Big game rifle season Round Two starts at the crack of dawn Saturday.

Big game license sales have been little affected by the Sept. 11 Twin Towers terrorist bombings, spokesmen for local license agencies say. A decline in the number of licenses sales is attributed to a stiff hike in the cost of out-of-state licenses.

Local license agencies are upbeat about results from the recently completed archery, muzzle loading, and rifle elk-only seasons, and are looking forward to the first rifle combined season beginning Saturday and lasting through Oct. 26. During a combined season, both deer and elk can be killed.

Hunting during the elk-only season was good in the San Juan Basin, according to Scott Wait, of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. More bulls were killed than cows. Because of light snowfall, elk remain at an elevation between 9,500 and 10,500 feet, Wait said, and are dispersed in dark timber and small groups.

Only elk could be hunted the first season and those only with licenses already purchased. That meant no across-the-counter sales of deer or elk tags at local license agencies. In addition, the cost for out-of-state deer licenses is up to $273.25, for out-of-state elk licenses up to $453.25. Last year the cost for out-of-state deer tags was $150, for elk $250.

Two rifle seasons follow the first combined season, both combination seasons allowing the taking of deer and elk. The third season starts Nov. 3 and ends Nov. 9. The final season starts Nov. 10 and ends Nov. 14.

"We can't complain about business," said Larry Fisher, owner of Ski and Bow Rack, Pagosa's volume leader in big game license sales. "We are down about 25 percent in the number of out-of-state license sales. I don't think the decline is due to the Sept. 11 bombing. I think it is the increased cost of out-of-state licenses."

Fisher declined to make a detailed comparison of sales this year with last year until his bookkeeper gets a chance to compile numbers and compare data.

"I have noticed that our dollar volumes compare favorably with last year, even if the number of people is down," Fisher said. "They seem to be willing to spend more money."

Hunters involved in the first three seasons report seeing a normal number of big game animals, according to Fisher.

"It's kind of funny," Fisher said. "Some of them say the elk are all up high and the next bunch of hunters to walk in here say the elk are all down low."

The number of elk hunters was down for the first rifle season, according to David Gottlieb, employed in the sporting goods department at Ponderosa Do It Best Hardware.

License sales during the first rifle season have been lower than expected, Gottlieb said, but sales dollar volumes are holding, just as at Ski and Bow Rack.

Bears are attracting a lot of attention, according to Gottlieb.

"They're (hunters) going out into the woods, seeing a lot of bears and bear sign, and coming back here for a bear license," Gottlieb said. "We can't sell them one after the season starts. They have to go to a Division of Wildlife office to buy tags after the season starts. The nearest DOW office is in Durango."

Archery and muzzleloading season hunters reported more success than during past years, Gottlieb said. He says hunter success is up this year, as measured by the number of hunters killing game.

"All of the hunters are friendly. They don't seem upset about the out-of-state license increases. They are all talking about the Twin Towers bombing Sept. 11, but I don't think that has affected license sales. If there is any measurable effect, it will be because of the increased cost of licenses."

"We have certainly seen a reduction in the number of hunters for archery and the first season," says Art Million of Sports Emporium. "At the same time, retail sales are holding up."

Increased out-of-state license fees have more impact on the number of hunters than the Twin Towers bombings, according to Million.

"We were told by hunters last year that they wouldn't be back, and they aren't," Million said. "The bombings probably reinforced that, but I think the main cause is the cost of licenses."

Hunting success was down for the archery and first seasons, according to Million.

"We are getting some reports of success yesterday and today," Million said Tuesday. "It's hot and dry and the elk are up high."

The coming season is the biggest of the year, "Our Christmas," according to Million.

Out-of-state license sales are down about 25 percent, said Todd Malmsbury of the Colorado Division of Wildlife public information office in Denver.

"We expected the number of licenses sold to be down," Malmsbury said. "Across the board, license sales are down from 10 to 15 percent."

At the same time, in an effort to see the bright side of things, Malmsbury says the hunting experience should be better this year because not so many hunters will be in the field.

"There is a down side to that," Malmsbury said. "Some times if there aren't many hunters, the game just stays in thick timber with nobody to push them out."

License sales could continue to fall from year to year, Malmsbury said, because the average age of hunters is increasing and not as many young people seem to be hunting.

"The average age of a hunter in Colorado is now 40 years and it is going up," Malmsbury said. "Fewer young people are taking up hunting."

Reconstruction of a Stevens Field taxiway serving 30 hangars has been completed, even as crews launch work on Phase I of a $3 million project calculated to upgrade the county airport over the next few years.

In a project originally estimated by County Commissioner Alden Ecker to cost $200,000 plus the use of county crews and equipment, the old runway at Stevens Field has been rebuilt from the ground up as a taxiway.

The final cost of the project with under $5,000 yet to be counted is about $288,000, according to Kevin Walters, the county road superintendent. Costs include $129,000 for Strohecker's paving; $65,000 to purchase lime, rent equipment, and other hard costs; and $94,000 for county labor and equipment.

County commissioners decided to rebuild the taxiway after receiving complaints from hangar owners that potholes and loose debris threatened damage to their aircraft. Because the county owns the taxiway and leases space for the privately owned hangars, the commissioners decided county liability could be mitigated only by rebuilding. Much of the work was done by county road and bridge crews and equipment.

That work included milling and removing the original asphalt surface, reconstruction of the underlying base using the milled asphalt, and including the addition of lime to create a largely waterproof foundation. Strohecker Asphalt and Paving of Durango was chosen to apply the surface asphalt.

The county borrowed $225,000 from Wells Fargo Bank to finance the taxiway project. Through a contract described as a lease-purchase agreement, the county has obligated Nick's Hangar and the new taxiway as security for the loan. In a general sense, the county leased Nick's Hangar to Wells Fargo for a nominal sum, such as $1 a year. In turn, Wells Fargo leases the hangar and taxiway back to the county in exchange for a series of payments from the county calculated to repay the $225,000 plus interest.

When asked if diversion of county road crews and equipment for the unplanned project has thrown road and bridge crews behind in other areas of the county, Walters said no.

"I was worried because the airport project used more time than we thought," Walters said. "In fact, we seem to be caught up around the county, even with other unforeseen projects. We're busy now cleaning culverts and barrow ditches, getting the roads ready for snow plowing."

One of those unforeseen projects is graveling certain roads in the Upper Blanco Basin, a project for which the commissioners recently allocated $49,000. Anything left over from the Blanco project will be used to upgrade Mill Creek Road, Walters said.

The overall Stevens Field project just beginning is designed to upgrade facilities making them acceptable for corporate jets. Commercial service is not anticipated. Work in progress includes clearing trees and brush from runway access areas in order to improve visibility.

The Upper San Juan Hospital District board wrapped their hands around the preliminary 2002 budget for the first time Tuesday.

They now have 24 days to review the 12-page document, give feedback to the budget committee and await the election results before determining a final budget - a question set for the Nov. 20 meeting.

Dick Babillis, board chairman and acting district manager, said the budget should look familiar as it's very close to the district's 2002 financial plan approved by the board in August for use in determining the amount of levy increase on the upcoming ballot.

The biggest change, he said, occurs in the capital and emergency reserve funds which have been adjusted to allow the district to return funds "borrowed" from the Dr. Mary Fisher Foundation in September. The Foundation extended a $100,000 credit line to the hospital district as a stopgap measure to carry it financially through to the November ballot. Under that agreement, the district, which has withdrawn $45,000 so far, is not required to return the money, but promised to make a good-faith effort to do so.

To head in that direction, total reserves were reduced from $202,046 in the financial plan to $164,020 in the preliminary budget. The reduction puts reserves slightly below 7 percent of the total budget, an original goal, Babillis said, but well over the 3 percent required by law.

Currently, the district has no reserves, a critical need, and rebuilding those funds by $164,000 will take up 47 percent of the mill levy increase revenues if passed by voters.

The preliminary $2.4 million budget presented to the board does include the estimated $346,000 in additional revenue, from a 2.030 mill levy increase to be decided at the polls next month.

"I take it if the mill levy isn't passed, we throw this away," board member Bob Huff said indicating the preliminary budget.

"Oh yeah, it's a different world," board member Sue Walan said.

When asked by an audience member why a worst-case scenario plan wasn't also presented in case the ballot question failed, Babillis said the goal was to avoid scaring the public.

The district's stand is that the level of services the community needs and wants, including 24/7 in-quarters staff, an urgent care facility offering weekend care and a primary care practice operating five days a week, is already being provided. The problem is, he said, the district can't afford it.

Approving the ballot question will allow everything to continue as is. Without the boost in revenue, things will have to change - somehow.

"I'm just not going there," Babillis said. "That's a personal decision. I have the support of the board to play it positive, positive, positive."

In an earlier phone interview, board member Patty Tillerson said, no matter what happens with the vote, ambulances will not stop running.

"I do believe with the board members we have now, whatever happens, whatever the voters give us, I know we can provide service if we have to."

