon Hendrix of Lights, set for FriCambria Hoff London West* Avery Flores* Oliver Handy* Joseph Hollembeak day, Nov. 23. There is no 3.0-3.699 Tucker Houseweart Beckett Fouts* Isabella Harrison* Chase Knight entry fee ... just show up Trentan Andregg Isa Lindberg Samantha Fraley* Olivia Leaton Kyrah McCleland and join in the fun. The Malachi Barnes Trenton Lovelace Lyllian Gilmore* Alyssa Lovelace Jaylen Jacob Cortez Christopher Mann Jr. United Methodist Church Bryleigh Hazen* Charlie Jo Miller Monroy-Mendoza Bryan Hale-Nutter Brooklyn Matus Hazel Henry* Payson Miller Ethan Naylor will serve up a wonderful Jesus Jauregui Alex McJunkin Geraldine Jauregui* Jesse Shultz Logan Naylor meal before the parade. Kevin Regelman Zane Johns* Kiera Stroh* Sydney Palmer-Yovan Athena Jensen Lance McCollum Hunter Thompson Destiny Johnston* Wyatt Thompson* Shilah Pinon To kick off the parade, Emily Morales3.7-4.0 Caylee McCleland 3.0-3.699 Emma Shumway there will be a lighting of Rodriguez Alexis Church Kevin Monroy Angel Arguijo Derick Sievertsen Crawford Town Hall at 6 Victoria Clark Abigail Printz Dominic Barnes Jasmine Soria Macias Hannah MoralesRodriguez Annika Knehs John Rigsby Kacee Daguerre Roan Spencer p.m. with the Parade of Treyven Stevens Hadassa Leaton* Daniel Robinson* Cayden McLeod Athziry Vazquez Lights immediately afterLane Stroh Tia Moore* Madison Shiflet* Fifth Grade Mendoza wards. Visit Santa after Seventh Grade Keeley Plock Emily Toothaker 3.7-4.0 Sixth Grade 3.7-4.0 Sam Ware* the parade inside Town Lahnisea Tyson* Angel Bemis* 3.7-4.0 Maddie Brezonick* 3.0-3.699 Anja Ullmann* Anjolee Beveridge Jose Alvarado* Hall. Please bring your Emma Hollembeak* Sammie Beck Ashton Whitscarver Ethan Deloury* Jesalynn Borgman* own camera. Henry Hollembeak* Danielle Elder Taylor Zoutte Bryan Elizalde* Alyssa Bristow The committee is CeCe Houseweart Isaac Lee 3.0-3.699 Braeden Flores* Canaan Church Zephyniah Klaseen* Kacie McCollum Annalisa Barrow Alyssa Gillenwater* Kyle Elder* actively looking for tree/ Raney Moore* Lexi Todd Sandy Elizalde-Robles Dominick Neidert* Mitchell Finlayson wreath or Christmas decSidney Neff Mac Turnbull Stevie Johnson Aneka Price Aaralyn Gallob* orations (centerpieces or Piper Smith *Denotes straight As Connor McArtor Vanesa Verdeja Palomo Veda Handy Aizlyn Sommer* Kaiden Neurock Noel White* Noelle Lee an actual decoration) that Sasha Taylor* Laynee Zeldenthuis* Charles Miller* can be entered into this year’s auction. To donate contact Tristan Pfeffer at 206-679-7998 or email tristan.pfeffer@gmail. com, or Collenette Vervloet at 970-921-5505 or email ynotchuk@verizon.

Blue Sage seeks photo and writing entries

decorative, indoor or out! Sculpture, center pieces, wreaths, jewelry, trees, paintings, baskets, rugs, whatever beautiful thing you can think of to create with a holiday theme. All pieces must be created by the artist. Please provide appropriate display assembly if needed. Item must be brought to Crawford Town Hall for set up on Nov. 20 from 4 to 7 p.m. Artist’s work will be on display from Nov. 2330 during the scheduled festival events. These entries will be viewed during the Arts, Crafts and Gifts show on Nov. 23-24; during the Wine, Cheese & Chocolate night on Nov. 27; on Nov. 29 during the Festive High Noon Tea; and then during the com-

net. The drop-off schedule for trees or wreaths at Crawford Town Hall is different this year. There will be a morning drop off from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 19. Drop off times on Tuesday, Nov. 20, are 4 to 7 p.m. To encourage wider participation, the committee has expanded the festival to include wreaths, centerpieces or ornaments as well as trees. There is an exciting new twist to Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Night on Tuesday, Nov. 27. The Madrigal Choir will perform and will definitely put everyone in the Christmas Spirit. The night will showcase three North Fork wineries as well as lots of tasty treats. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The High Tea at Crawford Town Hall is set for Thursday, Nov. 29, beginning at noon. There will be some new food items and the committee is looking for folks willing to decorate a table. There will be a prize for

Exceptional Eagles

the best dressed/decorated table. Call Collenette Vervloet at 970-921-5505 if interested. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. The Crawford Public Library will host a kids’ day on Nov. 29, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mrs. Claus will be on hand to help with the fun, which includes crafts, face painting, treats and more. Wrapping up the Pioneer Festival of Trees is the big community potluck and auction on Friday, Nov. 30. David and Tamara Hauze will provide live entertainment. The potluck begins at 5:30 p.m., and the auction begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Night on Nov. 27, and for the Festive High Tea on Nov. 29, are now available at Wild Country Keepsakes, First State Bank in Crawford, Needlerock Mountain Realty, the Crawford Town Hall, and the Hitching Post. After business hours or on weekends, call Collenette Vervloet at 970-9215505.

Photo submitted

On Sept. 21 the pictured Paonia Elementary School students were recognized for demonstrating SOAR behavior. From left to right the students are Quinn Heinritz for respect; Tyreen Farnsworth for order, achievement and respect; Payten Katzer for respect; Tia Homedew for order, achievement, and respect; Skyleigh Vierra for respect; Emberlee Vierra for achievement and respect; Jaiden Cumpston for achievement. Paonia Elementary School provides a SAFE and ORDERLY environment that promotes high ACHIEVEMENT and growth, individuality, and RESPECT. Way to SOAR students!

Exceptional Eagles

Photo submitted

On Oct. 19 the pictured Paonia Elementary School students were recognized for demonstrating SOAR behavior. From left to right in the back row the students are Ashley Gibson, Ashley Pantoja-Torres, Gracelynn Lubin, Avery Cowan, Bo Eves, Abby Roberts for order, achievement, and respect; Ashley Harding for achievement and respect. From left to right in the back row the students are Kaitlin Dobson, Colin Pizey, Jaxsun Pabst, Sharky Munoz, Trevor Rogers for achievement and respect; Raelynn Farnsworth and Axton Whittington for order, achievement and respect. Paonia Elementary School provides a SAFE and ORDERLY environment that promotes high ACHIEVEMENT and growth, individuality, and RESPECT. Way to SOAR students!

AGRICULTURE

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Farm Runners awarded Purveyor of the Year ing Kimbal Musk, Jeff Hermanson, Alex Seidel, Jen Jasinski and many more gathered to fête chefs, restaurants, farmers and producers committed to changing our food system for good. The Producer and Purveyor of the Year awards serve to recognize individuals with an outstanding dedication to sustainability, transparency and advancing good food in the state of Colorado. Both the Producer and Purveyor of the Year were nominated and chosen by the 44 Colorado chefs that took part in the 2018 Good Food 100 Restaurants List. “I am so proud of the 2018 Purveyor and Producer of the Year recipiEmma Stopher-Grifﬁn and Matthew Kottenstette ents. They deserve recogfounded Farm Runners in 2015 to help bridge the nition for their hard work gap between farmers on the Western Slope and and commitment to sustheir customers in the mountains. tainability, transparency

Last week, Good Food 100 honored Clint and MaryKay Buckner of the Buckner Family Farm and Emma Stopher-Griffin and Matthew Kottenstette of the Farm Runners distribution company as the 2018 Producer and

Purveyor of the Year at the inaugural Eat. Drink. Think. Colorado Industry Celebration. The event took place at the RiNo Yacht Club at The Source Hotel + Market Hall in Denver, where Colorado industry leaders includ-

and good food. Truly good food must honor and support every link in the food chain,” said Sara Brito, co-founder and president of the Good Food 100. Based in Hotchkiss, Farm Runners is a regional food distributor specializing in custom-harvested farm products. For six years, this purveyor has connected western Colorado with local farms, ranchers and artisans to provide year-round foodservice from Aspen to Telluride to Durango to Grand Junction. “We are beyond grateful that our customers value our commitment to the local food movement. The farmers we have the honor of working with are the backbone of our business and we couldn’t do this without them. We are absolutely passionate about what we do and

are proud to provide chefs with the connection to these amazing farmers,” said Stopher-Griffin and Kottenstette. “Receiving this award shows us that the hard work we do week

Laughing Goat

in and week out is valuable to our community.” For more information on Good Food100, please visit www. goodfood100restaurants. org.

Let us do your Holiday Baking! ��

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We have Firewood! $

140/cord

You load and haul

OPEN ALL WINTER!

