TOP STORY: Delta County Sheriff’s Office closed Highway 65 in both directions between 2100 road and Austin Road early Wednesday morning due to a vehicle pedestrian accident. According to the Delta County Alerts, the accident took place near Vista Grande Drive in Orchard City. Local traffic was detoured around the scene for safety.
STATE ELECTION NEWS: Colorado’s November ballot is official. Voters will weigh in on two statewide initiatives this year: Propositions LL and MM. Both deal with funding for food assistance. If approved, Proposition MM would fully fund Colorado's free school meals program. It would also cover the state’s share of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which is commonly called food stamps. That’s a response to federal cuts to SNAP.
To raise the money, Proposition MM would increase taxes on people earning at least $300,000 a year. The second initiative, Proposition LL, would let the state use all the money it raises for the programs, even if it collects more than originally projected.
In addition to propositions LL and MM, Coloradans could see competing income tax measures on their 2026 ballots.
Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer is running for Colorado governor. The Brighton lawmaker launched her campaign in Fort Lupton. Kirkmeyer is a prominent figure in state politics. She serves on the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee and has unsuccessfully run twice for Congress. Kirkmeyer also spent two decades as a Weld County commissioner and backed a failed push in 2013 for nearly a dozen northeastern Colorado counties to secede and form a 51st state. With Gov. Polis term-limited, Kirkmeyer joins a growing Republican field that includes Rep. Scott Bottoms and Sen. Mark Baisley. Colorado hasn’t elected a Republican governor since Bill Owens won reelection in 2002.
LOCAL ELECTION NEWS: Montrose County Commissioner Scott Mijares intends to stay in office and face a recall election this November. According to reporting in the Montrose Daily Press, Mijares declined to file a protest challenging the sufficiency of the petitions…meaning the re-call will be on the November ballot for Montrose County Voters. The Recall Scott Mijares Committee launched one day after Mijares’ six-month mark in office. It alleges “fiscal recklessness and erratic leadership” and points to the resignations of the former county attorney and county manager among other complaints.
Voters in Montrose can find out what’s on their November ballot on October 1st. The League of Women Voters of the Uncompahgre Valley will hold a Montrose voter ballot information presentation at 9am on Wednesday, October 1st at South 3rd and Cascade in Montrose.
LOCAL ECONOMIC NEWS: Delta County sales taxes were up 4% comparing 2024 to 2025 through May, according to the most recent Delta County Economic Report by DR. Nathan Perry, Colorado Mesa University economics professor. The report also show that the City of Delta’s sales and use taxes also saw growth (through June), rising 3.9%. Lodging taxes have also increased, rising by 4.3% through June. Perry says, “as consumers pull back due to inflation and a sluggish labor market, rising sales tax data is a solid economic indicator.” Business entity filings in Delta County have increased the last several years with new business entity filings at 452 through August.
LOCAL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT: KVNF’s Ashley Krest interviews Grammy-nominated educator, producer, and saxophonist Caleb Chapman, founder of Soundhouse, an award-winning Utah-based music program for young musicians ages 10-18. Ashley spoke to Caleb at this year's Telluride Jazz Festival where Soundhouse student group Voodoo Orchestra performed.
