There is a new proposal to open a large number of Chaffee County roads to unlicensed Off Highway Vehicle use, and it has the potential to negatively impact you, your home, and the entire county. County roads are closed to OHV use (ATVs and dirt motorcycles) by state law. Counties have the authority to modify this.

Opening county roads to OHVs will negatively impact habitat, ecosystems, all quiet users, existing uses, residents, the enviroment and safety along these routes. The proposal includes opening Spiral Drive/County Road 176 and a section of County Road 173 on City of Salida Open Space land on Tenderfoot Hill., which could shroud downtown Salida, the riverfront, the Salida  Mountain Trail system and the entire city in a cloud of noise, dust, exhaust, etc.

The proposal also includes opening County Road 185 further north off of Ute Trail/CR 175.  This action will form a new connection between Salida and very heavily used Fourmile motorized recreation area near Buena Vista.  Opening CR 185 will allow large numbers of OHVs and the OHV related problems of Fourmile (off route use, dust/erosion, dispersed motorized camping impacts, displacement of other public land users) to spread south to Salida.

This is not about access as all these roads are already open to licensed passenger vehicles.  OHV users already have over 500 miles of open and legally designated routes available to them in Chaffee County.   Its not about transportation as OHVs are recreational vehicles. It is about excess access for the convenience and fun for a small percentage of public land users (whose chosen form of recreation is very high impact and often not compatible with other uses).

Proponents of this proposal are presenting this as an economic benefit to the county. There may be limited benefits but the costs of potentially displacing our already existing economic base (the majority of locals and tourists who live here and visit to enjoy our quiet community, hike, bike, climb, boat, camp, fish, hunt etc, etc.) is far too great a risk to take for the benefit of a few.

This proposal has the potential to change the very nature of Chaffee County.

There will be a public input meeting regarding this Wednesday Feb 8 at 1 p.m. in the Commissioner Meeting room of the County Courthouse on Crestone Ave. in Salida. Anyone is welcome to comment in general or with specific reasons why specific routes should or should not be opened.

You can also submit email comments to the Commissioners and their staff at:
dgiese@chaffeecounty.org, fholman@chaffeecounty.org, dpotts@chaffeecounty.org, bchristianse@chaffeecounty.org, dreimer@chaffeecounty.org,pbaldwin@chaffeecounty.org

You can view the county memo with more information at http://gigshowcase.com/EndUserFiles/33312.pdf

The above press release was submitted by The Chaffee Running Club. We have reviewed the proposal here at The Citizen and believe Chaffee County should fight this proposal and continue its pursuit of quiet use visitors. Our experience around quads has been consistently poor. With an extensive effort by Salida Mountain Trails in recent years to develop hiking and biking trails in and around Salida, the idea of letting the notoriously fast and often out of control quads on roads with blind corners and loose gravel, (where small children hike and learn to ride bikes) is comical. If you need proof, head up Silver Creek this 4th of July. Its unfortunate for responsible OHV riders, of which there are many in Chaffee County.

Salt Lake City, Utah
Driving around Salt Lake City on a pleasant day last June in a plain white city government car, Doug Dansie pauses at the corner of two streets, 1300 South and 300 East. This is a residential neighborhood where old trees tower over the houses. But there’s no house on this particular corner lot. Instead, it’s occupied by a billboard.

The billboard isn’t a 10-story freeway giant or one of those garish cutting-edge electronic signs that constantly flash digital ads like imitation Las Vegas casinos. It’s only about 25 feet tall, with four angled faces that advertise a “Gem Faire” for dealers and jewelers as well as a nonprofit group that helps Iraq War veterans.

Still, “it’s inappropriate to have a billboard in a residential area,” says Dansie, a senior land-use planner for the city with decades of experience, who’s wearing a striped shirt with his sunglasses secured by a cord around his neck.

Beyond the question of whether a billboard should stand next to houses in the first place, some people resent this billboard for a different reason. For more than five years, neighborhood residents have been trying to create a park on this small lot to honor a police sergeant, Ronald L. Heaps, who was shot to death here in 1982. They’ve raised some cash, and the city has offered grant money, but they haven’t been able to strike a deal with the billboard company, which owns the lot as well as the sign. Dansie puts it bluntly: “The billboard is holding up the park plan.”

