| Leadville 'disaster' declaration releases cascade of dissent
Lake County's dramatic declaration nearly two weeks ago of a "disaster emergency" over water rising behind a clogged mine tunnel was not a move made in haste. Nor was it fashioned in public. For days, Lake County commissioners worked behind the scenes with state Sen. Tom Wiens, a Castle Rock Republican, to lay the groundwork for the emergency announcement. Wiens even set up a Web site - savethearkansasriver.org - four days ahead of the emergency declaration. It includes repeated references to Wiens' role in heading off disaster. He appears in videos, stories and headlines such as "Federal and state agencies answer to Sen. Tom Wiens." It was part of Wiens' plan to use "every communications tool the 21st century provides" to get the story out, he said. He paid for it himself, spending "a few thousand dollars," he said.
Winterizing helps save on gas bill, repairs
Frigid temperatures and snowy weather seem to be around to stay, and preparing your home for winter may save a bit of money when the next heating bill comes. Ryan Snow, president of Western Heating in Orem, said it is important to winterize a home in order to prevent heat from escaping and to keep a furnace working correctly. Heat can escape through drafty areas around doors and windows, and Snow said homeowners can attend classes on reducing these leaks from local home-improvement stores like Lowe's or Home Depot. Snow said one of the most important ways for a homeowner to save money during the winter is simply to change the filter in the furnace and get a furnace tune-up once a year. Filters are usually about $7 to $10 and should be replaced every three months, which can easily be done without professional help.
Seal Pup Born At La Jolla Children's Pool
LA JOLLA, Calif. -- An animal protection group Monday reported the first harbor seal pup birth of the season at the Children's Pool, just days before a legal battle is due to heat up over how much protection the marine mammals will receive. Dorota Valli, the seal campaign coordinator for the Animal Protection and Rescue League, said a volunteer spotted the black pup around 9 p.m. Sunday. The league keeps volunteers at the Children's Pool to keep people from harassing the seals, Valli said. .
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