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hjarvis@summitdaily.com
SOCIAL CALL
Editor’s note: These comments are pulled from the Summit Daily’s Facebook page.
“That’s great! Now keystone will be able to turn off its lights at 10 pm.... right!?!” — Darren Foti, on “Four Summit County ski resorts join Partners in Energy program with Xcel Energy”
“Too little too late. The resorts wouldn’t even be open if it wasn’t for the freak storm in January. This will be the driest and warmest March on record. The lowest amount Arapahoe Basin has ever had was 12 inches. So far three inches have fallen this month. Keystone is substantially worse.” — Darryl Todd, on “Storm set to break Summit County’s dry spell with as many as 7 inches predicted Thursday”
“Can we get 74 inch’s please?” — Fritz Ritter, on “Storm set to break Summit County’s dry spell with as many as 7 inches predicted Thursday”
“Same stuff went on when the Ford family would visit the Vail/Beaver Creek area. What’s the big deal.” — Linda Gilmer Polhemus, on “Mysterious Aspen ski rental contract may relate to Trumps”
“How hard is it to just not drive drunk. The bus is free here!” — Jessica Gazin, on “Breathalyzer fraud allegations could derail Summit County DUI cases”
“More hotels=Less VRBO and AirBnB. People want to vacation here, and hotels are better for the housing market than vacation rentals.” — Brent Bewick, on “Summit County remains desirable location for hotel development”
1. Breckenridge businesses facing discipline over December drug bust
Last December, local law enforcement agencies countywide teamed up for an undercover drug operation that nabbed 21 suspects, most of whom allegedly sold drugs to police officers in a handful of bars and restaurants in Breckenridge and several other locations. One case — when a man allegedly sold a half-ounce of cocaine over the counter of the Mine — was so egregious that the state Department of Revenue swiftly shut it down, police say. Two other establishments are facing scrutiny by the Breckenridge Liquor and Marijuana Licensing Authority, although they will likely only pay fines or serve suspensions for being implicated in what police described as a loose but brazen drug ring.
2. Storm set to break Summit County’s dry spell with as many as 7 inches predicted Thursday
After a dry October and November that saw snowpack levels well below annual averages, the hand-wringing abruptly ended with strong showings in December and January that more than made up for the sluggish start. For February and March, however, the pendulum has swung back: Summit’s last major snow day came in early March, and the rest of the month has been unseasonably warm.
A storm was expected to arrive last Thursday, and some local ski areas were expecting as much as a half-foot of snow overnight. But by Friday morning, a slim inch or two dusted the area and was gone by afternoon.
3. Breathalyzer fraud allegations could derail Summit County DUI cases
Dozens of local DUI cases could be derailed by revelations last week that annual certifications for breathalyzers statewide were being forged by state regulators. Former employees of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment — the agency that inspects and certifies the Intoxilyzer 9000 machines used statewide — said that lab documents certifying that the blood alcohol content reading the machines produce is accurate still bear the signature of an employee who left the department in 2015.
Defense attorneys across the state have seized upon the revelations as a possible strategy for suppressing breathalyzer evidence in court or even having cases thrown out, potentially imperiling thousands of them. District attorney Bruce Brown said that he has no reason to believe they aren’t accurate.
4. High Country crime: Aspen area woman accused of ski theft — again
A roundup of crime around the region told the story of a 61-year-old Aspen woman has been arrested six times in the past decade for stealing different items from Aspen businesses. In Rifle, a man had been seen concealing items in a backpack at Wal-Mart, then trying to leave the store without paying. A third Steamboat Springs seasonal worker faces felony charges related to thousands of dollars having been stolen from a man through fraud, and a Bustang passenger was arrested on charges of distribution of heroin, two counts of possession, and distribution of a controlled substance, all of which are drug felonies.
5. Mysterious Aspen ski rental contract may relate to Trumps
A story from the Aspen Times took spot No. 5, when the paper reported the U.S. Secret Service signed a contract last week for more than $12,000 with the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club for rental ski equipment and clothing, according to a federal government website. An Aspen area law enforcement source who requested anonymity suggested the rental equipment might be for Secret Service agents protecting members of the Trump family while skiing.
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