Category: Local News

TODAY’S EVENTS – Thursday, March 2
WHAT’S GOOD TODAY?
- DID YOU KNOW?? It’s Dr. Suess’ 108th Birthday!!
  
  Many libraries will be partnering with National Education Association to host “Read Across America” events in honor of the famous author’s birthday. The NEA instituted the “Read Across America” project to challenge America and it’s youth in public education. We will post library events for the eastern I-70 corridor, but be sure to check your local library calendar too! #ReadAcrossAmerica @I70Scout
- 1920s Comedy: “Pistols & Posies” by Christy Frederickson
  
  Bennett High School @ 7 p.m. Join High School thespians for a night of comedy and adventure from the Roaring ’2os; with flappers, and the roughest, toughest gangsters in Chicago, as the Bennett High School theater department stages its annual spring play. Tickets cost $5 per adult and $3 per student.
- Bingo for Books
  
  Anythink Bennett library, 495 Seventh St. @ 4:15 p.m.
- Byers PTO
  
  Byers School cafeteria @ 7 p.m.
- Comanche Crossing Horsemen’s Association (board)
  
  Quint Valley, Byers @ 7 p.m.
- I-70 Intercessors
  
  The Prayer Closet, 6701/2 Colfax, Bennett @ 7 p.m.
- Strasburg American Legion Ladies Auxiliary
  
  Strasburg American Legion Hall, 56423 Westview Ave. @ 7 p.m.
EVERY THURSDAY
- Music & Movement
  
  Ages 2-6 can sing, dance and learn to play basic instruments. 10 a.m., Anythink Bennett library.
- Family Story Time
  
  Davies Library, Deer Trail @ 11 a.m. Ages 3-5.
- AA Strasburg Sobriety
  
  Saron Lutheran Church, 1656 Main St. @ 7:30 p.m. Lane Shade, (303)717-2263.
SCHOOLHOUSE NEWS
- Bennett Middle School Girls Basketball League Tourney (a & b Only) @ Higher Seed, 4:00 p.m.
- Strasburg Art Club, High School Art Room @ 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
- Outlaw Wrestling Club, SES cafeteria @ 5:15 – 7:15 p.m.
- Strasburg Youth Wrestling Practice, Middle School Cafeteria @ 6 – 8 p.m.
- Byers V/J Bulldog Football Tutoring @ 7 – 7:45 p.m.
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March 2, 2017
TODAY’S EVENTS – Wednesday, March 1
WHAT’S GOOD TODAY?
- Ash Wednesday Worship Service
  
  Byers Community Church @ 7 p.m. Join the journey as Lent begins to let go of your past, remember who we are, and cleanse for the journey to The Cross.
- Community Blood Drive
  
  Deer Trail School, 350 Second Ave., @ 2 – 6 p.m. in the cafeteria. Donors should eat a full meal and drink plenty of water prior to their contribution. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Diane Craven at (303)877-0184 or visit www.bonfils.org.
- 1920s Comedy: “Pistols & Posies” by Christy Frederickson
  
  Bennett High School @ 7 p.m. Join High School thespians for a night of comedy and adventure from the Roaring ’2os; with flappers, and the roughest, toughest gangsters in Chicago, as the Bennett High School theater department stages its annual spring play. Tickets cost $5 per adult and $3 per student.
- Crafternoon:
  
  Anythink Bennett library, 495 Seventh St., @ 4:15 p.m. Participants will draw Dr. Seuss characters.
- Read Across America
  
  Kelver Library, 404 E. Front St., Byers, @ 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Children ages 5-12 can participate in games, stories and crafts to celebrate the 108th birthday of Dr. Seuss — the man who created the Cat in the Hat.
EVERY WEDNESDAY
- Bennett Young At Heart seniors potluck
  
  Bennett Community Center @12 p.m. Shirley Kuzara, (303)644-4768.
- Byers Silver & Gold senior citizens game day
  
  Byers American Legion Hall @ 12:30 p.m.
- Recovery in Christ
  
  Valley Bank, Strasburg @ 7 – 9 p.m.
- Baby Bounce
  
  Anythink Bennett library @ 10 – 10:30 a.m. Songs, stories and rhyme times for babies up to age 2 and their caregivers.
- Music & Movement
  
  Anythink Bennett library @ 10:30 a.m. Ages 2-6 can sing, dance and learn to play basic instruments.
SCHOOLHOUSE NEWS
- Strasburg Youth Wrestling Practice, SES cafeteria @ 6:15 – 8:15 p.m.
- TC Lightning Club Softball Practice, HMS Gym @ 7 – 8:30 p.m.
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March 1, 2017

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to meet March 1 to 2 in Denver

DENVER — The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will discuss financial sustainability, non-motorized trail grant funding, the revised schedule for implementing CPW’s new purchasing system and citizen petitions at the March commission meeting.The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on March 1 and adjourn at 12:30 p.m. on March 2 at the CPW office in Denver (6060 Broadway Denver, CO 80216).

