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U.S. Senator Mark Udall said yesterday that he is angry that little of the $30 million that the federal government promised for fighting wildfires in Colorado and Wyoming this year has yet to arrive in the state. Udall said that he will respond to the slow progress of federal help by offering an amendment to every spending bill that comes to a vote in the senate that calls on the government to earmark an additional $50 million to Colorado for removal of beetle-killed trees in the state. Udall said that there are 3.6 million acres of beetle-killed trees in Colorado and that is his definition of a tinderbox. He says we need to remove those dead trees and underbrush before they catch on fire. As of yesterday, there were five wildfires of significant size burning in Colorado. Those fires include the Medano Fire burning in the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and the 911-acre fire burning in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Medano Fire at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve continues to burn with 5,807 acres scorched so far and 275 firefighters on scene including 4 crews, 6 engines and 4 helicopters. Burnout operations continued yesterday on the San Isabel National Forest on the southeastern section of the fire. Continued dry and warm weather is forecast for today, which will help with the ignition operations and smoke from the burnout is expected to be visible in the San Luis Valley again today. Fire crews who supported the burnout yesterday will construct and improve fire lines again today on the southeast side of the fire. Travelers on Colorado Highway 69 are advised to please use caution as fire-related activity can be distracting. The Medano Fire is being managed on both the San Isabel National Forest and the Great Sand Dunes National Park by Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team A.

Nextera Energy Resources, a Florida-based company, became the 4th solar developer this year to apply for a building permit in Alamosa County on Tuesday. The company is proposing to build a 30-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant in the northwest corner of the county and held an open house on Tuesday that attracted a handful of residents. Nextera would build the plant on 480 acres near the intersection of Alamosa County Road 105 north and the co-op road. It has yet to secure a buyer for the power from the plant, however the company is currently in talks with Xcel Energy. Tri-State Generation and Transmission could also be a potential customer, according to the company. Xcel is waiting on the state Public Utilities Commission to decide how many and what type of solar plants the utility may build in the San Luis Valley by 2015.

Alamosa County Commissioners yesterday unanimously adopted a resolution to put the question of whether or not to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries in the county on the November 2nd ballot. The ballot question will ask voters if medical marijuana centers, optional premises cultivation operations and infusion productions should be prohibited in the unincorporated boundaries of Alamosa County. Voters will be able to select either “yes” to prohibit dispensaries, or “no” to indicate that they want to allow dispensaries in the county. The county’s current moratorium on marijuana dispensaries will continue until the November election. If voters elect to allow the dispensaries, the current moratorium will continue until licensing regulations are adopted.

The Kiwanis Club of Alamosa will host its 36th Annual Kiwanis Kowboy Breakfast on Saturday, July 3rd, at the SLV Federal Bank parking lot from 7 to 10am. Advanced tickets for the breakfast fundraiser are available for individual purchase at $6 for adults and $3 for kids 12 and under through any Kiwanis member or you can pay the same price on site. Your attendance will help support the ongoing projects of the non-profit Alamosa Kiwanis Club. Please come out for coffee, orange juice and all the pancakes, sausage and eggs you can eat. Again, that’s Saturday in the SLV Federal Bank parking lot from 7 to 10am.