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Craig — Below is a list of the top news stories from 2007. The Daily Press staff compiled the list of stories, which are presented here in no particular order.

Mall fire among worst blazes in city history

Craig police and firefighters were called to a fire at the Country Mall, 356 Ranney St., on Nov. 25 for what was later described as one of the worst fires in the city's nearly 100-year history.

"It's one of the bigger fires we've been on since the downtown fire that we went on back in the '70s," said Chris Nichols, the Craig Fire/Rescue chief at the time.

No one was injured in the fire. It was, however, a total loss. Today, little stands of the mall, built in 1945, except for the charred remains.

The fire, determined to be intentionally set, destroyed 11 businesses housed inside. Shortly after the fire, investigators launched an investigation that has since narrowed its focus on financial records belonging to mall co-owner Marvin "Red" Cortner.

On Friday, the Craig Police Department and 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office executed three search warrants - one at Cortner's home and two at his furniture stores - and seized items such as tax forms, checks, bank records, handwritten papers and notepads.

Cortner is not considered a suspect, Police Chief Walt Vanatta said, but rather a "person of interest."

An affidavit, however, concludes that "there is probable cause to believe that Mr. Cortner was involved in perpetrating the crime of arson at (the) veterinary clinic within the Country Mall."

Cortner, 66, co-owns the mall with Veldon "Lop" Behrman. He denied Friday any involvement in the alleged arson.

"I know I didn't start the fire," he said. "I'd deny it in a heartbeat."

Relay for Life

When organizers for American Cancer Society's Relay for Life set a goal for the event's first go-round in Craig, they hoped to raise $20,000.

After all the walkers had made their way around that July day and night, and after all the numbers had been calculated, this much was clear.

That goal was shattered.

The Craig event, which had 27 teams and more than 480 walkers participate, raised more than $67,000 to go toward cancer research.

"The Craig Relay for Life did better than any first year Relay in the Western states," event chair Elisa Hayes said. "And it is all because of the commitment of the community members."

The American Cancer Society recognized Craig Relay for Life at the Great West Leadership Summit for having raised the most funds of any first-year Relay for Life drive in the nine-state Great West division.

"There is a story behind every person that is here," said luminria chair Carla Alexander during the final day of the event. "They're here for a reason. Obviously, they're not here for the walking. They're here for somebody they know, for somebody that they care about. To see them come together, and dedicate as much time as they have, it is just amazing.

"It's a lot to ask of people to walk around the track for 18 hours. And they've done it."

Gov. Ritter and County Commission rift

The relationship between recently elected Gov. Bill Ritter and the Moffat County Commission was rocky in 2007.

It started with Ritter making an unannounced flight to look at the Vermillion Basin.

But he did not contact local representatives, such as Sen. Jack Taylor, Rep. Al White or the Moffat County Commission.

Harris Sherman, director of the Department of Natural Resources, then sent a letter proposing to shut off the Vermillion Basin to oil and gas development for the foreseeable future.

The county commissioners took great offense to the governor's unannounced visit, as well as Sherman's stance on the Vermillion Basin, writing a letter.

In the letter, the commissioners discussed how they offered the governor a tour of the basin, which he has yet to take, accused him of "establishing a vision for future management of the area" without consulting the people who live here, and how he is undercutting future economic growth in the area - "when an opportunity arises to receive the benefit of gas development within the Vermillion Basin and (we) begin to lift one foot out of the ditch in which we've been standing, you attempt to cut off both legs."

The governor wrote back a letter, stating his side.

It was just one of the letters and dialogue sent back and forth between the governor's office and the commissioners on areas they disagree, mostly on the financial and political impacts of the Vermillion Basin.

Miner charged with murder

The body of a 36-year-old Craig woman who was reported missing was found in August, and her husband, a 70-year-old gold miner, is charged with her murder.

Cynthia Hankins was last seen in June, police said. After uncovering her body on her husband's gold claim three miles south of the Wyoming border in Moffat County, authorities charged her husband with the crime.

Terry Hankins faces nine total charges: first-degree murder, three counts of theft, possession of a controlled substance, three counts of felony forgery and abuse of a corpse.

A criminal complaint against Terry Hankins alleges he murdered his wife on or about June 3 or 4 in Moffat County and disposed of the body about the same time. It also alleges he took and forged more than $20,000 in checks, including one belonging to his wife, between July 1 and 31.

He currently is in custody at the Moffat County Jail.

In December, Prosecutor Kerry St. James told a Moffat County District Court judge that he intends to introduce into evidence a confession allegedly given by Hankins, who, the prosecutor added, also provided authorities with directions to his wife's body.

Hankins' attorney, public defender Sheryl Uhlmann, told the court she intends to dispute the alleged confession because her client did not have an attorney present.

Hankins will have a preliminary hearing Jan. 15.

Case against minister ends in tragedy

The criminal case against a local youth minister ended in tragedy in January after authorities ruled his death a suicide.

John C. Graler, a minister at First Christian Church, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, sexual assault on a child and sexual assault on a child by someone in a position of trust.