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Prescribed burns planned in North Fork Fire management officials from the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests have announced plans to conduct prescribed pile burns between mid-October through December, pending favorable weather, ground and vegetation conditions. The objectives of prescribed pile burns is to reduce the risk of larger wildfires and improve ecosystem health by removing debris and vegetation, or fuels, through the planned ignition of slash piles. Slash piles are constructed from the accumulated debris from fuel reduction and hazard tree removal projects. The piles are burned in project areas where other means of disposal are not feasible. The safety of firefighters and the public are the most important factors considered when planning a prescribed burn. Fire managers have developed detailed plans and obtained smoke permits from the State of Colorado for each of the planned burns, ignition will only occur if conditions are ideal for a safe, effective burn with good smoke dispersal. Numerous pile burns are planned in the Grand Valley and Paonia Ranger Districts. Contacts are Kurt Thompson, 970-263-

5824 and Craig Warren, Mesa Point Comm Site, 970-263-5820. Project Cow, Hay Park and Sheep areas are titled Queen Flats/Wooly. Spruce, Lands’ End Road, For more informa-

Colorado Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Clarice Navarro announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began mailing ballots to eligible agricultural producers for the 2018 FSA county committee elections on Monday, Nov. 5. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 3, to ensure their vote is counted. “County committee members represent the farmers, ranchers and foresters in our Colorado communities,” said Navarro. “Producers elected to these committees have always played a vital role in local agricultural decisions. It is a valued partnership that helps us better understand the needs of the farmers and ranchers we serve.” County committee members apply their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs; conservation programs; indemnity and

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Pressing business

Photo by Emy Lynn Roque Cisneros

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, Summit Mobile Juicing from Fort Collins ﬁnished up apple season with Conner Orchards near Hotchkiss. Homeschoolers were invited to watch the process. The mobile juicer handles everything from processing to packaging to create value-added pasteurized and unpasteurized sweet juices. Various homeschoolers, like these with Vision Charter, watched the juicing process, then helped move pulp into bins destined for Jamie Head’s pigs at We Got a Farm.

Ballots mailed for FSA county committee election Producers need to return ballots by Dec. 3 to ensure their vote counts

tion about a specific prescribed burn please contact the fire management officials listed above.

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disaster programs; emergency programs and eligibility. Navarro said producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. Farmers and ranchers who supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm, but are not of legal voting age, may also be eligible to vote. Farmers and ranchers will begin receiving their ballots the week of Nov. 5. Ballots include the names of candidates running for the local committee election. Voters who did not receive a ballot can pick one up at their local FSA office. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 3. Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2019. For more information, visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/elec tions. You may also contact your local USDA Service Center or FSA office. Visit http://www.farmers. gov to find an FSA office near you. The Delta County FSA office is located in the Delta Service Center at 690 Industrial Blvd., Delta. The phone is 970874-5726. Also located at the Service Center is the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

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Support Senior CommUnity Meals on Colorado Gives Day! Tuesday, Dec. 4th

Senior CommUnity Meals serves nutritious meals at seven community dining sites and deliver Meals-on-Wheels to 2,600 homebound older adults in Montrose, Delta and San Miguel Counties, Colorado. HELP SUSTAIN OUR MISSION BY DONATING ONLINE:

coloradogives.org/seniorcommunitymeals Colorado’s largest day of giving, Colorado Gives Day, takes place on Tuesday, December 4th. Learn more about our program at SeniorCommunityMeals.org

SENIOR COMMUNITY MEALS

B6 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

SPORTS

SPORTS November 7, 2018

Delta County Independent

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Bruins lose in volleyball play BY WAYNE CRICK DCI Sports Editor

The 2018 Cedaredge High School volleyball team was dynamite for a team boasting one senior. The Bruins cruised through the 2018 campaign and led the 3A WSL in wins for an early portion of the season and finished second (8-1) behind Coal Ridge, which finished with a 9-0 league mark. Cedaredge, hosting the Region 9 regional tournament, had little trouble with No. 28 DSST: College View, winning in three sets, 25-15, 25-14 and 25-16 in first round action. The Bruins had the second round game off with No. 16 Resurrection Christian (12-11) facing DSST: College View. The Cougars dispatched DSST in three sets 25-7, 25-23 and 25-20, to enter the regional title match against Cedaredge. Resurrection Christian, despite its paultry 13-11 record, played like a seasoned unit against the Bruins in the title match and found enough reserve to win a five-set thriller, 3-2; 22-25, 25-18, 25-23, 24-26 and 15-12. Cedaredge’s start against DSST included a 6-0 service stint from sophomore Kammie Henderson. The Bruins’ lead grew to 10 points on the service of junior Makayla Kehmeier who served for a 15-5 Cedaredge lead before giving up the service. The closest the Wolves could get after that was four points (17-

13). Junior Reganne McIntire took Cedaredge’s lead to 24-15 on her service rotation and a kill shot from senior Courtney Freeman ended the set on College View’s service for a 25-15 win. A 5-1 run from Henderson greeted the Wolves in set two with a similar difference of points as in the opening set. DSST could not get any closer than eight points from midpoint on with Cedaredge winning the set 25-14. The Wolves and Bruins were in a scrap for the early going of set three with scores remaining close until Freeman’s turn at service starting with an 18-13 lead. By the time Freeman had finished, the Bruins were in command at 22-14. Cedaredge went on to score a 25-16 win. Henderson paced the Bruins service performance with six aces in the match and hammered eight kills and collected 12 digs. Freeman’s .692 hitting percentage provided Cedaredge with 19 kills on 26 attempts. She also had an assist, one ace with seven serve receptions and 10 digs for the Bruins. Other statistic leaders for Cedaredge included Kehmeier with five kills and eight service receptions and Paige McGovern with seven service receptions and 12 digs. In the title game for Region 9, there was no clear-cut feel for who the

winning team might be in either of the five sets played. Both teams were honed for the match and net play and hard services were the norm. From the mid-point on of set one, a two-point lead for either team was an excitable event. There were only two, three-point leads in the set with the last one coming on the sets’ final service by Resurrection Christian and a 25-22 win. Anyone expecting a difference in scoring in set two must not have

seen set one. Resurrection Christian built a four-point lead (8-4) early with the set tied at 10-10 and 11-11 after 16 service rotations. The Bruins trailed 1821 when Resurrection Christian’s libero, Megan McDaniel, began her service rotation. The senior served four straight winners to win the set 2518. With a state berth on the line, both teams were playing with poise and determination, with unimagined tension fail-

ing to deter from the play of either team in set three. If one could script the play in a match to keep everyone in the gym on the edge of their seats, the style and intensity of play exhibited by both teams would have represented that scenario. Set three was another closely contested match where the point separation between teams was no greater than three points at any time during the set. The Cougars put the set away on their final service to win a 25-

Photo by Wayne Crick

Cedaredge’s Baylee Harris (7) and Makayla Kehmeier work a double block against DSST: College View’s Leslie Cesta to earn a point in set one. The Bruins handled the Wolves, 3-0, to reach the ﬁnals against Resurrection Christian, where Cedaredge lost a ﬁve-set match in the title game.

23 decision to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Play in the fourth set was a mirror of the scoring effort from the matches beginning. Another closely contested battle went down to the wire with Cedaredge’s Kehmeier serving the final point in a 26-24 win. There were anxious moments for Cedaredge fans in the final set when Resurrection Christian took a 9-5 lead. As in the previous sets, the trailing team bounced back to tie the set. This time, fate was against the Bruins with a service error costing Cedaredge a point for a 12-14 deficit. The Cougars scored the winning point on senior Bryce Lienemann’s service. Freeman was once again the leading attack player for the Bruins with a 15-kill match and CEDAREDGE TO B7

Photo by Wayne Crick

Cedaredge senior Courtney Freeman scores one of her 19 kills against DSST: College View last Saturday in Cedaredge.

Delta can’t corral Broncos in grid loss BY WAYNE CRICK DCI Sports Editor

The cold, windy atmosphere in Kersey was a little too much for Delta’s Panthers in last Saturday’s first-round Class 2A State Football Championship playoff. Platte Valley’s Broncos might have had more than just the weather to influence a 45-21 win that was a winning ticket to this weekend’s next round against Delta rival, and No. 3 seed Basalt on Nov. 10. Platte Valley, No. 6 and sporting a 9-0 record, didn’t exactly run away with the victory in the beginning. The Broncos used a long run near the four-minute mark of the first quarter to get into scoring position and take a 7-0 lead. The Panthers, without the services of Felipe Bedoy, who was playing in the state 3A soccer playoffs, just missed a

field goal by junior Ku Moo to remain scoreless in the opening quarter. A drive late in the first quarter by the Panthers took the ball to Platte Valley’s 20-yard line to end the first quarter of play. The Panthers were unable to finish the drive to begin the second quarter and turned the ball over on downs with seven minutes left in the first half. Platte Valley scored a field goal following another big run to give the Broncos a 10-0 lead. The Panthers were their own worst enemy for much of the game and gave the ball back to the Broncos on a second turnover on loss of downs. Platte Valley did not score off the turnover but did capitalize a little later when the Panthers punted from deep in their own territory. Platte Valley blocked the punt out

the back of the end zone for a safety to make the score 12-0. The Broncos scored on a pass play but failed to convert the two-point try for an 18-0 lead late in the second period. With help from a big pass play, the Panthers moved the ball to Platte Valley’s 10-yard line. Brandon Butler covered the final three yards for six points and Moo’s PAT kick made the score 18-7. Platte Valley moved the ball smartly down the field on its next possession and scored a second touchdown on a pass with under a minute left in the opening half. A converted extra-point try gave the Broncos a 25-7 halftime lead. Delta opened the second half with the ball and gave the Broncos an early scoring advantage in the second half on a lost fumble. Platte Valley had to DELTA FB TO B7

Photo courtesy Danielle Bynum

Delta sophomore quarterback Nolan Bynum hands the ball to junior running back Cody Sauve in last Saturday’s ﬁrst round game against Platte Valley’s Broncos. Blocking ahead of Sauve is junior Nate Workman (4) and senior Blake Naranjo (54).

