San Miguel County's search and rescue teams responded to two incidents involving serious falls within 24 hours. A 19-year-old woman slipped off a cliff while camping and was successfully rescued by emergency services. In a separate incident, a 78-year-old woman fell from a cliff while taking photos and sustained multiple injuries.
San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters noted the increasing need for backcountry rescues as outdoor activities surge in Colorado. The sheriff's office has appointed part-time search and rescue coordinators to manage these incidents.
This week, construction on the Colorado 133 permanent bridge will continue without causing any traffic disruptions as crews receive materials. The focus will be on installing a new culvert, while the temporary bridge already in place facilitates smooth traffic flow.
The entire project is projected to be completed by November 17. Travelers are advised that the temporary bridge has two lanes with a 40 mph speed limit, and there are specific weight and width restrictions for commercial motor vehicle traffic.
Last week, the Durango 9-R school district hosted a training session for Physical Education teachers. The teachers learned several Native American Games that they’ll start teaching in gym classes. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, Clark Adomaitis of KSUT and KSJD brings this report.
All Points Transit is taking part in the statewide "Zero Fare for Better Air" campaign, offering free rides on select routes through August 31. The free rides are available on Montrose Public Flex routes within Montrose, as well as on the new Montrose, Olathe, Delta route, known as the "MOD Express."
The nonprofit transit service provided almost 26,000 rides in the first half of the year, says All Points Transit’s executive director Sarah Curtis.
That’s before APT launched the new MOD Express.
“It's a little different from a lot of other Transit agencies you'd find throughout the state or throughout the country," Curtis told KVNF. "We really pride ourselves on serving older adults and persons with disabilities. However, our service is open to everyone and so we just want to make sure that everyone in our communities and in our service area knows that anyone is welcome to ride the bus and we would love to have them on to try it.”
According to the American Public Transportation Committee, public transportation can lead to significant cost savings, with families potentially saving up to $10,000 per year by using one less vehicle. Breaking the statistic down, that’s about 16 cents per household for every dollar on transportation.
The majority of this cost goes to buying, maintaining and operating cars, the largest expenditure after housing, says the APTA.
Curtis noted that All Points Transit that the MOD Express route expands on its services, with stops for commuters and students. For example, the new route includes a stop at the Technical College of the Rockies, downtown Delta and Delta Health.
“Just being able to ride the bus and take care of work or homework on the bus while you're riding rather than driving yourself," said Curtis. "That could save a lot of time as well.”
Curtis says the impact of the free fare program and the new route on ridership is still being evaluated. Children under the age of four ride free, as do River Valley Family Health Center patients who need a ride to an appointment. All Points Transit encourages residents of Montrose and Delta counties to contact them for ride assistance or service connections.
Real Estate prices in the area aren’t slowing down despite higher interest rates and a slight decline in overall inflation. KVNF’s Lisa Young recently spoke with Dr. Nathan Perry, associate professor of economics at Colorado Mesa University.
Area housing prices saw a slight drop last summer, but according to Dr. Nathan Perry, associate professor of economics at Colorado Mesa University, things began to pick up again in the new year despite upwards of 7% interest rates on mortgages.
Perry says housing prices can increase for a couple of reasons, the first being demand but higher interest rates are hitting hard. The second factor driving up housing is a lack of supply, especially for single family homes. Perry says the demand/supply issues are also hitting at the national level.
Locally, Delta County has reached its peak housing prices from 2022, the median average home price is around $500,000 dollars in Montrose County and Mesa County is also moving towards its peak in 2022 on home prices. While single family housing continues to rise due to a lack of inventory, Perry says rent prices could level out due to an increase in multi-family unit construction in the area.
You can hear the entire interview with Dr. Nathan Perry Wednesday, August 16 at 6 p.m. on KVNF’s Local Motion.
