The Daily Sentinel from Grand Junction, Colorado • 10

2B The Daily Sentinel Thursday, October 12, 2000 Loveland woman wraps up fresh idea By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS the family until 1998. "I didn't tell anyone for a couple of years because I thought it was so easy, someone could steal it," she said. Stromme started the patenting process hi 1997 and, in August 1998, introduced Wrap-N-Mat to the public at Loveland's Art in the Park craft show. She sold 500. "I was really surprised," Stromme said.

More than surprised, I was encouraged, That same month, Stromme asked the manager at the Loveland Wal-Mart about selling her product there, and he told her about the company's local vendor program. The store ordered 800 Wrap-N-Mats, which Colorado Cut and Sew in Denver made, and stocked them in the back-to-school aisle. The store sold about 700 within a couple months, Stromme said. Now her children take the product to their teachers on the first day of school and tell friends about it. My children are my best supporters, Stromme said, noting her husband has also encouraged and helped her.

"It's a family thing." Since she received the patent on the product in March 1999, Wrap-N-Mat has spread to more than 67 stores hi 12 states. Aprons Etc. in South Carolina now manufactures Stallone aisfe? Eve. 7:30 9:45 WT7 -jfr rmiiii New Monsters. New 11017 PLAYING! CHKCK TM.ATHC OtHKOTORV OR CAU AO.

MHmri htut budget of AMERICA'S LEADER IN QUALITY BRAND NAME WINDOW COVERINGS" mim BONNIE STROMME OF LOVELAND displays one of her sandwich wraps. Stromme started the patenting process for the product in 1997 and, in August 1998, introduced Wrap-N-Mat to the public, the Wrap-N-Mats. Although she has sold almost The Wrap-N-Mat can hold more 20,000 wraps, equaling about $50,000 than just cookies, crackers and ba- in sales, Stromme said the Wrap-N-gels. Stromme said shes heard peo- Mat has yet to become a big pie use it for jewelry and makeup moneymaker. 1 when traveling.

"Were still paying off the patent, One parent used it to hold an arti- and were still paying off some of the ficial ice pack on an injured childs (marketing) ventures weve tried to arm, and other people have used it make," she said, to carry pet snacks. She insists she didnt invent the Stromme is also developing a sub product to get rich. It was born from sandwich Wrap-N-Mat and is work- a desire to help save the environing on markets to expand the idea. ment. Fun.

Only In Theatres. UNITED ARTISTS TELLER ARMS 28TH BELFORD 242-1004 xnamr um Blinds and Much More 242-1200 www budgetblmds com Free In-Home Estimate Free Installation TzmmiLzmmL LOVELAND Bonnie Stromme was packing a picnic lunch five yeai-s ago when she ran out of plastic bags, so she wrapped the sandwiches in paper towels held together with masking tape. I said, 'If this just had some plastic on it, it would said Stromme, 35. The Improvisation resulted in Wrap-N-Mat, a reusable cloth sandwich wrap lined with plastic and held together with Velcro. It doubles as a place mat, After the ideai came to her, the stay-at-home mother of four stalled experimenting with cotton and cotton-polyester fabric, plastic and her sewing machine, trying different shapes and sizes to create her invention.

"When I had it square, it was too bulky; when I had it rectangle, it was too small, Stromme said. She discovered the octagon worked best and made some of the machine washable and dryable wraps for her family. "It keeps it really flesh," Stromme said. "Then when you get to school or work, you have a place mat, which a baggie can't do and Tupperware cant do People will say, 'Its like packing a little bit of home with lunch every She said she kept the idea and the Wrap-N-Mats shed made in Need Service Worlt? Check Classifieds GET CARTER (R) Eve. 7 30 9 45 SPACE COWBOYS (PG-13) Eve.

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7 00 THE ORIGINAL KINGS OF COMEDY (R) Eve. 9 50 per month WAANTEED 18 MONTHS! SET AN APPOINTMENT AND GET 1 MONTH FREE Ultimate Fitness for Ultimate 256-) 41 7 MonitiheritRoad (next to SOME RES RADIO: Only three Continued from page IB severance checks to employees on Tuesday. The severance package, he said, was very honorable, but its very hard to look into their eyes and see the hurt." Only three employees remain at KJOL Andrews, a secretary and an engineer, he said. Fifteen others, many of them regulars at the station, no longer are there, he said. KJOL had a budget of almost $400,000, Andrews said.

Andrews said he would remain if something can be worked out. The changeover happened quickly, Andrews said. MANAGER: 225 signatures presented 3ZGID C3G Bfl KIG VGV? If not, maybe it's because you didn't bear him coming. Even if your hearing is normal, we can provide you with a generic bionic ear that can be set up just for hunting, A little extra makes a big difference. Come by talk.

Continued from page IB morning. Petitions appeared last Friday, asking for town officials to reconsider Looney's position. John Sims presented the 225 signatures to the town council Tuesday night. The petitions appeared after Looney and Police Chief Larry Elar-ton sparred over a recorded tape of a 911 call and the manner in which Looney requested the tape from a dispatcher. Elarton immediately resigned, then left town on a family matter.

He could not be reached for comment. Theres an outside chance Elarton could be reinstated as police chief, said Ditmanson. I havent talked to Larry and I dbnt know what his intent is, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS remain at KJOL We never had a say In it, Coffey said. The music was on and our programs were yanked off the air. The main thing were concerned about is that were not getting Bible-teaching programs anymore.

