Delta County Independent, Oct. 10, 2012

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NORTH FORK TIMES

SURFACE CREEK NEWS

SPORTS

QUICK CONTAINMENT

HITTING A HIGH NOTE

HOMECOMING

Lightning blamed for two small fires north of Hotchkiss, B1

David Starr recognized for musical contributions to AppleFest, C1

Full week of festivities planned in Cedaredge, Delta and Hotchkiss

DELTA COUNTY

OCTOBER 10, 2012 VOL. 129, NO. 41

75¢

INDEPENDENT

www.deltacountyindependent.com

Voters have three distinct choices Roeber, Wilson, Mason vie for county commissioner BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

A candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters last week highlighted the differences between the three men running for Delta County Commissioner, District 3. Scott Wilson is a Democrat, Mark Roeber is a Republican and Mike Mason is a write-in candidate. Roeber is a fourth generation rancher near Paonia and is a lifelong resident of Delta County. He has been active in both the state and national cattlemen’s associations and is co-owner of Homestead Meats. He vows to fight for private property rights, advocate for the retention of local businesses, protect water rights, and enhance and preserve the multiple use of our public lands. Wilson, a Hotchkiss resident, is a career military retiree and disabled veteran whose goal is to bring fairness into Delta County politics. “As it stands right now, there’s been no Democratic commissioner in this seat for I believe 18 years. It’s time we had representation for the 4,500 Democrats here in Delta County.” Mason lives above Cedaredge. He ran for county commissioner in 2008 and the school board in 2010. He said he had no intention of running for county commissioner until he saw Mark Roeber “as he really is.” Mason stresses private property rights, which to him includes the rightto-farm. In his eyes, Roeber

does not support those rights. “Mark is the reason I am running,” he said. “I don’t believe he is the conservative he says he is.” The three candidates shared the stage with four House District 61 candidates. As questions were generated by those in the audience, moderator Ed Baxter alternated between the two races. Just one question was answered by all seven candidates, “Specifically, what regulations, if any, do you feel need to be relaxed to promote local businesses?” Mason reiterated his opening comments about the right to farm and, more specifically, the recent turmoil over the Hostetler chicken farm. “Number one, I would get rid of the confined animal regulations. I would also go through specific development regulations and see what I could do to roll them back.” He spent the remainder of his allotted response time reading the right-to-farm resolution. “The chicken farm debacle has caused a lot of heartburn,” Wilson agreed. “But I wouldn’t roll back any regulations now.” Although he recognizes the chicken farm falls under the right-to-farm act in Colorado, he doesn’t believe it’s the right thing for Delta County. “Major industrial chicken operations don’t belong in rural farm areas,” he said. Roeber said his position on right-to-farm has been misstated by Mason, but he does believe language in the specific development regulations needs to be tweaked. Since the Master Plan and the Specific Development process seem to be so contentious, one audience member asked if it’s time to consider zoning for

Cause of Koch’s death undetermined BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor

An autopsy performed on Chad Koch, 27, last week provided no immediate answers as to why Koch was found dead in the street the night of Monday, Oct. 1. Other than abrasions consistent with a bicycle accident, Delta County coroner Kevin Lucy said there were no outward physical signs that would indicate a cause of death. He’s now awaiting the results of toxicology tests, which may take four to eight weeks to obtain and analyze. According to district attorney Dan Hotsenpiller, more information regarding the cause of death is required before it can be determined whether a crime has been committed. Koch was found lying on private property near the

stoplight at H-38 Road and Highway 50 in North Delta. He was deceased when Delta Police Department officers arrived on the scene. Neighbors reported hearing a heated exchange prior to the call to 911 at about 8:15 Monday night. “The investigation has been timely, thorough and detailed,” district attorney Dan Hostenpiller said in a press release dated Oct. 5. “The office of the district attorney is assured that the Delta Police Department has taken all necessary steps to insure the safety of the public, and that no individual involved presents any ongoing public safety risk.” Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Delta Police Department at 874-7676 or CrimeStoppers at 874-8810.

