By Christopher Kolomitz
Rockslide Tragedy
Dwayne, Dawna and Kiowa-Rain Johnson, all of Buena Vista, plus two other relatives visiting from out of state, died in a rockslide Sept. 30 while they were hiking at Agnes Vaille Falls. Gracie Johnson, 13, was seriously injured after being trapped in the rubble. The deaths were a big blow to the community, Dwayne was an electrician, landscaper and football coach, Dawna was a popular waitress in town and Kiowa-Rain was a senior at the high school.
More than $50,000 has been raised for the Johnson Family Fund and an additional $10,000 was raised for a scholarship by Gracie’s fellow middle school students, reports The Chaffee County Times. The popular hike to the falls has been closed by the U.S. Forest Service and no timetable has been set for its re-opening.
Texas Man Skirts Murder Charges Again
For the second time this year, the trial of Texas businessman Frederick Mueller ended with a hung jury when a Broomfield panel hit an impasse on Oct. 11. In February 2013, a Gunnison County jury failed to convict Mueller, who is charged in the 2008 death of his wife at their Lake City vacation home. The first trial lasted five weeks, the second was 12 days.
Man Survives Six Days After Wreck
On Oct. 17, state transportation workers discovered a six-day-old wreck that killed one man and left another clinging to life five miles west of Cañon City. The two men, who were dividing time between Cañon City and Custer County, were overdue from a trip to Cripple Creek. The deceased was Ronald Lee Mohr, 59, the driver. Richard Koester, 36, was pinned in the wreckage and severely injured. When he was transported to a hospital his body temperature was 71 degrees. Koester’s dad and stepmother live in Silver Cliff.
Champion Burro Racer Dies
Joseph Glavinick, a Leadville native and world champion pack burro racer, died in late September at the age of 84. He was a prolific champion in the sport in the 1960s and was known for his athletic prowess and showmanship.
Glavinick won three consecutive world championship titles, in 1962-1964. He won nine races in Fairplay and 13 in Leadville. In a July 2004 column for Colorado Central, Hal Walter recounted the following: “In front of the old Veterans of Foreign Wars Club at the base of the pass on the Fairplay side, I saw his burro hitched outside … Inside, Joe was relaxing with a longneck, and I assumed his training run was complete. I had a drink of water and continued on my way to Fairplay. Somewhere in that last six miles, Joe came trotting past again. When I arrived in Fairplay his burro was hitched in front of the Park Bar.”
Airports Have Economic Impact
The Gunnison-Crested Butte airport ranked 10th out of 14 statewide airports that provide commercial and general aviation services, reports a new study that examines the economic output of the state’s airports. Conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Division of Aeronautics, the Gunnison airport was determined to have an output of $98.5 million, and it supported an annual employment of 938 people. The Alamosa airport ranked 13th with an economic output of $23.5 million and a support of 176 jobs.
Leadville Paper Claims Improper Meeting, Seeks Tapes
The Leadville Herald Democrat is suing Lake County Commissioners for the tapes from an allegedly improperly noticed executive session back in February. The paper suspects commissioners were talking about a former building department official who was later arrested on drug charges.
Yard Signs, Forums and Fights
Besides voting on the two statewide issues, local voters are deciding some important other races this election season. In Westcliffe, voters in the hospital district are deciding whether or not to increase the mill levy three points to cover the cost of ambulance service. Leadville area voters are asked to extend a 10-year-old mill levy override for the school district. Also in Leadville, residents are considering establishing a 1.5 percent sales tax for infrastructure improvements and a special improvement district. And in Salida, it’s one of the most bitter city council and mayoral elections in recent memory, with two different groups of supporters waging war with letters, ads and yard signs.
Highway Project Updates
Buena Vista has been awarded $2 million from the state transportation department to address safety and traffic issues on U.S. 24 through town. A start date for work on the U.S. 24/285 bridge at Johnson Village is hung up by paperwork needed from the Union Pacific. Independence Pass is expected to close for the winter on Nov. 7. In Gunnison County the Taylor River Road is back open after a summerlong construction project.
Hollywood Comes to Town
Filming for the Hollywood action thriller “Fast and Furious 7” gave an economic jolt to Salida during late September and into mid-October. More than 300 people were on the film crew, which boosted restaurant sales and overnight stays in area hotels. Filming was headquartered at Monarch Mountain, where producers reportedly paid $40,000 to rent the parking lot and associated ski area facilities. Locals were hired as extras, shuttle drivers and laborers.
Up in Leadville, filming was completed in mid-October for a Dodge truck commercial. And in Saguache, a team from the CBS Morning Show was in town filming for a piece that will feature the town newspaper, The Saguache Crescent.
Shorts
• The Western State University football team spent 36 hours stranded in Lusk, Wyoming when a blizzard hit the area. The team was on its way to play Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota. It’s unclear if the game will be made up.
• About 150 coal miners were laid off from the Elk Creek Coal Mine near Somerset in Gunnison County during the early part of October. A stubborn fire, which started in December 2012, caused unsafe working conditions and also led to the abandonment of equipment. The mine kept 130 people on the job.
• The former Gunnison school district technology director is suspected of stealing more than $400,000 from the district and funneling it for personal use. Cannon Leatherwood faces criminal charges and civil suit filed by the district.
• In Huerfano County, no arrests have been made in association with a professional pot growing operation found on Forest Service land near Cuchara. Authorities estimate 2,300 plants were growing at a value of $2.2 million.
• Xcel Energy will raise the height of 12 large transmission towers in Chaffee County to maintain proper ground clearance. The towers will be raised from the current 60 feet, to a new 80 feet.
• Salida residents are upset over a Colorado Department of Transportation speed study that recommended raising the speed limit on sections of U.S. 50 as it runs through town. In late October, city and transportation officials said they were working to keep the speed limit at 40 mph on the east side of town and 45 mph on the west. Also, CDOT and the city will host a Dec. 10 meeting to discuss a “road diet” for the highway corridor as a method of reducing speeds.
• Nan and Joe Bohe were named the 2013 Citizens of the Year by the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce. The two are active volunteers in the community.
“Notable Quotes”
“We kind of took advantage of someone else’s misfortune, I guess you could say.” – Tammy Scott, Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce Executive Director in the Oct. 10 edition of the Gunnison Country Times, speaking about the county’s record summer season sales tax collection.
“The dam is leaking and the hole is getting bigger. We’ve had multiple down years.” – Village Shop owner Gary King in the Oct. 17 edition of the Wet Mountain Tribune, talking about his support for hiring a Main Street Manager to promote the town.
“Some physicians won’t practice here because we don’t have all the instruments they need.” – Leadville hospital operating room manager Jim Yopp in the Oct. 3 edition of the Leadville Herald Democrat, talking about deficiencies of the current area.
