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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Local News

  • Department of Natural Resources Announces October Meeting of Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board

    (DENVER) – The Colorado Department of Natural Resources is holding the October meeting of the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board (Board). The Board was established by Governor Jared Polis to evaluate proposals concerning name changes, new names, and name controversies of geographic features and certain public places in the State of Colorado and then making official recommendations to the Governor. 

    The October meeting will initiate consideration of the renaming requests for Mount Evans.  As with most case considerations, the evaluation by the board will take multiple meetings, including an informational and fact-finding effort, stakeholder outreach and input, presentations by the proponents of the various naming proposals, public comment and deliberation.

    This  meeting will include Tribal presentations and discussion on the history and events of the Sand Creek Massacre and Territorial Governor Evans’ involvement and the importance of renaming this mountain. 

    Six unique proposals are currently pending to rename Mount Evans (US BGN Cases 5037 (Mount Soule), 5382 (Mount Rosalie), 5479 (Mount Blue Sky), 5556 (Mount Cheyenne Arapahoe), 5585 (Mount Evans), 5766 (Mount Sisty)). 

     

    WHO: Members of the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board

    WHAT:  October meeting of the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board

    WHEN: Tuesday, October 11, 2022, 6 PM to 8 PM

    WHERE: Find zoom contact info at: https://dnr.colorado.gov/initiatives/colorado-geographic-naming-advisory-board

  • Colorado field artillery battalion returns from Middle East deployment

    By Colorado National Guard Public Affairs
    CENTENNIAL, Colo. – The Colorado National Guard will welcome home around 300 Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery Regiment Oct. 9, 2022 at the Evie Garret Dennis Campus high school in Aurora, Colorado.
    The unit deployed in support of U.S. Central Command as part of Operation Spartan Shield.
    “Welcome home Soldiers and thank you families, friends and employers for supporting these warriors as they played an integral role in demonstrating the United States’ commitment to the security and stability of our partners in the Middle East and Central Asia,” The Adjutant General of Colorado, U.S. Army Brig Gen. Laura Clellan said. “Our Colorado National Guard men and women continue to prove that we are a ready, reliable and modernized force ready to serve the citizens of Colorado, the U.S. and our global partners.”
    The battalion had two main elements supporting OSS stationed in Kuwait and United Emirates of Arabia.  They also deployed two light High Mobility Artillery Rocket System platoons in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The relentless efforts to train on digital fire missions and maintain communication reliability was the key to the unit’s success.
    3-157 FA was organized Sep. 30, 1911 under 1st Battalion. The unit has served in campaigns in the War with Spain (Manila), Philippine Insurrection (Manila and Luzon), World War WI, World War II (Europe and Pacific), and the Global War on Terrorism (Iraq and Afghanistan).
    Over the next few days the Soldiers will attend reintegration training and Soldier Readiness Processing in preparation to transition back to their pre deployment lives.
  • Secretary Haaland Commits to Telling America’s Story at Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

    Secretary Haaland Commits to Telling America’s Story at Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

    EADS, Colo. — Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and National Park Service (NPS) Director Chuck Sams visited the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, which commemorates the November 1864 assault on an encampment of approximately 750 Native people. The leaders participated in an event with leaders from the Northern Arapaho Tribe, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, and other community partners including The Conservation Fund, Great Outdoors Colorado and the National Park Foundation.   

    “It is our solemn responsibility at the Department of the Interior, as caretakers of America’s national treasures, to tell the story of our nation. The events that took place here forever changed the course of the Northern Cheyenne, Northern Arapaho, and Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes,” said Secretary Haaland. “We will never forget the hundreds of lives that were brutally taken here – men, women and children murdered in an unprovoked attack. Stories like the Sand Creek Massacre are not easy to tell but it is my duty – our duty – to ensure that they are told. This story is part of America’s story.”  

    The ceremony included the announcement of the acquisition of an additional 3,478 acres for the National Historic Site was made possible through funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The additional land will allow NPS to increase public opportunities to experience and interpret the site’s stories and history. In addition, theexpansion of the historic site will contribute to one of the most intact shortgrass prairie ecosystems within the National Park system, providing habitat for a wide range of plants, wildlife and species of special concern. The Conservation Fund was critical to facilitating the acquisition from a willing seller, with financial support from Great Outdoors Colorado and the National Park Foundation.   

