BIG NEWS – Motion Picture Corporation of America CEO Brad Krevoy (at right), who is a producer of “When Calls the Heart,” and two of the show’s stars, Daniel Lissing and Erin Krakow (left and center), were among those who spoke at Tuesday’s press conference at the State Capitol. (Photo by Greg Clifton)

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PUBLISHED JUNE 18 A T10:27 P.M.

Hallmark Channel Original Series Starts Production July 22 Near Telluride

DENVER - When Hallmark Channel’s second original primetime series When Calls the Heart begins filming this summer, it will mark the first time a TV series has been shot in Telluride.  “We are delighted with Hallmark Channel’s choice of Colorado for its latest series,” said Gov. John Hickenlooper.  “With Hallmark Channel’s brand behind it, the show will have a positive economic impact for our state and provide tremendous national exposure for Telluride and all of Colorado.”  

Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart will start filming in Telluride on July 22. According to Bill Abbott, President and CEO, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel, “Hallmark Channel is coming to the gorgeous state of Colorado.  

“The state provides the perfect backdrop for our Western inspired series, When Calls the Heart, and we are incredibly proud to infuse the state's economy with new jobs and resources as a result of filming our family targeted program here,” he said.     

The Colorado Office of Film and Television negotiated the deal with the Motion Picture Corporation of America and Believe Pictures, with executive producers of the Hallmark Channel Original Primetime Series. According to Brad Krevoy, CEO of MPCA, “We are excited to immerse When Calls the Heart against the rich backdrop of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, providing unrivaled production value to a story that takes place in the North American west one-hundred years ago. Governor Hickenlooper, Donald Zuckerman, John Cullen, Mayor [Stu] Fraser and Tim Territo have changed our expectations of shooting in Colorado, which will allow us to bring substantial economic vitality to the state in the first season alone.”

Gov. Hickenlooper, Colorado Film Commissioner Donald Zuckerman, Telluride Mayor Stu Fraser, Colorado Tourism Office Director Al White and Telluride Film Commission Co-Founder Territo played key roles in bringing the Hallmark Channel Original Primetime Series to Telluride, whose economy stands to accrue substantial revenue from the production.  

Three-time Emmy winner Jean Smart star in the Hallmark Channel Original Primetime Series, with the special extended pilot premieres scheduled for October 5 at 9p.m. ET/PT, 8C.  Erin Krakow and Daniel Lissing star in the Original Primetime Series set to premiere January 2014, with the chance to reprise their roles when the series returns in January.   

Based on Janette Oke’s bestselling Canadian West book series, When Calls the Heart tells the story of Elizabeth Thatcher (Krakow), a young teacher accustomed to her high society life, who receives her first classroom post in a small prairie town on the western frontier led by coalminer widows Abigail Stanton (Loughlin) and Frances Tunnecliffe (Smart).  Elizabeth must deal with her restless students, as well as the new constable in town, Jack Thornton (Lissing). When Calls the Heart is a Believe Pictures and Brad Krevoy Television production; Krevoy, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., Roman Viaris, Francisco Gonzalez, and Jimmy Townsend are executive producers.  Eric Jarboe is co-executive producer.

Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming available in high definition and standard definition to a national audience of 87 million subscribers. Hallmark Channel, a destination for quality family programming with a slate of original TV movies and specials, as well as some of television sitcoms and series including The Golden Girls, The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, and Frasier, is home to a range of lifestyle programming, anchored by Home & Family, a daily two-hour live show shot in a fully functional house located on the Universal Studios lot. Hallmark Channel's sibling network, Hallmark Movie Channel, available in HD and SD, focuses on family-friendly movies with a mix of original films, classic theatrical releases, and presentations from the Hallmark Hall of Fame library.

OURAY – Work at the historic Camp Bird Mine is at a virtual stand-still this week, with 15 of 22 workers laid off for at least 45 days. 

