Workers finish applying the powder coat of paint to the new first-base stands. The stands have since been painted green in preparation for stadium seating to be installed.

Building the elevator tower for the Lincoln Park Sports Complex

Pushed to the east by a north wind, the Pine Ridge Fire burns through tamarisk alongside the Colorado River in De Beque Canyon.

2012 was a severe drought year, affecting most of Colorado. Paonia Dam sits nearly empty in this file photo from July 27.

Greg Luck and Trina Lindsey from Grand Junction cross country skiing in Lincoln Park on Christmas morning. The two were out with there two dogs Rocket and Zek on a beautiful Christmas toady.

The Highway 50 Christmas trees is decorated for Christmas in red, white and blue along with an American flag and a Santa. The tree is on the west side of Hwy 50 between mile markers 56 and 57. For years locals have decorated this and another tree in the area before that tree died.

The cross-country skiing at Skyway on Grand Mesa is probably the best in the state right now. The Grand Mesa Nordic Council has been grooming the trails along with help from volunteers to make the trails on Grand Mesa easy to ski. The best part about Skyway is it’s close to Grand Junction.

Everyone from Zoie the poodle mix to Gigi the Great Dane had a great time Saturday at the first annual Canine Christmas, a fundraiser by the Center for Independent Living. Photo Special to the Sentinel/Amanda Wight

Little mermaids wave as they ride on the Dance Works float, one of more than 100 entries in the parade. The theme was “A Fairy Tale Christmas.”

A full moon rises over Mount Garfield just after 5:00pm Tuesday night.

Paul Ryan speaks at the Montrose Regional Airport during a Romney Ryan Victory late campaign stop Friday. Organizers put the crowd number at more than 1,200 people for the event.

A three man crew with Alpine Archaeological Consultants, Inc. out of Montrose work on the Driggs Mansion in Unaweep Canyon Monday afternoon on the first day of a two week project to stabilize the mansion.

The Nutcracker as portrayed by Tanner Blee wields a sword as he battles the Mouse King in Tchaikovsky’s popular ballet.

Snow on Mount Garfield and Bookcliffs on the north side of the Grand Valley. Stretching nearly 200 miles from east to west, the Bookcliffs begins where the Colorado River descends south through De Beque Canyon into the Grand Valley, near Palisade, to Price Canyon, near Helper, Utah

The Veterans Day Ceremony at the Western Slope Vietnam Memorial Park in Fruita Sunday afternoon.

Many people participated in the Veteran’s Day Parade on Saturday.

Rifle’s Ryan Moeller, #5, emerges from the line of scrimmage with the ball as he picks up yardage in this Oct., 2012, file photo of Rifle’s game against Palisade at Stocker Stadium. Rifle advanced to the state championship game — its first since 2005 — to play Silver Creekl. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Legacy Stadium in Aurora.

Rifle head coach Damon Wells talks to his team after a loss in the 3A State Football Championship game at Legacy Stadium.

All in the spirit of Halloween, the zombies came out to haunt Mesa Theater for the KAFM fundraiser Friday Nite! Photo Special to the Sentinel/Drew Koch

Upper Calf Creek Falls. South-central Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument offers many outdoor activities, including hiking among it’s unique rock formations.

Hiking along the Escalante River in full fall colors. South-central Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument offers many outdoor activities, including hiking among it’s unique rock formations.

A horse swats a fly away in a pasture in Plateau Valley framed by trees in full fall color.

A Taste of Riverside was a festive evening of Mexican food, music and dancing as a fundraiser on October 6 for the Riverside Education Center.

Artists position fabric over woodcuts. The road roller will be driven over the fabric to print the artwork.

Adam Burk of Grand Junction functions as his four-year-old son Leland’s personal high diving board at Highline State Park recently. Leland was proud of the fact that he could get thrown high into the air and swim back to his father.

A hiker and dog hike along the Upper Escalante Canyon as the Escalante River reflects the fall colors and the cliffs of the canyon on a warm fall day in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in south central Utah.

The Grand Junction Rockies had plenty to celebrate on Monday night following a 9-5 victory over Idaho Falls which secured the Rockies a playoff spot in the Pioneer League playoffs.

Obama mingles with the crowd during his campaign visit at GJHS.

The start of the stage 2 race of the USA Pro Challenge Bike Race in Montrose on August 10, 2012.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” was the theme for the 2012 holiday fashion show, silent auction and luncheon at the Doubletree presented by Hospice and Palliative Care of Grand Junction. The event, running both Saturday, Nov. 17 and Sunday, Nov. 18, raised funds for the Child and Teen Grief Program. Photo Special to the Sentinel/Carolyn Dean

Victoria Wehner, 15, talks to American Idol judges before her audition. The Grand Junction High School student was not selected.

Shadow Lake in the Ridges reflects trees and clouds on a late summer afternoon.

Lunch patrons head for the line at Chick-Fil-A while cars wait dozens deep to go through the drive through.

The third annual Men In Heels race downtown Grand Junction raised money for the Latimer House Thursday.

Daily Sentinel publisher Jay Seaton, center, listens to instructions from a Blue Angels staff member as he is prepared for his flight in one of the group’s F-18 Hornets on Wednesday.

Todd Helton signs autographs for Austin, 6, and Teegan, 4,  Rager before the game. There was a long line of fans who took advantage of the opportunity.

