Local News - The Journal

Air attack helps tame fire at base of Ute Mountain

Cause is under investigation

DATE: May 20, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Cortez announces new police chief, library director

Vernon Knuckles and Alicia Gomori-Lusker join city workforce

DATE: May 20, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Mesa Verde National Park to reopen Sunday

Morefield Campground and Far View Lodge to resume services

DATE: May 20, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

How does La Plata County do contact tracing?

Health department workers take on new role tracking spread of COVID-19

DATE: May 20, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado issues draft guidelines for reopening restaurants

Don’t expect a normal experience when dining out

DATE: May 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado’s unemployment system exposes private data during coronavirus crunch

The unauthorized access is blamed on a vendor’s technical issue and was quickly blocked

DATE: May 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Polis faces two lawsuits over allowing ballot signatures through email, mail

Anti-abortion group is left out; business challenges order

DATE: May 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado lawmakers won’t be required to wear masks at Capitol when legislative session resumes

After GOP objections, the legislature’s guidelines fall far short of expert recommendations and public health orders

DATE: May 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Montezuma County drops health emergency status

Officials express frustration at state restrictions

DATE: May 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Montezuma-Cortez High School commencement plans set

This year will feature parade, radio broadcast, drive-thru ceremony

DATE: May 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Brush fire ignites south of Cortez on red flag day

Tossed cigarette is suspected cause

DATE: May 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Fort Lewis College president takes voluntary 20% pay cut

Stritikus: ‘I felt I had to take the first step’

DATE: May 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: Local News

Three wildfires ignite across La Plata County, prompting evacuationsElkhorn Fire north of Durango began as a house fire, spread to wildland

At least three wildfires broke out Saturday afternoon in La Plata County – near Vallecito Reservoir, south of the Durango-La Plata County Airport and north of Durango in the Animas Valley.Two of the fires prompted evacuations: the Rim Road Fire south of the airport and the Elkhorn Fire in the Missionary Ridge area.The Elkhorn Fire was putting up a massive column of smoke Saturday evening. It began as a house fire and quickly spread to the wildand, said Randy Black, chief of the Durango Fire Protect District.Air attack crews estimated the blaze at 120 acres as of 7:20 p.m. A helicopter and large air tankers were working the west side of the fire to protect nearby residences, Black said.

The northeast section of the Elkhorn subdivision was under a mandatory evacuation, and the lower section was under a pre-evacuation notice, Black said. The Celadon area was also under pre-evacuation notice.No additional information was immediately available Saturday night, including how many homes were under evacuation or pre-evacuation orders.An evacuation shelter was set up at Escalante Middle School, 141 Baker Lane.

The Rim Road Fire, south of the airport, had grown to 50 acres as of Saturday evening.The Los Pinos Fire Protection District asked residents in the 3700 block of County Road 318 and all residents on Lenyx Lane to evacuate, according to a Code Red Alert issued at 4:09 p.m.

One of those residents was Kathi Arnold, who owns a log home on 240 acres in the 2300 block of County Road 318.Arnold said she was home about 3:30 p.m. when a neighbor called to report smoke behind her house. Within minutes, she said, flames appeared at the top of a ridge and began advancing toward her home.

“As soon as I saw the fire and the smoke, I started throwing stuff in the car,” Arnold said. “The cops came up about that time and said, ‘I just want to let you know we’re going to put you on evacuation.’”The fire grew from 3 acres to 50 acres within 1½ hours, according to unofficial estimates.Arnold said she lives in a fire-prone area that hasn’t received significant rainfall in many years. “I've always had my important things in a bag to grab and go,” she said. “I just threw some clothes that I didn't want to lose in my suitcase and things I was going to need immediately and pretty much just filled my car and left.”Not knowing if or when she could return home was difficult, she said. Several friends reached out offering her a place to stay.She said firefighters were everything they could to protect her home.“They’ve been here the whole time,” she said.Smoke was visible southeast of Durango and south of the airport.

