SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "May local jobless rate remains unchanged"

Randy Wyrick:
"EAGLE COUNTY — The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment's latest jobless numbers put Eagle County's unemployment rate at 12.3 percent for May, largely unchanged from May 2010.

Colorado's state unemployment rate is 8.1 percent, close to the national rate.

“Colorado is in a similar situation as we're seeing across the nation,” said Alexandra Hall, chief economist with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment......"  (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "Tough 'til the end"

Kim Fuller:
"BEAVER CREEK — It's hard to catch your breath when you're climbing a mountain, jumping into icy water, lugging logs, crawling under electric wires and swinging from dangling rings. Tough Mudder promises a challenge, but what the event delivers is an experience that can only be felt in the grips of its course.

Mark Lepczyk and his friend Chris Vail came out from New Mexico for this year's event at Beaver Creek. Lepczyk said it was harder than he anticipated.

“It was my first Tough Mudder and it was definitely a humbling experience, especially that first mile,” Lepczyk said. “You just go straight up the mountain, and you get winded really, really quickly. It doesn't go away, either, because you're going up the mountain for the next six miles or so.”

As humbling as this event truly is, it's even more uplifting. Spectators lined a large portion of the course on Saturday, offering encouraging shout-outs and generous hand-slaps.

Participants also helped each other tremendously on every obstacle, as well as on uphill battles and downhill trudges. It's the cooperative energy that seems to set Tough Mudder apart from most endurance and adventure events like it.

“You come out here and everybody's participating and everybody's helping you. Everybody just wants you to succeed,” said Bobby L'Heureux, a Vail resident who completed this year's endurance event. “You see people at obstacles waiting and helping other people up for 10 minutes. People aren't worried about time, they're worried about helping the other player in the game.”...."
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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "Teva Mountain Games start today"

Chris Freud:
"VAIL — Try to top that.

It's a game that the Teva Mountain Games has been playing rather successfully since its inception as the Jeep Whitewater Festival many years ago. That said, rafting toward a keg of beer at the end of Dowd Chute, no matter how noble the pursuit, wasn't hard.

But how do you top last year's steep-creek championships, which start the 2012 edition of the Mountain Games, today at 10 a.m. up at Homestake Creek near Red Cliff?

Honza Lasko, of the Czech Republic, and New Zealand's Michael Dawson tied for first in the two-run race down to the hundredth second — 3 minutes, 34.62 seconds.

Try doing that again.

OK, probably not, but the Homestake race kicks off four days of mountain sporting events, which should provide plenty of chills and definitely some spills. What was originally a rafting event is now a confluence of biking, running, whitewater, climbing, fishing and dog sports....." (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs; Vail Daily News "Teva Mountain Games names official app"

VAIL, Colorado — TimeRAZOR, the free, dynamic hyperlocal events app that gives users the scoop on tons of cool events near where you live, work and play, has been named the official mobile app of the Teva Mountain Games being held in Vail May 31 though June 3 by the Vail Valley Foundation.

The app, which acts as a “fast pass,” will provide users an entire listing of, and priority access to, select events throughout the entire weekend. Love the swag but hate the wait? TimeRAZOR users can skip the lines to snag all the cool, free swag gifts provided by partner brands including Teva silk screen shirts, Eddie Bauer beanie hats, Maui Jim celebrity athlete autographs, VIP passes and much more.

“By partnering with The Vail Valley Foundation, timeRAZOR is the perfect app for those with an active lifestyle and a perfect partner for this long weekend filled with tons of activities,” said Paul Abling from the Vail Valley Foundation.

“We're excited to work with the Vail Valley Foundation and Teva Mountain Games in order to provide a unique marketing mobile solution for their partners and allow their participants to spend more time enjoying the games and less time in lines,” said Carolyn Parent, chief experience officer for timeRAZOR.

To download the free app, visit http://app.net/timeRAZOR

 

"Unapologetic pursuit and tracking of patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "Local man among rescuers in Everest tragedy"

This is an incredible story of survival and human compassion alongside courage.

Randy Wyrick:
"EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado — The window to summit Mount Everest was death's door for at least four climbers, but a few others may live because a local man was helping with rescue efforts.

Jon Kedrowski was near the summit of the world's tallest mountain Saturday when the weather changed and 100 mph winds trapped dozens of climbers, Kedrowski said.

It's being called the worst Everest tragedy since 1996, when eight people died. That event was the subject of Jon Krakauer's book, “Into Thin Air.”