Paonia ends football play with Cougar loss BY TAMIE MECK DCI Sports Writer

After opening the season on a shutout loss to Centauri, the Paonia Eagles overcame the odds to enter first-round state playoffs ranked 11th in the state. On a windy field in eastern Colorado, Paonia ended the season Saturday on a 21-13 first-round playoff loss to sixth-ranked Burlington. Blaine Escher completes his second season as the Eagles’ head coach with a 6-4 record and a second-place finish in the Western Slope League. Burlington was “a very good match for us. We could not have gotten a better seeding in playoffs,” said Escher ahead of Saturday’s game. Paonia ensured a firstround playoff berth on Oct. 26, the final conferPhoto courtesy Christa Coats ence game of the season, The Eagles’ defense stops a Burlington player in the ﬁrst period of the state on a 27-21 conference 1A football playoffs last Saturday at Burlington. win in overtime against

Cedaredge. “We kind of overlooked them, I’ll be honest,” said Escher. “But that was good for us... The adversity that we overcame is going to make us a better team in the long run.” Cedaredge had a 1413 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game and scored its final touchdown for a 20-13 lead. The Bruins failed on the two-point conversion attempt that would have all but guaranteed a win and a playoff berth. With time running out, the Eagles made an 85-yard scoring drive, helped by a 15-yard penalty against Cedaredge and capped by a touchdown pass from Grey Neal to Carlos Lozano. Neal carried for a twopoint conversion to tie the game with under a minute remaining. In overtime, the Bru-

ins were given possession on the Paonia 10-yard line and fumbled the ball away, giving Paonia the opportunity to score the winning touchdown. How far Grey Neal, a junior first-year starting quarterback, came this season was reflected in that win, said Escher. Neal completed 27 of 62 passes for 437 yards and five TDs and rushed for 306 yards in 89 carries. “He has come so far this year... You can’t ask for a better leader and a better quarterback for this team at this point in time.” Paonia will lose six seniors, among them the team’s three top running backs. Sackett Chesnik ends the season with 408 yards in 95 carries and five total touchdowns, Jesse Burns had 87 carries for 495 yards and six TDs, and Anthony Felice had 106 carries for 783 PAONIA FB TO B7

SPORTS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Young Delta volleyball team out of playoffs BY WAYNE CRICK DCI Sports Editor

Photo courtesy April Mewhinney

Delta coach Beth Nelson gathers her team for a time out during last weekend’s Region 9 volleyball tournament in Colorado Springs.

Denver Christian loss ends Paonia volleyball BY TAMIE MECK DCI Sports Writer

The Paonia Eagles volleyball team went 11 last Friday at the 2A Regional 2 tournament in Lakewood to end the season with a 14-11 overall record. The Eagles opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over Calhan (10-14). In the

final game against No. 2 ranked Denver Christian, Paonia lost, 3-0 (2516, 25-22, 25-8). Paonia finished the 2A Western Slope league season in fourth place with an 8-4 record. Two western slope teams advance to this week’s state championships at the Denver Coliseum. At 23-0 the

only undefeated team in the state, Meeker is seeded third and receives a first-round bye; Vail Mountain (18-5) is seeded eighth and will face No. 9 Holly Thursday morning.

With a very young volleyball team to begin the 2018 campaign, Beth Nelson’s Delta High School volleyball team took on the challenge of becoming better and playing well enough to make post-season play. The Panthers accomplished a lot in 2018, and gained valuable experience along the way. Some of that experience included facing No. 5 Valley at the Coal Ridge Tournament the last weekend of regular season and losing 2-1. Delta also played Colorado Springs Christian at the same tournament and was blanked 3-0. In last weekend’s Region 7 tournament in Colorado Springs, the Panthers fell, 3-0, to Colorado Springs Christian in opening round action and then battled Centauri in a five-set match that

which saw Delta and Paonia advance to postseason play. Both Delta (Class 2A) and Paonia (Class 1A) were eliminated this past weekend after positive and successful football campaigns. In volleyball, Cedaredge, Delta and Paonia all reached postseason play with their final games being played this past weekend. Basketball, wrestling and swimming are next for Delta County schools. Support your team!!

record to finish fourth in a very tough conference. Cedaredge lost its state berth bid last weekend and ended the season with a more than respectable 20-5 record. The Panthers were 12-13 following last weekend’s losses. Delta had several players who were among the top in many categories. Davey was fourth in hitting percentage (.146), ninth in kills (137) and fifth in blocks (48) in 2018. Other top 15 players, statistically, were freshman Erika Kuta (14th in hitting percentage - .090; 12th in kills - 99; and sixth in blocks - 48); junior Sara Geddes (fourth in kills - 180, 11th in aces - 28 and ninth in digs - 203) and senior Abby Carlson (fourth in assists - 399).

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Sports scene to change soon With the loss of all Delta County schools in football, volleyball and soccer, the fall sports season comes to a close for 2018. Cedaredge and Delta enjoyed successful seasons on the softball diamonds while area cross country athletes were, again, highly successful on the various trails and race courses in the state. Football and volleyball were the last to succumb to rigorous schedules and demanding contests

ended in a 3-2 loss for the Panthers to end their season. Against the Lions in first-round play, Charlie Tidwell dominated the net with 20 kills in the win and added 17 digs for good measure. The first set went to CSC 25-15 with Delta staying with the Lions in a 25-18 loss in set two. Delta was all over the No. 6 seeded Lions in the third set but couldn’t get a key point in a 32-30 loss. Delta played better in its second match against Centauri. The match went the five-set distance with the outcome a 3-2 loss for the Panthers. The Panthers had just three seniors, Abby Carlson, Lauren Davey and Mimi Lousignont on this year’s roster and finished league play with a 6-3

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Photo by Tamie Meck

Delta’s leading scorer, Martin Corral, struggles to get to the ball in Elite 8 play in the 3A State Soccer Championships against Colorado Academy. Delta bowed out of the title race after falling 3-1.

Paonia FB some down moments that included a 32-0 conference loss to Meeker, it also gave Basalt, currently ranked third in state in Class 2A, one of its closest games of the season.

“It’s the way you bounce back from those downs that makes this team unique,” said Escher. “That Cedaredge game, that was huge adversity for us,” he said, because it was the first

Platte Valley to run the score to 31-7. The Broncos scored through the air again with close to nine minutes remaining in the game. With the extra point, Platte Valley held a commanding 38-7 lead. Delta answered the Broncos score with a TD pass and Moo’s PAT kick for a 38-14 score. Each team scored one more time for a final score of 45-21. Delta finished its season with a 6-4 record.

Platte Valley moves on to the quarterfinal round against No. 3 Basalt (91), on Nov. 10 in Basalt. Number 7 Rifle (9-1) defeated No. 10 Eaton (63) and will play at No. 2 Resurrection Christian (10-0), a 28-6 winner over Alamosa last weekend. Bayfield (8-1) is the No. 1 seed and will host No. 9 Faith Christian (82) this Saturday. No. 4 La Junta (10-0) will host No. 5 Salida (91) in another Saturday contest.

Delta FB CONTINUED FROM B6 settle for a 27-yard field goal and a 28-7 lead. The two teams traded punts for the next couple of possessions before the Broncos put together a scoring drive which included a long pass with a solid ground game that had the ball resting on Delta’s 15-yard line when the third quarter ended. Delta’s defense held the Broncos out of the end zone to begin the fourth quarter but gave up a second field goal by

saddened by the loss and failure to advance to the next round of volleyball playoffs, but there was also a beaming pride and shine to the final words she had to offer about her team’s play. “That really was an amazing game. Those last two points will forever haunt me and it will take a while to get over that one. That game (Resurrection Christian) was truly what is good in sports ... kids putting it all in and playing for each other.” Going on, Dunbar expressed her emotions for the team. “I am beyond proud of these kids. I am proud of their heart and for battling the entire game! Volleyball is such a momentum game and these kids really kept their heads and energy the entire game. I am proud of CHS for the way we represented our little town and the Western

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Cedaredge CONTINUED FROM B6 a sparkling .208 hitting percentage. The senior standout also contributed 16 of 19 successful service receptions and had 21 digs. Kehmeier’s match included 12 kills (.186 hitting percentage), 16 of 16 successful service receptions and 15 digs. Henderson had another stellar match with seven kills, an assist, an ace, a 35 for 37 successful serve reception game and 20 digs. Hannah Carlson was also active for Cedaredge with nine kills, an assist, an ace, six for six service receptions and 15 digs. Though the Bruins were defeated in the match, a true volleyball fan would have to agree they had just witnessed a great match between two evenly matched teams. Cedaredge coach Heather Dunbar was

game they scored in after being scored on first, a reality Escher said he’s not proud of. But it was the kind of adversity they’d been looking to overcome the entire season, said Escher. “It was just so tense; it was one of the craziest games I’ve ever been involved in.”