He drives on past other controversial billboards; there are many. Much larger signs emblazoned with hard-to-ignore ads for everything under the sun — office-furniture blowouts, lingerie, colonoscopy doctors, Rio Tinto mining, and a fast-food chain with a playfully illiterate slogan — Eat Mor Chikin — dominate long stretches of I-15, the main corridor through the string of cities along the scenic Wasatch Mountain Front. Other billboards punctuate the metro area, even in the midst of an active downtown renewal effort….Continue reading full article

What do you think about the highway 50 corridor Salida?

Isn’t it time for those in political office to stop the charade? Most of us feel that those in power seem to be only concerned with one thing: their own power and protecting that power (is that two things?). Be it loyalty to their party or just to their own gravy train, they only look out for themselves. Perhaps we should enact a law that those in Washington can only serve one term (maybe 4-6 years) and then never be able to serve a again. A nice cap on that policy might be to prohibit them from becoming lobbyists or consultants in any capacity which might draw upon their previous experience in politics. The idea would be to ensure that those we elect are there to serve the people, instead of their party or their own self interest. Our current political system is completely polluted by money and greed. It is a sad day when huge corporations are spending more money on lobbyists than they pay in taxes. But of course, we can’t tax those poor corporations (people) any more. They may get angry and not create the jobs our country needs to thrive.

Hi Doug,

I just received a mailing from your office and would like to express my opinion on a couple of subjects. I noticed that the mailing was “prepared, paid for and published at taxpayer expense.” Because my money has funded this piece of literature, I feel that I should have a say as to what is printed in the future. Sadly, I likely will not.

First of all, as a voter whose district you represent, I am quite unhappy with your decision to not attend the recent State of the Union Address. Your behavior seems childish and divisive. As my representative, I expect you, at the very least, to be involved in a dialogue with both sides. It seems obvious to me, but I will note that even if the majority of your constituents might be of a certain political bent, remember that a large number of individuals may not be. It is your duty to represent ALL of those in your district, not just those with whom you agree. Politics should be about what is best for all the people, not necessarily the majority.

Regarding your recent mailing, I immediately see a couple of glaring examples of hypocrisy. You claim that “we must cut unnecessary government spending” on the one hand. Yet you devote a large amount of space to not cutting our defense spending. You also state, “Government does not create jobs.” On the back of that page, you claim that reductions in military spending will cost one million jobs. Which side of your argument is true and which is a lie? Twisting the same facts to suit your desired argument is ridiculous and insulting to voters.

Until the forces of another country are at our border, I do not feel it is our responsibility to defend ourselves. Sending our troops to places like Iraq and Afghanistan is a ridiculous waste of lives and money in the name of politics and patriotism. If anything, I feel that the recent military actions of our country have made us even more of a target for our enemies. Instead of spending hundreds of billions (or trillions) of dollars on wars in far flung locations, I would much rather those funds be used to provide valuable services to those in our own country.

How many jobs could be created building new infrastructure with the trillions of dollars that politicians vote to send to overseas conflicts? As a benefit, we would have that improved infrastructure for years to come. Money spent on conflict primarily fattens the wallets of other countries and large government contractors. Countless millions of dollars were squandered in Iraq, without officials even knowing where it went. If you claim to be for cutting wasteful spending, that would be an excellent place to start.

Perhaps we could bring our troops home and keep them here. Perhaps we could use some of the savings to provide job training and education to them (and others) so that they could find rewarding work outside the military after their service. How many people could receive health care with those same trillions of dollars? Our country provides government subsidized health care to its veterans. Why shouldn’t the rest of the country be entitled to some health care benefit as well? It seems that most people would agree that Medicare and veteran’s health care is a good thing. Are the rest of the people not entitled to the same benefits?

I understand that your district includes an area which is very heavily supported by military funding. I understand that those voters support more military spending. It is natural for voters to want what directly benefits them, in the same way that those on welfare would vote for more welfare benefits. However, it would be far more patriotic for those people to do what is right, even if it means giving up some of the things which directly benefit them.