In other business:

€ Babillis announced the names of the members of the District Manager Screening Committee. From the district, Laura Rome and Dr. Bob Brown will represent the Dr. Mary Fisher Medical Center, Mike Farrell and Carol Curtis will represent EMS and Sue Walan and Patty Tillerson will represent the board. The two public at-large members of the committee are Bud Brasher, also a member of the Dr. Mary Fisher Foundation, and Dan Ackerly.

Although the actual process to interview and select a district manager was voted on and approved by the board several months ago, the board did not vote on the members selected to serve. The at-large members were chosen by Babillis.

"I asked them, and they said they would be willing to do that," he said.

The committee will begin reviewing applications in mid-November. Once applications have been screened, and the initial telephone interviews completed, a list of finalists will be invited to come for a round of interviews on-site. The goal is to have a manager in place by the first of the year

€ Rod Richardson, EMS operations manager, reported construction on the Devil Mountain repeater installed near Chimney Rock is complete. The new repeater is intended to improve communications in "dead" spots. Over the next month, Richardson said, all radios must be programmed in a final step toward completion of the summer-long project

Equipment for the repeater was purchased using an $11,000 grant from the Colorado State Department of Pre-Hospital Care and Emergency Services. Much of the construction done by EMS volunteers

€ Shannon Price, EMS bookkeeper/receptionist, and Laura Rome, DMFC office administrator, reported on the HIPPA conference attended by both.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 was enacted by the federal government during the Clinton Administration to ensure that entities responsible for maintaining health information have adequate security measures in place to guard the confidentiality of such records. The district has until April 14, 2003 to comply with HIPPA regulations.

Both Price and Rome cautioned the district to avoid waiting until the last minute.

To comply, a committee must be appointed to perform a risk analysis on the district, determine how to repair problems and then train, test and revise all security improvements.

Richardson said security in Price's office space, which has no walls or door to lock, must be addressed soon. He suggested either moving her into the old district manager office or building walls around her desk

€ Rome reported that the Dr. Mary Fisher Foundation board approved $1,750 for the purchase of a patient education computer to be installed at the medical center. The computer with internet access will be installed at the clinic and available for patient education and physician research.

Law enforcement officers made safety a priority Saturday when they backed off of a pursuit of a suspected burglar on a high-speed tear down Put Hill.

According to Archuleta County Sheriff's Department reports, the suspect was driving at speeds over 100 miles per hour, crossing the center line and forcing other cars to yield during the brief chase.

It all began at Greenbriar Plaza on North Pagosa Boulevard at about 8:30 p.m. According to reports, Deputy Bob Brammer spotted a man at the service entrance to Pagosa Power Sports during routine checks of businesses in the area. Although the man subsequently disappeared, Brammer found bolt cutters near the door and noticed a white Dodge pickup parked nearby with its engine still warm.

Making note of the vehicle's license place number, Brammer, with Deputy Jeremy Hardy, pulled back and parked across the street to observe the pickup. Later, reports said, a man returned to the Dodge and drove off.

When the deputies attempted to stop the suspect for a headlight violation, the truck took off at high speed eastbound on U.S. 160. With lights and sirens on, the deputies followed, calling for other law enforcement officers in the area to respond.

Pagosa Springs Police Officer Bill Rockensock spotted the suspect's vehicle at Piedra Road and joined the chase. However, once officers lost sight of the pickup, the chase ended.

Captain Bob Grandchamp said the case remains under investigation.

Local jurisprudence

As the SUN rises for the 93rd year, politics remains a prime concern.

One of the inevitable consequences of growth is a rise in the crime

rate, an increase in the number of arrests, more pressure on the judicial system. As the number of cases goes up, we need more prosecutors, court clerks, courtroom space. More judges.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the load of cases flowing into Sixth Judicial District Court.

Recent statistics show at least 20 percent of cases in the three-county District Court system originate in Archuleta County. Up to now, however, the majority of these cases are handled in Durango courtrooms. There's a chance this will change soon. How it changes might be affected by local public opinion.

It seems money will be available to add a judge to the district by mid-summer 2002. Archuleta County freed courthouse space occupied by Social Services and will remodel it for use by district court clerks, records storage and a judge.

Signals have been sent that a new judge will split time between Archuleta and La Plata counties, perhaps with the Archuleta County Judge, as now, serving as a District Magistrate.

Three points should be made prior to the appointment of a judge and the determination of a schedule by the Chief Judge of the District, Greg Lyman.

First, a candidate for the seat on the bench will be nominated by the Sixth Judicial District Judicial Nominating Committee. Archuleta County has one member on the seven-person committee: Mamie Lynch. There is a vacancy on the committee and it should be filled by an Archuleta County resident. The commission meets next in November to nominate a candidate for San Juan County Judge and the topic of a new member could arise. It is time to put another local representative on the commission.

Second, if possible, the new judge should be a resident of Archuleta County. A judge familiar with and linked with the area in which the court is located has a deeper understanding of cases that come before the court. In terms of flexibility in sentencing, among other things, this can be a great advantage to the judge, to the defendant, to the public.

Third, a schedule should be set for a new district court judge that requires an average number of days per week in Archuleta County, regardless of case load. No matter where the next judge resides, time will be apportioned between courtrooms in Pagosa and Durango and there must be assurances a significant amount of that time is spent here.

These points can be expressed to three key groups and individuals in the process.

Letters can be sent to nominating committee members as well as the committee's presiding Supreme Court Judge Nathan Coats, indicating the advisability of appointing an Archuleta County resident to the commission and working to nominate an Archuleta County resident as a candidate to be considered by the governor.

Governor Owens will appoint a new judge. To date, it appears Owens prefers to select judges from among the ranks of attorneys with experience as a prosecutor. This is unnecessary in Archuleta County. Once appointed, a judge could be on the bench for a long time, and a full range of qualities should be taken into consideration by the committee and the governor. Owens could benefit from input from Archuleta County residents concerning the appointment.

Third, public opinion should be expressed to Lyman indicating that, whoever the appointee, prior to the fact of appointment, a commitment must be made to Archuleta County guaranteeing a judge works here at least an average two days per week. We do not need a judge who has the latitude to spend less and less time commuting to Pagosa Springs, preferring instead to deal with paperwork and other non-trial or hearing issues from the comfort of a Durango office.

If you care about this issue, about the quality and character of the District Court system and wish to make your opinion known, there is a list of names and addresses printed on page 6 of Section 1.

Karl Isberg

Repeatedly confronted by changes

Dear Folks,

I'm still not used to the changes I've initiated toward my own responsibilities and those of other folks on the SUN staff. But I'm repeatedly reminded that changes are an inevitable part of life.

A briefly reported item in this week's news made me very aware of how much the world I was used to and comfortable with has changed.

My latest phase of parting with the past started Monday afternoon as I was driving home from work. While listening to the evening news on KWUF, I was surprised to hear that earlier that day Bethlehem Steel Corp. had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The corporation's leadership tried to sound confident with its contention that America's third largest steelmaker hoped to resolve its financial problems while operating under Chapter 11.

Based on the broadcast, I was looking forward to reading about Bethlehem's bankruptcy situation in the Tuesday Rocky Mountain News. Like so many times when my mind looks forward, it's based upon my experiences or remembrances of the past.

So I was surprised when the Rocky's page 1 had no mention of Bethlehem Steel's Chapter 11. A page-by-page search of the news section failed to find what I had expected to see. So I went to the "Business" section. There, buried on the bottom of the only column of news on page 3, was a brief, three-paragraph report by the Associated Press wire service.

The article stated that Bethlehem Steel, "once a symbol of the country's industrial might" was reeling financially following 15 straight months of losses due to competition from low-cost foreign imports coupled with high labor and retiree-benefit costs. The third paragraph stated: "The company was founded in 1904. By the 1920s, it employed 60,000 people and could produce 8.5 million tons of steel a year." Times have changed.

My first awareness of the company occurred in the early '40s when I started hearing about Bethlehem Steel, U.S. Steel, Kaiser and Frazier shipyards and the other major manufactures who helped the United States and its allies win World War II. At that time, it was the foreign countries that were unwillingly importers of American steel in the form of attacking battle ships, aircraft carriers, bombers, fighter planes, tanks, artillery, bombs, shells and other weaponry. No one dreamed that a company such as Bethlehem Steel would help win a world war and then suffer defeat in the world's economic arena 55 years later.

The irony of history was illustrated in another way Tuesday when anthrax probably made the lead headline of every daily newspaper in the United States. With the War on Terrorism, anthrax has invaded the minds of many Americans. Because of its elusiveness, the fear factor of the biologically-manufactured white powder can have as an effective impact as did the armaments that Bethlehem Steel and its counterparts manufactured during World War II.

With Afghanistan growing the poppy plants that produce about 70 percent of the opium in the world that is converted into heroin, it will be interesting to see if precautions similar to those being taken with mail from uncertain sources will be followed by folks who buy the popular "recreational" white powders such as heroin or cocaine. For the terrorists to be mailing anthrax at the same time they are depending on heroin and cocaine to finance their terrorism could be counter productive.

Just as many folks never dreamed Bethlehem Steel would file for bankruptcy, I don't suppose anyone ever thought the fear of anthrax would be an incentive for folks to kick their drug addiction. It's an unexpected change.