Kedrowski said there was a two-hour wait at one of the main chokepoints near the summit, as more than 150 climbers attempted to summit during Friday and Saturday's brief weather window.

High winds moved in and trapped folks who were ascending and descending. Some folks had already been climbing for 18 hours or more.

Many climbers had been waiting at a staging camp for several days for their chance.

“Jon was ascending while others were descending from 18-hour climbs to the summit,” said Chris Tomer, Kedrowski's climbing partner for 15 years and a meteorologist with Denver's Fox 31 television. “They were exhausted, sick from altitude, hallucinating, frostbitten and disoriented.”

Kedrowski spotted four climbers on the verge of death and did everything he could. One man had his hat and gloves off, and was completely frozen.

“He reach out to Jon like a zombie for help,” Tomer said.

Another person was lying face-down in the snow with his headlamp still on.

“Another climber was so sick, Jon and a Sherpa stuck that guy with a needle full of DEX (an altitude drug),” Tomer said....."  (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily "Edwards' Crazy Mountain Brewery releases summer seasonal"

via Vail Daily:
"EDWARDS — Crazy Mountain Brewing Company, located in Edwards, is releasing its summer seasonal beer: Scenic Route Kolsch. This summertime favorite is a light easy drinking German style ale very similar to a Pilsner.

The debut of Scenic Route Kolsch will take place at Balata restaurant in Edwards on May 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. Crazy Mountain is partnering with Balata's Executive Chef Steven Topple for a sumptuous food and beer pairing. There will be six dishes partnered with six beer styles — including the Kolsch — served at stations located throughout the restaurant. It will be a relaxed, mingling-style atmosphere contrasted with exquisite, fine dining dishes ranging from halibut ceviche to beer poached wild boar sausage to slow braised beef short rib. Tickets are $42. For more information on the Scenic Route Kolsch release party and beer pairing event, contact Balata at 970-477-5353. Advance reservations are required as the dinner is expected to sell out....(Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "‘Everyone can get down' at State Bridge"

Caramie Schnell:
"If there's one common thread weaving its way through the lineup of bands playing at State Bridge's opening weekend, it's “Colorado music staples,” said Scotty Stoughton, the talent buyer and event operations manager.

“(The weekend's bands) are a ton of fun and appeal to a huge demo(graphic),” he said. “We'll have families out there, cowboys there, river rats there. And everyone can get down to the music I'm booking for this weekend.”

Last summer marked the revival of the outdoor music venue, which burned down in 2007 and was rebuilt into an outdoor ampthitheater. The past few weeks a crew of people have been volunteering at State Bridge, getting it ready for the summer season, which starts today.

“We are creating a really great family of folks up here. We have made some minor tweaks but mainly just blew off the winter dust and got her ready,” Stoughton said.

Friday through Sunday the riverside venue hosts a slew of musicians. WhiteWater Ramble, a mandolin-fiddle-acoustic guitar-upright bass-drums outfit from Fort Collins, kicks things off Friday night with its bluegrass-tinged rock with everything from house grooves to roots Americana thrown in for good measure....."  (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "School board rejects first in line of teacher appeals"

In addition to teacher led foreign language programs being replaced by the equally high caliber of learning foreign languages  through technology based teachings; our public school systems could also outsource physical education departments at significant savings to the education system.

Especially in outdoor rich environments such as what we have here in Colorado.

Middle School and High School Athletics could instead be revenue generating, tourism drawing athletic clubs.  Volleyball, basketball, golf, skiing, tennis and so much more.  Highly likely to have a lot more participation from kids due to the social aspects.

Read the next post following very closely and coming off the Eagle County Times.

How about you?  Would you rather find superior education means for a number of programs in our public education system and return their funding to the basics of education or continue to do nothing unless budget cuts force the issue while meantime, back at admin the lavish spending of tax dollars continues?   

Randy Wyrick:
"EAGLE, Colorado — In the middle of Teacher Appreciation Week, the school board Wednesday upheld a decision to lay off Nancy Bujnowski.

The foreign-language teacher has spent her entire 21-year career at Eagle Valley High School. She's four years from retirement.

She and the district's other two foreign-language teachers are all being replaced by a computer program, Aventa, for which students must pay at least $150 per semester, the district said.

The board's unanimous vote followed almost two dozen people — students and adults, alike — asking the school board to save Bujnowski and the other foreign language teachers, citing the importance of foreign language learning in an increasingly global economy. They pointed out that foreign-language classes are where students learn English-language grammar and syntax.

