MUFON Colorado News - 2004 05

Magazine Overview

Title: Colorado MUFON News
Issue: Number 70
Date: May 2004

This issue of the Colorado MUFON News newsletter focuses on significant UFO-related events and activities within the state and beyond. It highlights a BBC documentary project involving Colorado MUFON, a photographic UFO case from Moab, and updates on the organization's meetings, investigations, and upcoming symposium.

BBC Enlists COMUFON Help on Bob White Documentary

This article, by Davina M Ryszka, details how Colorado MUFON (COMUFON) was contacted by Will Dixon from Flame Television Production Ltd. in London for assistance with filming an episode of the TV series "Jane Goldman Investigates." The crew planned to visit the Grand Junction area to reenact a UFO incident from the mid-1980s involving Bob White. The series is described as a non-judgmental exploration of the unexplained, featuring expert input and alternative viewpoints. Will Dixon requested information on other UFO sightings in the Grand Junction area, and Davina Ryszka contacted individuals for interviews. John Schuessler provided information on the Bob White case, which is presented based on his sworn statement and information from the website www.hardevidence.com and http://ufoevidence.conforums.com/index.cgi.

Bob White's Story

Bob White recounts an incident on May 7, 1998, where he and a friend, Jan, were driving west of Grand Junction when they encountered a bright orange light. Initially mistaken for a railroad light, it grew larger, described as the size of a full harvest moon and later as huge as a very big barn. Bob had the car lights and ignition turned off, and they coasted closer. He then stepped out of the car and, as Jan turned on the headlights, the light shot up into the sky. It appeared to change shape or connect to another light, forming two long, blue, tubular lights. A smaller, bright orange, yellow, and blue light fell from it. Bob followed where he thought it landed and found a groove in the ground, where he discovered the object. He described it as no longer glowing, and upon touching it with a glove, he found no heat. He took the object, which was later analyzed by Dr. Reiswick from Los Alamos National Laboratory. Bob swears under oath that this is a true story.

Reenactment and Object Analysis

On March 27, COMUFON member Gladie Bartels and the author met the TV crew in Grand Junction. They also met Bob White and his companions from the "Museum of the Unexplained." A convoy, including Bob White, the TV crew, and a sound man, proceeded to an old highway northeast of Grand Junction. Bob identified the location where he had experienced the UFO sighting. The reenactment and interviews were filmed with Gladie, John, and the author. They later returned to Grand Junction, while the rest traveled further into Utah to Cisco. There, Bob called the Air Force from a telephone booth to report the event, but the Air Force stated they had no operation in that area that night. The object was described as cone or tear drop shaped, gray, about 9 inches long, 3 inches wide at one end and 1 inch at the other, with a scaly, feathery appearance. Analysis indicated it was comprised of 65% Aluminum, plus over 30 other elements, with the consistency of aluminum but the strength of steel. An aluminum foundry challenged to replicate it stated it couldn't be done. Bob White has passed multiple polygraph tests.

A Colorado Resident and MUFON Member Photographs MOAB UFO and Beam

This article by John Blake describes his experience photographing a UFO near Moab, Utah. While hiking to see a natural arch, he took several pictures with his digital camera. He did not notice anything unusual at the time, but upon returning home and downloading the photos, he discovered that three of them showed something unusual: one with a cylinder shaped object and two with a beam of light. These photos were taken within about one minute of each other and from the same spot. Similar pictures were posted on the Coast to Coast website.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

This section provides brief summaries of recent events and topics:

David Sereda's Talk

David Sereda spoke at a COMUFON general meeting on April 10th. He shared his childhood experience of witnessing a classic disc-shaped UFO in Berkeley, California. He became an environmentalist concerned about U.S. spending on foreign oil and explored research into alternative energy sources, such as Helium 3 fusion. He theorized about wormholes and mass vibration at the speed of light, suggesting it could explain UFOs appearing as light orbs or vanishing. He also mentioned research into water comets impacting the atmosphere and NASA space shuttle video footage of a tether breaking away and being surrounded by UFOs.

2004 San Luis Valley UFO Event

This event was hosted by the UFO Watchtower in Hooper, CO, on August 14th and 15th, 2004. COMUFON also held a meeting at the event, which featured a great list of speakers. More information is available at www.ufowatchtower.com.

