Thirty-four years is a long time, but that is what it took for the Dolores Bears to return to the State Basketball tournaments in Denver. They have come close at times the most recent was in 1972 when Alan Thompson, Max Archibeque, Ronnie Quintana, Greg Majors, Pat Fischer and Ken Wesch were on the team. They came in second in the district championship with the Mountain League, but did not make it to Denver. In March of 1942, however, a team went all the way, but according to the editor of the Dolores Star, Fred Bradshaw, "It is surmised the boys from they may have been victims of stage fright rather than out-matched."

U.S. Rep Frank E. Evans (D-Colo.) received word last week from the Federal Highway Administration that $900,000 in formerly impounded federal funds for use on highways on public lands will be released immediately.

The Dolores Schools were dismissed at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12 so students and teachers could go to Denver to support the Dolores Bears basketball team in the State Tournament. The Bears play their first game on Thursday morning.

Checks totaling $33,185.70 were mailed by Empire Electric Association, Inc. to three Colorado Counties. Payment to local counties were for the first half of 1975 property taxes with $27,795.09 going to Montezuma County, $4,523.60 to Dolores County and $867.01 to San Miguel County.

Three public information sessions, to discuss the Wild and Scenic River Study for the Dolores River, have been scheduled by the Forest Service, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, Bureau of Land Management, and the Colorado department of Natural Resources. The agencies are responsible for the joint study and analysis of this Southwestern Colorado river, which flows through parts of the San Juan National forest and adjacent federal and private lands.

The Dolores Schools will be observing a week long open house with parents invited to attend classes during the week of March 17 to 22. Dolores Public School Week is being held in conjunction with Colorado Public School Week.

The annual meeting of the San Juan Basin Research Association will be held Friday, March 14th according to Gary Mahaffey, resident of the association. The meeting will be held at the Dove Creek Elementary School multipurpose room. The time has been set for 7 p.m. with the hope that wives could accompany their husbands to this meeting. Mahaffey stressed that all farmers and businessmen and their wives are urged and invited to attend.

Miss Charlene Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Johnson of Summit Ridge, was graduated from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley in ceremonies held there on Saturday,March 8.

Dolores Town Mayor V. T. Boyd and Centennial Bicentennial chairman Cecil Taylor attended a meeting with Colorado State Governor Richard Lamm last Friday afternoon who was down for the County Democratic Jefferson Jackson Day Dinner. Mrs. Taylor reported the meeting very informative.

Wednesday morning there were 49 inches of snow on the ground in Rico with 5 inches of new snow having fallen during Tuesday night.

Nell Miller, who was recently elected Southwestern Regional Director of the State Board of Colorado School Librarians, will be at Lake Dillon Saturday for the first meeting of the year for the group.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Butler of Dolores spent the past weekend visiting in Page with his sister and family.

Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Pleasant and Andy spent the weekend in Grand Junction where they watched their son Dan Pleasant play basketball and be named All Conference player in that league and saw their other son Tim, win the right to go to Denver to compete in the state speech and debate tournament. He will be competing there next week in Boys Extemporaneous speaking.

Ina Cline entertained the regular Friday bridge club last Thursday.

Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Carrigan and family were in Durango on Monday of this week where Wayne and son Robbie had their eyes examined.

Billie Atkinson had coffee at her home on Tuesday with eight guests. She and her family have been having the flu at their home for the past two weeks and are just now beginning to feel better.