Bee Hive fire spreads
The Bee Hive fire is continuing to spread in western Montrose County. As of 7pm last night, the fire had grown to about 180 acres. High winds yesterday pushed the fire further east, per incident command. As it moves eastward, the fire is beginning to parallel the canyon. As of 5pm yesterday, there was no threat to structures. Several aircrafts were requested to combat the fire yesterday. The fire was reportedly caused by lightning from storms that moved through the area on June 7.
Colorado takes precautions after detected in Texas
Colorado is increasing its preparedness efforts after the first confirmed U.S. case of New World Screwworm was detected in Texas.
Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Department of Agriculture announced Thursday that the state is activating its New World Screwworm response plan following the discovery of the parasite in a three-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas.
State officials say the infestation was found in the calf’s umbilical area, and Texas animal health authorities are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a response.
Governor Polis says Colorado is taking steps to ensure the state is ready if the pest spreads north, emphasizing the importance of protecting the livestock industry, food supply, and agricultural communities.
Officials stress that New World Screwworm does not pose a food safety risk, and the nation’s food supply remains safe.
The parasitic larvae feed on living tissue through open wounds and can cause severe damage to animals if left untreated. Early detection is considered critical, and officials say infestations can be treated when caught quickly.
Colorado State Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin says the state has been preparing for the possibility of a U.S. detection and already has a response plan in place. That plan includes producer education, disease monitoring, potential livestock movement restrictions, and coordination among state agencies and industry partners.
Agriculture groups across Colorado are urging producers to remain calm but vigilant. They encourage livestock owners to closely monitor animals and contact a veterinarian if they notice unusual wounds or signs of infestation.
State officials add there is currently no reason for concern among private horse or livestock owners, but they are encouraging continued monitoring as the situation develops.
For now, Colorado says it will continue working with federal officials and livestock industry partners while closely tracking the response in Texas.
Paonia selects interim town administrator.
In a unanimous vote during the June 3 Board of Trustees meeting, Greg Sund was approved to serve as interim administrator beginning June 15. He will overlap briefly with outgoing administrator Stefen Wynn before taking over the role.
Town officials say Sund received consistently positive references and was interviewed during a public special meeting on May 29.
Under the approved contract, Sund will work full-time with a monthly salary of about 12-thousand-560 dollars. The town will also provide up to one-thousand dollars per month toward housing costs. No additional benefits are included.
Trustees approved several changes to the contract, including reducing the termination notice period from 30 days to five days. The board also established a formal process allowing trustees to end the contract following a majority vote at a public meeting.
Sund said he appreciated the opportunity and looks forward to helping Paonia through the transition period.
Town leaders say one of his responsibilities will be assisting with the search for a permanent administrator. That process will be led by an executive search firm and will include public involvement.
Bureau of Reclamation announces plan to manage the Colorado River
A new study from the Colorado River Research Group shows that if next water year is as dry as this one was, reservoir storage would basically be depleted.
The analysis found that even a very wet year would only create a safety net of about two years.
The study was released on the same day that the Bureau of Reclamation announced at a conference in Boulder that it had the outline of a plan for the river.
The ten-year framework would see the operating guidelines revisited every two years… meaning there won’t be a long-term plan for a warming and drying climate.
Chris Winter, an environmental attorney at C-U Boulder’s law school, says what we know so far does very little to ease uncertainty for water users about a drier future.
Colorado primary ballots sent out this week
It's primary election season in Colorado, and the KVNF news team is working to make sure that you are informed about what is on your ballot.
Voters will get the ballot for the party they’re affiliated with. Registered voters affiliated with Colorado Democratic Party, Colorado Republican Party, Libertarian Party of Colorado, or Unity Party of Colorado by June 8 will receive only the ballot of the party with which they are affiliated.
Colorado has a semi-closed primary system, which means that if you’re registered with a party, you can’t vote in another party’s primary. Unaffiliated voters will receive ballots for both Democratic and Republican primaries. But they’re only allowed to return ONE. Returning more than one ballot will result in both of them being cancelled.
A lot of local candidates are running unopposed in their primaries, so primary ballots will have a lot of county seats where voters only have one option, and in these cases the candidate will advance to the general election no matter how many votes they receive later this month.
In Montrose County, registered Republicans and independents will have to choose between two Republican candidates for County Assessor, and two candidates running for County Coroner. And in Delta, Republicans will have to choose between two candidates for Sheriff.
For our listeners in Ouray County there are no contested seats in this year’s primary election. There are six candidates on the ballot and are a running as unaffiliated. All of the candidates in this primary election will advance to the general election in November.
As for the state legislature, State House District 54 covers the Western half of Delta county, and most of Mesa County– excluding Grand Junction. There are two Republicans running in that race, Nina Anderson and Jason Bias. The winner there will face off against Democrat Martin Mallory in November. House District 58 also covers a good chunk of the KVNF listening area, but only has one candidate from each party running.
In the coming weeks, ahead of the primaries at the end of the month, we’re going to be airing clips with local candidates who are running in contested primaries, so you can get to know them better. We’ll hear from candidates running unopposed in their primaries later on, when they face inter-party opponents on the November general ballot.
When more voters participate in a primary election, it helps ensure that the candidates in the general election are more representative of the people. Primary elections also foster healthy debates and the exchange of ideas, creating a more knowledgeable electorate. As voters evaluate candidate qualifications, track records, and policy positions, they become more informed, and the eventual winning candidate is more thoroughly vetted.
