PORTIONS OF CRAIG MIDDLE SCHOOL CLOSED DUE TO STRUCTURAL ISSUES
School district officials are closing portions ofCraigMiddle School, due to structural questions. The same company that built the new elementary school in Meeker, Neenan Construction, built the recent additions toCraigMiddle School. After deficiencies were found at the Meeker school, resulting in the evacuation of the building just before the school year started, the Moffat County School District hired a third party to check the structures of the new additions at CMS. Problems were found, and the recommendations did not include evacuating students, however the district felt it best to shut down access to those additions. That includes the locker rooms, the band room, the theater storage room, and the adjoining hallway areas. The good news is the district believes the problems can be fixed quickly, and says students should be allowed back into these areas when they come back from the Christmas break. Question can be directed to Superintendent Joe Petrone.
CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST CRAIG POLICE OFFICER
Craig Police Officer Frank Schmedeke will not face charges for a recent domestic harassment arrest. The 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office issued a press release yesterday that says they will be dropping the charges. The release says, while officers were correct in arresting Schmedeke, new evidence has surfaced that would make the charges impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Schmedeke was arrested last month on harassment charges. Due to the fact that he was related to the alleged victim, a domestic tag was applied. The Craig police Department is also conducting their own internal investigation.
STEAMBOAT FIGHT SENDS ONE TO DENVER HOSPITAL
Steamboat Police are once again looking into a fight at the corner of7th StreetandLincoln Avenue. A fight there over the weekend sent a man to the hospital. It’s the same intersection where soldier Richard Lopez was killed in a street fight nearly 3 years ago. This weekend’s fight was said to involve several people, with one man being air lifted to aDenverhospital for treatment. One man has been arrested. 21-year old Steamboat resident Sam Warren faces assault and drug possession charges.
HORSEBACK RIDER TASERED AFTER BAR INCIDENT IN STEAMBOAT
A horse back rider was shot with a taser Sunday after he and two others tried riding their horses into the Old Town Pub in Steamboat. According to Sergeant Rich Brown with Steamboat Springs Police Department, a woman rode a horse into the bar, and one of the men she was with “became confrontational” when they were asked to leave. Authorities say the man and a bar staff member got into a fight. At that point, bar workers called police. When police arrived, all three people rode away from the scene. Police located the suspects on the Yampa River Core Trail. When police asked them to dismount, one of the men became confrontational, so officers shot him with a Taser. The man was arrested on charges of harassment, disorderly conduct, obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest. None of the suspects’ names have been released. (help from 9 news)
SOUTH ROUTT ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL APPOINTED TO RURAL EDUCATION COUNCIL
SouthRouttElementary School’s Principal, Raylene Olinger has been appointed to the newly created Rural Education Council, established last week by the Colorado Education Commissioner. The Council will oversee, support, conduct research, and advocate for the needs, concerns, and particular problems of rural education districts. It’s made up of one rural superintendent from each of the eight regions in the state, and representatives from local school boards, teachers, principals, and community members. Olinger is one of 18 board members.
REDISTRICTING PLAN SEPARATES ROUTT AND MOFFAT COUNTIES
The Colorado Supreme Court approved Democratic-drawn legislative districts that force key Republican incumbents to face off next year if they want to be re-elected. The new maps for the Colorado House and Senate also mean that 38 of the Legislature’s 100 seats districts will be considered competitive in the coming years. The court approved the maps yesterday but did not issue a written opinion. An 11-member bipartisan panel submitted the maps to the court last month despite Republican objections. Republicans say they were not allowed to submit amendments to the maps and accused Democrats of trying to gain advantages in the Legislature by drawing several Republican incumbents into the same districts. Pairing Republican incumbents in contests could increase Democrats’ five-vote advantage in the Senate and jeopardize Republicans’ one-vote edge in the House. Northwest Coloradotakes on a new look by the boundaries. Moffat andRouttCountieswill no longer be in the same House District, with Moffat andRioBlancoCountyremaining in the 57th district, and Routt and Eagle Counties in the newly formed 26th district.
STATE REGULATORS TO VOTE ON NEW RULES FOR FRACKING
Coloradoregulators are close to deliberating on proposed new regulations for hydraulic fracturing. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is scheduled to meet today to vote on whether to require natural gas drillers to disclose all the ingredients in their fracking fluid. It’s also considering whether to give local officials 48 hours’ notice of fracking operations. Dave Neslin, the director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, saysColoradowould be following the lead of several states that have already passed similar regulations, includingWyoming,Arkansas,Texas,LouisianaandPennsylvania. He says he is confident the regulations will receive adequate support. The commission had originally been scheduled to meet yesterday, but it says discussions are still continuing to resolve issues involving the rules. Energy company Halliburton and others have said they would support listing the ingredients, but they don’t want to publicly disclose their amounts.
STEAMBOAT COMMUNITY HOLIDAY PARTY TO BE HELD TONIGHT
The City ofSteamboat’s Community Holiday Party is tonight. It’s a tubing party, and residents are encouraged to bring their own tubes, however a limited number will be available at the party. You should NOT bring sleds or anything with metal runners. Refreshments will be served, including cookies hot chocolate and hot apple cider. Santa will be there to visit with the kids, and party goers will sing Christmas carols. The Holiday Party takes place at Howelson Hill from 6 to 8 tonight.
