Aspen Public Radio Newscast

In today's newscast: The Aspen School District's teacher turnover rate was 11.5% during the last school year, roughly 6% lower than the state average; Winter Park Resort's new ski fast pass allows you to skip the lines at the chairlifts and includes reserved parking, but it comes with a price tag; and former New Mexico U-S Representative Steve Pearce has been nominated to lead the Bureau of Land Management. Tune in for these updates and more.

In today's newscast: The city of Aspen is planning nearly $2 million in renovations at the Aspen Recreation Center next year; multiple freedom of speech advocacy groups are criticizing the History Colorado Center over what they call unfair censorship of an artist; and Democratic lawmakers in Nevada on Tuesday raised concerns about Trump administration statements calling for the testing of nuclear weapons systems. Tune in for these updates and more.

In today's special election-coverage newscast: Tammy Nimmo and Kathryn Kuhlenberg are in the lead in the race for the Roaring Fork School District Board; Pitkin County voters appear to resoundingly support the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport's bond question, with 62.8% in support of 1A and 37% voting against; and voters look to have approved a sales tax to fund childcare in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys. Tune in for these updates and more.

On today's newscast: In the Roaring Fork Valley, officials and hunger relief organizations are trying to respond to the Trump administration's announcement yesterday that it will reinstate only partial SNAP payments; Durango City Council held a special meeting Thursday after federal immigration agents used pepper spray and rubber bullets on protesters earlier last week; and Denverites are voting whether to repeal or retain a ban on flavored tobacco products passed by city council. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Election day is tomorrow, and Colorado voters will decide on two statewide ballot questions and there are also lots of local issues in cities and counties across the state; family-owned farms and ranches could get a break on their taxes, under a bipartisan bill planned for next year; and Paleontologists have revealed the first reptiles with hooves in the form of mummified, duck-billed dinosaurs in Wyoming. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Hunger relief organizations in Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield counties met yesterday to discuss the upcoming suspension of food stamps; Colorado has a U.S. attorney thanks to a district court appointment during the federal government shutdown; and The Navajo Nation has a new attorney general — its fourth in less than a year. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Midvalley voters are facing two lodging tax questions next Tuesday; Some Colorado credit unions are offering financial support for federal employees struggling during the government shutdown; and President Trump's decision to move Space Command headquarters out of Colorado is being challenged by Attorney General Phil Weiser. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The city of Aspen will explore a dozen projects intended to improve traffic and public safety in the West End neighborhood; Colorado labor officials say about 1,500 furloughed federal employees have applied for unemployment benefits in the state since the government shutdown began; and vaccination rates in Colorado for respiratory viruses are low so far this fall — especially for Hispanic residents. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: A 77-year-old man died in a bike accident on Castle Creek Road on Sunday; Garfield County commissioners have approved a low-density residential development at McClure River Ranch, near the Catherine Store bus stop; and a new study finds that what we eat — especially meat — plays a big role in city carbon emissions. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Financial leaders at the Aspen School District say it will take 16 years to rebuild depleted reserves if voters don't approve several tax measures on the November ballot; Pitkin County wants to stop overnight parking at the Brush Creek Park and Ride; and data centers powering artificial intelligence in the Northwest are impacting the price of electricity in Teton County, Wyoming. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The city of Rifle is asking residents to consider increasing its lodging tax; Gov. Jared Polis is taking steps to backstop the lack of federal food aid in November due to the government shutdown; and Colorado officials are sounding the alarm on threats to public lands. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: This November, voters in Garfield, Pitkin and southwest Eagle counties will decide whether or not to establish a sales tax to fund childcare in the region; the city of Aspen is proposing a 15% increase in water rates for customers in 2026; and the Interior Department is laying out where it wants to cut its federal employees, including in Colorado. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Carbondale's Fire District is asking voters to approve a 1.5% sales tax this November; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also called SNAP or food stamps, will be paused if the federal government shutdown continues past Nov. 1; and Navajo Technical University is working on a sovereign database system to track and support families of missing Indigenous relatives. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Aspen City Council officially appointed Pete Strecker as Aspen city manager during a special meeting last night; Colorado's congressional newcomers are pulling in strong fundraising numbers as they run for reelection for the first time; and California just took a big step toward changing how electricity moves across the West. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Roaring Fork school board candidates shared opposing ideas about how to deal with ongoing budget challenges at last week's election forum in Glenwood; around 4,000 people gathered in downtown Glenwood Springs on Saturday for the second nationwide "No Kings" march; and the autonomous-vehicle company Waymo recently announced that its self-driving cars had arrived in Denver. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The seventh Shining Mountains Film Festival begins today and runs throughout the weekend; ski resorts in Colorado are already gearing up for the season — some could open soon; and Republican governors in our region discussed their plans yesterday to “unleash American energy” at an economic conference in Montana. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The Aspen School District is asking voters to approve four different tax measures on the November ballot; more patients are requesting long-term birth control at Mountain Family Health Centers since the 2024 election; and Gov. Jared Polis and Attorney General Phil Weiser are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a lawsuit filed against Colorado this summer by the state of Nebraska. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: As the Nov. 4 election nears, candidates seeking public office in both Silt and Rifle have discussed the most pressing economic issues for their respective communities; Colorado civil rights attorneys have sued the Department of Homeland Security for detaining Latinos in the state without warrants or probable cause; and major storms from the Pacific Ocean brought 2 to 4 inches of rain to the San Juan Mountains over the weekend. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Pitkin County Manager Jon Peacock is a finalist for Winter Park's town manager position; a new kind of cloud seeding technology — for rain — is coming to Weld County; and the federal government shutdown is also affecting some hunters in Southern Colorado. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Aspen officials are exploring ways to back up the city's energy supply in the event of a wildfire; Indigenous health workers are stepping up their battle against opioid addictions; and one nonprofit is bringing private dollars to the table to fund recreation projects in our region. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Public school enrollment is declining across the country — including here in the Roaring Fork School District; some good news came out of the Mountain Towns 2030 Climate Summit in Breckenridge; and starting today, mail-in ballots are being sent to all registered voters across Colorado. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Parking at the Buttermilk parking lot will be free again this winter; Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet says he regrets voting to confirm Coloradan Chris Wright as Energy Secretary; and a new study shows Nevada's groundwater — and the ecosystems that rely on it — is under growing strain. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Emergency crews responded to several fires and a utility equipment explosion in the Aspen area this week, candidates for the Roaring Fork School board debate concealed carry and safety policies, voters will decide whether to form a special tax district to fund childcare, library leaders to discuss impact of local and national book banning efforts, and more.

