BROTHER OF COLORADO SENATOR MISSING IN WYOMING
Pinedale, WY/Carbondale, CO—Longtime Carbondale environmentalist, hiker and outdoorsman Randy Udall was supposed to be back from his backpacking trip to Wyoming’s Wind River Range last week. The search for the younger brother of Colorado U.S. Senator Mark Udall is now in it’s fifth day. A helicopter and several ground crews are scouring an area covering over 140 thousand acres. Randy Udall is an experienced backpacker and knows the Wind River Range very well. He has hiked the area in west central Wyoming several times over the past 30 years. Officials say Udall signed in at the trailhead of Elkhart Park on June 20th. Randy Udall has long been an advocate for alternative energy and an outspoken opponent of hydraulic fracturing. Senator Mark Udall has asked people to pray for his brother’s safe return.
GLENWOOD CANCEL INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS
Glenwood Springs—Glenwood Springs joins a growing list of communities cancelling firework shows for Independence Day. Glenwood Springs Fire Chief Gary Tillotson says grasses and trees in and around Two Rivers Park and the community center are so dry and brittle, it poses too much of a fire risk. He says assigning crews and resources to one spot in town for a 30 minute show would be taking a big chance. The city of Aspen canceled it’s fireworks show last week and the community of Apple Tree near New Castle has called off this year’s show. Local folks who’d like to take in a fireworks show can see one in Rifle tomorrow night.
DUI “HEAT IS ON” CAMPAIGN BEGINS TOMORROW NIGHT
Undated—Law enforcement agencies across Colorado will be extra diligent this week looking for drunk or drugged drivers. The 4th of July DUI “Heat is On” campaign kicks off tomorrow night at 6 and continues through the 8th. Saturation patrols with extra officers are planned by the Rifle Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol. Increased patrols are in the works for the police departments of Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Basalt, Snowmass and the Garfield County and Pitkin County Sheriff’s offices. Over Independence Day of 2012, 14 people were killed in drunk or drugged driving accidents on Colorado highways and 632 were busted for DUI.