Additional action items include:

Final regulation items for big game, small game and migratory game birds, and wildlife properties and related lands;
Draft regulations for furbearers and small game except migratory birds;
A review of several game damage claims;
Proposed real estate property purchases;
Reconsideration of two citizen petitions concerning the two toed sloth, kangaroos and the Zoological Association of America.

A complete agenda for this meeting can be found on the CPW website, http://cpw.state.co.us.

Commission members will also preview the newly redesigned Nature Center at Barr Lake State Park on the morning of March 1 prior to the meeting commencement. The Nature Center re-opens to the public on April 1.

The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation. Anyone can listen to commission meetings through the CPW website. This opportunity keeps constituents informed about the development of regulations and how the commission works with Parks and Wildlife staff to manage the parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation programs administered by the agency. Find out more about the commission at the CPW website.

The next commission meeting will take place May 4 to 5 in Grand Junction.

February 27, 2017

Eagle girls, boys to play in 1A District 7 semis this afternoon

by Steven Vetter, Managing Editor

The Deer Trail girls and boys basketball teams both won their 1A District 7 quarterfinal games Feb. 21 and will play in the semifinals at Kiowa today (Feb. 24).

The Lady Eagles, who defeated Pikes Peak Christian 61-34 on Tuesday, will play Elbert at 6 p.m. while the Deer Trail boys, who beat Pikes Peak Christian 71-49, will face off with top-seeded Genoa-Hugo/Karval at 4:30 p.m.

For coverage of the quarterfinal games, see the Feb. 28 issue of The I-70 Scout.

February 24, 2017
Bennett boys in Frontier semis tonight; Lady Tigers in Saturday’s third-place game

by Steven Vetter, Managing Editor

The Bennett Lady Tigers lost 50-40 against Middle Park in the semifinals of the Frontier League District Tournament Feb. 23 and will take on Platte Canyon in the girls third-place game, Saturday, Feb. 25.

The Bennett boys will take on top-seeded Denver School of Science & Technology-Stapleton at 7:30 p.m. today at The Academy in Westminster. The Pinnacle and The Academy play in the other boys semifinal at 6 p.m. The Pinnacle is now in the semifinals after it was found out that Arrupe Jesuit had too many players on its roster for the quarterfinals. Saturday’s third-place boys game is slated to tip off around 3:30 p.m. with the first-place game set for approximately 7 p.m., also at The Academy.

For coverage of the weekend’s games, see the March 3 Eastern Colorado News. Additional postseason updates are available at www.i-70scout.com. An updated league tournament bracket will be forthcoming.

February 24, 2017
Byers boys, girls to play for district third place

by Steven Vetter, Managing Editor

The Byers girls and boys basketball teams will both play for third place in the 2A District 4 tournament beginning at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 25) at Vista Peak High School, 24500 E. Sixth Ave., Aurora.

The Lady Bulldogs fell to Limon 46-34 in the semifinals Feb. 23 while the green-and-white boys squandered a late lead to lose 40-39 to Burlington.

For game coverage, visit upcoming issues of Eastern Colorado News and The I-70 Scout. The tournament brackets for both Byers teams follow:

February 24, 2017
Lady Indians take 7th in Patriot tourney; boys play for 3rd this afternoon

by Steven Vetter, Managing Editor

The Strasburg Lady Indians finished the Patriot League District Tournament in seventh place, after defeating Platte Valley 44-30 earlier this morning at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. The red-and-black girls fell 34-30 at University last night in the consolation semifinals.

The Indian boys plat at approximately 4:30 this afternoon against University for third place in the boys tournament. That game is also on the UNC campus. The girls and boys championship games are slated for 6 and 7:30 p.m., respectively, with the Sterling Lady Tigers playing Liberty Common and the boys game pitting top-seeded Resurrection Christian against No. 2 Sterling.

For further postseason updates with I-70 Corridor teams, visit www.i-70scout.com. For updated Patriot League brackets, click on the link below.

Patriot District BB Brackets 2017

February 24, 2017
Armed robbery suspects who escaped bus arrested in Basalt

ASPEN (AP) — Two armed robbery suspects who escaped after being spotted on a bus in the Aspen area are under arrest.

The 19-year-old cousins were arrested by multiple officers on Wednesday night in Basalt after their car was stopped.

The Aspen Daily News reports that one of them had lost both shoes and both had to be treated for exposure-related injuries.

The arrest came a day after authorities say the men climbed out of the emergency window on a Roaring Fork Transportation Authority bus and ran off through rugged terrain east of Basalt. Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo says cellphone pings were used to locate them.