On today's newscast: Colorado courts are allowing employers to withhold local resident's wages over unpaid medical bills, Basalt's library is asking voters to permanently extend a property tax, eight candidates are vying for five seats in the Rifle City Council election, APCHA is cracking down on people who aren't using their homes as a primary residence, and more.

On today's newscast: Crews responded to a small wildfire that broke out on Forest Service land near Woody Creek on Sunday, the evacuation of inmates at the Rifle Correctional Center last month could be linked to climate change, Aspen is bracing for a big drop in tax revenue in the coming years, and more.

On today's newscast: Aspen considers restricting energy use for large homes, Garfield County's budget cuts are felt by a regional energy program, a federal agency plans to cancel dozens of Colorado projects, and more.

On today's newscast: The Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced it's reviewing the death of the famous Gonzo journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson; federal employees at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport will keep showing up to work during the government shutdown; and a group of Colorado River experts is calling for big changes in the way we manage the shrinking water supply. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Starting today, commuters can take the bus up and down the Roaring Fork Valley free of charge; Aspen Film announced a new executive director yesterday; and attorneys for Marshall Fire survivors hope to finalize individual settlement agreements for their clients by November. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The Aspen Police Department has ramped up traffic enforcement in the West End neighborhood; an organization focused on protecting Roaring Fork Valley residents from wildfire just received a big federal grant; and Colorado's wolves have wandered close to the state's western border over the last month, but CPW isn't saying if any have crossed into neighboring states. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Vehicle access to the Maroon Bells Scenic Area could close this week, as Pitkin County officials prepare for a possible federal government shutdown on Wednesday; the Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority is struggling to fill low-income units at Aspen Country Inn; and leaders in the West are responding to the Trump Administration's ambitions to dramatically increase nuclear energy development. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The terms of a new deed restriction for two Roaring Fork Valley mobile home parks and their 139 lots are finalized; Harvest for Hunger is expecting to increase its food distribution this winter in Aspen; and next year's TABOR refund checks will be a lot smaller than Coloradans are used to expecting. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Carbondale is aiming to cut building emissions in half by 2030 — but as one local expert puts it, the real challenge is getting the "teeth" to make change happen without making it a burden; Xcel Energy has agreed to settle claims over the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history; and community health centers in Colorado are urging Congress to renew their federal funding. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: As new federal policies reshape access to COVID-19 vaccines, communities like the Roaring Fork Valley are feeling the impact; Mi Chola will close in Aspen on Friday after nearly 10 years on the corner of Main and Mill streets; and a Western Slope piece of public art depicting a nude dancer is on the move in response to public concern. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: A Garfield County jury has awarded $205 million to the family of a 6-year-old that died at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park; Colorado is going to face yet another state budget crisis next year; and astronomers from our region have helped detect a "baby planet" outside of our solar system. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The Glenwood Springs City Council is reconsidering a decision it made earlier this month to include a toll on the South Bridge project; a new program is tapping into the competitive spirit to get Aspen businesses to save water; and a lawsuit over a Colorado law making EpiPens more affordable is moving forward — could impact more than half a million Coloradans. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Rifle City Council is launching a new effort to address affordable housing issues; Colorado House lawmakers are blaming each other for stoking tensions in the aftermath of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination; and a new climate study finds eastern Colorado is probably drying out faster than the Western Slope. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Water managers may have a better way to predict how much water will come from snowmelt; in response to the shooting at Evergreen High School last week, hundreds of students partook in a statewide protest yesterday calling for stronger gun-safety laws; and New Mexico is poised to become the first state in the U-S to offer free universal child care. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Pitkin County airport officials are confident that the redevelopment of the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport will go as planned; the Colorado River is officially infested with zebra mussels, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife; and while U.S. is in the process of updating hundreds of nuclear missiles, the work is years behind schedule. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: A Pitkin County commissioner organized an electric shuttle ride to the Maroon Bells last week; the 46th Aspen Filmfest begins today and runs through Sunday; and the top Republican in the Colorado House has resigned, citing the vitriol at the end of the special legislative session last month. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: A mobile home park just outside Glenwood Springs broke ground on several infrastructure projects last week; a new report from Colorado River researchers found water levels at the nation's two largest reservoirs are dropping fast and on track for dire consequences; and a new study finds insect populations in one mountain valley have plunged by more than 70% in recent decades. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Downtown Basalt's $16.8-million infrastructure project is finally done after almost three years of construction work; the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has identified the teen who shot two classmates at Evergreen High School on Wednesday; and permits for new construction are up almost 25% so far this year in Colorado. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The city of Aspen's Armory Hall project will cost nearly $54 million — $13 million more than last year's estimate; Wilderness Workshop has hired a new director for its Defiende Nuestra Tierra program; and the head of Colorado's Cattlemen's Association says the Trump administration's tariffs have been a double-edged sword for ranchers. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Aspen City Council approved terms for a settlement agreement with the Centennial Homeowners Association yesterday; Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer is running for Colorado governor; and the new law eliminating federal taxes on workers' tips is now in effect. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Two hundred fish died suddenly last month in a popular reservoir near Aspen; a Utah musician who was detained by immigration authorities and held in Colorado is expected to be released soon; and Colorado and Wyoming will get federal funds to help reduce the risk of wildfires in Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: Snowmass Tourism has spent the last year overhauling its tourism marketing plan; a jury in Colorado has awarded a $21-million verdict to a woman who was paralyzed after falling from a ski lift at Crested Butte; and Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse introduced bills this week to reverse cuts to federal climate and disaster agencies. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The city of Aspen is making plans to deal with more traffic in the coming years as 277 new affordable housing units become available across from the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport by 2029; with federal tax credits going away sooner than expected, it's going to be more expensive to build wind and solar projects; and a new report shows America's water systems need more than a trillion dollars in upgrades in the coming decades. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The Pitkin County Coroner's Office has identified the 64-year-old female who died in an electric bicycle accident that closed Castle Creek Road on Monday; in an exercise designed to challenge perspectives, Crystal River Elementary School students participated in an art program in which their final artwork was only visible from the sky; and a former Democratic statehouse speaker has dropped her bid for Attorney General. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The Eagle County Housing and Development Authority is asking Gov. Jared Polis for state funding to help residents of two local mobile home parks purchase the properties; Mesa County health care facilities are adding precautions following recent measles cases; and Space Command will move from Colorado Springs to Alabama, President Trump announced yesterday. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The Colorado Department of Education released attendance data for the 2024-2025 academic year last week, but Aspen officials say that excused absences obfuscate the data; in Colorado, more than a third of counties are now considered maternity care deserts, as they have no obstetric facilities or providers; and the Trump administration is pushing forward a plan to rescind a two-decades-old rule that blocks road building and logging on millions of acres of national forests. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The 29th annual Redstone Art show took place over the weekend and included more artists than ever before; Colorado fire departments say they need more money, but November ballots may address the issue; and a Texas law that would let almost anyone sue out-of-state abortion pill prescribers — and collect cash rewards — won initial approval in the state House last week. Tune in for these stories and more.

On today's newscast: The most expensive home for sale in America right now is in Aspen, the Roaring Fork School District board race received four candidate petitions ahead of Friday's deadline, volunteer rangers dismantled more than three times as many illegal campfire rings as they typically do in the summer season, and more.