I believe it is especially important for those in political office to also do what is right for the greater good. Watching and listening to the incredible level of divisive politics in our country sickens me. I am not an affiliated voter. I am conservative in some ways and liberal in others. But I must say that the level of vitriol that comes out of the mouths of most Republicans these days sickens me. Sadly, you as my own representative in Congress seem to be one of the worst offenders. It seems that the only Republican agenda is to win the White House and control of the country, so that the will of the party can be imposed upon everyone.

Wouldn’t our country be a better place if those who make the decisions thought of what is best for the country as a whole and not what is best for their own self interest? Is it possible for YOU to be an example?

Thank you,

Joe Judd

Hart travels the world performing solo and with his band, Muscle Theory. While Hart’s career highlights are too numerous to list, major accomplishments include:

• 1997 W.C. Handy Award for Best New Artist.
• 1998 Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll Award for best blues album.
• 2001 Living Blues Magazine’s best guitarist.
• 2003 Grammy nomination.
• 2004 Grammy award.
• Two Living Blues awards.

In 2006 Hart worked as guitar tutor to actor Samuel L. Jackson for his role in the movie “Black Snake Moan.” In 2007 Hart portrayed a juke joint musician in the Denzel Washington film “The Great Debaters.” Explore his music here.

Opening act Valerie June is a Tennessee musician whose voice has been described as “liquid silk.”

For years June has performed in Memphis, where her talent and stage presence earned her a feature spot on the MTV Web series “$5 Cover.” A self-taught guitarist, banjoist and songwriter, June has crafted a sound that draws on the best of Southern traditions and has attracted a following throughout the United States, Ireland, Hungary and Germany. Explore her music here.
Tickets cost $25 the day of show. Tickets are available at the SteamPlant Box Office, which is open until showtime, on the SteamPlant website or by calling 719.530.0933.The concerts are being produced by A Music Company Inc. and KRCC Concerts.

But when a steady stream of customers began coming through the door before the family-owned Chagrin Hardware had even opened for the day on Saturday, it was clear that it had turned into much more than that.

The idea started with Jim Black, a resident of Chagrin Falls, a close-knit village in Cleveland’s eastern suburbs that is part artist colony and part bedroom community. Black posted the email to a group of his friends. “Let’s show our support for one of our local businesses,” he wrote. “I challenge everyone to spend AT LEAST $20 at the hardware on the 21st.”

Although his email referred to the idea of a “Cash Mob” or the notion to “Occupy CF Hardware,” he really had no political agenda. And it wasn’t meant as a protest against the big-box stores that have created an ever-tightening circle around the community.

It was just a way to thank Chagrin Hardware’s owners for a beloved shop that has been a fixture in the village since 1857.

“These are good people who needed our support,” Black said. “It’s just that simple.”

The store, overlooking meandering Riverside Park and the Chagrin River in the middle of town, has been run by the Shutts family for the last 72 years. It passed from uncle to father to older brothers Rob and Kenny and the three youngest, Steve, Susie and Jack, who run the store today.

Black’s note was forwarded and forwarded and forwarded again. Calls started coming in from folks out of state who wanted to make a purchase over the phone.

And when the day came, so did the shoppers — one by one, with dogs on leashes and children in tow, hour after hour until the hardware was teeming with customers.

“This is small-town America,” said resident Martine Scheuermann, a bag of pet-safe ice melt in her arms and her Springer Spaniels tapping their toes on the worn wooden floor at her feet. “This is a special family business in a town where everybody knows you.”

The store has seen its share of tough times. Road construction on Main Street at the store’s front door some years back crippled business for a time. More recently, the weakened economy and the big boxes have stolen away customers.

On this day, though, those storylines were forgotten.

By 10 a.m. the place was jammed. By 1:30 p.m., the credit card machine was overloaded and had to be reset. “This is so cool,” said Steve Shutts, a mix of joy, wonder and happy exhaustion spread across his face. “I’ve seen people today I haven’t seen in years.”

The line at the checkout stretched in two directions as people with snow shovels and light bulbs and fireplace grates and vintage movie posters and horse shoe caulk — yes, horse shoe caulk — waited to pay.

Chad Schron, 38, came with his 8-year-old son Robert. “We didn’t have anything we had to get, but we found things we had to get,” he said. As he spoke, Robert clutched an Ohio State desk lamp and two flying monkey toys to his chest.