    “The newly acquired property will help to protect the historic site and sacred Tribal lands,” said Janet Frederick, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site Superintendent.“These new parcels include lands listed on the National Register of Historic Places for their significance to the devastating events of November 29, 1864. These lands also have significant archaeological remains of the massacre, including evidence of the village where Cheyenne and Arapaho families were camped, and an intact viewshed that is key to the historical integrity of the National Historic Site.”   

    On November 29, 1864, U.S. soldiers attacked an encampment of approximately 750 Native people. During the attack, they took shelter in the high banks along Sand Creek. As they fled, many were wounded and killed. Well over half of the 230 dead were women and children.  

    Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site was established in 2007 in southeastern Colorado near the Town of Eads. The site preserves lands where the massacre took place and adjacent features critical to the historic cultural landscape. The Northern and Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes consider these lands sacred.  

    The LWCF was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. The Great American Outdoors Act authorized permanent funding of LWCF at $900 million annually to improve recreational opportunities on public lands, protect watersheds and wildlife, and preserve ecosystem benefits for local communities. The LWCF has funded $4 billion worth of projects in every county in the country for over 50 years.  

  • State Public Safety Tech Center, US Forest Service Partner to Fight Fire with Technology Advancements

    State Public Safety Tech Center, US Forest Service Partner to Fight Fire with Technology Advancements

    USFS and CoE personnel briefing firefighters on the Tamarack Fire on a technology pilot project – July 23, 2021
    Rifle, CO-The Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting (CoE), the research and development organization within the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, has entered into a 5-year, $1.6 million agreement with the USDA Forest Service to develop innovative technologies for wildland fire management.

     

    “Wildland fire management is increasingly relying upon technology to support decisions and increase situational awareness,” said CoE Director Ben Miller. “Technology along with the fire environment is rapidly changing and we are excited to partner with the USDA Forest Service to allow for more efficient investment in wildland fire technology both in Colorado and nationwide.”


    The CoE will assist the Forest Service’s Fire and Aviation Management Tools and Technology Team with projects including broadening adoption of the Wildland Fire Team Awareness Kit (WFTAK) smartphone apps as well as building out capabilities to support public safety responders and wildland firefighters. 

    WFTAK provides up-to-the-second location tracking and mapping capabilities to firefighters, as well as cutting edge connectivity solutions and integrations of sensors and cameras for use by firefighters. These and related projects focus on addressing provisions in the 2019 John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act, Sec. 1114 Wildfire Technology Modernization.
     

    According to Sean Triplett, Forest Service Tools & Technology Team Lead, “this collaboration will allow the US Forest Service to operationalize technology quickly to get it into the hands of firefighters.  We look forward to this opportunity with CoE and are excited to kick off our agreement.”


    The CoE has formally collaborated with the Forest Service since 2020 and has demonstrated technologies at pilot project scale on wildfires in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada.

  • Colorado waterfowl hunters may face challenges during the 2022-2023 seasons

    Colorado waterfowl hunters may face challenges during the 2022-2023 seasons

    DENVER – Colorado waterfowl hunters may need to work a bit harder to find good hunting opportunities during the 2022-2023 seasons. Although portions of Colorado have recently returned to more normal conditions, most of the state and the surrounding region remains mired in long-term drought conditions as we enter fall. Waterfowl hunting seasons in Colorado extend from September teal and Canada goose seasons to light goose conservation season ending in April.

    Waterfowl production in Colorado during 2022 was likely variable and ranged from poor to average depending on local water and weather conditions. However, most ducks and geese in Colorado during the fall and winter hunting seasons are migrants arriving from states to the north and Canada. Each year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts surveys of waterfowl and their habitats in these primary breeding areas. These surveys were suspended during 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but surveys were completed in 2022.

    The total pond estimate (breeding habitat calculation) in Prairie Canada and the northcentral U.S. was 5.5 million, 9% above the 2019 estimate and similar to the long-term average. In areas that produce many of the ducks that migrate to and through Colorado, conditions were dry: in southern Alberta, 2022 pond numbers were 25% below 2019 numbers and 9% below the long-term average, and in Montana and the western Dakotas, 2022 pond numbers were 50% below 2019 numbers and 7% below the long-term average. These areas were judged by survey biologists to have mostly fair or poor habitat conditions.

