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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Front Page

  • Forest Service Chief Moore and Interior Secretary Haaland to Visit Colorado on Rural Infrastructure Tour

    Chief Moore and Secretary Haaland Will Highlight Historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Investments to Combat Wildfire Crisis, Build Resilience in Rural Communities 

    WASHINGTON, April 9, 2022 – On Monday, April 11, U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore and U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will travel to Colorado for an event with Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Representative Joe Neguse to help launch the Biden-Harris Administration’s Rural Infrastructure Tour, which will highlight how President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments will help deliver results and resources in rural communities. 

    Chief Moore, Secretary Haaland, Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, and Representative Neguse will visit Boulder County, where they will conduct a joint field visit to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive efforts to protect rural communities from the threat of wildfires and improve the resilience of America’s forests and public lands. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes historic investments to implement this critical work through hazardous fuels management and post-wildfire restoration activities across America’s forests, rangelands, and grasslands.  
    After receiving a joint operational briefing from wildland fire experts about the seasonal fire outlook, Chief Moore, Secretary Haaland, Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, and Representative Neguse will share their vision for the Biden-Harris Administration’s wildland fire preparedness and response. They will also highlight new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address wildfire risk and prepare communities and ecosystems against the threat of wildfire.  
    This week, the Department of the Interior released a roadmap for making historic investments in forest restoration, hazardous fuels management and post-wildfire restoration in coordination with federal, non-federal and Tribal partners. This roadmap follows the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service 10-Year Wildfire Crisis Strategy earlier this year. Taken together, these plans outline the treatment, monitoring and maintenance strategy the agencies will use to address wildfire risk, better serve communities, and improve conditions on all types of lands where wildfires can occur. 
    Monday, April 11, 2022 
    WHO: U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Senator Michael Bennet, Senator John Hickenlooper, and Representative Joe Neguse 
    WHAT: USDA & DOI Field Visit to Highlight Wildfire Investments
    WHEN: Monday, April 11 at 12:40 PM MST
    WHERE: Boulder County, Colorado. Please RSVP for location and arrival instructions.

    —————————

    Statement from the Office of U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

    WASHINGTON, April 9, 2022 – Yesterday, after experiencing mild symptoms, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tested positive for COVID. He is fully vaccinated and boosted. He is sharing the news of his positive COVID test out of an abundance of transparency.
    The Secretary’s office is conducting contact tracing and is notifying those with whom he may have been a close contact in accordance with CDC guidance.
    From Monday, April 4, to Tuesday, April 5, the Secretary met with Mexican officials while on official travel. The Secretary tested negative at the time of his departure and after his return. Out of an abundance of caution, the Mexican government has been informed of this positive test.
    Secretary Vilsack will isolate in accordance with CDC guidelines and will return to the office after testing negative for the virus. During that time, he will continue his official duties.
  • Secretaries Vilsack and Haaland to Visit Colorado on Rural Infrastructure Tour

    Secretaries Vilsack and Haaland to Visit Colorado on Rural Infrastructure Tour

    Secretaries Will Highlight Historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Investments to Combat Wildfire Crisis, Build Resilience in Rural Communities 

    WASHINGTON, April 8, 2022 – On Monday, April 11, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will travel to Colorado for an event with Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Representative Joe Neguse to help launch the Biden-Harris Administration’s Rural Infrastructure Tour, which will highlight how President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments will help deliver results and resources in rural communities.
    Secretaries Vilsack and Haaland, Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and Representative Neguse will visit Boulder County, where they will conduct a joint field visit to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive efforts to protect rural communities from the threat of wildfires and improve the resilience of America’s forests and public lands. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes historic investments to implement this critical work through hazardous fuels management and post-wildfire restoration activities across America’s forests, rangelands, and grasslands.

     After receiving a joint operational briefing from wildland fire experts about the seasonal fire outlook, Secretaries Vilsack and Haaland, Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and Representative Neguse will share their vision for the Biden-Harris Administration’s wildland fire preparedness and response. They will also highlight new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address wildfire risk and prepare communities and ecosystems against the threat of wildfire.

     This week, the Department of the Interior released a roadmap for making historic investments in forest restoration, hazardous fuels management and post-wildfire restoration in coordination with federal, non-federal and Tribal partners. This roadmap follows the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service 10-Year Wildfire Crisis Strategy earlier this year. Taken together, these plans outline the treatment, monitoring and maintenance strategy the agencies will use to address wildfire risk, better serve communities, and improve conditions on all types of lands where wildfires can occur.

