News from Neighbors

Sterling losing its JCPenney store
    STERLING JOURNAL-ADVOCATE, March 18 — JCPenney has announced that its Sterling store is on the list of 138 locations nationwide that will be closing.
    According to a press release from the company, the closures are planned to “align the company’s brick-and-mortar presence with its omnichannel network, thereby redirecting capital resources to invest in locations and initiatives that offer the greatest revenue potential.”
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Eason found guilty in stepmother’s death
    THE BURLINGTON RECORD, March 16 — Thursday, March 9, following a trial spanning nearly two weeks, a jury found Dylan Eason guilty of murder in the first degree in relation to the killing of Dr. Cynthia Campbell-Eason between April 28-29, 2016, in Burlington.
    Dylan Eason was arrested, charged and successfully prosecuted following a thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Burlington Police Department, Kit Carson County Sheriff’s Office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the office of the district attorney for the 14th Judicial District.
    After nearly eight hours of deliberation and in addition to the conviction for murder in the first degree, the jury also returned verdicts finding Eason guilty of murder in the second degree, aggravated robbery and first degree burglary.
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Controlled burn in Keota area successful
    STERLING JOURNAL-ADVOCATE, March 15 — A controlled burn of nearly 800 acres in the Pawnee National Grassland had some in northeast Colorado understandably nervous.
    The burn of 785 acres near Keota in Weld County went off without a hitch Tuesday, according to Kristy Wumkes, fire information officer for the Canyon Lakes Ranger District.
    Wumkes said six fire engines and more than a dozen firefighters worked on the burn. A safety zone was first burned on the perimeter of the area, and then the interior of the burn area was ignited in sections. Wumkes said a pumper would stay on-site until late in the evening to make sure the fire was completely out.
    The controlled burn was done for three reasons, Wumkes said: to regenerate habitat for the mountain plover, which needs lush grass for nesting, re-introduce fire into the environment and to thicken the stand of grass for grazing. Asked why intensive grazing over a short time wouldn’t have the same effect, Wumkes said the fire is actually more natural and more beneficial.
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Julesburg Irrigation District questions Department of Parks & Wildlife
    JULESBURG ADVOCATE, March 16 — A mere Facebook post garnered the attention of 20-25 local community members who made it a point to attend Monday morning’s Julesburg Irrigation District meeting.
    The post raised concerns that boats would be prohibited from using Julesburg Reservoir this year. Julesburg Reservoir is better known as Jumbo.
    The real question at hand was what to do in light of the Department of Parks & Wildlife delisting the reservoir from mandatory watercraft inspections.
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Up to 2,000 acre feet of water set for release from Enders Lake
    THE IMPERIAL REPUBLICAN, March 16 — Three years ago, the Middle Republican Natural Resources District purchased and released 4,000 acre feet of water stored in Enders Reservoir for compact compliance purposes.
    The water was purchased from the the Hitchcock & Red Willow and Frenchman Valley Irrigation Districts, which owned the rights to the water.
    In early April, up to 2,000 AF of water stored in Enders will be released down the Frenchman.
    Bill Peck, with the Bureau of Reclamation office in McCook, Nebraska, said a release of up to 2,000 AF has been ordered by the irrigation districts.
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