Independence Pass to open tomorrow
his is your KVNF Regional One sure sign of Spring on the Western Slope when our seasonal mountain passes become… passable. The Colorado Department of Transportation announced that they will open Independence Pass on Thursday at noon. That's on Highway 82 between Aspen and Leadville.
A lighter-than-normal snowpack this winter gave CDOT crews extra time to complete maintenance work on the route. That included filling potholes, replacing guardrails, resurfacing heaved road sections, and clearing rockfall.
CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew says the opening marks the shift from winter to summer — and reminds drivers to use caution, especially on narrow sections.
One key restriction: vehicles 35 feet or longer are prohibited on the pass. That applies to vehicles and trailers combined.
Drivers can check road conditions on independence pass, and across the state before heading out at COtrip.org.
Mountain pine beetles threaten trees
A new state forest health report warns that mountain pine beetle populations are expanding — and Western Colorado is not immune.
The Colorado State Forest Service says the outbreak is getting the most attention on the Front Range, where infestations nearly doubled last year. But the report also flags growing beetle populations in western Colorado — particularly in Gunnison County's lodgepole pine forests, and in parts of southwest Colorado.
Warmer temperatures and below-average snowpack are making trees more vulnerable. Those are the same drought conditions already hitting much of the Western Slope this year.
The beetles kill pine trees by the thousands. Dead trees can fuel more intense wildfires.
State foresters say the situation calls for vigilance — not panic. They're working with local landowners on tree removal and forest thinning.
More information is available at the Colorado State Forest Service website.
Wiretap investigation leads to over 20 drug-related arrests in Mesa County
According to a press release from the City of Grand Junction, a months-long wiretap investigation has led to more than 20 arrests in Mesa County. The Western Colorado Drug Task Force, working with federal and state agencies, wrapped up the operation this spring. Investigators seized more than ten-thousand fentanyl pills, roughly 60 pounds of meth, and 13 pounds of cocaine, with a combine estimated street value of nearly half a million dollars. Authorities also seized eight vehicles and more than $100,000 dollars in cash. Additional arrests are expected.
Colorado River Basin communities seek federal funding to respond to drought
Dozens of communities and environmental groups in the Colorado River Basin are seeking $2 billion dollars from Congress to respond to historic drought conditions. Crews in Colorado could use the funds to remove dead trees ahead of what’s expected to be a bad wildfire season. States could also pay farmers and others to use less water.
These are just a few of the ideas being floated by the Nature Conservancy which is one of the seventy organizations signing on to the emergency request for funds. It’s not clear yet how such a big pool of money would be distributed among seven states in the Colorado River Basin. KUNC's Scott Franz brings us the story.
Mid-year Water Summit addresses historically low snowpack
Montrose County held a special Mid-year Water Summit, yesterday at the Montrose County Event Center. KVNF’s Brody Wilson attended and brings us the details.
