Steamboat Today: Stories for January 31, 2010

Advocate for local veterans passes away in Denver

Friends: Bill Harding ‘the kind of person God put on this Earth to help other people’

Bill Harding, a former Moffat County Veterans Service Officer, died Saturday at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Denver. Harding lived in Craig from 1976 until June 2009, when he and his wife, Sandy, moved to Grand Junction. He was an advocate for local veterans in Moffat County.

Oak Creek’s Tom Thurston prepares to return to Iditarod

Tom Thurston stood at the gate of a new giant dog pen he erected after his last trip to the Iditarod, a large fenced-in area that he said allows his animals to stretch their legs after a long workout. Thurston is headed back to the Iditarod. A year ago, he hoped to finish. Now, he’s raised his goals.

Hayden welding students design steel pieces depicting school mascots

Kevin Kleckler, director of the Babson-Carpenter Career and Technical Education Center, hopes a project some of his welding students are working on will promote goodwill among the area school districts. Hayden School District students participating in the welding program at the vocational education facility are designing and creating steel pieces, made from scrap metal, that depict the mascots of three local school districts.

Steamboat 700 traffic debate a 2-way street

Supporters, critics of Steamboat 700 take opposing views about roadway impacts

Steamboat 700’s share of U.S. 40 improvement costs, required by the development’s annexation agreement with the city and estimated by the Fox Higgins Transportation Group, falls between $30.1 million and $43.2 million, depending on future construction costs, final designs and other factors.

Airboarding offers a new way down for snow enthusiasts

Danny Tebbenkamp explained that it was the ease and potential wide appeal of airboarding that drew his eye to the sport. Tebbenkamp, who runs the Steamboat Springs-based Boardom Bound extreme sports excursion business, was looking for something to keep the customers coming throughout the winter that didn’t come with the high demands of snow kiting.

Not many sales to go around for Realtors in 2009

Shortage of commissions for Steamboat agents has some deciding to become inactive

January is the month when Realtors take stock and write checks for about $1,800 in order to stay in the game. With the number of transactions dwindling to 467 sales closed through the Multiple Listing Service in 2009, there are signs that some of Steamboat’s roughly 395 Realtors are considering their options.

Foreclosed luxury home sold for $113 per square foot

At $113.41 per square foot, the home at 250 Hillside Drive likely is one of the best Routt County real estate buys of 2009. If he wanted to resell the house, “the investor who bought it could complete extensive remodeling, price it aggressively ahead of that neighborhood and still come out ahead,” said transaction broker Beth Bishop, of Prudential Steamboat Realty.

On the Market: Colorado Group Realty names award winners

Each year, the five broker/owners serving on Colorado Group Realty’s Board of Directors give three awards to deserving fellow brokers.

Steamboat hockey family builds outdoor rink

Five-year-old Mia McNamara had enough skating Wednesday afternoon. She wanted the color back in her cheeks and something to eat. So as her three brothers continued to skate around the family’s homemade, home-run skating rink, Mia simply walked off the ice, took about 15 paces and went into the family’s home. That’s the beauty of the McNamaras’ home rink.

Sports briefs: Sailors hockey falls, 2-1 in OT

It’ll be something Steamboat Springs High School hockey coach Jeff Ruff will continue to grill into his team. To get to the level Ruff thinks the Sailors can — that starts at a Final Four appearance — there simply can’t be any letdowns. Steamboat had one of those letdowns Saturday against Doherty, falling 2-1 in overtime.

John F. Russell: High Olympic expectations

The UCLA Marching Band has a better chance of sneaking into Vancouver, British Columbia, than the members of the U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team.

Joel Reichenberger: Home through different eyes

They don’t write a lot of books about where I’m from. In fact, outside of the local history tomes that get cobbled together every so often, the only book I know of that even mentions the small farming town of Andale, Kan., is “The Hot Zone,” a true story about an Ebola outbreak in a Washington, D.C., suburb that featured a doctor from Andale.

Steamboat briefs: VNA offers free screenings for American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month, and you can show your support Friday by wearing red. Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association will offer free cardiovascular screenings from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at 940 Central Park Drive, Suite 101. To make an appointment, call Karla at 846-9855. For more information about stroke and heart attack signs and symptoms, go to www.americanheart.org.

Mike Lyons: Apologies and congratulations

In the interest of preserving and protecting the sacred principle of honesty, I would like to convey a deep heartfelt apology to both the editor and the good readers of this newspaper.