The charges stemmed from Graler allegedly sexually assaulting two females in his church youth group. The alleged victims were between 13 and 18 years old.

Three days after his arrest, Graler was found dead at his home on Moffat County Road 35. Asphyxiation by carbon monoxide poisoning was listed as the cause of death, the Craig Police Department reported.

Formal charges had not been filed against Graler. However, investigators said there was ample evidence pending against him.

"At the time of Mr. Graler's death, the investigation had developed substantial physical and testimonial evidence to support the allegations," the Police Department stated in a press release.

It added, "investigators are confident that the evidence collected and information gathered during the course of the investigation would have provide to be irrefutable if the criminal case had been filed by the District Attorney's Office and tried in a court of law."

Graler had been a youth minister at First Christian Church since 2000.

First Christian Church hosted Graler's memorial, a move Church spokesman Doug Field said the church had no apprehensions about.

"There was no debate," Field said. "We're reaching out to (Graler's family) and the members of our congregation."

He added, "We know God will get us through this and whatever else happens."

Moving Wall brings 'life changing experience' to Craig

In August, Craig served as host site to The Moving Wall, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The wall contains the names of 58,253 soldiers who perished, or are still missing in action, from the war in southeast Asia.

The wall was on display Aug. 9 to 13.

"This will be a life-changing experience for everyone who has the opportunity to see it," said George Rohrich, chief executive officer of the sponsoring agency, The Memorial Hospital.

For many, the wall elicited the emotional response it was intended to.

"Too many damn names," said Michael Lausin, a visitor to the Moving Wall exhibit, held at Loudy-Simpson Park. "Too many damn friends."

Craig resident Carrie Floyd brought her 5-year-old son, Mitchell, to the wall. There, they stood in front of the panel containing the name of Gale S. Pritchard, a 23-year-old who died fighting in Vietnam.

"It's more important for me for him to be here," Floyd said of her son's visit to the site. "It's a real important part of our history, and it's important for him to try and know and appreciate it."

Craig Mayor Don Jones spoke during the wall's opening ceremony.

"Over the next (few) days, the citizens of Craig and Northwest Colorado have the opportunity to reflect and remind ourselves of the ultimate sacrifice made by our fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, sisters and brothers," the mayor said. "Each name listed on the Moving Wall is a solemn reminder of the heroic effort of that soldier to preserve the liberties we enjoy as United States citizens - liberties that we too often take for granted.

"These names represent individuals willing to sacrifice their lives to preserve our freedom."

Election elation

Moffat County voters took a step toward investing in the county's future infrastructure when they approved two tax proposals in the November election.

Voters approved the Moffat County School District's $29.5 million bond issue, which will fund improvements to local schools, and The Memorial Hospital's 3-mill, $42.6 million new construction measure.

The hospital proposal will pay for the construction of a new hospital on 15 acres of ground in west Craig.

"The whole town should celebrate," said George Rohrich, TMH's chief executive officer.

"We are very thrilled that the voters of Moffat County have supported the new hospital project. Very rapidly, we will begin the next phases of development and design of a hospital. We cannot wait to share new hospital plans as they unfold."

School District Superintendent Pete Bergmann said the district was "thankful for the support."

"It speaks volumes about Craig to support education and health care," Bergmann said. "It's a win for the community."

District Attorney survives recall effort

A petition seeking to oust 14th Judicial District Attorney Bonnie Roesink from office failed in April, the Colorado Secretary of State's Office reported. The petition, organized and orchestrated by a Craig woman in February, fell 857 signatures short of the 3,802 required for successful recall.

Roesink said she was relieved the petition failed.

"I'm glad I can get back to my job of helping people in this district," she said upon learning of the petition falling short.

Craig resident Kathy Oberwitte began the recall after a disagreement arose with Roesink regarding the prosecution of Dustin Lund, a 37-yearold Lakewood man who was allegedly under the influence of methamphetamine when his vehicle collided with Oberwitte's brother, Michael Bailey, of Craig, in February 2006.

Bailey died from injuries sustained in the accident.

Oberwitte said she didn't view the recall effort as a failure.

"It's not a win, it's not a loss," she said. "The point has been proven and enough people have spoken.

"From here on out, she's going to be under a magnifying glass, and she should be."

In June, Lund was sentenced one year in jail after pleading no contest to careless driving resulting in death, a misdemeanor. Lund addressed Bailey's family during the hearing in Routt County.

"I'm so sorry for the bad decision I made that day," he said. "I know you guys lost a very important person in your life. There aren't enough words for me to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Alcohol and deaths in the valley

On June 1, three Craig residents died when the Jeep Cherokee they were in drove off the Sandrocks cliff near Green Street and fell 125 feet.

Waylon William Owens-Plantiko, 28, David Kim Johnston, 32, and Jaron Earl Green, 31, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Alcohol was ruled to be a factor in the deaths, and it wasn't the lone fatal incident in 2007 where alcohol was suspected or confirmed to be an issue.

At least six other people died from alcohol related incidents, ranging from a semi colliding with a truck on U.S. Highway 40 at high speeds to teens partying to close to an oil tanker.