Dog searches coming to area schools

Durango School District 9-R is taking a serious step to keep drugs, firearms and alcohol out of some schools. Beginning April 4, dogs trained in detecting illicit substances will begin unannounced inspections of Durango High School, Miller and Escalante middle schools, and Excel Charter School. The district sent a letter, explaining the new program, to all parents this week.

The district has enlisted the services of Canine Associates International (CAI) as part of a "Safer Schools Program." The program is an effort to deter students from bringing drugs, alcohol, guns and explosives into school and create a safer learning environment as a result.

The district stressed that there will be no direct contract between the dogs and students. During a typical search, CAI will visit a school site unannounced. Then the dog and its handler will inspect the school premises under the direction of a school administrator. The dog will randomly inspect areas including lockers, vehicles and common areas. Should the dog show interest in a student's belongings, the individual will be informed and the handler will ask if there is any reason for the dog's interest. The handler will then ask the student's permission to inspect their items.

9-R argues that CAI's program provides a strong deterrent to drugs, alcohol and firearms on campus. While there will be no direct physical contact between students and dogs, the district stated in a letter to parents, "CAI's dogs are visible and will become a recognized presence at our schools."

The program kicks off Mon., April 4, just as students are returning from spring break. At that time, demonstrations will take place at each of the schools. A parent demonstration is scheduled for 7 p.m. that evening at Miller Middle School. School District 9-R officials were unavailable for comment.

Fee opposition gaining strength

The fight against federal land access fees picked up momentum last week. By overwhelming majority, the State Legislature of Colorado called on the U.S. Congress to repeal a controversial new federal lands fee law. Montana's State Legislature passed a similar measure, and Oregon's is poised to join them.

The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) was slipped into the omnibus appropriations bill in December by U.S. Representative Ralph Regula, R-Ohio. Dubbed the RAT, or Recreational Access Tax, by its opponents, the measure allows the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Reclamation to charge fees for recreational use of vast tracts of federally managed land.

Representatives Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus, and Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, introduced a measure in the Colorado Legislature last week that called for the repeal. The resolution got on a fast track and was introduced March 17 and easily passed in both the state Senate and House the following day.

The Colorado resolution says "The fees imposed by the FLREA are a regressive tax that places an undue burden on the people living in rural areas adjacent to or surrounded by large areas of federal land, as well as discriminating against lower-income and working Americans by placing financial obstacles in the way of their enjoyment of publicly owned land."

The Montana resolution passed the state House in February by an overwhelming vote and cleared the Senate on March 14 with only one dissenting vote. In addition to the state legislatures, six counties in Colorado (La Plata, San Miguel, Hinsdale, Ouray, Montrose, and San Juan) have passed their own resolutions calling for repeal of the act.

Robert Funkhouser, president of the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition and a leading opponent of Fee Demo, said he's pleased that elected officials are taking action. "A law that criminalizes access to public lands by the citizens who own them and pay taxes for their support would never pass muster in an open public debate. Slipping it in as an appropriations rider, by a congressman with no federal public lands in his district, was a despicable abuse of the legislative process." he said.

Strong local ski season shapes up

With the 2004-05 ski season drawing to a close, Colorado ski areas are reporting strong returns. Even though the final numbers are not in, skier visits statewide have already jumped by 178,240 over last year. Durango Mountain Resort is reporting results that are on par with last year's strong skier day season.

Matt Skinner, DMR communications director, said that thanks to good snow throughout most of the season 2004-05 is shaping up to be a strong year for the local resort.

"We were strong through the holiday season and early on when we were blessed by mother nature more than some others," he said.

This early season jump flattened out in February, according to Skinner. But there's hope for a strong spring break, which is shaping up differently than past years. "We've seen things even out through February, and as spring break goes, we won't have a solid feel until the end of the month," he said. "So far it's been different. We haven't seen one concentrated week as in some years. This year, spring break has been spread out over three weeks."

Skinner explained his prediction for the final tally, saying, "I think overall we're running very similar numbers to last year."

While this may seem anticlimactic, last year was well above average for the resort, representing the first solid rebound from the previous two drought winters. Colorado destination resorts like DMR have seen a 1.28 percent increase season-to-date and a 7.9 percent increase over 2002-03 for the same time period.

Hantavirus returning to region

Hantavirus is again on the loose in La Plata County. The San Juan Basin Health Department is currently investigating a probable case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in a local male and is urging other residents to take precautions.

Hantavirus is caused by exposure to the feces and urine of deer mice and is most commonly transmitted by breathing contaminated dust particles. Because of the recent wet winter, conditions are ideal for large mouse populations, and the SJBHD has reports of more mice indoors than normal for this time of year.

As a result, the department recommends the following precautions to minimize exposure: use only spring-loaded traps for trapping mice; spray the suspected area with a solution of ½ cup bleach to 5 cups, and let it soak for 15 minutes; wear rubber gloves; double bag all materials, including mice, and dispose of in an outdoor garbage can; do not vacuum dry material; wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.

For further information, call the La Plata County Infoline at 385-4636 x2224 or visit www.sjbhd.org.

SWAT responds to Wildcat Canyon

A four-hour standoff ended last Thursday when SWAT team officers successfully apprehended a man. Piotr Skupien, 46, had barricaded himself inside a Wildcat Canyon home 6 miles west of Durango and fired between five and 12 potshots with a high-powered rifle. No one was injured.

Last Thursday, La Plata County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of Skupien firing a rifle and/or shotgun inside and outside of the residence.The gunfire was reported by neighbors, and two of Skupien's nephews, whofled the house and told deputies that Skupien was intoxicated,agitated and shooting weapons.

The SWAT team then responded to the scene and established a perimeter around the house, and Wildcat Canyon Road was closed to all traffic since vehicles could potentially be shot at from the house. Repeated calls to the residence by negotiators were not answered.Eventually, SWAT members drove their "Aardvark" armored vehicle to the front of the residence, and at about 10:40 p.m., observers saw Skupien lying on a bed with no weapons nearby. He was then taken into custody, transported to La Plata County Detention Center and booked on charges of Felony Menacing and ProhibitedUse of a Weapon.

- compiled by Will Sands