    In 2022, the total duck breeding population estimate in the surveyed area was 34.2 million birds, 12% lower than the 2019 estimate of 41.2 million and 4% below the long-term average (1955 – 2019). In southern Alberta, 2022 breeding duck numbers were 35% below 2019 numbers and 32% below the long-term average, and in Montana and the western Dakotas, 2022 breeding duck numbers were 29% below 2019 numbers and 2% below the long-term average. Total breeding population estimates of the five most harvested ducks in Colorado showed mixed patterns:  
     
    Mallard
    Estimated mallard abundance was 7.2 million, 23% below the 2019 estimate of 9.4 million and 9% below the long-term average of 7.9 million.
     
    Green-winged teal
    The estimated abundance of green-winged teal was 2.2 million, 32% below the 2019 estimate of 3.2 million and similar to the long-term average.
     
    Gadwall
    Estimated abundance of gadwall was 2.7 million, 18% below the 2019 estimate but 30 percent above the long-term average.
     
    Blue-winged teal
    The 2022 estimate for blue-winged teal was 6.5 million, 9% above the 2019 estimate and 27% above the long-term average of 5.1 million.
     
    American wigeon
    Abundance estimates for American wigeon was 2.1 million, 25% below the 2019 estimate and 19% below the long-term averages of 2.6 million.
     
    Canada goose production in Colorado appeared to be fair to good, and variable habitat conditions across the region likely resulted in average breeding success for Canada geese that winter in Colorado. For Arctic-nesting cackling geese and snow and Ross’s geese that occur in Colorado, average and variable spring thaw conditions likely resulted in average production. Populations of Canada and Arctic-nesting geese remain at relatively high numbers.  
     
    Colorado’s waterfowl environments are diverse, ranging from shallow wetlands to large reservoirs. With continuing drought, many reservoirs and wetlands are drier than normal as we enter the hunting seasons. Early migrant ducks such as teal, gadwall, shovelers, and wigeon usually move through Colorado in October and November on their way to more southern wintering areas, but with dry conditions these species may migrate quickly and spend relatively little time in Colorado. For later migrants, particularly mallards and Canada geese, typically the best hunting is available when a winter cold front pushes birds south from southern Canada, the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming.
     
    Colorado’s waterfowl season dates and bag limits for 2022-2023 are similar to 2021-2022. In the Pacific Flyway portion of the state, the daily bag limit for Canada geese has increased from four to five. In the central Flyway portion of the state, there is no longer a separate bag limit for mergansers; they are now included in the overall duck daily bag limit. 
     
    As always, we suggest hunters get out to scout areas ahead of time for a successful season. Local conditions and the timing of migration are always changing. Take a look around areas where you want to hunt and check local conditions. Even if you always hunt the same area, water, habitat, and patterns of bird use can change every year. Doing some scouting can help you plan your hunt and you may find new areas. 

    In winter 2021-2022, waterfowl and other wild birds had widespread infections with new strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). We expect that infected waterfowl will be present in Colorado during the 2022-2023 waterfowl seasons. 
    Hunters should follow basic precautions:
    • Do not handle or eat sick game.
    • Field dress and prepare game outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
    • Wear rubber or disposable nitrile gloves while handling and cleaning game.
    • When done handling game, wash hands thoroughly with soap or disinfectant, and clean knives, equipment, and surfaces that came in contact with game.
    • Do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling animals.
    • All game should be thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F before being consumed.
    For more information about Colorado’s waterfowl seasons and hunting regulations, see the 2022 Colorado Waterfowl brochure, available at license agents, CPW offices or online. Duck and goose hunting in Colorado requires a small-game license and both federal and state waterfowl stamps, available for purchase at cpwshop.com. In addition, hunters are required to obtain a Harvest Information Program (HIP) number.
     
    Colorado Outdoors Online, in cooperation with Ducks Unlimited, offers a Waterfowl Resource Guide to help hunters get the most out of their time in the field.
     
    For most waterfowl hunters, finding a place to hunt is often more challenging than the hunt itself. Fortunately, Colorado offers a variety of public land hunting opportunities. Here is some information and tips on hunting waterfowl on public land.

  • Marketplace Signalization and Intersection Improvements

    Construction has begun for the State-Highway 79 and Marketplace Intersection improvements and signalization.

