By Shannon Lukens.
The Wolf Commission with Colorado Parks and Wildlife presented revisions to its draft plan in Steamboat Springs Thursday. This after five public meetings and 3,975 comments from individuals and organizations that were sent to the commission members to consider. 46% of those comments were from out of state, 35% were from the Front Range, and 19% were from the Western Slope.
Carrie Hauser is chair of the commission. She thanked the CPW staff for all of their work on the plan and all of the stakeholder groups.
“And trying to capture that all and put it all into a wolf restoration plan that really represents the broadest of stakeholders. Not everybody is going to be perfectly happy and that’s compromise. And I think that’s where we are now. And I think it really is an example of teamwork and collaboration.”
Twenty people spoke during public comment at the meeting, both for and against wolf reintroduction and management options, some in person and some online. One thing the commission did change in the new plan is the maximum compensation if livestock or a working animal is killed by wolves went from $8,000 to $15,000.
Interim CPW Director Heather Dugan.
It was also announced that Jeff Davis will be the new director of CPW, replacing interim director Heather Dugan on May 1.
U.S. Congressman Joe Neguse met with local ranchers and elected officials at Soroco High School in Oak Creek Thursday. It was to hear their concerns on the Farm Bill Policy. Also the importance of keeping kids interested and involved in local agriculture was stressed.
Congressman Neguse then went to Steamboat Springs for a Town Hall.
“We’ve always believed in leading locally which means being present, being in the community, fighting for Northwest Colorado by being here on the ground. So we intend to be back often, from Yampa to Oak Creek to Steamboat Springs to everywhere in between, across Northwest Colorado to hear folks concerns and to insure that our priorities match theirs so we can go back to Washington and fight for them.”
Congressman Neguse answered questions about climate change, the post office, and gun laws, on which he said we need to find ways to talk with each other on the issue and try to find a common ground.
The trees along the 10th Street Parking Lot will all be removed for the new City Hall building and Fire Station. They are coming down Monday and Tuesday so the lot will be closed for a couple of days, until permanently closed on May 1. Trunks may be used for carving competitions and limbs will be chipped and mulched for compost. The new landscaping plan calls for a dozen new trees of various sizes to go in.
Nonstop summer flights from Houston the Yampa Valley Regional Airport are back for the first time since 2018. The flights are on United Express from June 2 through Sept. 3.
File photos
Today is 8th Grade Ski Day. It is a long-standing tradition where every 8th grader in Steamboat Springs gets a free day on the slopes of Steamboat ski area. Christy Sports helps provide the gear to those who need it. The Yampa Valley Community Foundation is also involved to make it happen with help from the Mark Satkiewicz Legacy Fund, Everything Outdoor Steamboat, and an anonymous donor. Steamboat Resort says they have helped support 8th grade ski day since it started in 1999, and they support programming for 90 North Routt Charter School students and kids from the Boys and Girls Club.
It’s a Springalicious weekend at Steamboat Resort.
The 41st Annual Cardboard Classic is at the base of Steamboat Saturday. Check out the cardboard crafts making their way down the face of Stampede. It’s also Earth Day and Yampa Valley Sustainability Council will be at the base.
Sunday is the Splashdown Pond Skim as Steamboat’s most daring skiers and riders try to cruise across an ice-cold pool of water at the base of the mountain.
Easter Egg Hunts are also happening Saturday.
The first is at the Hayden Center, because of the weather. That’s for kids five and under. It starts at 1 p.m. and the Easter Bunny will be hopping on by.
The annual Easter Egg Hunt in Oak Creek is at 11 a.m. in Decker Park.
The New Creation Church in Craig has their Easter Egg Hunt. The event is at 9 a.m. with the hunt at 11 on Saturday. Pre-register at www.NCCCraig.com
And in Meeker, the Easter Eggstravaganza starts at 10 a.m. sharp in the parking lot at the Meeker Rec Center. It’s for kids ages 10 and under.
The Oak Creek Library has a presentation at 4:30 p.m. today. It’s Children’s Poetry Art and Dance with Wendy Mikelsons at the Oak Creek Library on Main Street in Oak Creek.
Check out what’s happening in the Yampa Valley on the Community Calendar.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.