TIPTON GRILLS AG SECRETARY ON SKI AREA WATER RIGHTS
Washington, D.C.–Uncle Sam should leave ski resorts’ privately held and paid for water rights alone. So says Western Slope Congressman Scott Tipton who grilled Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week over the federal government’s attempts to take control of water rights by requiring ski areas to sign them over as a conditional use of their federal lease permit of forest service land. Despite a U.S. District Court ruling in favor of the ski industry, the government has indicated it intends to move forward with it’s push for control of water rights.
ASPEN HIGHLANDS HIT AND RUN SKIER BEING SOUGHT
Aspen–The nearly three week old case of a hit and run skier at Aspen Highlands remains unsolved. The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding the man who crashed into an elderly man at Highlands on February 17th. 77 year old Laurence Niles suffered multiple injuries and has been recovering at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction since that day. If you know anything about this collision at Highlands, call the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office. Niles is reportedly in good condition and should be released from the hospital soon.
PITCO HUT TRIP RESCUE
Aspen–A member of group hut trip outside of Aspen got sick and had to be rescued yesterday. According to reports from the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, a distress call was sent out from a personal locator that a group of five had an emergency and needed help. The group was in the middle of an extended trip to the Barnard Hut and the Opas Hut in the backcountry. The hikers went back to the Barnard Hut and waited until rescuers arrived.
GARCO HUMANITARIAN AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
Glenwood Springs–Garfield County is home to a lot of generous, giving people. That’s why the list of nominees for the 2013 Humanitarian Service Awards is so lengthy. Two dozen people have been nominated and will be recognized by the county at an upcoming banquet. 15 people are up for Volunteer Humanitarian Awards; Mimi Baldwin, Diana Banks, Christine Bergstrom, Paul Carlson, Tish Fliss, Marsha Hutson, Debbie Martin, Ida Lynn Roe, Twila Stephens, Larry Sweeney, Gaby Wooley, Tom Ziemann, Nancy Rayfield and JoAnne and Ed Anderson. The 9 Staff Humanitarian nominees are Lucas Curry, Diane Deford, Mary DesOrmeau, Lisa Detweiler, Jackie Herrera, John Hier, Mary Meisner, Karen Peppers and Jill Ziemann. The awards banquet will be held Monday night, April 8th at the Grand River Health Ballroom in Rifle.
COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE APPOINTS NEW TRUSTEE
Glenwood Springs–The Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees appointed longtime Aspen architect Charles Cunniffe to the District 1 seat. Cunniffe will serve on an interim basis for former District 1 trustee Dr. Anne Freedman who resigned for health reasons.
