By Shannon Lukens.
Today is Dec. 26, an official holiday. Many businesses are closed. Government offices, banks, and the post office are all closed as well.
About 80 head of cattle are missing out of Baca County which is in the far southeast corner of Colorado. Colorado’s Operation Livestock Thief program is offering a reward for information on who might have taken the cattle. Call the Baca County Sheriff’s Office (719-523-6677) if you have any information. The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association says the cattle are mostly black with some blue Y-Tex ear tags, and two types of brands. The Colorado Brand Board has been notified and Brand Commissioner Chris Whitney has informed surrounding states of the missing livestock.
Colorado State Patrol has updated what happened with the Colorado Department of Transportation employees up at the maintenance shed on Rabbit Ears pass last Tuesday. A snow cat worker was backing up near the sand shed when two CDOT employees walked around the corner of the building and were hit by the snow cat. Both were taken to the hospital. One was released. The other was airlifted with serious injuries. CSP officers assisted but decided no charges were needed. CDOT safety officers are investigating the industrial incident.
Steamboat Resort has a new gondola. The official ribbon cutting for the Wild Blue Gondola was Saturday morning. Deb Werner cut the ribbon. She’s Director of Lift Ops who has worked for the resort for 50 years.
Billy Kidd was also there for the festivities.
The Wild Blue Gondola can take skiers and riders from the base area to the Greenhorn Ranch Learning Center. Each of the 58 gondola cabins holds ten people. Section 1 has ten towers.
Section 2 is the next part that will be added for a total of 171 cabins. When the upper section is added, the Wild Blue Gondola will take skiers and riders from the Steamboat base area to the top of Sunshine Peak in only 12 and a half minutes. When finished, the Wild Blue Gondola will be the longest and fastest gondola in North America.
Jay A. Edwards has been appointed to the Rio Blanco County Court and Rio Blanco Associate County Court in the 9th Judicial District. The appointment was announced by Governor Polis. The vacancies were created by the death of the Honorable Joe Fennessy and are effective immediately. Mr. Edwards has been a Municipal Judge for the Town of Meeker since 2019.
Check out upcoming events in the Yampa Valley on the Community Calendar on our website.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.