December 14, 2011

SandBox Comments: Durango Herald "Focus on bath salts rises"

If the photo is what the product looks like, there is no way anyone could even mistake it for real bath salts used in taking a bath.

Not to mention the fact that most women don't shop for spa care in a head shop.

"Bath salts first appeared in Durango about a year ago.

The bath salts sold at head shops and over the Internet are not intended for bathtubs; rather, they are a mixture of synthetic chemicals that are snorted, smoked or injected intravenously. They create a quick and intense high that has been compared to methamphetamine.

Street names for the drug include “red rocket” and “white devil.” The drug also can be packaged and sold under the guise of plant fertilizer.

Authorities are investigating other distribution cases involving bath salts, said Pat Downs, director of the Southwest Drug Task Force.

“We do anticipate additional arrests, but we don’t know when that will be,” he said.

The task force executed a search warrant a couple of months ago at Wild Side Gifts on north Main Avenue. No arrests have been made.

For months, manufacturers were able to sell bath salts legally by changing the drug’s formula by one molecule. But a new ban on “analogs” of the chemical compounds used to produce the high – cathinone and methcathinone – made it illegal to mimic the compounds for the purpose of human consumption, Downs said....."
(Shane Benjamin)

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SandBox Comments: Craig Daily Press "Case dismissed against Craig Police Department officer"

"The 14th Judicial District Attorney’s office announced Monday the case against a Craig Police Department officer has been dismissed.

Officer Frank Schmedeke was arrested Nov. 27 on suspicion of harassment and domestic violence stemming from an incident with his wife at their home in the 1100 block of Legion Street.

To avoid bias, Schmedeke’s case was handled by the Routt County DA’s office in Steamboat Springs.

Rusty Prindle, Routt County chief deputy district attorney for the 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, handled the case. He issued a statement Monday afternoon in a news release...."
(Joe Moylan)

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SandBox Comments: Pueblo Chieftain "Pregnant horse rescued from hole "

Thanks goes out to all who participated in this rescue. We lose track sometimes, of all the things our first responders and law enforcement do that are outside of the average every day response to accidents and crime.  Thank you for your service.

"Two very lucky horses— one of them very frightened and the other unborn — were pulled safely from a 7-foot vertical hole Tuesday by an army of rescuers.

The 4-year-old pregnant mare and her unborn foal were both safe and doing well by evening, according to a news release issued by Lisa Shorter of the sheriff's Emergency Services Bureau.

"Veterinarians from Mesa Animal Hospital were able to get vital signs on the foal after the rescue and reports were positive. The mare is home and doing well tonight. Her owners are keeping a close eye on her for signs that the stress might lead to an early labor," Shorter's news release said...."
(Loretta Sword)

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SandBox Comments: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel "Glenwood man accused of firing at deputy was drunk'

(See related commentary here.)

"A man accused of firing multiple times at a Garfield County Sheriff’s Department deputy Monday was intoxicated at the time and had a history of getting out of hand when drunk, an arrest affidavit said.

The affidavit said neighbors told investigators that Craig Dance, 61, has been suicidal, and one neighbor said she “had always known that this was going to happen,” referring to Monday’s incident.

Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Denise Lynch on Tuesday set bond at $500,000 in the case.

Dance lives on Westbank Road south of Glenwood Springs. He is accused of firing on a deputy who responded to a welfare check at his home late Monday afternoon. The deputy hid behind his patrol vehicle and was uninjured. The vehicle was struck by multiple bullets.

Dance surrendered peacefully several hours later after holing up in his home. He is being held in Garfield County Jail...."
(Dennis Webb)

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SandBox Comments: KJCT News 8 "GJ Rockies Schedule Released"

Go Rocks!

2012 INAUGURAL SEASON SCHEDULE

Monday, June 18 @ Ogden Tuesday, June 19 @ Ogden Wednesday, June 20 @ Ogden Thursday, June 21 @ Idaho Falls Friday, June 22 @ Idaho Falls Saturday, June 23 vs. Idaho Falls (Opening Day) Sunday, June 24 vs. Idaho Falls Monday, June 25 vs. Orem Tuesday, June 26 vs. Orem Wednesday, June 27 vs. Orem Thursday, June 28 @ Ogden Friday, June 29 @ Ogden Saturday, June 30 @Orem

