Storm Mountain News

News   |   Weather   |   Classifieds   |   Community   |   Editorial   |   Entertainment   |   Shopping   |   Archive
 


Storm Mountain News

Sorry, your browser doesn't support Java.

Local News


Listen to this article

Suicide At Detention Center...

Suicide At Detention Center

Friday,  May 18th - Suicide At Detention Center...

On Thursday, May 17th, at approximately 11:52 P.M., Douglas Wade Russell, an inmate at the Larimer County Detention Center, was found by deputies to be unconscious and unresponsive, and hanging from the top bunk of his cell by a T-shirt.  The deputy was able to get Russell down, called for help and CPR was immediately begun.  Paramedics responded, continued CPR and transported Russell to Poudre Valley Hospital.  He was pronounced dead at 12:25 A.M. at PVH.

Russell had served time at Department of Corrections for cultivation of marijuana and had been on parole for that charge.  He was arrested by parole officers for violation of that parole based on a Third Degree Assault charge issued by Fort Collins Police Department on May 9, 2007.  He was brought into Booking as an “Uncooperative,” was given “Red Tag” status, and was placed on various watches due to drug withdrawal protocol.  He was currently being housed in the intake area, where two pods are separated by glass, with 29 inmates on one side and 10 on the other.  Nineteen of those inmates were on watches of different sorts.  Two inmates were in lockdown and one inmate was in protective custody.  Two deputies were assigned to the pod, one having been brought in on overtime due to staff shortages.  At the time of the incident, one deputy was on his 30-minute lunch break.

Russell had an extensive criminal history of drug and assault charges both in Colorado and other states.  At the time of the suicide, he had been cleared by counselors and was no longer under any watches.  In the course of our investigation, it has been discovered that Russell had made suicidal statements to family members through telephone conversations which were not brought to our attention.

In 2006, three deputies received Life Saving Awards from Sheriff Alderden for thwarting suicide attempts by inmates.  So far in 2007, deputies have interrupted three suicides attempts. The only other successful suicide that authorities are aware of occurred in December of 2003. 



Listen to this article

Fuel prices in Estes Park on Monday...

Fuel prices in Estes Park on Monday

Tuesday,  May 15th - Nationwide Gas Out Today...

Consumers across the nation have organized to fight back against the current record high fuel prices by refusing to buy any gas on Tuesday.

This is one of several movements currently underway to express consumer anger over the currently outrageous gas prices and the oil monopolies outrageous profits year after year. Another action consumers are taking is to avoid buying any fuel at all from Exxon/Mobile stations until prices drop substantially.

With no true oil shortage or threat to the oil supply, oil monopolies are now using "The dog ate my homework" type excuses to justify the high prices. However, if the increases were actually needed for refinery repairs as the oil monopolies claim, then their profit margins would not continue to grow at record rates. For some reason, unlike most businesses, oil companies profit from disasters, wars and other problems.

Area prices for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel on Monday ranged from $3.09 in Loveland to a whopping $3.47 in Estes Park.



Listen to this article

Golden Banner (Thermopsis rhombifolia)...

Golden Banner (Thermopsis rhombifolia)

Sunday,  May 13th - Photo Of The Week...

Above average temperatures and regular rainfall last week have led to an outburst of local Spring wildflowers like the Golden Banner featured in this week's photo.

Golden Banner (Thermopsis rhombifolia), is also known as "false lupine" and "golden pea". It is a western plant that has been collected as far east as Logan County, North Dakota. The plant is a true plains dweller, being found from Alberta to western Nebraska and Colorado.

Plants are perennial and about 10 inches tall. Up to 6 stems grow from a slender taproot. Leaves are parted into three leaflets. Each stem may branch above and bear a half dozen golden-yellow flowers nearly an inch long. Long curved pods (legumes) with slender tips form at maturity.

Golden Banner prefers clay soils and seem to be mostly avoided by cattle. This could be due to untoward internal reaction as a closely-related species in the Ukraine is used medicinally as an expectorant. Golden pea has been reputed to be poisonous to humans and livestock on rather tenuous circumstantial grounds.

Golden Banner is a member of the economically important bean family (Fabaceae). Fab means "bean" in Latin. The generic name is from the Greek thermos, "lupine," and opsis "appearance." The specific epithet rhombifolia means "rhombic-leaved" in botanical Latin, in reference to the shape of the leaflets.



Listen to this article

Red Fox kit in Estes Park last week...

Red Fox kit in Estes Park last week

Wednesday,  May 9th - Abundant Area Wildlife...

Wildlife in the Estes Park area has been extremely abundant the past week with both tourists and locals alike getting amazing views and photos.

Our good friends Gary and Kris Hazelton at Estes Park News were kind enough to send us some of the great wildlife photos they got last week and it is our pleasure to share them with all of you.

A Coyote in town, a mother Red Fox with her kits and a Moose with her yearling calf are featured in the slide show below. On a very sad note, the yearling Moose was tragically struck and killed by a vehicle last Tuesday evening. The photos below are now a memorial in tribute to this beautiful, majestic creature.

 


Previous Week

 

Storm Mountain News Weather

Weather Info

Current Alerts

Nexrad Radar

Local Forecast

Road Conditions

Ski Conditions

School Closures

Wildfire Info

Moderate Fire Danger

Fire Weather

Burn Regulations

   

    



     

Google
 

 

 
 
Privacy Statement     Code of Ethics     Advertise     Contact Us

©2006 Storm Mountain News