    Monday, April 11, 2022 

    WHO: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Senator Michael Bennet, Senator John Hickenlooper, and Representative Joe Neguse
    WHAT: USDA & DOI Field Visit to Highlight Wildfire Investments
    WHEN: Monday, April 11 at 12:40 PM MST
    WHERE: Boulder County, Colorado. Please RSVP for location and arrival instructions.
  • Colorado National Guard Assistant Adjutant General, Air, promotes to brigadier general

    Colorado National Guard Assistant Adjutant General, Air, promotes to brigadier general

     

    U.S. Air Force Col. Shawn Ryan

    By 140th Wing Public Affairs 

    BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – U.S. Air Force Col. Shawn Ryan, Colorado National Guard, will be promoted to the rank of brigadier general April 9, 2022, at 3 p.m. at Buckley Space Force Base, Aurora, Colorado.

    Ryan is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and the Assistant Adjutant General, Air, for the Colorado Air National Guard, Buckley SFB, Aurora, Colorado.

    “General Ryan’s considerable leadership experience has served our state and nation well,” The Adjutant General of Colorado U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan said.  “We are fortunate to have this dedicated Airman serving in our Colorado National Guard.”

    Ryan joined the Colorado Air National Guard in 1999 after serving nine years on Active Duty as a KC-135 and C-21 instructor/evaluator pilot.

    Ryan previously served as mission support group commander, Buckley AFB, commander of the 200th Airlift Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, and executive officer for the National Guard assistant to the commander of United States Northern Command.

    Ryan contributed to relief efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. While under his command, the 200th Airlift Squadron earned four consecutive Joint Operational Support Airlift Center Small Unit of the Year Awards while providing C-21 airlift for JOSAC.

    His promotion will be held at Hangar 909.

    Photos of the ceremony will be available on the 140th Wing website and Flickr pages: http://www.140wg.ang.af.mil/ and http://co.ng.mil/Flickr

    Follow us: http://co.ng.mil

    Instagram.com/conationalguard | www.facebook.com/CONG1860  | www.youtube.com/CONGPAOTV | www.flickr.com/CONationalGuard

  • Air Quality Health Advisory for Blowing Dust

    Issued for northeastern Colorado
    Issued at 1:00 PM MDT, Tuesday April 6th, 2022

    Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

    Affected Area: Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma, Lincoln, Kit Carson, Cheyenne and Kiowa counties. Locations include, but are not limited to, Fort Morgan, Sterling, Julesburg, Holyoke, Akron, Wray, Hugo, Burlington, Cheyenne Wells, and Eads.

    Advisory in Effect: 1:00 PM MDT, Wednesday, April 6, 2022 to 6:00 PM MDT, Wednesday, April 6, 2022.

    Public Health Recommendations: If significant blowing dust is present and reducing visibility to less than 10 miles across a wide area, People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children in the affected area should reduce prolonged or heavy indoor and outdoor exertion.

    Outlook: Areas of blowing dust will impact the advisory area Wednesday afternoon. Dust will gradually decrease during the late afternoon hours.

    For the latest Colorado statewide air quality conditions, forecasts, and advisories, visit:

    http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx

    Social Media:

    http://www.facebook.com/cdphe.apcd http://twitter.com/cdpheapcd

  • Parking lot and campsite improvements coming to the Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir State Wildlife Area

    Parking lot and campsite improvements coming to the Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir State Wildlife Area

    A draft of construction plans for the parking lot and campsite improvements that will begin next week, the last week of March.

    BRUSH, Colo. – Starting next week, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be making parking and campsite improvements at the Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir State Wildlife Area (SWA) to enhance the visitor experience and alleviate safety concerns.

    The $145,000 project will take place at the east boat ramp. The improvement project will develop defined parking spaces for up to 71 boat trailers, 12 additional day-use personal vehicle parking spots and nine traditional campsites. 

    “Over the last three or four years, and especially with the spike in outdoor recreation that we’ve experienced during COVID, we were finding on our busy weekends that the day-use and boat trailer parking was spilling out onto the county road,” said Area Wildlife Manager Todd Schmidt. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with the county to alleviate a potential safety issue there. For our water-based recreationists – boaters and anglers – I think they will appreciate the improvements because more people will have the opportunity to park a trailer in a reasonable fashion.” 

    Jumbo Reservoir will open to boating on Friday, April 1. For the first half of April, the reservoir will be open to boating on weekends only, Friday through Sunday (being open April 1-3 and 8-10). The Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) inspection station hours of operation will be from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset.