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CONTINUED FROM B6 yards and nine TDs and ran for 100-plus yards in four games. The three running backs and Neal led the team in both solo and total tackles. While the team had

Slope on Saturday. They (players) are the cream of the crop as humans and it really makes it super fun and easy to walk in that gym every day.” Dunbar had two points to emphasize about the season. The first point was the respect and admiration she, and the team, has for senior Courtney Freeman. “There aren’t quite enough words for me to express the absolute will power, positive attitude and belief that Courtney Freeman pumps into this team. She is a coach on the floor and truly listens and understands the game.” Dunbar’s second point was the fact that there were only two players on the floor that had extensive varsity experience when the season started. “What we lacked in experience they doubled with love for the game and playing with each other.”

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B8 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

DMEA

Delta County Independent

SURFACE CREEK November 7, 2018

NEWS

Section

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Horizons Care Center embraces Halloween BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer

At some care centers death may be a forbidden topic. If residents die, they and their belongings may simply disappear, leaving an empty room behind. But at Horizons Health Care Center residents who die are not forgotten. Since 1972, when Horizons opened its doors as part of the national Volunteers of America program, residents and staff have gathered to honor the memory

of their friends and neighbors who have passed away. The center’s goal is to provide kind and compassionate care to residents and the staff strives to enrich the lives of individuals in their care. Every October, staff members dress up and join with residents to welcome trick-ortreating children to the care facility. And this Halloween residents took part in another special activity thanks to the work of Myriam Rubio and Kathy Meehan. Rubio serves

Photo by Don Benjamin

Staff members from the Horizons Care Center in Eckert dressed up as part of the center’s Halloween celebration. Standing left to right are Harleigh Alford of Austin, Tammy Lamb of Cedaredge, Natasha Lynch of Delta, Laretha Palmer of Montrose, and Bonnie Holder of Hotchkiss. Seated left to right are Toni Fredrick of Austin and Myriam Rubio of Eckert.

as the center’s life enrichment director and Meehan is her assistant. The pair worked with residents to build a colorful floor-to-ceiling altar to celebrate the traditional Mexican “Day of the Dead.” The altar honors the memory of residents who have passed away. As part of the celebration, residents watched the recent Disney movie “Coco” which depicts a young boy’s journey into the Land of the Dead to visit his ancestor. Rubio reports that the residents enjoyed the movie which helped them understand the purpose of the altar. “They wanted to be part of the celebration of life,” she said. Rubio is excited to work with residents to share her culture. She has worked at Horizons for 10 years since arriving from Mexico. She began as a certified nurse assistant before moving into her current role as life enrichment director. She and her husband, Shaun Gibson, live in Eckert. Shaun works as design editor for the Montrose Press newspaper. Horizons Care Center serves individuals with chronic diseases as well as those recovering from injury or illness. They serve short-term rehabilitation guests with the goal of returning them to their homes as soon as possible and they operate a memory support neighborhood to provide long-term care for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related illnesses. The nonprofit center is located at 11411 Hwy 65 in Eckert. The center encourages donations and welcomes volunteers. Call 970-835-2600 for information.

Veterans to be honored at events Friday and Saturday BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer

Veterans Day falls on Sunday, Nov. 11, this year so special events honoring those who serve and sacrifice will take place on Friday and Saturday. Friday, Nov. 9, marks the Cedaredge High School veterans’ celebration which begins with a school assembly at 10 a.m. All veterans and families are encouraged to attend this event. The program will include patriotic music and a celebratory video. Student winners of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VWF) Patriotic Pen and Voice of Democracy contests will read their essays. Mark Taylor, U.S. Air Force veteran and incoming Delta County sheriff, will be the featured speaker. On Saturday, Nov. 10, VFW Post 9221 will host the veterans pancake breakfast at the Stolte Shed next at the intersection of SW 2nd Street and Highway 65 in Cedaredge. The breakfast runs from 7 to 10 a.m. and features “made from scratch” pancakes along with ham and eggs. It’s an all-you-can-eat affair and organizers guarantee diners will not leave hungry. On Saturday evening,

Fall Clean-up Day is this Saturday The Town of Cedaredge is asking people to refrain from burning leaves. Instead, the town requests that residents bring yard and household trash to the public works parking lot from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, November 10. The public works parking lot is located at 160 SE High Country Avenue. A special location will be provided for what the town calls “pure bags of leaves.” There individuals can drop off bagged leaves and others can come to the same location to pick up the bags for garden composting. The following items will not be accepted by the town: refrigerators, electronics, wet paint, tires, concrete, rocks, dirt, hazardous material or motor oil.

the seventh annual Stars & Stripes Military Ball begins at 5:30 p.m. at The Pondy ballroom on West Main Street. Veterans can attend for free and the warriors are encouraged to wear their uni-

forms. Advance tickets are available at Shady Creek RV Park, 205 North Grand Mesa Drive (Highway 65) in Cedaredge. For information, see the accompany article.

Get your tickets for annual Military Ball The seventh annual Stars and Stripes Military Ball will take place Saturday, Nov. 10, at the ballroom next to the Pondy on Cedaredge’s Main Street. This event is sponsored annually by Cathy Meskel, of SOS, or Support Our Soldiers. “I would personally like to invite all veterans in our area to attend the Military Ball,” she said. “This is my way of honoring all of our veterans past and present. It is such a wonderful event. We honor our veterans during the evening in so many ways. By the time the evening is over, there at some point isn’t a dry eye in the place. We have a number of ceremonies during the evening, great food and wonderful dance music.” Anyone who would like to join Meskel in honoring military personnel, past and

present, is invited. There is no charge for veterans; tickets for all others are $25 per person and reservations are a must. “It’s really something to be part of this event,” Meskel said. “It is remarkable. We have so many veterans in our area, so many with stories to tell. This event is intended to let these men and women know they are not forgotten, EVER! We say welcome home then thank you for your service.” Meskel is selling just 150 tickets, so call now to reserve yours. Meskel can be reached at 970-856-7522. Semi-formal or military attire is suggested. The event begins at 5:30 p.m., with a missing man ceremony at 5:45 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Creekside Cafe is catering the event this year.

Photo by Don Benjamin

Myriam Rubio (left) and Kathy Meehan stand beside a large ‘Day of the Dead’ altar which depicts the journey from earth to heaven and back again in spirit. Horizons Care Center residents helped build the colorful ﬂoor-to-ceiling display which includes offerings to residents who have passed away.

It’s a bazaar world out there BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer

A few holiday craft shows have already come and gone but some big ones are still in the offing. It’s time to mark the calendar so as not to miss local and regional bazaars. First up is the Cedaredge United Methodist Church’s Fall Festival on Saturday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The church is located at the intersection of NW 3rd Street and NW Aspen Avenue. The festival features community arts and crafts, a white elephant table, and a churchwide bake sale. Congregation members will be serving breakfast at 8 a.m. and lunch at 11 a.m. for exhibitors and shoppers. There’s still time to reserve a table for $25 at the Methodist Thrift Store, 205 West Main Street in downtown Cedaredge. For details call Jo Ann at 970-835-3065 or the Methodist Thrift Store at 970-856-4116. Crawford will also host a holiday event on Nov. 10. The town’s annual potluck and auction runs from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Crawford Town Hall, 425 Highway 92. The event will feature music and an auction of holiday treasures. Bring a potluck dish to share.

For more information call Collenette at 970-921-5505 or Tristan at 206-679-7998. Also in Crawford the Fruitland Mesa Women’s Club will host its annual arts and crafts fair in the community room at Crawford Town Hall. Dates and times are Friday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 24, from 9 a.m1 p.m. Horizons Care Center’s Christmas Bazaar will run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, November 17. The center is located at 11411 Hwy 65 in Eckert. This year’s theme is “Treasures from the Heart.” Featured will be unique ethnic goods from local artisans including care center residents, staff, and families. Funds raised will go to support the residents’ Christmas party. For information or to reserve a table call Myriam Rubio or Kathy Meehan at 970-835-2623. And it’s not too soon to mark the date of the huge City of Delta Holiday Craft Fair which is set for Saturday, Dec. 1, at Bill Heddles Recreation Center at 531 Palmer Street in Delta. More than 75 vendors are anticipated to display holiday items. For more information, call 970-874-0923.

