Brief by Martha Quillen
Local News – June 2007 – Colorado Central Magazine
Home Sweet Home Under Construction
On May 5, Sergeant Christopher Fesmire and his wife, Willow, attended a ceremony at the site of their new home, which is currently under construction southwest of Hartsel. Their home is being built by Homes For Our Troops, a program that provides housing for disabled veterans. The homes are designed with wheelchairs in mind and equipped with modern devices to make life easier.
Tom Benoit, the chief financial officer of Homes For Our Troops flew out from Massachusetts to address the local couple and their friends and neighbors, along with members of Buena Vista Legion Post 55 and VFW Post 1166, and a flag crew, and singers Cathy Perry and Carol Noble, who performed the national anthem.
Sergeant Fesmire joined the marines when he was 19 years old and served four years. He was called back to duty in 2003, then subsequently volunteered to serve another tour. He lost his legs when a landmine exploded under the humvee he and his team were riding in near the Iraq/Syrian border in Al Anbar Province.
The Fesmires’ home will be built entirely by volunteers at no cost to the couple.
Teen Pregnancy Is Tops in Lake County
Information gathered by the Colorado Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention (COAPPP) rated Lake County tops in teen pregnancy. The organization compiled a three-year teen pregnancy average using 2003, 2004 and 2005, and it showed Lake County’s birth rate for teen girls as being 56.9 births per 1,000. which is nearly double the state average of 24.4.
According to the Leadville Herald Democrat, “the rate is calculated by taking the number of babies born to mothers in a certain age group divided by the total population in the county of girls in that age group.”
The newspaper pointed out, however, that in sparsely populated counties teen birth rates can fluctuate widely even though there may only be a difference of one or two births. For example Lake’s 2004 rate was 68.2, when there were 18 births for girls 15 to 19, while the 2005 rate was 56.9, when there were 16 births.
But some counties had no teen births, and as it turns out they are even less populated than Lake. (Perhaps due to the lack of births?) Kiowa, Mineral, San Juan, and Sedgewick counties have a total population of less than 2,600, and had no babies born to mothers age 19 years and younger in 2005. Upon hearing that, we wondered whether the babies counted had to be born inside the county, in which case we wondered how medical facilities weigh in, but the Herald article didn’t say, nor did the COAPPP website (www.coappp.org).
The Herald also pointed out, “the issue has a cultural factor, which can be sensitive.” According to COAPPP, Lake County is approximately 63% Hispanic, and 87.5% of the births were to Hispanic teens.
In the wake of the COAPPP report, several Leadville organizations are working on how to help area youth and the local newspaper planned a series of articles on teen pregnancy in Lake County.
It should be noted that there’s been a significant and steady decline in teen pregnancy rates in the United States (including in Colorado) in the last decade. So despite righteous concern in Lake County, the news isn’t all bad. A mere seven years ago, Lake County’s high teen pregnancy rate would have been below average.
Forget Harvard, Columbia,
and Even Challenger
Tracy Ross of Nederland wants to name a 13,000-foot mountain near Buena Vista “Rejection Peak.” Ross claims the name would be fitting for the diminutive mount near the Collegiate Peaks, because it clearly doesn’t measure up to Ivy League standards.
“You get the feeling it was rejected because it didn’t reach the objective of being a Fourteener,” she contends.
According to the Mountain Mail, Ross made the proposal to the U.S. Board of Geographic Names last year in connection with a story she wrote for Backpacker Magazine. In her application, Ross said the name “Rejection Peak” would honor all of the people who shunned Ivy League schools — or who couldn’t get in.
Park County Fire Chief Fired
Guffey-based Fire Chief Dave Hudak was fired at an April 24th meeting of the board of the Southern Park County Fire Protection District, and on May 3 Gene Stanley was appointed as the new chief.
According to the Fairplay Flume, board member Kathryn Boettcher told them Hudak was fired for a number of reasons, but primarily for his failure to follow directions. She also indicated that there were some personnel problems. “It’s got to be a teamwork thing when you’re out on a fireline,” she told the newspaper.