    The schedule would be that the reservoir will open to boating seven days a week starting on Friday, April 15. The ANS inspection station will operate with the same hours, one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset, daily, at that point.

    CPW has prioritized work with contractors to finish the boat and trailer parking area first to minimize impacts at the boat ramp. 

    “Typically, the first couple of weeks in April are slow, but towards the end of April we get a lot of boats on the reservoir,” Schmidt said.

    Jumbo Reservoir currently has four campgrounds – Boy Scout, Ditch Rider, East and West – all considered dispersed camping on a first-come, first-served basis.

    The installment of nine established campsites at the East campground will shift it from what previously had been a dispersed camping area into one with designated sites. Each of the nine sites will have a high-use pad that can fit up to two tents, a picnic table and fire ring. Each site would be able to accommodate one trailer or two vehicles.

    This East campground will remain on a first-come, first-served basis. No water or electricity will be available in the campground. 

    This campground will remain closed until construction is complete.


    Jumbo Reservoir SWA is located in Logan and Sedgwick Counties. From I-76 take Exit 155 and head three miles north to Highway 138. Take Highway 138 one mile northeast to County Road 95. Take County Road 95 two miles north to the reservoir.

    The state wildlife area offers hunting for rabbit, pheasant, waterfowl and doves, camping and wildlife viewing, but its main attraction is fishing.

    Anglers are treated to excellent fishing for walleye and crappie, as well as quality fishing for channel catfish, smallmouth bass and bluegill. Fishing pressure at Jumbo Reservoir is moderate to high. 

    For more fishing insight on Jumbo Reservoir, which includes stocking and fishery management information, please visit our recently published fish survey summary.

    A valid hunting or fishing license OR SWA pass is required for everyone 16 or older accessing this state wildlife area. The annual SWA pass costs $36.71 and is valid from April 1 through March 31 annually. Permits are available from any Division licensing agent, with CPW’s Brush office, Jackson Lake State Park or North Sterling State Park being the three closest licensing distributors to Jumbo Reservoir SWA.

  • CPW reaches goal of collecting 130 million walleye eggs in only 18 days, securing another great year of fishing opportunities in Colorado

    Clockwise, left to right: CPW Aquatic Biologist Tyler Swarr holds a large male walleye at Cherry Creek State Park. CPW Aquatic Biologist Carrie Tucker holds a large walleye at Lake Pueblo State Park. Volunteers prepare the nets each day at Lake Pueblo State Park. 

    ENVER – CPW’s aquatic biologists and volunteers spent 18 days from March 14 – 30 collecting more than 132 million eggs during the 2022 walleye spawn that will be used to create great fishing opportunities for Coloradans.  

    Each spring, CPW biologists and volunteers head out at dawn, usually in freezing temperatures, to Front Range reservoirs and spend weeks capturing thousands of walleye and spawning them. This year, the eggs were collected from reservoirs at Lake Pueblo State Park and Cherry Creek State Park.

    “Our team of aquatic biologists, other CPW staff, and volunteers were able to collect the eggs we needed in only 18 days,” said CPW Assistant Aquatic Section Manager Josh Nehring. “Anglers ought to be thrilled because it’s going to mean great fishing in the coming years in Colorado.”

    Teams strip the popular gamefish, one slippery walleye after another, of their milt and roe (sperm and eggs) as the fish wriggle furiously in the biologists’ cold, wet hands.

    See videos of the teams at work at Cherry Creek State Park and Lake Pueblo State Park. 

    The eggs are fertilized in a boathouse at Lake Pueblo and on a floating barge at Cherry Creek Reservoir. The fertilized eggs – often millions a day – are sent to CPW hatcheries at Pueblo and Wray where they are hatched and nurtured until the fry and fingerlings are ready to be stocked in waters across Colorado.

    Why does CPW go to all the effort?

    Because anglers love walleye for the valiant fight they put up on the end of a line and for the way they taste at the end of a fork.

    The walleye eggs also are valuable as CPW’s hatchery staff trade them to other states in exchange for desirable gamefish otherwise unavailable in Colorado.

    The annual effort has gone on since 1988 at Lake Pueblo. CPW aquatic biologists, other staff and volunteers spend hours each day alongside the biologists untangling dozens of nets – each longer than a football field – deployed each afternoon and left overnight in the lakes for the next morning’s catch.
     
