Mesa County

Photos: Black voter turns white in campaign flier opposing bill NAACP supports

At 4 p.m. today, the Senate's State Affairs committee is scheduled to consider House Bill 13-1303, a measure intended to make it easier to vote in Colorado. The NAACP Colorado Montana Wyoming State Area Conference has endorsed the proposal even as it decries one particular attempt to rally oppositi ... More >>

Tom Clements: Murdered prison chief seen in new video urging drug-law reform

Tom Clements, the reform-minded head of the Colorado Department of Corrections who was murdered at his home last month by a parolee, makes a posthumous appearance in a new video advocating for one of his favorite causes: more substance abuse treatment for chronic, low-level offenders, freeing up cos ... More >>

A Place at the Table documents hunger in Colorado

"Hunger is hard to recognize in America," CBS's Charles Kuralt intones gravely over images of malnourished children. "We know of it in other places, like Asia or Africa. But these children, all of them, are Americans. And all of them are hungry." That was the message of the landmark 1968 report "Hun ... More >>

Romney backers accidentally voting for Obama?: GOP cites more reports of machine errors

In a race that remains very much a toss-up mere hours before election day, both sides can agree that a very small margin of voters will decide whether Colorado goes red or blue tomorrow. It is for that reason that some Republican Party officials in the state say they're particularly worried about re ... More >>

Romney votes in Colorado might count for Obama? RNC, officials on computer glitch

The Republican National Committee has sent a letter to six states, including Colorado, warning of "voting machine errors" that could cause a vote intended for Mitt Romney to go to Barack Obama. But according to several Colorado election officials, there's no reason to be concerned -- and they don't ... More >>

Marijuana: Denver DA Mitch Morrissey joins law enforcers denouncing Amendment 64

As we noted in a post yesterday about more than 300 doctors urging approval of Amendment 64, the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, shortly after a state organization of pediatricians denounced it, those for and against the measure are engaging in the equivalent of endorsement wars. Today's salvo? ... More >>

Rick Enstrom, House candidate, shocked rival Max Tyler calls paraphernalia-bust claim true

Colorado residents are no stranger to negative political campaigning. But even amid the onslaught of accusatory ads, one state House race boasts a back-and-forth battle that stands out, with one candidate being accused of having been arrested for selling cocaine paraphernalia -- 27 years ago. Rick E ... More >>

Billy Joe Delacey indicted in murder of male escort he met on Craigslist

Billy Joe Delacey is a U.S. Army veteran who had two war-zone deployments. But this service to his country didn't prevent him from being indicted in relation to a brutal crime -- the fatal Mesa County beating of a male escort he's said to have met on Craigslist. See the indictment and get details b ... More >>

THC driving bill back on the table for 2013 legislative session

For the third year in a row, the Colorado legislature will likely consider a THC driving bill . Late last week, Senator Steve King, a Mesa County Republican, announced that he would sponsor a proposal in the 2013 session to set a per-se limit for how much THC can be in a driver's system before he's ... More >>

Marijuana grows: Bad-as-meth-labs study based on clown science?

Officials with the Colorado Drug Investigators Association yesterday announced the results of a study that showed the potential dangers that marijuana grow houses pose to law enforcement officers and the greater community. Not surprising, the study found that having a sloppy, common-sense-free indoo ... More >>

Bizarre Colorado crimes inspiring copycats?

Luke Irvin Chrisco, who became known last summer as the Boulder porta-potty peeper, has been found competent to stand trial -- even if it seems like no person in his right mind would choose such a venue to get his creep on. But strange as that was, someone else pulled a similar stunt, proving that n ... More >>

High and dry: 62 of Colorado's 64 counties qualify for drought disaster relief

The hottest summer on record could also be one of the driest. At the end of June, Governor John Hickenlooper requested that much of this dry, dry state be declared a federal disaster area because of "drought, low snow pack, excessive heat, and high winds" that had started on January 1...with no end ... More >>

Joshua Vohs convicted for taking photos up women's skirts with shoe camera

Remember Richard Reid, the so-called Shoe Bomber, who's among the ten most infamous prisoners in Colorado's supermax prison? Well, now we have a Shoe Cameraman -- not that Joshua Vohs took photos of shoes. Instead, he used the device to snap images up women's skirts. No, we're not making this up.

Medical marijuana retail ban rejected in Lyons, approved in Fruita and Crawford

Yesterday, voters in the communities of Lyons, Fruita and Crawford voted about whether to allow medical marijuana retail sales -- and the results were mixed. Lyons okayed dispensaries, while Crawford and Fruita nixed them even though neither is home to such a business at this time.

