The cold weather came to Dolores with a vengeance this week. Temperatures varied depending on where you lived, if the wind was blowing, etc., but it dropped as low as 15 degrees below zero and some area residents that live in breezy sections of our County said that the temperature was around 30 degrees below zero when the wind chill was taken into account.
It was cold. How cold was it?
It was so cold that a fire sprinkler pipe in the ceiling at the Teddy Bear Preschool in Dolores froze and burst. Students on Monday morning were greeted with a flooded classroom. Thankfully, just one classroom was affected and the students were still able to attend school, they just were divided among the non flooded, remaining classrooms. Unfortunately, the water seeped into the classroom's computer and television, books and a couch.
The Town of Dolores has also had its fair share of broken pipes. An eight-inch main line was frozen earlier this month and left some residents without water for a day or so. The town crew was busy repairing the line under Central Avenue and they got the job done.
Town Manager Ryan Mahoney said that so far, town staff has had to repair about four water main breaks.
Others say they are just staying inside and burning lots and lots of wood.
On a snowshoe trip on Saturday, the temperature was around 9 degrees and my son decided it was so cold that he put on not one, but two snowsuits and a jacket on top of that. Amazingly, he was able to enjoy the snow with that much on, but had a hard time buckling his snowshoes. Proof you can only enjoy the snow if you are close to heat stroke.
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Speaking of snowshoes, I am told that because of a grant awarded to Mesa Verde National Park, you can now go to the park and they will let you borrow snowshoes for the day for exploration. Fun.
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Courtney Hart, Dolores Town Trustee and employee at Osprey Packs, mentioned at the Dolores Town Board meeting Monday that the Ouray Ice Festival seemed a bit slow this year. She believed the bone chilling cold may have kept a few people away from the festival. She was there as part of her work.
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Don't forget about the screening of "Watershed" at the Dolores Public Library on Saturday. You will never look at water the same again after watching this film. I was also just informed that one of the stars of the movie, Dan James of James Ranch in Durango, will be at the screening and will be available for discussion after the film. James and his family have developed interesting and innovative techniques for their farm and he will be able to discuss them with those that attend the screening.
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BIRTHDAYS
Jan. 11 - Karen Hackett, Henry Cole, Robert Beam, Nikki Blackmer, Andrew Cuckie, Ruben Gonzales,
Jan. 12 - Anna Muniz, Armando Garcia, Bree Ann Wurm.
Jan. 13 - Bill Punch, Josh Naron
Jan. 14 - Arthur Millard, Rachael Sparks, Paul Gonzales, Michael Skinner
Jan. 15 - William Oakes, Kelsie Fahrion, Jade Aleese Johnson.
Jan. 16 - Bruce Truelson, Chad Herrick.
Jan. 17 - Steve Muniz, Fran Muniz, Marvin Tabor, Chris Maddox, Tiffani Machelle Barney
Jan. 18 - Sherrie Bangs, Mary Dufer, Val Truelson, Geno Lopez, Bryce Gonzales.
Happy Anniversary to Darrell & Ida Mott.
Jan. 19 - Pat Carrigan
Happy Anniversary to James & Ila Starkes, Cliff & Ruth Cooke.
Jan. 20 - Larry Svendsen, John Webb
Jan. 21 - Missy Stephenson, Eleanor Livengood, Mollie Amann.
Happy Anniversary to Odes & Fran Wilderson.
Jan. 22 - Cathy McGuire, Jane Vass, Lori Harris
Jan. 23 - Sandy Sonnier, Connie Walter, Ruth Wilderson, Kelsey Holstrom, Brian Mathies.
Jan. 24 - Debbie Hamilton Cuckie, Adam Ismay, Susan Northern, Travis Neal, Nick Hare
*Don't see your birthday here? Call 882-4486, to have yours or someone you know added to the list.