    2022 walleye spawn facts
    18 days of spawning 7 days a week (March 14 – March 30).
    Collected 132,374,000 eggs in 2022 from 1,813 female walleye.

    • 89,430,000 Walleye
    • 40,381,000 Saugeye
    • 2,563,000 Triploid Walleye – sterile walleye created by a precise technique of pressurizing the just fertilized eggs to 10,000 psi
    • Spawned fish at Cherry Creek and Pueblo State Parks
    • Normally, Cherry Creek would start earlier but due to late season ice could not start until March 23. Pueblo started spawning on March 14.
    • Over two full weeks of spawning 7 days a week, rain or shine.
    • Between the two operations we have over 30 people assisting each day

    Included CPW staff from:

    • All Area aquatic biologists from Southeast and Northeast Region (13 individuals)
    • Some Area aquatic biologists from Southwest and Northwest Region
    • Hatchery staff – Pueblo, Wray, Rifle
    • Area staff from Area 1, 2,3,4,5,11,12,14
    • Park staff help from Cherry Creek, Lake Pueblo, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, and Cheyenne Mountain State Parks
    • Budgeting staff
    • Terrestrial biologists
    • Volunteer Coordinator
    • Water Section (River Watch)
    • 10 – 15 volunteers each day
    • Set, pulled, picked, cleaned and organized, and reset 31, 6’ x 400’ gill nets every day (total of over 27 miles of nets set over the course of the spawn)

    Trades with other states for other warm water fish (catfish, wiper)

    • 4 million eggs to Oklahoma
    • 4.5 million eggs to Texas
    • 10 million eggs to Nebraska (Colorado gets 10 million late spawn eggs back)
    • 2.6 million eggs to North Dakota

    Photo captions below: left, CPW Assistant Aquatics Section Manager Josh Nehring holds a large walleye at Lake Pueblo State Park. right, CPW Aquatic Biologist Kyle Battige collects eggs from a walleye.

  • Anythink Foundation participates in annual Library Giving Day

    Anythink joins libraries nationwide to celebrate Library Giving Day on Wednesday, April 6, 2022. This year, the Anythink Foundation is raising money to fund pollinator gardens at multiple Anythink locations. Plans are underway for a garden at Anythink Wright Farms, which is designed to help further the learning and understanding of the importance of pollinators in the Adams County, Colo., region. Funds raised will help with enhancements to this project and will support future gardens at other Anythink locations. 
     
                               Anythink’s pollinator gardens will include flowers and plants that attract bees and butterflies, walkways, water features and learning prompts to help community members better understand the role pollinators play in environmental stewardship. Pollinators are critically important animals that help maintain our ecosystem and pollinate the plants that people and animals eat.  
     
                               Now through April 9, visitors to all Anythink locations can take home free lavender seed packets to start their own pollinator gardens. Seed packets are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. More details about the pollinator gardens and a link to donate can be found at anythinklibraries.org/pollinatorgardens. 
     
                               Library Giving Day is a one-day fundraising event with the goal of encouraging people who depend on and enjoy public libraries to donate to their individual library system. Funds raised will go toward the incredible programs, services and materials provided by local libraries all over the country. Library Giving Day was created by the Seattle Public Library Foundation in partnership with their strategic library fundraising partner, Carl Bloom Associates.
                             
     
    WHEN:            April 5-9, 2022 
    WHERE:           All Anythink Locations 
  • “CPW on Tap” celebrates investing in Colorado’s outdoors and local libations

    “CPW on Tap” celebrates investing in Colorado’s outdoors and local libations

    DENVER – As the Colorado Brewers Guild’s Colorado Pint Day is celebrated on Apr. 6 at breweries across the state, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has a special project of its own on tap for 2022.

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife continues to celebrate its 125th anniversary and has partnered with 18 Colorado-owned beverage companies to produce products that highlight and celebrate Colorado and the outdoors. Companies include breweries, wineries, distilleries, kombucharies, cideries and coffee shops.

    Established in 1897, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has conserved Colorado’s lands, water and wildlife for 125 years. This year’s anniversary gives an opportunity to reflect on the past, present and future of Colorado’s outdoor heritage – and shine a spotlight on how our state government and local communities work together to sustain the Colorado way of life and keep our landscapes healthy and desirable destinations to experience.

    CPW on Tap partnerships and events honor Coloradans’ passions for living life outside and using Colorado’s natural resources to create unique byproducts for people to savor.