“When I was a kid, my Mom would send me down here with a note to let me buy BB’s,” Schron recalled. “Lots of kids did that back then. The notes still are in a drawer over there,” he said as he pointed past the register to a wall of wooden drawers containing everything from old springs to screws. In the drawer still labeled “BBs” were stacks of crumpled notes dating to the ’50s, from mothers just like Schron’s

When the final customer had finally left well after closing time with her fuzzy dice and floodlights, Schwind and Steve Shutts tallied the day’s receipts. Shutts shook his head at the wild and unexpected ride.
He wouldn’t say how much the store made that day, but was clearly pleased with the outcome.

“Thanks to Jimmy Black,” he said. “Thanks to everyone. Thanks to Chagrin Falls.

“What a place to live.”

We will resume our monthly trail work days as soon as conditions and weather permit.

You can also check the SMT website http://salidamountaintrails.org/ for updates.

With a little homework it was clear that Nestle was laughing all the way to the bank. In the end, after realizing that the commissioners were ignoring public comment entirely, locals had the opportunity to negotiate for millions in a trust ..they chose to settle for pennies. I cannot speak to the details in the letter below, but when Nestle first came to the valley, I was stunned by the first hand comments I heard from other communities where Nestle was allowed in. The general consensus was: “don’t let them in, but if you cannot fight them off, watch them very closely.”

I am posting a letter that we just received, and the links above for all of new folks to the valley who may have missed the “Nestle hearings” a couple years ago. -bd*

BUT FIRST, THIS LOVELY OVERVIEW FROM CORPORATE WATCH:

The most obvious damage to Nestlé’s reputation has been its unethical marketing of artificial baby milk, particularly in the global south. This started to become a major issue in the 1970s when War on Want published a report called “The Baby Killer”, which was translated into German by the Berne Third World Action Group who were subsequently sued for libel, having named their version “Nestlé Kills Babies.”

However, as McDonalds were later to find out, suing critics tends to have a rather galvanising effect, and the publicity which came out of the case hurt Nestlé much more than the activists. In 1977 a boycott was launched, which continued until 1984, when Nestlé agreed to abide by the World Health Organization’s International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. However, the fact did not match up to the promises and the boycott was re-launched in 1988, continuing vigorously today.

There is, of course, much more to Nestlé than the baby milk issue. The company has attracted criticism for its use of genetically modified ingredients, and for its cocoa and coffee-buying policies, including purchasing cocoa from Ivory Coast, which has recently received heavy press coverage due to the existence of child slavery on cocoa plantations. The company has also been implicated in lobbying against vaccination of livestock during the British Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in 2001. From environmental destruction in Brazil to the intimidation of trade unionists in Colombia, from demanding millions in compensation from hunger-stricken Ethiopia to bolstering its image through proposing donations to breast cancer charities – Nestlé is easily one of the world’s most hated companies.

LETTER TO THE CITIZEN:

Submitted by Kristin Urquiza

In the name of greed, Nestlé has: struck backroom deals with politicians to control local water supplies without community consent; pumped billions of gallons of water, threatening wildlife and pristine wilderness areas; and aggressively marketed bottled water to low-income communities to convince them to spend their hard-earned money on something we all already get from the tap.

If that wasn’t enough, Nestlé is now working directly with the World Bank to put public water in private hands country-by-country. Your support today will help expose and challenge this Nestlé-led partnership. You can help by giving today to prevent this Nestlé-led global corporate water grab. In 2011, Corporate Accountability International helped North Florida residents put the kibosh on Nestlé’s plans to make their cherished Wacissa River a bottling hub. In 2012, the organization will again stand with such communities, whether in North America or in developing countries the bottling giant is now targeting for expansion.

You can help guarantee water as a human right, not a commodity to be bought and sold. Please fund this work as generously as you can. Thank you in advance for your support toward realizing a world where this most basic human need is available to all people.

Onward,

Kristin Urquiza
Think Outside the Bottle Campaign Director
Corporate Accountability International

Corporate Accountability International is working toward a world where decisions affecting people and the environment are based on public interest, not maximizing corporate profits. Learn more about Corporate Accountability International’s campaigns here.

