NEWS HEADLINES FOR 5/18/12

RHONDA CANTERBURY EMPLOYEE OF THE WEEK

“Every time I am out at Wal Mart, and just observe, she’s so helpful to all the customers.  She’s so pleasant.  She’s a good employee,” said Frances Livings talking about this week’s Riseing Star Employee of the Week, Rhonda Canterbury.

“She works in the pharmacy as assistant, filling prescriptions, talking to the customers, things like that,” said Livings, who says

Canterbury always has a smile on her face, and is kind and gracious to the pharmacy customers.

“Rhonda goes out of her way to fill in for people, some times, to the point where I think she does it too much,” said Canterbury.

ARTISTS ON ART

“Artists on Art is actually a panel discussion, where we invite different artists each month to come in.  It’s not a discussion, it’s not a demonstration, it’s not a ‘how to’ do their art.  It’s not that, this is exploring the influences that inspired the artist.  What things do the artists want you to see in their work?  What questions can you ask?  What came before?  In some cases, it’s what the artist has lived through, that has influenced what they’re doing now,” said Linda Frances, the owner of Four Winds Gallery, at 118 F Street, in Salida, which will host another edition of Artists on Art, coming up this Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m.

The featured artists will be Salida Oil painter and illustrator William Boddy, who is also a hstoric preservationist; acrylic painter Gloria Countryman, who works with abstract watercolors; and Mark Ritter, from the Maverick Potter Gallery.

Each artist will give a half hour presentation, and quaestions from the audience are definitely welcome.  Food, coffee and iced tea will be served, and there is a suggested donation of $5.

Frances says this will be the last Artists on Art until Fall.

“It is necessary for you to make a reservation because space is so limited, and we also serve food.  Reservations can be made by calling the gallery at 539-6075 or e-mail linda@fourwindsgaller-colorado.com,” said Frances.

MONARCH CREST CRANK REGISTRATION

Registration is now open for the 2012 Monarch Crest Crank mountain bike fundraiser for the Alliance Against Domestic Abuse in Chaffee County.

This will be the 14th year hosting the ride on Monarch Crest Trail. 

The Historic Salida Cruiser Tour will be available, this year, along with a kid’s event, for those who don't mountain bike. 

After the ride, Monarch Crest Crank will host its famed fun party in Riverside Park in Salida with food, beer, live music and giveaways. 

All funds go to support the Alliance Against Domestic Abuse, a nonprofit that works to eliminate domestic violence and sexual assault in our mountain communities.

To learn more and register for the event, you can visit www.MonarchCrestCrank.com.

FOREST SERVICE NEWS

O’Haver Lake Campground is closed for the season, as contractors and inmate crews from the Buena Vista Correctional Faciliry have started intensive construction on U.S. Forest Service facilities at the Chaffee County Campground.

The renovations will include removing all picnic tables, fire rings and parking areas.  They’ll be leveling the larger parking areas, excavating and creating new campsites, and constructing areas that would accomodate large recreational vehicles.

The Forest Service recommends Monarch Park Campground, west of Garfield, as an alternative.

The Salida Ranger District, along with the U.S. Forest Service, will be hosting at Trails Training Workshop, in Salida, on June 2nd and 3rd.

It will be a two-day training to indroduce the fundamentals of successful volunteer crew management for the construction and management of sustainable trails.

The workshop is best for individuals who have had experience working on trail projects or previous crew leadership experience.  The classroom portion will take place at the Salida Scout Hut, and the field portion will take place on the Columbine Trail.

To register for the workshop, visit the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado website at volunteeroutdoors.net.

The U.S. Forest Service says it will issue public fuel permits, starting June 1st, for the thousands of trees, in Chaffee County, that were blown down, by high winds, during the winter.

Maps which show the locations of designated fuel-wood cutting areas will be available at the Salida Ranger District at 325 West Highway 50.

Salida Ranger District Crews are assessing the damage to roads and trails in order to determine how downed trees can be harvested for personal and commercial use.  

FRIDAY SPORTS

Salida High School freshman Morgan Walters-Schaler placed eighth, yesterday, in the 200-meter dash preliminaries, at the 2012 State Track and Field meet in Lakewood, and has qualified for the 3A State Finals, tomorrow afternoon.

She registered her season-best time of 26.41 seconds, in the 200 meters yesterday, and came up just one second short of qualifying in the 400-meter dash, where she placed 13th with a time of 1:01.62.