Cedaredge 2019 budget is available BY DON BENJAMIN Staff Writer

The Town of Cedaredge Board of Trustees and town staff are continuing to work on the preliminary 2019 town budget leading up to adoption in December. The final draft budget has been submitted to the trustees and made available to the public. Citizens wishing to learn more about the town’s preliminary budget can view the document on the town website: cedar edgecolorado.com (scroll down the page to reach ‘News & Announcements,’ select ‘view all’ and follow the link to the budget.) Paper copies are also available for review at town hall and citizens can call or email

town staff with questions at 970-856-3123 or manager@ce daredgecolorado.com. The public is encouraged to attend town meetings and budget sessions. Time is allotted at the start of all regular board of trustee meetings for constituent comments. Meetings are held in the Grand Mesa Room at 140 N.W. 2nd Street in Cedardege. Future budget planning sessions and other town meetings will be held as follows: • Nov. 8 — 5 p.m. trustee work session. • Nov. 15 — 5 p.m. regular trustee meeting. • Nov. 29 — 5 p.m. public hearing on the 2019 budget. • Dec. 13 — 5 p.m. action on the 2019 budget.

Trunk or treat

Photo by Don Benjamin

Accompanied by a good witch, a preschooler gathers goodies at the Cedaredge United Methodist Church’s “trunk-or-treat” event held on Halloween afternoon. Church members decorated their vehicle trunks to welcome children from Little Sprouts Community Preschool. Across town True Life Church hosted a similar event for Surface Creek children. The witch is Jessie Roeling, a teacher at Little Sprouts.

C2 Wednesday, November 7, 2018

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

Delta County Independent

Library launches ‘Voices of the Western Slope’ series Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center and Delta County Libraries present “Voices of the Western Slope,” a series of entertaining, engaging, and informative presentations on noteworthy topics of the Western Slope. The first presentation in the quarterly series is “The Ute Indians” with Alma Evans. Evans, PhD, has worked with the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose as a docent. Her background in edu-

cation has allowed her to continue teaching about the Native Americans of this area, specifically the Ute Indians. Evans has worked closely with Dr. Carol Patterson, whose expertise is Native American sign language, and with the elders from the Ute Mountain Tribe in interpretations of Shavano Petroglyphs. Her presentation will focus on the findings at Eagle Rock that correlate with some petroglyphs in Sha-

vano Valley, a short history on Chief Shavano, and a video of the Shavano petroglyphs. This event will be held at the Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center in Cedaredge at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15. There is a recommended donation of $10 at the door to cover presentation costs. For more information, contact Cedaredge Library at 399-7674 or Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center at 8569195.

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Alma Evans

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Friends of Library to host program

The Delta County Independent publishes engagements, anniversaries and wedding stories free of charge.

Learn about the Grand Mesa Observatory at a presentation by Nancy McGuire Thursday, Nov. 8, at the Cedaredge Library at 2 p.m. The Friends of the Cedaredge Library are hosting this presentation, titled “Grand Mesa Observatory: the Education, the Science, and Astrophotography.”

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Hours of food bank extended Surface Creek Community Services announces the addition of family-friendly hours for the food pantry. To accommodate working families, the food pantry will be open Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. beginning Nov. 7. The food pantry is also beginning to sign up recipients for Christmas food boxes. The Surface Creek Community Services food bank is located at 245 W. Main, Cedaredge. Distribution days are Thursday 1 to 3 p.m., and Friday 10 a.m. to noon.

Bear Den for September

Photo submitted

Students at Cedaredge Elementary School are nominated each month by their teachers to be included in the Bear Den. The different characteristics which can earn recognition are Perseverance (P), Respect (R), Integrity (I), Duty (D) and Excellence (E). September’s Bear Den students are: kindergarteners Kambrie West and Kamron Kelley from Mrs. McAdams’ class, Aidan Scartezina and Tori MacKendrick from Mrs. Keller’s class, and Blaine Cerise and Cambree Lindley from Mrs. Parson’s class; first graders Shane McPherson and Andi Carmack from Ms. Long’s class, Kyler Haining and Evelynn Wood from Ms. Daig’s class, and Sammi Hunter from Mrs. Shriver’s class; second graders Hudson Hebert and Zoey Leon from Ms. Benson’s class, Kylee Finney from Mrs. Montoya’s class, and McKenzie Finney and Jaden Roedel from Mrs. Hawkins’ class; third graders Kirsten Pera and Styles Stebnicki from Mrs. Hoerr’s class, Kenidee Schulz and Bentley Nichols from Mrs. Galvan’s class, and Bailee Hernandez and Harrison Suppes from Ms. Lampton’s class; fourth graders Caden Kelley and Bettie Stivers from Mr. Henderson’s class, Kylie Bunker from Mrs. Rienks’ class, and Tyler Barnes and Logan Locke from Mr. Stanfield’s class; fifth graders Jared Roberts and Tate Fischer from Ms. Edwards’ class, Kaleb Kilcoyne and Rachel Brooks from Mrs. Whitney’s class, and Ashlee Harrington, Isaak Kuzov and Nevaeh Erickson from Mr. Thompson’s class; Tanner Lemon and Lydia Tietz from Mrs. Henderson’s PE class; and Lileah Alvarez and Dawson Dyches from Mrs. Sharer’s class.

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

A new nuisance pest has been added to our list in western Colorado, the elm seed bug. Native to Europe and the Mediterranean region, it was first detected in the U.S. in 2012. We picked it up in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties in 2017. Because its host plant, Siberian elm, is so widespread, this insect is destined to be a worse pest than even the boxelder bug. The boxelder bug’s host plant is the boxelder tree. There are far fewer boxelder trees than the ubiquitous Siberian elm. And of course this bug feeds primarily on elm seeds although there are reports of finding immatures of these bugs on lindens and oak.

Unlike boxelder bugs, which appear in homes in the fall, elm seed bugs most often appear in homes from mid-June through September and may become active in homes during the winter if temperatures are favorable outside. Adults overwinter in structures, wood piles, and other protected sites where they avoid the winter elements. When warmer temperatures in the spring arrive, they emerge to feed on developing elm seeds. Like boxelder bugs, elm seed bugs are a nuisance because of their propensity to enter houses. And to add insult to injury they can produce an unpleasant odor like bitter almonds when crushed. It is the winged adult stage that usually enters houses. They are about 1/3rd inch long with dark, rusty-red and black coloration. Their underside is red. Next to the edges of the wings are noticeable white dots interspersed with rusty-red and black dots. A boxelder bug adult is longer than an elm seed bug. See comparative pictures of the elm seed bug and the boxelder bug. Immature elm seed bugs develop on seeds outdoors, lack wings and are smaller than the adults. Eggs are laid when elm trees begin to flower with eggs deposited through June. There is only one generation a year but that single generation can be quite numerous and overwhelming for homeowners under attack. While large congregations of adult and immature elm seed bugs are often found on structures and plants, they cause no harm. They can congregate in large numbers in soffits, around windows and under vinyl siding. When temperatures exceed

100° F. during the summer, adults may congregate on the northern side of buildings or in shaded areas attempting to escape the heat. They may also be seen in the fall congregating on the southern side of structures seeking radiant heat from the sun. During the fall when the insects start to seek overwintering habitats they will often start invading homes. They may enter homes via cracks and crevices, but most commonly enter via windows and doorways that have poor seals and no door sweeps. Upon entering the home they may be seen around windows sills, walls, ceilings, furniture and behind wall hangings. Excluding these bugs from the home can be done by sealing windows and doors with weather stripping while insuring screens and door sweeps are in good condition. Ensure the caulking around windows and door frames are in good condition with no cracks. Gaps in soffits, gas, electrical and plumbing lines leading into the house should be sealed with caulk. Once they enter the home they can be vacuumed up and disposed of outside. A perimeter barrier of insecticide around window and door entryways may be the best way to deter bugs from entering into the home. Insecticide products containing one of the registered pyrethroids is recommended for outdoor spraying. But spraying or cutting down elm trees to reduce elm seed bug populations is ineffective because the elm trees they feed on are everywhere and the bugs are in high populations and highly mobile in our area. 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.

