Wednesday,
May 31st - Amazing Alignments In Evening Skies...
Over the next two weeks sky
watchers will be treated to a series of amazing
alignments of the Moon and three planets in the
western sky after sunset.
The series of alignments, which
actually began two days ago, is unfolding against
the wonderful glow of sunset over the mountains.
As a bonus the Beehive
Cluster (M44) of stars will be center stage
during the events.
The Moon, Saturn and Mars are
currently visible just after sunset. The Moon will
move further away from the two planets daily, with
the planet Mercury edging closer, completing the
trio of planets on the evening of June 15th.
Go outside tonight just after
sunset and look for the crescent Moon in the west
(sky
map). Saturn will be directly below the Moon,
with Mars a little below and to the right of the
pair. Binoculars will also reveal the beautiful
Beehive Cluster between the Moon and Saturn as the
evening skies darken. Small telescopes will easily
reveal the rings of Saturn.
More information on this
wonderful series of events can be found in a NASA
article via the link provided below.
Long's Peak as seen from Storm Mountain on Monday morning
Monday,
May 29th - Cold Front Brings Needed Relief...
A cold front that passed through the area on Sunday evening has brought much needed relief from the extreme fire danger in the form of cooler temperatures and lighter winds.
Highs today are predicted to be in the 70's with light winds across the area. This is in stark contrast to yesterday's upper 80's and strong, gusty winds.
The cooler weather has lowered the fire danger across our area from very high
to extreme, down to a level of high fire danger.
As our fire season has only begun, residents are advised to continue using caution with any type of outdoor flame and to remain vigilant and alert for potential wildfires in our area.
An approaching storm from the
west and a brilliant sunrise in the east created
the setting for this week's featured photo of a
beautiful rainbow over the Storm Mountain area on
Tuesday morning.
Rainbows are most common in the
afternoon and evening, after a storm has passed.
However, less common morning rainbows, like the one
pictured above, form ahead of an approaching storm.
Hence the old mariners saying, "Rainbow in morning,
sailor take warning - Rainbow at night, sailor's
delight."
Rainbows
are created when light from the sun is refracted
through water droplets, which act like small
prisms spreading the sunlight into the beautiful
displays we often see.
More information on rainbows
and other atmospheric phenomena, as well as many
spectacular photos, can be found at optical expert
Les Crowley's website, via the link provided
below.
Saturday,
May 27th - Girl Dies After Being Pulled From Lake
Loveland...
An 11 year old girl who was
pulled from the bottom of Lake Loveland on Friday
evening died early Saturday morning at Children's
Hospital in Denver.
Christine Marie Bass was
reportedly swimming with a friend in the lake
behind 1700 Garfield Avenue when she was reported
as missing. Rescue crews found and pulled her from
the bottom of the lake around 6PM, approximately
20 minutes later.
Bass was rushed to McKee Medical
Center in Loveland and then on to Children's
Hospital in Denver at approximately 8PM on Friday
evening.
Christine was a student at Big
Thompson Elementary School and a classmate of
several area children. The class teacher has
personally notified each student's family of this
tragic loss at the request of Christine's parents,
John and Miriam Bass.
A memorial service for Christine
is scheduled for 2:00PM on Tuesday, May 30th at
Crossroads Church, 57th & Taft, Loveland,
Colorado.
We at SMN would like to extend
our sincere condolences to the Bass Family and
Christine's many classmates and friends. Our
thoughts and prayers are with you at this most
difficult time.
The National Weather Service in
Denver has issued a Red
Flag Warning for a large part of eastern
Colorado, including the Drake, Glen
Haven and Storm Mountain areas, in effect through
9 PM MDT, on Sunday evening.
Conditions across the area are
continuing to deteriorate rapidly with the current
regional fire danger ranging from very high to
extreme across most of the area.
Firefighters on Friday evening
responded to a wildfire south of Big Elk Meadows
near the Spring Gulch area, and another wildfire
in the Glacier View area south of Red Feather
Lakes in northern Larimer County.
This is a very serious
situation. Residents are advised to refrain
entirely from using any type of open flame
outdoors during the warning period. This includes
grills and campfires. In addition, it is advised
that residents stay alert and remain on vigilant
watch status for potential wildfires in our area.
This type of resident action can both help prevent
a fire from occurring, and aid in crucial quick
response times by firefighters in the event a
wildfire should break out.
The complete text of this
official fire warning can be found via the link
provided below..
Friday,
May 26th - Fire Weather Watch Friday Afternoon...
The National Weather Service in
Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the
front range foothills, including the Drake, Glen
Haven and Storm Mountain areas, for Friday afternoon
and evening.
As we begin the official Summer
season with Memorial Day this weekend, a dangerous
fire situation is setting up across the front
range foothills. Extremely dry conditions combined
with hot daytime temperatures and moderate to high
winds are forecast through Monday.
Memorial Day traditionally is
when many residents and visitors alike take to the
outdoors for holiday activities. These activities
often involve fire in the form of barbeque grills,
campfires, etc. With the high fire danger and no
current fire ban in our area, this will be an
especially tedious few days, as one careless
mistake or accident can have disastrous results.