The May 11th Flume reported that Hudak said he’d filed an appeal to the board and had also requested a list of the board’s complaints in writing, along with a transcript of the April 24th meeting. But he hadn’t decided whether to pursue legal action.
Hudak also expressed concern about his $150 a month pension through the Fire & Police Pension Association of Colorado, which was due to be vested next March. In order to qualify, Hudak told the Flume, he has to be employed by the district when the paperwork is filed, which was reportedly supposed to happen within a few weeks.
Thus, Hudak indicated he might be interested in taking a temporary job with the district until the paperwork is filed.
Park County Fire Chief Arrested
On April 18, Hartsel Fire Chief Jack “Jay” Albert Hutcheson was arrested and charged with numerous counts of theft. According to the Fairplay Flume, the arrest happened seven months after the Hartsel Fire Protection District bookkeeper was implicated in embezzling about $100,000 from the district. The bookkeeper, who has been charged with theft, embezzlement, and computer crime, recently accused Hutcheson of making many illegal financial transactions.
Hutcheson denies all charges. Although he admits he put tens of thousands of dollars in personal charges on district credit cards, Hutcheson says he paid everything back — in cash, because the bookkeeper told him that would be easier. In a prepared statement Hutcheson’s attorney charged: “Mr. Hutcheson is the victim of a one-sided diatribe . . . .
Sorrow Follows Celebration
A climber known for his online accounts of daring and adventure was seriously injured on Humboldt Peak in Custer County on Sunday, May 6. David Worthington, 38, known online as Talus Monkey, lost control while glissading down a snowfield and tumbled about 200 feet through jagged rock.
His climbing partner, Caroline Moore, wrapped him in sleeping bags, then headed down to get help. When rescuers reached Worthington 28 hours later, he was alive, and celebration spread among his friends and fans, who by then were closely following the rescue operation online. But Worthington’s condition deteriorated on the trip down and he was declared dead at a Pueblo hospital on Monday evening.
The Denver Post subsequently did an extensive article about David Worthington and the popularity of online climbing communities.
Barely Spring Bear
A Conifer woman was swatted by a bear when she went out shortly after midnight in late April to see why her dog was barking. She was taken to Swedish Medical Center where she was treated for cuts on her abdomen and released that morning.
But a Conifer bear was not so lucky. Jefferson County Sheriff’s personnel accompanied by a wildlife officer followed bear tracks from the woman’s home and discovered three bears, one of which charged a sheriff’s officer. It was shot and killed, then taken back to the lab for tests. A trap was set for the other two bears.
Jennifer Churchill, a public information officer for the Division of Wildlife said the marauding bear may have been attracted by food left out in a snowbank during a recent power outage. “A lot of stuff was strewn about in the yard,” she said.
The DOW urges everyone to clean up their property and keep food, bird feeders, barbecue grills and the like out of the reach of bears.
Slippery When Wet and Icy
A school bus carrying the South Park High School track team slid into a Budweiser truck on Red Hill Pass during a hail storm. Damage was minor and there were no injuries but U.S. 285 was closed for about an hour.
The students were taken back to Fairplay, where they found out that the track meet, which was supposed to take place at Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, had been postponed due to bad weather.
More Than A Million Dollars Missing
On April 12, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Debra Jane Irwin, 55, Leadville, in connection with an embezzlement investigation. The police inquiry reportedly started in November 2005, after the owner of Altima Group, a real estate and property management company in Eagle County, notified Wells Fargo that her account had been overdrawn.
The owner suspected Debra, Maureen and Patrick Irwin, who were all employed by the business. Debra was employed at Altima Group for more than ten years, but was asked to leave when the investigation began.
According to the Leadville Herald Democrat, the investigation showed that $1,116,497.92 had been taken from Altima Group. “The investigation revealed that American Express credit-card accounts were open for Altima Group, but in the names of Debra, Maureen and Patrick Irwin. The owner was unable to access the accounts.”
