“The oil and gas boom could soon make its first mark on northeast Denver — or, rather, beneath it,” The Denver Post reports. “Several drilling companies have submitted plans in recent months for operations near Denver International Airport and along the eastern border of Aurora. Pads with dozens of wells would be clustered along the open fields of Adams County, including one proposal about 4,000 feet northeast of Green Valley Ranch. Oil drillers are racing for opportunities even as the eastern metro booms with new suburban neighborhoods. Axis Exploration, the company that’s proposing some of the wells closest to Denver, wasn’t immediately available for comment. However, Matt Samelson, an environmental law attorney who works on oil and gas issues for municipal governments, said the industry’s interest will force Denver and its neighbors to face some big questions.”
“Garfield County’s seniors are an active lot — and it’s not just walking to the supermarket or playing bridge. Colorado ranks second in the nation in physical activity by people over age 65, and Garfield County’s forever youngsters are contributing to that impressive ranking,” reports The Glenwood Springs Post-Independent. “Hal Sundin, 92, long-time member of the skiing, hiking and biking “100 Club,” will finish out this hiking season clocking over 100 miles. Sundin, who has climbed all of Colorado’s 14ers (14,000-foot peaks), leads the club’s hiking group with a total 7,200 miles.”
“Longmont City Council on Tuesday night began scrutinizing the $87.92 million in additions, repairs and upgrades to the city’s infrastructure staff has recommended be included in the proposed 2019 budget,” reports The Longmont Times-Call. “No one spoke at the study session’s public comment period about the proposed capital improvements package for next year or suggestions for a five-year, 2019-2023 Capital Improvement Program that has a projected $217.75 million price tag.”
“Every iconic Steamboat Springs tradition — each now a familiar staple on the local calendar — began as a first event,” reports The Steamboat Pilot. “And this weekend, Bike Town USA gets to bear witness to its newest first event, the inaugural Steamboat Bike Fest. Bike Fest is a celebration of two-wheeled activity and culture that kicks off Thursday, Sept. 6 and rolls on through Sunday, Sept. 9. It’s all inclusive of bike type and skill level, with events highlighting Steamboat’s most popular trails and most striking mountain and ranch landscapes. The festival is hosted by Bike Town USA, a nonprofit organization with the mission to stimulate economic growth through cycling, engage the community in cycling culture and promote safe cycling. Bike Fest, which is supported by more than a dozen local sponsors, is set to become the group’s most significant fundraiser of the year.”
“On Saturday and Sunday, Frisco will host Fall Fest, a celebration of the town’s restaurant scene and art community at the Frisco Historic Park and on Main Street,” reports Summit Daily. “In its fifth year, the “Flavors of Frisco” on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. will highlight Frisco’s food scene with samples of signature dishes from more than 12 Frisco restaurants. Saturday’s activities will also include concerts with Salem Acoustic and Burn It Blue, a free art project for children and adults and other children’s activities. There will also be a beer garden featuring Germany’s Ayinger and Weihanstephan beers, and Coyote Gold will be on hand serving up Colorado’s own “Microbrew of Margaritas.” The beer and margarita garden will benefit the Friends of the Dillon Ranger District.”
“Preliminary 2018 ratings and performance frameworks released by the Colorado Department of Education indicate that Pueblo City Schools (D60) now has more schools operating on the Performance level — the state’s highest accountability rating — than ever before,” reports The Pueblo Chieftain. “And as a district, D60 retained its Accredited with Improvement Plan rating, with 47.9 percent out of a possible 100. (Last year, the district’s percentage was 48.2).”
“Police have arrested an 18-year-old Loveland man in the shooting death early Tuesday morning of a 17-year-old man at a north Loveland home,” reports The Loveland Reporter-Herald.
“Local schools started classes the Tuesday after Labor Day, Sept. 4,” reports Vail Daily. “With tens of millions of dollars of new and renovated buildings opening to students for the first time, about the only glitch was the bells in a middle school, which might be the most First World problem local students will deal with through the entire 2018-19 school year. OK, and construction crews ruptured a gas main at Eagle Valley Middle School on Tuesday afternoon. Students were evacuated to the Eagle United Methodist Church on Second Street. All students and staff were safe, school district officials said.”
“Fremont Adventure Recreation will host two upcoming trail workdays and needs the community’s help,” reports The Cañon City Daily Record. “The first workday will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday and will focus on trail cleanup in the South Cañon Trails area. Last month’s heavy storms have eroded and deposited debris in some areas. Individuals will meet at the Ecology Park trailhead at 5:30 p.m. and will hike in to the affected areas. Participants will meet afterward at Cañon City Brews & Bikes for a free beer and appetizers. Interested parties must sign up online in order to ensure that enough tools and group leaders are available.”
“A rare river restoration project in the Upper Colorado River Basin near Grand Lake is in danger of being stopped because of a lawsuit by environmentalists,” reports The Boulder Daily Camera. “The restoration project has been proposed to compensate the West Slope for environmental damages to the Upper Colorado River caused by a large Front Range water storage project known as Windy Gap Firming. Sponsored by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, the new storage project would bring more Colorado River water from Grand County to rapidly growing, water-short towns on the Front Range, including Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville and Broomfield, among others.”
“Just before Kevin Rudnicki, 20, left for a Sunday morning hike on Mount Herman, his mother said, she reminded him about slain cyclist Tim Watkins,” reports The Gazette in Colorado Springs. “Watkins, 60, was shot last September during a routine ride on that mountain. ‘It was the last thing I said to (Rudnicki) before he left,’ Melissa Reynolds said. ‘I said, ‘Make sure you have your pocketknife with you, because this is where Tim died a year ago. It’s not safe. Just be aware.’ Rudnicki, a junior at the University of Wyoming who grew up in Palmer Lake, has not returned. At least 80 people were searching Tuesday, said Brian Kinsey, incident commander, with 20 search and rescue volunteers and at least 60 community volunteers.”
“The Ignacio School District improved its rating from the Colorado Department of Education for 2018, one of six low-performing districts in the state to earn an upgrade,” reports The Durango Herald. “The ratings come in part based on students’ performance on the Colorado Measures for Academic Success tests.”
“Northern Colorado is poised for a winter weather switch-up. Odds are increasing for an El Niño winter, and maybe an El Niño fall, too,” reports The Coloradoan in Fort Collins. “We haven’t had an El Niño winter, when waters warm near the equatorial Pacific, since 2015-16. That means this winter could be markedly different from our last two La Niña winters, which brought Fort Collins mostly mild temperatures and sporadic, lighter-than-average snowfall. Our last El Niño winter offered about-average temperatures and ample snowfall.”