MAIL BALLOT PRIMARY ELECTION JUNE 26th

The June 26th Mail Ballot Primary Election is fast approaching along with a few deadlines and reminders.

The last day to register to vote for the Primary is Tuesday, May 29th. This is also the last day to change or withdraw from a major political party affiliation.

You can register at any post office in the county, any city or town municipal office, both public libraries, a drivers’ license office, county clerk’s offices in either Salida or Buena Vista, at other government offices, or online at govotecolorado.com.

All unaffiliated voters, active and inactive, will be receiving a postcard in the mail within the next several days explaining the process that they will need to follow, if they choose to vote in the Mail Ballot Primary.

Ballots will be mailed to all registered Democrat, Republican and American Constitution voters by June 4th.

If you would the ballot mailed to a different address other than your voter mailing address, contact the County Election Office at 719-530-5604 or 719-530-5606. Chaffee County Clerk Joyce Reno says the mailing change should be done immediately.

HICKENLOOPER TO BE AT ELEVATION BEER COMPANY GRAND OPENING

The grand opening party, for Elevation Beer Company, in Poncha Springs, is this Saturday, starting at 11 a.m.

Xandy Bustamante, is one of the co-founders of the brewery, which plans to join an elite group of approximately twenty microbreweries across the nation specializing in seasonal barrel aged beer.

The brewery announced, last week, that Governor John Hickenlooper will appear at the open house, which takes place on the final day of American Craft Beer Week.

The governor will be giving a short speech at Saturday’s event, as well as signing the BLANK BILL into effect starting at Noon.

Elevation Beer Company is located at 115 Pahlone Parkway in Poncha Springs.

SUMMER SOFTBALL

Salida Mens SoftBall Association is hosting a preseason softball tournament on Saturday and Sunday. Registration starts at 8 o’clock, Saturday morning, at the softball field.   A managers’ meeting will be at 8:45.

If you bring a team of 10 players, you’ll be guaranteed four games. If you are not on a team, or only have partial team, you are still encouraged to show up and teams will be created.

ARKANSAS RIVER CLEANUP

The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area will hold its annual Arkansas River Cleanup, on Saturday, May 19th  from 8:30 to 3:30 as part of an effort to maintain the health of all the areas enjoyed for recreation and relaxation.

AHRA says constant winds and warm temperatures, this winter, have taken a toll on the area, and there are plastics and cans from waste containers in the grasses and bushes along the river.

The cleanup will get rid of any unsightly or unhealthy trash, and protect and restore the riverbank, the vegetation, and the wildlife.

If you’d like to volunteer, you can sign up that morning, between 8:30 and 9:30 at the Buena Vista Community Center Parking Area, in Buena Vista, or at the AHRA Vistor Center, in Salida, or at the Sugarbush Store, in Howard.

Volunteers will receive trashbags and a “Cleanup” button, which will serve as their ticket to the volunteer picnic, that day, from 11:30 to 3:30 at Riverside Park in Salida,

AHRA Program Assistant Rose Bayless says the picnic will include a Rocks and Geology Touch Table exhibit from AHRA volunteer geologist Bob Hickey, and a ‘Leave No Trace’ booth staffed by the group’s traveling trainers.  They’ll be giving away prizes for any unique or interesting trash items, at the trash contest.

Each year 200 volunteers pick up over a ton of garbage, from sofas to soda bottles.  For more information, call AHRA at 719-539-7289.

HRRMC POSTPARTUM CLASS

On Saturday, May 19th, the HRRMC Family Birthing Center will offer a new postpartum class for mothers of Children, 18 months and younger.

The class, which is called “A Time For You” runs from 9 to Noon in the hospital’s Shavano Conference Room.

It will be taught by Megan Juba and Wendy Trafford-McKenna, who will explore the joys and challenges of being a new mother.  Topics include feeding patterns, sleep for the baby and the mother, other relationships and personal time.

Women are encouraged to bring a journal and attend the class without their babies.  The class includes a mini-massage for each new mother.

UAACOG FIRST TIME HOME BUYER CLASS

The Housing Department within the Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments will offer a first-time homebuyers workshop on Saturday, May 19th, at their office at 3224-A Independence Road, in Canyon City.  The workshop takes participants through the home buying process from land application to loan closing and life as a homeowner.

Lenders such as CHFA, Rural Development, and others require that borrowers participate in this type of training.

Space is limited, so reservations are required.  Call 719-539-6862 to make a reservation or get more information.