Coloradans aren’t happy about a new bill in the state legislature that would quadruple property taxes for more than twenty-four thousand vacation homes. The Colorado Sun reports hundreds of property owners plan to travel to the Capitol in Denver to voice their opposition. They’ll be bringing with them the results of a new survey from a short-term rental advocacy group. The survey found that, if the bill passes, many owners would sell their properties or cut how long they rent them out. The group also says curbing short-term rentals could cost more than a billion dollars in tourism revenue. The bill would increase taxes for properties that are rented for more than ninety days per year.
The City of Delta announced the resignation of Councilor Ryan Crick from the Delta City Council on Monday. Crick, a social studies teacher, resigned with Delta Middle School last week. Delta County School District Superintendent Caryn Gibson, declined to comment further due to the sensitivity of the personnel matter related to his resignation. Delta City Council addressed the vacant District B seat during last night’s meeting. The Delta Police Department passed on information regarding Crick to the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, according to the Delta County Independent.
A second pot shop in Hotchkiss is slated to open on Valentine’s Day, according to the Delta County Independent. Bud's Barn located on West Bridge Street is set to have its grand opening February 14th to coincide with the Bob Marley movie release of "One Love." The grand opening celebration, called "Love for Bud," will offer sweetheart specials, and the showing of "One Love" on big screen TVs. Bud Barn owner Joshua Frye settled on Valentine's Day as its grand opening day since he’s a fan of Marley.
Keeping Coloradans experiencing mental illness and addiction in treatment can be a challenge in rural San Luis Valley, reports Eric Galatas.
Since the 1940s, several western states have been changing the weather through a process called cloud seeding. It gives clouds a boost to produce more precipitation like snow. Now, scientists in our region are researching a new method that could work better in a changing climate. Boise State Public Radio’s Rachel Cohen reports for the Mountain West News Bureau.
