Area fi re restrictions lifted OHV-use ordinance approved Caution, common sense urged – A11 County allows use on designated roads – A18 The Pagosa Spring sSUN 50¢ PAGOSA SPRINGS, ARCHULETA COUNTY, COLORADO 81147 www.PagosaSUN.com VOLUME 110 — NO. 44, THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018 Second poacher Draft decision would grant road access fi ned over $18,000 to site of proposed Village at Wolf Creek Duo fi ned more than $37,000 By Avery Martinez a wildlife manager and offi cer with Staff Writer Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). In an interview with The SUN The second of two Oklahoma on July 23, Ruybalid explained that men who poached multiple elk England appeared in court and while trespassing on private property signed a plea agreement identical received fi nes in court reaching over to Epperly’s. $18,000. “These guys, I think, they were Tanner J. England, of Oklahoma, not lawful hunters, they were poach- plead guilty in court on July 18 to ers. They were trying to fi nd loop- three counts of wildlife-fail to dress, holes in the law and violate those three counts of wildlife-illegal pos- and get away with it,” Ruybalid told session, one count of hunting/trap- The SUN on July 11. ping/fishing without permission “They were pretty simultane- and two counts of hunting without ous in what they did and working license-big game. together,” Ruybalid said on July 23. England received fi nes and costs Epperly, as reported previously, totaling $18,126.50. plead guilty to multiple poaching England, who acted alongside charges and trespassing, and he another charged poacher, Dakota received fi nes totaling $19,126.50. Epperly, trespassed and poached According to Ruybalid, Epperly elk on private property in Archuleta County, according to Rod Ruybalid, ■ See Poaching A8 Photo courtesy Rod Ruybalid Tanner England (left) and Dakota Rendering courtesy Village at Wolf Creek Epperly (right) The above rendering imagines the visual impact of the proposed Village at Wolf Creek. A draft record of decision released on July 19 would pose with an elk give Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture road access to its privately held property atop Wolf Creek Pass, with that draft decision expected that was poached to be fi nalized this fall. on private prop- erty in Archuleta By Randi Pierce public review. be within a 100-foot corridor with a total area County. The two Staff Writer But, like other decisions released by the of about 3.7 acres.” Oklahoma men RGNF concerning the proposed project, op- “This new draft decision provides the were charged with A new draft record of decision released by ponents are indicating that the access will access that is legally required for private multiple poaching the Rio Grande National Forest (RGNF) on not be granted without a fi ght. inholdings,” said RNGF Supervisor Dan charges and tres- July 19 would allow road access to the private According to a press release from the Dallas. “Furthermore, this access option was passing charges. parcel that is proposed to become home to RGNF, the land near the top of Wolf Creek fully analyzed in 2014, so no new analysis is This picture, one the Village at Wolf Creek. Pass is a private parcel landlocked by federal needed.” of several posted The draft decision stems from a Jan. 12 lands. As the press release explains, the draft to Facebook, al- letter from Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture lowed authorities The draft record of decision from the decision is based on Alternative 3, which was (LMJV), the property’s developers, to the to link the duo to RGNF “is designed to provide reasonable the so-called ANILCA alternative, named for multiple crimes. RGNF seeking “immediate access” to the access to the 288 acre parcel via a new road the Alaska National Interest Lands Conser- Both men face property. corridor. The proposed road would be ap- losing hunting The draft decision is currently open for proximately 1,610 feet in length and would ■ See Village A8 privileges for life, and received fi nes. Jail campaign group opens meetings to public Multiple wildfi res By Avery Martinez to The SUN as the Facilities and Campaign Com- instance, printing and a banner for a booth at the Staff Writer mittee when it was fi rst reported in a story on County Fair,” Vihel wrote in an email to The SUN. July 5. Archuleta County Attorney Todd Starr sug- burning in county A new jail could be on the ballot in November, Richard Vihel, chair of the group now calling gested that the county administrator draft a letter and a county campaign committee has just re- itself Citizens for a New Jail, addressed the BoCC that outlined the use of the $5,000 and the compli- By Randi Pierce and Springs. cently opened its meetings to the public. at a work session on July 17. ance with state