Major William E. Adams Veterans Clinic Dedication

About 150 people watched as the Craig Telehealth Clinic was dedicated on July 20, 2012 to Major William E. Adams, a local war hero. Adams was killed in Vietnam, when the helicopter he was flying was shot down, while he was trying to extract wounded soldiers. Adams was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Speakers at the dedication included Adams’ son Colonel John Adams, Craig Mayor Terry Carwile, and representatives of Mark Udall, Michael Bennet and Scott Tipton’s offices. Representatives of various veterans groups, and the V.A. Medical Center were on hand to answer questions about the clinic, personal benefits, and other topics during the following open house.

SHOOTER CLAIMS TO BE THE JOKER

24 year old James Holmes’s shooting spree in an Aurora movie theater has officially killed 12 and wounded 58 people. That’s according to news reports out of Denver. Police say Holmes used a shotgun, an AR-15 rifle, and two .40 caliber handguns to shoot up the theater just after midnight. Authorities believe he was acting alone. While Holmes is in custody, police say they are still working to enter his booby trapped apartment. Police can see inside the apartment, where they believe there are numerous booby traps that could maim or kill. Police have said Holmes told them he was the Joker.

COLORADO LEGISLATORS EXPRESS SHOCK OVER SHOOTING

Members of the Colorado State Senate expressed the shock and horror felt by all Coloradans as they awoke to news reports of the 12 Coloradans killed and 38 injured in the theatre shooting early this morning in Aurora.

Senate President Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) issued the following statement on behalf the Senate:

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to those injured and to those who lost family members in this horrendous act of depravity. We must come together as a community to provide support to all those harmed by this tragedy, and we must be resolved to do everything within our power to guard against it ever happening again.”

Senate Majority Leader John Morse (D-Colorado Springs):

“My heart goes out to the victims and their families as they endure this senseless violence. I also thank our first responders—paramedics, firefighters and police officers—who worked so hard to minimize the carnage and start the healing for both the victims and the community.”

Senator Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora), whose district includes the theater where the shooting took place:

“Aurora is my community and a place I know and love. My heart goes out to all those hurt and to the families of those who lost loved ones. This act is not representative of the people who live our community. We are of course, horrified at this violence. ”

Senator Mary Hodge (D-Brighton):

“The precious gift of life can so easily be snuffed out by the lunacy of one crazed individual. Let us reaffirm our faith in community and the goodness of people, and let us come together in support of our neighbors and friends who need much from us.”

ROUTT COUNTY TO BE FEATURED IN BRIEFING TO CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS EARTH OBSERVATIONS

WASHINGTON — NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. EDT, Monday, July 23, to highlight the accomplishments of the world’s longest-running Earth-observing satellite program — Landsat. The briefing will be held at the Newseum at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, and feature extensive imagery of our changing planet and local U.S. landscapes. The briefing will air on NASA TV as well. You can also watch it on the web through www.nasa.gov/nasatv.

Media may ask questions of the panelists during the briefing. Reporters unable to attend the briefing in person can ask questions during the event via Twitter using the hashtag #asknasa. NASA Television and the agency’s Web site will provide live briefing coverage.

In cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and its science agency, USGS, NASA launched the first Landsat satellite July 23, 1972. The resulting 40-year archive of Earth observations from the Landsat fleet forms an impartial, comprehensive, and easily accessed register of human and natural changes on the land. This information supports the improvement of human and environmental health, biodiversity, energy and water management, urban planning, disaster recovery and crop monitoring.

During the briefing, NASA and USGS will announce the 10 most significant images from the Landsat record, the U.S. regions selected for the “My American Landscape” contest showing local environmental changes, and the top five Landsat “Earth As Art” images selected in an online poll.

During this briefing they will feature:
· Routt County, CO (effect of pine bark beetle)
More information and images will be posted to www.nasa.gov/landsat July 23. More information on the briefing http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/jul/HQ_M12-131_Landsat_40_Anniv.html

NW COLORADO WILDFIRE UPDATE

Rio Blanco, CO – A new wildland fire, the Little Duck, was reported today on Bureau of Land Management land 13 miles southeast of Rangely in Rio Blanco County south of Buckhorn Draw. A type 2 hand crew and three engines are on scene working to establish an anchor point from which to build line. A hot shot crew is arriving tomorrow. The fire is 100 acres. No structures are threatened. No injuries reported. The cause is lightning.
Bear Fire: The remaining engine on this incident has the fire lined and continues mop up. No control problems are reported and it is six acres.

Brush Creek Fire: Today hand crews reinforced the dozer line around the residences west of the fire by burning off the cleared dozer line. This removed more flammable fuel and widened the existing line. Helicopters cooled the fires edge and dropped water on hot spots. The incident is 35% contained and full containment expected July 23. Threatened are eight residences, five directly, and 15 outbuildings. No injuries reported. The cause is lightning.
Powell Fire: The incident is five miles northwest of Meeker in Rio Blanco County. It started on BLM land and moved on private land which is scattered throughout the fire area. The fire burned into the Windy Gulch Wilderness Study Area today and crews will use Minimal Impact Suppression Tactics, or MIST, which limits the use of mechanized equipment. Fire behavior today included fire whirls and torching.
Air tankers dropped retardant and to assist with keeping the fire north of structures in the area. The Strawberry Patch subdivision is five miles east of the fire. The Powell Fire is 900 acres and 10% contained with full containment anticipated July 26. No injuries reported. Threatened are three outbuildings. The cause is lightning.

