By Christopher Kolomitz
Farewell Campy
SALIDA – Laurence Campton, a well known Salidan, died April 13 at the age of 95. Known as “Campy” throughout the community, Campton moved to the area in 1949 and had just celebrated his 75th wedding anniversary with wife Daisy. He survived imprisonment during World War II, was the 1959 FIBArk down-river race champion and in the early 1950s and ‘60s served as the manager of the Salida Chamber of Commerce, The Mountain Mail reported. He retired from the Chaffee County Road and Bridge Department in 1984 and a few months later began a 21-year stint as the county veteran service officer.
Salida to Study Geothermal
SALIDA – On April 17, Salida City Council members approved moving forward with a consultant’s contract to determine potential development and uses of the Poncha Hot Springs site. Included in the contract would be a review of previous studies done at the site, geothermal mapping, geochemical studies, thermal gradient drilling and other investigations, The Mail said. The site was previously used as a Boy Scout camp and has fallen in to disrepair in recent years.
Healthy Gunnison School
GUNNISON – Gunnison Elementary School was recognized by state education officials as a Healthy Schools Champion April 10. The Gunnison Country Times reports the school earned the award through its health and wellness curriculum. The award comes with statewide notoriety and $5,000 to be used on healthy programs.
Clerks say Lawsuit Vague, ask for Dismissal
Chaffee County Clerk Joyce Reno and other clerks from Eagle, Mesa, Boulder, Jefferson and Larimer counties have asked a U.S. District Court Judge to throw out a lawsuit filed against them by a voter activist group based in Aspen. Reno and the other clerks were sued because the group believes they use procedures that make it possible to identify voters’ specific ballots and identity. The county clerks responded by calling the suit vague and without legal standing, The Mountain Mail reported April 18.
Park County Deputies Fire, then Fired
Three Park County sherriff’s officers and other law enforcement officers responded to a keg party April 6 near Tarryall and discovered about 40 teenagers partying. In the ensuing investigation a member of the Park County squad fired shots to break a chain attached to the keg. A corporal and deputy subsequently were terminated from the force and a reserve deputy had his commission revoked.
Udall tours Browns Canyon
CHAFFEE COUNTY – U.S. Senator Mark Udall was in Chaffee County April 3 to receive feedback from residents regarding his wilderness and national monument proposals for Browns Canyon. Udall and others hiked in the area during a light snowfall. Later in April, Udall staff members returned to the county to host additional public comment sessions.
Lamborn Franking Questioned
A formal complaint against U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn has been filed by his Republican primary opponent alleging abuse of franking. Robert Blaha says Lamborn violated House rules by sending franking, or mailers, with political slogans to constituents. Lamborn’s spokesperson said Blaha was ignorant of the franking process, which is reviewed by a bipartisan franking commission.
Blazes Cause Scare in Gunnison
GUNNISON – Four separate wildfires burned about 280 acres in Gunnison County the weekend of April 6-8, reported The Gunnison Country Times. All four were caused by humans, and at one time the Ohio Creek fire north of Gunnison caused evacuations. No homes were lost in the conflagrations which burned near Crested Butte, northeast of Paonia Reservoir and in the Arrowhead subdivision west of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Back in late March a fire near Doyleville, in the eastern part of the county, burned more than 800 acres of pasture. No structures were burned there either.
Low Snow Impacts Recreation
Low snowpack and warm temperatures caused both Monarch Mountain and Ski Cooper to close one week early. Ski Cooper closed April 1, while Monarch stopped turning lifts April 8. Monarch officials said the season was the sixth driest in more than 70 years. Low snowpack along with downed trees caused cancellation of the Salida Pole Pedal Paddle race that had been scheduled for April 22. Low snow in the Gunnison Valley helped open Hartman Rocks Recreation Area early to eager mountain bikers and motorcycles. Racers in the 40-mile Grand Traverse from Crested Butte to Aspen faced a wet, sloppy and muddy course and in some stretches needed to remove ski boots and put on running shoes to cover dry trail. The dismal winter snow totals allowed advance opening of several roads in Lake County too, including the Turquoise Lake road in early April.
Shorts
• Fremont County Commissioners March 28 approved Over the River, with a list of 35 conditions. The vote came unanimously and now sets up further permit approvals by Chaffee County and the Colorado Department of Transportation.
• Salida High School senior Brandon Smith won a coveted Boettcher Scholarship, which earns him a free ride, book allowance and an annual stipend to any Colorado university or college. Smith beat out more than 1,300 applicants and told The Mountain Mail he’ll attend Colorado School of Mines.
• Poncha Springs resident Mark Thonhoff has ended 20 years’ service to the community, including 12 as mayor and eight as a town trustee. Richard Furton is the new mayor.
• Gunnison attorney John McClow has been named the chairman of the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Lou Costello, also of Gunnison, was re-elected treasurer of the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association board of directors.
• Buena Vista resident Celia Montoya turned 102 on April 5. She was born in Cokedale and has lived in Colorado nearly all her life. She retired in 1975 from the Eagle County school district where she was head cook.
• Lauren Kleppin, a Western State College senior long- distance runner, set the Division II outdoor record for the 10,000-meter race April 7 at the Stanford Invitational. She ran the race in 32:40.92, beating the old record set back in 1987 by about 16 seconds.
• Silver Cliff voters approved a measure 63-60 on April 3 allowing the town to publish ordinances by title only, not in full, reports the Wet Mountain Tribune. In Buena Vista, residents approved a $3 million bond to improve roads, The Chaffee County Times wrote.
• Residents of the Piñon Hills subdivision northwest of Salida are considering formation of a special taxing district to offset the cost of installing a fire protection system which would consist of hydrants and cisterns.
• It’s estimated that 8,000 calves will be born this spring in the Gunnison Valley, with an initial value of $250 each which increases to possibly $600 in the fall, according to The Gunnison Country Times.
• Salida officials are planning a 50 and 100 mile bicycle race to be held Aug. 18 using county roads and parts of U.S. highways 285 and 24. Registration is under way and organizers are hoping to piggyback on the Pro Cycling Challenge that begins in Durango a few days before.
Notable Quotes:
“That facility was fine for a long, long time. It’s no longer fine because so many people are choosing St. Elmo for a destination.” – Chuck Cole, St. Elmo property owner, regarding the need for regular cleaning and an upgraded toilet near the historic St. Elmo school. – The Mountain Mail, April 10, 2012
“We still fully expect this project will never happen.” – Joan Anzelmo, spokesperson for Rags Over the Arkansas River in response to the announcement that Fremont County Commissioners approved Christo’s Over the River project. – The Mountain Mail, March 28, 2012.
“What’s gone down are all the traditional things like inpatient surgery, inpatient admissions and outpatient surgery. If we hadn’t done that renovation, we’d be in even worse shape.” – Robert Brickman, Chairman of the Gunnison Valley Health Board of Trustees, in regard to the hospital’s $500,000 positive margin moving to a $600,000 loss in the past five months. – The Gunnison Country Times, April 19, 2012.
“With gas prices doubled, the national debt doubled, and unemployment has barely moved, we feel good.” – U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton’s campaign manager, Michael Fortney, when asked about Tipton’s re-election chances. State House Minority Leader Sal Pace, who is running against Tipton in the 3rd Congressional District called for an immediate apology. – The Colorado Observer, April 14, 2012.