“They're not getting it in English classes,” said Dr. Chuck Vogel, one of Bujnowski's Eagle Valley teaching colleagues, citing several university studies...."  (Read more? Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "2015 Championships: 1,000 days to go"

"VAIL, Colorado — With today marking 1,000 days to go until the world returns to Vail and Beaver Creek for the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, Feb. 3-15, the event's Organizing Committee has provided the Vail Valley community with its charge. The state of Colorado, the United States and the world also have their directive: “Dream it. Live it. Share it.”

“It” refers to the 2015 World Championships, and Vail and Beaver Creek organizers want the world to know that this will be much more than just two weeks of ski racing. These championships will be a many-faceted celebration of not only skiing but an event and a feeling that can and will mean a world of different things on different levels to everyone who is touched by “it”.

While the championships are slightly less than three years away, organizers felt the need to identify a central tagline and theme that will guide much of the planning, preparation and look of the event. The committee wanted a tag that included strong action words that both invited and challenged people to make these championships their own in whatever way they choose.

“If you stop to think about it,” said Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation and the 2015 World Championships organizing committee, “dream, live and share can take on a myriad of different meanings when it comes to the World Championships. A young skier in Nepal can dream about having the chance to race in the championships, just as Lindsey Vonn can dream about winning a medal here.

“At the other end of the spectrum, a child that has never had the opportunity to experience skiing or snowboarding can also have that dream come true through the championships.”

While the members of the organizing committee will obviously live these championships for the coming years leading up to 2015, the international skiing community also will participate in the buildup to the World Championships, watching it grow and evolve in both scope and scale. As for the sharing piece of the equation, that, too, will come in many shapes and forms.

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily "Friday night felonies"

Once again our K-9 heroes come through!  Good boy, 'Tucker' !!  Thanks so much for your service.

Look what Tucker found (Click title to read the story):

Photo Credit:

Justin McCarty | Special to the Daily

"Avon Police Lt. Greg Daly, right, Eagle County Sheriff's Office Deputy Tim Comroe, left, and his German shepherd, Tucker, talk about their big drug bust Tuesday morning at the Avon Police Department. Police say they found the drugs in a truck they pulled over on Interstate 70 near Wolcott."

Photo Credit: Justin McCarty | Special to the Daily

Randy Wyrick:
"Tucker performed what is called a “positive alert,” indicating he'd found some drugs. He scratches the area where the drugs are when he finds them.

A dog's nose is 1,000 times more sensitive than a human's, and Comroe has trained Tucker to recognize the odors of six different drugs: marijuana, mushrooms, XTC, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.

Police say Fruth was hauling the Tucker trifecta.

Fruth was hauling about 13 pounds of high-grade marijuana, 6 ounces of black tar heroine, a bunch of pills, paraphernalia, vacuum-sealing machines and recloseable plastic bags, police say.

It appears it was grown in a hydroponics operation — no seeds or stems and very high potency, said Avon police chief Bob Ticer.

The ditch weed grown outside in most places is worth about $500 a pound. This marijuana is worth about $3,000 a pound; $300-$600 an ounce if you break it down that way, Ticer said.

The marijuana seized on Friday is estimated with a street value between $20,000 and $30,000. The heroin is worth between $6,000 and $10,000.

It comes into the U.S. either through Mexico or a West Coast seaport and is trucked along Interstate 70 to major cities on the East Coast or Midwest.

Drug traffickers use America's east/west interstate highways as a major part of their distribution system. The further east drugs go the more they're worth, Ticer said.

The drugs go east, the money comes back west to drug cartels, then the cycle begins again.

“The money goes right back to the cartels to fund organized crime and terrorist organizations,” Ticer said. “When people think of marijuana, or medical marijuana, they don't think of cartels, but the cartels certainly do think of them....” (Read more? Click title)
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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily "Why small business owners are hesitant to hire"

Good article. 

Joyce M. Rosenberg:
"NEW YORK (AP) — Ken Levien has no plans to hire more people for his real estate project management company in New York. He says his business has only about 85 percent of the amount of work it can handle because the building industry is still hurting from the recession.

"Things are looking down in the construction business in New York City," he says.

Levien has a lot of company. Many small business owners aren't hiring or expanding because the outlook for the economy, or their own companies, is uncertain.

That raises the question of whether small businesses will give the economy the boost that it needs. Economists say that in past recoveries, small companies were the first to hire. When the economy was improving, they were more nimble than large companies because they didn't have the bureaucracy that can slow the hiring process. Their hiring helped propel the economy forward.

