Governor’s race looks to be close

Stephen Woody

Publisher’s Notebook

Governor wanna-be Bob Beauprez is trailing Bill Ritter by nine points, so says the Rasmussen Report, a statewide public opinion firm. Methinks the race will certainly tighten before election day.

Beauprez, a Republican from Boulder representing the 7th District in Congress, is used to close races. In 2002, he beat Democrat Mike Feeley by only 121 votes out of 170,000 cast.

  • Coming Sunday, in your Montrose Daily Press…..

  • Special section: Our Pigskin Preview ’06 will have stories, rosters, photos and features about Montrose, Olathe, and Delta High School; plus “quick-hitters” about Paonia, Cedaredge, Hotchkiss, Gunnison, Columbine, Centennial and Olathe Middle Schools. It’s good stuff. Credit Sports Editor Jonathan Maness, sports writer Cody Olivas, photojournalists William Woody, Joel Blocker, Barton Glasser and Managing Editor Bill Swaim.

  • Page One: News Editor Katharhynn Heidelberg looks at a four-year-old Delta County shooting in which a man died amidst allegations of too much police force by the county sheriff’s department.

  • Focus: Our Sunday Focus will highlight the two-a-day practices by Montrose High School as it prepares for the season opener. Photojournalists William Woody and Joel Blocker, and sports writer Cody Olivas provide coverage.

  • Inserts: USAWeekend magazine, SmartSource coupons, and other money-saving shopping circulars.

  • The Montrose High School football team members are selling local merchant gold cards for $20.

    There’s a slew of discounts, and free stuff, and the money helps MHS football.

  • Our Denver Broncos take on the Tennessee Titans Saturday night at 7 via our television partner, KKCO-NBC 11.

  • Montrose’s annual homage to youth - Youth Appreciation Day - is tomorrow. Throughout Montrose. Movies, games, sports, activities.

    Info: Rich Tafoya, 249-2222.

  • Water’s in the news a lot these days.

  • There’s a story how the Front Range folks won’t schedule a time to meet with the Western Slope folks (we have the water they want). Maybe we should tell them to deal with Nebraska folks and see what kind of reception they get.

  • Wednesday night, billionaire speculator T. Boone Pickens was on the news telling people to buy stock in water futures, because the wet stuff is a commodity, akin to other finite resources, like oil. People in developing nations need it; Americans waste it, says Pickens.

  • Then there’s all the hubbub about bottled water versus tap water. “Boutique” waters versus “discount” waters and so forth. It’s enough to make you thirsty.

    It reminds of a speech given by an elderly gentleman years ago to the Montrose County Women’s Christian Temperance Union, in the days before prohibition laws were repealed. To wit:

    “Ladies, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to speak with you about water.

    I’ve seen it glisten in tiny tear drops on the sleeping lids of infants…

    I have seen it trickle down the blushing dimples of youth and rush in gushing torrents down the wrinkled cheeks of age…..

    I’ve seen it in the form of dew drops on the blades of grass, and leaves of trees - sparkling like polished diamonds as the morning sun burst in resplendent glory o’er the San Juans…..

    I have seen it tumble down the sides of mountains in nearby Ouray in cascades, fleecy as a bridal veil — with its silvery music filling the vast arches with symphonies of sweet, and dim…..

    I’ve seen it in the silent flow of the Uncompahgre, pouring over jutting stones, rippling over hidden sandbars on its spring rush, joining others like the Dolores, the Colorado and the San Miguel in a chorus of wet reverie…..

    I have seen in the Father of Waters go from a tiny stream, to its majestic sweep towards the ocean, upon whose broad bosom floats the battle fleets of nations and the commerce of the world….

    But I want to say to you, that as a beverage, it’s a damned failure.”

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