How can Arapahoe County meet public safety and transportation concerns now and in the future given current funding levels? That’s the question facing the Arapahoe County Long Range Planning Committee. The committee will discuss those needs at its upcoming meeting on June 11.

WHAT: Second meeting of the Arapahoe County Long Range Planning Committee – a community-based advisory task force guiding the Board of County Commissioners on future county needs.

WHY: The committee will review the fiscal situation of the county along with recommendations on how to meet critical public safety issues posed by aging facilities at the Arapahoe County jail and court house. The committee also will review transportation needs.

WHO: 25 residents, business leaders and nonprofit representatives from the county.

WHEN: 4 -5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, 2019

WHERE: CenterPoint Plaza, 14980 E. Alameda Drive, Aurora

More information is available at www.arapahoegov.com/countyconversations

 

RANGELY, Colo. – The illegal, unapproved relocation of fish from one body of water to another continues to cause significant problems for management agencies, water providers and ethical anglers across Colorado.

Recently joining the list of reservoirs impacted by the presence of illegally introduced northern pike is northwest Colorado’s Kenney Reservoir. In the fall of 2018, Colorado Parks and Wildlife aquatic biologists confirmed the presence of the nonnative predator in the estimated 335-surface-acre reservoir located near the town of Rangely. Authorities believe the northern pike were most likely dumped illegally into the reservoir, or the White River, by a ‘bucket biologist,’ a pejorative term used to describe someone that moves live fish in an effort to create their own personal, unapproved fishery.

“Releasing fish unlawfully and selfishly is self-defeating and will not work as intended,” said Lori Martin, CPW’s Northwest Region senior aquatic biologist. “Because northern pike are indiscriminate predators and consume any fish they catch, we will not throw our hands in the air and ignore the problem. We will take action one way or another to deal with this illegal introduction because it is very harmful and the stakes are so high. This hurt existing fisheries and it certainly has negative impacts on anglers, the majority of whom are law-abiding and ethical.”

CPW says illegal fish stocking can result in fines up to $5,000 and the permanent loss of hunting and fishing privileges. In addition, anyone convicted of illegal fish dumping will likely have to pay up to hundreds of thousands of dollars to reclaim the body of water.

The presence of northern pike has prompted CPW and reservoir owner Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District and other partners, including the Town of Rangely, Rangely Area Chamber of Commerce, Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the Colorado Water Conservation Board, to initiate an angler harvest incentive targeting all northern pike found within the District’s boundaries.Beginning June 1 and continuing through Nov. 30, licensed anglers can earn $20 for each northern pike caught and removed from Kenney Reservoir, the White River and other waters, from approximately Stedman Mesa to the Utah border.

Kenney Reservoir is very popular with anglers and currently recognized as an excellent channel catfish, black crappie and common carp fishery. In addition, CPW stocks rainbow trout annually at the expense of the State of Colorado; however, due to the presence of northern pike, Martin says the agency will have little choice but to cancel the remaining catchable trout plants in Kenney Reservoir in 2019. She says until the issue is resolved, she is not sure when they can resume stocking.

Photo reenactment showing a ‘bucket biologist’ in action,a person

that illegally dumps live fish into a body of water. (Photo/CPW)

“Moving any live fish is a criminal act and can cause great damage to an existing fishery, threaten our native fishes and cost the sportsmen and women of Colorado thousands of dollars annually,” said CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager Bill de Vergie of Meeker. “We would prefer to dedicate our time and sportsmen’s dollars on other projects that directly benefit the angling public, rather than spend money and manpower on fish removal efforts.”

Research conducted by partners in the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program has shown that the unapproved presence of nonnative predators like northern pike and smallmouth bass in critical, native fish habitat is among the most significant impediments to the recovery of Colorado’s endangered fishes – Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, bonytail and razorback sucker. The rare species exist nowhere else in the world except in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the White River, upstream to the Rio Blanco Lake dam west of Meeker and downstream of Kenney Reservoir, is designated critical habitat for the Colorado pikeminnow, and the lower 18 miles of the White River in Utah is designated as critical habitat for razorback sucker. Smallmouth bass, northern pike and other nonnative species in these river stretches have proven detrimental to native fishes.

