LOCAL NEWS: The Olathe Police Department says it shut down an alleged illegal gambling operation in the town. The small rural police department and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, served a warrant and searched 309 Main St. in Olathe, after numerous citizens complained about alleged drug use and other alleged illegal activities stemming from that location. Olathe Chief of Police Travis Thompson said in a press release, that his department took the concerns seriously and following an investigation asked the CBI to assist in getting and executing a search warrant. According to the police department, the investigation is ongoing.
The man accused of strangling a TV reporter in December of 2024 has been arrested and charged with violating a protection order. According to reporting in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, 40 year old Patrick Egan was arrested after sending harassing messages to a former coworker who is slated to be a witness in the upcoming trial, although the former coworker did not witness the act Egan is charged with committing.
Egan was charged with second-degree assault, bias-motivated crimes and harassment after an incident in December 2024 in which police said Egan followed former KKCO/KGJT reporter Ja’ronn Alex from near Delta to Grand Junction, shouting words to the effect of “Are you even a U.S. citizen? This is Trump’s America now! “at Alex, who is a Hawaiian Pacific Islander, according to court documents. A five-day trial is set to begin Jan. 5 th. More on this story can be found online at gjsentinel.com
The Delta County Board of Commissioners recently adopted the County’s 2026 Budget. The 2026 adopted budget total is set at $53.6 million dollars, representing a decrease of $2 million dollars from the 2025 budget. The reduction is largely due to the completion of multi-year construction projects, including the final remodel of the Delta County Jail. In addition the county’s mill levy will decrease by 4 points in an attempt to address increased assessed property valuations. All county employees will receive a 1.5% cost-of-living adjustment and despite an 11% increase in health insurance rates, Delta County will continue to fully cover employee premiums at the PPO7 level. The total annual cost of employee health insurance for the county is roughly $3.2 million dollars. The county has committed to adding one new full-time position to support GIS and E-911 operations.
CEDAREDGE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR RESIGNS: The Cedaredge Board of Trustees met Thursday, December 11th. The three hour special meeting concluded with department head updates, including the sudden resignation from Town Administrator David Torgler. For KVNF freelance Amanda Schlaefer has more.
STATE NEWS: The Trump administration plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. For the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, Lucas Brady Woods has more.
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS: households in Colorado could save a lot of money if the state were more aggressive in pursuing green energy policies. That’s according to a new report, commissioned by environmental advocacy groups including Conservation Colorado and GreenLatinos. Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s Caroline Llanes has more .
