Oil scammer sentenced

by Troy Hooper, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

A U.S. district judge sentenced Texas oilman and Aspen homeowner David Chalmers Jr. to two years in prison Friday for funneling millions of dollars in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein’s former regime.

Chalmers, 54, was also ordered to pay over $9 million in restitution and the companies he owns, Houston-based Bayoil USA Inc. and Bahamas-based Bayoil Supply & Trading Ltd., were both placed on three years of probation and ordered to share the restitution liability with Chalmers.

Restaurant violations increase

by Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

A shortage of workers and aging kitchens are leading to more food safety violations in Pitkin County.

As a result, the county’s environmental health and natural resources department recently increased some of its fees to try to improve inspection levels.

Aspen bashes Bennett

by Jonathan Bastian, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

It started with back-to-back dunks by Aspen's Michael Taylor. It ended as a blowout.

After dismantling Bennett High School on Friday night in Aspen 79-44 in the first round of the state tournament, the run for a state title is officially on.

APCHA proposes big fee increase

by Curtis Wackerle, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Citing increases in land and construction costs that have far exceeded inflation, the Aspen/Pitkin County Housing Authority is proposing to increase the payment-in-lieu fees for affordable housing by 80 percent.

The local governments collect payment-in-lieu fees when new development is proposed that does not provide affordable housing, or an insufficient amount of affordable housing to meet local zoning regulations. The fees were last calibrated in 2001, when construction and land costs were assumed to equal $61.11 per square foot. Payment-in-lieu fees, based on this number, have since increased each year by 3 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. (Editor’s note: See box for current and proposed fees.)

Meth dealer sentenced

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Jose Perez-Preciado (aka “Meye”) was sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine drug trafficking ring on March 7, according to a 9th Judicial District news release.

The drug ring, which had interstate connections and operatives, had been dealing methamphetamine in both Garfield and Mesa counties.

Obituary

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
James Edward Garcia
1941-2008

Aspen’s cool old dudes

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Aspen is full of cool old dudes. Unlike where I grew up, old guys here rip on skis, hike 14ers and tell stories that would make my mother blush. That’s pretty cool and something we should all be so lucky to achieve. As much as I appreciate what these old guys have brought to us, I’m beginning to think Aspen is the new Boca Raton.

Let me first qualify by saying that Aspen is indeed similar to Never Never Land.  Many of its inhabitants, both young and old, enjoy life and feel that age is a state of mind. I like this philosophy and feel that this is what keeps me here. I can only hope to live a life as rich with experiences and adventures as most of the people here. 

The primary season’s most memorable line

by Ellen Goodman
In the end, the most memorable line of the primary season may belong to Bill Clinton. He told a church group last month: “I’ve been waiting all my life to vote for an African-American president. I’ve been waiting all my life to vote for a woman for president. ... I feel like God is playing games with our heads and our hearts.”

He might have added that God, or some more earthly force, was also playing games with his party.

Dancing in the streets

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Editor:

With the resignation of the Roaring Fork High School principal, the ecstatic attitude of the many savvy and involved educators, parents and community members is like a virtual dancing in the streets. Our town hasn’t felt this good since winning the bond for our new schools.

Dogs that don’t hunt

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Editor:

It’s been a week since John Correia wrote from Dallas to tell us that the documentary “Taxi to the Darkside” was not worth watching. Though he himself had not seen the film in question, he claimed no need to. He dismissed both Amy Goodman and the film’s veracity with the homespun homily “that dog don’t hunt.”

Thanks to Skarvan

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Editor:

To Erik Skarvan, thanks for that beautiful ode to my man Brett Favre.

Thanks for the lawsuit

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Editor:

I want to thank Pitkin County for joining the coalition of environmental organizations suing the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service over the Bull Mountain pipeline south of Silt.

Hillary for president

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Editor:

As a fiction writer I know that it’s much easier to create a male hero — a strong guy (the male archetype) with a touch of tenderness — than it is to create a female heroine — a caring woman (the female archetype) with a touch of steel.