    “One of the reasons we wanted to do this project was to highlight how integral our outdoors are to local small businesses,” said CPW Integrated Parks and Wildlife System Administrator and Advanced Cicerone Devon Adams. “None of these companies can exist without our beautiful, clean water. CPW’s partnerships with Colorado landowners mirrors the partnerships these small businesses have with those same agricultural producers for grains, hops and fruit.”

    Each partner is focusing on a unique aspect of Colorado and their own relationship with parks and wildlife. Participating companies are generously donating money to Colorado Parks and Wildlife from proceeds from the sale of specialty produced products throughout the year. Money generated from CPW on Tap products and events will be used to fund state park improvement projects, wildlife conservation programs and to help expand outdoor educational opportunities.

    “At Upslope Brewing Company, we have a passion for living life outdoors and brewing the perfect beer to cap off any adventure,” said Katie Ferguson, social media and digital marketing director for Upslope. “Similarly to the mission of CPW, we want to keep our wild spaces viable and well maintained, and we believe that it is our responsibility to leave as little a footprint as possible. We work with numerous organizations to keep the environment healthy and Colorado’s beer hoppy, because we know there is no Planet B.”

    Partners were selected through an application process and evaluated based on Colorado ownership, Colorado ingredients, location, and, most importantly, an alignment with CPW values and mission. After rating applications, staff selected 18 companies from a pool of 84 applicants.

    “The vision and mission of CPW align with that of Square Peg Brewerks through shared conservation practices,” said Derek Heersink, co-owner of Square Peg Brewerks in Alamosa. “A tie with CPW brings our story full circle to help consumers understand how our wildlife resources fit into the broader picture of soil conservation and a healthy ecosystem, especially concerning water as a resource in the San Luis Valley.”

    All public CPW on Tap events will be posted on the CPW on Tap calendar and shared on CPW’s social media channels (@coparkswildlife) and email newsletters. The public is encouraged to share photos and videos on social media using #CPWonTAP.

    Along with release parties throughout the year, CPW will also host a CPW Libations Festival on Sept. 10 at Chatfield State Park to showcase the CPW on Tap partners and the unique beverages created to celebrate what makes Colorado so colorful.

    For more information, go to Colorado Outdoors Online to read featured stories of CPW’s long history and evolution of wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation.

    CPW on Tap Partners:
    3rd Bird Kombucha, Denver
    Axe and the Oak Distillery, Colorado Springs
    Broken Compass Brewing Company, Breckenridge
    Copper Club Brewing Co., Fruita
    Dry Dock Brewing, Aurora
    Elevation Beer Co., Poncha Springs
    Lost Friend Brewing Company, Colorado Springs
    Marble Distilling Co., Carbondale
    Boxing Brothers (Monte Cervino), Colorado Springs
    Odell Brewing Company, Fort Collins
    San Juan Brews, Montrose
    Sauvage Spectrum, Palisade
    Square Peg Brewerks, Alamosa
    Talnua Distillery, Arvada
    Telluride Brewing Co, Telluride
    Upslope Brewing Company, Boulder
    Waldschanke Ciders & Coffee, Denver
    Woods Boss Brewing Company, Denver

  • Fire Danger

    Fire danger is on the rise this week. The US National Weather Service Denver/Boulder Colorado is reminding residents that with fire danger on the rise this week for the lower foothills and plains, it’s a good time to remind folks to be vigilant and take extra precautions to avoid accidental ignitions.

  • Celebrate Library Giving Day

    Celebrate Library Giving Day

    People nationwide are donating locally to the libraries they enjoy and depend on in honor of Library Giving Day on Wednesday, April 6, 2022. Show your love for Anythink and donate to the Anythink Foundation!  

    Your support will help expand Anythink’s pollinator gardens. Plans are already underway for a pollinator garden at Anythink Wright Farms, and it will be designed to help further the learning and understanding of the importance of pollinators in our area. We are raising money to enhance this project and to build pollinator gardens at additional Anythink locations. 

    Anythink’s goal is to raise $2,500. We need your help to create beautiful, soothing spaces for our community to connect with nature and for pollinator animals to thrive. 

    Donate today

    What’s the buzz about Anythink’s pollinator gardens? 

    • They will provide food (pollen and nectar) for pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds 
    • They will include flowers, plants, walkways and water features 
    • They will share learning prompts to help us better understand the role pollinators play in environmental stewardship 

    Looking for more ways to give? Become an Anythink Foundation member. 

    Thank you for being part of our Anythink community and for supporting the pollinator gardens! 

    Donate today

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