ENGLEWOOD - It didn't matter which quarterback the Denver Broncos had under center Sunday. The San Diego Chargers bottled up both the rusty Chris Simms and the hobbled Kyle Orton.
Philip Rivers and a dominant defense led the Chargers into sole possession of first place in the AFC West with a 32-3 drubbing of the Denver Broncos, who couldn't move the ball effectively behind either QB.
The Chargers (7-3) have won five straight and the Broncos (6-4) have dropped four in a row, turning the division race upside-down. Just five weeks ago, the Chargers trailed the Broncos by 3 1/2 games.
The balance of power in the AFC West couldn't have shifted in a more dramatic fashion.
Rivers was a crisp 17 for 22 and he led San Diego to scores on seven of 10 drives. Nate Kaeding kicked four field goals and the Chargers also recovered an onside kick, recorded three sacks and forced three turnovers.
The Broncos? They were flagged nine times to San Diego's one. And Marcus

GRAND JUNCTION - Rising Republican star Josh Penry endorsed former Congressman Scott McInnis for governor, a move Penry says allows the GOP to focus on defeating incumbent Bill Ritter and take back the Legislature.
Penry says taking back the state House and Senate, was "inconceivable" only three weeks ago.
Penry, a state senator, and McInnis, who served the 3rd Congressional District from 1993 to 2005, announced the endorsement in a Grand Junction park Sunday. Penry and McInnis had been expected to face each other in a brutal primary.
Penry dropped out of the race earlier this month saying Republicans need to make up ground lost in recent elections.
McInnis faces Evergreen businessman Dan Maes for the Republican nomination.
"What this does on a political level is allows Republicans to focus resources not just in beating (Democratic Gov.) Bill Ritter, but in taking back the state House and Senate," Penry said. "Three weeks ago, those words were i

DENVER - The top cop in a California town that has become a poster child for a well-intentioned medical-marijuana law gone wrong has some advice for Colorado legislators.
"Make your laws as clear as you can, so that your executive and judicial branches of government can do their jobs as they are intended to," said Randy Mendosa, chief of police in Arcata, Calif.
The northern California town of 17,000 drew national attention in 2008 when a boom in medical-marijuana growing spawned serious public-safety concerns and siphoned away affordable housing as homes were rented for pot cultivation operations.
Colorado has few regulations for the burgeoning medical-marijuana industry, which has forced befuddled municipalities to enact a patchwork of moratoriums and outright bans as they wait for lawmakers to take up the issue in January.
Police say medical marijuana is among the most confusing issues they deal with.
Approved by Colorado voters in 2000, medical marijuana may

John Fielder is coming to the Silverthorne Pavilion for a book signing and presentation of his new book, "Ranches of Colorado," at the Silverthorne Pavilion on Tuesday to benefit Continental Divide Land Trust.
Fielder, Colorado's premier nature photographer and a Summit resident, spent two years travelling the state to capture images of Colorado ranches from mountains to plains. His presentation includes over 200 images from the book, accompanied by the music of American composer Aaron Copland. Fielder will also share excerpts from the book written by the late Rocky Mountain News columnist James Meadow, and stories of the hearty ranchers and historic ranches that John visited on his photographic journey.
A wide variety of Fielder's books and calendars will be on sale with a generous percentage of the proceeds benefitting Continental Divide Land Trust. Fielder will be available before and after the show to sign and dedicate books, which make great holiday gifts. Only b

The Carriage House Early Learning Center held a fundraising event on Nov. 12. The Wine Pairing Dinner and Silent Auction held at Taddeo's Restaurant in Breckenridge was a great success due to the excellent support received from the local community.
The Carriage House Employees and Board of Directors would like to thank all of the people and companies who donated time and goods to the dinner and silent auction. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the support received from our sponsors: Joe Taddeo and the staff of Taddeo's Restaurant; Republic National Wine Distributing Company and 1st Bank of Colorado. And also give a special thanks to Laser Graphics, Mark Burke, Alpine Bank, Breckenridge Grand Vacations, Cathy Cheroutes, and St. Anthony's Hospital for their generous contributions.
The support received from our community helps us to maintain and improve this center that not only cares for our children but strives to foster and enhance the creative learning proces

