News, March 25th

BODIES FROM OURAY COUNTY PLANE CRASH SPOTTED

Montrose—No one survived last Saturday’s plane crash in Ridgeway Reservoir.  Authorities confirmed they found the five victims still inside the wreckage of the Socata TBM700.  The turboprop is partially buried in silt and is about 60 feet below the surface.  An aviation salvage team will pull the wreckage from the reservoir tomorrow at which time the bodies recovered.  Investigators say the flight originated in Gadsden, Alabama and was headed to Montrose when it crashed just before 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon. 

BLM RELEASES COLORADO RIVER VALLEY MANAGEMENT PLAN

Silt—After six years in the making, the Bureau of Land Management’s RMP has been finalized and released to the public.  RMP stands for Resource Management Plan and the document aims to strike a balance between energy development and protection of wildlife and the environment for the next 20 years.  The plan encompasses over a half million acres of surface land and more than 700 thousand acres below the surface in Garfield, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Eagle, Mesa and Routt counties.  If citizens have any objections about the RMP, public comments will be taken until April 27th.

MENTAL COMPETENCY HEARING CONTINUES FOR PARACHUTE MAN ACCUSED OF MURDER

Sidney, MT—-A Parachute man hoping to avoid going to trial for murdering a Montana teacher two years ago has a distorted recollection of the past and the IQ of an 11 year old according to attorneys defending 24 year old Michael Keith Spell.  Spell’s lawyers and two psychologists say he is unfit for trial in the January 2012 killing of Sherry Arnold.  However, during hearings yesterday, it was revealed that doctors at Montana State Hospital thought Spell was faking it. Lester Van Waters, an accomplice in Arnold’s abduction and murder has already pled guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence and will also testify for the prosecution if the case goes to trial.

“RIGHT TO TRY’ BILL GOES BEFORE STATE HOUSE COMMITTEE TODAY

DENVER (AP) – A proposal to allow terminally ill people access to drugs that are still completing clinical trials awaits a vote in Colorado. A House committee scheduled a vote today on the so-called “Right To Try” bill, which would allow access to drugs that have not yet been approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

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