Aspen High grad continues recovery in Grand Junction
The recent Aspen High graduate whose heart stopped after he collapsed at a graduation party continues to recover in a Grand Junction hospital.

Hayden Spurrell, 18, went from being in a medically induced coma in the intensive-care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital on Sunday to flipping through TV channels and joking with friends and relatives on Tuesday.

According to a Facebook page for Spurrell that gives periodic updates on his condition, he is now “walking, talking and eating. This is really a miracle!”

Spurrell collapsed shortly after swimming a short stretch at The Aspen Club during Aspen High’s Project Graduation event early Sunday. He “seemed to go into a seizure,” the Facebook page says.

A lifeguard and other adults immediately began CPR, and other first-responders used a defibrillator to save his life. He was soon airlifted to Grand Junction, where he was placed on life support.

An outpouring of support followed, with 621 members having joined the Facebook page as of Thursday evening. Aspen Mayor Mick Ireland and former Olympic snowboarder Chris Klug are among the members.

Glenwood’s Grand Avenue Bridge usage survey revealed
A recent survey showed that out of 1,060 drivers through Glenwood Springs, 50 percent used the Grand Avenue Bridge for their trip, while 15 percent purposely avoided it.

The Colorado Department of Transportation will use that information from the April survey as part of its environmental assessment process in its effort to replace or fix the bridge, according to CDOT officials.

The survey revealed that most of the travelers made the same trip multiple times per week; 50 percent of the trips reported were related to work; and 60 percent of respondents were traveling alone.

Ten survey participants have been randomly selected and each will be receiving gift cards to local merchants totaling $100.

For more information about the assessment, the public may log onto  www.coloradodot.info/projects/sh82grandavenuebridge [1].