Glenwood Springs–Hundreds of graduating seniors in the Roaring Fork Valley will turn the tassels this weekend. The final wave of graduation ceremonies begins this afternoon at 4 o’clock at Bridges High School in Carbondale. On Saturday, Colorado Rocky Mountain School and Roaring Fork High School will hold ceremonies at 10am. Glenwood Springs’ class of 2012 will walk at 1 o’clock and Basalt High School’s graduation will follow at 4.
Carbondale–The Bureau of Land Management hosted a four hour open house in Carbondale yesterday on the controversial Sutey Ranch Land Exchange. The BLM is accepting written comments and suggestions from the public until until June 20th.
Paradox–The wildfire near the Colorado/Utah state line is now 85 percent contained. Fire officials expect to have full containment by Sunday. Investigators believe the fire was human caused but they aren’t sure this point how it began. About two dozen structures are threatened. The fire has burned about 10 square miles.
In other news…
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) – Authorities say a 19-year-old Grand
Junction man had a synthetic drug in his system and was behaving
violently when he died while friends tried to subdue him. Daniel J.
Richards was rushed to a hospital on April 10 and died days later
when life support was removed. The Mesa County coroner’s office ruled the death a homicide. Grand Junction police are investigating. No one has been arrested. The coroner’s office says Richards was under the influence of
Alpha-PVP, one of several synthetic compounds often called bath
salts. Authorities say he also had alcohol and marijuana in his
system. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration has banned three
synthetic stimulants, but it wasn’t immediately clear if Alpha-PVP
is among them.
DENVER (AP) – Colorado agricultural officials are considering
doubling the fee sunflower producers pay on the crops they raise.
The extra money would be used for research on strategies for
improving yields. That could include research on managing disease
and insects or improved hybrid testing strategies. Sunflower
producers will vote on the proposed increase.
ATLANTA (AP) – Scientists are studying thunderstorms high over
northeast Colorado in hopes of determining how they spread
pollution. Researchers are using airplanes equipped with high-tech
gear, weather balloons and other equipment to study thunderstorms.
They’re also conducting the tests in Alabama and Oklahoma. NOAA
says the research will measure how thunderstorms transport, produce
and process chemicals that form harmful ozone.