It doesn't matter whether we agree with or are accustomed to change, the continuum of change is an unchanging characteristic of life.

Know you are loved and please keep us in your prayers.

David

91 years ago

Taken from Pagosa Springs New Era of October 14, 1910

Last week Joe Macht sold his Star Bakery to Walter McConnell, who took charge of the business Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Macht will remain in the store until Mr. McConnell learns the baker's trade and then will go to their ranch.

Game Warden Melton was taking a peep around Archuleta County a few days ago. Found all the boys on their good behavior so far as contraband game was concerned.

Sheepmen are more and more deserting the practice of fall shearing. The fall clip is light in quantity, not so good as the spring clip in quality and leaves the sheep in poor condition to stand the winter cold.

Lorin Catchpole has purchased one of the McMullin houses on Lewis Street and is fixing it up preparatory to occupying it.

75 years ago

Taken from SUN files of October 22, 1926

Miss Lillie May Toner of Pagosa Springs, a sophomore at Aggies, is one of the fourteen co-eds who have finished their requirements necessary to the awarding of their American Red Cross Life-saving certificates. Each candidate must pass both a written and practical examination. The latter includes swimming, diving, carrying, methods of breaking holds and of administering artificial respiration.

Charlie Stollsteimer of Arboles is painting the interior of the new Catholic Church, St. Andres, which is to be dedicated November 10th. A big feast will be served on that day, followed by a dance at the schoolhouse at night.

A fine Windsor range, provided by the Juanita school board, is a recent addition to the teacher's apartment at the back of the school room.

50 years ago

Taken from SUN files of October 19, 1951

The crowd of hunters flocking into Archuleta County this year certainly is a record breaker with nearly twice as many licenses being sold prior to hunting season as last year.

The Red Cross swimming badges and certificates are here. Mr. Mike Giordano, water safety chairman announced this week that all the boys and girls who passed their requirements may obtain their certificates from Mrs. Ben Lynch.

Arrangements are being made to begin the annual Library drive next week. Members of the Woman's Civic Club will solicit donations and also sell Christmas cards to obtain funds for the improvement and maintenance of our public library.

25 years ago

Taken from SUN files of October 14, 1976

Highway construction on the east side of Wolf Creek Pass is holding up travelers when blasting is underway. Traffic has been delayed as much as four hours several times the past couple of weeks.

Elk season opens here Saturday morning and hunting should be good. Local game wardens say the elk are more plentiful than last year, but they are also more widely scattered. Hunting conditions are dry and noisy, weather is very nice and elk are scattered over far more area than last year.

Former Pagosa Springs High School athletes were much in the sports news this week. A Denver Post story said, "Jim Goodenberger carried the ball 10 times and scored three times as the University of Northern Colorado ran roughshod over Southern Colorado 38-7 Saturday."

There is a vacancy on the PLPOA board, one trustee was out of town, another received news on the day of the scheduled board meeting last Thursday that his brother had died, and another is recovering from back surgery.

With those circumstances in mind, the board session was abbreviated with the surgery victim, director David Bohl, staying long enough to give the board a quorum so action items could be handled.

Two applications have been received for the board vacancy and interviews with the applicants will be scheduled after Oct. 25.

The projected 2002 budget will be discussed at an open meeting yet to be scheduled again after Oct. 25. The date and time will be posted at the association office and will be open for all property owners.

During General Manager Walt Lukasik's report to the board, directors approved the request from staff to forego the annual staff Christmas party funded by the board and, in turn, to donate the amount of $1,000 to the American Red Cross Liberty Defense Fund for victims and families of the New York and Washington tragedies.

His report also indicated:

€ The resolution presented at the annual meeting to officially name the area encumbered within the association as Pagosa Lakes, Archuleta County, Colorado has been sent to corporate counsel for review and comment but no written opinion has been received

€ Mike Branch of Pagosa Springs was selected as the board's auditor for this calendar year

€ A comparison of delinquent accounts for the year to date periods ending Sept. 30, 2000 and Sept. 30, 2001 shows the total approximately $27,000 less this year. Accounting personnel began recording liens of properties for which an outstanding balance has not been paid on Monday. The office plans to send 91 accounts with outstanding balances of approximately $76,000 to collections in the near future. To date this year, 53 lots have been consolidated, thereby reducing projected billable accounts by that number. If that pattern continues, by year's end, 70 accounts will have been lost to consolidation

€ Recent approval of an amendment changing the land use designation for association owned property in the Central Core has started preparations for sale of the site. In order to increase potential gains from the property, staff is investigating elimination of the wetlands area by exchanging the wetlands designation with another area that has not yet been converted to wetlands. A developer has approached the association with a plan for adding channels to Village Lake which would expand the lake area and be designated as wetlands. The wetlands area of the current core property is being surveyed to determine its exact size. After survey completion and the area of the lake is defined, an application will be presented to the Army Corps of Engineers for approval of the exchanged areas.

In other action, the board appointed Bruce Ellis chairman of the Lakes, Fisheries and Parks Committee and approved guidelines, policies and a charter for the Board of Appeals Hearing Panel. The panel is being reorganized and will consist of members from the various association committees.

The Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association has been served a summons on a complaint filed in District Court of Archuleta County by one of its property owner members.

Glenn Bergmann's suit seeks to involve the association's board of directors in "correcting the poor quality of construction of roads which took place as a result of the Fairfield Bankruptcy settlement" with reference specifically to work on North Pagosa Boulevard.

A one-mile stretch of that project had to be redone because of problems with insufficient road base for the work completed.

Richard Manley, association president, announced the action at Thursday's abbreviated board meeting (see separate story).

He directed Walt Lukasik, general manager, to schedule a work session between the board and the Road Committee to discuss allegations contained in the complaint.

After a date and time is established, a meeting will be held that is open to all interested property owners.

Bergmann actually filed Notice of Claim against both PLPOA (on Aug. 15) and Archuleta County (on Aug. 8). Since PLPOA is not a governmental entity, his suit against the association board could be filed immediately. The county, however, cannot be sued until 90 days after the Notice of Claim and Bergmann intends that suit to be filed as soon as it is legal.

His notice of claim against the county indicates the filing date was to keep action within the three-year statute of limitations on the county's contractual obligations in approving and awarding a failed general contract on Aug. 10, 1998.

Bergmann has said over the past year that the county erred in not requiring an engineering study of the road base before allowing construction to take place and did not order it corrected from contractor bond, but from the same settlement fund which allowed the paving work.

The county has contended the settlement fund might not have been sufficient to cover other roads in the area had such an engineering survey been conducted and shown the base to be insufficient.

In effect, the contractor did what the county directed. His bond could not be used, therefore, to correct insufficiencies with the resultant product.

Former County Manager Dennis Hunt had recommended the board forego the engineering survey in order to get work done on as many roads as possible with the amount of funding available under court order. The commissioners and an advisory committee (which included PLPOA representatives) agreed, or at least did not object to that recommendation.

Bergmann's action against the PLPOA board of directors asks specifically for:

€ Damages for failure of the association board to perform its duties as required under association bylaws

€ Cites violation of a PLPOA-Board of County Commissioners agreement which, he says, stipulated no funds would be distributed from the construction account without written approval from PLPOA, and says the board of commissioners had control over a separate $6.9 million to be used only for road and utility improvements. Included in that agreement was "joint indemnity" and "mutual default remedies" and gave PLPOA the right to receive and review all recommendations with relation to fund expenditures

€ That PLPOA's board of directors failed to exercise any of the contractual rights that would have provided oversight on the job

€ Asks judgment in excess of the minimum jurisdictional limit of the court in order to cover property value loss, increased property tax obligation for future costs for road repairs and personal damages for being subjected to safety hazards created by substandard road construction.

On Monday, representatives of Orten and Hindman of Wheat Ridge, legal counsel for PLPOA, filed a motion for dismissal of Bergmann's action, saying the plaintiff lacks standing to file such a claim, fails to state a claim on which relief can be granted, fails to satisfy the requirements for derivative action, and that PLPOA should be entitled to recover attorney fees required by his action.

Bergmann's Notice of Claim against the county says the $6.5 million Federal Bankruptcy Court settlement with Fairfield was to be used by Archuleta County "solely to fund the construction of roads and other improvements at the Pagosa site. . ."

It says the county approved the award of the contract to the low bidder, authorized the county manager to sign all contract documents after review by county attorney but that the invitation to bid and contract documents were prepared without consultation with a professional engineer or any site investigation; and that there was no preparation of engineering drawings for the project . . . violating all standard engineering practices.

It says county personnel permitted the contractor to pave North Pagosa Boulevard, Saturn Drive and Lake Hatcher Circle without sub-base preparation or stabilization other than grading and compaction; the project was not inspected or supervised as required by both the contract documents and state statutes; county personnel approved contractor requests for payment for work that was either not performed up to specifications and drawings within the contract document or, in at least one case, not performed at all.

He charges the value of his property has been diminished by deteriorating conditions of recently paved access roads and by the failure of the county to complete access roads to the quality level promised by "Fairfield" and county specifications.

Additionally, the notice says, safety hazards have been created by failure to provide shoulders on roads as shown in county drawings; and that any increase in property tax liability for Road and Bridge Department repair or replacement of damaged roads will be an additional injury to the claimant as a direct result of the county's breach of contractual obligations.