Dave and Micki Cota: Thanks, Steamboat

We want to pass along our thanks to the Steamboat Pilot & Today, the great coaching staff at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Jeremy’s employer Old West Steak House, and all the folks of Steamboat Springs for how much we appreciate your support and all you have done for our son Jeremy Cota.

Our View: Seek a 6-year vesting period

We would love to see Ski Time Square redeveloped. A bustling base area is crucial to ensure that visitors enjoy their time here and want to return year after year. It’s also important to locals, who want commercial options and a variety of places to enjoy après ski entertainment. That sales tax revenue would be pretty nice for the city of Steamboat Springs, too.

Jail Report for Jan. 23 to 29

North Routt students try skijoring for fun, Winter Carnival preparation

Savannah Slater, downhill skier and sixth-grade student at North Routt Community Charter School, joined about half a dozen friends Friday afternoon for a few first-time skijoring runs at a winter activity that will be featured Feb. 6 and 7 during the 97th annual Winter Carnival. Registration for skijoring during the Winter Carnival will remain open through Friday.

Best of the Web: Art Higbee’s death

Chad M. Johnson: Snow plow myths

As a local excavating contractor in Steamboat Springs, who like many of us doubles as a snow removal service in the winter, I have had to deal with several unpleasant phone calls in the past few days concerning noise problems.

School lunches for the week of Feb. 1

Steamboat Springs and Hayden schools district lunch menus were not available.

Class notes: Soroco High School announces honor roll

Students who had GPAs of 4.0 were: seniors Gage Achtner, Alex Estes, Nathaniel Meadows and Matthew Watwood; juniors Caitlyn Berry, Charell Ondreika and Alexandra Smith; sophomores Lauryn Bruggink and Zane Elston; and freshmen Cole Carnahan, Mackenzie Carnahan, Zoe Hart and Micaela Meyer.

Mentoring program fosters young Steamboat artists

High school, gallery team up to introduce students to artists

A new art program at Steamboat Springs High School works on the “understanding that we learn from others.” That’s the goal of bringing professional local artists into Lisa Derning’s Advanced Placement studio art class through the end of the year, Derning said. Through a partnership with Center for Visual Arts, a downtown gallery, Derning’s students will work with six artist mentors during studio time and critiques.

Oak Creek improves old water system pipe by pipe

Even before Bob Redding saw the water gush out around the fire hydrant at Arthur and Williams streets in Oak Creek, the public works director knew there was a problem. A worker at the water plant saw the level of the water in the tank drop precipitously, and alarms started sounding as the water level neared 20 percent.

Routt County Spotlight: Chris Dickson

Occupation: Computer technician, The Mac Ranch

Business File: Green Jobs Pipeline for Women project launches

The Alliance for Sustainable Colorado this month has launched its “Green Jobs Pipeline for Women,” a project through the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor that will promote the education, training and placement of women throughout the state into the energy efficiency and renewable energy jobs market, according to a news release.

Routt County school districts prepare for worst

10 percent could be cut from state K-12 education funding

As local school districts begin to prepare their 2010-11 school year budgets, they’re still not quite sure to what extent statewide K-12 education funding will be cut. The picture will become clearer after the Colorado Legislature receives a revenue projection in March. But until then, districts are beginning to budget in anticipation of having their statewide funding cut 10 percent.

Winter Carnival button invites dreams of Olympic glory

The artistic theme for the latest iteration of the Winter Carnival button is “Living the Dream,” and Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club special events coordinator Caroline Bohlmann said everyone has permission to imagine themselves as Olympic medalists.

Lighted man takes on new hues

The lighted man will have new colors in his electronic plumage this year as he skis down Howelsen Hill in the annual spectacle. Jon Banks, son of Claudius Banks, who started the tradition in 1936, will this year add a high-tech LED lighting system to his rig that will let him shine as many as 256 colors from his ski poles, skis, suit and helmet.

Winter Carnival Diamond Hitch Parade features unique twist

There are no papier-mache floats rolling down the street or multi-colored candy wrappers littering the sidewalks during the Winter Carnival Diamond Hitch Parade. Instead, the annual event features local organizations, children’s sports teams, businesses, political groups and others sporting their skiing prowess as they ride or slide down Lincoln Avenue.

