Delta County Independent, March 27, 2019

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NORTH FORK TIMES

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

SENSELESS ACT

A VITAL RESOURCE

Arbor Day tree, planted in Hart’s memory, cut down by vandals, B1

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT Spring

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Four-part series on water use draws an inquisitive crowd, C1

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DELTA COUNTY

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HOME IMPROVEMENT Spring into action with ideas for your home and garden, Inside

MARCH 27, 2019 VOL. 136, NO. 13

75¢

INDEPENDENT

www.deltacountyindependent.com

County begins long, costly process of adding a courtroom BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer

At their March 11 meeting County Commissioners Don Suppes, Mark Roeber and Mike Lane accepted the bid from Stryker Construction of Grand Junction for the design/ build remodeling of the county Human Services building at 560 Dodge Street. There were two bids for the design/build project: Stryker Construction at $2.8 per square foot and Kissner Construction at $3.39 to $3.14 per square foot. The design/build of the Human Services building is included in the 2019 county budget. The remodeling of the Human Services building is the beginning of significant changes where county commissioners and some county staff, as well as some state staff, will be housed in the future. State law requires counties to provide adequate courtroom space and office space for all functions of the court, including office space for the district attorney and probation offices. In Delta County courtroom activity has increased substantially in the past few years. Delta County Commissioners are responding to that requirement to provide anoth-

er courtroom and office space for court staff in the Delta County Courthouse. Additional building will follow the remodeling of the Human Services building. Commissioner Suppes said, “This process we are beginning will be a long time in the works and will cost a large amount of money. “The approach we are taking should save the taxpayers millions of dollars compared to trying to build a new courtroom and office space for court employees onto the current courthouse,” he said. The staff in the Human Services building will vacate their current building to enable the design/build work to begin. Human Services will be housed temporarily in the basement of the Brown Building at Palmer and 5th Street. The county attorney’s office will be temporarily housed in the Brown Building also. The commissioners approved a one-year contract with James Brown in the amount of $20,400 for rental of 1,900 square feet of space. When the design/build of the Human Services building is completed, the Human Services staff will move back into the Human Services building, along with the district attorney and probation offices.

Next, the modular buildings between the county parking lot and Columbia Street, which currently house the district attorney office and probation office, and the building at 320 W. 5th Street which currently houses the county attorney offices, will be demolished to make room for a new 15,700square-foot building, located between 5th Street and 6th Street and between Columbia and the county parking lot. Fifty on-site parking spaces will be available on three sides of the new building: 5th Street, the alley by the county parking lot, and 6th Street. During the construction of the new building the district attorney office and probation office will be temporarily housed in the old Forest Service building on Meeker Street. When the new building is completed, the county commissioners, all county administrative staff on the second floor of the courthouse and the county attorney will move into the new building. The state will then assume the responsibility for constructing the new courtroom and court office space on the second floor of the courthouse. That decision may include moving the district attorney and probation offices into courthouse space.

Drive-in theater owner warns of encroaching light pollution BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

As the City of Delta contemplates a land swap that could lead to development of property south of Highway 92 and east of Highway 50, the owner of the drive-in theater is urging caution. At the March 5 meeting of the Delta City Council, she shared concerns about light pollution from neighboring businesses and passing semi trucks. “Just like at indoor theatres, light can be distracting and disrupting,” said Jeanie Dewsnup, who has owned the

Tru Vu Drive In for more than 50 years. “That’s why audiences are told several times to silence and put away their cell phones. That’s why we tell drivers they must turn their headlights off before entering the drive-in.” As the city grows, and the ambient light continues to increase, it becomes more than a distraction — it’s a disruption that makes the image on the screen harder to see. Dewsnup pointed out that the drive-in is a “beloved and unique form of entertainment” that draws tens of thousands of visitors from all across the

DCI file photo

The Tru Vu Drive In is just one of six remaining drive-in theaters in the state.

