sports - youth

Rerouting the bodies is a sensible plan

The odor, it turns out, was too much. So, the proposed Mesa State College body farm will be moved. Oh, it wasn’t the smell of bodies that were to eventually be placed at the college’s planned forensic anthropological research center that was the immediate issue. Nobody in this area can say with certainty how much of a problem the odor from decomposing bodies at the facility will be. No, it was the whiff of growing public opposition to the proposed body farm near 29 Road and ...

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Darrent Williams’ murder showed the power of Denver’s street gangs

So much for the idea that Denver is a city apart. Denver’s reputation for being a high, clean city — something different from other American big cities that are rife with organized crime and machine politics — has been battered over the past three years. It was New Year’s Day, 2007, when Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot to death while riding in a limousine in downtown Denver. At the time, it looked as though something aberrant had occurred. It ...

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Congressman Wayne Aspinall survived his own ‘Red’ scare

President Obama’ s friendly visit to China a couple of months ago brought back memories of the era when being labeled a “Com-Symp” could be disastrous politically. So, it happened that, once upon a time, when communist China was the biggest bogeyman among all the other bogeymen in the mid-1960s, opponents of Democratic Congressman Wayne N. Aspinall of Palisade thought they had caught him red-handed, so to speak. That was the era when the issue of recognizing Red China ...

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Roadless Rule must be changed to protect North Fork coal

Delta County is blessed with a rich coal- mining heritage. Right now, more than 1,000 folks in the North Fork Valley are directly employed by coal-mining operations. They are our fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. They serve on our civic boards and parent- teacher association. They are our Scout leaders and team moms. And they earn an honest living working the ground. They do an important job, one that we rely on every day to fulfill our basic energy needs. Nearly 75 percent of ...

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Slowing highway deaths

There was a time, not so many years ago, when the equivalent of the population of a city larger than Grand Junction — more than 50,000 people — died every year in U.S. highway wrecks. No more. The rate of highway deaths has been decreasing steadily for decades. And last year it dropped to under 34,000 for the first time since 1954. Furthermore, the rate of fatalities per miles traveled was the lowest ever recorded. The loss of 34,000 Americans a year on our roads is still too ...

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Web sites tell callers to target Salazar

Some Grand Junction residents were upset last week that they couldn’t get through to anyone in U.S. Rep. John Salazar’s offices either in town or Washington, D.C. The residents complained that they couldn’t speak to one of Salazar’s representatives or at least leave a message for the 3rd Congressional District Democrat because his offices’ voice mailboxes always seemed to be full. That’s because all of his regional offices and the main office in D.C. ...

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Medical marjuana bill draws flak

Ron Velarde’s drywall company went out of business last year because there was no work in town. To make matters worse, he has leukemia. Susanne Sheley’s husband, Randy, also was in the construction business. The couple have a small child to feed, but a 9.4 percent unemployment rate in Mesa County leaves them few jobs to earn the money to feed her. The worst recession in decades has brought the highest unemployment rate in the state and forced Velarde and Sheley, like other ...

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Soaring: Reed, Rienks team up to give Paonia first state title

PUEBLO — History was slipping away for the Paonia High School girls basketball team, and then Jordyn Rienks and Johanna Reed grabbed it by the throat. Rienks and Reed combined to score seven points in the final 90 seconds Saturday night, vaulting the Eagles to a 43-39 win over Akron in the Class 2A state championship game at Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Massari Arena. This was Paonia’s first state basketball championship — boys or girls — in school ...

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Brotherly love: Scary incident in Denver brings Flohr brothers closer

There’s a bond between brothers. Sure, you might squabble and fight, especially when you’re young, but there’s nothing one won’t do for the other. In the case of Sean and Mike Flohr, that was never more evident than one night last summer. The two had just wrapped up their summer jobs and met up with some friends for a weekend in Denver before returning to Grand Junction for the start of school and those dreaded 6 a.m. basketball workouts. “We’ve been ...

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Pirates come up just short: Offense eludes Olathe in loss to Pagosa Springs

FORT COLLINS — They may not feel it right now, but the members of the Olathe High School girls basketball team should feel awfully proud of what they accomplished this season. Short of the 1992 team that won a state championship, the 2009-10 team should go down as one of the school’s all-time best. The Pirates, who won 25 in row before suffering their first loss Friday night in the Class 3A semifinals, had their season come to an end Saturday at Moby Arena with a 41-34 loss ...

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Mavs don’t let physical play bother them in victory

MANKATO, Minn. — Dressing in matching travel warm-ups is not how the Mesa State College men’s basketball team rolls. The Mavericks prefer good old-fashioned sweat pants and hoodies. Their coach, although nattily dressed for games, is most comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt. And when they trot out onto the floor, they certainly don’t strike fear into their opponents. “You mean to tell me we don’t look intimidating out there?” senior guard Michael ...

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Saturday’s Mesa State baseball scores

Mesa State 12, Colo. Christian 2 Saturday at Suplizio Field Game 1 Colo. Christian (AB-R-H-RBI) Meske, ss 5-0-2-0, Serena, 2b 5-1-1-0, Pavlich, rf 5-0-2-0, Buchanan, dh 4-1-2-0, Cavazos, lf 4-0-1-1, Guyer, c 3-0-0-0, Adams, 3b 4-0-1-1, Younkerman, 1b 4-0-0-0, McKendrick, cf 3-0-1-0, Logan, ph 1-0-0-0. Totals: 38-2-10-2. Mesa State (AB-R-H-RBI) Anderson, rf 5-0-4-2, Becker, 2b 5-1-2-1, Rover, 1b 4-1-0-0, Popick, lf 4-1-2-2, Kalehuawehe, ph 1-0-1-0, Shelton, pr 0-1-0-0, Nigbur, c ...

