FLAGS AT HALF STAFF FOR GJ NAVY SEAL
Grand Junction—In honor of the Navy SEAL from Grand Junction who was killed two weeks ago in a parachuting accident, flags on state buildings have been lowered to half staff. 27 year old Remington J. Peters died during a Memorial Day parachute demonstration over the Hudson River. The 2008 graduate of Grand Junction High School was a Special Warfare Operator and member of the elite Navy parachute team called the Leap Frogs. Investigators are still trying to find out why his chute failed to open during a Fleet Week demonstration. Governor John Hickenlooper ordered flags to be lowered to half staff from sunrise to sunset.
NO CHARGES FOR AURORA V.A. SCANDAL
Aurora—Justice Department prosecutors won’t go after two executives with the Veterans Affairs Department after lawmakers accused them of misleading Congress about the outrageous cost overruns at the new VA hospital in Aurora. The House Veterans Affairs Committee called for a perjury investigation last fall, claiming the executives gave false testimony that masked the construction costs which exceed 1.7 billion dollars.
RIFLE RODEO ILLNESSES
Rifle—Several people got sick after attending the Rifle Rodeo this past Monday night. The Garfield County Public Health Department received a number calls from people complaining of nausea, cramping and diarrhea after attending the private event at the fairgrounds. County Environmental Health Specialist Billy Harkins says people became ill about six hours following the end of the rodeo. Around 200 people attended the event but officials aren’t sure how many felt sick that night. The health department would like to talk to anyone that attended. You can reach them at 635-6500, ext. 8128.
WESTERN GARFIELD COUNTY DRILLING PROJECT ON THE TABLE
Rifle—If they’re allowed to drill, a Houston-based company says a western Garfield County site could produce up to 120 billion cubic feet of natural gas over the next 40 years. The Bureau of Land Management wants public feedback on the Balzac Gulch Master Development Plan being proposed by Terra Rocky Mountain LLC. The company wants to drill up to 66 new oil and gas wells directionally from three existing pads over the next two years. Before any decision is made, the BLM’s Colorado River Valley Field Office in Silt wants to hear any issues or concerns the public might want included in the environmental assessment. The proposed site is about nine miles west of Rifle. Public comments are due by July 10th.