The pair is suspected of using a handgun to rob two employees at a Carbondale convenience store on Feb. 16.

February 24, 2017
Long Wait Times at Driver’s License Offices
Customers are experiencing longer than expected wait times for driver’s license and ID services, as State and county offices adjust to a new statewide computer system.
Last weekend, the Colorado Department of Revenue rolled out DRIVES, a long-awaited computer system for issuing driver’s license and ID cards. The system is functioning well. However, as with any major conversion, there are some delays as workers adjust to the new technology, and as the State handles policy questions and technical issues.

In Arapahoe County, customers can expect a wait exceeding 2 hours for driver’s licenses renewals, ID cards or motor vehicle records at the Clerk and Recorder Branch Offices in Centennial and Littleton.

We know your time is valuable. We strongly recommend that citizens use online services or visit at a later date to avoid a long wait. For example, if your license or ID card does not expire in February, renew online or delay your visit to the driver’s license office until another month.

You can skip a trip by using these online Driver/ID services:
Arapahoe County operates two limited-service driver’s license offices as a courtesy to Colorado citizens, above and beyond its mandatory duties to title and register vehicles. The statewide computer system for driver’s licenses and ID cards is wholly maintained by the Colorado Department of Revenue.

See estimated wait times at Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Branches.

Please contact the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles at 303-205-5600 with questions or concerns about driver’s licenses, IDs or motor vehicle records.
February 23, 2017
Colorado’s Largest Citizen-Led Organizations to Host Town Hall With or Without Senator Cory Gardner this Friday, Feb. 24th
Denver, Feb. 19. — In response to Senator Cory Gardner’s refusal to meet face-to-face with his constituents in a town hall, Colorado’s largest resistance organizations will be holding an “in absentia” town hall this Friday, Feb. 24th.

“It’s his job to plan an in person town hall, but since he has not, we will. The fact is we don’t see any other way to connect with him, given how elusive he has become,” says Katie Farnan, a lead organizer with Indivisible Front Range Resistance. “We have invited the Senator and sincerely hope he will come, but will hold the town hall with or without him.”

Since January, thousands of Gardner’s constituents have been requesting in-person meetings to discuss pressing local and national issues with him. Over 14,000 people have signed a petition requesting a meeting; Hundreds of people have either called or protested outside his office requesting the same.

But so far, Gardner has said no. As early as last week, the Senator’s staff said no town hall was scheduled for recess week, a time traditionally used to meet with constituents. Therefore, a town hall has been scheduled to give a voice to citizens regardless of whether Senator Gardner chooses to attend.

“Critical decisions are being made right now in Congress and we need a town hall now, not next month or sometime in the spring,” said Lisa Clark, another organizing member with Together We Will Colorado.

Citizens organizing the town hall plan to have a space for Gardner — either the man himself or a cardboard cutout of him if he doesn’t attend. They will ask questions to the senator “in absentia” and collect these questions to deliver to his office after the event. This event is sponsored by several of Colorado’s largest resistance organizations, representing over 10,000 Colorado constituents, including:
- Indivisible Front Range Resistance
- Together We Will – Colorado
- CAPE Denver
- Indivisible Denver
- Denver CAN
- Boulder CAN
- Fillmore Street Group
- Hundreds of concerned Colorado residents
Recess week is a time for our members of congress to come home and hear from constituents about the issues that concern us – affordable healthcare, environmental regulation rollbacks, the Trump campaign’s troubling ties to Russia, and the president’s apparent conflicts of interest, to name a few.

A note on telephone town halls: We believe a telephone town hall is not acceptable as a replacement for a face-to-face town hall with constituents. Senator Gardner’s recent conference calls haven’t been publicized, they’ve happened during working hours (February 6th’s happened on Monday at 10:30AM), and they don’t allow people to freely dialogue (questions are screened by staff). We are seeking a traditional town hall where Senator Gardner faces the people he represents, and listens to us, and also has an opportunity to learn from us and what our concerns are.

TOWN HALL LOGISTICS
What: With or Without You: Town Hall for Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) sponsored by some of Colorado’s largest resistance organizations. We have been requesting face-to-face meetings with Senator Gardner since January, but our requests have been denied. We saw no other alternative but to host our own town hall and hope that he comes.

When: Friday, February 24th, 5:30-7 p.m. Location: Byers Middle School, 105 S. Pearl, Denver, CO 80209 Map Link

Contacts:
For logistics, contact Katie Farnan (330-327-4920) or Eve Rose (303-883-0462)
For pre-event interviews, Katie Farnan (330-327-4920), Karl Chwe (303-521-4558), Lisa Clark (719-452-0370), Eve Rose (303-883-0462) or Gina McAfee (303-963-6749).
February 23, 2017