County commissioner meeting prayer touches off strong debate in high country

Republican Garfield County Commissioner Mike Samson recently opened a can of worms by getting his fellow commissioners to agree to starting meetings with a prayer, according to the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Signed off on by fellow GOP commissioners John Martin and Tom Jankovsky, the practice has touched off a debate in the letters to the editor section of the Glenwood Post Independent:

Silt residents urge town boycott to protest Antero gas drilling plan

Residents of a Western Slope neighborhood called Silt Mesa — targeted for stepped-up natural gas drilling by Denver-based Antero Resources — are reportedly angered by a perceived lack of support from the Silt Town Council. Citing public health and environmental…

GOP looks to lock up key energy county in contentious GarCo commissioner race

GARFIELD COUNTY – Democrats drew up the blueprint on how to dominate a state in Colorado’s 2008 general election, but Republicans wrote the game plan for snatching a local election using outside oil and gas money – and they’re apparently sticking to it in 2010 Garfield County commissioners race.

McInnis Lincoln Day dinner appearance trains light on GarCo commissioner race

Happy coincidence or strategic tipping of his campaign hand? That’s what Garfield County Democrats must be wondering after the “surprise” appearance of Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Scott McInnis at the local GOP’s Lincoln Day Dinner Saturday night in Glenwood Springs.…

GarCo to put heat on state for more answers in Divide Creek seep

The Garfield County commissioners continue to take potshots at the state over perceived lapses in oil and gas drilling enforcement for water contamination, deciding Monday to demand more answers in the now-infamous West Divide Creek benzene and methane leak of…

GarCo commissioners vote 2-1 to oppose DeGette’s FRAC Act

A grass-roots citizen’s group troubled by air and water pollution from natural gas drilling in Garfield County expressed “extreme disappointment” Monday when the county commissioners voted 2-1 to oppose more federal oversight of the industry.

GarCo commissioners show resolve on drilling spill, but not yet on FRAC Act

The Garfield County commissioners Monday did decide to fire off a strongly-worded resolution condemning contamination of drinking water by the natural-gas industry. It just wasn’t the resolution some people expected.

Despite some speculation the commissioners might vote Monday on a…

GarCo commissioners delay FRAC Act decision after viewing anti-drilling film

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — Everyone was a film critic Monday at a somewhat tense screening of the new anti-gas-drilling documentary “Split Estate” for the Garfield County commissioners. Most of the reviews — surprisingly, even from the industry — were glowing.

GarCo commissioners put off FRAC Act resolution

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — An expected showdown over support or rejection of the FRAC Act by one of Colorado’s most drilled counties fizzled a bit Monday when the Garfield County commissioners decided to delay any resolution on the federal hydraulic fracturing legislation until they see a movie on the topic and take more public input.

Garfield County commissioner backs DeGette fracking bill

Gov. Bill Ritter may have triggered a party divide last week on the controversial hydraulic fracturing gas-drilling process, bucking fellow Democrat and U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette. But it’s a pure party line issue in natural gas-rich ground zero Garfield County.