Colorado's history of dog stories is long in the tooth

Medical marijuana ban defeated in Palisade in part due to low-key approach, center owner says

Desa Loughman.​This week, Fort Collins voters approved a medical marijuana retail ban. However, electorates in several other communities rejected similar measures, including Steamboat Springs and, most surprisingly, Palisade, a Western Slope burg surrounded by municipalities that have prohibit ... More >>

O'er the Land of the Free

Immigration and Customs Enforcement renews promise to focus on deporting serious criminals

​ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has renewed its promise to focus on serious criminals for detention and deportation. "A new policy directs ICE officers and attorneys to use appropriate discretion to make sure victims and witnesses to crimes are not put into deportation proceedings, ... More >>

Medical marijuana advocate predicts close vote in Grand Junction try to ban dispensaries

​By this evening, Grand Junction residents should know if the majority of residents voted to ban medical marijuana businesses within city limits. Since a prohibition against retail sales in unincorporated Mesa County passed last fall, such an outcome is a done deal, right? Not so, says ban opp ... More >>

Letters: Upcoming state GOP meeting will be for martyrs only

Jack Duke accused of teaching daughters, age 6 and 7, to smoke marijuana: Could face 36 years

Jack Duke.​Advocates of cannabis legalization like Eva Enns of the Women's Marijuana Movement emphasize that the substance should be kept away from children. But apparently Jack Duke, a 27-year-old Grand Junction resident, didn't get the memo. Duke's been arrested on suspicion of teaching tw ... More >>

Richard Stieb allegedly tries to drown Oldo the police dog

Richard Stieb.​Richard Stieb reportedly has a long criminal history, with a felony conviction for burglary among his accomplishments. But according to a Nexis search, none of his alleged crimes generated a single media blip -- until now, after he was charged with doing something sure to earn ... More >>

Body farm: Rotting corpses to be studied near a landfill?

Ready for the farm?​As a proud native of Grand Junction and graduate of the city's Mesa State College, I'm not going to joke about the institution's latest gambit -- the creation of a so-called "body farm," where students will examine rotting human corpses. At least I'm going to try really ha ... More >>

Get your hands off my damn hot tub!

A Flickr photoHope you've got a strong back, bud.​Rather than embellishing this story, plucked from the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel police blotter, we're just going to let it speak for itself. The item reads: "A man in the 500 block of 29 3/8 Road called Mesa County sheriff's deputies on Sun ... More >>

Josh Penry about to announce gubernatorial bid?

A really unposed-looking photo of Scott McInnis and Josh Penry from Penry's campaign website circa 2005. According to Grand Junction's Daily Sentinel newspaper, state senate minority leader Josh Penry, who represents GJ, is planning an announcement on Saturday, July 11, in regard to speculation tha ... More >>

Drive safely this weekend -- or else an army of cops will bust your ass

This weekend, law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force to make sure you don't do anything stupid behind the wheel over the Memorial Day weekend. This link on the Colorado Department of Transportation website details the specific plans of 85 separate organizations. For instanc ... More >>

Republicans weren't the only ones who took a beating in 2008

Wake-Up Call: Looking for work is hard work

Today is officially Keep Colorado Working day – but where, exactly, are people supposed to be working? Yesterday, Intrawest Corporation– which runs Winter Park and owns Steamboat and Copper Mountain – announced companywide cuts. (Happy opening day, Winter Park!) And here in town, longtime ... More >>

Meeting Barack Obama in Grand Junction

News Flash: No Rise in Trangender Bathroom Attacks

Dalton Trumbo Statue Set for Unveiling

More Messages: Janet Strikes Back

Beauty and the Bestiality

Quit horsing around, Bob Beauprez!

More Messages: State of Mind

The Lite Stuff

Off Limits

Sour grapes

Smoke Detector

Anne Landman has dedicated her life to being a pain in the ash. Will it make a difference come election time?

After the Fall

The Evans school has seen a lot over the past century -- including a death last spring. But does this building have a future?

Scratching the Bitch

Joseph Paiva was born defective, but prosecutors stamped him a habitual criminal.

The Message

The Mayor's Race

A Peach of a Good Time

Palisade Peach Fest

Letters to the Editor

From the week of February 1, 2001

Born to Believe

Church members had faith that God would heal their children. But often faith wasn't enough.

Home Is Where the Hurt Is

Colorado’s Make My Day law was designed to protect homeowners who were forced to kill in self-defense. Here’s who it’s really helped.

He's a Real Pistol

Is that a banana in your pocket, or was Bob Silva elected sheriff?

The Love Bug

A Mesa County official secretly eavesdrops on her employee's badmouthing.

Unsafe at Any Speed

That Fits the Bill

Need some special-interest legislation? Here's how this year's session measures up

THEIR AIM IS TRUE

STRANGE BUT TRUE

DRIBBLES AND BITS AND BITS AND BITS.