TOP STORY: Former owners of Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors in Montrose failed to find any relief from their original prison sentences. Megan Hess and her mother Shirley Koch were granted an appeal on sentencing by the 10th Circuit of Court Appeals earlier this year. The two Montrose women ran a body brokering scheme out of their funeral and organ donor business. They were re-sentenced by original District Court Judge on Monday. The judge once again sentenced Hess to 20 years and Koch to 15. You can find more on this story at montrosepress.com
LOCAL NEWS: With the fate of state and federal funding for Colorado public schools in limbo Delta County School District will prioritize upcoming capital projects, reports the Delta County Independent. During a recent district work session, District Assistant Superintendent Kurt Clay said the top priorities include demolishing a wing at Garnet Mesa Elementary School and fixing the HVAC system at Hotchkiss K-8. Clay noted that the school board had approved a construction bid for roughly $240,000 dollars to remove a building at the old Cedaredge Hunsicker Elementary School. More Delta County School District news can be found at deltacountyindependent.com
The investigation into missing cattle on the Western Slope continues, reports the San Miguel Basin Forum. According to reporting in the paper, a Colorado State Brand Inspector said that at least 18 of the missing cattle had been located. Of those, 10 were confirmed — five from one herd and five from another. Another eight hadn’t been confirmed with the state. The brand inspector said some of the calves were discovered in an area they’d been grazing last fall. M0re on this story can be found at sanmiguelbasinforum.com.
STATE NEWS: Eric Galatas reports that Scientists at 22 U-S sites including a facility in Fort Collins have been working without fanfare to maintain the nation's agricultural plant species collected since 1898. But the Trump administration's DOGE agency has fired them.