A Pagosa Springs couple originally charged with two counts of felony securities fraud for not disclosing certain knowledge regarding a planned healing and conference center in town - Sacred Springs Inc. - accepted a plea agreement Sept. 28.

Under the agreement, all charges against Udgar Parsons were dismissed, according to court documents. Puja Parsons plead guilty to selling an unregistered security, a Class 6 felony, and received a deferred judgment from District Court Judge James Denvir. Because it is a deferred judgment, the charge will be erased from Parsons' record provided she meets several conditions set forth in the agreement. The conditions include: four years probation, 270 hours of community service to be performed within 18 months, restitution of $28,457.55 and costs of $2,090.

The restitution is for William Stewart, who, according to the affidavit for arrest warrants filed in Archuleta County Court, was persuaded by the Parsons to invest $20,000 in the Sacred Springs development in the spring of 1996.

According to the affidavit, when Stewart invested, the Parsons failed to fully disclose knowledge of possible "insurmountable difficulties" in regard to the proposed development.

A pair of house trailers in Aspen Springs burned to the ground early Sunday morning.

Fire Chief Warren Grams said firefighters had no chance to save the structures.

"The buildings were almost on the ground by the time they called us," he said. "At that time in the morning nobody realized there was a fire until they saw a big glow in the sky."

The Pagosa Springs Fire Protection District received the page at 3:47 a.m. and arrived on-scene 11 minutes later. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and returned to quarters at 7:30 a.m. A total of 22 department members and nine pieces of equipment were taken to the site to help fight the blaze.

The two house trailers, placed side by side on Retreat Lane, were a total loss, Grams said. Both belong to Loyce and Amos Lane of Sallisaw, Okla.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. As of Monday, Grams said, the department had been unable to make contact with the owners.

Archuleta County has linked arms with four other Colorado counties in a civil suit filed against the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in a typical state versus local control controversy.

At the heart of the issue is whether rules adopted by the COGCC should prevail over certain surface land-use regulations adopted by counties in regard to the installation and operation of oil and gas well sites.

Counties named as litigants in the suit in addition to Archuleta County are La Plata, Las Animas, Routt, and San Miguel. The suit is filed in Colorado District Court.

A news item released by San Juan Citizens Alliance asserts that GOGCC is "industry dominated."

"Historically, the GOGCC has been dominated by members that either contract with the industry or work directly for it," states the release. "Currently, five of the commission's seven members work for the industry they are entrusted to regulate. The GOGCC's decisions, past and present, raise the question of whether this public body is fraught with conflict of interest. The commission has supported industry's attempts to stop counties from adopting their own regulations. In 1988, the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, or COGA, and the COGCC challenged La Plata County's authority to implement oil and gas regulations, and more recently COGA, an industry group, and two national oil and gas companies have launched a similar suit against Animas County."

What's at issue is the ability of local government to minimize the impacts caused by oil and gas development. Archuleta County is in the process of developing land-use regulations for the purpose of mitigating the impacts of oil and gas wells and their operations on surrounding residents, county roads, and other issues.

Many other counties already have land-use regulations in place relating to oil and gas wells.

Budget sessions and other meetings will absorb the attention of Archuleta County's commissioners during coming weeks.

The county's ruling board did not meet Tuesday in regular public session, but plan to meet this coming Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the commissioner meeting room. Regular commissioner meetings will be conducted on the fourth Tuesday of each month for the foreseeable future. The remaining regular meetings are held at 9 a.m. each week.

During budget sessions starting Oct. 29, a series of workshops will be held with other elected officials plus department heads reporting to the commissioners. So far, the commissioners have in their possession budget requests submitted by the other elected officials and department heads.

The task at hand is to hammer out a budget in which income equals expenditures, a requirement mandated by state law. In its preliminary form, this year's budget totals $25 million, about $5 million more than the budget adopted last year.

Also challenging will be the task of protecting the two-month reserve required by TABOR restrictions.

What form the budget takes remains to be seen, given that this is the first budget in years not prepared by former county manager Dennis Hunt. Commissioner Gene Crabtree has been though one budget cycle, Commissioner Bill Downey two budget cycles. This is the first for Commissioner Alden Ecker. Organization and compilation of the budget has been entrusted to Cathie Wilson, county director of finance.

Tomorrow the commissioners meet with the citizens road and bridge advisory committee at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at the road and bridge maintenance building on U.S. 84. Members of that committee are Allen Bunch, Jim Carson, Alden Ecker, J.R. Ford, Ike Oldham, Troy Ross, Debbie Shaw, Dennis Walker, and Kevin Walters.

Establishing ground rules for hiring a new county manager is the subject of a meeting scheduled Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. At that time, the commissioners meet with Ken Charles, Director of the Department of Local Affairs serving this part of the state, and members of a county manager hiring advisory board. Those board members are Kathy Wendt, Keren Prior, and the three commissioners.

All county commissioner meetings attended by a quorum, two or more commissioners, must be announced at least 24 hours in advance by an agenda posted in a public place. The public is entitled to attend each meeting unless executive session is announced on the agenda or declared at the meeting. Even if executive session is declared, the meeting must begin and end in open session.

Budget hearings are scheduled to begin Oct. 29 and last from 9 to 3:30 throughout the week. Discussions with the various department heads will be conducted during the budget hearings.

On Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. in the commissioner meeting room, the commissioners meet with Colorado Department of Transportation officials concerning plans for highways in Southwestern Colorado.

With another two weeks of clear weather, the Pagosa Springs Community Center construction will reach a point where work can continue throughout most of the winter.

"That's what we're shooting for," Jay Harrington, town administrator, said at a meeting of the Pagosa Springs Community Facilities Organization Thursday.

Concrete decking is nearing completion, and framing has begun.

Although the dirt-work will probably come in somewhat higher than expected because of the amount of backfill needed, the budget is projected to hold steady at about $3 million without furnishings, Harrington said. So far, about $700,000 of that has been spent.

The community facilities group, with help from the town in the form of a $1.7 million lease purchase agreement with Wells Fargo, has raised nearly enough to cover construction through grants, fundraisers and private donations. But a gap remains.

In September, the Boettcher Foundation grant for $125,000 boosted numbers, but not as much as expected.

Group chairman Ross Aragon said they had originally requested $250,000 from the Boettcher Foundation, but that the difference was understandable considering the foundation board met after the Sept. 11 attacks.

At the same time, the group is working to raise money for furnishings by targeting local families and businesses, private donors and some smaller grants. Recently, the Bacon Family Foundation came through with a grant to furnish the senior center dining room. The Archuleta County Senior Citizens have promised another $10,000 to help furnish their part of the center, and other donations for equipment total around $8,375.

According to a proposed schedule presented to the board by architect Julia Donoho, equipment and furnishings need to be ordered in April for delivery by July 1. With the grand opening set for sometime between Aug. 1-15, that order date could be pushed back slightly.

The next big step, Harrington said, will be creating a management plan. The goal is to have a facilities coordinator hired by February. At that time, members of the community facilities organization will by asked to help line out all of the rules and regulations. Computer room access, facility fees and reservation procedures are just some of the items to be addressed.

Harrington said although no reservations are being taken at this point, people are already calling town hall and asking about dates for next year.

Hear ye! Hear ye! Pagosa Springs SUN read on tape weekly. Clients needed to partake in free service.

Call the criers, this news is big. There's a free service of volunteers reading the local news on tape that's not being used as much as it possibly could be.

Muriel and Paul Cronkhite, organizers of the service, said recently their client list dropped to five - down from around a dozen.

"We'd love to have more people use the service," Muriel Cronkhite said. "We've lost a few recently."

The service is simple. Anyone with a vision problem is eligible to receive an audio copy of the Pagosa Springs SUN for free. The paper, or at least everything that will fit on a 120 minute cassette tape, is generally read Thursday mornings, Cronkite said. Then it's copied and mailed the same afternoon, reaching clients Friday or Saturday. The listeners generally provide their own recorder for listening.

Over the years, Cronkhite said, informal surveys have been done to determine what people want on the tape. Some people will send notes giving their opinion of tape quality and content. Others, some who have used the service for years, she's never heard from.

"We don't read the sports because we have only 120 minutes of tape," Cronkhite said. "We will say if the high school team won and the score, but we don't go into minute details. They like the library news and the Chamber of Commerce, local chatter. They like the obituaries read. We don't read the police blotter. We definitely read the front page. We just have to think of what they would like."

After listening to the tapes, clients send them back through the mail so the equipment can be used again. Because the program is coordinated through the Southwest Center for Independence in Durango, postage is free as well.

Most of the clients requesting the service are elderly. Some remain active within the community, others are homebound. But, anyone with vision problems can qualify by calling 731-4727, Cronkhite said.

"It isn't only the older people who might need this service," she said, "and we've never required a medical document of any kind. We just take people's word for it."

About 12 volunteers take turns reading the paper, a task that takes about two hours, maybe a little more. It's a solitary job, requiring a quiet place, some water to wet the whistle and little else.