Wolfwood Refuge, a wolf sanctuary near Ignacio, began preparing to evacuate staff and 61 rescue animals.“It’s only a couple of miles from me, and so it’s up on the ridge behind me, toward the oil fields,” said Paula Woerner, with Wolfwood. “We can see the flames when we go up there.”She said an aerial firefighting plane had been deployed.The fire was first reported about 3 p.m. Saturday, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.La Plata Electric Association was monitoring the wildfires in the event that power needed to be shutoff to protect the grid, residents and emergency workers.The Rim Road Fire was threatening LPEA infrastructure that serves 793 meters. One meter was de-energized near in the area of the Elkhorn Fire.“LPEA is taking all necessary precautions to protect lives and property while keeping the lights on as long as it is safe to do so,” said Chris Hansen, LPEA CEO in a news release. “We’re coordinating closely with local fire and emergency officials and are prepared to respond rapidly as conditions evolve.”

BIA Fire Management responded with help from the Los Pinos Fire Protection District. Two Type 6 engines and two suppression models were deployed.Durango Fire Protection District provided wildland firefighters and structure protection in the area, said Chief Black.The Southern Ute Indian Tribe was coordinating with local agencies to minimize fire impact and ensure public safety, the BIA said. The tribe was also working with oil and gas operators in the area.A third fire, the Teelawuket Fire, ignited in the wilderness area east of Vallecito Reservoir. It was contained to about 1 acre.This is a developing story. Check back with www.durangoherald.com for updates.Herald Staff Writer Christian Burney contributed to this report.

Elkhorn Fire north of Durango began as a house fire, spread to wildland

Ring, ring … aggressive bear in the neighborhood? Emergency calls sent to Delwood, Arroyo Drive area residents

Emergency officials warned residents of an “aggressive” bear Tuesday evening in west Durango. An aggressive bear ‒ allegedly ‒ was seen in the area of Delwood Avenue and Arroyo Drive on Tuesday evening. A Code Red alert from “La Plata Emergency” was issued at 8:15 p.m. to residents in the Delwood Avenue and Arroyo Drive neighborhoods. The alerts, sent by text and phone call, urged residents to stay indoors.At 8:15 p.m. a code red alert, in the form of a phone call and text message, went out the area residents informing them of the bears presence, and urged them to stay inside. Durango Police Department sent the alert after the bear had reportedly entered an unoccupied home, said John Livingston, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman. By the time DPD and CPW officers made it to the scene, the bear had left the house and was found lingering in the area, Livingston said. It did not respond to hazing techniques, and attempts by CPW officers to tranquilize it were unsuccessful, at which point the code red alert was sent out. The alert was largely to inform the residents about the large law enforcement presence in the area, Livingston said. CPW officers chased the bear through the residential area, as far down as north Main Avenue, but they were unable to catch it. As of now, the bear remains “at-large.” If caught, CPW will euthanize it. “We all want to help wildlife persist and thrive in their natural habitat, and help our populations continue to thrive,” Livingston said. “But in situations such as this, we just can't have bears inside people's homes.”Colorado has a two-strike policy for black bears. If CPW receives a call about a bear rifling through trash, a car trunk or a kitchen – wildlife officers capture it, mark it and relocate it to the wild. If the same bear is then caught engaging in similar behavior a second time – it’s euthanized.

This may have been one of the few incidents of aggressive bear behavior reported this summer, however it is far from the first bear sighting. As of July 14, Colorado Parks and Wildlife had logged 231 bear sightings or incidents in La Plata County, Livingston said last week. “It’s always alarming when we get a lot of incidents this early in the summer, but it’s not totally uncommon for Durango,” he said. Around late summer and early fall, bears are on the hunt for more food as they prepare for winter hibernation. “So bears get more active and more involved in conflicts with humans, typically the time of year where they’re trying to just really pack on those pounds late and are desperate for calories,” Livingston said. In recent years ‒ and especially this year ‒ bear conflicts involving chicken coops have been slightly higher than usual, which Livingston attributed to an increase in “hobby chicken farming.” That trend is especially notable northeast of city limits along Florida Road (County Road 240). Especially in the areas Northeast of Durango, along Florida road. Livingston recommended electric fencing as the best way to protect chicken coops but noted that it’s only permitted outside city limits, since Durango prohibits electric fencing. In addition to chicken coops, human food and garbage are major attractants. Bear Smart Durango fielded 42 reports of bears in July ‒ 86% of which involved a human food source, according to a post on the organization’s Facebook page. Bear Smart Durango and CPW urge residents to report bear sightings immediately. A common misconception is that calling CPW to report a bear will lead to it being trapped, relocated and potentially euthanized, Livingston said ‒ but that is usually not the case. There is a common thought among people, that if they call CPW about a bear sighting, CPW will end up trapping, relocating or potentially euthanizing the bear Livingston said; but he emphasized that is not the case. “We want to encourage people to call us early while we still have a chance to intervene, without ever having to set a trap,” he said. jbowman@durangoherald.com