David Dahl Grand Junction Rockies center fielder takes a swing during a recent game.

Three-year-old Wyatt Mollack of Grand Junction catches a tiny bit of air as he rides his two-wheeled bicycle over a jump at the Lunch Loop Bike Park. Wyatt, who just turned three earlier this month, was at the park with two friends and their dad.

Workers construct a bike Park at the Lunch loop with plenty of jumps. The course will allow riders to get plenty of air.

Sunflower at the archeological ruins at Chimney Rock.

Garrett Henderson pops the big question to his girlfriend Brittany Gaston at the ANB Bank Farmers Market Thursday evening while local band Jack and Jill payed their song “Broken.” She accepted as friends and family cheered.

Herding dogs and their trainers try to pen sheep on the opening day of the 26th annual Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials Wednesday afternoon. The five day trials end Sunday with the finals at 1:30p.m. and the awards ceremony at 4:00p.m.

Tracks lead to a dead fish, probably carp, in the Audubon’s Ela Sanctuary pond near Connected Lakes. The pond fills from high water in the nearby Colorado River but is drying up this year.

Sandbars and not water are visible on the Colorado River from the air, looking east where the 5th Street Bridge and railroad bridge cross the low water of the river.

Mitt Romney at a Town Hall meeting at Central High School.

Tate Harris takes flight upside down off of the bull Tomstone T on a no ride at the CBR bull riding event at the Mesa County Fair.

Korbin Roehm, 13, of Fruita pets his Maine Anjou steer Chromey after selling the animal in the ring Saturday at the Mesa County Fair’s auction.

Grace Gardner, 12, claps after she won Grand Champion for her doe Coco-Puff.

Kids play on the Walter Walker statue.

Whitewater Creek plummets off the top of the Grand Mesa near Lands End. The creek has very little water in it but looks like a lot as it drops over the cliff top.

One Bell 212 helicopter, top, carries a full bucket of water in to drop on the fire line as another heads back to the river with an empty bucket to get more water after making its drop during firefighting efforts along the north perimeter of the Pine Ridge Fire Sunday.

Exhausted firefighters who were up late in the night doing a burn back catch a few extra hours of sleep on the grass at the De Beque School Friday morning bfore returning to the fire line.

As temperatures approach the 100 degree mark, Trystan Bridge, 1, of Grand Junction beats the heat by playing in the fountain in the 400 block of Main Street.

At the edge of the trail at Artists’s Point overlook on the Colorado National Monument, John Lintott of Fruita paints the red sandstone monoliths in front of him.

A blue Heron fishes in the Colorado River West Of Fruita. The bird stood very still then slowly walked a few steps before coiling its neck and striking into the water. It appeared to miss and continued the hunt upstream.

The few anglers braving the wind and sand Sunday at Blue Mesa Reservoir found plenty of beach-front property as low water levels made access to the water a long walk.

Among the number of changes to the ballpark is the outfield wall. Gone is the wooden plank fence, shown in this picture, replaced by a solid wood fence, painted green to match the Lincoln Park Tower.

Graduate Bryan Lopez walked across the stage with his children to accept his degree.

Principal Jody Diers is picked up for a picture by Robert Chandler after he was handed his diploma.

Scenes from the FMHS graduation

Grand Junction High School graduated 366 in 2012 in the 100th year of its existence.

Graduates walk across the field during the Palisade High School Commencement at Stocker Stadium Monday night.

Garrett Schaede from Neosho is tagged out in a rundown by San Jac infielder No. 25, Galli Cribbs in the 3rd inning of game 10.

Brett LaBonte, right, Dillon Fante, center, and Owen Taylor of the Grand Junction baseball team rub a special mud Wednesday into the leather of the 40 dozen baseballs that will be used during the Junior College World Series at Suplizio Field.

Inspired by JUCO player Jeff Krammer’s mohawk, Natalie Davis, 9, wore a Denver Nuggets Birdman wig- two birds of a feather.

The super moon at moonrise Saturday.

Over 275 runners took part in the 1st annual Filthy 5k Mud Run Saturday morning at Matchett Park.

Adriana Plummer, 14-months, liked the warm temperatures and loved the water at the fountain at Fifth and Main Streets Tuesday. Adriana and her family from Pittsburgh, Pa. were visiting family in Grand Junction. The fountain opened today after three consecutive days of record temperatures.

Fonda Lobach, third from left, of Fruita holds a sign against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act while she listens to a speaker during an Americans for Prosperity rally against the act Tuesday at the old Mesa County Courthouse.

More than 75 volunteers cleaned up the longtime homeless camp at the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers Saturday. Tons of stuff from pallets to stereos was removed. A fence will be built along the railroad tracks to discourage trespass.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Rommey speaking this afternoon at the Country Inn of America on Horizon Drive in Grand Junction. Rommey has two engagements on the Front Range tonight. Colorado republican voters caucus on Tuesday.

The 83rd annual Lion’s Club Parade brought out plenty of characters for the Grand Junction service club fundraiser. 

Trees reflect off of the surface of the Colorado River.

Dogsledding in Aspen. Seth Sachson heads the Aspen Animal Shelter. A chance encounter with a guy he later came to learn was a top dog with Sirius radio has led to Seth doing national radio shows related to animal issues.