To Battlement Mesa residents

What does the future hold for Battlement Mesa? Do you care? The Battlement Concerned Citizens (BCC) care!

The BCC is a grassroots group of your friends and neighbors working hard, on behalf of all residents of Battlement Mesa, to address the many adverse impacts that oil and gas development in our community may pose on our lives.

Presently, we are focused on the proposed Antero drilling plan for 200 natural gas wells in Battlement Mesa, and how to mitigate the impacts to the community if it goes forward.

We have made significant progress regarding health and safety issues; with Garfield County agreeing to perform a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and subsequent Health Study in cooperation with the Colorado School of Public Health, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Grand River Hospital District. The HIA will be a valuable tool for use by all regulatory agencies involved in the permitting process of oil and gas development in residential areas.

The natural gas industry is hazardous, and our community deserves additional levels of protection if multiple wells are to be developed here. The BCC is taking a leadership role in protecting the health, safety, welfare and property values of the residents of Battlement Mesa. We are involved, on an ongoing basis, with various local, state, and federal government agencies, to promote responsible development of oil and gas in our area and to hold the industry accountable to the people of Battlement Mesa.

If you share our concerns please get involved, stay informed! Don't sit idly by, thinking there is nothing you can do. Join with the Battlement Concerned Citizens, and together we can be effective in keeping Battlement Mesa a desirable place to live.

For more information, or to join our email distribution list contact: Ron Galterio, 285-0243, mrgalterio@aol.com or Dave Devanney, 285-2263, dgdevanney@comcast.net

A letter of deep gratitude to a loving community...

To the residents of Rifle and surrounding areas, from two individuals who have lived and worked in your midst for over 50 years, there really are not adequate words to express the deep appreciation we feel for all the years of working alongside such a fabulous and loving community.

Many of you, over the years have opened your hearts and your homes to us during sacred and difficult times of loss. In the years my wife Jennie and I have lived here and raised our three daughters we have grown to love and be loved by so many people. Soon it will be time for me to say good-bye. In the process of coming to terms with cancer and knowing my days are limited we can't stand the thought of me leaving without saying “thank you” to a community we love so greatly.

So, thank you. Thank you for the memories, the joys, the laughter and the tears. Thank you for your prayers and your promises that you'll help keep an eye on Jennie once I'm gone. Thank you for the many hours of shared worship and the years of faith and trust in the services we provided through our funeral home. May you and this community be blessed and held in the Grace of God all your days.

Orval and Jennie Sowder

Thanks from Rain for Rent

Rain for Rent and the Jose Lara family would like to thank everyone who generously donated time and gifts for the benefit dinner and silent auction held for the Jose Lara family on Sunday, Feb. 21, and to all who attended the event to make it the success it was.

Thanks to the following: The Rock Family Fitness Center, Rifle; Gary Russell, ornamental Iron, Rifle; The Galleria, Grand Junction; Columbine Ford, Rifle; Glenwood Ford; All Sports Honda, Grand Junction; Rene Fisher, Midland Arts Company, Rifle; National Oil Well Services, Rifle; Karen's Kountry Hair, Grand Junction; Grease Monkey, Rifle; Rifle Truck and Trailer; Nancy Anderson, Midland Arts Co., Rifle; Wing Nutz Bar and Grill, Rifle; Z Salon and Spa, Rifle; Rifle Chamber of Commerce, Rifle; Jay Purkey, Purkey's Packing Plant, Meeker; Joanne Nelson, Mountain Man Fruit and Nut, Rifle; Transwest of Grand Junction; CERTEK Heat Machines, USA, Grand Junction; Lindsey Johnson, Midland Arts Co., Rifle; Alan Lambert, Divide Creek Woodturning; Fiesta Guadalajara, Rifle; Honnen Equipment, Grand Junction; Napa, Rifle; Alsco, Grand Junction; Misty Frontella, Midland Arts Co., Rifle; Action Shop Services, Rifle; Glenwood Caverns; Delta Rigging and Tools, Grand Junction; Misty Frontella, The Cracked Pot, Rifle; Grainger, Grand Junction; CSK, Rifle; Elmer Glass, Rifle; The Parts House/Carquest, Rifle; Randy Murr, Murr Welding, Silt; Maria Lara, Corte De Cabellos, Rifle.

Donations are still being accepted at the Rifle branch Alpine Bank.

Our apologies if we missed anybody. Everyone's support was greatly appreciated. Thanks to all from Jose Lara family and Rain for Rent.