The economy is growing, but that growth has slowed — and so has the pace of hiring among business with less than 500 employees. The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of just 2.2 percent from January through March, according to government figures. That's down from the moderate 3 percent growth during the last three months of 2011. Making things worse, the pace of hiring by small businesses is slowing, according to the payroll company ADP, which issues a monthly report on employment at companies in the private sector. ADP says that employment at small and medium-sized businesses rose by 181,000 in March. Employment rose by just 116,000 in April......"  (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "Riding the age wave"

Randy Wyrick:
"This is the first part of a three-part series on aging in the high country and the opportunities and challenges that come with it.

EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado — Baby boomers have moved through America's economy and culture like a pig through a python — and now they're retiring.

“Baby boomers have changed everything. They changed elementary school, junior high and high school, and they'll change retirement,” said Elizabeth Garner, Colorado's state demographer. “It will impact us across our society — the labor force, health care, almost everything we touch.”

Colorado is aging, especially in mountain-resort communities. The state will see a more normal age distribution than the mountain communities are accustomed to.

“We're becoming more normal. Our economy is becoming more like the rest of the U.S.,” Garner said.

“It's not good; it's not bad. It's just different,” Garner said. “If we don't plan for it, it could be bad.”

For the near future, the number of people between ages 60 and 70 will increase, at least partially from second-home owners retiring and making this their primary residence, Garner said.

Will they stay?

“Who knows what's really going to happen,” Garner said....."  (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily "Teva Mountain Games free Vail concerts announced"

"VAIL — While some of the world's foremost adventure athletes tackle the mountains and rivers of Vail during the 11th annual Teva Mountain Games, some equally prominent musical artists will take to the main stage for a pair of free concerts when the Mountains of Music series rocks Vail Village May 31 and June 2.

Both free shows will be on the main Teva Mountain Games stage at Checkpoint Charlie in Vail Village and both will get underway at 7 p.m. The May 31 performance with Williams will be held in conjunction with the event's opening ceremonies....."  (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily "Vail Chamber works to rebuild membership"

Scott N. Miller:
"VAIL, Colorado — The group aimed at businesses in Vail is a different-looking organization than it was a few years ago. But supporters say the Vail Chamber & Business Association still has important work to do.

The chamber held its annual meeting Friday in Vail, and amid presentations by town and Vail Resorts officials, association director Rick tenBraak spent some time talking about the group and its goals....."
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Vail is one of those world destination resorts that took the tourism/public dollars/non-profit status problem co-mingling with Chamber of Commerce business conflicts problem; down the road of severing the two from each other a long time ago.

A few years back, they had their own run of scandals in the chamber end and severed off again from the Tourism Bureau aspects.

Now there are multiple factions promoting Vail and multiple factions supporting the business community.

Makes sense, doesn't it?

Maybe it's also the reason Vail Resorts turns $35 million dollar profits and has sales that do not go 'flat'. 

From the Vail Valley Partnership website:  
"The Vail Valley Partnership, a 501c(6) non-profit organization, has been engaged in the community from the early days of Vail, starting in 1964 as the Vail Resort Association. We've grown over the years to represent the entire Vail Valley and to fit the needs of the business community through our Chamber programs including cost-savings programs, educational events, networking opportunities, advertising programs and cost-savings programs.

The Vail Valley Partnership serves as the regional destination marketing organization for Eagle County, Colorado. Through our Marketing and Sales departments, we work to promote the destination's brand awareness and equity through media relations, group sales, regional advocacy and other communication strategies. We are proud to have been named Colorado's best Destination Marketing Organization by the readers of Colorado Meetings & Events Magazine in early 2011.

Because business and tourism go hand-in-hand, the Vail Valley Partnership also brings to the community a variety of signature programs that elevate the destination's attention to both guests and businesses. Signature Vail Valley Partnership programs include the Platinum Service Program (PSP), Lodging Quality Assurance (LQA), Destination Preservation and the Non-Profit Network. These signature programs are examples of how the Vail Valley Partnership reinforces commitment and dedication to improving the guest experience and adding value to the local business community."

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "Vail's Chris Anthony: Flying to the zone"

(Read Part One here)

Chris Anthony:
"I have been guiding at Points North for over 11 years and been skiing in the Chugach Range for over 22. Every year, I question my motivation and every year I leave knowing I'm coming back. I have to remind myself when I arrive to just slow down, get organized and be very patient but ready for anything. It's a tough mindset after a season of running all over the place. Base camp can be tranquil and quiet with little or no cell service and slow internet. Yogis would love it. On the other hand, it can have the same adrenaline of that of the deck of an aircraft carrier, which I have experienced as well..."  (Read more?  Click title)

SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily "Avon firm is selected for Walgreens project"

Congratulations to Evans Chaffee!!  Believe it or not, local contractors never get as fair of a shake in bidding local government contracts as outside the area contractors do.