The Town of Dillon is preparing for the arrival of Santa and needs your help! Volunteers are needed to help decorate Santa's workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at La Riva del Lago Mall (upstairs from Lakeside Bowl) and to assist Santa, Mrs. Claus and others by helping with the Lighting of Dillon event on Thursday, Dec. 3, from 5-7:30 pm. The Town is also seeking volunteers to bake cookies to be given out at the event.
The "Lighting of Dillon" is a cherished home town event and will feature the music of John Adams & Friends, The Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church choir singing your favorite carols, Santa Claus and one of his reindeer, in person, and Mrs. Claus' children's workshop. Free hotdogs, hot cocoa, coffee and home-baked cookies from Dillon businesses and residents will be given away. Cookie bakers should deliver cookies to town hall on Dec. 2. If you can help us make this family oriented holiday, contact Brad Esser at (970) 262-3

A hearty thank you to the Frisco Elementary School principal, Renea Hill, her teachers, staff and students who took time to host a gathering of veterans at their school on Veterans Day. Ms. Hill remarked to me that this school has hosted this event for the past seven years. Not only were the veterans honored for their service, but also, what a wonderful learning opportunity to interact with the youngsters in their classrooms.
There was also an all-school assembly which included the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. Ms. Hill also allowed each vet to introduce himself/herself, noting their branch of service, years of service and a brief biographical sketch of their military career. Helping the little ones to better understand the general meaning of the word veteran, one vet told the first-grade class "that the next year when you are in second grade, you will be a veteran of the first grade."
Special thanks to Mrs. Herwehe's

PUEBLO - The Colorado State Fair had a net profit of $816,000 this year, the best since it cut back to an 11-day run.
Fair officials met in Pueblo last week to analyze the numbers. Last year, the net profit was $343,000.
The fair has been shortened twice to save money. It was cut from 17 days to 16 in 2002, then to 11 days in 2005.
Fair officials say a vintage train that carried people from Denver to Pueblo for the 2007 fair likely won't return anytime soon because of the cost.
It wasn't available in 2008 because it was booked for the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Fair officials didn't bring the train back this year because of the recession.

A lot of people move to Summit County to express their true selves, rather than live a life of external expectations or pressures.
So it seems that Marisa McKie landed in the perfect place - a place that shares the same values her workplace stresses every day.
McKie is the editor of New Moon Girl Media, an international company that oversees a magazine and website dedicated to helping girls age 8-14 develop their full potential through self-discovery, creativity and community.
McKie works from her home - or from local coffee shops - as the full-time editor for a magazine that survives solely on subscriptions. The company does not allow any advertising on its website or publication, because it doesn't want its young readers to be influenced by "perfect girl" stereotypes and images. The concept originated in 1992, when Nancy Gruver wanted her twin 11-year-old daughters to have an outlet to support and realize their own dreams.
These days, her husband,

Since we're not on a set schedule, Leigh and I don't worry too much about missing the ferry to Albania. Instead, we focus on exploring Corfu, a Greek island that figures prominently in the ancient legends of the region.
According to myth, the sea god, Poseidon, fell in love with the river nymph Korkira and made love with her on the island, giving birth the Phacean race and to the island's Greek name, Kerkyra.
At the Benitses beach, we can picture the proto-traveler, Odysseus, nearly drowned, drifting ashore with the help of Athena, then awakening to the laughter of princess Nausica and her friends, who are washing clothes in a stream. King Alcinous gives him a boat to help him return to Ithaka. But Poseidon is angry at the Phaceans for helping Odysseus, so during the return voyage, he turns their boat to stone.
Corfu also was a stop for Jason and the Argonauts. They narrowly avoided being trapped by the call of the Sirens, when Jason ordered Orpheus to sing for his crew so they cou

