COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE LAUNCHES SEARCH FOR NEW PRESIDENT
Glenwood Springs—A nationwide search is officially underway to find a new president for Colorado Mountain College. CMC is looking for a replacement for Dr. Stan Jensen who resigned six months ago when questions were raised about his involvement in leasing part of the Spring Valley Campus property to Source Gas for a compressor station and pipeline. Both the CMC Board of Trustees and the courts concurred that the lease agreement was illegal. Retired community college president Dr. Charles Dassance has been serving as the interim president since February 1st. Dr. Jensen meanwhile has taken the reins at another two-year college. He is now the president of Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Michigan. During Jensen’s tenure at CMC, the college began offering bachelor’s degrees in business and sustainability studies. The application deadline for presidential candidates is July 15th.
COAL MINING EXPANSION IN NW COLORADO
Rangely—The owner of the Deserado Mine near Rangely will pay almost 6 and a half million dollars to develop over 21 million tons of coal. Blue Mountain Energy’s coal lease agreement with the BLM covers over 31-hundred acres in both Rio Blanco and Moffat counties. Blue Mountain, with over 160 employees, is looking to expand the Deserado Mine.
OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY INFLUENCE ON COLORADO POLITICS QUESTIONED
Denver—A left-wing organization is suggesting that the oil and gas industry in Colorado has too much political influence. According to a report released today by Colorado Ethics Watch, the industry spent almost five million dollars between 2007 and last year for lobbying efforts. Officials with Ethics Watch say they’re not accusing the oil and gas industry of wrongdoing or buying votes. However they believe drilling regulations would be a lot tougher if the industry didn’t spend money to sway politicians.