    Work will continue on October 3, 2022 and crews will be in the area to start lane widening and right of way modifications. Signals will not be installed until the Town receives further approvals from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

    Some of the improvements include creating a dedicated right-hand turn lane that will allow trucks and other vehicles to turn towards I-70.

    During this time there will be some impacts to traffic, please use extra caution when traveling through the area.

    If you have additional questions regarding the work in the area, please contact the Town of Bennett at 303-644-3249.

  • History Comes Alive For Boggsville Days

    History Comes Alive For Boggsville Days

    Come join us for Boggsville Days this Saturday, Oct 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. where living history characters bring the 1860s to life.  It’s fun for the whole family and admission is free.

    Visit with mountain men, fur traders and army scouts, but beware of the snake oil salesman.  Watch civil war experts, Fords Independence Company, demonstrate civil war ammunition and infantry maneuvers. See traditional Mexican and Native American dancers. Learn to make tortillas over an open fire and churn butter the old fashioned way. You can take a horse-drawn wagon ride and learn the history of Boggsville from one of our expert historians.

    Kids can earn points for free popcorn by playing historic games and making old fashioned toys, visiting a one-room schoolhouse or attending any of the historic demonstrations. They can partake in face painting, a pie-eating contest and have fun taking turns whacking a piñata.

    Enjoy a lunch of pulled-pork, cowboy beans, coleslaw and dessert. Lunch tickets come with a souvenir cup that is re-fillable all day. Concession treats and home- baked goods are also for sale. All proceeds go toward the preservation of Boggsville Historic Site. 

    If you haven’t been to Boggsville lately, you’ll be amazed at the recent preservation progress. Come out and have some fun while learning about Bent County in the 1860s. The Boggsville Historic Site is located in Las Animas, Colorado, about 2 miles south of the courthouse on Hwy 101. See you Saturday! 

  • CPW celebrates National Hunting and Fishing Day to honor Colorado sportspersons and their contributions to wildlife and habitat conservation

    CPW celebrates National Hunting and Fishing Day to honor Colorado sportspersons and their contributions to wildlife and habitat conservation

    Colorado hunters and anglers are vital contributors to conservation efforts for nongame species

    DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife recognizes the contributions of the state’s sportspeople by celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day on Sept. 24. National Hunting and Fishing Day is observed annually on the fourth Saturday of September, honoring hunters and anglers for their leadership in conserving America’s wildlife and habitats.
     
    “Coloradans have a rich tradition of embracing an outdoor lifestyle and participating in recreational activities in wildlife habitats that hunting and fishing license fees help to conserve,” said CPW Acting Director Heather Dugan. “Our outdoor resources are the foundation of our strong economy and a key contributor to the Colorado way of life.” 

    In order to ensure that outdoor traditions can be passed down to future generations, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has dedicated itself to protecting critical wildlife habitats so wildlife and recreation can be enjoyed in Colorado for decades to come.

    In Colorado, hunters and anglers fund more than 70 percent of CPW’s wildlife management programs through the purchase of hunting and fishing licenses, habitat stamps, as well as taxes paid on hunting and fishing equipment, firearms and ammunition. This generates millions of dollars for conservation programs that benefit both game and nongame species statewide. Recent conservation efforts include reintroducing the greenback cutthroat trout, Colorado’s state fish, to its native waters, and the reintroduction and continued monitoring of black-footed ferrets on the state’s eastern plains.

    Learn more about CPW’s conservation efforts here.

    “Hunters and anglers are one of the biggest reasons Colorado enjoys such abundant wildlife,” said Bryan Posthumus, statewide hunter outreach coordinator for CPW. “While only roughly 40 of the 960 species in Colorado are huntable, the fees from hunting and fishing licenses help conserve all wildlife in the state, including threatened and endangered species.”

    National Hunting and Fishing Day is a great opportunity to acknowledge all that our sportspeople do for conservation, and in turn, recreation in Colorado. CPW remains committed to connecting people to the great outdoors and dedicating funds to sustain state lands. Learn more about Colorado’s Outdoor Principles and how outdoor recreation can be enjoyed and balanced with thoughtful conservation. 

    Please note that National Hunting and Fishing day coincides with National Public Lands Day each year. On Sept. 24, entrance to all National Parks is free of charge, but Colorado State Parks admission will still require an annual or daily parks pass.