On April 13, 2007, Debra and her daughter, Maureen, 30, were found unconscious in their home by a friend. Near them were two glasses, both containing water and pills. The women were transported to St. Vincent Hospital, then transfered to the St. Anthony Central ICU.
Upon her release from the hospital, Debra Irwin was arrested.
Shorts
The Lake County Watershed Advisory Council unanimously voted to recommend that Lake County join the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, which currently serves Bent, Crowley, Otero and Prowers Counties east of Pueblo. The only other district under consideration was the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District which has offices in Salida. A mill levy has to be passed before Lake County can join LAVWCD, so the matter must be voted on.
Frank Matteson, proprietor of the Granite Store from 1984 to 2001, is coming out of retirement to re-open it. Matteson sold the store in 2001, when it was still connected to the post office. But after the new owners closed the store in February, the U.S. Postal Service placed a weatherproof box on U.S. 24 to handle local delivery. Although the Granite Store is coming back, the post office was unprofitable and will remain closed.
In mid-May, a Buena Vista woman ran into the Arkansas River to rescue her dog, only to find herself swept off her feet and caught in the current. Her dog, however, swam over to her, and then was joined by her other dog, whereupon the two animals managed to grab hold of her and drag her back to shore.
Lynda La Rocca, earned first place in the poetry category of the Arapahoe Community College Writers Studio 2007 Literary Contest. Her poem, “The Visiting Hour,” was one of 151 submitted. LaRocca’s prose, which we judge to be as impressive as her poetry, has frequently appeared in Colorado Central.
Murder charges against Addie Kubisiak of Parker, a former Western State College student, were dropped after prosecutors admitted that they couldn’t prove the infant she was accused of killing had ever drawn a breath. Investigators say Kubisiak delivered the baby in November in Douglas County, but then concealed its remains in her dorm room in Gunnison until January. According to the Gunnison Country Times, Kubisiak may still face a misdemeanor charge of concealing a death, which carries a maximum penalty of eighteen months in jail.
Quotes
“Sixty-five people participated in the event [the Impeach Bush/Cheney Walk]. As we walked from Alpine to Riverside Park and back, two Salida police officers maintained a discreet distance….”
“Some big city police departments could do well to learn something from ours.”
Donna Francis, Mountain Mail, May 2
“Possibly I am in error, but it looks suspiciously like there must be some sort of pecuniary relationship between the city pothole repair crew and the local spring/steering/frame auto repair business.”
John L. Allen, Mountain Mail, May 2
“In some things, it’s not good to be number one, such as teen pregnancy.”
Ann E. Wibbenmeyer, reporter, Leadville Herald Democrat, May 3
“On April 9, a vehicle belonging to Leonora Premeau, 48, Salida was struck in the City Market parking lot by an unknown vehicle that left the scene. The vehicle was unoccupied at the time of the hit-and-run. No further information is available at this time.”
The Chaffee County Times, May 3
“In my mind, there is not a single person who has done more for the greater Gunnison and Crested Butte community over the last 40 years than George Sibley.”
Bob Teitler, Gunnison Country Times, May 3
“We were honored to read in the latest issue of the magazine that the Herald Democrat was deemed to have the most interesting police reporting of all the newspapers that Colorado Central receives.”
Marcia Martinek, Herald Editor, April 26
“We even called the road department once last year to see if they could plow a little near the southern end of Antelope Rd., in order to alleviate some of the pressure of our brains hitting the insides of our skulls as we drove over hundreds of large size stones protruding from the ground.”
Steven & Rhonda Myers, Wet Mountain Tribune, April 12
The old boxcar next to U.S. 285 between Salida and Buena Vista is something of a regional landmark. But despite appearances here, it has not been moved and restored. Subscriber Matt Hutson of Gunnison built a moden of it for his 1:29 scale garden railroad, and now we know what the boxcare looked like in its early working days.