Sunday, July 1 @ Orem Monday, July 2 @ Orem Tuesday, July 3 vs. Orem Wednesday, July 4 vs. Orem Thursday, July 5 vs. Idaho Falls Friday, July 27 @ Idaho Falls Saturday, July 7 vs. Ogden Sunday, July 8 vs. Ogden Monday, July 9 vs. Ogden Tuesday, July 10 – (Off) Wednesday, July 11 @ Missoula Thursday, July 12 @ Missoula Friday, July 13 @ Missoula Saturday, July 14 @ Billings Sunday, July 15 @ Billings Monday, July 16 @ Billings Tursday, July 17 @ Billings Wednesday, July 18 – (Off) Thursday, July 19 vs. Missoula Friday, July 20 vs. Missoula Saturday, July 21 vs. Missoula Sunday, July 22 vs. Missoula Monday, July 23 vs. Billings Tuesday, July 24 vs. Billings Wednesday, July 25 vs. Billings Thursday, July 26 – (Off) Friday, July 6 vs. Idaho Falls

Sunday, July 29 @ Idaho Falls Monday, July 30 @ Idaho Falls Tuesday, July 31 vs. Orem

Wednesday, August 1 vs. Orem Thursday, August 2 vs. Orem Friday, August 3 vs. Ogden Saturday, August 4 vs. Ogden Sunday, August 5 vs. Ogden Monday, August 6 @ Orem Tuesday, August 7 @ Orem Wednesday, August 8 @ Orem Thursday, August 9 @ Ogden Friday, August 10 @ Ogden Saturday, August 11 @ Ogden Sunday, August 12 – (Off) Monday, August 13 vs. Helena Tuesday, August 14 vs. Helena Wednesday, August 15 vs. Helena Thursday, August 16 vs. Great Falls Friday, August 17 vs. Great Falls Saturday, August 18 vs. Great Falls Sunday, August 19 vs. Great Falls Thursday, September 6 vs. Ogden Tuesday, August 21 @ Helena Wednesday, August 22 @ Helena Thursday, August 23 @ Helena Friday, August 24 @ Helena Saturday, August 25 @ Great Falls Sunday, August 26 @ Great Falls Monday, August 27 @ Great Falls Tuesday, August 28 @ Idaho Falls Weds. August 29 @ Idaho Falls Thursday, August 30 @ Orem Friday, August 31 @ Orem Sat. September 1 vs. Idaho Falls Sun. September 2 vs. Idaho Falls Mon. September 3 vs. Idaho Falls Tues. September 4 vs. Idaho Falls Weds. September 5 vs. Ogden Monday, August 20 – (Off)

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SandBox Comments: Aspen Daily News "Geothermal test drill abandoned, for now"

"The city of Aspen suspended its geothermal test drilling operation this week, without hitting the underground water officials had hoped to measure as a possible energy source.

City environmental programs manager Lauren McDonell said they might resume drilling in the spring. She said she’ll likely bring the issue to City Council in the new year.

“We are doing it out of respect for the neighbors during the holiday and high vacation-rental season,” McDonell said of the drilling suspension.

Neighbors with ski season vacation rentals booked in their homes had asked for the project to finish by the beginning of December. The 3,500-square-foot drill site is located off of Neale Avenue in the city-owned parking lot of the Prockter Open Space. The site is across the street from Herron Park and sits near the bank of the Roaring Fork River...."
(Andrew Travers)

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SandBox Comments: Summit County Citizens Voice "Colorado adopts tough disclosure rule for fracking'

(Mid-morning Note from Nanny:  Dennis Webb, over on the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel did a very comprehensive piece today on this new fracking disclosure rule.  She missed that because another headline was in its place.  Here's the link: 

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/new_fracking_rules_called_toug/

What's interesting is Webb's disclosure that there is a clause that can be invoked by the industry to protect trade secrets.  That is very good news and we were wondering.  That kind of intellectual and trade property cannot be forced by law to become public information.  What has really happened here in this new rule is that the efforts of David Neslin of COGCC have brought all parties to the table and brokered a deal for the industry to recognize that voluntary disclosure is the best for all.  Now, wasn't that a simple thing to accomplish?  How much easier would it have been if we didn't have all the years of radical left politicians such as Houpt and DeGette stirring up the flamers alongside the biased media and radical groups? A thank you to Dennis Webb for the great coverage.) 

Earlier post:
One shouldn't underestimate the cooperation of the industry with bringing this new 'fracking rule' to the table.

What better way to get radical extremist groups like 'WildEarth Guardians' quiet (at least for awhile until they create a new manifesto) than to let them see nothing's wrong?

http://www.fracfocus.org/ has been around for nearly a year now and has always listed the dangerous chemicals.  The only change this brings is that the industry is now stripped of trade secrets.

Watch for the consumer pricing to go up.

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SandBox Comments: KKCO 11 News "Powderhorn Mountain Resort set to open December 15th"

"MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KKCO) - Many people in the Grand Valley are eager to see what the new and improved Powderhorn Mountain Resort will look like.

The resort will open on Thursday morning. At 8:45am, members of the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce will be on hand for a ribbon cutting to celebrate. The first chair will head up the moutain a short time later...."
(KKCO)

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