Delta County Independent, March 13, 2019

Page 1

NORTH FORK TIMES

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

CONSERVATION URGED Boil order lifted, water is flowing to all taps in Paonia, B1

SPORTS

SIGNS OF SPRING

SEASON ENDS TOO SOON

Sandhill cranes expected to return to Fruitgrowers March 15-17, C1

Delta Panthers: More than one and done for boys, girls, B5

DELTA COUNTY

MARCH 13, 2019 VOL. 136, NO. 11

75¢

INDEPENDENT

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Search continues for escaped inmate BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

Soggy morning

Photo by Pat Sunderland

Wet weather is expected to give way to warming temperatures as a storm front moves through Colorado this week. But winter won’t be leaving quietly — high winds and heavy snow are forecast for the I-70 corridor and points east through Wednesday and Thursday. Due to avalanche mitigation, travel on I-70 has resulted in unanticipated delays for many motorists traveling to and from the Denver area.

The search continues for an inmate who escaped from the Delta Correctional Facility on Saturday, March 9. He was found missing during the 10 p.m. count. The escapee is Adam Loehr, described as a 44-yearold white male, 5’7” tall and weighing 134 pounds, with green eyes, blond hair and a slight beard. He was wearing olive green clothing and black boots. The Colorado Department of Corrections, the lead agency on the search, has received reports of possible sightings in the Grand Junction area. Delta County Sheriff Mark Taylor said his office is not involved in looking for the escapee, but he does advise residents to keep their homes and cars locked. A CodeRed notification was issued to area residents, advising them to call 911 immediately if they

spot Loehr. Do not approach or try to apprehend, the Colorado Department of Corrections advises. Loehr was convicted on charges of attempting to influence a public officer, criminal impersonation, substance abuse and menacing — all out of El Paso County.

Adam Loehr

Commissioners consider sanctuary declaration

Sheriff, Soper object to ‘Red Flag’ bill BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

Delta County Sheriff Mark Taylor last week sent a letter to Colorado Senator Kerry

Donovan, making clear his opposition to HB19-1177 as it moves from the House to the Senate in the Colorado State Legislature.

Additionally, he shared his concerns with the county commissioners and constituents during a work session on Tuesday, March 12. At

Council to consider lifting medical marijuana moratorium BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

The Delta City Council will consider lifting the moratorium on medical marijuana establishments at its March 19 meeting. In November, city voters approved the establishment of retail medical marijuana centers, cultivation facilities, testing facilities, and other types of businesses related to manufacture and development of medical marijuanainfused products. City council then established a moratorium on those businesses while it addressed zoning and licensing requirements. At the council’s March 5 meeting, Delta city manager David Torgler provided an update. He said the licensing regulations adopted by city council take effect 30 days after publication in the Delta County Independent, or on March 15. That means council can consider lifting the moratorium at its March 19 meeting. The 30-day period after final publication provides an opportunity for citizens to petition the council to reconsider. While an individual did express interest in circulating a petition, she was seeking to

INDEX

Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Agriculture ................... C6 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D2-3 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A6 School Zone ............... A5-6 Sports ..........................B5-6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4

overturn voter approval, not council action to implement licensing regulations, Torgler advised council. “We haven’t heard back and no petition has been presented,” Torgler said. In the meantime, city staff has been preparing an application for the multiple classes of medical marijuana establishments. If the moratorium is lifted on March 19, the city clerk will publish a public notice to that effect, online and in the DCI. The first available date of publication in the DCI is March 27. After posting, applicants have five days in which to turn in completed applications. The applications will be reviewed by city clerk Jolene Nelson and, if needed, applicants will have one opportunity to rectify any problems. The city has placed a cap of two on each type of medical marijuana establishment. After determining which applications are complete, the city clerk will randomly select the number of completed applications equal to the number of licenses available for further processing. City council will consider the application after a public hearing to be conducted no

earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days after the submission of the completed application. Depending on zoning regulations, which vary with the type of medical marijuana establishment, a public hearing may also be required by the planning commission.

that meeting, which occurred after the DCI’s weekly deadline, the commissioners were expected to discuss the possibility of declaring Delta County a sanctuary county, exempt from the proposal should it become law. Several other counties in Colorado have already taken that step to protect the Second Amendment rights of their citizens. Prior to the work session, Rep. Matt Soper (HD54) wrote a letter voicing “forceful support” for sanctuary status in Delta County. He said the bill, as proposed by “extreme, outof-control politicians,” violates the constitutional rights of the state’s citizens and erodes due process of law.