Other Northwest Region reservoirs dealing with the repercussions of unlawful stocking of northern pike include Green Mountain Reservoir and Wolford Mountain Reservoir. CPW and the Colorado River Water Conservation District initiated angler harvest incentives at both reservoirs several years ago, similar to the one planned at Kenney Reservoir. Licensed anglers can earn $20 for each northern pike caught and removed.

To participate in the angler harvest incentive within the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District’s boundaries, anglers should bring their freshly caught northern pike to the District office at 2252 East Main Street in Rangely during typical business hours, 7 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday – Thursday, and 7 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Friday. The District will administer the cash harvest incentive with funds provided by CPW through a Colorado legislative bill that appropriates severance tax dollars to the Species Conservation Trust Fund.

To collect CPW’s angler harvest incentive at Green Mountain Reservoir, anglers can bring freshly caught northern pike to the Heeney Marina during business hours. Call 970-724-9441 for more information. To collect the Colorado River Water Conservation District’s angler harvest incentive at Wolford Mountain Reservoir, take the freshly caught northern pike to the campground host, or call 970-724-1266.

A female northern pike ripe with eggs, recently removed from Kenney Reservoir. (Photo/CPW)

For each body of water, anglers must present their fishing license to qualify for the harvest incentive.

“Our removal efforts thus far have been effective at reducing the number of northern pike in Kenney and we believe the population is still relatively small,” said Martin. “But northern pike are prolific and it doesn’t take long for a small population to grow, especially if no management action is taken. We encourage anglers to participate and help us eliminate northern pike from Kenney and the surrounding area. If the pike population continues to grow, we may have to resort to less palatable options for managing against northern pike in the future.”

For more information about the angler harvest incentives contact CPW Northwest Region Senior Aquatic Biologist Lori Martin at 970-255-6186.

To report unlawful fish stocking anonymously, call Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648. Rewards are available for information that leads to an arrest or citation.

 

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC    PUZZLES    RECENT NEWS    ADVERTISE WITH US

 

AURORA, Colo. – The University of Colorado School of Medicine is in the planning stages of establishing a medical school branch in Fort Collins in partnership with Colorado State University.

The partnership aims to create a training program that builds on the strengths of both universities, joining CU School of Medicine’s leading medical education and research programs with CSU’s expertise in human, animal, and public health. The partners expect to enroll the first students in the program in 2021.

“We are pleased to forge this partnership with CSU to expand the opportunities for medical education in the state of Colorado,” said Donald Elliman, Jr., chancellor for the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. “Together, we are able to offer an education based on outstanding programs at both campuses and to improve the quality of health care for all in Colorado.”

CSU President and Chancellor Tony Frank, PhD, said: “As university leadership, we have long contemplated and discussed bringing together our two world-class medical education programs at CSU and CU. In the last year and half, our teams have worked together on this project, and I am enormously proud of everyone who has worked so diligently to make it a reality.”

The CU School of Medicine, based on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, already has a branch campus in Colorado Springs, where about 24 students per year participate in their third- and fourth-year rotations and education. Each year, the School of Medicine matriculates 184 students into its MD program.

Initial plans for the new branch call for maintaining current enrollment levels in the CU School of Medicine, with the possibility of expansion of the class size in the future. The first class in the CSU program would include about a dozen students, who would be conducting all four years of their studies on the Fort Collins campus. Eventually, the branch could enroll as many as 48 students per year. Students at the branch would earn medical degrees from the CU School of Medicine.

One of the first tasks is for the CU School of Medicine to hire an assistant dean for its Fort Collins branch. The School also will recruit faculty and prepare the documentation required by the School of Medicine’s accrediting body, which must approve the branch before it can open.