Colorado Christian University said in a press release that it spun off the radio stations "to consolidate its focus on its mission of providing Christ-centered education. by selling its radio network to" K-LOVE Radio. The sale is pending approval by the Federal Communications Commission and no terms were disclosed. Gary Harmon can be reached via e-mail atgharmoniagjds.com. to town council bottom of the chain." Some Rangely residents alleged that Looney lived outside town.

Looney denied the accusation Wednesday. I live at 219 E. Raven Looney said. "Ive always lived in Rangely. I hadn't even sold my home yet (in Texas) when I came here.

Thats how committed I was to Rangely. Some residents also criticized Looney for home-schooling his children and for other issues. The first year he was here, he tried to get rid of the homecoming bonfire, calling it a safety hazard, said resident Brenna Kenney. He couldnt understand why people were so upset about that. He didnt really have our best interests at heart, Kenney said.

Marija B. Vader can be reached via e-mail at mvaderiogjds.com. taking place in Garfield County. Incumbent commissioner John Martin, a Republican, faces Democrat Bill Evans for the District 2 seat. Martin, 51, said his first term marked the county moving from the dark ages into the new world, in accounting, social services, road and bridge, personnel, budgeting and customer service.

A 24-year member of the Glenwood Springs Police Department, Martins past also includes stints working on the railroad in Leadville and operating gas stations in Leadville and Glenwood Springs. He is married to Nancy, and he owns and operates the Glenwood Shoe Service, a shoe shop on Grand Avenue. Evans, 51, moved to Rifle from Denver in 1986 to build the Western Academy, a residential treatment and education center for emotionally disturbed children. He sold the business in 1998 and retired to Glenwood Springs. Evans has a bachelor's degree in government from the University of Texas with a masters in sociology and corrections from Montclair State University.

He has also studied public management, sociology and law at various universities. He is married to Claire. Running unopposed are Garfield County Commissioner Larry Mc-Cown and District Attorney Mac Myers. Marija B. Vader can be reached via e-mail at mvaderiu gjds.com.

of the employees I did not know this was coming, he said. He received a call the morning of Oct. 5 to assemble his staff for a conference call that afternoon, when the transition was announced, he said. Andrews said that while he had worked hard for 15 years to build KJOL (90.3 FM) into a powerful Western Slope voice with a network of 20 translators, the new ownership is excellent radio and excellent ministry. Gone, though, are programs from Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, the Rev.

Charles Swin-doll, Bible quizzes and even personal prayer requests, said the Rev. Eldon Coffey, who helped found the station in 1982. Ditmanson said. I wouldnt discount it. After working for the town 12 years, former town clerk Valerie Mallett was fired under Looneys administration.

Mallett said Wednesday she hoped the resignation would bring positive changes. If it brings Larry Elarton back as police chief, its a very good thing for the town, Mallett said. Theyre going to Have an awful hard time finding someone to replace him with the mess its been," Mallett continued. "Who wants to come in to a mess of hornets? Hopefully, the next city manager will live in Rangely and try to promote business Rangely, rather than outside of town," Sims said. And I hope the next city manager will follow accepted procedures for confronting subordinates, rather than jumping on someone at the an open space measure, forming a downtown development authority, raising taxes for the local bus service, increasing taxes for fire stations and equipment and increasing the lodging tax.

Voters throughout the region will be asked to de-Bruce" Colorado Mountain College. Officials say the colleges mill levy has remained unchanged since 1990-91, but because of revenue limits imposed by state law, the school has not been able to collect as much property taxes as it is entitled to. The Grand Valley Hospital District in Rifle wants to use current taxes to remodel the hospital. The measure would not increase taxes. While it would increase debt, taxes now collected will pay off the debt, proponents say.

Battlement Mesa officials will conduct a mail-in election on proposals to transfer ownership, revenue and debt of the activity center from the Battlement Mesa Metro District to the non-profit Consolidated Metro District; lift spending limits imposed by state law; and grant the Consolidated Metro District the authority to re negotiate the debt on the activity center. Proponents of the Battlement Mesa issues say the measures would enable the activity center to collect more state grants and would give more authority to the people who live there. None of the Battlement Mesa ballot issues would increase taxes or fees. Only one contested race is 337 North Ave. Grand Junction At the Time Temperature Sign uss Herman 242-2803 Board Certified Hearing 800-530-8776 Instrument Sciences www.aJvanceJheorinrjom GARC0: School would have almost twice the space Continued from page IB Parachute, while the new school would encompass 34 acres if built on the districts preferred site just south of the Colorado River and west of town hall.

The new school would have almost twice the classroom space, from 44,000 square feet at Grand Valley to between 80,000 and 90,000 square feet. Upgrading the districts buildings to current architectural, mechanical and electrical codes would cost $5.65 million, said architect Jim Cook. Also, gas heaters at the high schools wood shop present a fire hazard because direct gas-fired equipment shares space with wood dust, Cook said. The ballot is so long this year that Garfield County Clerk Mildred Als-dorf encourages people to vote early. Voters will be allowed only 10 minutes on election day to complete their ballots.

Call 945-2377 or 625-5295 for information on how to vote early. In other Garfield County elections: Rifle voters are being asked for approval to raise the sales tax rate by a half-certt for roads and other improvements. New Castle voters are being asked to hike their sales tax by a half-cent for recreation, parks and open space. Glenwood Springs voters will decide several tax issues, including the funding of the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority, funding 7.