Elm Seed Bug

Boxelder Bug

TELEVISION LISTINGS

Delta County Independent

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TELEVISION LISTINGS

Delta County Independent

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

UMC hosts breakfast, lunch, crafts The Cedaredge United Methodist Church, 3rd and Aspen, is hosting a Fall Festival and Craft Fair in the fellowship hall on Saturday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Use the east (front) or west (back/elevator) entrances to access the

lower fellowship area. The craft show opens at 9 a.m. with breakfast of biscuits and gravy or all-you-can-eat pancakes for just $5. A Taste of Italy is the theme of the lunch served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For just $8, you’ll get spaghetti

Arts center sets November calendar The Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center (GMAEC) will host a variety of events and classes this month. Some activities require a fee and advance registration. For details, visit the center’s website (grandmesaartscenter. com) or contact the center at 970-856-9195. • Mondays at 5:156:15 p.m. Nia instructor Lorna Beard offers dance/ exercise activities. And Wednesdays and Fridays at 9-10:15 a.m. instructor Julie Locke offers beginning and intermediate

yoga classes. • On Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. certified insurance agent Scharee Atchison will present a seminar on understanding Medicare. • On Nov. 12 and 14 from 6-9 p.m., Tracy Munson teaches a class in creating decorative gourd art. • On Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., artist Arleta Pech teaches a landscape watercolor class. • On Nov. 18 at 6 p.m., Alma Evans presents a program on the Ute Indians.

in a special meat sauce, along with salad, Texas toast, dessert and beverage. Takeouts are available. A huge bake sale offers a wide selection of goodies for all to enjoy. Here is an opportunity to fill your freezer for the upcoming holiday celebrations. Local artisans offer their creations in fabric, fiber, jewelry, wood, photography, painting and other one-of-a-kind creations. Featured are fabric artists Sue Skelton, Peggy Pagon, Sandy Levy, Odalee Thornton and Pat Kooyenga. Wood toys crafted by the O’Learys and photography from Joe Kooyenga are a treat to the eye. Jewelry makers include Terry Shafer, Peggy Pagone and Sherry Thompson. Look for Terrie Young’s booth for the best toffee. Jo Ann Price will feature her tole painted Christmas ornaments and note cards. Mime Gwinn cre-

ates ginger-infused bath bombs and massage oils. The church has a large table filled with unusual and useful white elephant items. Come for a meal; stay to shop.

Sale to benefit cancer warriors Erik and Shannon Fritchman will carry on a community tradition this fall with the annual end-of-season sale at the Fritchman Orchards packing shed just north of Eckert. This year proceeds from the sale will go to benefit the Pondy Cancer Warriors, who work diligently to support cancer victims and their families. The sale will take place Saturday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Garden club takes trip to Milk and Honey Homestead BY JOAN CHAMBER Plant & Dig Garden Club

The members of the Plant & Dig Garden Club gathered early on our meeting day last month for our excursion to the Milk & Honey Homestead. This unique operation, owned by Tammi Boggan, features the sale of non-pasteurized milk. Tammi spent a great deal of time explaining her operation, introducing us to her three milking cows (two Holstein and one Brown Swiss), showing us the spotless milking area, explaining all that she does to insure that it is the cleanest environment possible for this process. She shared information on how her cows are fed, the rotation of the five pastures used for grazing to ensure that they have sufficient nutrition to produce the huge quantities of milk that they give each day. Tammi also explained how raw milk contains many enzymes that the pasteurization process destroys and how beneficial these are to individuals who suffer from allergies, digestive problems and diabetes. Those with lactose intolerance can digest milk from the Brown Swiss cow, whose milk does not contain a certain ingredient that causes this condition. We found all this information fascinating and useful. Tammi’s little farm gives her self-sufficiency in every aspect. There are — besides her beautiful milk cows — pigs, chickens and a butcher steer providing home-grown protein, as well as an extensive vegetable garden which receives the benefit of cow manure and excess skim milk mixed into the

soil to ensure a bountiful harvest of organic veggies. There is also an orchard which provides fresh fruit. If you would like to learn more about obtaining raw milk shares, you may visit Tammi’s web site at bogganfamily@msn. com. After our informative trip to the farm, club members headed to Remington’s restaurant for a lovely luncheon, then were off to visit the Montrose Botanic Garden. Some of us were wondering just what we might see after the early frosts of the week prior. But as we started through the pathways our doubts were soon replaced with voices popping up saying, “Oh, look at the mums still blooming” and “Come and look at these grasses — they are gorgeous!”

Harvest festival dinner planned Eckert Presbyterian Church is preparing for its annual harvest festival dinner Wednesday, Nov. 14. A roast beef dinner will be served from 4 to 7 p.m. at the church at 13025 Highway 65, Eckert. The meal includes mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, cole slaw, dinner roll, dessert and a beverage, all for just $10 for adults and $5 for kids 6-12. There is no charge for children under the age of 6. The community is invited to enjoy this annual fall event. For more information, call Carol Vela at 835-3388.

Sign up now for Back the Blue fundraising 5k Joining in a nationwide effort to unite communities and recognize the dedication and sacrifices of law enforcement, the Cedaredge Police Department (CPD) will host a “Back the Blue” 5k run/walk on Saturday, Nov. 17. Registration is ongoing for the 5k race which starts at 9 a.m. at the Lions Pavilion in Cedaredge town park. A one-mile fun run kicks off next at 9:45 a.m. and community activities will follow. To register visit the Back the Blue website and select the Cedaredge event: www. backtheblue5k.com The cost to enter the full five-kilometer race is $45 and registra-

tion includes a T-shirt, a medal, and other gear and benefits. The onemile fun run entry fee is $25 and registration includes a T-shirt. Kids 12 and under can participate for free but if they want to earn a T-shirt and a medal, the cost is $20. A special “virtual” category is available for those who are unable to take part in the race but still wish to support the CPD. Registration for the virtual event is $45 which includes all the memorabilia and benefits associated with regular registration. Money raised by the event will help the CPD purchase needed equipment and provide community programs.

Then another voice along the path calling, “Look at these ground covers — they are stunning!” And truly, the garden was beautiful in its fall colors, with seed pods, grass plumes and ground covers creating a mosaic of fall splendor. Our time there was well spent. It was a fitting end to a fabulous day. The garden at Pioneer Town is set for the winter. The pots at Horizons, blooming until just a short time ago, will soon also be cleaned and prepared for next spring. And each member can now focus on preparing our own gardens for the upcoming change of season. The November program for the club will once again be provided

by expertise within our club. Barb Klein will guide us in the making of wreaths built from nature’s resources. These will be reminders of the bounty that our gardens and nature have provided during this past growing season, bringing back good memories for us to cherish through the winter months. We continue to explore new avenues of gardening and related subjects, learning along the way, laughing with each other, enjoying new experiences and old friendships, and hoping to make new friends. We invite you to join us in these endeavors. Our club meets every third Friday, Please call 856-7077 or 856-3897 for further information.

Photo by Don Benjamin

Daylight treats

On Halloween afternoon, Cedaredge residents showed off their costumes and gathered up candy in the daylight. Before it got cold and dark, several families took advantage of the town’s 3-5 p.m. Trick-or-Treat Trail to visit merchants who dispensed goodies along Main Street. Heading across a carpet of autumn leaves on their way downtown were (left to right) Tammy Huggett, Braelynn Mabry, and princess Jasmine Rose. Dressed as a land-shark and leading the way was Mattie the dog.

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CHURCH

Delta County Independent

National Collection Week is Nov. 12-19

Fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child Calvary Baptist Church in Delta will serve as a drop-off site for the Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child, joining nearly 5,000 U.S. locations collecting gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need around the world. During the project’s National Collection Week, Nov. 12-19, Delta residents will transform empty shoeboxes into gifts of hope filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys. Operation Christmas Child will deliver these shoebox gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and

famine. This year, the Western Slope Colorado Area Team hopes to contribute more than 10,000 shoebox gifts toward the 2018 global goal of reaching 11 million children in need. “We are honored to join the nationwide effort to collect gift-filled shoeboxes for children who may have never experienced the true meaning of Christmas,” said regional director Paul Fischbach. “Through these simple gifts and a message of hope, children learn that God loves them and has not forgotten them.” Calvary Baptist Church is located at 1290

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A Street and will accept shoeboxes the mornings of Nov. 12, Nov. 14, Nov. 15, Nov. 16, Nov. 17 and Nov. 19. Additional collection hours are Tuesday, Nov. 13, 1 to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18, 1 to 3 p.m. For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child or to view gift suggestions, call 303745-9179 or visit samari tanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience

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of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse. org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender,

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then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement. Operation Christ-

mas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 146 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.

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Classifieds

November 7, 2018

Real Estate

D SECTION

BUY • SELL • TRADE

Real Estate

Delta County Independent

Real Estate

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Historic Home

Turn of the century original charming details. 2112 sq. ft. on large Garnet Mesa lot. MLS #744793 $285,000

Open House

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Buying or selling? Place a Classified Ad. Call 874-4421.

Autos 2017 TOYOTA HIGHlander-$31,000. Towing package, 3rd row seating, custom floor and trunk mats, trunk shelf, lane departure sensors, GPS, Sirius, only 11,200 miles! 970-417-0906. (2x44) SUBSCRIBE! 874-4421.

Help Wanted

Services

CLASSIFIEDS WORK! DELTA COUNTY

INDEPENDENT

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401 Meeker St., Delta • 874-4421

ARBORMEN-ARBORscapes: Tree Work Arborist Licensed 1983.12 - City Fed. contracts performed. Disease diagnosis, pruning, removals. Landscaping maintenance with general building contractor. Bonded 970-628-6777 or 970-5890865. (4x43)

Help Wanted

750 Leon Street in Delta Friday, November 9 ~ 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Saturday, November 10 ~ 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Quality Color Printing 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.