Although overall reservations for the upcoming season lag behind last season, the monthly report issued by the Mountain Travel Research Program reported a dramatic 25 percent increase in reservations taken among participating mountain resort communities during October for arrivals between October 2009 and March 2010.
Despite the increase, overall occupancy remains down 11 percent compared to the same period last year. The monthly report, the Mountain Travel Monitor, was released last week and also delivered updates on market trends likely to influence destination skier/rider visits this season.
Reservations are currently down 20 percent in November, 9 percent in December, 6 percent in January, 13 percent in February, 12 percent in March, and 23 percent in April.
The October booking pace reflects a significant increase from 2008 and a modest return to more familiar lead times - but with new patterns. However, consumers continue to show price sensitivity and gains were most nota

SILVERTHORNE - A new opportunity for affordable housing in Summit County is almost complete. All units at Solarado, Silverthorne's new eight-unit development, are to be complete by mid-December. The complex is located behind Office Max in the Ptarmigan Trail Estates subdivision bordering Silverthorne and Dillon.
The developer - South Maryland Creek - broke ground on the project in May, and it's currently selling the available units. Each unit costs $250,000.
Two units will be occupied by Dec. 1, and three are under contract, said spokeswoman Joanna Hopkins with Solarado. Five units are still up for grabs.
Solarado held an open house Nov. 12, and there was a huge turn out, Hopkins said.
"Interest has grown since people have been able to walk through the units," she said. "Hopefully we'll get some more contracts in a couple weeks. There was lots of great feedback and hopefully some interested buyers."
Council members and s

Good morning and welcome to Summit Up, the world's only daily column asking restaurants to make French fry salt a condiment rather than ingredient.
We purchased a batch of deep fried taters coated in tiny white sodium chloride crystals a couple days ago. By the time we dug in, the salt had already bonded with the grease - thus precluding removal in a reasonable amount of time.
The flavor was so strong we had no choice but to try and off-set it with ketchup, which happens to include salt as a main ingredient.
Moments later our hands began to swell. Our mouth became parched and we gulped a couple glasses of water.
It wasn't the first time. Plus the components of burgers, chicken fingers and other main items are no doubt showered with their own shares of sodium.
What's more: Many of these French fry dispensaries actually include extra packets of salt in the bag.
We know people who use them. Over-salting food is a disgusting habit that can have longterm c

SILVERTHORNE - A group of fifth-graders at Silverthorne Elementary School executed an online mission Friday to save some misplaced astronauts.
"We're trying to find a lost spaceship," said Jessie Logan, 10, adding that her group was working to decode and transfer information, among other tasks.
The 21 students sat at tables simulating a Martian control center in the school's media center, where teams used laptops to beam their findings to mission control on Earth. A large screen displayed images from space and Earth with communication through Skype.
The opportunity came as a prize from the Colorado Association of School Executives Conference. Moon, Mars and Beyond was offered from Colorado Springs through the Challenger Learning Center of Virginia.
The team-oriented exercise is meant to engage students in math and science as applied to a scenario.
"It actually helped a lot of them with listening skills, problem solving and working together," fifth-g

BRECKENRIDGE - Bob Barto moved to Summit County 30 years ago and started working as a dishwasher at the Keystone Lodge. He recently became general manager of Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center, one of Breckenridge's largest and most successful lodging businesses.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity," Barto said, adding that he's received "a lot of support from Beaver Run and the local community."
Barto is challenged with finding new revenue sources for Beaver Run. Revenue for 2009 so far is about 35 percent lower than 2008.
"The fun part now is for me to take what we know and work with staff to figure out what we need," he said.
He's batting around ideas such as allowing people to bring dogs to the hotel on their vacations - a growing trend in the industry.
He also said research is under way to perhaps bring Mixed Martial Arts competition to the conference center. And if the hotel becomes pet friendly, perhaps dog shows

