City of Durango voters weigh in

The people have spoken. When the polls closed last Tuesday, a total of 3,713 Durango residents cast their ballots in the city election. The majority of them voted in favor of a sales tax increase for open space, parks, trails and capital projects and gave the nod to candidates Virginia Castro, Renee Parsons and Doug Lyon.

Referendum 2A, the proposed half-cent sales tax hike to fund open space, parks, trails and other capital expenses, passed by a margin of 55 to 45 percent. Up to $3.5 million is expected to be collected during the first year of the tax, and that sum will ramp up over its 20 year life. Half the tax will be dedicated to open space, parks and trails, and the other half will go to capital expenses like a new library.

Bill Manning, executive director of Trails 2000 and a major proponent of 2A, was pleased with the outcome of the vote.

"I think 2A will prove to be a very good thing for Durango," he said. "I think it will help preserve our quality of life. I'm upbeat that our city will be able to fully implement the Parks, Open Space and Trails (POST) master plan."

Another major proponent of 2A had two reasons to be happy on Tuesday. In addition to seeing the open space tax passed, Virginia Castro was re-elected to another four years on Durango City Council. Castro finished first among the candidates gathering 22 percent of the vote and 2,207 ballots.

"I'm really excited that the voters entrusted me with another four years," she said. "I will do my best to try to make them happy that they re-elected me."

Regarding Referendum 2A's passage, Castro added, "With the passage of 2A, we're going to be able to accomplish so many great things for Durango. My hat goes off to all of the volunteers that worked to get out the message and to every one who voted for its passage."

Fort Lewis College Professor Doug Lyon took the second place slot in the election garnering 21 percent or 2,174 votes. Like Castro, Lyon thanked the voters and pledged to spend the next four years working for them.

"I'm very flattered and honored that the people of Durango have entrusted me to represent them on their City Council," Lyon said. "I'll work very hard over the next four year to earn that trust. I'd like to stay in close touch with everyone who has concerns about Durango."

Voters tapped Renee Parsons, president of the Friends of the Animas Valley, for the third available seat on the council. Parsons gathered 17 percent or 1,756 votes. "I am looking forward to being a voice on the City Council on behalf of our quality of life and opening the political process," she said.

Candidate John Gamble missed election by 143 votes, finishing in fourth. David Burke finished fifth with 1,342 votes and candidate Jim Schneider rounded out the election with 1,212 votes.

More Canada lynx to be introduced

Another release of lynx into the San Juan Mountains is scheduled for this Saturday, April 9.

The event marks the fifth year of the Division of Wildlife's reintroduction efforts. On Saturday, six Canada lynx - three females and three males - will be set loose near Creede.

Since the program started in 1999, 166 lynx have been released, and a total of 38 cats are expected to be released this year. The reintroduction program was established to bring the lynx back to its traditional range. The last verified native lynx sighting in Colorado was in 1973 near Vail.

Of the 166 released, researchers believe up to 105 lynx are still alive. They also have documented that at least 55 kittens have been born in Colorado, and in this sense, 2005 could be a milestone year for the program. This is the first year that the kittens born in Colorado will be old enough to breed. If they breed successfully, it will be a significant step in this long-term program.

Open-pit mining may come to region

A national boom in metals-mining continues to have repercussions on the local region. A company is currently exploring the feasibility of opening a large open-pit copper mine north of Dove Creek and south of Paradox. The Constellation Copper Corp., based in Lakewood, is studying an 8-million ton copper deposit called the Cashin that could gross up to $130 million.

Constellation has announced that it hopes to mine the ore and transport it to Lisbon Valley, southeast of Moab, where it is scheduled to begin another open-pit mine this summer. The Lisbon Valley site has gotten the green light from the feds and will begin operation in August.

In contrast, the Cashin deposit, which is beneath both private and public land, remains speculative. The company is currently undertaking test drilling on a private parcel and the company has yet to file for any permits from the Bureau of Land Management. Washnock said a portion of the Cashin deposit is on BLM land. It is estimated that the pit would be approximately two football fields wide.

The Uncompahgre Field Office of the BLM has said the permitting process for the pit mine would be extensive, especially considering its proximity to the Dolores River Wilderness Study Area. "Permitting will be tricky," Lynn Lewis, a geologist with the BLM, told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

Counterfeit bills roll back into town

Counterfeit bills are again on the loose in Durango. Several fake $10 bills were passed to area merchants on March 31 and April 1, and the Durango Police Department is urging businesses and citizens to keep their eyes peeled for $10 bills with serial numbers of CB71167146B and DK05657503A.

Consumers are urged to turn over suspicious bills to the local police or a U.S. Secret Service officer. Citizens will not be reimbursed if the note is counterfeit, but knowingly passing a counterfeit note is against the law. Businesses and cash handlers are encouraged to delay the person who passed the bill and if possible, contact the police. For more information, call 375-4730.

Meanwhile, a known counterfeiter recently pled guilty to forgery. In February, Durango Police issued a warning regarding fake $20 bills. Fort Lewis College student Jason Lee Dinges, 18, was arrested for manufacturing the bills. On April 1, Dinges pled guilty to charges of forgery and will be sentenced at a later date.

Burn scheduled for Ridges Basin

Smoke is returning to the region in the coming week, but there is no reason to be alarmed. The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management will be conducting a controlled burn on one to two days between April 9 and April 13 in Ridges Basin, just southwest of Durango. The burn will cover approximately 3 acres and is part of a national wildfire training class.

- compiled by Will Sands