Breaking that glass ceiling is almost under of.  This is terrific news and we're so glad to see a local firm land the new Walgreens over in Avon.

Randy Wyrick:
"AVON, Colorado — Developers of Eagle's proposed Eagle River Station chose a local company to build their Walgreens project in Avon.

Avon's new Walgreens will be built by Evans Chaffee.

The lender wanted a Front Range firm, said Trinity RED's Vince Riggio.

But Riggio said his firm felt strongly that the job should go to the local company.

“Trinity RED will do everything possible to give work to local companies,” Riggio said. “We chose Evans Chaffee because they're local and we know how many local people need work.”

They broke ground this week on their Walgreens project, Riggio said. It will replace Denny's in Avon.

It's scheduled for completion in October....."
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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily "Lindsey Vonn rocks on"

Our own Lindsey Vonn takes another giant step forward.  Yes, we would have to say that the kids are doing OK.

John LaConte:
"VAIL, Colorado — Ski Girls Rock received a boon from a true rock star of the ski world Sunday when Lindsey Vonn visited the program and skied with some of its participants.

Hosted by Vail Resorts, the opportunity to ski with Vonn was part of a celebration titled “Welcome Home Lindsey,” where the four-time World Cup overall winner was welcomed back here to her hometown in true rock-star fashion — by hundreds of screaming fans.

But for a few young Vonn followers, the homecoming party was more of an apres ski session, with the fun part of the day coming earlier.

On Sunday morning, a selection of roughly 10 girls from around the world joined Vonn for a few turns on the Nastar course at Vail Mountain's Black Forest Race Arena. Seven-year-old Michaela Landry was first in the gates to ski alongside Vonn, Landry in the yellow course with her hero alongside her on the green.

“We came here just for this,” said Barbara Landry, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as her daughter Michaela skied the course. “It's so nice to have somebody like (Vonn) so involved and wanting to see girls succeed in the sport.”

Designed by Vonn herself, Ski Girls Rock lessons involve groups of no more than four girls ages 5 to 15 and are led by female instructors who “focus not only on improving skiing skills but empowering girls through the sport and creating opportunities to bond and build confidence along with developing teamwork and social skills,” according to Vail Resorts....." (Read more?  Click title)

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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "Extreme filmmaking brings extreme rewards"

Rosanna Turner:
"You're almost to the top. You're standing on the edge of the ledge, ready to drop. You're ready to do what decades ago people thought was impossible. And you have to film it at the same time. Wait, what? Ever wondered what goes into the making of action, adventure and extreme sports movies? The Vail Film Festival this weekend features three films, “The Art of Flight,” “Inuk,” and “High Ground,” where the story behind making each film is just as captivating as the films themselves...."
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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "Moreau gets life plus 80 years"

Lauren Glendenning:
"EAGLE — Richard “Rossi” Moreau showed no remorse in the courtroom Wednesday as his victims spoke of the damage he caused. He sat expressionless as District Judge R. Thomas Moorhead chastised him for his lies and then sentenced him to life without parole plus 80 years.

For the first time throughout more than two years of hearings and a two-week trial earlier this month in which he was convicted of first-degree murder plus seven other felonies, Moreau spoke to the court, but his words did nothing to help clear his name or apologize to his victims.

Rather than take the opportunity to show remorse, Moreau, who was dressed in an orange Eagle County jail jumpsuit and was shackled at the ankles, chose to say that it wouldn't do any good...."
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SandBoxBlogs: Vail Daily News "Six-pack of songs"

Alan Sculley:
"The a cappella group Straight No Chaser has returned with new music in the form of “Six Pack: Vol. II.”

As the “Volume II” suggests, it follows a 2008 EP called “Six Pack,” which, like the new release, included six songs. And while Straight No Chaser vocalist Randy Stine said a full-length CD would have been nice, a busy schedule caused the group to think in terms of a “Six Pack” sequel.

“We haven't had a whole lot of time just to sit down and record another full-length album. We're constantly hearing from fans, ‘When's another one coming out?'” Stine said in a recent phone interview. “We wanted to get something out there new for the fans after they had been so patiently waiting.”

So the solution was to go the “Six Pack” route, which Stine said ended up working well. And to the group's surprise, “Six Pack: Vol. II” turned out to also mirror the first “Six Pack” EP in a couple of ways...."
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