The Catch-Up: December 2 to 6
Each week, KUNC collects and curates some of the more important stories of the week that have aired on our daily newscast. We know how busy life can be, and that it's not always possible to get your news on our airwaves (or from streaming us right here on our website). Fill in the gaps and catch up right here. No one enjoys the feeling of missing out!
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Stakeholders roll the dice on water agreement in Vegas
More than a thousand water experts were in Las Vegas this week for an on the Colorado River. The spotlight is on seven state policymakers who are deeply divided about how to share the shrinking water supply ahead of a 2026 deadline. As KUNC’s Alex Hager reported, discussions were expected to be tense. Advocates for tribal nations and the environment are worried their priorities will get pushed to the back burner amid those disagreements. The Biden Administration is also calling on state leaders to pick up the pace of talks. States aren’t expected to announce an agreement at this week’s conference.
County asking for answers after information gap on oil and gas data Â
Weld County officials in how the state has handled information related to data falsification at oil and gas well sites. The problem began when two contracting companies that tested for well site contamination in Weld County falsified data in their reports. State regulators found out last July and launched an investigation. But they never alerted local authorities in Weld County until last week, just before the information went public. Brett Cavanagh, the incoming director of Weld County’s Oil and Gas Energy Department, says the state still hasn’t come forth with information about which wells were affected and the nature of the data manipulation.
Two accused in Glass killing skirt charges with judge’s rulingÂ
Charges have been dropped against two of the officers accused in the death of a Boulder man who was shot in 2022 while experiencing a mental health crisis. State Division of Gaming officers Christa Llyod and Mary Harris were at the scene when a former Clear Creek County Sheriff's deputy fired at 22-year-old Christian Glass, killing him. Llyod and Hariss were charged with failing to intervene. But this week a judge dismissed the charges, ruling that Llyod and Harris were not required to intervene because they are not state-defined peace officers. a recent state law tried to establish who can be defined as a "peace officer" to improve law enforcement accountability. The former deputy that shot and killed Glass - Andrew Buen - is expected to be retried next year after a deadlocked jury last spring.
Parties seem to reach understanding, acknowledge harm caused by alleged blackface banner
A controversy over a Colorado State University fraternity's alleged display of a blackface banner appears to have been resolved. The Coloradoan a statement signed by two parties and the university acknowledges the harm the incident caused, but the fraternity says it was not intentional. A CSU student reported what they interpreted as blackface on a banner after walking by the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at night in September. The fraternity disputed the allegations and said rain and backlighting made the banner look different than designed. In the statement, both parties say they have come to an understanding. It's unclear if there was an official investigation by the university. CSU’s student run Rocky Mountain Collegiate in early September.
Steamboat approves $1.6 million for ambitious trail projectÂ
Supporters of a plan to build dozens of new miles of hiking and biking trails on Rabbit Ears Pass near Steamboat Springs scored a major victory Tuesday night. The Steamboat City Council voted to spend one point six million dollars of the city’s lodging tax on the project. The so-called have been in the works for over a decade but faced strong opposition from a group of residents concerned they would disturb wildlife, especially elk. The trail plan was changed to address those concerns and the Forest Service recently approved it. Council members say they got more than three hundred emails about the proposal, with a majority of residents supporting it.
Invasive mussels - now you see them, now you don’t?
Western slope water officials say a section of the Colorado River near Grand Junction is free of invasive zebra mussels after a baby mussels were spotted in July. Adult mussels can quickly clog up infrastructure and wreak havoc on boats, irrigation equipment, and local native fish. Since then, Colorado Parks and Wildlife hasn’t found more evidence of mussels in more than four hundred tests.
“Do we think that, you know, they're completely gone from the river? Probably not. We sit back and we look at, okay, what can we do now in the interim, while we wait for next year when we can begin sampling again? said Rachel Gonzales, a CPW spokeswoman.
Wildlife officials they’re ramping up education campaigns to stop boaters and anglers from accidentally carrying mussels into the river. And Colorado’s congressional delegates are to stop mussels from spreading in the West.
You’ll pay a little more next year to recreate in these concessionaire-operated areas in Northern Colorado
Visitors to the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland will pay a little more starting next year. Increases to campground and day use fees. Areas operated by Vista Recreation will see fees in 2025 increase by an average of 14%. In the case of Echo Lake Campground, you’ll pay $26 per night - a $3 bump from the current cost. The price increases will stay the same in 2026. The goal is to offset the rising costs of goods and labor. Reservations made before January 1st will honor the lower price. Fees have only been raised once since 2019.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s an ungulate monitor!Â
If you’re hiking along the Front Range, don’t be surprised to see a low-flying helicopter. Colorado Parks and Wildlife . Biologists with the agency are working from Fort Collins to Castle Rock to assess the health of these populations while also checking on herd sizes. The annual survey gathers data to help officials manage local wildlife and determine the number of hunting licenses to issue. The survey runs through mid-January.
