FEATURE: The Trump administration has taken policy positions that have caused concerns for many in the LGBTQ community. KVNF's Brody Wilson takes us to the Pride Celebration in Montrose where spirits were high.
NEWS: Delta District Judge Steven Schultz handed down two life sentences to Mark Burns earlier this week, reports the Delta County Independent. Schultz agreed with prosecutors that the sentences should be consecutive, to reflect the murders of both Donna Gallegos and Michael Arnold. Burns was convicted last week of shooting Gallegos and Arnold in their Black Bridge Road home outside of Paonia on or about Feb. 2, 2022. The murders were captured on home surveillance. Burns was also convicted of two counts of robbery, one count of burglary, and one count of tampering. He drew a total of 45 years in prison for those crimes, on top of the life sentences. Life without parole is the mandatory sentence for first-degree murder in Colorado.
PUBLIC LANDS: GOP lawmakers and the Trump administration have been vocal about their desire to sell off public lands. Republican Senator Mike Lee from Utah, included a provision in the Senate’s version of the federal budget bill that would require the sale of at least half a percent of public lands across 11 western states, including Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.
The amendment comes after a similar measure was removed from the House version of the bill. Republican Congressman Jeff Hurd, who represents western Colorado’s 3rd District, was the only Republican on the committee to vote against it. Supporters say the land sales could help address the housing crisis, although housing isn’t mentioned directly in the legislation.
For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, K-D-N-K’s Marilyn Gleason spoke with Will Roush, executive director of Wilderness Workshop. He said there are only limited situations where public land makes sense for development.