Emergency calls sent to Delwood, Arroyo Drive area residents

Congressional candidate in hot water with Southern Utes over social media postTribe rebukes Hope Scheppelman for Instagram video

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe publicly rebuked Hope Scheppelman, a congressional candidate from Bayfield, for a social media post it says misrepresented the tribe’s political stance and disrespected cultural practices. The post, shared on Scheppelman’s personal Instagram account on June 2, shows a Southern Ute ceremonial sweat lodge with the words “Paid for by Hope Scheppelman for Congress.” The image then cuts to a video of a ruddy-faced Scheppelman sitting in her car, apparently after taking part in a sweat ceremony. In the clip, she claims she was invited to participate.

Scheppelman, a Republican, announced last month she will challenge U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Grand Junction, in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. Since then, she has actively promoted her campaign on social media. In a statement posted Friday, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe said the post falsely suggested the tribe invited Scheppelman to the ceremony and used the event for campaign purposes, misrepresenting the tribe’s involvement and the nature of the event.“These actions are not only misleading, but deeply disrespectful and will not be tolerated,” the tribe said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.A spokesperson for the tribe declined to comment further until the tribe has a chance to speak with Scheppelman. In addition to implying tribal endorsement, the inclusion of a photo of the sweat lodge disrespected a sacred cultural practice, according to Friday’s statement. Sweat ceremonies carry a deep spiritual and cultural significance for the Southern Ute people. The lodges themselves are considered sacred spaces of healing, reflection and renewal.

Including the image in a political post for personal gain exploited and tokenized those practices, and demonstrated blatant disregard for their sacred nature, the tribe’s statement said. It is not Scheppelman’s first public controversy. She previously drew widespread backlash for her involvement in disputes with Durango School District over the display of pride and Black Lives Matter flags in schools. Her time in Republican Party leadership was also marked by internal conflict and public controversy, including an attempt by local Republicans to remove her from a county-level position.Scheppelman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. jbowman@durangoherald.com

Tribe rebukes Hope Scheppelman for Instagram video

Photos: Fireworks show lights up Cortez sky on Fourth of JulyTopping off the Independence Day celebration Friday in Cortez, the fireworks show was grand as ever.Just west of Parque de Vida was a car show, put on by BumzArodn. Crowds leisurely strolled by looking at the cars while more canopies of families and friends stationed themselves on the grass.The pyrotechnics began blasting into the sky just after 9 p.m., as Parque de Vida had filled with an evening crowd of ready onlookers. Cascades and bursts, sparkles and twists, even the periodic fireball – the fireworks worked their magic as the crowd roared with excitement and watched in awe, with the evening show ending around 9:30 p.m.

Topping off the Independence Day celebration Friday in Cortez, the fireworks show was grand as ever...

Photos: Durango gets ‘Wet and Wild’

Coal Bank Pass rockfall, wall work planned through NovemberDrivers going between Durango and Silverton for fireworks should expect delays

Colorado Department of Transportation crews are racing to complete rockfall mitigation and replace a retaining wall on U.S. Highway 550 at Coal Bank Pass before snow arrives this fall.Crews are working on slopes between 45 and 90 degrees with boulders perched on a ledge at mile marker 59.3, near Deer Creek. CDOT Project Manager Jeff Reichle said the plan is to excavate from the top down, reducing slopes to about 35 degrees so rocks slide to a stop rather than rolling downhill.

