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Sunday, November 15, 2009
Volume 123, Number 18 • Steamboat Springs, Colorado • www.steamboatpilot.com
Cuts would affect schools Gov. Ritter proposes $260M reduction in K-12 funding next year Jack Weinstein PILOT & TODAY
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
It’s what they feared and expected but hoped wouldn’t happen. Gov. Bill Ritter announced this month the possibility of cutting $260 million from public K-12 funding in his proposed 2010-11 budget. One local school district official said if the cut comes to fruition, it
will be “devastating.” In a news release, Ritter asked everyone to “share in the sacrifice.” He said next year’s budget is “our most challenging yet,” despite closing unprecedented shortfalls in the past year. “I’m continuing to make tough choices from very limited options — even while the demand for many services is skyrocketing,” Ritter said. The $260 million proposed K-12 cut, or 6.1 percent of the
funding provided to the state’s schools, significantly would affect Routt County school districts, the officials said. According to data from the Colorado Department of Education, the county school districts’ share of the cuts would be $980,065 for Steamboat Springs, $230,065 for Hayden and $221,576 for South Routt. “That’s devastating,” Steam boat Superintendent Shalee Cunningham said. “That will
definitely mean prioritizing programs, which frankly we’ll have to do in next year’s budget anyway.” Hayden Superintendent Greg Rockhold said the cut “would severely hamper us in completing our task as educators.” South Routt Superinten dent Scott Mader called the proposed cut “bad news” but Matt Stensland/file photo said there was a silver lining Gov. Bill Ritter announced last week the possibility of cutting $260 million from public K-12 funding in his proposed 2010-11 budget. The Steamboat Springs School District stands to lose $980,065.
See Schools, page 8A
Bowling brings smiles Snow Bowl hosts Special Olympics tournament
Funerals held for Fort Hood soldiers Ryan J. Foley
The Associated Press
KIEL, Wis.
year because of the economy,” Haskins said. “I think everybody pretty much figured that would happen.” The DOW also offered fewer tags this year as some elk populations started to fall into the target range. “We’re transitioning from a mode where we were trying to harvest a lot of elk, especially cow elk, to a mode where we’re
The hundreds of people who lined the main street of a small Indiana city Saturday fell solemnly silent as a white hearse passed by on its way to the church. Mourners streamed into a Wisconsin gymnasium to remember a soldier who once promised to take down Osama bin Laden. Across the country, many stood before several flag-draped coffins during funeral services for several of the 13 victims of the Nov. 5 shootings in Fort Hood, Texas. In Plymouth, Ind., Sheila Ellabarger had placed two foothigh American flags in the grass where she watched the procession for Army Staff Sgt. Justin DeCrow. She said her children went to school with DeCrow and his wife — his high school sweetheart — and she knew other members of his family. “He was killed by a terrorist in my mind, but he was still killed in the line of duty. We owe him a debt of gratitude, him and his family and the other soldiers. We owe them our lives, our freedom,” Ellabarger said. During services in Norman, Okla., snapshots from U.S. Army Spc. Jason Dean Hunt’s recent wedding were projected near his casket. The 22-year-old was described as a loving husband and family man, as well as a soldier who left a legacy of selflessness and service. “We may never find out the reason for what occurred on that fateful day at Fort Hood, Texas,” said Ross Ridge, the deputy commanding general at Fort Sill, Okla. “The military community are all grieving here today over the loss of this dedicated soldier.” The high school gymnasium in Kiel, Wis., was filled Saturday for Staff Sgt. Amy Krueger’s funeral. A visitation had been held there
See Hunters, page 7A
See Fort Hood, page 7A
A
t the start of the first Yampa Valley Special Olympics Bowling Tournament, Jay Greenhill was hoping to get the sort of score he racks up on a good day. For Greenhill, a Steamboat Springs Story by resident Margaret Hair and client at Horizons Specialized Services, that would be between 115 and 125. As competition started at Snow Bowl on Saturday afternoon, Greenhill was on track to do just that. Then he got a turkey — three strikes in a row — and the family fan club behind him erupted. “I think my game’s getting better and better every time,” Greenhill said before he started bowling. This is his first year participating in a fall bowling program sponsored by Knights of Columbus council 4462. “He’s so excited; he’s been
sunday focus
Matt Stensland/staff
Steamboat Springs resident Bruce Rule reacts after rolling a strike Saturday during the Yampa Valley Special Olympics Bowling Tournament at Snow Bowl.
waiting to bowl for a long time,” said Debbie Greenhill, Jay’s mother and one of several family members who made the drive from Oak Creek to cheer for him Saturday. “He just moved up here this past February on his
own, and he’ll probably continue to do it year after year after year, as long as they’ll have him.” Jay Greenhill had the top score in his lane during the first game of the day, finishing with a 133.
He and 35 other athletes from Routt and Moffat counties were signed up to bowl in lanes with three to five players at the tournament, which was the first of its kind for the bowling program. Now in its 16th year, the
program in the past has featured a regional tournament in New Castle and an overnight trip to a statewide competition in Denver. “We decided this year we could See Bowling, page 8A
Hunting permits are down Northwest Colorado sees decreased number of hunters Zach Fridell
Pilot & Today staff
Steamboat Springs
A combination of the poor economy and fewer available tags has decreased the number of hunters in Northwest Colorado this year, with repercussions felt from the field to the hotel rooms across Routt County. Jim Haskins, Colorado Division of Wildlife area wild-
Matt Stensland/staff
Colorado Division of Wildlife administrative assistant Christy Bubenheim helps Steamboat Springs resident Ren Martyn obtain a license Friday at the DOW office.
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Many mourn victims
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Cloudy with snow. High of 36. Page 2A
county’s
life manager, said the final numbers of tags sold have not been tallied but that it’s clear that fewer were sold this year than in previous years. “We were definitely down in the third season,” he said, which includes over-the-counter elk tags. That decrease came as no surprise, he said. “I think there was an expectation that hunter numbers were going to be down this
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