SUMMIT COUNTY - The latest predictions for a mid-winter dry spell may cause some headaches for Colorado water managers as they try to juggle supplies to maintain stream flows and fill reservoirs.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting that a strong El Nio may lead to dry conditions in the state's northern and central mountains at least until March, based on historic patterns associated with above-normal sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific.
Stream flows in Summit County are not too far off seasonal norms, but the Colorado River at Kremmling recently experienced an all-time record low flow for that date, according to local water commissioner Scott Hummer.
The Colorado was only flowing at 280 cubic feet per second on Nov. 16, and flows farther downstream were also well below average, Hummer said. The previous minimum for the date was 330 cfs in 1978.
"I can't find a rhyme or reason as to why we're starting to see these low flows so

Controversy. That's one of the only things that could ever make me actually write a column that has to do with soccer. Although, I must admit, this isn't completely going to be about short shorts and kneesocks - at least not entirely.
So, by now, most of us have all heard about the bizarre and horrible way that Ireland got bounced from qualifying for the finals of the World Cup. But, in case you prefer your football to have nothing to do with your feet, I'll explain it to you quickly: France and Ireland played a qualifying match earlier this week that would ultimately decide, between the two teams, who earned an automatic trip to South Africa next summer. The Irish controlled much of the game, leading 1-0 late in the contest. Then, French superstar Thierry Henry's blatant (and really, this play defines the word blatant) handball resulted in the tying goal in extra time. The officials somehow missed the call, and France earned a tie. More importantly, though, that final goal gave

"That looks like Austin, we better stop."
So said my mate, Ellen, as we drove down a muddy dirt road, at near running speed, in a fierce summer storm.
I say "near" running speed because we caught up to a man running with his dog. We had been hearing thunder cracks and they seemed to be getting closer as the rain turned to hail.
Since we were miles from any paved road and civilization, I had made up my mind that whoever it was, we were going to offer a ride.
We pulled up next to the waterlogged runner and Ellen said, "I told you it was him. Make sure you stop."
Ellen's repeated insistence stems from the fact that Austin and I have a troubled history, and she's convinced that I'm mean to him.
Austin was soaked, muddy and smiling; his dog didn't look nearly as happy. We rolled down our window.
"Hey Stud," I said, "the lightning is getting closer, this might not be a safe spot." Austin smiled and s

Re. "When weather science meets marketing hype," by Bob Berwyn, SDN Opinion Nov. 19:
I remember when daily snow-reports were based on how much snow accumulated from the time the lifts closed the previous day. This was useful information to skiers. Then someone decided the measurement would be greater, thus enticing more skiers, if it reflected the snowfall over 24 hours, which is misleading, not generally useful information to skiers. As I recall, Keystone started this many years ago; when the other areas realized what was going on they sheepishly followed suit, rather than working with the media to ensure accurate, useful information. Keystone neglected to mention at first that they were measuring over 24 hours; naive media-people were broadcasting the 24-hour snowfall as "overnight."
This is a very small detail in a big world, but when the other ski areas followed suit it was frustrating: The marketing people chose misleading information rather than useful i

To suggest that human involvement in global warming is a global hoax perpetrated by politicians and the renewable energy industry as done by Martin Hertzberg in his commentary "More on the climate-change hoax" (Nov. 17) is like saying that assertions that cigarettes cause cancer is a plot by politicians and the health care industry to extort money from big tobacco. This piece should be given no more credibility than it deserves. There's a reason why Hertzberg has not been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Who's to say that he isn't simply involved in this debate to draw attention to himself? Sounds more plausible to me than to suggest that the much wider community is collectively involved in some evil plot to destroy the economy.
But supposing for a second that I'm wrong, and the greater scientific community is wrong, both of which happen on a regular basis, what do we have to gain by taking his position and doing nothing? Is life