Leadership Montezuma accepting applications

Applications are being accepted for the 2015-2016 class of Leadership Montezuma, a county-wide course with a twenty year history of engaging, developing, and inspiring community leaders.

This two-year program brings together community members for one full day a month to explore life in our region, connect with local businesses, non-profits, and governmental agencies. Regular sessions are held on the third Thursday of each month. Registration closes Aug. 1.

For more information or to get an application for yourself or a friend visit cortezchamber.com, [email protected] or call (970) 903-0944.

Delta County, group agree on gas lease deal

Delta County commissioners and a citizens group have reached agreement on a proposal to have Congress withdraw some acreage from availability for leasing for oil and gas development in the North Fork Valley as part of a bill authorizing a lease exchange.

According to the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, the county informed U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet and U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton about the proposal.

SG Interests has proposed trading about 30,000 acres of controversial federal leases in the Thompson Divide area southwest of Glenwood Springs for a similar amount of proposed leases on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests.

Citizens for a Healthy Community has agreed on a plan to withdraw some of the land from potential federal leasing.

U.S. oil and natural gas rig count up by 1 to 863

Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc., of Houston, says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by one this week to 863.

Baker Hughes said Friday 645 rigs were seeking oil and 217 explored for natural gas. One was listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, 1,875 rigs were active.

Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained five rigs, New Mexico rose by four and California, Colorado and Ohio each gained one.

Starbucks announces price increase

Starbucks is raising prices again starting this week, with the increases ranging from 5 to 20 cents for most affected drinks, the company said.

The Seattle-based company also raised prices nationally about a year ago.

A small and large brewed coffee will each go up by 10 cents in most areas of the country, Starbucks says. That would bring the price of a large coffee to $2.45 in most U.S. stores.

Cortez Journal & The Associated Press