After the unprecedented 2002 drought the State of Colorado undertook the Statewide Water Supply Initiative. It was then determined that the Arkansas Basin will lack as much as 100,000 acre feet in order to meet growth in municipal and industrial uses by 2050. To meet that shortage the water community proposed three solutions: new water development, additional trans-basin diversions from the Colorado River, and conservation. All of these solutions depend upon increasing water storage. The Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District (UAWCD) is undertaking the establishment of a Water Storage Authority.

Terry Scanga, General Manager of UAWCD will discuss the methodologies of closing the gap as well as the advent of augmentation, what it is and why the concept was created in 1969.

The presentation will take place on Wednesday, May 22 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room of the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District offices at 339 E. Hwy 50 in Salida. The event is free, but donations to GARNA are encouraged. Please contact GARNA at 539-5106 or email info@garna.org with questions.

The program will run from June 3rd through August 9th and is available Monday-Friday except for July 4th. Any youth in Chaffee County, 18 and under, can enjoy a free meal at the Salida Boys & Girls Club from noon – 1:00 pm all summer long. Children do not need to be a member of the Club, there are no eligibility requirements, and nor is there any paperwork for parents to fill out in order for kids to receive a free meal. Children under six must be accompanied by an adult. If children wish to remain at the Boys & Girls Club after the lunch program is finished, they must become members of the Club to participate.

In addition to feeding kids all summer, the Salida Boys & Girls Club needs community volunteers to assist staff with the extra tasks associated with this program: checking in non-members who will receive lunch, organizing and distributing lunches, and lunchroom set-up and breakdown. Volunteers are needed from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at the Salida Boys & Girls Club. The support of local volunteers is especially important to keep this program going. An easy online volunteer sign-up is available at http://vols.pt/h6E7cu, or contact Tammy Cannedy at 539-9500.

Your comments are solicited; I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Stephen “Doc” Berman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2013

This is to announce that 471 placer mining claims covering approximately 9300 acres, named collectively the Option Antero and the Aqua-Mermaid claims, have been recorded at the Chaffee County Courthouse.

Due to wide exposure of The Weather Channel’s reality show “Prospectors”, thrill-seekers, gem-rushers, the greedy and the selfish from around the world are expected to travel to Mounts Antero and White this year. By acquiring these claims, there is now no reason for continuation or expansion of the reckless behaviour and violent acts revealed by the producers of this show.

Now, all further prospecting is closed in the Mount Antero and Mount White region shown on the attached map.

All existing lode mining claims, and existing mill sites dependent upon them, within the border shown on the map will be challenged to prove they have actually discovered lodes or filed timely all necessary documents as defined by state and federal laws.

Now, a single answer can be given by elected officials, local law enforcement, BLM authorities, Forest Service officials, mountain and river guides, community groups, news organizations, environmental groups, outfitters, rock shops, jewelers, mineral societies, and all others, if asked about prospecting on Mount Antero and Mount White, and that is:

“THE ENTIRE REGION HAS BEEN CLAIMED.”

Antero Mining Options wishes to also announce plans to consider eventual transfer of its mining claims to a future “Gemstone National Park”. All interested parties wishing to be partners in preserving this unique national treasure and protecting the source of Aquamarine, the Colorado State Gemstone, should contact me for formulation of a 1000 year plan for the region.
Sincerely,

Stephen “Doc” Berman

President, Antero Mining Options (A Colorado Corporation)

Address inquires only to:

antero.mining.options@gmail.com

A veritable A-list of environmental organizations, raft outfitters and a trickle of private citizens voiced unanimous support for National Monument and Wildnerness designation for Browns Canyon at a listening session hosted by US Sen. Mark Udall at American Mountaineering Center in Golden this weekend.

While audience support was unanimous, Udall took note of the comments of three speakers who he felt raised good points. Nathan Fey, speaking on behalf of the country’s leading whitewater advocacy group, American Whitewater, encouraged Udall to also consider protection for the Arkansas River bed. Some speakers were split on the scope of the boundaries of the wilderness area with some favoring adding more to the 10,500 acres of new Wilderness outlined in Udall’s proposed legislation. Udall also took note of a comment from foresty national resources consultant and Nathrop area property owner Jim McGannon who cautioned that National Monument status could be “overkill” if resources are not also provided to properly manage the increase in traffic and use that traditionally accompanies federally designated monument status.

