This Week in Pics

The Board of Mesa County Commissioners declares May 21-27, 2017, as Emergency Medical Services Week in Mesa County, which recognizes the value and accomplishments of EMS providers. EMS teams consist of emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, emergency physicians, emergency nurses, administrators, dispatchers, and others. Pictured from left to right: Mesa County Commissioner Scott McInnis, Mesa County EMS System Coordinator Mike Hill, Clifton Fire Chief Charles Balke, Palisade Fire Chief Richard Rupp, Grand Junction EMS Chief Sheldon Kier, Commissioner Rose Pugliese, EMS Council Member Kelly Wilkinson, EMS Council Member Gene Dreyer, EMS Council Member Dr. Joe Kupets, Grand Junction Emergency Manager Gus Hendricks and Commissioner John Justman.

Mesa County EMS System Coordinator Mike Hill talks to the Mesa County Commissioners and hearing attendees about the importance of emergency medical services providers and the vital role they play in our community's wellbeing. Emergency medical services providers have traditionally served as the safety net of Mesa County's health care system. EMS professionals were honored in public hearing for their dedication to providing lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day.

Thank you, EMS providers! Emergency Medical Services Week is May 21-27, 2017. From left, EMS Council Member Kelly Wilkinson, Grand Junction Emergency Manager Gus Hendricks. Palisade Fire Chief Richard Rupp, Grand Junction EMS Chief Sheldon Kier, EMS Council Member Dr. Joe Kupets, Clifton Fire Chief Charles Balke, Mesa County EMS System Coordinator Mike Hill, EMS Council Member Gene Dreyer and Mesa County Emergency Manager Andy Martsolf.

Criminal Justice Services Chief Deputy Director Matt Sullivan talks to News Channel 5 about the remodel of the Chipeta Community Corrections building, which houses women. The facility has been at capacity for some years, and the remodel project will help with the much-needed expansion. The projected is expected to be completed in the next three months.

Last Friday, several residents joined Mesa County, the Tamarisk Coalition, and Target in the celebration of the first ever Colorado Public Lands Day by participating in the clean-up of Clifton Nature Park.

Volunteers gather at the at the Clifton Nature Park, a Mesa County open space at 32 ¼ Road and D Road, to start their clean-up adventure in honor of Colorado Public Lands Day.

Volunteers remove Tamarisk at the Clifton Nature Park. The splendid Tamarisk Weevil (actual name) is known for its bright metallic coloring and the unique silk baskets (as pictured) it builds on tamarisk branches in which their larvae pupate. Tamarisk or saltcedar is an invasive tree in the United States belonging to the family Tamaricaceae. See more on Tamarisk at https://goo.gl/NCw2NN.

DJ, a Target employee, and volunteer representative pulls a camping chair out of the Colorado River.

To ensure that Clifton Nature Park can continue to be enjoyed by the community and inhabited by wildlife volunteers help clean up the area.

Mesa County Noxious Weed & Pest Management, the Tamarisk Coalition, Target employees and local residents removed two trailers full of weeds and trash from the Clifton Nature Park, on May 19 in support of Colorado Public Lands Day and Colorado for Healthy Landscapes. Read more at http://colorado4healthylandscapes.org/

The Mesa County Noxious Weed Management program is designed to maintain, reclaim and create healthy landscapes in the Grand Valley.

Mesa County and the Tamarisk Coalition are coordinating community volunteer events to remove trash, keep the weeds at bay and prevent re-growth of invasive species that would damage the habitat the park provides. Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities.

Dalmatian toadflax is a high priority noxious weed for Mesa County Noxious Weed and Pest Management due to its ability to spread and reduce rangeland and wildlife forage, and because it is present in a contained area around Molina.

Dalmatian toadflax is a noxious weed regulated by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Although it has been planted in North America as an ornamental (note the resemblance to snapdragons), it can be highly invasive and compete with native plants for resources.

Mesa County Noxious Weed Coordinator and Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese participate in the Habitat for Humanity National Women Build Week.

Mesa County Fairgrounds hosted the 72nd Annual Western Colorado Shrine Circus on May 24 & 25.

Shrine Circus crews assemble their stage for performances at the Mesa County Fairgrounds.

The Shrine Circus staff sets up the motocross cage for the evening show at the Mesa County Fairgrounds.

Mesa County Animal Services Manager Doug Frye talks to Inside Mesa County participants about animal neglect and citations issued when animals have no protection from the elements (i.e., no shelter or water).

Mesa County Criminal Justice Services Director Dennis Barry presents to the IMC class on Wednesday evening. The discussion focused on the services and outcomes of the community corrections programs.