*Since its inception, I have used The Citizen as a tool to take a personal stand on a few issues: One was Nestle, another was to help pass the bond for our new high school, whose construction is coming along wonderfully. Lastly, I am a huge fan of high school mountain bike race team. Call me biased, but with hundreds of thousands of pageviews, free global distribution and as long as we are living in a relatively free society we should all be using The Citizen to exercise our voice. I try my best to hide in the background and leave the rest of the Citizen as a forum for the community. Thanks for caring about the valley and supporting this little social experiment.

When a recent family event necessitated an impromptu trip back to New Zealand, a day on the Mohaka was my number one recreational priority. I managed to hook up with Steve, a friend who’s been fishing and hunting the central North Island for the best part of three decades. In that time of guiding the rich and famous he’s walked away from helicopter crashes, dodged the slings and arrows of outraged husbands, caught more fish than is decent, and like most guides probably drank enough to kill several small elephants in the process.

It had been over five years since I’d had oars and feet planted in a New Zealand river, and in terms of my fishing technique, it showed. Despite knowing better, it always seems to take a while to reintroduce myself to the realities of New Zealand fishing. You tend to not get too many opportunities, so a fish missed as the result of a clumsy cast or mistimed hook set or too tight a rein always leaves you pondering, wondering: will the river will give you another chance, or has she shut the door on your face and turned the key? Gentle Colorado-style hook sets get treated with head shaking disdain, while attempting to arrest that first charging run with a drag set too tight results in bent hooks and the kind of language that would make a sailor blush.

Fortunately this day, the Mohaka was a patient mistress. My first fumblings were tolerated, and after taking a break for lunch and a beer, I got my mojo working at last. The reward for me was a couple of lovely fish, a rainbow and a brown, a day spent on a special river in perfect company, and the commitment to ensure that it is not another five years hence before I again get to immerse myself in the sights, sounds and smells of one of the most special places on Earth.

Please feel free to share this flyer with anyone who might be interested!

We’ll kick off the challenge with the New Year’s Day 5K Walk/Run on January 1^st.  With a late morning start time, you’ll have plenty of time to wake up, then come on down to the Scout Hut to register between 9 and 10.  The event starts from the Scout Hut at 10, proceeds along the Monarch Spur Trail, and will finish back at the Hut.  Make it extra fun by wearing a costume or funky get-up.  Prizes will be awarded to the top male and female finishers, as well as best costume!  Only $10 to participate, and all ages and abilities are welcome.

As part of the Challenge, we encourage you to track your participation on the 2012 Fitness Challenge log.  Pick up your copy at the pool, or find it online at www.SalidaRec.com/fitness.  You’ll find instructions for awarding yourself points for completing different activities, and a log to keep track of your points.  Anyone who logs at least 15 points will be entered into a random prize drawing, and top point scorers will be awarded prizes as well.  Prizes will all be geared toward helping you keep your commitment to an active and healthy lifestyle.

Finally, Salida Recreation and Hot Springs Aquatic Center are offering a punch pass good for discounted fitness classes during January and February.  Each $40 pass is good for 12 of any of the classes offered by Salida Recreation, plus 1 Zumba® class.  This brings the price per class down to nearly $3!  You can purchase them now as a gift, or a commitment to yourself, and they will be available during January and February.

The holidays are a time for celebration and enjoyment, and the New Year is a chance to renew commitments and challenge yourself to be your best.  The 2012 Fitness Challenge is a chance to participate in a structured 9 week program than encompasses nutrition and fitness—and most things are completely free!  You can, of course, pick and choose any of the activities to participate it, but we think the whole 2 months will be a great experience!

FREE TUESDAY SEMINARS (Scout Hut, 6-7pm):

January 3^rd: “Goal setting: Dr.’s Fitness Prescription & Guidelines”
January 10^th: “Exercise Myths and Exercise Prescriptions”
January 17^th: “10 Things You Never Thought Counted As Exercise”
January 24^th: “Affordable & Healthy Superfoods”
January 31^st: “Nutrition Myths & Food Journaling”
February 7^th: “Veggie Jeopardy & Sundae School”
February 14^th: No lecture.  Happy Valentine’s Day!
February 21^st: “Mind Over Matter: Maintaining Healthy Habits”
February 28^th: “Self-Care & Maintenance Goal Setting with R.N.”

