Hotchkiss Fire District warns of misinformation ahead of wildfire season
As wildfire season approaches, the Hotchkiss Fire District posted a reminder to be careful when sharing information online. The post states, “Firefighting agencies are starting to have a real problem fighting misinformation during emergencies. Please be very careful to verify any information you find regarding fires and other disasters before you react or share on social media. When in doubt, call your local county offices or the federal agency managing the fire to verify reports. On large fires, there is often an ‘official fire information’ social media page sharing legitimate information. Some of these spam posts are just a nuisance but others are causing real panic, citing evacuations and growing fires when there are none. Be careful out there.” KNVF is careful to only report from official sources, and will keep you updated on emergency situations as they emerge.
Federal judge restricts warrantless arrests in Colorado
In March, KNVF spoke with a local attorney Alida Soileau, whose client was arrested by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement as he was leaving the county courthouse. According to Soileau, the arrest warrant hadn’t been signed by a judge, making it illegal under Colorado law. As an update to that story, a federal judge ruled yesterday that ICE agents operating in Colorado have repeatedly violated a court order on warrantless arrests.
According to the Denver Post, U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson said in a 60-page ruling that ICE agents continued making arrests without first determining whether immigrants were likely to flee before a future court date — a step required under federal law and under Jackson’s earlier order issued last November.
The judge wrote that ICE had “failed” to properly train agents and said officers in the Denver field office “clearly do not know or understand” what the law requires.
Jackson ordered ICE officials to provide updated guidance and training to more than 200 deportation officers in Colorado and Wyoming. Any officer who has not completed the training within 45 days will be barred from making warrantless arrests.
The judge also found that ICE had “uniformly” failed to properly document arrests, making oversight difficult. He ordered the agency to turn over more arrest records and provide ongoing updates to attorneys who sued ICE over its practices. The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado and other law firms representing immigrants arrested by the agency. Attorneys argued ICE continued violating the court’s order even after the November ruling.
During hearings earlier this year, Jackson sharply criticized testimony from several ICE agents, saying some appeared to have little understanding of the legal standards for warrantless arrests. In one exchange, an agent reportedly sat silently for 30 seconds trying to recall the judge’s instructions before Jackson told him he could simply admit he did not know. Immigration attorney Hans Meyer, part of the legal team that sued ICE, praised Tuesday’s ruling, calling the agency’s conduct “breathtaking.”
Plein Air Festival to be held in Delta County
In arts and culture news, a new Delta County arts event is taking shape this June. The inaugural North Fork Plein Air Festival will be held in theNorth Fork Valley and Delta County region the second weekend of June. The event, hosted by The Creamery Arts Center and the North Fork Valley Creative Coalition, welcomes painters from near and far to come experience, get inspiration, and interpret this vibrant region—home to orchards, ranches, wineries, and the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
Artists will paint on location anywhere within Delta County, with all work created outdoors. Event organizers will mark participant’s blank canvases at The Creamery Arts Center to verify that paintings were created during the designated competition window, and not brought from the studio.
Scott Ruthven, a decorated Colorado landscape painter, will serve as juror for the event. Artwork created during the event will be exhibited and available for purchase at The Creamery from June 12-29.
U.S. Forest Service will no longer manage Maroon Bells
The U.S. Forest Service says it can no longer manage a popular recreation area in Western Colorado, near Aspen.
As Caroline Llanes reports, it’s hoping the local county will take over management of the area starting next summer.
15th annual Conservation Days at Paonia River Park draws 250 third graders
Eighty or so Cedaredge and Hotchkiss third-graders trooped around Paonia's River Park on
Thursday, May 7, taking part in a 15-year-old annual event sponsored by the Western Slope Conservation Center. The day before, third -grade students from Delta and Paonia participated in the interactive field trip. Representatives and volunteers from state agencies and local organizations, as well as from the staff and board of the Conservation Center, were on hand as teachers and facilitators. For KVNF, Marty Durlin brings us the story.