Help Wanted

DELTA COUNTY

INDEPENDENT COMMERCIAL PRINTING DIVISION

401 Meeker St. • Delta • 874-4421

Help Wanted

D2 Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Help Wanted

CLASSIFIEDS

Help Wanted

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LOCAL FOOD DELIVERY Driver: Part-time Winter (Tues-Thur), Full-time Summer. No CDL required. Able to lift 50 lbs, knowledge of fresh produce, ideally able to commit trough Oct. 2019. Email resume and cover letter to FarmRunners@gmail. com or call Matt 970-3101485. (4x45)

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ADVERTISING MAKES SENSE. CALL

874-4421.

Support your community newspaper by advertising or subscribing.

DELTA COUNTY

Help Wanted NOTICE OF FULL-TIME Police Officer position in Town of Paonia. This position is a certified position as required by the POST Standards and Training Act. This is general law enforcement work, responsible for protecting life and property and enforcing laws and ordinances within the Town. Duties include investigations, special detail assignments, conduct traffic enforcement, prepare reports, participate in required training, administrative duties and other special assignments as assigned by superiors. Requirements: Must be POST certified, or POST certifiable, have a valid Colorado driver’s license, be able to pass psychological exam, background checks and pre-employment drug test. Requires a high school diploma or GED. Salary DOQ. Application Procedure: Obtain and complete a Paonia Police Department Application from the Town of Paonia website or in person, at 214 Grand Ave., Paonia, CO 81428. Completed applications must either be dropped off in person or mailed to P.O. Box 460 Paonia, CO 81428 Attn. Chief Neil Ferguson. For more information, Email: nfergusonppd@townofpao nia.com. Applications must be received by November 21st 2018. (1x45)

Public Service

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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. (4x43)

BOOKS MAKE GREAT stocking stuffers. Find books at great prices in the basement of the Delta Public Library.

THINK YOU'RE PREGnant? Abused? Need help? The Pregnancy Resource Center in Delta offers free service, support and advice to all teenagers and THE DELTA COUNTY women in crisis pregnancy Independent runs these situations. For Christian items as a public service help, anytime, call 874free of charge for non-profit 5733. organizations, if no fees are — FREE charged. However, each PARENTS group is asked to please information and referrals keep them current by call- for licensed child care providers. Call Bright Futures ing 874-4421. Child Care Resource & THE AMERICAN RED Referral at 877-728-5613. Cross needs you. Become one of the Red Cross vol- THE AMERICAN LEGION unteers who says, “We’ll Be Post 97 Paonia is seeking There, Because Help Can’t the names and addresses of Wait!” Call your local Red all persons currently servCross Chapter at 970-242- ing on active duty in the 4851 or 1-800-HELP NOW military from the North Fork for information on the dif- Valley in order to contact ference you can make in them and show our supsomeone’s life as a disaster port. Send addresses to American Legion Post 97, volunteer. PO Box 277, Paonia, CO HEALTHY BABIES START 81428 or call 527-6252. with early prenatal care. Delta County Health PARENTS FREE! INFORMDepartment. Offers access ation and referrals to to immediate, temporary licensed child care providMedicaid for pregnant ers, call Bright Futures Child women who qualify. 874- Care Resource and Referral, 1-877-728-5613. 2165.

Miscellaneous

PARTNERS OF DELTA, Montrose & Ouray is looking for a case manager for the Art Partners Mentoring Program in Delta County. Job includes recruiting youth and adult artists, volunteer management and event organization. Part-time. Creative experience and passion for youth required. Education/experience preferred. Send resume and letter of interest to curtis@partners-west. org or email for questions. (2x45)

INDEPENDENT

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Delta County Independent

Miscellaneous Colorado Statewide �� Network

To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado newspapers for only $300, contact your local newspaper or call Colorado Press Association Network at 303-571-5117. ��

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Cash for Mineral Rights �� Call: 720-988-5617 �� Write: �� Email: 303-571-5117 ��

Public Service SUPPORT THE DELTA Public Library. Give a gently used book in the Downstairs Book Store. FOSTER GRANDPARENT Program enriches the lives of senior volunteers while improving the education of children with special needs. Volunteers, 55 and older, needed to assist in class rooms tutoring and mentoring children. Low-income volunteers may qualify for a stipend. Teachers in Delta area class rooms request "Grandparents" to come in and work with students who need the extra help to achieve their best. For information on how you can use your talents to help kids call Tanya at 298-9091. CARING FOR CAREgivers, C4C - supporting hearts that care. Open to ANY caregiver. Meets monthly in Delta, 2nd Tuesday at 11 a.m. - 511 E. 10th St, Delta. COLORADO QUITLINE IS a free, confidential telephone coaching service for anyone calling from a Colorado area code. With QuitLine, tobacco users can receive free supplies of the nicotine patch as they work with trained coaches who create a personalized quit plan just for them. To contact the QuitLine, call 1-800QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit www.coquitline.org. THE DELTA COUNTY Democratic Party invites you to visit their Facebook page for announcements, information and intelligent discussion of issues. You are not alone! Contact www.facebook.com/pages/ CO-Delta-County-Democrat s/109082339170167. ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCiation Caregivers' Support Group, Delta. Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado, Grand Mesa Oncology Center, 1501 E. 3rd Street, Tuesdays at 2 p.m.

401 Meeker St. • Delta 970-874-4421 www.deltacountyindependent.com

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PUBLIC NOTICES

Delta County Independent

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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. Cedaredge Friends of the Library Meeting. Learn about the Grand Mesa Observatory at this informative presentation by Nancy McGuire. Thursday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m. at Cedaredge Library. Voices of the Western Slope. Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center and Delta County Libraries present “Voices of the Western Slope,” a series of entertaining, engaging, and informative presentations on noteworthy topics of the Western Slope. The first presentation in the quarterly series is “The Ute Indians” with Alma Evans. Evans will share her deep knowledge of the Ute Indians, Eagle Rock Shelter, Chief Shavano, the Shavano Valley Petroglyphs, and the Removal of the Ute Indians. Join us at the beautiful Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. There is a recommended donation of $10 at the door to cover presentation costs. Surface Creek Trail StoryWalk®. Visit the Surface Creek Trail StoryWalk® in November for a story that will warm your heart. This month’s book is “In November” by Cynthia Rylant. In November, the air grows cold and the earth and all of its creatures prepare

for winter. Animals seek food and shelter. And people gather together to celebrate their blessings with family and friends. Find out how the story goes on the Surface Creek Trail in November. Afterwards, visit Cedaredge Library to pick up the supplies to make a gratitude garland. Gratitude Garland Maker Space. Visit the Surface Creek Trail StoryWalk® in November for a story that will warm your heart. Afterwards, visit Cedaredge Library to pick up the supplies to make a gratitude garland to keep for your home or to give away to a family member or friend. Crafts Group. Crafters meet every Tuesday at 10 a.m. to share ideas and show and tell. Tech Café. Bring your devices! Bring your questions! Staff at Cedaredge Library will help you clear up your confusion with technology. From smartphones and laptops to tablets and computers, our resident techies will do their best to get you going. The second and fourth Fridays of every month from 2 to 4 p.m. Digging Your Roots Genealogy Group. If you have a nagging curiosity about your family’s beginning or a family legend you have always wanted to prove, then join the “Digging Your Roots” genealogy group at Cedaredge Library. We can help you get a start on research and assist you in tracking down that family legend! The Cedaredge genealogy group meets the first Friday of every month through June 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. Scrapbooking. Join friends at Crawford Library and get your pictures and other treasured items in your scrapbook. The first Monday of every month at 11 a.m. 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. Delta Book Club. The November book discussion will be “Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are” by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz. Saturday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m. Discover Health at Delta Library. Through December, Delta Library is hosting a traveling, interactive exhibit for all ages. Discover Health makes learning about health science topics FUN through hands-on, multi-media activities in both English and Spanish and a series of events and programs to engage children, teens and adults. Visit deltalibraries.org or call 970-874-9630 for details and a schedule of events. Friends of the Delta Library Meeting. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m. Sweitzer Lake State Park StoryWalk®. The first StoryWalk® at Sweitzer Lake State Park is “The Pirate Cruncher” by Johnny Duddle, on display through December. Then, visit Delta Library

to listen to the book on CD and create a pirate map. Build a Healthy Meal Scavenger Hunt. Kids are invited to Delta Library to search the children’s area for foods that belong in the different food groups. All month long in November during library hours. Build a Lung Maker Space. Kids are invited to Delta Library to create a set of lungs with straws and sandwich bags and learn how our lungs work. All month in November during library hours. Council of Teens. Calling all teens! Do you want to have a say in what goes on in the library? Do you want to help choose the books we purchase? Join the Delta Library Council of Teens! The Council of Teens will help plan programs and activities as well as come up with books to add to the teen collection. Meets every Monday at 4 p.m. Genealogy One-onone. The Delta genealogy group meets on the second and fourth Mondays 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. Hotchkiss Book Club. This month, the Hotchkiss Book Club will be discussing “SO Big” by Edna Ferber. Thursday, Nov. 15, at 3 p.m. Around the World at the Library. Travel the world and explore a different country with firsthand accounts from local

guests. Join us for stories, snacks and activities from around the globe. All ages welcome. Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 4 p.m. Knitting Group. Do you knit or crochet? Join us for ideas, help, and good company the second Thursday of every month at 10:30 a.m. Paonia Storytimes. Baby, tot and preschooler storytimes are Tuesdays starting at 10:30 a.m. Physical Therapy for Pets. Barbara Guse, an experienced animal physical therapist, will discuss “Managing Osteoarthritis in Pets.” Learn techniques for managing pain and improving the quality of life — for you and your pet! Thursday, Nov. 8, at 6 p.m. at Paonia Library. Knit Crochet Day. Enjoy the camaraderie of fellow knitters and crocheters; share projects and browse our library of craft books for use or purchase. Always tea and cookies too! Saturday, Nov. 17, at 12 noon. Holiday Coloring Contest. The Friends of Paonia Library present a holiday coloring contest for kids! The age categories are under 6, 6-9, 1012, and 12 and up. The 2018 theme is “The Night Before Christmas.” The winner in each age group will receive a $25 gift certificate for a book or book set. The contest starts on Wednesday, Nov. 21, and lasts until Saturday, Dec. 8. Blackout Poetry for Teens. The library will provide the book pages and black markers and teens just need to bring their creativity and sense of humor! All month long in November during library hours. Thanksgiving Feast Scavenger Hunt. Kids are invited to Paonia

