Hello friends, hope all is going well this week.
We were out of town for a few days and I am in the process of catching up with all the goings-on around town. As I sat here getting the Rico Report in order, there was a sudden dynamite blast that rocked the air waves and immediately I remembered the warning signs on Main Street that there is blasting going on just up north of town. Rico has a very expensive new source of water located up above the S curves, up past the U.S. Forest Service Information Center above town. We are located in the Rocky Mountains and therefore it requires great force to construct a water line to bring the water into Rico. We have outgrown our longtime source, Silver Creek, that tumbles down valley from the old mill northeast of Rico. And, it hasnt been easy for the town to find the money and everything else that you need to do to make the project come true! A town needs enough water on hand and to draw from whenever there might be a fire or some other atrocity. We have been fortunate in the fact that there have been times when the creek was too low to keep the huge storage tanks full, and a time like that is when something like a fire would be a total disaster.
A forever friend of Rico, Claude Enfield of Rico and Oklahoma, who married his love, Rosemary of Rico a long time ago, left last week for Oklahoma after being here for six weeks or so. Also, friends Candace and Mike Austin of Midland, Texas are on their way home after making fine progress on their cabin remodel. And, Debbie and Gary Vandergriff of Midland and Rico whose home we love (the old David Swickhimer residence at the end of our street) are preparing to leave soon. Gary is a dyed-in-the-wool fly fisherman, but has been known to enjoy a trout now and then. Their son, Travis (Dr. that is yes, he and his brother, Clayton, both hung in there and are now practicing physicians) spent a few days on the streams trying to enjoy some peace and quiet in our wonderful area in the San Juans.
We read in the Telluride Daily Planet newspaper a couple of weeks ago an item that stated that (see if I get this right) the Division of Reclamation and Mining Safety are taking a hard look at the deteriorating situation with the old Blaine and Argentine mines. There is a constant seeping of contaminated groundwater from these mines and the situation has, as you might say, been put on high alert. Something has to give. Nothing has been ignored; the situation has become somewhat precarious even after working with the problem for years.
Our trusty unofficial weather man, Duane Holt, recorded a total of 2.84 inches of precipitation for August nearly 3 inches.
Archery season is in full swing since the 25th of September and our granddaughter, Katy, who had great success for two seasons with black powder, is trying her wings with archery good luck, girl!
Marlene Hazen has lived in Rico for two decades. An active member of the community, she participates in organizations such as the Rico Womens Club and Rico Historical Society.