"This is not a difficult thing to do," volunteer Robbye Reedye, said, pausing during a recent Thursday reading session. It is, however, an invaluable service to a few.

"I haven't met any of the people who use the service," Reedye said, "but I feel as though there are some who view this as their only way of keeping up with the news in town."

The program began in 1992 after members of a St. Patrick's Episcopal Church women's group read an article about a similar program in Durango. Later, the Cronkhites took over the service, opening it up to the community for volunteers because of the number of people outside the church who wanted to help.

The equipment needed to record the paper and then copy tapes is stored at the Sisson Library for easy access by volunteers. Still, it's Muriel who makes the copies, sends the cassettes and overall organizes the service. Her husband, who led the reading program until health problems forced him to stop, still helps out by faithfully cleaning the tapes to extend their usefulness.

They operate on virtually no budget, Muriel said. The newspaper is provided free. Over the years, grants from the United Methodist Church and the Lions Club have helped purchase equipment, including a couple extra recorders to loan out to people who don't have their own. Focus and Sound has also helped out with repairs or replacement parts. Otherwise, Muriel said, everything, including tape cases and tapes, are recycled as long as possible.

What do a videographer, a hypnotherapist, a computer programmer and an outdoor shop employee have in common?

A love of the trail, a desire to see the country, and to do it all on foot - border-to-border.

The four hikers following the Continental Divide Trail from the Canadian border to the Mexican border, were in Pagosa Springs last weekend.

In a brief interview as they were packing gear and preparing to leave Monday morning, they talked about their adventure.

Jeffrey "Seehawk" Ferrell and Elise "Sunshine" MacGregor, both of Santa Cruz, Calif., began their trek June 7 at the Canadian border in Glacier National Park. She said they both had done the Pacific Crest trail and were inspired to the thrill of the trail by Roy Jardine's book.

He's the hypnotherapist and she the videographer.

Anthony "Rockfish" Rodriguez, of Detroit, Mich., left the Canadian border June 27 and Tod "The Stranger" Bachman, the computer programmer from Greensboro, N.C., began his trek three days later. The two paired up a few miles south of the border and have been traveling together since then.

"Sunshine" said the two pairs knew the others were on the trail and that each planned to complete the 3,100 mile walk, but had not paired up until they reached Pagosa Springs. She said they expect to reach the Mexican border Dec. 8.

Asked if they'd had any threatening experiences so far, she said they had avoided a few "scary spots by finding a way around them."

The hikers said they average about 20 miles per day, each carrying a full pack weighing 40 to 50 pounds.

Ballots for the Nov. 6 election should have been mailed to Archuleta County voters this week, according to June Madrid, the county elections official.

The ballots were to be mailed by the firm in the Denver area hired to print the ballots.

"We have until Oct. 22 to get them mailed out," Madrid said. "We hoped to save time by having them mailed from Denver rather than have them mailed to the courthouse, then mailing them a second time ourselves," she added.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no ballots had been returned to the clerk's office, Madrid said. At that time she had been unable to learn from the printer if the mail-out had been made.

One misunderstanding has resulted from the mail-only balloting process adopted this year, Madrid said. A list of pros and cons concerning tax issues mailed locally has confused voters, who are returning the lists to the courthouse.

"The ballots will be mailed in an official envelope with a return envelope," Madrid said. "Pro and con statements were mailed by the county, are in a separate envelope, and are not to be returned."

Counting of ballots takes place after 7 p.m. Nov. 6 when balloting closes.

Ballots are to be mailed to all active voters, voters who voted in the last general election. Voters not on the active list may still be qualified to vote if they have registered since the last general election. To be considered active and able to vote, qualified voters must visit the courthouse and fill out certain paperwork.

Voters who have changed address since the last general election and are therefore considered active may still not receive a ballot because of the address change. Voters who have moved but are considered active are therefore requested to stop at the county clerk's office in the county courthouse and obtain a ballot.

Ballots may be returned by mail or in person at the county clerk's office.

No elections of people are on this year's ballot. On the ballot are a county commissioner request for approval of renewing a 2-percent sales tax due to expire Jan. 1, 2003; a property tax increase sought by the local hospital district; the removal of term limits for School District NO. 50 Jt. school board members; and two statewide issues.

The statewide issues are Initiative 26, a proposal to fund research and development work on a monorail system connecting Denver International Airport and the airport at Vail, and Referendum A, a proposal allowing Greater Outdoors Colorado directors to issue bonds to secure funds for purchasing conservation easements.

Outfitters revisited

Dear Editor,

In response to Willie Swanda's letter, I'd like to thank Mr. Swanda for reading my columns. That's always nice to hear. I'd also like to thank Mr. Swanda for including further information from the National Wilderness Act. I didn't mention other reasons for designating federal Wilderness lands because I was focusing only on the "untrammeled" aspect.

I don't mean to "badger" outfitters. I may need them someday, when my knees get too rickety to carry me and a pack into the mountains. But, when I see large pieces of metal, such as fireplace grills or stovepipes, left at heavily used sites, I know that they were brought in on the backs of large animals. Naturally I assume the culprits, careless or deliberate, are hunters or outfitters, and not backpackers or dayhikers.

Finally, I agree with Mr. Swanda that it is the responsibility of everyone who goes into the Wilderness to minimize the human impact, so that we can all continue to enjoy this wonderful resource. And this means, among other things, carry out what you bring in.

Katherine Cruse

Real gentlemen

Dear Editor,

I am a parent of one of the Cortez (Junior High) Jaguar players that you played against on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001.

I felt compelled to write this letter on the way home last night to tell you how impressed I was with most of your team members. I saw some real gentlemen and sportsmanship last night. When my son and a couple of our other players were laid down for a while by a play, I saw some of you help them up and shake their hand.

Whether it derives from your leadership on the field, parents, coaching or from within yourselves I don't know, but I do know that it impressed me. Although it is the way it should be, we don't see it often enough. Thank you. It is such a good feeling to find those qualities in kids your age.

My hat is off to you. Congratulations on the win, you played very well.

Good luck in the future.

Cindy Green

Mother of No. 17

Jaguar A-Team

District questioned

Dear Editor,

After looking over the expenditures for the last five years and the projected spending for 2002, I find it difficult to see any urgent necessity for doubling the property tax for the Hospital District.

The total dollar increase for the five years of $1,096,031 or 157 percent actually occurred in the four years 1998 through 2001. The projected increase for 2002, without the requested tax increase of $201,045, brings the total increase to $1,297,076 or 185 per cent.

Presumedly income matched spending through 2000 and is projected to match through 2001 and 2002, again without the increase. Apparently the district has been able to fund all programs and intends to through 2002 without help from the proposed increase. The increase is to take effect Jan. 1, 2002 and will not provide any additional funds until the 2002 property taxes are collected in 2003.

There seems to be a considerable lack of information as to any program being dropped, if any, or to what extent any have been curtailed or will be dropped or seriously curtailed if the tax is not doubled.

Will additional money be used only to continue what we have or are there plans for greatly increased, or added new services?

Aside from the above, Referred Issue 4A is a poorly conceived attempt to get voters to approve measures they have no authority to approve. Local voters cannot approve the waiver, deletion, changing, avoiding or ignoring the provisions of Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution or Section 29-1-301 of Colorado Revised Statutes.

Voters can only approve specific options allowed by these laws. They can approve tax increases, new taxes or other increases noted in Art. X, Sec. 20 (4) (a) of the Colorado Constitution. Under sub-section (7) (d) they may approve the retention, by the district, of the excess revenue collected beyond the spending limits mandated by subsection (7) (b). The excess is a specific amount for a specific fiscal year and must be refunded in the next fiscal year, unless voters approve a revenue change as an offset.

The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled this revenue change is the offset to the refund. Voters decide whether to receive the refund or not receive it; that is - let the District spend the money.

The approval of this specific revenue change does not in any sense or manner, waive or otherwise nullify the limits set by (7) (b). Section 29-1-301 C.R.S. also allows options which, if approved by the voters, do not change the provisions of that section of the law.

Yet, the Hospital District persists in asking the voters to approve the impossible thereby, perhaps, endangering the whole thing. A simple request for a tax increase without all the extraneous conditions could be legally approved and likely would be.

Sincerely,

F.T. Havens

Lawsuit dropped

Dear Editor,

As previously reported in the Pagosa SUN, the lawsuit against the HardTimes Concrete batch plant and the county commissioners has been dropped by the FFE.

Basically, our lawyers told us we could win because the county commissioners had not followed their own rules (which they subsequently changed). However, it would be a Pyhrric victory in that it would cost us more money and time and really gain us nothing that we had not already accomplished.

The batch plant is now operating, but with all the mitigations that we insisted they have - and which they resisted until the lawsuit. And while we still regret that it exists at the present location on a major highway and on the banks of the San Juan River, we did make sure that it is not a major eyesore. Check out other asphalt and batch plants for comparison. Especially the one at the junction of 84 and 160. We also assured, to the best of our ability, that it will not pollute the river or valley with chemicals, noise or dust. We were not able to do anything about the traffic problem; and already a tragic accident has occurred there as Brian Lewis formerly of the planning commission and also our FFE predicted. However, we did achieve over 80 percent of our goals. And in a democracy, that is not a bad statistic. We plan to continue to monitor the situation to make sure the mitigations will continue to be followed.