Virtually every outfitter with offices in the Upper Ark River Valley also spoke on behalf of preserving Browns Canyon with Monument and Wilderness designation. The list included American Adventure Expeditions, Arkansas Valley Adventures, Dvorak’s Kayak and Rafting Expeditions, Echo Canyon River Expeditions, KODI Rafting, Noah’s Ark Whitewater Rafting, Performance Tours, Wilderness Aware Rafting and Front Range based Geo Tours Whitewater Raft Trips.

The roster of organizations who spoke on behalf of Browns Canyon were representative of users who already enjoy the area including rafters, kayakers, hunters, anglers, hikers and backpackers:  American Whitewater, Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition, Colorado Mountain Club, The Wilderness Society, Sportsmen for Browns Canyon, Environmental Learning for Kids, the Wichita, KS based Arkansas River Coalition, Arkansas River Outfitters Association and Colorado River Outfitters Association, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Colorado Wildlife Federation, Colorado Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.

Small businesses also spoke in support of Browns Canyon preservation. Andrea West, co-owner of Fire on the Mountain Buffalo Wings in Denver’s West Highland neighborhood said she and  her partners met while rafting guiding on the Arkansas. West spoke of the important asset Browns Canyon is to Colorado’s renowned reputation for outdoor recreation. Another former raft guide, Alex Dowie, told Udall he met and proposed marriage to his fiancee while both were guides on the Arkansas.

On behalf of the Ark Valley Libation Society, Lee Hart thanked Udall both for his support of Browns Canyon as well as proposed tax relief legislation that would benefit small production craft brewers. She used AVLS as an example of the broad bases small business support for Browns Canyon even among businesses that do not have direct ties to the recreation economy in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. To audience applause and quips from Udall, Hart introduced Udall to the Society’s first collaborative effort, Brown’s Canyon India Style Brown Ale. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the limited edition ale will benefit the advocacy efforts of locally based Friends of Browns Canyon. The ale recipe and ingredients are a collaborative effort of AVLS brewers Elevation Beer Co., Amica’s Pizza and Microbrewery and Moonlight Pizza and Brew Pub. The special edition brew is available only at member producers and allied retail and restaurant members of AVLS.

The Salida Natural Resource Center Development Corporation Board agenda for the May 21 meeting is available.

Agenda

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Article source: http://cityofsalida.com/2013/05/may-21-nrc-board-meeting-agenda-available/

City Council Materials are available for May 21.

Agenda

Packet

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Article source: http://cityofsalida.com/2013/05/city-council-materials-available-for-may-21/

The City of Salida 2012 calendar year Drinking Water Quality Report has been released.

The report finds no violations or formal enforcement actions.

Any questions? Please contact Lonnie Oversole, Water Plant Director at 719-539-6721

Water consumer report

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Article source: http://cityofsalida.com/2013/05/city-of-salida-2012-drinking-water-quality-report/

From Joyce Reno, Chaffee County Clerk

There will be a Liquor Training Class on Monday, May 20 at the Chaffee County Fairgounds.

The class will be held from 11am – to approximately 1:30pm.

Russ Elliott, Colo. Dept. of Rev., Liquor Enforcement, will conduct the class. There will be no charge for the class.

Following the class, a written test will be given to all class participants.  A Certificate of Completion will be issued to each of your employees who attend the class and pass the test.  (Don’t worry! It is not a hard test). It will be mailed to you.

The certificate(s) may be used for insurance purposes regarding proof of instruction.

If you would like to sign up for the class do so by 3pm today 5/17.

Call Joyce Reno at 719-530-5600 to sign up or learn more.

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Article source: http://cityofsalida.com/2013/05/7522/

At the last Salida City Council work session on May 7th City Council decided to alter their work session schedule.

Work sessions will now be held on the first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. followed by the regular Council meeting at 7 p.m. On the third Tuesday of the month, the regular Council meeting will begin at 6 p.m.

