SEVERAL JUVIES BUSTED AT GW NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY
A GLENWOOD SPRINGS POLICE OFFICER WAS INJURED WHILE TRYING TO BREAK UP A HUGE, UNDERAGE NEW YEAR’S EVE DRINKING PARTY. ACCORDING TO POLICE REPORTS, A NOISE COMPLAINT SENT OFFICERS
TO THE COTTONWOOD LANDING APARTMENTS NEAR THE 27TH STREET BRIDGE AND MIDLAND AVENUE AROUND 2:30 A.M. POLICE ESTIMATE OVER
40 UNDERAGE DANCING AND DRINKING REVELERS WERE BEGINNING THE NEW YEAR IN AN INTOXICATED STATE. MARIJUANA AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA WAS ALSO FOUND AT THE APARTMENT. POLICE SAY
20 YEAR OLD GABRIEL HEINIG OF CARBONDALE CHOSE NOT TO COOPERATE AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO BREAK FREE, KNOCKED THREE OFFICERS DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS. ONE OFFICER WAS TREATED AND RELEASED FOR MINOR INJURIES. HEINIG IS NOW FACING A NUMBER OF CHARGES INCLUDING CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION AND RESISTING ARREST. HE WAS ALSO ALLEGEDLY CAUGHT WITH MARIJUANA WHILE BEING BOOKED INTO THE GARFIELD COUNTY JAIL. TWO OTHER YOUNG ADULTS WERE ARRESTED AT THE PARTY INCLUDING 20 YEAR OLD TESS FREEMAN AND 19 YEAR OLD HANNAH THIMSEN. DURING THE CONFUSION AND SKIRMISH, OFFICERS WEREN’T ABLE TO ISSUE UNDERAGE DRINKING CITATIONS TO EVERYONE BUT AUTHORITIES SAY THEY WILL EVENTUALLY AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
GARCO BOCC VOTES TO CONTINUE DRILLING INTERVENTION
AFTER AN EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED, TWO HOUR HEARING, GARFIELD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO CONTINUE INTERVENING ON BEHALF OF SILT MESA RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT 10-ACRE WELL SPACING FOR OIL AND DRILLING. THE COUNTY’S
INTERVENTION IS ONLY TEMPORARY WHILE FURTHER ATTEMPTS ARE MADE TO NEGOTIATE A COMPROMISE BETWEEN ANTERO RESOURCES AND DISGRUNTLED LANDOWNERS LIKE BETH STRUDLEY WHO SAYS DRILLING NEAR HER LAND HAS POLLUTED WATER SUPPLIES
AND CAUSED HEALTH PROBLEMS. SHE SAYS THE TOUGHER DRILLING REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTED BY THE STATE HAVE HAD NO IMPACT. COMMISSIONER TRESI HOUPT, WHO HELPED DRAFT THE NEW REGULATIONS
AS PART OF THE COLORADO OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION ADMITS THE RULES AREN’T PERFECT. SHE SAYS HOWEVER, THEY ARE THE MOST STRINGENT IN THE NATION AND REPRESENT AN ATTEMPT TO FIND COMMON GROUND BETWEEN MINERAL RIGHTS OWNERS AND LANDOWNERS. OUTSPOKEN SILT MESA RESIDENT CARL McWILLIAMS CRITICIZED ANTERO RESOURCES FOR A LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND SLOW RESPONSE TO HIS REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION.
ANTERO MADE A SETTLEMENT OFFER TO INCREASE THE WELL PAD SPACING FROM 1 FOR EVERY 40 ACRES TO 160 ACRES. THE CATCH WAS, THE OFFER WAS ONLY GOOD UNTIL 4 P.M. COMMISSIONER MIKE SAMSON COMMENDED ANTERO FOR MAKING AN AFFORT TO COMPROMISE BUT BRISTLED AT THE DEADLINE SAYING HE DIDN’T LIKE HAVING A GUN HELD TO HIS HEAD.
SAMSON MADE THE MOTION TO CONTINUE THE INTERVENTION WITH THE HOPE THAT ANTERO, THE COUNTY AND CONCERNED CITIZENS CAN COME TO A FINAL AGREEMENT. SAMSON SAYS LIKE IT OR NOT, “THERE WILL BE DRILLING” REGARDLESS
OF WHAT THE COUNTY ULTIMATELY DECIDES.
MAN DIES IN HOUSE FIRE NEAR BASALT
A HOUSE FIRE CLAIMED THE LIFE OF A MAN NEAR BASALT LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. ACCORDING TO EARLY REPORTS FROM THE GARFIELD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THE EMERGENCY CALL WENT OUT AROUND 5 O’CLOCK FOR A HOME ON FIRE ON OLD HIGHWAY 82 NEAR THE ALPINE ANIMAL HOSPITAL.
CREWS FROM CARBONDALE AND BASALT RESPONDED AND WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT IN A FEW MINUTES. OFFICIALS SAY THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO THE BACK END OF THE HOUSE. THE NAME OF THE MAN
WHO DIED IN THE FIRE HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED NOR HAS THE CAUSE OF DEATH OR THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER RESPONDING TO THAT BLAZE, THE BASALT FIRE DEPARTMENT RUSHED TO ANOTHER HOME FIRE IN THE LITTLE ELK CREEK SUBDIVISION. NO ONE WAS HURT AND CREWS WERE ABLE TO CONTAIN THAT FIRE TO A BEDROOM. THE CAUSE OF BOTH HOME FIRES ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION.
IN OTHER NEWS…
HOLY CROSS ENERGY IS CONSIDERING A PLAN TO BUY POWER GENERATED BY METHANE GAS FROM COAL MINES.
THE STATE OF COLORADO IS JOINING THE FEDERAL PROGRAM CALLED, “SECURE COMMUNITIES” TO IDENTIFY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHEN THEY’RE BOOKED INTO JAIL.
DENVER (AP) – A group of Democrats fed up with the slow pace of
the U.S. Senate rallied in Denver for new rules to speed things up
the 112th Congress. About 40 supporters said Monday they want to
see the Senate adopt rule changes suggested by Democratic Sens.
Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, both of Colorado, and Tom Udall of
New Mexico.