law allowing public money spent Avery Martinez On Wednesday afternoon, the The Archuleta County Board of County Com- “The next thing we would need with regard on campaigns. Staff Writer USFS reported that a line had missioners (BoCC) appointed a jail facilities and to campaign funds —the board has previously Vihel explained that his group wanted peace been established around the campaign committee in April; however, until re- indicated that you are willing to allocate $5,000,” of mind about the money. Multiple fi res are being tended fi re perimeter with fi re activity cently the group’s meetings were not open to the Vihel said at the July 17 session. Starr explained that, from his understanding, to through Archuleta County. still present. Hose has been laid public, despite its role as an advisory committee “The county has agreed to pay for expenses the group would not write a check, but instead Many of the fi res involved mul- around the fire perimeter and to the BoCC. involved with providing factual information to bills for the items, such as yard signs, would come tiple agencies including the U.S. an engine will be suppressing Henderson had previously identifi ed the group the public concerning the need for a new jail. For ■ See Jail A9 Forest Service (USFS), Pagosa any hot spots along the line and Fire Protection District (PFPD) mopping up. and Archuleta County Emergency “The Spruce Fire is burning Management. along a ridge top in ponderosa May sales tax To report a new fi re on federal pine and Gambel oak,” a Tues- lands, please contact the Durango day press release from the USFS collections Interagency Fire Dispatch Center reads. at 385-1324. While one structure was ini- For more information on the tially threatened, the USFS re- 1.52 percent existing fires on public lands, ported Wednesday that no struc- contact the Pagosa Ranger Dis- tures are currently threatened. higher than trict at 264-2268. Resources involved with bat- tling the Spruce Fire included the Spruce Fire USFS, the PFPD and Archuleta last year The Spruce Fire, found early County, according to the Tuesday on July 24, was approximately release. By Avery Martinez 10 acres in size as of Wednesday, “Six loads of fire retardant Staff Writer according to the USFS. It was were used to prevent the fi re from caused by lightning. Sales tax information for May has dropping into Spruce Canyon,” The fire is burning above been released, with sales tax col- the Tuesday press release reads. Spruce Canyon near Mill Creek, lections coming in at 1.52 percent about 4 miles east of Pagosa ■ See Fires A10 higher than May of 2017. The gross amount of sales tax collections for May in Archuleta Outdoors A14 County was $778,028.52, accord- ing to a report issued on July 18 by Pagosa District seeks public input on Sand Bench vegetation management Archuleta County Finance Director Public Notices A16-A17 Larry Walton. Index PREVIEW The Town of Pagosa Springs’ SUN photo/Randi Pierce Live Performers 2 Opinion A2 Crossword 16 share was $388,240.26. The river may be running low this summer, but there was water enough for the Friends of the Upper May 2018 was 1.52 percent higher Obituaries A4 SUDOKU 26 San Juan River to hold the CRUISE-A-THONg. The fundraiser, dubbed “A Race for the Average Joe,” Burleson Taylor Collyer than May of last year, an increase of features a bike ride around town, fl ip-fl op walk and fl oat down the San Juan River in whatever type Mack Prentiss Jones $11,639, the report reads. of infl atable device the participants choose. Jerry Rohwer Janet Fae Sharpe ■ See Sales A8 A8 — The Pagosa Springs SUN — Thursday, July 26, 2018 Village ■ Continued from front of decision in 2015 approving a two years later, in May of 2017, by A fi nal decision on the road ac- with surrounding National Forest developers access.” vation Act. That act, in part, grants land exchange that would swap ap- U.S. District Court Judge Richard cess is expected in the fall. System lands was arbitrary and The developers, however, ad- private land owners surrounded proximately 177 acres of privately Matsch for the District of Colorado. LMJV’s six-page January letter capricious, an abuse of discretion, dressed that issue in a statement by National Forest System lands a held land to the RGNF in exchange “This has been a long, complex acknowledges the ongoing law- and contrary to law. The Forest released July 19. right of reasonable access. for approximately 205 acres of Na- project and I encourage folks to suit and that Matsch set aside the Service entirely failed to consider That statement notes, “Despite The alternatives were analyzed tional Forest System land managed learn more about its status and decision, but states, “Although the an important aspect of the prob- our opponents’ continued misrep- for the fi nal environmental impact by the RGNF.