HOT AND DRY WEATHER INCREASES FIRE ACTIVITY ON WYOMING’S ARAPAHO AND SQUIRREL CREEK FIRES

Returning hot and dry conditions are resulting in increased fire activity in unburned portions of the Arapaho and Squirrel Creek Fires on the Medicine Bow National Forest. This is resulting in individual and group torching of trees as well as visible smoke columns.

A Type 1 helitanker, assigned to the Arapaho Fire, responded to hot spots on the Squirrel Creek Fire this afternoon. Additionally, crews on both fires continue to focus on monitoring and mopping up hot spots that can be safely managed.

While the public should remain vigilant and report any new wildfires, there is no cause for concern from these smokes. Most spots are either contained by constructed line or surrounded by burned out fuels and/or non combustible features such as rock outcrops. Periods of increased fire activity in unburned portions of both fires may continue until a season-ending precipitation event suppresses remaining hot spots. New wildland fires should be reported by calling Casper Dispatch at 307-261-7691 or 911.

The public is also reminded that Stage 2 Fire Restrictions remain in effect on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland.

Updates for both fires can be obtained at www.inciweb.org/unit/5418 and Twitter at @MBRNFsTBNB.

ENDORSEMENTS MOUNT AS TIPTON’S HEALTHY FORESTS ACT CLEARS SUBCOMMITTEE

Rep. Scott Tipton’s (R-CO) Healthy Forest Management Act (H.R. 6089) continues to gain momentum, passing through the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands today, and garnering the endorsements of CLUB 20, the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts, the Colorado Timber Association, several boards of Colorado county commissioners and others.

The Healthy Forest Management Act of 2012, is the result of more than a year of committee work, meetings with the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other agencies, and Congressional hearings on forest management, including a hearing that took place earlier this year in Montrose,Colorado. Tipton introduced the bill last week with strong support that includes Colorado colleagues Reps. Doug Lamborn, Mike Coffman and Cory Gardner as well as Greg Walden (R-OR), Rob Bishop (R-UT), Don Young (R-AK), Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).

“The devastating bark beetle infestation, prolonged drought conditions, warm temperatures, and unnaturally dense forests have combined to create prime conditions in our forests for the type of catastrophic wildfires we have seen in Colorado this year and in recent decades. This is a Western emergency,” Tipton said. “It’s time that the federal government gets out of the way of active forest management, and addresses the unwieldy regulatory framework that systemically hampers progress toward healthy forests. By empowering states and counties to have a more active role in addressing this emergency, we can more proactively manage our forests, reduce future destruction from wildfires, safeguard water supplies and species habitats, and promote a healthy natural environment.”

“The Colorado Association of Conservation Districts finds this proposed legislation very reflective of the policies established by the Conservation Districts of the State of Colorado,” wrote the association’s president, Gary Moyer, in a letter of support. “We feel this legislation is a significant step forward in the efforts to properly manage the forests in this state.”

In the letter of endorsement from CLUB 20, Executive Director Bonnie Peterson wrote: “The process to authorize expedited hazardous fuels reduction needs to be driven locally to prevent the loss of life, property, infrastructure and livelihoods in our communities. Local communities and states need to be afforded the opportunity to enter into cooperative agreements with state foresters that allow them to provide forest, rangeland and watershed protection services on applicable federal lands.”

The Healthy Forest Management Act has been endorsed by:

Background on the Healthy Forest Management Act:

H.R. 6089 increases state control over forest management decisions in high-risk areas on National Forest Service lands and lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management. By allowing governors, in consultation with county commissioners from affected counties as well as affected Indian tribes, to designate high-risk areas and develop emergency hazardous fuels reduction projects for those areas, states can better protect their communities, species habitats, water supplies, and natural areas and help ameliorate those conditions that lead to unhealthy forests and devastating wildfires.

In addition to providing states with increased discretion over the management of lands within their borders, the Healthy Forest Management Act would allow treatment projects to move forward under the streamlined review processes set forth in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003. The Healthy Forest Management Act protects all valid and existing rights on applicable lands and preserves the current protection framework for wilderness areas and national monuments.

150 SHOW UP FOR TELEHEALTH CLINIC DEDICATION YESTERDAY

About 150 people watched as the Craig Telehealth Clinic was dedicated yesterday to Major William E. Adams, a local war hero. Adams was killed in Vietnam, when the helicopter he was flying was shot down, while he was trying to extract wounded soldiers. Adams was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Speakers at the dedication included Adams’ son Colonel John Adams, Craig Mayor Terry Carwile, and representatives of Mark Udall, Michael Bennet and Scott Tipton’s offices. Representatives of various veterans groups, and the V.A. Medical Center were on hand to answer questions about the clinic, personal benefits, and other topics during the following open house. A picture gallery from the dedication ceremony can be seen at the top of this page.

MAN DIES IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT

The Colorado State Patrol responded to a one-vehicle crash resulting in one fatality which occurred on last night. A 1994 Toyota pickup truck, driven by a 22 year old male, was traveling eastbound on Interstate 70 near mile point 94. The passenger, a 19 year old male, was the owner of the truck. The driver lost control and the truck traveled off the left side of the roadway. The truck rolled 1 and 3/4 times before coming to rest on its right side in the center median. The driver and passenger both sustained serious injuries during the crash. The passenger later died at the hospital. Initial evidence indicates the driver was wearing his seatbelt and the passenger was not. Garfield County Deputies and Burning Mountain Fire/EMS were first on scene. Alcohol is suspected. It does not appear that weather or road conditions were factors in the crash. The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Colorado State Patrol.

NORTHWEST COLORADO NEWS FOR SATURDAY, JULY 21ST