Suzanne Brandenburg, MD, professor of medicine at the CU School of Medicine, is coordinating the process of establishing the medical school branch. She has already been working to recruit providers in the Northern Colorado medical community because a successful medical education program will depend on outstanding clinical learning opportunities.

“At the new medical school branch, students will learn in and from the local community alongside other health professionals,” Brandenburg said. “With this expansion, we hope to capitalize on the diverse expertise at CSU, to frame health care broadly, instilling in medical students a comprehensive view of our impact on society, considering not just the patient but also communities, populations and the planet.”

Brandenburg also serves as director of interprofessional education on the Anschutz Medical Campus, focusing on educating students across health professions to effectively work in teams and tackle the complex health care problems of patients and society.

CSU and CU have collaborated for many years on health education and research, with partnerships in the Colorado School of Public Health, the CU Cancer Center, and the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. In addition, several graduates from CSU each year matriculate to the CU School of Medicine.

Mark Stetter, DVM, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at CSU, said: “We’re looking forward to working even more closely together to help train physicians for Colorado through this collaboration. There are still an incredible number of details to be worked out, from building out our facilities here in Fort Collins to hiring faculty and assuring that all the programs are accredited and aligned. It’s a complex process, but I’m excited to be a part of it.”

The process of building out the fourth floor of the CSU Health and Medical Center, opened at the corner of College Avenue and Prospect Street in Fort Collins in 2017, to accommodate classrooms and administrative offices is underway, while the medical school has begun creating the new curriculum. Existing faculty from both CSU and CU will be teaching at the branch and new positions will be hired as needed.

About the University of Colorado School of Medicine

Faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine work to advance science and improve care. These faculty members include physicians, educators and scientists at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver Health, National Jewish Health, and the Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System. The school is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus, one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system.

About Colorado State University

Founded in 1870 as the Colorado Agricultural College, Colorado State University is now among the nation’s leading research universities, with annual research expenditures above $300 million. The CSU System includes the flagship campus in Fort Collins as well as CSU-Pueblo and CSU-Global. In Fort Collins, CSU currently enrolls about 33,000 students, including 4,000 graduate students and 580 in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, and has more than 1,800 faculty members working in eight colleges. CSU’s DVM program consistently ranks among the top three veterinary medicine programs in the nation. More information is available at www.colostate.edu.
 

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC    PUZZLES    RECENT NEWS    ADVERTISE WITH US

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Rainbow trout, cutthroat, walleye and other game fish are turning the tables on the people of Colorado.

Thanks to huge, visually stunning images adorning Colorado Parks and Wildlife hatchery trucks, the fish are now doing the catching – eye-catching, that is.

At the direction of then-Director Bob Broscheid, CPW embarked several years ago on a program to wrap dozens of hatchery trucks in high-resolution images of some of the 100 million fish it stocks each year in Colorado.

The vibrant photos of glistening trout, bass, crappie and other aquatic life beckon passing motorists as the trucks make their rounds delivering fish from CPW’s 19 hatcheries to Colorado’s 2,000 natural lakes, 800 reservoirs and 9,500 miles of trout streams.

In addition to the photos, the trucks carry the hatchery division’s slogan: “Your fishin’ is our mission” as well as an important message of conservation.

“These new wraps are a way to get our message across about what our hatcheries do,” said Riley Morris, CPW hatchery chief. “The trucks offer us a great way to display a message, talk about how many fish we produce and why we do it.

“And maybe when they see these pictures of the fish, they might get excited at the idea it’s a CPW truck delivering fish to their reservoir where they like to fish.”

The vinyl wraps replace the familiar logo of two leaping fish framing the name of the hatchery where the truck is based.

The high-res images hint at the high-tech modern equipment used to raise and transport fish, as compared to the ox cart a Cleveland man used to bring seven sunfish to Denver from Ohio in 1862 in the first documented introduction of non-native fish in Colorado.

Fish – native and imported – have been on the move ever since, including the introduction of rainbow trout from California in 1882.