Steeped in history, biathlon returns to Winter Carnival for 36th time

Unique event recalls Colorado’s fur-trapping days

It's no surprise that the annual International Muzzle Loading Biathlon is an exercise in history as much as it is sport. Even the presentation of the racers and the friendship among those participants — many of whom count themselves as history enthusiasts — bears more weight than finishing first or last.

Students gear up for snow sculpture contest

On Feb. 3, the students chosen to participate in the annual Winter Carnival student sculpture contest will work with city of Steamboat Springs public works employees to fill the square wooden frames with snow. After they’ve frozen overnight, the students — excused from school that day —return to begin sculpting, said Tracy Barnett, program manager for Mainstreet Steamboat Springs, one of the event’s sponsors.

Olympic families chosen as marshals

Parents of Olympic-bound locals honored for service

As their sons head to the winter Olympics, two local families are also being recognized for their years of work with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

Ski Band director preserves legacy

Ski appreciation catching on with students, too

It’s only his third year as band director at Steamboat Springs High School, but Jim Knapp understands the importance of the Ski Band kicking off the annual Winter Carnival parade down Lincoln Avenue.

Molly Newman reigns as Winter Carnival queen

Molly Newman has been skiing with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club since she was 2 years old. A Steamboat Springs native, Newman has been involved with the club’s Nordic skiing program since she was in third grade and said she was honored to be queen of the 97th annual Winter Carnival.

Hang out with Steamboat’s future Olympians

If you’re new to winter sports, or if you’ve already fully embraced middle age, there’s probably no chance you’ll qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. British Columbia. However, there’s no reason you can’t mingle with future Olympians at historic Howelsen Hill during this year’s Winter Carnival in Steamboat Springs. You might even pick up some pointers.

Winter Carnival as Wild as the West can get

The Winter Carnival is annually a good place to find some of the craziest events Steamboat Springs will see all year, and Lincoln Avenue during the Saturday and Sunday street events is usually the best place to find the craziest events of that crazy week.

Now in its 97th year, Winter Carnival has a rich history

For first-time visitors to Steamboat Springs or people unfamiliar with the city’s annual Winter Carnival, walking into the Tread of Pioneers Museum can be an eye-opening experience. The first thing people see when stepping through the door at 800 Oak St. is a mannequin in an orange jumpsuit with a backpack full of explosives and an outfit with enough lights for a Christmas tree.

Rick DeVos: Welcome to Winter Carnival

Beginning as the organizing committee for the first Winter Carnival, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has maintained the Winter Carnival as a service to the community since 1914. We are pleased to host the 97th annual Winter Carnival, beginning Feb. 3 and concluding Feb. 7. This year’s carnival theme is “Living the Dream.”

Panel advises preparation, planning before applying for a loan

A panel of bankers told a roomful of community members last week that despite the tough economy, local banks have lending available to qualified, prepared applicants. Five members of the local banking community spoke Tuesday at The Steamboat Grand during a meeting of the Steamboat Springs Rotary Club.

Tigers basketball teams earn big wins against Rangely

It didn’t take Hayden High School senior girls basketball player Rachael Koehler long to answer. Asked how to stop her and her sister Erin, and Rachael was quick and concise. “No,” she said. “I just don’t want to give anything away.” The Koehler sisters were about as big as it came Saturday against a pesky Rangely team, helping Hayden pull away with a 56-47 win.

Real estate transactions for Jan. 22 to 28, 2010

The Record for Jan. 29

Looking Back for Feb. 1, 1935

Every time you spend more than a nickel, you are going to kick in to help finance relief in Colorado. As this is written, no specific sales tax measure has been presented for consideration by the state Legislature, but everyone around the capitol building is convinced that one will be on the statute books within the next few days. Decks will be cleared for fast action when the bill makes its appearance.

2010 Winter Carnival schedule

Don’t forget to purchase a $7 Winter Carnival button to show your support of the Winter Carnival and the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

Stories for January 31, 2010

Lead stories

Early Morning

Supporters, critics of Steamboat 700 take opposing views about roadway impacts

Stories

Friends: Bill Harding ‘the kind of person God put on this Earth to help other people’

Supporters, critics of Steamboat 700 take opposing views about roadway impacts

Shortage of commissions for Steamboat agents has some deciding to become inactive

High school, gallery team up to introduce students to artists

10 percent could be cut from state K-12 education funding

Unique event recalls Colorado’s fur-trapping days

Parents of Olympic-bound locals honored for service

Ski appreciation catching on with students, too

May events