Welcome to Montrose Fresh, from The Montrose Daily Press. It’s FridayAugust 20th and we’re here with local news, events, announcements, jobs, and more that matter to us here in Western Colorado.
Today - Colorado 135 was closed overnight between Wednesday and early Thursday while law enforcement agencies negotiated the surrender of a man suspected of pointing a gun at a Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
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Now, our feature story…
Colorado 135 was closed overnight between Wednesday and early Thursday while law enforcement agencies negotiated the surrender of a man suspected of pointing a gun at a Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Brad Fortener was eventually detained on suspicion of first-degree assault, menacing and prohibited use of a weapon. Formal charges are pending and case documents and attorney information were not immediately available.
Sheriff John Gallowich said that shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, deputies were informed that a man had threatened to kill “potheads”. When a deputy arrived, the man could be seen in his home, holding what appeared to be a handgun.
Gallowich alleged the suspect pointed the weapon at the deputy, who took cover and summoned help.
Other GCSO deputies arrived, securing the area with assistance from Mt. Crested Butte Police Department, Colorado State Patrol and the Gunnison Police Department K-9 unit.
For safety reasons, the highway was closed at about 6 p.m. Fortener surrendered shortly after 12 a.m. on Thursday and the highway reopened about 30 minutes after that.
To find out more about this story visit us at montrosepress.com.
Now, some local history. This week's local history is brought to you by England Fence. England Fence is family owned and operated, and they're ready to help you build your dream fence, archway, gate, or deck. Give them a call at 970-249-4430, or head over to their website englandfence.com.
Did you know that Loghill Village borders Ridgway State Park and Eldredge, though there is no direct road access between the two? The nearest town is actually Ridgway which can be seen from its position on the mesa.
The town is covered in large Ponderosa Pine trees, piñons and junipers. Wildlife is abundant with a fairly large population of Mule Deer, Elk, Bobcats, Lynxes, Black Bears, wild turkeys and an occasional sighting of mountain lions. Almost 1,000 feet higher than Ridgway, the types and sizes of flora vary greatly. For example, Aspen trees are seen here and there on the mesa, as opposed to the lower Ridgway valley where they are scarce.
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Before we go, a quick announcement on an upcoming vaccine clinic...
Montrose County School District and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment are collaborating to host a COVID vaccination clinic at Montrose High School on Wednesday, September 1 from 3 to 6 p.m.
The school district is focused on pre-registering students and parents with a goal of 100. Parents will need to provide consent for children under the age of 18.
The CDPHE is funding and operating the clinic, which will be distributing the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. Another event is scheduled four weeks later for the second dose.
And while many employers — including Walmart, the Pentagon and Aurora Public Schools — have already mandated vaccines for some workers, the Montrose district is not planning to require the vaccine for students and employees.
Right now, the vaccination rate in Montrose County is lagging behind the statewide average, with only 46% of residents 12 and older fully vaccinated. Just over half have received at least one dose.
To learn more visit us at montrosepress.com
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