🌱 Gun In The Drive-Thru + Freeway Bowl Complaint + Weed Control

Hey, friends! Today’s National Grape Day; did you know that drinking “to your health” may date back to Ancient Greece, when a host would drink the first glass of wine to the guests' health as proof it wasn’t poisoned? I'm back with your new copy of the Grand Junction Patch newsletter. Today's issue includes news on:

• 🏊 The Orchard Mesa recreational facility.
• 🌿 Grand Junction’s weed code.
• 🛴 Geofencing electrical scooters.

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☀️ But first, today's weather: Mostly sunny and pleasant. High: 79 Low: 52.

⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations Around Grand Junction

• Lucky Me Super Store at 2902 Patterson Road, $3.15
• City Market at 569 32 Road, $3.16
• Sinclair at 2903 North Ave., $3.17

🦸 Superpower Poll!
A 2018 survey found that Americans would love to have the superpower of healing others. If we take this one off the table, which superpower would you love to have?

• 30.8 percent: The ability to fly
• 23.1 percent: The ability to time travel
• 15.4 percent: The ability to become invisible
• 7.7 percent: Superhuman strength, the ability to read minds, teleport, or win select lotteries and give money away

📰 Here are the top stories in Grand Junction today:

1. Brandishing a gun in the drive-thru is a bad idea. A 21-year-old man found that out Wednesday when he pulled out a gun during an argument at the North Avenue McDonald’s just before lunch. He was taken to the Mesa County Detention Facility for two counts of felony menacing and one count of disorderly conduct. (Grand Junction Police Department)
2. Did Freeway Bowl run afoul of the rules set forth by the Colorado Civil Rights Division? Ability Advocates alleges that the company’s owner told the organization’s staff to “control the freaks” when referring to its members. Reportedly, a member with autism was imitating the Joker's laugh. Ability Advocates explained that the laugh is a way for the member to cope with over-stimulation. (Western Slope Now)
3. How do you like the city’s electrical scooters? Councilmember Cody Kennedy was enthusiastic that “micromobility offers some great opportunities.” Critics noticed that the promised geofencing that would keep scooters off sidewalks wasn’t working on Main Street. Lime has since fixed the issue “so that riders on sidewalks will feel the e-scooter slowing down, which discourages sidewalk riding.” (NBC)
4. Weigh in on the Orchard Mesa recreational facility. The city hosts a public forum on June 6 at the Lincoln Park Barn. You’ll see preliminary concepts and ideas that officials are kicking around to put up the indoor recreation venue in Orchard Mesa. Why now? The pool was built in 1983, meaning “all the mechanical, pool, and building systems are at the end of their useful life, and the facility requires a full renovation.” (Grand Junction City)
5. Weeds are sprouting, and the city is looking for ways to get the unwanted plants under control. It’ll look to enforce its general code requirement that “weeds above six inches need to be cut down to three inches off the ground.” Code enforcement will follow up on complaints, and the offending property owner will receive a seven-day warning. (NBC)

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📆 Today in Grand Junction:

• Kutthaus Fitness honors Lt. Michael Murphy with the Memorial Day Murph Tribute (8:30 AM)
• Rods & Hogs Classic Car & Motorcycle Show at Harley-Davidson (10 AM)
• NJCAA DI Baseball World Series' First Round takes place at Sam Suplizio Field (11 AM)
• Kids & Canines Workshop at Colorado Baby (1 PM)
• Junction West Grand Junction RV Park hosts a Memorial Day Potluck & Comedy Show (1 PM)

🖊️ From my notebook:

• "Please join us and honor those who have served by coming down to the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado at 10 a.m. on Monday." (Western Slope Vietnam War Memorial Park)
• "James Steinke and Dylan Checketts were each named Third Team All-Region and Honorable Mention All-American by the USILA, with three other Mavs earning honorable mention All-Region honors." (CMU Mavericks)
• "On May 23, the County approved a budget of $708,823 to address an urgent need to stabilize the roads and hillside slopes on Kimball Creek Road and 64.6 Road in Collbran. The planned work is scheduled to start after the Memorial Day weekend." (Mesa County Colorado)
• "Some downpour of rain didn't stop our friends Community Hospital from hosting public safety agencies from across the Grand Valley for the annual Phoenix Awards. GJPD is grateful to spend time with public safety partners, while seeing friends honored for their service." (Grand Junction PD)
• "May is National Drowning Prevention Month. Together we can help prevent drowning accidents in our community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning claims the lives of 3,900 people every year." (Community Hospital)

That's it for today. I'll be in your inbox late next week with your next update!

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Christ follower. Wife. Book dragon. Proud supporter of the Oxford comma.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Grand Junction Patch newsletter? Contact me at grandjunction-co@patch.com