And they have travelled in a variety of ways including by horse-drawn wagons and in saddle-bags. Pack mule trains carried fish to remote, high-altitude lakes and streams. Glass aquarium trucks lured motorists who followed them to their stocking locations. Trains, planes and helicopters have all carried fish.

Today, CPW has a fleet of about four-dozen trucks and trailers of various sizes delivering fish for anglers including a Moby Dick-sized truck that carries six 600-gallon tanks.

“They are great billboards,” said Brandon White, CPW assistant chief of hatcheries. “And we want people to understand that their license dollars go to support stocking for recreation and conservation.”

Trucks from warm-water hatcheries are wrapped in images of warm-water fish like walleye, crappie, bass and catfish, White said. They also have the name of the hatchery along with the conservation message.

Coldwater trucks have images of rainbow trout, tiger trout, cutbow, native cutthroat and kokanee salmon, as well as the hatchery name where the truck is based.

So next time you are stuck in traffic, maybe a giant brown trout or kokanee salmon will catch your eye and it will distract you from the gridlock. Even better, perhaps it will entice you to wet a line at your favorite lake or stream and remind you why you live in Colorado.
 

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC    PUZZLES    RECENT NEWS    ADVERTISE WITH US

 

DENVER — Friday, May 24, 2018 — Gov. Jared Polis today ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff on all public buildings statewide on Monday, May 27, in recognition of Memorial Day, and as proclaimed by President Donald J. Trump. Flags should be lowered from sunrise to noon. See the full presidential proclamation below.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2019

Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2019

– – – – – – –

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Whether on the battlefields of Bunker Hill, on the beaches of Normandy, in the jungles of Vietnam, or in the mountains and deserts of the Middle East, brave Americans of every generation have given their last full measure of devotion in defense of our country, our liberty, and our founding ideals.  On Memorial Day, we humbly honor these incredible patriots and firmly renew our abiding commitment to uphold the principles for which they laid down their lives.

As a free people, we have a sacred duty to remember the courageous warriors who have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that our great country would endure.  It is our responsibility to strive to ensure that their noble acts of dedication to our country and the cause of freedom were not in vain and to comfort the families they have left behind, who bear the heartbreak of their loss.  We must ensure that the light of our Republic, and all for which these most honorable Americans willingly died, continues to shine forth brightly into the world.  As President Lincoln said in 1863 during the dedication of the Gettysburg National Military Cemetery:  “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”

As we approach the 75th anniversary of D-Day, we proudly commemorate those heroic and honorable patriots who gave their all for the cause of freedom during some of history’s darkest hours.  Thousands of selfless members of our Armed Forces perished on the beaches of Normandy.  They bravely gave their lives to pave the way for the Allied liberation of Europe and ultimately victory over the forces of evil.  Their historic sacrifices and achievements secured the future of humanity and proved America’s strength in defending freedom and defeating the enemies of civilization. 

Those who rest in the hallowed grounds of our country’s national cemeteries laid their lives upon the altar of freedom.  Today, as we unite in eternal gratitude for the sacrifices of these extraordinary Americans, let us also offer a prayer for lasting peace.  Let us renew our steadfast resolve to work toward a peaceful future, in which the horrors of war are a distant memory and our families, our communities, and our Nation need no longer confront the sorrow and pain of losing our beloved sons and daughters.

In honor and recognition of all of our fallen heroes, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer.  The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 27, 2019, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in prayer.

I further ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

I also request the Governors of the United States and its Territories, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control.  I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP

Memorial Day services on the I-70 Corridor

• 10 a.m., Saturday, May 25, Corridor of Honor Military Memorial, Civic Center Park, Bennett Town Hall, 207 Muegge Way.

• 10 a.m.,  Monday, May 27, Mount View Cemetery, Highway 79 and East 38th Avenue, Bennett.

• 11 a.m.,  Monday, May 27, Deer Trail Cemetery.

• 11:45 a.m.,  Monday, May 27, Byers Cemetery.

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC    PUZZLES    RECENT NEWS    ADVERTISE WITH US