Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican Representative Jeff Hurd introduced the bipartisan Glenwood Hot Springs Protection Act in the U.S. House and Senate on July 23. The proposed legislation would prohibit the U.S. Secretary of the Interior from processing or approving any application for the expansion of the Mid-Continent limestone quarry, also known as the […]
Amy Hadden Marsh
Posted inNews
Scuttlebutt – July 30, 2026
Sunflower contestWhere, oh where, is the tallest sunflower reaching for the sky in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys? Perhaps in your garden? Send photos and measurements by Aug. 31 to news@soprissun.com for the chance to win a shout-out and bragging rights. The winner will be announced the first week of September. Hoop D’Ville […]
Posted inLocal Government
Glenwood Springs Mayor Pro-Tem calls for action to stop limestone quarry
Rocky Mountain Industrials (RMI) is one step closer to a new mining plan for the beleaguered limestone quarry just northwest of Glenwood Springs. The quarry sits on a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcel in full view of the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. The proposed plan is the third iteration of an application that was […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Land swap, Sweetwater and Spring Valley Ranch
Land-use issues filled this week’s Garfield Board of County Commissioners’ (BOCC) agenda on Tuesday, beginning with Sweetwater residents against the proposed state park at Sweetwater Lake. They voiced concerns during the public comment period about what they and the land have to lose if the park is approved. When the White River National Forest (WRNF) […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Water, housing study and a new subdivision on the books
Longtime Peach Valley resident Fred Kuersten spoke up about water during the morning public comment period at Monday’s Garfield Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) meeting. “Every week, you see in the paper where the people want to do new subdivisions and tear up farm ground and whatnot,” he began. “And this year it’s been especially […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Land swap on the Roan, keep the Hogback, oil, gas valuations lower than residential
A discussion about the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s (RFTA) Hogback bus route opened Monday’s Garfield Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting. During public comments, Rifle resident Rebecca Briesmoore urged the BOCC to support a temporary proposal to fund the Hogback route for the next year or so. Briesmoore said she lives in Rifle for three […]
Posted inEducation
Age-Friendly Carbondale wants you to prepare for wildfires
The best part of the Age-Friendly Carbondale (AFC) booth at July’s First Friday was the Wheel of Fortune. Modeled after the TV show’s giant spinning wheel, this one was a petite, blue, yellow, red and green handmade version. Instead of winning money, contestants won items to stock a “go bag,” like a flashlight, first aid […]
Posted inEnvironment
‘This administration is burning the rule book’
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wants to open 125,744 acres of public and private land across Colorado to oil and gas drilling. An upcoming December 2026 oil and gas lease sale includes several parcels covering almost 5,000 acres on the Roan Plateau. The agency opened a 30-day public comment period on June 9. […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Lawsuit, gridlock, senior meals, no fireworks
“The 64,000-pound elephant in the room that I don’t think ever really fully gets addressed is acknowledging what is the safe carrying capacity of Highway 82 and, by extension, I-70,” Garfield County resident Siri Olsen said at Monday’s Garfield Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) meeting. Representatives from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) presented an […]
Posted inNews
Two more wolves die in western Colorado
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) killed, or “lethally removed,” an uncollared male gray wolf from the Copper Creek pack on June 12. The wolf had been shot at before and was on the run in Rio Blanco and Routt counties since August 2025. This was the pup left behind when CPW trapped two adults and […]