By Lindy J Gwinn
Mountain Valley News staff

Cedaredge Trustees have been looking at options to increase funding so that road repairs can begin sooner rather than later, after voters approved a half percent tax increase in Nov. 2008.

The tax dollars have been coming in, but at the rate of $75,000 to $90,000 a year, it will take 10 years to save up enough money in the town’s bank account to complete even one project. “Each project will run between $300,000 and $500,000 and it would take forever to save that up,” said Bruce Bertram.

In an effort to bring more immediate repairs to the roads and streets within the town limits, trustees have been researching both the idea of a bond election in November and a loan with lease purchase options in an effort get the “most bang for the buck.”

After several weeks of researching both options the trustees decided in a special meeting of the Board of Trustees to go forward with the bond election question and let voters decide if they want the tax money... continued (PDF)
 

Delta PD responds to possible dog fighting

By Shawna Creveling
Mountain Valley News staff

Jose Felix was taken to the Delta County Detention Center and booked for animal fighting, possessing a dangerous or illegal weapon and unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon.

Officer Tim Glass and Sergeant Jesse Stanford of the Delta Police Department responded to a possible case of dog fighting on June 22 around 8:00 p.m. As they approached the location Glass reported seeing four individuals in a circle around two dogs that were fighting. The individuals consisted of three juveniles and a Jose Felix, 22, of Delta.

As Glass and Stanford approached the circle, the dogs were separated. There were a total of four terrier dogs. One dog was black and white, another was brown and white, another was brown/brindle and white, and the fourth was all white. The brown and white and black and white dogs were leashed. The brown/brindle and white dog and the all white dog were being held around the neck by Felix because they didn’t have collars.

When Glass and Stanford repeated the command to secure the dogs, Felix released the dogs and they began to approach the officers in an aggressive manor. Glass reported that the dogs began to circle the two officers, barking and growling, and Stanford called for additional units.

Three Delta County Sheriff Deputies arrived at the location. Sergeant Stanford then un-holstered his Taser as Glass un-cased his OC spray as a defense against the dogs. Glass and Stanford began telling Felix to secure his dogs before they had to use force against the dogs to defend themselves.

In his report, Glass said that, “the dogs were still circling and getting closer,” giving him the feeling that the dogs would attack. He said he returned his OC spray to its holster and reached for his firearm. As he did this, Felix gained control of the dogs and placed collars on them.

Glass says that one of the dogs had red colored patches on its fur that looked like blood. The other dog had a cut on its left upper jowl that looked like a puncture wound. When Felix was asked what had been going... continued on page 4