The first work session under the new schedule will be 6pm on Tuesday, June 4^th.

The change was made to accommodate Council members with full-time jobs. Now all Council meetings or work sessions will occur after regular business hours.

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Article source: http://cityofsalida.com/2013/05/change-in-salida-city-council-work-session-time/

Some really ugly facts about plastic bags.

• Over 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year worldwide. Consider China, a country of 1.3 billion, which consumes 3 billion plastic bags daily, according to China Trade News.
• About 1 million plastic bags are used every minute.
• The U.S. goes through 100 billion single-use plastic bags. This costs retailers about $4 billion a year.
• Plastic bags are the second-most common type of ocean refuse, after cigarette butts (2008)
• Every square mile of ocean has about 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in it.

Salida, CO – Member brewers of the newly founded Ark Valley Libation Society have joined together to produce their first collaborative beer to both help get the group off the ground and benefit the effort to preserve a unique local treasure.

A portion of proceeds from the sale of the limited edition Browns Canyon India Style Brown Ale will be donated to Friends of Browns Canyon, a local group dedicated to preserving the iconic local whitewater canyon corridor as the nation’s newest Monument and Wilderness area.

Browns Canyon India Style Brown Ale is brewed with Belgian yeast strain and delivers the hop forward delights of a traditional India Pale Ale with the malt backbone of a brown making this a very unique brew. AVLS vice-president Xandy Bustamante, of Elevation Beer Co., said the group had fun working together and that all are extremely pleased with the outcome. “I don’t think we’ll have any trouble selling out,” Bustamante said. “I think it’ll be gone in less than two months.”

Bustamante explained the idea behind the project was to allow the group to do what it does best, make delicious craft beer, in order to help raise funds to get the guild off the ground. The mission of the group is to help put the area on the map as a statewide destination of craft beer and spirits in much the same way as Colorado’s Grand Valley is known for wine. AVLS is also unified in its commitment to the community. AVLS members were eager to have a portion of the proceeds of the product benefit a local non-profit. AVLS President Mike LaCroix said Friends of Browns Canyon was an easy choice.

Keith Baker, executive director of the conservation-oriented non-profit said he was pleasantly surprised when AVLS contacted him about the project. “It’s not every day you get a call from a group asking if it’s ok to donate money to your non-profit,” Baker said. “Hopefully, the money can help us get Sen. Mark Udall’s proposed legislation the final mile so future generations of Coloradans can enjoy the 22,000-acre area’s unique mix of exciting whitewater, wildlife and wilderness recreation that’s so accessible to the Front Range.”

AVLS is comprised of craft beer and spirit makers in this rural mountain valley in south central Colorado. Each of the three brewer-members of the guild – Amica’s Pizza and Microbrewery, Elevation Beer Co., and Moonlight Pizza and Brew Pub – put together their award-winning expertise and contributed ingredients necessary to produce this unique small-batch beer, about 450 gallons in all. The beer will also be sold in bottles at AVLS associate members such as Arlie Dale’s Jug Liquor Store, Benson’s Tavern and Beer Garden and others.

In addition to the brewers, AVLS founding producer-members include Wood’s High Mountain Distillery and Deerhammer Distilling Co. in upriver sister town, Buena Vista. The two local gin and whiskey making friends plan to collaborate on a special limited edition spirituous beverage.

ABOUT

The Ark Valley Libation Society is dedicated to promoting the Upper Arkansas River Valley as a unique Colorado destination offering exceptional opportunities to visitors and residents for education and the responsible enjoyment of craft beer, wine and spirits.

The startup is self-supported through the sale of collaborative product, special events, and passports that offer varying discounts on visits to member establishments. Silver passports are $25 and offer 10 percent off one visit to each member. Gold passports cost $50 and are good for 15 percent off unlimited visits to each member. Passports may be purchased and used at any of the member producer establishments for one year from date of purchase. Passport holders also get a free tasting, swag, and invite to the group’s annual passport holders fundraiser. Discounts are valid only for on-premise consumption of food and beverages. For additional information, visit the AVLS Facebook page or website, http://www.ArkValleyLibations.com