By Patty LaTaille
Wind Warning!
Alamosa Elementary students and staff were advised to relocate to the gym if winds are sustained or gust at over 50 mile per hour. Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., of Lakewood, discovered that both school buildings, excluding the gyms, need reinforcement to withstand wind and earthquake forces. In a letter addressed to Alamosa School District Superintendent Rob Alejo from Neenan Co. project executive Mark Christensen, winds above 50 mph or greater could potentially cause damage to the building in the form of cracking of finishes, but not structural failure or any form of building collapse. With the mighty winds whipping through the SLV in the spring, this could be an issue.
Fire Safety
Worrying about the wind ignites extra concern – Fire.
“Wind blown embers ignited about 100 acres of Saguache County land on March 13, causing a fire that has since been contained and potentially linked to criminal activity,” according to The Valley Courier.
The fire started south of Saguache County Road X near the intersection of Saguache County Road 53 in mid afternoon, with the help of emergency responders and fire fighters from Saguache, Moffat, Crestone-Baca, Villa Grove and Center, the blaze was stopped from burning pastureland, native hay ground and chico brush. Saguache County is not under a burn advisory – yet.
“We are going into spring dry,” Saguache County Sheriff Mike Norris said, according to The Valley Courier. “It is our windy season. Please be wise.”
Speed, Alcohol and Drugs – All Factors in Fatal Crash
Tragedy struck shortly after midnight March 11 on Camino Del Rey, about three miles south of Crestone. After a night of partying, five friends were headed back to Crestone when the car rolled off the road.
According to The Valley Courier, “Travis Timm, 22, of Crestone, was ejected from the 2003 Saturn and pronounced dead at the scene. He was sitting in the middle of the rear seat.”
A 17-year old male, seated in the rear of the car, suffered severe head injuries. He was taken by ambulance first to San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center (SLVRMC), then to St. Mary’s Corwin in Pueblo. He was airlifted from Pueblo to Denver and is listed in critical condition according to Crowther.
Colorado State Patrol Cpt. George Dingfelder, said “Alcohol, drugs, speeding, and none of them wearing seatbelts – that’s not a good combination,” said. “It’s like sitting on a stick of dynamite, waiting for it to go off.” He added that it was amazing there weren’t more deaths and injuries.
The driver, Zachary Paul Lemasters, 24, Crestone, Max Friedrichs, 23, Moffat, and a 17-year old female were transferred to the SLVRMC.
Update on Murder in Monte Vista
Details on the double-murder of John Raymond Salazar, 54, and Sarah Janay Beasley, 29, which occurred in the early morning of Feb. 13 in Monte Vista, were released recently, including the autopsy report on Salazar.
The Valley Courier reported: “According to the autopsy report, Salazar was shot five times, each shot in a different part of his body. Details of exactly where the shots hit are being withheld because the investigation is still ongoing. But two of the shots hit lethal areas and either of the two could have killed him, according to a source close to the investigation.”
Salazar was a custodian with the Monte Vista School District and Beasely was a student at Trinidad State Junior College in Alamosa.
Geothermal Energy Leasing Terms for the San Luis Valley
After two years of appraisal, the Bureau of Land Management agency (BLM) is prepared to accept public comments on a preliminary environmental assessment for geothermal energy leasing in the San Luis Valley. The assessments identify public lands with the potential for geothermal development and provide a stipulation list for future leases.
The state of Colorado is working towards having two 50 Mw geothermal power plants in operation by 2040.
The BLM has not received any lease nominations for the San Luis Valley.
“We have no real projects,” BLM Renewable Energy Team Project Manager Joe Vieira said. “We have zero leases.”
Vieira explained the EIS analyzed the San Luis Valley on a course scale in 2008.
“It was a mistake,” Vieira said. “At the time they thought the San Luis Valley was part of Cañon City. We are fixing this error.”
Happy 80th Birthday to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve!