Sheriff Taylor says he shares Soper’s concerns. When he first saw the proposed legislation, known as the “Red Flag” bill, the sheriff said he believed it could help law enforcement officers save lives by removing firearms from people who pose an immediate threat to our community. “However, after further research, I believe this bill is overreaching without any checks and balances that would keep it from being abused by not only citizens but law enforcement as well,” he wrote to Senator Donovan. “My second thought was this is just another attempt for RED FLAG BILL TO A3

Commissioners move forward on Gunnison Energy seismic operations BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer

Delta County Commissioners Don Suppes, Mark Roeber and Mike Lane held a special regular meeting Monday, March 11, to hear applications from Gunnison Energy, LLC to conduct seismic operations in two areas in northeast Delta County. Elyse Casselberry, county community and economic development director, went through the details of the two projects with the commissioners and others present. The Trail Gulch 3D project will cover approximately 3.55 square miles across public and private lands in Delta County and approximately 26.75 square miles in Gunnison County. Approximately

0.21 square miles is located on private land in Delta County. The Iron Point 3D project will cover approximately 38 square miles across public and private lands in Delta County and approximately 13 square miles in Gunnison County. Approximately 10.14 square miles is located on private land in Delta County. The county’s Specific Development Regulations allow any activity that is temporary in nature to proceed administratively. Both Iron Point 3D and Trail Gulch 3D are temporary in nature. Commission chair Suppes invited comments from the public. Natasha Leger said the maps submitted by Gunnison Energy are inadequate and don’t show

Traveling Vietnam Wall is coming to Delta

In June, the largest of the Vietnam travelling walls is scheduled to be on display in Delta, compliments of the local veterans organizations, Elks, and local businesses. Members of Lee Marts Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3571, Harry A. White American Legion Post 65 and their auxiliaries are working with the Elks regional veterans coordinator, the City of Delta, and local businesses to “make it happen.” “The Wall” will be set up and ready for visitors on June 6, the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord, the D-day invasion of Normandy by the United States and her allies. The wall will be open to the public until Sunday, June 9. The main fundraiser to bring the wall to Delta will be a pig roast to be held at the Delta Elks Lodge from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 29. For only $8 per person, or $25 for a family of four, enjoy a supper of pulled pork, coleslaw, beans and a roll. A whole hog, donated by Taylor Livestock Producers, will be cooked by local veteran Swede Carlson on site. For additional information, contact Mat Gallegos, the chair of the wall committee, at 589-6909, or Sandy Baker at 314-0964. Tickets are available from members of the veterans organizations and their auxiliaries.

what lands will be avoided. She would like to see regulated gaps for protection of ground water. Leger is concerned that metal in undetonated explosives will affect ground water. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission does not authorize the use of metal in water wells. No consideration of the impact on ground water is addressed in the applications. Ross Allen, a rancher, said he is affected by the Iron Point application. “I have dealt with Gunnison Energy; it is a good company. They are more than considerate of the impact on the property they are working on. I speak in favor of this project.” Allen said seismic operation is a reasonable method GUNNISON ENERGY TO A3

Land use update continues

Delta County is hosting the second of a series of community land use forums Wednesday, March 13, 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Grand Mesa Arts Center in Cedaredge. This forum provides an opportunity to ask questions and learn about how land use works in other communities. What are Montrose and Mesa counties experiencing today as more people begin moving into those communities, and how do they approach the same issues that we face in Delta County? A podcast that covers the county’s land use regulation process, including topics covered in the first forum, can be found on most podcast platforms. Simply search “Delta County” on your favorite platform.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.