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Saturday’s prep swimming results

Grand Junction Relays Saturday at El Pomar Natatorium TEAM SCORES 1. District 51, 420; 2. Montrose, 300; 3. Glenwood Springs 244; 4. Durango, 136; 5. Gunnison, 48. EVENT RESULTS 200 medley relay: 1. District 51 (Tanner Chapin, Taylor Fisher, Cyrus Pearo, Kimani Robinson) 1:48.40; 2. Durango (Teale Kitson, Taylor Sallee, Carl Sallee, Kalen Dear) 1:50.85; 3. Montrose (Even Lerdall, Daemin English, Denny Braun, Jacob Solseth) 1:53.25. 200 freestyle relay:  1. District 51 (Cade ...

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Saturday’s Mesa State softball scores

Nebraska-Kearney 13, Mesa State 4 Saturday at Bergman Field Game 1 Nebraska-Kearney (AB-R-H-RBI) Alissa Larsen, cf 2-3-3-1, Taylor Fernau, rf 3-1-2-3, Kelsey Smith, ss 2-1-1-1, Cassie Keck, 3b 4-2-2-1, Jessie Thomas, dp 4-2-2-1, Laura Gormley, 1b 1-2-0-1, Ali Seberger, 2b 3-0-2-2, Sara Dunn, c 3-1-0-0, Austin Wilson, lf 3-1-1-0. Totals: 25-13-12-11. Mesa State (AB-R-H-RBI) Danielle Valli, lf 3-1-1-0, Lita Romero, rf 3-0-1-0, Gabriella Parra, cf 3-1-2-2, Sara Jordan, dp 3-0-1-0, Windi ...

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Soaring: Reed, Rienks team up to give Paonia first state title

PUEBLO — History was slipping away for the Paonia High School girls basketball team, and then Jordyn Rienks and Johanna Reed grabbed it by the throat. Rienks and Reed combined to score seven points in the final 90 seconds Saturday night, vaulting the Eagles to a 43-39 win over Akron in the Class 2A state championship game at Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Massari Arena. This was Paonia’s first state basketball championship — boys or girls — in school ...

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Saturday’s prep basketball scores

Girls Paonia 43, Akron 39 AKRON R.Boyce 5 7-10 19, Guy 2 0-3 4, Merrill 2 0-0 4, M.Boyce 0 1-2 1, Vasquez 0 2-7 2, Clarkson 1 6-8 9. Totals: 10 16-30 39. 3-point goals: Boyce 2, Clarkson. PAONIA C.Reed 0 1-4 1, Stewart 1 0-0 2, J.Reed 4 6-7 15, Trujillo 1 0-2 2, Pipher 3 0-2 6, Hinton 0 0-4 0, S.Campbell 1 0-0 2, Rienks 4 6-9 15. Totals: 14 13-28 43. Akron 7 11 10 11 — 39 Paonia 7 11 10 15 — 43 3-pointers: J.Reed, Rienks. Team fouls: Akron 21, Paonia 23. Fouled out: ...

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Skiers crash: Mistakes doom Aspen in title game loss to Faith Christian

FORT COLLINS — Aspen High School boys basketball coach Steve Ketchum said his team would have to play the game of its life Saturday to have a chance at dethroning two-time defending state champion Faith Christian. The Skiers gave the necessary effort, but it was not enough to stop the Eagles from claiming their third consecutive state championship. Faith Christian got enough defense, transition offense and timely shots to top Aspen 57-47 in Saturday night’s state-championship ...

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Unsung players lift Mavs: Kenshalo, Flohr lead Mesa to regional win

MANKATO, Minn. — It wasn’t Michael Dominguez. It wasn’t Jase Herl. No, the two guys who led the Mesa State College men’s basketball team to its first-ever victory in the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday weren’t the seniors who have paved the way this season. Instead, Brian Kenshalo, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard, and Sean Flohr, a 6-5 senior forward, were the go-to guys for the Mavericks in their thrilling 73-68 come-from-behind victory over Winona (Minn.) ...

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Merchants by Downtown Uplift project celebrate new cafe, and arrival of spring

One of the best things to happen this winter on the west end of Main Street was the opening of Dream Cafe. The new breakfast and lunch restaurant at 314 Main St. attracted more people to downtown as temperatures warmed and the sun peeked out, said Karen Hildebrandt, owner of Unique Expressions, 336 Main St. “This has been a great week,” Hildebrandt said. “I’m optimistic that it will continue.” The businesses on the west end of downtown’s serpentine ...

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Gray Gourmet, March 14, 2010

Monday — Tater tot casserole, garden vegetables, tapioca pudding. Tuesday — Pork egg rolls with dip, rice pilaf, stir fry vegetables, fruited cottage cheese. Wednesday — Corned beef and cabbage, parslied potatoes, Emerald Isle fruit mold, corn meal roll. Thursday —  Chicken cacciatore, marinated carrots, curried rice salad, plums. Friday — Spaghetti and meatballs, green beans, spinach salad, applesauce/berry mold. Gray Gourmet reservations and ...

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