Local martial artists advance

On Nov. 21, Ministry of Defense Martial Arts held a belt testing and advancement event. Sensei Brendon Bolton tested and advanced 28 local martial arts students. Of those advancing, three were awarded orange belts, 11 were awarded yellow belts and 14 were awarded high white belts.

Ministry of Defense is located in Glenwood Springs. Visit www.modmartialarts.com for more information.

Osiecki graduates from UNC

Loren Osiecki, a 2005 Rifle High School graduate, graduated Saturday, Dec. 12, from the University of Northern Colorado. Osiecki spent four and a half years at UNC earning a bachelor's in communication studies and journalism with a public relation emphasis. Osiecki also earned an associate degree in sociology.

Osiecki now plans to move to Prague, Czech Republic, in April to pursue a career in teaching.

Grizzly Hockey Mite Jamboree

Some of the young hockey players who participated in the Annual Grizzly Hockey Mite Jamboree pose with the Glenwood Grizzly! The Grizzly Mite Jamboree is sponsored by the Glenwood Springs Youth Hockey Association and attracts hundreds of area skaters and their families for an afternoon of hockey in a fun and entertaining environment! The following teams participated and are represented by their players:

Aspen Leafs: Ana Kate Fuentes and Ethan Godfrey

Vail Eagle Hockey Association: Jensen Rawlings and Garrett Flagaan

Grand Valley Junior Mavericks: Cassie Bittner and Jeason Brown

Summit County Lightning: Rudy Burki, Grey Barson

Glenwood Grizzlies: Kelton McPherson and Cole Houston (Grizzly Midget Grant Wood as Grizzly)

More information is available at www.grizzlyhockey.org

Jensens welcome Jeffrey Chase

Barrett and Megan Jensen, both Glenwood Springs High School graduates, welcomed Jeffrey Chase Jensen to the world on Dec. 12. Barrett, currently in the military, is overseas in Afghanistan. Jeffrey Chase was born on a Marine base in Twentynine Palms, Calif. The proud grandparents are Jeff and Tish Jensen, of New Castle; Ken and Jacky Gaddis, of Glenwood Springs; Scott and Traci Bennett, of Rifle; and Patrick and Selina Steele, of Grand Junction.

Cub Scouts hold toy drive

The Rifle Cub Scouts got together and had a toy drive for the holidays. Then they donated the toys to LIFT-UP and Mike Powell.

Way to go, Cub Scout Pack 223!

CMC photography prof selected to show at Denver gallery

Klaus Kocher, an adjunct photography professor at Colorado Mountain College, has one of his prints on display at the prestigious Camera Obscura Gallery in downtown Denver.

“Lago Titikaka” is part of a current exhibit of photos called “ENCORE! The Art of Photography Today” that runs through Jan. 2. Kocher said he took the photo last spring in Peru at Lake Titikaka (also spelled Titicaca), which sits at 12,500 feet in elevation on the border of Peru and Bolivia.

Kocher teaches photography at the Spring Valley Center. His photo was one of almost 1,400 images submitted, taken by 400 contributors. It is one of just 22 photos by 21 photographers to be included.

“I'm very honored,” he said. “It's a very important gallery.”

The Camera Obscura Gallery, at the corner of 13th and Bannock streets, opened in 1979. Its website promotes the gallery as representing “perhaps the finest collection of Fine Art Photography between the East and West coasts of the United States.” The site also said the gallery has become “a focus for learning and viewing by folks from all around the world.”

500 bags of food!

A few members of New Castle Cub Scouts Pack 221 stand with some of the approximate 500 bags of food they collected, which were donated by our great local community. Assuming 4-5 pounds per bag, this represents about 2,000 pounds of food that was collected by the pack for local families for LIFT-UP of New Castle.

Back row, Dustin Harcourt and John Harcourt, cub masters, and front row, from left, Joe Terry, Dusty Pazzin, Jeremy Funes, Will Narvaez, Brad Wilson, Sam Cordasco, Kevin Cordasco, Drake Harcourt and River Harcourt. Not shown are Gage Harper, Liam Byram, Bryce Wheeler, Mathew Pope, Mason Majury, Treigh Webber and Max Rensberry. A special thanks to all the parents who worked behind the scenes.