A Colorado man has been charged with illegally landing a helicopter in Grand Teton National Park. According to park officials, rangers found the pilot and his helicopter at Moran Bay — on the west shore of Jackson Lake late last month.
He was charged with two misdemeanors.
Each comes with a fine of up to five thousand dollars or six months in jail. The pilot is scheduled to appear before a Jackson federal judge in August. These are not his first offenses - the pilot was also charged earlier this year for flying a plane too low in another national park in Colorado. Grand Teton National Park staff say unauthorized helicopter landings are prohibited to protect wildlife and to preserve the visitor experience.
Exposure and malnutrition may have killed three people found at a remote campsite in Gunnison County, according to the Montrose Daily Press. However, autopsy results are still pending for the deceased, Undersheriff Josh Ashe of Gunnison County said in a news release on Wednesday.
The individuals may have been attempting to live off the grid. One body was discovered by a hiker on Sunday. The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Forest Service responded to the report. They located the other two deceased persons on Monday. All three were in advanced states of decomposition, indicating they had been at the site for quite some time, likely over the winter.
There are no known risks to residents or outdoor enthusiasts recreating in the area associated with this unfortunate event.
As KVNF’s Lisa Young reported on Friday, SNAP recipients can avail themselves of the Double Up Food Bucks program. The Double Up program expands access to fresh fruit and vegetables for people on food-assistance throughout 25 states, including Colorado. It does this by doubling the value of federal nutrition benefits (such as SNAP or food stamps), spent at participating markets and food retail stores. There are over 10 participating partners on the Western Slope.
In Montrose, they can be used at the weekly Saturday Farmers Market, which is organized by Valley Food Partnerships. KVNF's Cassie Knust followed up with Erin Maes, the coordinator for the Montrose Farmers Market, about how community members can get more bang for their buck.
Colorado has a new state tax credit to incentivize the transition to electric vehicles.
For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, K-G-N-U'S Shannon Young spoke with Carrie Atiyeh, Associate Director of Transportation Fuels and Technology, at the Colorado Energy Office.
There are 36 charging stations in Montrose and 81 stations in Grand Junction.