Delta County. “Absolutely not,” Mason quickly responded. “Not only that, I support rolling back the density standards Delta County has in its Master Plan. The only exception would be the density standards that are necessary for the people’s health and welfare, like septic systems. Let people be respon-

sible for themselves as much as possible. The county commissioners should stay out of it, completely out of it. If neighbors have problems then they should discuss them with their neighbors or sue their neighbors, I don’t care.” Roeber said he is not in favor of zoning. Although it may seem like a straightfor-

ward option, the county would still have to deal with variance requests. “I agree with Mike. People need to try to work things out among themselves and not depend on government to do it for them.” Wilson believes zoning would bring “certainty” to DISTINCT CHOICES TO A3

Photo by Hank Lohmeyer

Combat veterans James Cathcart and Rahman Pie move through the wheat grass on a flushing stalk with dogs and guides provided by High Brass Kennels of Delta.

Veterans get special thanks for their service BY HANK LOHMEYER Staff Writer

Four veterans, each with his own story, were the guests for a hunting and fishing excursion hosted by a group of area sponsors who have found an ideal way to thank combat veterans for their service and their sacrifice. The men were guests at the Black Canyon Wing and Clay hunt club on Last Chance Road Oct. 2. Their day and two nights of outdoor hunting, fishing and camaraderie was organized by George Butcher, a county resident and Marine combat veteran, and by the Freedom Hunters organization in conjunction with Wounded Warriors. James Cathcart, a Marine from Lakewood is experiencing symptoms that he associates with TBI (traumatic brain injury). Matt Bessler of Colorado Springs, a 21-year Army veteran, has been in combat and under attack from roadside bombs in the Iraq-Afghanistan theater several times, and also has symptoms associated with TBI. Tim Kenney, Army and National Guard and the owner of Toads Fly Shop in Montrose, tells how he has been “blown up and shot” during his multiple combat tours. S.Sgt. Rahman Pie, Army, Fort Carson, is still on active duty facing yet another combat tour. The father to two says, “If you aren’t broke, they

send you” regardless of the number of previous combat tours, he explained. “I was extremely pleased being able to help pull this event together,” Butcher said. Everything for the hunting veterans was provided — guns, ammo, gear, food, lodging, chukkar and pheasant, and use of the Black Canyon facility with hunting dogs and guides. “This is just a way for us to say that we appreciate what the men have done, and are doing for us,” said Rick Nelson, owner of Black Canyon

Wing and Clay. The three veterans arrived in the area on Monday, Oct. 1, and had their lodging provided by Kenney, who also does guide and outfitter work. On Tuesday morning they arrived at the hunt club facility where they had the chance to take some practice shots at the clays before venturing into one of the club’s nine hunting areas in the Peach Valley outback to try their skills on some winged game. All the veterans were successful, and despite several SPECIAL THANKS TO A3

Photo by Hank Lohmeyer

Rahman Pie, Tim Kenney, Matt Bessler and James Cathcart enjoyed a day of friendship and outdoor sports last week compliments of Black Canyon Wing and Clay and other local sponsors.

INDEX

First Saturday Market

Chamber leaders resign

West Nile hits 31

Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A9 Agriculture .....................B9 Back Page ................. D10 Business .........................B7 Church ............................B8 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D3-6 North Fork Times ........B1-5 Obituaries ..................... A8 School Zone ............... A6-7 Service Directory ........ D9 Sports ........................C6-10 Surface Creek News C1-5 TV Listings ................. D7-8

The final First Saturday Market of the year will be held not on the first Saturday of October, but on the second — Saturday, Oct. 13, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event was postponed one week to reduce vendor conflicts with AppleFest. One block of 3rd Street west of Main will be closed for the special event. There will be live music on the stage with Kenny Brent and the Denver Express from 10 to 1, a ghost hunt sponsored by the Delta Library, and the first 50 people who stop by the chamber booth to say, “I Shop Local” will get a free pumpkin.

Linda Sanchez, executive director of the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce, is resigning her position at the end of October to pursue a new venture. Administrative assistant Sandy Myers has announced her intention to retire at the end of November. “Linda and Sandy’s commitment to the city has been instrumental to the success of the chamber and they will be dearly missed,” said board president Gynee Thomassen. “As for the chamber, it is business as usual. We plan a seamless transfer.”

The Delta County Department of Health and Human Services confirmed two additional human cases of West Nile Virus for the period ending Oct. 5. The two new cases involved a 10- to 19-yearold female from the Delta area and a 60to 69-year-old male from the North Fork area, both with uncomplicated fever. This brings the total number of confirmed/ suspect human cases in Delta County to Oct. 5. One death has been attributed to West Nile Virus. With the first killing frost, the health department expects a respite in the number of new cases.


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Delta County Independent, Oct. 10, 2012 by Delta County Independent - Issuu