Most all citizens of Archuleta County do benefit from these enforced improvements and will continue to do so in the future. Your drinking water is now more protected. Also, had we not taken this stand then, in a short period of time, we would see more commercial development leapfrogging to the north of the San Juan River Village and into other places where commercial ventures should not exist.

Our stand against this issue did awaken and arouse other people and organizations that then made sure that the County Plan was passed. Hopefully this type of thing will not easily be done again in the future. The county citizens are now informed and aware and no doubt will move these issues to the political arena in the next election.

Remember - awareness and involvement are the keys to good and honest government.

Sincerely yours,

Jim Knoll

Great Hot Spring

Dear Editor,

The purpose of this letter is to discuss relevant facts regarding the "Great Pagosa Hot Spring" or "Hidden Spring," as some folks like to call it.

The main hot spring is a private spring, owned by the Pagosa Spring Inc. For over 20 years it was inaccessible to the public, surrounded by a Cyclone fence. The only access for visual observation was a private walkway designed and paid for by the owners of the Spring Inn. The "Pagosa Hot Spring," in its long history, never had public access.

The town's desire to extend the Riverwalk and build a footbridge across the San Juan River involved negotiations with us, as owners of the Spring Inn, resulting in a land donations for access to the footbridge and a 12-foot wide Riverwalk to the U.S. Post Office. Pagosa Springs Inc., then owner of the hot spring, was not willing to participate.

Three years ago, we purchased Pagosa Springs Inc., along with water rights and the main spring. A study of the main spring measured its depth: 75 percent of its area ranged from 1 to 5 feet in depth and the other 25 percent about 40 feet in depth. The source of the spring was located and a calibrated line was dropped 1,500 feet into the hole without touching bottom. Sustainable water outflow of the spring is eight times what is currently delivered to supply pools at "The Springs". The aquifer is not being damaged. There are other naturally free-flowing springs used to supply the pools. Temperatures range from 100 to 140 degrees F.

The hot spring is a also a legal liability. People used to visit the spring at their own risk. Today we are confronted with someone throwing a dog in the spring, getting burned retrieving his scalded dog, then suing for damages. Our insurance carrier is going to settle, but premiums go up. How do we keep children or adults from climbing over a fence when we live in a litigious society? At some point, further restrictions may be necessary.

We donated a significant part of the property where the Town Hall stands and where the Community Center will stand. We donated 11 acres behind the Center, including the river and water rights for a future Town Park, all part of another major commitment by the town to provide an environment that all members of our community can enjoy for generations to come.

Is it better to focus on a shallow spring with water too hot for human benefit, or the healing waters flowing from the source which support 15 to 20 geothermal pools, provide heat for buildings and return water to the river? "The Springs" provides an anchor for a dynamic downtown economy.

Water that comes to the surface today, used in healing and recreational pools, has not seen the surface of the earth for over 10,000 years. Our plan is to fully utilize the potential of the aquifer, and at the same time, preserve this cherished gift for future generations.

Sincerely,

Matt Mees

Bill Dawson

American pride

Dear Editor,

Sheri Peed's letter to the SUN of Oct. 11 also surfaced some personal memories and only reinforced my "Proud American" feeling. But those emotions were not stirred because of the events of 9-11. Unlike Ms. Peed, I never lost my pride in America because of the Vietnam War.

It wasn't too many months ago that Bob Kerrey, the former Democratic senator from Nebraska and Medal of Honor recipient, was a large target of the left wing. Because of a 1969 incident in which Vietnamese civilians were accidentally killed, the ex-SEAL team leader was crucified by self-righteous elements of the New York media.

I think the real news here wasn't Bob Kerrey and his conscience. The real story is why so many liberals wanted to turn the tale into a cause celebration to justify their own opposition to the Vietnam War. Kerrey was just one more historical prop which liberals could exploit to try to reclaim their moral authority. But what tortures the conscience of anti-war liberals to this day is that the American public never agreed with them.

Americans now revere the men and women who fought more than those who fled to Canada. Maybe liberals were so hard on Mr. Kerrey because his service reminds them how wrong they were to oppose the cause he personally sacrificed so much for. (Kerrey lost a leg in Vietnam).

The body language and word choices of many media commentators indicates clearly that a larger issue - how history will judge our involvement in Vietnam - is still very much in play, and a big part of that issue is to continue to demean the American sacrifices in that war. Will that same media also now demean our warriors fighting terrorism who accidentally killed Afghanistan civilians because of weapons gone haywire? I sincerely hope not.

For many who went through extensive combat in Vietnam, such parsing brings back anger caused by memories not of the war, but of the condescending arrogance directed at them upon their return, principally by people in their own age group who had risked nothing and microscopically judged every action of those who risked everything and often lost a great deal.

I am sure there are many who still carry some of those scars.

Never lost pride,

Jim Sawicki

Common sense call

Dear Editor,

I live in a small town in Harper, Texas. My family's dream is to some day live up there in the most beautiful country we have ever seen, but for right now we have to settle for pictures and reading your newspaper. This is what brings me to the main subject. In the Oct. 4 issue, Missy Rodey, of the United Way made a comment that shocked me. By reading the article, she has already shown that she is not capable of reading statistics, or does not have the common sense to figure out what "drop out rate" is, but she is now assuming that 9 out of 10 Pagosa Springs people are as ignorant as she is. Buck-up Ms. Rodey, admit that you made a mistake, correct it and move on, don't try to cover it up by assuming 90 percent of Pagosa Springs people are stupid.

Sincerely,

Dennis Voulgaris

Pagosa Springs' varsity football team blitzed Centauri 68-12 last Friday to the delight of an overflow crowd of Homecoming fans.

The win boosts the Pirates into a familiar position, tied atop Intermountain League standings with those other Pirates, Monte Vista. Both teams have 2-0 IML records. Pagosa hosts Monte Vista Oct. 26 in the final IML game of the season for both teams.

Centauri fell from the unbeaten ranks to a 1-1 IML record with their loss to Pagosa last week. Centauri and Monte play tomorrow night. Bayfield beat Ignacio 15-6 last week, improving their league record to 1-2. The Wolverines host Pagosa tomorrow night.

Pagosa coach Myron Stretton is happy with the Pirate victory last week, but he is concerned about the game with Bayfield. Rivalry between the two schools has been intense over the years. Prior team records going into the game have little to do with each game's outcome. Every year the game is a nail-biter.

"I look for Bayfield to do pretty much what they did last year, run the ball," Stretton said. "They always play us tough, especially over there."

Bayfield has been a ball-control team all season, attempting to control the game by controlling the ball. Pagosa, on the other hand, has been a quick-strike team, scoring by land or air from anywhere on the field, as they did against Centauri.

"The big thing about the game was, early on Centauri gave us a short field to play on," Stretton said. "We rushed their punter a couple of plays and they quit punting. As a result, we were getting the ball on their end of the field."

"I think we did a better job of concentrating and executing than we have done in the past," Stretton continued. "That's what we have to do if we expect to reach the state finals and advance."

"Our defense is improving each week," Stretton added.

The Pirate defensive secondary picked off four Centauri passes. Junior linebacker Pablo Martinez covered a fumble on the first Falcon play from scrimmage setting up Pagosa's second score. On 12 possessions, Centauri scored twice, was forced to punt three times, was intercepted four times, turned the ball over on a fumble once, and turned the ball over on downs twice.

Stretton cited the passing of quarterback Ronnie Janowsky and the improved running of fullback Brandon Rosgen. Janowsky completed nine of 17 passes for 125 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Rosgen ran six times for 80 yards.

Pagosa's line also turned in a Herculean effort, according to Stretton. Most of the linemen double up on offense and defense. Included among the regular linemen are Martinez, Ethan Sanford, Michael Vega, Ben Marshall, Lawren Lopez, and Andrew Knaggs. Knaggs didn't play last week because of an injury.

It was a cold, blow on your hands and put them in your pockets kind of night for the overflow crowd at Golden Peaks Stadium. Were the rosy cheeks caused by chilling temperatures or from the excitement of cheering for their Pirates?

Pagosa's gridders gave their fans plenty to cheer about. The Pirate offense, as hot as the night was cold, rang up 27 unanswered first-quarter points and trotted to the locker room at halftime with a 54-6 margin. Before the game ended, they'd crossed the goal line 10 times for TDs.

Centauri won the opening coin toss, the last advantage the Falcons experienced that night. The visitors chose to kick off to Pagosa, opening the door for a first-period Pirate offensive onslaught that shoved Centauri in a hole from which they couldn't see daylight, let alone climb out.

On their opening drive, the Pirates used 11 plays to march 85 yards and scratch paydirt. Punctuating the drive were runs of 8, 10, 9, and 14 yards by Caleb Mellette. Janowsky consummated the march when he found Jason Schutz ambling from left to right in the Falcon secondary, put the ball on Schutz' No. 80, and watched the Pirate junior high step into the right corner of the end zone. Darin Lister split the uprights and Pagosa was on top 7-0 with 9:17 remaining on the first quarter clock.

