Asbestos abatement class offered in Towaoc
The Ute Mountain Ute tribe is offering a three-day Class I asbestos abatement certification class on March 3-6.
Those who complete the class and pass the test are qualified to assist with demolition projects and cleanup jobs, said Quinton Jacket, of the Ute Mountain environmental department.
“Getting locals trained and qualified for asbestos abatement keeps the jobs local, instead of having to contract outside people,” he said.
Ute tribal members are encouraged to gain the certification so they can be hired to help with a project to clear away 77 abandoned buildings in Towaoc, Jacket said.
Arrangements can be made for participants to stay at the Ute Mountain Hotel during the class.
“I am certified and will be offering study sessions to help students understand the material and pass the test,” he said.
The class costs $300. For information, call (970)739-6095.
Permaculture talk planned at Sunflower Theater
A presentation about permaculture will be held Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. at the KSJD Sunflower Theater in Cortez. Expert Geoff Lawton will discuss the technique in a talk called “Greening the Desert.”
The Curry family, who run a local permaculture farm, will serve up their famous curry meal.
Ski-area visitor count is back on track
Uncooperative weather handed Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort a bit of a rocky start to its ski season, but the visitor count is back on track, spokeswoman Kim Oyler said last week.
The DMR trend reflects the experience of its 21 members, a Colorado Ski Country USA release said Wednesday.
Total skier visits Oct. 17 through Dec. 31 were about 1 percent off last season’s pace, the release said, but exceeded the first-period five-year average by nearly 4 percent.
Ski areas don’t release numbers of skiers, but couch trends in percentages.
Oyler didn’t have any percentage comparisons available.
Durango Mountain Resort got off to a slow start because of weak natural snowfall and warm temperatures in late November and early December, Oyler said.
DIA ranks No. 5 in U.S. for gun seizures
Denver International Airport ranks fifth among the nation’s airports when it comes to firearms seized at security checkpoints.
The Denver Post reported that of the 2,212 guns recovered from carry-on bags in 2014, 70 were found at DIA.
TSA spokesman Ross Feinstein told the newspaper in December that “passengers always say they just forgot that it was in their bag.”
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport topped the list of firearm seizures with 120.
Boobies Rock! founder jailed in Denver
Boobies Rock! founder Adam Shryock was jailed last week in Denver as part of a six-month sentence ordered by a judge for violating an order barring him from fundraising.
Last year, Shryock was sentenced to two weeks in jail for allegedly being involved in a college scholarship scam.
This time, Shryock was accused of working on a tour that used models to sell items to raise money for two real charities – Stupid Cancer and Cancer Care – without their permission.
Cortez Journal & Associated Press