Library for a Thanksgiving Feast Food Find! The scavenger hunt will focus on healthy food options for the Thanksgiving holiday. All month in November during library hours. Convergence: Call for Submissions. The Paonia Literary Committee is seeking original works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays and photographs for the 2019 book “Convergence: Words and Images from the West Elks” (formerly called “Write On.”) Submissions must be made online by Jan. 28. For more information on how to submit your work visit the Blue Sage website at www.bluesage.org. Literacy Program ESL Classes. An intermediate to advanced ESL class meets at Delta Family Center MondaysThursdays from 12:15 to 3 p.m. Contact Danielle at dcarre@deltalibraries. org for more information. A class for all levels meets at Hotchkiss Library Mondays and Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. to Contact Ann Stewart at astewart@deltalibraries. org for more information.

T-shirt fundraiser Support your libraries AND get an awesome Tshirt! Those who donate $10 to Delta County Libraries’ Foundation will receive a “Libraries Rock” T-shirt. Shirts are available at all five libraries in Delta County during the month of November. Browse an assortment of sizes and styles to find the best fit for you, a family member, or friend. Hurry while supplies last! For more information, contact or visit your local library.

PUBLIC NOTICES ��

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SERVICE DIRECTORY

Delta County Independent

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

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B A C K

BACK PAGE

Mobile juicer gives new purpose to local fruit

P A G E

BY EMY LYNN ROQUE CISNEROS Contributing Writer

Delta County Independent

n Oct. 22, Conner Orchards in Hotchkiss processed six and half bins of apples into 370 bag-in-a-box five liter containers. Usually, not much can be done with these number two apples, leftovers or ugly fruit. Last year, this same fruit was wasted, given to animals at best. This year, however, thanks to a state-of-the-art mobile juicing platform, Summit Mobile Juicing, Conner Orchards has turned that fruit into 100 percent apple cider — a value-added product to sell at markets and festivals over the next year. “This experience was a first for us,” said Laurie Conner, co-owner of the Rogers Mesa orchard. “It’s definitely worth the cost.” For most fruit growers, investing the time and money into an on-site juicer and pasteurizer isn’t feasible. With SMJ, however, the process is simple. Growers supply fruit, a level place for processing, adequate drainage and water for washing. SMJ takes care of everything else, from processing to pasteurizing, and even packaging. Fruit growers put their own label on a box, allowing

Photo by Emy Lynn Roque Cisneros

After the apples are washed in a bin of water they move up a conveyor into the grinder for juicing. them to benefit from the savings of not printing their own, yet still advertising their businesses. Orchards are charged $6 a box. Depending on the blend, a five liter box of sweet apple cider sells for $12-$18. “When people realize how much they’re supporting the local orchard owner with this juice, they’re happy to buy it,” said Jennifer Seiwald, owner of SMJ. From Fruit to Juice The entire process doesn’t take long, about 45 minutes per 300 liters if pasteurized, less if unpasteurized. The fruit is first dumped into a holding bin and then released into a tub of water. Then, a conveyor picks up the fruit and takes it into the grinder. The pulp comes down a shoot and into buckets. Pulp is often given to pig farmers or composted. Conner sent the scraps home with We Got A Farm owner Jamie Head. Meanwhile, the juice flows into 300 liter holding tanks. When full, technician Kris Reidhead will operate the packaging machine. For pasteurizing, the juice is heated to 181 degrees Fahrenheit. Finally, it’s pumped into five liter bags, sealed and then boxed. Approximately 16 pounds

Photo by Emy Lynn Roque Cisneros

Ed Conner lines up bins of number two apples for juicing. Their juice features a blend of six varieties.

Photo by Emy Lynn Roque Cisneros

of fruit is needed to make one box. The juice is shelf-stable for a year, and lasts in the fridge for two months once opened. “My favorite is when kids get to come, see the process, and ask questions,” said Lucas Thompson, technician, referring to the homeschool group invited to watch the juicing at Conner Orchards. Two years ago, Conner heard about the idea for SMJ at the Western Colorado Fruit Growers Conference. After learning the business was in operation this year, she decided to give it a try when the juicer visited Wag’s World Orchards in Eckert. She processed a bin and a half of apples, took the juice to Applefest and sold out. “The Conners are the perfect example,” said Seiwald. “People are hesitant initially, but once they try it they invite us back for more.” This time Conner is using a blend of six apple varieties to create a balanced sweet/sour apple cider. Additionally, she plans on infusing some with lavender. “With 600 lavender plants, I thought ‘Why not?’ and added it a batch last time,” she said. “My book club loved it, so I plan to take it to some festivals next year.” Conner Orchards is just one example of the many fruit growers in Delta County being empowered by this new company. Jan Waggoner, with Wag’s World Orchards in Eckert, sees the juice as a way to help their farm through the drought year. “It’s been a hard year for everyone, so this was a good product for us to invest in to sell during the winter,” she said. Seiwald pointed out that “right around the time the fruit is ripe and ready, tourists disappear.” With the juice, growers can have another revenue source year round. Waggoner said the 100 percent juice products have been well received by everyone, especially breweries and other commercial operations. SMJ processed honeycrisp apple cider, peach and pear juice for her orchard. “People are doing all kinds of stuff with it, from cooking with it to creating fancy cocktails,” she said. For example, many homebrewers are using the peach juice to make peach beer.

Photo by Emy Lynn Roque Cisneros

Homeschooler Agnus Wells watches as worker Lucas Thompson moves apples into the conveyor.

There, Seiwald runs several other businesses: an alcoholic beverage company, Summit Hard Cider and Perry Company, LLC; a restaurant named Scrumpy’s Hard Cider Bar and Pub; and Branch Out Cider, a local fruit harvesting and processing program. After earning a grant through the Local Food Promotion Program, the mobile juicing concept was born. The process took several years, including having to purchase the trailer from Austria through a vendor in Canada and then bringing it to Colorado. “Our focus is getting people to appreciate what we grow locally by taking an underutilized product and helping farmers bring it to market for their benefit,” said Seiwald. “Leftover fruit that didn’t have a home now has a perfect use.” This is the company’s first year in operation, only having been approved for a food manufacturing license in July. The next day they loaded up and headed to Palisade for peach season. Talbott’s Mountain Gold allowed them to run through the bumps of first learning how to process juice. And, they experimented with the idea of a new product: peach juice. This year they processed 350,000 pounds of peaches from various orchards. Apple predictions are around 400,000 pounds. “We spent a lot of time in the North Fork this apple season,” said Thompson. Pears, plums and grapes were also juiced this year throughout western Colorado. Waggoner said she already plans on having SMJ make cherry juice next year. “We’re hoping to be happily overwhelmed next season,” A Juicer on Wheels Summit Mobile Juicing said Seiwald. Another initiative on the is based out of Fort Collins.

agenda is a crowdfunding campaign called “Cider for the Holidays.” Community members will help juice be processed and donated to churches, homeless shelters and food banks for holiday baskets to have a box of sweet apple cider. With colder temperatures arriving, SMJ wrapped up its time in the North Fork with Conner Orchards before heading to Cañon City. To end the season they’ll go to Cortez to help with the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project (MORP), where millions of apples might go to waste if not used in juicing. More info on MORP is available at montezuma orchard.org. Next year Seiwald predicts still working just in Colorado, but she hopes to eventually see the mobile juicing concept expand into New Mexico or other nearby states. “I think this concept is only going to continue to grow, especially because people want a 100 percent juice product with nothing added. It has a special taste,” said Waggoner.

Photo submitted

With juicing, orchardists have a product they can sell year-round.

Photo by Emy Lynn Roque Cisneros

Homeschoolers eagerly helped move pulp into the bins des- After sending two bins through, Kris Reidhead works to take the juice from vat to bag in a box. tined for Jamie Head’s pigs at We Got a Farm.