Ronald “Bumper” Williams, Vice President of Operations for the mine’s new operator Caldera Mineral Resources, Inc., told The Watch on Monday that the shutdown is “temporary” as Caldera seeks to secure funding.

“There were a few unexpected situations underground, and we shut her down until we can raise the funds,” he explained. 

The layoffs went into effect last week. Williams estimated it would take a total of 45 days to raise the needed funds to get the operation going again. 

Seven workers remain on site – mostly staff electricians and safety personnel – who will continue conducting work above ground. 

Williams said he regretted having to impose the layoffs. Having spent a lifetime in the mining industry, he is well aware that the risk of laying off miners is that they will tramp camp and look for work elsewhere. If the workers choose to return when the mine starts up again, they will be given first right of refusal to get their old jobs back, he said.

Up until now, work at the Camp Bird Mine had progressed quickly since last September, when negotiations began in earnest to transfer majority ownership of the historic mine from Federal Resources Corp. to the California-based Caldera Mineral Resources, Inc. via a lease purchase option.

Federal Resources has owned the Camp Bird Mine under its subsidiary Camp Bird Colorado Inc. since the 1950s (with majority shareholder Bentley Blum at its helm since 1983). The transaction between Federal Resources and Caldera was set to close at the end of March.

That closing has been delayed, however, partially due to ongoing CERCLA litigation over three environmentally troubled mining properties owned by Blum in Idaho.

Meanwhile, over the past several months, Caldera CEO John Bryan has made frequent trips to Singapore to coordinate principal investors, and work has steadily continued at the Camp Bird Mine. This started with portal stabilization and surface work at the 14-level, after which a team of miners under Williams’ supervision started working their way back into the historic underground mine workings, which have been sealed off for the past 30 years. 

“We were right to the intersection [of the tunnel and the Camp Bird Vein], a little over two miles inside the mine,” when the shutdown happened, Williams said. He reported that the tunnel is in good condition, but that once his crew reached the intersection, they discovered the hoist in the back end to be in quite poor condition after 30 years of neglect.

“These things aren’t cheap,” Williams said. “We are right at the vein; we’ve still got a lot of rehab to do. It will be quite an undertaking.” 

Although a seasoned miner, Williams admitted it is “pretty amazing” to be deep inside the legendary Camp Bird Mine. In spite of the present set-back, he was optimistic about the prospects for the venture. “It’ll go,” he said. “It’s all being structured for the long term.”

At press time, Blum and Caldera Chief Financial Officer Sturges Karban had not responded to requests for comment.

swright@watchnewspapers.com or Tweet @iamsamwright 

Law enforcement officials in San Miguel County are searching for the whereabouts of 33-year-old Matthew Busker, who was reported missing on Monday. (Courtesy photo_

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SAN MIGUEL COUNTY – Law enforcement officials in San Miguel County are searching for a 33-year-old Grand Junction man whose 1977 International Scout was found abandoned on Black Bear Pass road Tuesday.

Matthew Busker was reported missing to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office on Monday. His vehicle, a teal green 1977 Scout with a bikini top, was found abandoned by San Miguel County Road and Bridge crews Tuesday on Black Bear pass road, approximately 1.5 miles inside the San Miguel County line, at about 12,000 feet in elevation.

San Miguel County Sheriff's Office launched a search effort for Busker in the area, with personnel from the San Miguel County and San Juan County Sheriff's Offices, the Bureau of Land Management Law Enforcement and U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement (with a K9) searching the rugged remote area on foot, motorcycle, and ATV. An Olathe Spray Service helicopter, with no success.  Plans for further searches are pending.

It is believed Busker ate at The Pub  in Ouray on Saturday, June 15.  Anyone speaking with Busker in Ouray or encountering him on the Black Bear Pass area, which he would have accessed from Hwy. 550 at the summit of Red Mountain Pass, is encouraged to contact San Miguel County Sheriff's Investigator Norman Squier at 970/728-1911.