INDEX

Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D2-3 North Fork Times ........B1-3 Obituaries ......................C6 School Zone .................. A5 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................B4-6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4

country. “Not only do these visitors watch the movies but they go out to eat at local restaurants, buy groceries and gas on their way home, and stay at local hotels or campgrounds,” she read from a prepared statement. The Tru Vu is one of just six drive-ins left in Colorado, she said. It has survived many challenges due to its popularity, but is facing an even bigger threat now — light pollution. “From what I hear, you want to add to that by building a hotel which will need a brightly lit parking lot and sports complexes that will require floodlights to illuminate the fields at night. Both suggestions would be very detrimental to my business. So now I would like to know, what are you willing to do to protect this gem?” she asked council members. They were responsive to her concerns, noting that the property they’re looking to acquire does not adjoin the theater, but is located further west. “Nothing is set in stone,” said council member Nathan Clay, “but I think we could all agree we would take your concerns into consideration.” Mayor Ron Austin agreed Dewsnup has valid concerns. He suggested she work with city staff to schedule a work session where she and council could work on solutions.

Signs of spring

Photo by Pat Sunderland

Crocus, daffodils and tulips are beginning to bloom, sure signs that spring has arrived in Delta County. Another sign of the new season is the Spring Expo, to be held at Bill Heddles Recreation Center March 29 and 30. Check the special supplement in this week’s DCI for details.

Popularity of vaping concerns Delta council BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

The rising popularity of vaping among teens led members of the Delta City Council to discuss what they could do to address underage use of tobacco products. State laws that are already on the books, plus the difficulty of enforcing any local ordinances, led them to conclude it’s simply a problem they’ll have to monitor for now. The discussion took place during a work session March 19 and included input from Delta Police Chief Luke Fedler. “Vaping” is another term for the use of e-cigarettes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, e-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. E-cigarettes can also be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs, and because the smell can be masked by flavorings and additives, it can be difficult to tell what kids are vaping. The CDC notes that e-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer toxic chemicals than the deadly mix of 7,000 chemicals in smoke from regular cigarettes. However, e-cigarette aerosol is not benign. It can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances including nicotine, heavy metals like lead, vola-

Don’t miss Spring Expo this weekend The Delta Area Chamber of Commerce’s Spring Expo takes place at Bill Heddles Recreation Center this Friday and Saturday. Expo hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, March 29, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 30. Admission is free, and you could win one of several door prizes, as well as a drawing for a raft trip for 12 donated by Western Slope SUP. The Delta Barracudas swim team and the VFW Post and Auxiliary will have food for sale as a fundraiser for their organizations. Heidi Hudek, events and communication coordinator for the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce, said the show features ideas for home, health, garden and the outdoors. A number of longtime businesses will be represented, as some companies that are new to the area, and new to the Spring Expo, including Colorado Detours, PID Soil and SCR Construction. Check out the special supplement in this week’s issue of the Delta County Independent for a complete list of vendors (as of press time), plus information on products and services to get your home and garden ready for summer.

tile organic compounds and cancer-causing agents. Scientists are still learning about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes. Both Montrose and Grand Junction recently updated ordinances addressing smoking in public places to cover vaping. City leaders in Montrose noted that the increasing popularity of vaping is undermining the enforcement of the city’s smoke-free air laws and exposing the public to secondhand vapors. Grand Junction officials amended an existing ordinance to include vaping and the use of vape devices as prohibited in workplaces, public places and for use by minors. It’s use by minors that has Delta City Council most concerned; according to the CDC, e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products among youth. When asked if there are enough “teeth” in the city’s existing ordinance, Chief Fedler commented. “Honestly, there’s nothing we could add.” State law addresses possession of tobacco by minors. As for any businesses that sell vaping materials to minors, Fedler said that it is definitely in violation of state law, because it’s no different than selling cigarettes or chewing tobacco to those 18 and under. “I believe there is a problem in the City of Delta,” said council member Gerald Roberts, who initially brought up VAPING TO A3

Town hall scheduled

Senator Kerry Donovan and Rep. Julie McCluskie invite residents to join a town hall conversation Saturday, March 30, in the gym at Hotchkiss Elementary School. The town hall will run from 11 a.m. to noon. The Democrat legislators will discuss happenings at the state capitol on topics such as health care, education, environment, transportation and local government. Former Colorado legislator Joe Miklosi and former California legislator Ray Haynes will present information about the national popular vote, weather permitting. Kerry Donovan represents Senate District 5. which includes Delta County. McCluskie represents House District 61, which includes the eastern end of Delta County.


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