Residents and visitors alike are
strongly advised to use extreme caution with any
type of open flame and to stay alert for potential
wildfires in their area. These fires can spread
very rapidly in these types of conditions and
quick action may be required.
Firefighters on Thursday
afternoon responded to a thirty acre wildfire
burning on the Larimer-Boulder County line. This
is a prime example of just how serious conditions
are at this time. Preventative steps and a well
laid out fire plan are the best defense against
wildfires.
More information on what you as
a homeowner can do to protect your family and home
from wildfires can be found via the link provided
below.
Wednesday,
May 24th - Sheriff's Deputies Assist In
Immigration Arrest...
Larimer County
Sheriff’s Office received a request from U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to
assist in the apprehension of a suspect from
Juarez, Mexico, who was wanted on immigration
charges. ICE agents stated they believed the
suspect was with a construction crew working in
the area of Interstate 25 and Highway 402 in
Loveland.
Prior to
deputies’ arrival, the suspect and two other
individuals left the area, according to ICE agents
who were conducting the surveillance at the
construction site. Larimer County
Sheriff’s Office deputies spotted the vehicle at
I25 and Highway 392. Deputies, investigators, SWAT
and Special Agents from ICE followed the vehicle
until it was considered safe to enact a high risk
stop.
The vehicle
was stopped at County Road 3 and Highway 392 near
Windsor, Colorado. All three occupants were
taken into custody without incident and
transported to the ICE office in Eaton, CO.
Mexican
Government warrants referenced an incident in
Juarez during May of 2005.
Further
information developed by ICE revealed Ramon
Esteban MENDOZA-Morales, 25, was wanted by Mexican
authorities in Juarez for the alleged offenses of
Murder and Attempted Murder.
“Larimer County Sheriff’s
Office has provided a major community service in
capturing this Mexican fugitive who is wanted for
murder,” said Jeffrey Copp, special
agent-in-charge of the Denver Office of
Investigations for U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE). “With such law
enforcement partners, we create safer communities
for everyone.” Copp heads a four-state
region which includes: Colorado, Wyoming,
Montana and Idaho.
Listen to this article
Larimer
County News Release
Tuesday,
May 23rd - Investigation Leads To Arrest For
Porn...
The Larimer County Sheriff’s
Office, in conjunction with Poudre Fire Authority
(PFA), has completed an investigation of former
PFA Division Chief Ron Uthmann. This
investigation began in early 2006 based on
information received from informants who believed
they had seen pornographic images on computers
assigned to Uthmann while he was employed at PFA.
Based on this investigation,
probable cause was established to believe that
Uthmann possessed a number of images of suspected
child pornography on his department-issued
computers. Uthmann had no personally owned
computers at the time. His issued computers
were seized and a forensic analysis was conducted
over the last few months with a detective from
Fort Collins Police Services. It
is believed that Uthmann received and exchanged
images containing child pornography with other
persons whose identities are not yet known.
It is further believed that Uthmann was not
involved in the creation of these images but has
received and exchanged these images via the
internet. Based on this investigation, it is
not believed that Uthmann has been involved in any
other crimes related to children.
Uthmann, who now resides in Mesa
County, was taken into custody without incident by
Grand Junction Police Department on May 22, 2006,
at approximately 5:00 P.M. and has been booked on
the following charges: two counts of Sexual
Exploitation of Children, a class three felony and
one count of Sexual Exploitation of Children, a
class one misdemeanor. A felony is charged
when an individual, among other things,
distributes child pornography. The
misdemeanor is charged when the material is
possessed. Bail has been set at $25,000.
Poudre Fire Authority Chief John
Mulligan and Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden
have scheduled a press conference for 3 p.m.
today, May 23, at the Poudre Fire Authority
Training Facility located at, 3400 West Vine
Drive, in Fort Collins.
Listen to this article
Fire
Weather Watch This Afternoon
Monday,
May 22nd - Fire Weather Watch This Afternoon...
The National Weather Service in
Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the
front range foothills, including the Drake, Glen
Haven and Storm Mountain areas, for this afternoon
and evening.
An approaching Pacific storm
system is expected to bring high winds to the
already dry area raising the fire danger level
substantially and creating conditions favorable
for the rapid development of wildfires.
Thunderstorms are also expected
this afternoon with a higher probability of
lightning than rain, further increasing the
chances for a wildfire. Cooler temperatures will
bring slight relief tonight and tomorrow, with a
return to warm dry conditions expected by
Wednesday.
Residents are advised to use
extreme caution with any type of outdoor flame and
to stay alert for potential fires in the area. No
fire bans are currently in effect for our
immediate area.
Listen to this article
Comet
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
on Sunday morning
This week's featured photo is an
amazing shot of Comet 73P/S-W3 taken on Storm
Mountain at 4:12AM this morning.
Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann
3, or 73P/S-W3, is quickly heading towards the sun
making viewing more difficult each day as it
becomes faded into the glow of sunrise.
The comet made it's closest pass
by Earth last week at approximately six million
miles in distance.
For the next few days two of the
over sixty fragments of the comet will be visible
in the eastern sky just before sunrise, and an
easy target for binoculars and backyard
telescopes.
A sky map and more photos of
73P/S-W3 can be found in our S-W3 galley via the
link below.
