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Following is a preview of tomorrow’s headlines

Of all the stories Kathy Miller has shared with Tara Meixsell since she arrived in Mississippi to help rescue animals from Hurricane Katrina, the one about the horse gets her every time.Miller, who left Colorado a week ago to volunteer for the Pet Rescue Colorado Effort with Fort Collins veterinarian technicians in Mississippi, is mainly working in the horse barn, mucking out stalls, feeding and watering, and completing necessary chores, said Meixsell.She told me the bittersweet story of one of the horses there. The horse had escaped from his barn prior to the rising water engulfing the structure, said Meixsell, who lives on a small ranch outside of New Castle. Neighbors from across the road sat on their roof all night and watched the horse swim in circles around the barn. Sadly, none of his stablemates survived the flood waters.In the last week and a half, Meixsell has spent countless hours on the phone to coordinate relief logistics with Miller, volunteers and pet organizations around the area, including Colorado Animal Rescue and the Aspen Animal Shelter. Although she cant physically volunteer in Mississippi, Meixsell is doing what she can on the homefront to help.

RIFLE High fuel and utilities prices have area schools brainstorming ways to conserve. Diesel fuel, which powers most school buses, almost doubled in cost over the last year, and natural gas prices will be 35 percent higher this year, according to Xcel Energy, which announced an increase Friday. Roaring Fork School District Re-1, Garfield School District Re-2 and Garfield County School District No. 16 all increased their fuel and utility budgets for this year, preparing for increases. But none of the administrators foresaw the drastic price jumps theyve witnessed in the very beginning of this school year.It is impacting us, said Robert Faris, principal at Glenwood Springs Middle School. Transportation is where we feel the greatest effect.Larry Estrada, Re-1 transportation director, said the district budgeted for a 21-percent increase over its highest diesel fuel price last year. He said current prices would break that budget if they continue.

Mounting problems with a sewer line extension on Four Mile Road have slowed the project and caused locals tempers to rise. Garfield County Commissioner Trsi Houpt, who lives up Four Mile road, took the project manager to task for poor quality work and unsafe conditions Monday. Its been somewhat of a disaster, she said. I drove down this morning and there was a construction truck in my lane on a blind curve. Its a pretty constant threat.However, the county commissioners approved extending the Oct. 15 deadline to finish the beleaguered project.The project is a new sewer line that will run up Four Mile and Dry Park roads, a total of 2.8 miles, to the Spring Ridge subdivision. In the first 3,000 feet of sewer line, from the fire station to the entrance to Four Mile Ranch, the general contractor, TARCO, ran into unexpected electric, phone, cable TV and fiber optic lines that were not where they were supposed to be.Last week, the company ran into bedrock while trenching for the sewer line, which slowed the rate of progress even more, said project engineer Yancy Nichol.


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