Kirsten Turcotte washes her 2-year-old horse Spanky at the Mesa County Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon, July 11th. Turcotte was preparing Spanky for the horse show competition set for that Sunday.

The Venerable Geshe Kunchok Tenzin of the Gaden Shartse Monastary leads a line of fellow Buddhist monks and about 50 area residents along the pedestrian bridge at Eagle Rim Park. The monks scattered the sand from the mandala that they created at the Art Center during the second week of July into the Colorado River while chanting a blessing.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado answered questions on job creation, health care, domestic energy production and education during a gathering of supporters at Sherwood park Saturday afternoon July 10, 2010. Bennet made stops in both Grand Junction and Montrose Saturday trying to draw support for his bid to the U.S. Senate. Bennet said that Colorado could be a leader in energy production for the rest of the country.

Bailey Hoffmeister of Colorado River Valley lays out to score in the second inning Saturday evening at Orchard Mesa Little League Park.

Sierra Segrest drives the ball back over the net during her semifinal girls 16 singles match against Courtlyn Carpenter in the Elam Junior tennis tournament at Canyon View Park. Carpenter won the match 6-3, 6-2.

Firefighter/paramedic Matt Sewalson, left, firefighter/EMT Jerome Gardner, center and EMT/engineer Ted Weber of the Grand Junction Fire Department responded to the call of a baby that drowned at the Melrose Hotel on June 1.

Grand Junction Police officer William Cox holds the picture of a infant boy at the Grand Junction Police department.

Children perch an the sculpture of Hollywood screenwriter Dalto Trumbo at the Downtown Farmer’s Market. A special event, A Welcome Home Celebration, was held for veterans at Forth and Main Streets on July 8th.

Two-year-old William Seriani’s cap was a little big. He has a brother and cousin playing on the team.

Mike Valdez serves up a bratwurst at The Dog Haus, a food cart on the southwest corner of Seventh Street and North Avenue. When Valdez moved back to Grand Junction from Pittsburgh recently, a relative told him about a man who was looking for help running his mobile-food-vending units. “This is actually pretty good money if you like working hot dogs,” the 19-year-old said.

A talking and water-squirting fire truck operated by remote control amazes some children during the American National Bank Farmers Market on Main Street. The farmers market in downtown Grand Junction is every Thursday beginning at 5 p.m.

Jordan Rappeport, 15, of Tucson, Ariz., swings a stick as he hits rocks into Mesa Lake. Jordan and his brother Jacob, 17, said that they had been staying on the Grand Mesa for the past week, and had been really enjoying the cool break from the Arizona heat. Jacob added that he planned to be back; he hopes to go to Mesa State College after he graduates next spring.

Three Tibetan Monks with the Gaden Shartse Monastery, delicately work to place sand in the Manjushri sand Mandala Thursday afternoon at the Western Colorado Center for the Arts. The sand Mandala is a two dimensional representation of a dwelling place of a deity. Manjushri is a representation of the bodhisattva of wisdom. The monks continue their work today until 5 p.m., after that, they will perform a sacred dance and chants in a program entitled “Journey to the roof of the world,” at the Riverside Multicultural Community Center. Watch a video at GJSentinel.com.

Aliyah Harrison, of Grand Junction pauses for a moment while playing in the “Shell Boys” fountain by Gary Price at Sixth and Main Streets. Her grandmother said that she is a water girl, “She wears a swimming suit everywhere in the summer.”

A group of climber plant the American flag on top of the 450-foot high Independence Monument in the Colorado National Monument the morning of July 4th.

Frank Kustas, Ph.D, president and chief technical officer for Engineered Coating Inc., works on an electromagnetic coating system in the company’s shop at the Business Incubator.

Children from the Echo Canyon Estates subdivision in Fruita follow the lead car during a parade in their neighborhood. Many of the children made their instruments and participated in a talent show organized by Charlie Markley, a mother in the neighborhood.

Hollie Poma, a kennel tech for the Mesa County Animal Services holds a Chihuahua, which appeared to be blind, after it was pulled from a storm drain that was filling with water along South Seventh Street last week. The dog is doing much better, eating well and hair is growing back.

A saltcedar leaf beetle strips the foliage from a tamarisk along the Colorado River in Riverside. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has ended its saltcedar leaf beetle release program to eat tamarisk, also known as saltcedar. The USDA cited concern regarding loss of nesting habitat for the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, which likes to nest in tamarisk.

“When I see the flag, I think of freedom and war,” said Tia Wright, left, who was with her friends Taylor Hein, center, and Jessica Funk at the Avalon Theatre to watch the June 26 World Cup soccer match between the United States and Ghana. “When I see the flag, I know I’m free,” Taylor said. “I don’t like when people are wearing the flag (like a cape). It makes it seem like they are the boss,” Jessica said.

Police agencies from the Grand Junction area search for a suspect on Horizon Court today who assaulted a woman in Idaho yesterday.

#6, Trevor Fuchs from Fruita, slides safe into home plate on a wild pitch in the first inning. #6, Isaiah Pena, pitcher for Palisade makes the late tag.

Joe Cocker performs at his “Joe Cocker Home Again” benefit on Tuesday night at the Delta County Fairgrounds in Hotchkiss. Bands The Strolling Scones and Otis Taylor Band warmed up the audience.

The Lincoln Park fireworks display from July 4th.

Danial Stark with his six-year-old son Isaiah Stark at there Clifton home. Stark’s is an unemployed single dad with 6-year-old. He has been out of work for a year now and is concerned about Congress’ delay in extending UI benefits.