NEWS, DECEMBER 21ST

Glenwood Springs–A wood stove exchange project is helping quite a few struggling families stay warm in Garfield County. The project is being administered by the county environmental health department and is funded by a local company’s fines for a code violation.

Glenwood Springs–Garfield County officials would like to see what kind of progress is being made in improving air quality. Commissioners are pushing for a public presentation of 2010-’11 air monitoring studies by next spring.

Denver–Colorado needs snow. State officials say the statewide snowpack is 77 percent of the 30 year average. The Upper Rio Grande is the only river basin in the state that is above average.

Washington, D.C.–U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has officially removed the gray wolf from the federal endangered species list. Since 1974, the wolf population has grown to over six thousand across 10 states, including Colorado.

In other news…

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) – Mesa County commissioners have
joined those opposed to plans to build a pipeline to carry water
from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Wyoming to Colorado.
Businessman Aaron Million has proposed a pipeline stretching more
than 500 miles to divert water from the Green River. The Grand
Junction City Council approved a similar resolution earlier this
month.

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) – A former Breckenridge lawyer accused
of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars before fleeing to
Mexico is now charged with eight counts of theft and five counts of
commercial bribery. Royal “Scoop” Daniel disappeared in 2007. He
was arrested in California this month after trying to cross into
the U.S. from Mexico. He made his first court appearance Monday.

FORT CARSON, Colo. (AP) – Nearly 200 soldiers from Fort Carson
are coming home for the holidays.
The soldiers are members of the 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd
Brigade Combat Team and are scheduled to return from Afghanistan
Wednesday evening.
The Army says the Warhorse brigade is coming home six months
early following the successful completion of its mission in the
western province of Herat (hay-RAHT’). The brigade has been working
with the Afghan army and police to increase security in the area
and conducting humanitarian aid projects.

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