A Loquacious Bill
A bill has been introduced by Sen. Gail Schwartz and Rep. Jim Wilson to address a controversial speed study initiated by the Colorado Department of Transportation. The bill, SB-14-146 does not mince words: “Concerning information that the Department of Transportation may consider when conducting a traffic investigation for the purpose of determining the appropriate speed limit for a portion of a state highway for which a municipality has proposed a speed limit alteration.”
Triple Homicide Rocks Communities
A former Salida woman and her two children were found dead in their home on March 10 in Cañon City after a third child escaped to report a sexual assault.
Jaacob Harding Vanwinkle, an ex-con with a record of child molestation, theft and other crimes was arrested in connection with the deaths the following day. The victims were Mandy Folsom, 35, and her children Marissa, 9, and Mason, 5.
The adopted father of the children, Michael Folsom, asked District Judge David Thorson on March 12 to be released on a personal recognizance bond so he could attend the funeral. Folsom had been arrested by Fremont County sheriff’s deputies March 5 on four warrants. He was also arrested July 26 for violating a protection order against Mandy Folsom.
Shorts
• Longtime Buena Vista resident Grant Heilman died Feb. 25 at the age of 94. Heilman, a photographer, writer and WWII vet was a co-founder of the Chaffee County Council on the Arts, along with his former wife, Barbara Whipple, who passed away in 1989. We hope to explore his life further in a future issue.
• The Salida District of the U.S. Forest Service is seeking comments until April 15 concerning a reroute of a portion of the Colorado Trail west of Salida.
• The Silver West Airport in Custer County will soon have an Automated Weather Observation Station, thanks to a $148,000 grant.
• The city of Florence is extending its moratorium of the sale of cannabis for six months while it works out rules and regulations for the business operations.
• A blue light has been installed on Tenderfoot Mountain in Salida which will light up whenever Monarch Mountain receives six inches of snow or more.
• La Veta Marshal Loren Youngers was fired by the La Veta town board after a decision was made at their Feb. 20 meeting. The firing has left the town with no law officers.
• $697 will be provided by the Chaffee County commissioners for a commemoration plaque for Stone Bridge, which has been designated in the National Register of Historic Places.
• The town of Westcliffe has hired a new attorney, Jay Printz, a Westcliffe resident. He will replace outgoing town attorney Robert Seefried, who has served for seven years.
• The Tabor Grand building in Leadville is scheduled for a $7 million renovation beginning in April.
• The Silver Bullet rapid on the Arkansas River near Buena Vista has been redesigned by the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, reducing it from a class IV rating at certain levels, to class III.
• Longtime co-owner of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Howard ‘Bo’ Calloway, died at the age of 86.
“Notable Quotes”
“My wife said I couldn’t come home unless I did this.” – Salida City Council member Tom Yerkey, after introducing an amendment to roll back a water and sewer fee increase from two percent to one percent. – The Mountain Mail, March 19, 2014.
“Until my dying day, if you approve this, I will be very diligent in following up with cameras and watching them.” – Swissvale resident Yvonne Nelson, at a public hearing in Fremont County, concerning a special review use permit for a private rehab facility for wounded combat veterans. – The Mountain Mail, March 12, 2014.
“If you are against these races in an elected office, that is outrageous.” – Ken Chlouber, founder of the Leadville Race series, responding to Leadville Council member Gwen Shepard at a council meeting, where dicussions about the races were being held. – Leadville Herald Democrat, Feb. 27, 2014.