The Board of County Commissioners honored the Colorado Cattlemen's Association on its 150th anniversary and proclaimed June 11-17, 2017, as Colorado Cattlemen's Association Week in Mesa County. Janie Van Winkle of Van Winkle Ranch, center-right, accepts the proclamation on behalf of the Cattlemen's Association. Van Winkle, a fourth-generation Mesa County rancher, is currently the only woman on the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association Board.

Mesa County Noxious Weed & Pest Management met with landowners, ranch managers and Terrie Locke from the Palisade Insectary to discuss the details of using biocontrol as a method of reducing Dalmatian toadflax populations on rangeland and pastures in and around Molina. From left, Wes (a landowner), Mike Grundy (Mesa County Road & Bridge), Bird (a ranch manager), Alan Barbee and Stacy Wilson (Mesa County Noxious Weed & Pest Management), Ty (a landowner and ranch manager), Terrie Locke (CDA Palisade Insectary), Bill (a landowner) and his ranch dogs discuss how to identify and transport the insects that will feed on the noxious weed Dalmatian toadflax.

Mecinus janathiniformis is a stem boring weevil that specifically feeds on Dalmatian toadflax and can be used as part of an overall weed management plan to reduce populations. For more information about biocontrol, visit https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/agconservation/biocontrol

There are a number of Dalmatian toadflax agents to help control the spread of this noxious weed. The insectary is currently working with the stem boring weevil, Mecinus janthiniformis, and the foliage feeding moth, Calophasia lunula. For more details, click here.

Sixteen Mesa County Department of Human Services staff members and 16 Criminal Justice Service staff members compete in a Partners Superstar Cornhole Fundraiser. Pictured here: Darren Tow, Shawn McNamara, Alicia Lyons, Ed Pacheco, Jen Pacheco, James Bruner.

Criminal Justice Services staff members Chad Music, left, and Mike Perry at the Partners Superstar Cornhole Fundraiser.

DHS Case Manager Mickenzie Webber and CJSD Case Manager Cindy Gallagher go head-to-head in a round of cornhole.

1st place winners, Clint and Michelle, won a trophy, $60 and six Partners tickets!

2nd place winners, Mike and Cindy, received six Partners tickets. The Partners Superstar Cornhole Fundraiser raised over $500 to benefit Mesa County Partners! Nearly half of the total donation came from Magnum Electric.

2nd Annual Celebration of Educational Excellence hosted by DHS Child Welfare recognized 26 graduating high school seniors that have been involved with Foster Care, DYC, Probation and School District 51. Child Welfare Supervisor Brittany Gardner is interviewed for the event by KREX TV.

Child Welfare staff Tina Huges, Aly Austin, Michael Blevins doing the balloon prep.

Families and friends gather to celebrate the graduates.

Child Welfare Manager Joe Kellerby welcomes the group.

Judge Valerie Robison addresses the graduates, families and supporters.

Criminal Justice Service Clinical Director Jason Talley talks to the Inside Mesa County class about the Summit View Treatment Program, which provides a wide variety of treatment services for those struggling with addiction. Utilizing validated clinical assessments, each individual is evaluated to determine the appropriate intensity of treatment, and the specific needs to address for sustained sobriety.

Ute Water hosted a tour of the Historical Roller Dam and Fish Ladder in DeBeque Canyon for community members to learn about the history of the dam, how the irrigation water diversion for Grand Valley Water Users Association works, and about endangered and other native fish that use the ladder to access breeding grounds upstream.

Tour participants included employees from Mesa County, City of Grand Junction, the 2017 Mesa County Leadership Class, and members from the John McConnell Math & Science Center of Western Colorado, who were there to get design ideas for a new exhibit.

Dale and Brenden, both with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show fish like the native bluehead flannelmouthed sucker, mountain whitefish (a rare catch!), razorback sucker, and non-native invasive fish like the gizzard head shad.

Dale Ryden with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service talk about the Endangered Fish Recovery Program, explain how the fish ladder works and show some of the different kinds of native and non-native invasive fish that they find in the fish ladder.

Dale Ryden, Project Leader with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Teresa Nees with Mesa County Noxious Weed & Pest Management and a Colorado native razorback sucker that was found in the fish ladder today.

The Grand Valley Diversion Dam in the De Beque Canyon of the Colorado River is approximately 15 miles northeast of Grand Junction. Joe Burtard with Ute Water facilitated the tour of the Historical Roller Dam and Fish Ladder. Presentations on the tour were given by Kevin Conrad, Operations Manager with Grand Valley Water Users Association and Dale Ryden, Project Leader with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Sometimes when the road and bridge crews are out-and-about fixing roads they get to see the wildlife in beautiful Mesa County.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Many Mesa County offices will be closed Monday, May 29, 2017, in observance of Memorial Day.