35th International MUFON Symposium

The 35th International MUFON Symposium was scheduled for July 16-18, 2004, in Denver, CO, with the theme "Unconventional Flying Objects (UFOs): The Body of Technological Evidence." A pre-symposium event, "Not of this Earth Day," was planned for July 15, 2004, at Six Flags Elitch Gardens in Denver, with tickets available through COMUFON. Early bird registration offered a chance to win a Panasonic personal DVD player. Registration details were provided online, by phone, and via mail.

List of Speakers

The symposium featured a list of speakers including John Greenewald, Stephen Bassett, Grant Cameron, Peter Davenport, Budd Hopkins, Deborah Lindemann, Nick Redfern, David Sereda, Leslie Kean, and Ryan Wood, with their respective websites listed.

Editorial: Purple Haze UFO Videoed In Colorado (Part I)

By Alejandro T. Rojas, COMUFON Newsletter Editor

This editorial introduces an ongoing investigation into a UFO sighting in Colorado. Ethan Rich, COMUFON Director of Investigations, became involved with a forwarded video. The author, a videographer, analyzed the video and initially thought craft had tail feathers, later realizing they were ducks, but then found more mysterious video. In October 2003, a witness with video of an object described as a bright star that fluttered strangely with a bluish haze was contacted. Phil Tori, another COMUFON member, provided video from Michigan (1994) and Colorado (2003) showing a similar fluttery object with changing colors and a purplish haze. Ethan Rich then brought in the most interesting video, a close-up shot near Deertrail, CO. Unfortunately, the witness passed away. The local FOX station KDVR expressed interest in the Deertrail video, and Ethan was interviewed. Davina and Ethan reported receiving even more videos. Further reports and visuals will be presented at the MUFON Symposium in July.

MUFON ON TV!!

This section mentions that MUFON members Lin Simpson, Ken Storch, and Ryan Woods appeared on "Colorado Inside Out/Live" discussing UFOs. It also notes upcoming appearances on Peter Boyles' show and encourages viewers to watch TLC, The History Channel, and Sci-Fi for more MUFON member features.

State Director's Message

By Leslie Varnicle, COMUFON State Director

Leslie Varnicle addresses the need for improved report quality from Field Investigators. She emphasizes that for MUFON to be taken seriously and for the hard work of investigators to be useful for serious research purposes, such as submission to the Pandora Project, report quality must meet a higher standard. All Field Investigators are directed to submit their reports, including all original materials, to Ethan Rich, COMUFON Director of Investigations, for initial review. Ethan will provide feedback to improve the quality and completeness of reports, aiming to bring all investigators in the state up to speed.

Other Great Denver Events

This section lists several local events:

• The Listeners: Meets the last Saturday of every month at Glendale Community Center at 6:30 pm.
• Men in Black: A program that can be watched on channel 58 in Denver or online at www.dctv.org, airing live every third and fourth Thursday of the month. Audience participation is possible at the DCTV studios.
• UFO MOVIE NIGHT: North of Denver, on the first Thursday of each month.
• The Denver UFO Society: Meets the 4th Friday of the month at Glendale Community Center at 7 pm.
• The Denver Spiritual Community: Information on local happenings is available on their website.

Colorado MUFON Officers and Section Directors

This section lists the officers and section directors of Colorado MUFON, including their roles and contact information. Leslie Varnicle is the State Director. Ethan Rich is the Director of Investigations and a State Section Director. Davina Ryszka is an Assistant State Director and State Section Director. Alejandro Rojas is the Director of Special Projects and Newsletter Editor. Barry Roth is the Newsletter Co-Editor and Director of Public Relations. Contact for officers and section directors is available at 303-932-7709. The Colorado Sightings HOTLINE is 303-451-5992, and the website is www.COMUFON.org.

Next Meeting

The next meeting was scheduled for May 8th, from 1-4 pm, at the Glendale Community Center, 999 S. Clermont, Denver CO.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO investigations, evidence analysis, and the dissemination of information through documentaries and publications. The editorial stance emphasizes the importance of rigorous investigation, detailed reporting, and the active participation of MUFON members in promoting awareness and research into UFO phenomena. There is a clear focus on community engagement through meetings, events, and media appearances, as well as a commitment to improving the quality of investigative work within the organization.