Brianna Slater, from Grand Junction, receives her Bachelor of Arts degree from Tim Foster, President of Mesa State College during the Mesa State Commencement Saturday morning at Stocker Stadium.

Felicia Sabartinelli with Art on the Corner paints the pedestal for the new Art on the Corner piece ” Talvas Manana (Maybe Tomorrow) by internationally renowned artist Pokey Park of Tucson, Az. Nineteen new pieces were added to the downtown.

Lynda Sweangen, center, valedictorian of the 2010 GED class, peers into the crowd Wednesday evening during the GED graduation at Brownson Arena.

Barbara Green, left, and Ellen Roberts, wear chicken hats at the Mike the Headless Chicken Festival at the Fruita Civic Center. A 5K run, car show, games, live music and good food were part of the fun at the festival.

Jan Francis of Glade Park has her hair collected by stylist John Boyum to be used in the BP oil spill in the Gulf. Smart Style at the Walmarts in Grand Junction are collecting the hair which absorbs the oil, just like it does on ones head.

The Rev. Eldon Coffey leaves the World War 2 Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. He was one of the veterans on their second West Slope Honor Flight.

Dusty Copeland of Gateway High School raises his fists in celebration after the key he drew started the 2010 Subaru Impreza. He was one of five students who were received a key in the Subaru dealership’s “Be cool. Stay in School” program, and Copeland won the car.

Tanner Ellenberger of Paonia, left, looks to his opponent Juan Magana of Glenwood Springs after Magana connected with a kick to the head in the first round of the first fight Saturday evening during a benefit for Impact Boxing at Two Rivers Convention Center. Magana won by technical knock-out.

Grand Junction resident Bill Burger makes a point to an attentive crowd of local residents and members of the city council Friday afternoon during a listening tour hosted by the Grand Junction City Council. Teri Cavanagh a consultant with Cobb&Associates takes notes in the foreground.

Nine-year-old Liz Godfrey, in hat, reaches out to touch a mountain lion skin while Harley Metz, right, an ecologist with the Bureau of Land Management, talks about area wildlife during a natural scavenger hunt for Rimrock Elementary School third grade students in Devil’s Canyon Thursday.

Quest Academy Valedictorian Lainey DeBoer, left, moves her tassel with classmates Matthew Erman, Tanya Taylor and Kory Zebner Saturday during graduation at Clifton Christian Church.

Rory Donovan, co-founder of Peach Street Distillers in Palisade, hangs a brandy bottle from a pear tree at the Fuller Family Farms on East Orchard Mesa. The distiller is hanging 840 bottles in the orchard to grow pears inside the bottles. In August the pears will be full grown inside the bottles and will be used for the making of Aged Pear Brandy.

Jon Rizzo rides his double decker bicycle with his daughter Kate in the trailer.

Main Street in downtown Grand Junction, looking from Second Street to the east. This section of Main Street is due to open in early June. The Downtown Uplift project funded by the Downtown Development Authority and the city of Grand Junction has a scheduled completion date of June 9.

Students at Holy Family School received free JUCO tickets from Mr. JUCO himself Wednesday afternoon.

Workers perform maintenance on a radio tower at the KNZZ facility south of Whitewater Wednesday morning.

Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey looks down at the grave of Edward Innes after laying a wreath at the deputy’s grave Tuesday. The wreath-laying is one of several events this National Police Week, which honors those who have died in the line of duty.

Betty Chapman and her daughter Sue Shields grin as a friend holds up an American flag behind them outside the airport after arriving home from the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

Alex Proietti, Grand Junction High School’s No. 2 singles player hits a backhand return.

Cole Brickley is placed on a gurney Monday night by rescue personnel after nearly six hours in a trench, where his leg had been trapped between the wall of a trench and a 22-inch pipe.

Marley the therapy dog is admired by Kathy Smith, left whose mother Dorothy Brown, center,  lives at the Atrium . The dog owned by Annette Beeler of Fruita visits various retirement centers in the valley to huge rave reviews.

Ken Vogan, with the Grand Junction Parks & Rec Department paints the base of the rocket at Rocket Park. The re-dedication is on May 11, 2010.

Shawn Smith reads on the top floor of the main branch of the Mesa County Public Library on Sunday. With items in circulation ahead of last year’s record pace, officials are preparing a marketing campaign with the message that the library system is indispensable to county communities.

Sixteen-year-old Lauren Karp, left, of Grand Junction vacuums the learn to swim pool at the Lincoln Park-Moyer Pool complex Friday as Shari Yurick, 17, scrubs algae off of the bottom. Both Yurick and Karp will be working this summer as a lifeguards at the swimming pool, which is scheduled to open at 1:30 p.m. May 29 rain or shine.