News from Neighbors
Mayor walks out during discussion
YUMA PIONEER, Nov. 15 — Mayor Joe Harper abruptly resigned during last week’s Yuma City Council meeting as the council discussed the potential of a marijuana dispensary opening in Yuma.
City Manager Scott Moore started off the discussion, explaining the City had researched retail medical and recreational marijuana in regard to dispensaries and impacts in Colorado since Amendment 64 was passed in 2012. “I feel the council should consider this as a potential income source for the City,” Moore said.
Yuma voters passed a ballot question in April approving a sales tax on the sale of marijuana in the event a dispensary ever was to locate here. The new revenue was capped at $1 million.
Moore said there has been some interest by the cannabis industry in locating a dispensary here since the sales tax question was approved.
Harper jumped into the conversation. He noted marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, which in turn leads to banking issues. He pointed out that calls to the poison center in Colorado have increased by 210 percent since Amendment 64 was passed.
“It just goes on and on,” Harper said, noting that studies show drug usage in Colroado continues to rise more than in other states; usage is up in all age groups, including high school.
“I for one will not endorse or put my name on anything to do with it,” the mayor said. “I will not support a recreational marijuana store in this town. It’s the wrong source of money.”
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Flooded feedlot case has widespread implications
STERLING JOURNAL-ADVOCATE, Nov. 16 — A case now wending its way through the Colorado courts could have a dire impact on agriculture and, ultimately, on consumers. That was the message earlier this week from Denver attorney Chris Carrington in a presentation he made to the Northeast Livestock Symposium held in Sterling
Carrington’s law firm, Richards Carrington, represents a cattle-feeding facility about 20 miles south of Wray. The feedlot is fighting a summary judgement that found the feedlot liable of “unlawful taking” of almost 15,000 fish from the Republican River.
According to the Denver Post, the feedlot in question belongs to 5 Star Feedlot based in Bethune.
According to weather records, on the evening of June 5, 2015, southern Yuma County experienced a thunderstorm that dumped more than 2 inches of rain in 30 minutes, causing widespread flash flooding. The rainfall overwhelmed a runoff collection pond at 5 Star’s Idalia feedlot, washing an unknown amount of liquid manure over the top of the pond berm and onto the property below.
A neighbor later called state officials and said he saw effluent washing over Yuma County Road 7 near the feedlot. Several days after the storm, the owner of a local bait shop told the Colorado Division of Wildlife he’d found dead fish in several small fishing ponds in the area.
According to court records, CDW counted 379 dead fish in the South Fork of the Republican River, some 3.5 miles away, and assumed the fish kill had been caused by 5 Star’s overwhelmed effluent ponds. By extrapolating the 379 fish over the reach of the Republican River from that point to the state line, CDW calculated that 14,711 fish were killed. Kansas officials added another 200,000 fish, although it’s not known whether any dead fish were actually found in Kansas.
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Re-elected Sen. Hughes excited for new term
IMPERIAL REPUBLICAN, Nov. 15 — State Sen. Dan Hughes was overwhelmed with the support he received during last week’s general election. Hughes of Venango, Nebraska, won the Nebraska Legislature seat for the 44th District, against opponent Stephanie L. Malcom of Palisade, Nebraska, with 77 percent of the votes in the 10-county district.
“They must think I’m doing a good job,” Hughes said. “I’m very grateful for their support.”
Art program returns to Caliche School
STERLING JOURNAL-ADVOCATE, Nov. 14 — After several years without an art program, students at Caliche School are getting their creative juices flowing.
Through a series of budget cuts, the art program at Caliche was eliminated, but thanks to donations from the community, the school was able to fund an art program this year. Ryan Rosete, who is the K-12 music teacher, has stepped up to also provide art classes for kindergarten through sixth grade, while J.P. Lambrecht teaches junior high students.
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Peetz beats Otis 84-78, sets state playoff scoring record
STERLING JOURNAL-ADVOCATE, Nov. 14 — The Peetz Bulldogs have grown up a bit since the last time they faced the Otis Bulldogs in the opening game of the six-man football season on Aug. 24. Otis was top dog that day, 64-43.
But that was then.
This time the defending six-man state champions refused to surrender their “bone” to another dog, beating Otis 84-78 in the closing seconds of the state quarterfinal matchup.
The 84-78 quarterfinal game went down in CHSAA history as the most points scored by two teams in a state football playoff game, with 162 combined points.
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