On Centauri's first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Pagosa's Martinez covered a fumble on the Falcon 21 yard line. Three plays later, Mellette slammed into the end zone. The Pirate senior, No. 23, scored four touchdowns for the night and picked up 133 rushing yards on 16 carries. Lister's extra point kick zoomed wide. With 8:13 remaining in the period Pagosa's lead climbed to 13-0.

Pagosa's D forced Centauri to punt on their next possession. On successive plays, Janowsky passed to junior Brandon Charles for 20 yards, then again to Charles for 23 yards and a TD. Charles turned in a big night, rushing twice for 12 yards, catching four passes for 52 yards and a TD, and returning an interception 45 yards for a TD. Lister ran for two on the extra point try, building the Pirate lead to 21-0 with 6:40 of unused first period clock time.

The Pirate D forced yet another punt on the next Falcon possession. Following the punt, Pagosa Springs put the ball in play on Centauri's 36-yard line. Seven plays later, Mellette sped 9 yards around the left side of the line for Pagosa's fourth touchdown of the period. Lister missed the EP, but Pagosa's lead stretched to 27-0. The clock showed 3:14 remaining in the initial period.

The period ended when Cord Ross intercepted Kenneth Schell's pass, giving Pagosa a first down on the Centauri 18-yard line. Rosgen bulled across the goal line two plays later for the first of his two touchdowns. Lister kicked the extra point, and Pagosa led 34-0 with almost half of the first half remaining.

Pagosa kicked off to start the second half, then forced Centauri to punt in four downs. Pagosa fumbled the ball back to Centauri, then again held the Falcons on downs. Four plays later Rosgen scored from the 24, Lister's kick was good, and Pagosa led 61-6.

Pagosa's final scores came on a run by Rosgen and a pass from backup quarterback David Kerns to Jeremy Caler. Pagosa reserves played much of the second half.

Through two IML games Pagosa Springs has averaged 60 points a game while holding opponents to an average of 16.5 points a game.

Summary

Pagosa Springs 68, Centauri 12

Pagosa Springs 27 27 7 7 68

Centauri 0 6 0 6 12

PS: Janowsky 37 Schutz (Lister kick). PS: Mellette 1 run (Lister kick wide). PS: Janowsky 23 Charles (Lister run for 2). PS: Mellette 9 run (pass inc.). PS: Rosgen 18 run (Lister kick good). C: Schell 5 Crowther (kick wide). PS: Mellette 23 run (Lister kick miss). PS: Mellette 10 run (Lister kick). PS: Charles 45 intercept. (Lister kick). PS: Rosgen 24 run (Lister kick). Kern 26 pass Caler (Lister kick good). C: Booth 6 run (pass inc.).

Consider it a warmup for a week of intense league action.

Consider it a prelude to the Homecoming dance.

Consider it a win for the Lady Pirate volleyball team, 15-1, 15-13 over the Farmington Scorpions.

Farmington came to town Saturday with no pressure to win the non-league match and the Scorpions' coach responded by putting only two of her starters on the court for the first game.

It was a mistake.

Ashley Gronewoller started the match by returning serve to Pagosa, smashing a Scorpion overpass to the floor. It would be the first kill in Gronewoller's most impressive offensive performance of the season.

Katie Lancing went to the serve and by the time she relinquished the ball Pagosa had an 8-0 lead. Lancing started the run with an ace, one of three she would hit in the game. Lori Walkup provided a point with a kill. Gronewoller scored with a tip over the Scorpion block, and two powerful kills - one on a quick back-set from Lancing that left Farmington blockers flatfooted and an inept Scorpion backcourt defense in disarray.

Farmington got its single point in the game on a ball hit out by the Pagosa attack.

Gronewoller led the charge to the finish line in the first game, scoring once with a stuff block and four times with ace serves. Senior outside hitter Nicole Buckley, returned from a three-match layoff due to illness and scored with a cross-court kill. Shannon Walkup added a point from the outside and the Scorpions surrendered a point with a serve-receive error.

Farmington's strategy changed significantly in the second game of the match. For one thing, the Scorps returned to their regular starting lineup. Secondly, the New Mexicans shifted their offense to the outside, forcing Lady Pirate blockers to move to the point of attack.

Pagosa took a 2-0 lead, but the visitors stormed back to go ahead 4-2.

Farmington held leads of 7-5 and 9-6 before giving up three consecutive points with errors.

Gronewoller and Lancing broke the 9-9 deadlock with a tandem block, but the Scorpions were handed a charity point on a hitting error and the teams were knotted 10-10.

Gronewoller put her team out front again with a kill and Shannon Walkup hit an ace, but Farmington evened the score, relying on Pagosa mistakes. A ball sent out of bounds by a Lady Pirate hitter put Farmington in the lead 13-12.

Then, it was the Scorps' turn to make the mistakes: two hitting errors put the Ladies on the verge of the win. Farmington got the ball back on a Pagosa passing error, but Lancing allowed the Scorpions no time to capitalize as she returned serve with a kill down the line.

The game ended when Buckley put an ace serve down for a point.

Lady Pirate Coach Penné Hamilton said work done during practice seemed to pay off in the match against Farmington.

"One of the things we worked on during the week was our defense and our communication on defense," she said. "The coaching staff watched the girls closely during the match and they did a lot better; they were talking to each other. I was also pleased with the way Ashley played on offense against Farmington. She was playing at a level where she should be. She had 10 kills in 12 attempts."

Every member of the team will need to fire on all cylinders this week as Pagosa faces all four Intermountain League rivals in a space of five days to end the regular season. Three of four matches are scheduled for the home court, including the Tuesday against Bayfield, with Ignacio coming to town tonight and a surprising Monte Vista squad visiting tomorrow. Saturday, the Ladies travel to Centauri for a key match against the Falcons.

Summary

Pagosa Spgs. def. Farmington 15-1, 15-13

Kills: Gronewoller 10

Aces: Gronewoller 4, Lancing 3

Assists: Lancing 7, L. Walkup 4

Solo blocks: Lancing 1

Digs: Lancing, Buckley 5, S. Walkup 4

Pagosa's emphatic 15-3, 15-2 win over Bayfield Tuesday left little doubt the Ladies have the capacity to step up the level of their game as the end of the league season and the volleyball playoffs approach.

There was nothing lackluster about the effort Tuesday and members of the team did not lack motivation. Focus was not a problem and what had become a habit of playing weak second games in matches disappeared.

An altered Lady Pirate backcourt defense took several plays to click into form and Bayfield had a 2-0 lead - its only lead of the evening - at the outset of the match. That ended as Pagosa's big guns, Ashley Gronewoller, Katie Lancing and Nicole Buckley, cratered the floor with kills. In the blink of an eye, Pagosa was ahead, for good, 4-2.

A series of unproductive sideouts, peppered by the occasional point, colored the core of the first game, ending with the Ladies up 8-3.

Shannon Walkup went to the serve line for Pagosa and, six points later, she relinquished serve with her team ahead 14-3. During the run Walkup hit an ace, Lady Pirate blockers scored three times and Buckley, back to form at the outside after missing matches with an illness, scored twice, getting the 14th point with a blast of a shoot set from Lancing.

Bayfield had the ball back long enough to serve. Buckley killed to take the ball away then hit successfully again for the winning point.

While the lion's share of the Pagosa scoring was done by three players, others contributed to the offense. Shannon Walkup played aggressively at the net, attacking the ball and posing a real threat. Lori Walkup set her hitters well. Defensively, Katie Bliss had an excellent outing, at the net and in the backcourt.

With a 1-0 lead in the second game, Gronewoller went to the serve line. Lori Walkup scored with a stuff block of a Wolverine hitter; Buckley crushed a Bayfield overpass then nailed a kill down the line; Gronewoller hit two aces. Pagosa 6, Bayfield 0.

The visitors scored on a Lady Pirate hitting error before Pagosa regained serve. At that point in the game, junior setter Amy Young entered the action. it was Young's first appearance on the court this year, since suffering a serious knee injury in preseason practice. Young showed her stuff with enthusiastic play and great court sense, backsetting Lancing several times for points.

The backcourt defense stayed strong, with solid play from Bliss, Buckley and Shannon Walkup. Lancing took control of the game at the net and Bayfield was fortunate to score another point. Lancing finished at the serve line for the final five points of the game, hitting four ace serves, the last a jump serve to the back line to end the game and match.

"The kids played much better tonight," said coach Penné Hamilton. "They played a much more focused second game and our defense was better. We changed the defense and it worked. Katie was hitting her jump serves, and she is dangerous when everything is working right."

The win boosted Pagosa's season record to 14-2 and the Intermountain League record to 5-0. Next on the agenda, tonight at the high school gymnasium, is IML foe Ignacio.

"Ignacio will be the same scrappy team we saw over at their gym earlier in the season," said Hamilton. "We'll have to pound away at them and be smart in the way we place our hits." Action begins with a C-team match at 4 p.m.

Tomorrow night, a difficult Monte Vista team comes to town for matches that start at 4 p.m. "Monte has been taking everybody to three games," said the coach. "We can't play a hot and cold match against them; they are improved this year and we can't take them lightly."