FREE SATURDAY WORKOUTS:

Plastic water bottles are the biggest single source of garbage in America’s most iconic national park. So the National Parks Service had a plan: ban the sale of plastic water bottles in the Grand Canyon and invest in refillable water stations instead. The park was just weeks from implementing the ban — and then Coca Cola stepped in.

According to the New York Times, Coca Cola — which has donated $13 million to national parks — asked the National Park Service to not ban the sale of plastic water bottles. Incredibly, the head of the National Parks Service bowed to Coke, and cancelled the Grand Canyon’s bottle ban.

When Stiv Wilson, a Change.org member who’s dedicated himself to stopping plastic waste, saw that Coke forced the Grand Canyon to keep selling plastic water bottles, he started a petition on Change.org to bring back the bottle ban. Please add your name to Stiv’s petition asking the Director of the National Park Service to reinstate the ban on selling plastic water bottles in the Grand Canyon.

Plastic bottle waste doesn’t just harm the Grand Canyon. Bottles can get swept up by the Colorado River, which runs through the park, and then dumped into the ocean. Countless animals and environments are forever harmed by plastic waste that originates in the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon National Park wouldn’t be the first to ban the sale of plastic water bottles. In 2008, Zion National Park in Utah banned plastic water bottles. The National Park Service even gave the park an environmental achievement award for eliminating 60,000 plastic bottles from the park in its first year.

Supporters of the ban fear that the National Park Service is becoming increasingly dependent on corporate donations as its budget shrinks, making our national parks vulnerable to pressure from companies like Coke. It’s important to show the National Park Service that people don’t want Coca-Cola to call the shots in our nation’s parks, especially when it comes to protecting the environment.

Please add your name to Stiv’s petition calling on the National Park Service to reinstate the ban on selling plastic water bottles in the Grand Canyon.

http://www.change.org/petitions/director-national-park-service-save-the-grand-canyon-from-coca-cola-ban-plastic-bottles-in-the-park

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Corinne and the Change.org team

P.S. People are taking action on important issues using Change.org everyday. Please check out these urgent petitions that need your support:

On November 30, a court in Belarus will decide whether to sentence Vladislav and Dmitry to death — based only on confessions allegedly obtained through torture. Vladislav’s mother has started a petition to try to save her son’s life and get a real investigation into the attacks he and Dmitry are being blamed for.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is censoring science materials for teachers to avoid mentioning climate change. Mobi Warren, a fifth-grade science teacher in Texas, started a petition to demand they publish uncensored materials.

The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages started a petition to support legislation in the New York state Senate to shut down the New York City’s abusive horse-drawn carriage industry.

Paolo Ziritti survived 18 months of torture and abuse in a “clinic” in Ecuador trying to “cure” her of being a lesbian. A brave group of women called Fundacion Causana started a petition to shut down the 187 remaining “ex-gay clinics” like the one Paola was forcibly confined in.

Mina Johnson is the first girl to play football for her school — and she’s a star player. But she was benched for two games this season because other schools wouldn’t play against a girl. Join the U.S. Women’s Tackle Football team’s campaign to demand North Carolina schools let girls play football.
Hector Ortega-Valladares survived cancer and escaped violence in Honduras to find happiness with his fiancée Hilda in the United States. But now U.S. Immigration authorities want to break up their family. Sign Hilda’s petition to keep Hector at home.

Four American and European tech companies are helping the repressive Syrian government build a new Internet surveillance system to help quash democratic protests. Syrian activist Anas Qtiesh started a petition to get these companies to completely cut their ties with the regime now.

Submitted by R. Davini (The Movie Guy)

The Muppets resonates with the older crowd,  parents and people new to The Muppets. The plot is about an evil oil baron trying to takeover and destroy the muppet studios. The Muppets have to put on one last show and raise ten-million dollars to save the studio. It has many cameos such as Selena Gomez, Sarah Silverman and John Krasinski. I’m gonna let you spot the others.

The beginning of the movie had me laughing in fits. The film was  directed by James Bobin who also co-created Flight of the Conchords, and some of the songs were written by Brett Mckenzie, also from Flight of the Conchords. This movie was a good reboot to the characters, and was funnier than I anticipated. The scene were Miss Piggy is a fashion designer is perfect, and the the evil bear is worth the seven dollars.

So, take your kids and go have some family fun at the theater this weekend.