After heavy excavation, CDOT will bring in rope crews to perform lighter excavation, he said. A rockfall catchment wall will be built that will gradually fill with rocks and sediment, eventually becoming a retaining wall.At mile marker 56.9, crews will replace a failing timber crib wall with a mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall on the northbound downslope. Reichle said drivers will see centerline barriers, with lanes narrowed to about 10 feet, as crews dig into the road and install wires and cribbing.“We’re going to cut the road in half, basically right at center line, and dig a hole in the road,” he said. “That’s really the only way to do the work because of the steepness.”

The rockfall work will remove about 12,000 to 14,000 cubic yards of rock and dirt, which will be stockpiled at Andrews Lake for future use in road shouldering and other projects, he said. That’s enough to fill 1,300 dump trucks or nearly four Olympic-sized pools. The work will require patience from motorists, with the rockfall mitigation and wall replacement scheduled to be completed by Oct. 1.The projects have been on CDOT’s list for about 10 years, Reichle said.

The retaining wall at mile marker 56.9 is in poor condition. If it fails or a major rockfall hits, CDOT could face an emergency project and extended full closures.Falling rocks near Deer Creek dwarf the current Jersey barriers, Reichle said. Some boulders are as large as 10 cubic yards – comparable in size to a small dump truck.What to expect over Fourth of July weekendRockfall and wall work on Highway 550 between the summits of Coal Bank and Molas passes will pause through Sunday for the holiday weekend.However, drivers should still expect delays at two traffic signals at mile markers 56.9 and 59.3, according to CDOT.

Reichle said wait times will be about two minutes, but could be longer depending on traffic volumes and the automated signals.“Peak periods before and after the Silverton fireworks show will have longer waits,” he said.

Where did the boulders come from?Reichle, a geologist, said he often wonders how these slopes formed.The first and foremost answer is the road itself cuts across the slope, he said. If a road had never been built, there wouldn’t be a falling rock hazard. But it’s also possible a landslide occurred thousands of years ago, or that it and boulders are remnants of glaciers that moved through the canyons thousands of years ago.“It could have been a lateral moraine or a terminal moraine, or something like that, that deposited the large stones as it traveled through this area,” he said.cburney@durangoherald.com

Drivers going between Durango and Silverton for fireworks should expect delays

Photos: Cortez BMX hosts state qualifying racesOver 100 riders from youth striders to adults competed Saturday at the Baxter Family BMX track in Cortez

Over 100 riders from youth striders to adults competed Saturday at the Baxter Family BMX track in Cortez

Photos: Hundreds gather to honor fallen Bloomfield Police officer Timothy OntiverosA solemn procession stretched for blocks Monday morning along West Apache Street in Farmington – a display of unity, grief and honor for Bloomfield Police Officer Timothy Ontiveros, 32.About 7 a.m., a large contingent of law enforcement, motorcyclists, friends and grieving family prepared to embark on the motorcade to the 9 a.m. service at the Bloomfield High School football stadium to celebrate the life of the officer.

A solemn procession stretched for blocks Monday morning along West Apache Street in Farmington – a d...

Families and friends packed the Dolores High School gymnasium to celebrate 26 graduates walking acro...

Photos: Hundreds send off the Montezuma-Cortez Class of 2025Friends, family fill Panther StadiumHundreds of family and friends piled into the bleachers at Panther Stadium to watch the graduating seniors receive their diplomas.M-CHS Principal Jennifer Boniface served as emcee, and told the gathered crowd that this ceremony was a testament to 12 years of hard work by this class. “Your journey has not always been easy, but you have persevered and achieved this significant milestone,” she said.The warm evening event opened with music by the Red Sky Drummers, a “Pomp and Circumstance” processional performed by the M-CHS Symphonic Winds, a presentation of colors by the VFW Post 5231 Color Guard, the national anthem sung by the M-CHS Choir, and a blessing given by Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Councilwoman Tawnie Knight.

Friends, family fill Panther Stadium