  • Adams County Takes Art Experiences Outside

    Explores Wellness Benefits of Art in the Great Outdoors

    To support the urgent mental and behavioral health crisis in the community, Adams County has launched two campaigns to bridge the gap between public art, the outdoors, and wellness – while also bringing access to and highlighting the expanding parks, open space, and trail system available to the public.

    Love Your Trails is a ground mural series dedicated to the natural beauty of the county. Fifteen local and national artists have been commissioned to install murals now through Fall 2022. Artists who have participated in the program have embraced the challenges of working outdoors and finding new ways to draw in audiences. Murals run 18 miles from the Fishing is Fun Pond in Riverdale Regional Park in Brighton along the South Platte River Trail and the Clear Creek Trail all the way to Sheridan Blvd.

    Community Paint Days is an event series providing community members the opportunity to pick up a paintbrush, help paint the community mural, and meet one of the commissioned artists from the Love Your Trails campaign. The community is also welcome to simply watch and enjoy.

    Adams County believes the addition and inclusion of art into local environments plays a significant role in the encouragement of lasting economic growth, creating and sustaining cultural identity, and creating a sense of belonging.

    “Parks are democratic spaces – they are free to all, reflect the demographic diversity of our county, and are places for social and cultural interaction,” said Adams County Commissioner Lynn Baca, chair.

    Participation in cultural activities connects people to each other and to their community institutions, providing pathways to other forms of participation. Thus, arts and culture can create opportunities for expression, community dialogue, and shared cultural experiences.

    “Physical environments connect to mental and emotional well-being in more ways than one,” said Baca. “The spaces where we live and play form the context for our lives.”

    Mental health problems are on the rise in Adams County and are associated with lower quality of life, increased unscheduled care, high economic and social cost, and increased mortality. Nature-based interventions (NBIs) that support people to engage with nature are data-driven solutions that improve mental health for community-based adults and children. While other environmental factors feed into mental disorders, it’s important to not overlook nature and art’s role in our emotional wellness. Studies have also shown those who participate in cultural activities show an increase in overall health. These surveys have also revealed that not only do people who create the art benefit, so do those who consume it.

    “The interplay between art and nature offers bountiful opportunities for rejuvenating cultural encounters and a welcoming environment for all ages,” said Baca. “With the shifts we’ve seen in social interactions, people are craving safe, vibrant outdoor experiences. We’re thrilled to share our accessible and engaging public spaces with the community and to encourage respite and reflection, especially during these challenging times.”

    The Love Your Trails and Community Paint Days series aims to provide free, accessible public spaces and art for all residents and visitors to come appreciate art and provides something for everyone.

    Love Your Trails murals were selected by a unique art panel made up of members of the Adams County Visual Arts Commission and Parks, Open Space & Cultural Arts staff. Learn more about the Adams County Visual Arts Commission: adcogov.org/visual-arts-commission.

    View a map of mural locations and more details about the artists: adcogov.org/cultural-arts-current-projects.

     

    Community Paint Days Date and Time:

    Twin Lakes Park

    Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25

    Noon – 4 p.m.

    Artist: Eli Pillaert

    Pronouns: She/they

    Mural Title: Front-range First Light

    Mural Size: 10′ x 150′

    About the design: This knotted alder plant design celebrates the invaluable resources the trail system provides to residents and visitors. The color palette is inspired by the light at sunrise.

  • Colorado Air National Guard to conduct major readiness exercise

    BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo.–The 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard, will conduct a readiness exercise at BSFB and Pueblo Regional Airport, Pueblo, Colorado, Sept. 22-25, 2022.
     
    Wing personnel will conduct 24-hour training operations in a simulated combat environment, meaning the local community can anticipate an increase in flight activity and noise level during this period to include evening flying operations.
     
    “We have been preparing for this very important exercise over the past several months and plan to continue honing our warfighting skills in late September as we serve our state and nation,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher Southard, commander, 140th Wing.
     
    This multi-day exercise is designed to establish a learning environment for Airmen to exercise their plans and procedures for upcoming deployments in an ever-evolving operational environment.
     
    Southard said that the community’s patience and understanding of these necessary training activities is greatly appreciated. The training gained from these exercises will significantly improve the 140th Wing’s ability to prepare and respond to mission-essential functions carried out every day in support of national security.
     
    The wing’s real-world mission and emergency response capability will not be affected and will take priority over exercise actions.