When you utter the word, “detective,” a couple different characters may come to mind: Sherlock Holmes lurking around in his Milford coat with a magnifying glass, or perhaps a group of sleuths who don the motto, “We Never Sleep,” and call themselves the Pinkerton Detective Agency. According to David Grann in his highly applauded book, […]
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The plucky ladies of fiction
As a veritable vanilla pudding of a woman, I am always gladdened by reading about the intrepid exploits of the sturdy and brave. That’s why I love novels about spunky females as they plunge fearlessly into danger, stand up to the wicked, and defeat their oppressors. These novels inspire and remind us of the strength. […]
Continue readingTeen Reviews: In Cold Blood
This is one of those books that most people have probably heard of. It investigates the gruesome murder of a family living in a tiny Kansas town, the search for their killers, and the process of the trial of the century. It is written in the style of a novel, so you get inside the […]
Continue readingLocal History Thursday: Mesa County Libraries and the Round-Up Parade of 1951
On July 17, 1951, Grand Junction’s Main Street was the site of an event called the Round-Up Parade. The parade was the official kick-off of the Rocky Mountain Roundup which was held in conjunction with the 9th Annual Intermountain Junior fat stock show and sale. The parade drew attendance of roughly 5,000 people to see […]
Continue readingMesa County Libraries announce finalists for library director’s position
The Mesa County Public Library District Board of Trustees has selected three finalists for the post of library director. Finalists are: Peter D. Genovese, most recently Principal and Partner in Global Library Consulting of Rochester, N.Y., a firm that assisted libraries in transition to more user-centered and community-engaged services. Royce Kitts, currently Library Director for […]
Continue readingA horrid new book list
When you’ve run out of ideas and your to-be-read pile is gone, desperation can set in quickly. That’s uncool. Book lists are the key to defeating the dreaded slump, and to honor the 200th birthday of the most famous horror novel of all time, Frankenstein, NPR put together a list of 100 favorite horror stories. Frankenstein and Dracula made […]
Continue readingLocal History Thursday: The Slaughterhouse of the West
Paradox Valley, just south of Mesa County, was where an assortment of early western Colorado newcomers decided to homestead and create a life. Original settlers came to the area to raise cattle, and eventually Uranium and Copper mines began to pop up around the valley. The area looks peaceful enough with its sweeping mountainous views […]
Continue readingTeen Reviews: Love Scene, Take Two
This was a great book. Not exactly what I was expecting when I picked it up, and we’ll get to why in a bit, but a great book. This is the sort of book that makes me shout at the characters and laugh out loud as I read. Teddy and Bennett are great characters – […]
Continue readingHappy birthday, Annie Oakley
When I found out Annie Oakley’s birthday day was August 13, 1860, it reminded me of my girlhood enthusiasm for the petite sharpshooter from rural western Ohio. Born Phoebe Ann Mosey, Annie’s early years were marked by poverty and hardship. Her early interest in shooting was forbidden, and she says in her autobiography that “my […]
Continue readingLocal History Thursday: Railroads in Early Grand Junction
The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) gave Grand Junction its first permanent transportation link to the outside world with the completion, in November 1882, of a railroad bridge over the Colorado River at the confluence. The first train arrived at seven minutes of five o’clock on November 21, 1882, coming over the bridge with […]
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