SEARCH CONTINUES FOR COOK IN PITCO
Aspen—There’s still no sign of David Cook. Despite sending in dozens of reinforcements and additional back country rescue teams from around the state, efforts to find the missing 49 year old Albuquerque man in the Maroon Bells Wilderness area have come up empty. 10 days ago, the former Marine set out to climb some of Pitkin County’s popular 14ers starting with Pyramid Peak. Cook was reported missing September 20th. Mountain Rescue Aspen crews were joined Wednesday by teams from Garfield County Search and Rescue, Summit County, Rocky Mountain Rescue, Vail Search and Rescue and Gunnison County.
CREWS CALL OFF SEARCH FOR MISSING CAMPER NEAR DEBEQUE
Debeque—Mesa County authorities suspended the search for a man who hasn’t been heard from since going on a camping trip last weekend. 43 year old Scott Burke of Craig left last Friday but did not return the next day as planned. There’s been no sign of Burke after three days of searching on foot and in the air. Officials say the search area covers nearly 450 thousand acres. They say Burke might be in the North Desert or the Bookcliffs west of Debeque.
EXORCISM ATTEMPT ON EL JEBEL SHOOTER
Eagle—The El Jebel man on trial for shooting and killing his aunt and uncle two summers ago was visited by a priest at one time to perform an exorcism. The ex-wife of 35 year old Williams Amaya took the witness stand in Eagle County District Court. Aliya Coreas says Amaya was acting strangely and claiming he was Lucifer. She says some of her family members called a priest to a Glenwood Springs apartment to perform the ceremony in hopes of ridding Amaya of his demons but it was to no avail. Amaya is pleading insanity in the July 2014 murders of Eliseo and Mayra Lopez.
JORDAN COVE PIPELINE TO BE PITCHED TO OREGON OFFICIALS
Grand Junction—The pipeline that would carry liquid natural gas (LNG) from the Piceance Basin to the northwest will be presented to officials in Oregon next week. Rio Blanco County Commissioner Shawn Bolton and Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese plan to visit Coos Bay, Oregon to talk about the economic benefits of the Jordan Cove Pipeline. Veresen’s 5.3 billion dollar project is being touted as a way to open up new markets for natural gas along with providing jobs and sorely-needed severance tax revenues. Last spring, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruled against the project but that only emboldened local government leaders including Garfield County Commissioner Mike Samson to push harder for approval. Company officials with Veresen say they already have Pacific Rim nations like Japan prepared to commit to lucrative, long-term contracts for LNG. During next week’s trip, the Western Colorado contingent will extend an invitation to officials from Coos Bay to come see the other side of the proposed pipeline.