Saturday could be the most important match of the season as Pagosa travels to La Jara to play Centauri. The Falcons lost a three-game match to the Ladies early in the year and, with only one league loss, the Falcons plan to unseat the Lady Pirates and earn at least a tie for the IML crown. The gym at La Jara will be full and the crowd will be loud. It looms as a classic matchup between two longtime rivals.

"They changed the varsity start time at Centauri from the afternoon to eight at night," said Hamilton. "They did it so they would have a big crowd and they want to rock our world. We want to go in and spoil it for them. I've tried to stress to the girls to not overlook Ignacio and Monte, and also impress on them how important it is to be league champs. It's not just a tradition - it's an advantage that allows you to go on to regionals. You tie for the title, and all bets are off. Saturday will be important and I think our girls can succeed if they keep up the quality of their game."

Summary

Pagosa Spgs. def. Bayfield 15-3, 15-2

Kills: Buckley 8, Lancing, Gronewoller 4

Assists: Lancing 8, Young 3

Aces: Lancing 5, Gronewoller 2

Solo blocks: Lancing, Gronewoller 1

Digs: Shannon Walkup, Lancing, Buckley 4.

A Wolverine soccer team that has improved markedly since being blanked 6-0 by the Pagosa Springs Pirates Sept. 13 at Golden Peaks Stadium gave Bayfield fans a half of hope for an upset on their home field Thursday.

But their hope died after the visitors collected themselves at halftime and the scrappy Bayfield team went down to the Pirates again, 3-0.

It was a game that for some reason seemed not to want to be played.

Originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, it was postponed by Bayfield because of inclement weather earlier in the day.

It was subsequently rescheduled to 6 p.m. Thursday and one report had it being changed to 5 p.m.

Turned out the 6 p.m. start time was correct, but someone forgot to notify the officials and they were still working with the original 7 p.m. beginning. One arrived at about 6:20 and went through the pre-game captains' meeting and equipment checks, after having notified the other two of the changed time.

At 6:32:54 the game actually began.

By that time, however, both teams had been on the field practicing for over an hour and seemed disorganized offensively. Defenses, however, were primed.

In the third minute Pirates wingman Zeb Gill had a break-away but his shot went wide right. Bayfield's first shot on goal came four minutes later and was stopped by Pagosa keeper Matt Mesker.

The first half then turned into a game of missed opportunities, sound goal keeping on both sides and open shots sailing high or wide. Mesker had six saves in the half and Bayfield's Daniel Rhode turned aside 15 Pirate attempts.

Four of those stops came on a Pirate blitz in the last 30 seconds, Rhode turning aside blasts by Henrique Dias, Levi Gill and twice by Kyle Sanders.

After the intermission, the Pirates looked like a new team as coach Lindsey Kurt-Mason challenged them to "get organized."

Eighteen seconds into the half Ty Scott took a lead from Zeb Gill and was right on net but Rhode was up to the challenge. Three minutes later Benjamin Raab's drive was wide left.

Then Scott broke the spell.

Stealing a Wolverine pass about 35 yards out, he skirted past a lone defenseman, did a neat double crossover step to draw Rhode out to his left, then ripped a drive from 10 yards that Rhode dived for but could not reach.

The stalemate was broken on Scott's unassisted move.

The real turning point came just over three minutes later when Mesker made the save of the night, diving flat out to his left to snare a booming break-away shot by Bayfield's Mike Jefferson to preserve the shutout.

In the game's 70th minute Zeb Gill dropped a beautiful crossing pass to the Pirates' leading scorer, Kyle Sanders storming the middle, and he put Pagosa up 2-0 with a shot Rhode never reached.

Two minutes later it was Kyle Sanders in the mix again, this time getting the assist on a drop lead to Raab who ripped the ball home.

For the final eight minutes, the Pirates went into a ball control game, keeping the Wolverines out of the attack zone and controlling midfield with crisp passing and solid defense.

The victory moved the Pirates record to 8-2 on the season with playoff action scheduled to begin Saturday at Golden Peaks (see separate story).

Summary

First half: No score; Second half: PS-Scott, unassisted, 9th minute; PS-K. Sanders, assist Z. Gill, 30th minute; PS-Raab, assist K. Sanders, 35th minute; Saves: B-Rhode, 21; PS-Mesker, 11; Penalty kicks, P-2, B-1.

Pagosa's fortunes in state soccer playoff action ride on the caprice of seeding.

The Pirates will host a 2 p.m. game Saturday against the winner of a 3 p.m. Thursday pigtail game between Bayfield and Center at Golden Peaks stadium.

The loser of the Thursday game will be eliminated from further competition. The winner and the Pirates will each advance to playoff action, according to David Hamilton, Pirate athletic director. Saturday's game will be for determining playoff seeding position.

The Pirates, currently carrying the No. 6 ranking in one state poll and the No. 9 position in another, take an 8-2 record into Saturday's action. If they carry a higher seed than their opponent in state quarterfinal competition, they will host that game at Golden Peaks on Oct. 27.

The Colorado High School Activities Association lists Pagosa in the Intermountain/Southern Peaks league with Bayfield, Center, Sierra Grande and LaVeta. Neither Sierra Grande nor LaVeta fielded a team. Pagosa defeated Bayfield twice, 6-0 and 3-0, but did not play Center and no Web site lists a record for the San Luis Valley team.

With five teams assigned to the league, CHSAA granted it two qualifiers. Pagosa played Crested Butte, Ridgway and Telluride from the Mountain Division which, with four teams assigned, draws one qualifier. That will be Telluride, which administered both of the Pirate losses, and is ranked as high as No. 4 in state polls.

By Monday, the Pirates should know their playoff seeding position.

It's do or die time for the Pagosa Springs cross country team, and they will win or lose at home in regionals this Saturday.

The Pirates will host the regional, state-qualifying meet at the Pagosa Springs Golf Club course, and it promises to be a thriller.

Pagosa Springs Head Coach Scott Anderson said the competition should include around nine girls teams and 10 boys teams. Of those, about half will qualify for state. The top five individual finishers not on a qualifying team will also earn a trip to Kent Denver for the state race, Oct. 27.

"It's a good spectator course, and I expect it to be a spectacle," Anderson said of the regional race. The girls varsity race is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. followed by a boys race at 11:15 a.m.

Eight teams competed in the district race at Monte Vista Oct. 13. The Pagosa girls' squad finished third place overall and second among Intermountain League teams. Leading the squad was senior Aubrey Volger who finished fifth in 21:12. Senior Tiffany Thompson ran a strong race to finish 11th in 22:09, and senior Joetta Martinez placed 33rd in 24:29. Just under a minute later, in 25:23, junior Amanda McCain finished 40th. Sophomore Lauren Caves claimed 43rd in 26:14, junior Hannah Emanuel finished 46th in 26:39 and sophomore Amber Farnham crossed the line 47th in 26:56.

"I was pleased with how we did overall," Anderson said of the girls' efforts, "As a team, we did a little better than I expected in our league."

Molly Carrigan, of Salida won the race in 20:09.

In boys varsity action, Aucencio Martinez of Center claimed victory over the flat course with a blazing 16:16. Pagosa's own Todd Mees finished 9th in 18:16. Senior Trevor Peterson ended up 20th with a time of 19:06. Junior Nick Hall finished 42nd in 20:54, junior Jesse Powe claimed 53rd in 22:12, and senior Ryan Beavers finished 57th in 23:03.

"Mees made a tactical error and went out a little too fast," the coach said. "It's a tribute to what a great runner he is to still finish ninth."

With the season on the line Saturday, everyone will have to be ready to put their best race forward if they want to go to state, Anderson said.

"Every girl has to show up that day to qualify as a team. I do feel they have a decent shot at it if that happens."

For the boys, Anderson said, he expects to have at least two qualify individually and believes the team could pull an upset if, once again, everyone shows up ready to run.

Local runner, Ming Steen, recently returned from competing in her first marathon: The Big Sur Trail Marathon along the California coast.

Her ability to complete the 26.2-mile hilly trail run through Andrew Molera State Park in the Big Sur south of Carmel comes as no surprise. Finishing first among all female competitors, though, surprised Steen. "It was a great trail," said Steen, a multi-year veteran of the high mountain Imogene trail run from Ouray to Telluride. "The trail offered awesome views of the Big Sur coastline from the bluffs and ran through redwood groves, oak and bay forests up in the hills."

Ming's son, Shawn, joined her for the first half of the marathon. A second-year medical school student in Denver, Shawn recently competed in Colorado's first lronman ultradistance triathlon. One hundred seventy five entrants attempted to complete this back-to-back 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2 mile marathon run at Boulder's 5,430 foot elevation. Shawn's time of eleven hours and thirty-five minutes gave him a third-place finish in his age group.

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Grace LaVonne Thompson was born Sept. 23, 2001 in Durango. The daughter of Mark and Becky Thompson tipped the scales at 8 pounds, 4 ounces and was 20 1/4 inches long. She was welcomed home by siblings Silas, Isaiah and Adeline. Grandparents are Arlis and Gary Thompson of Denver and Alden Breece of Wetmore.