A new bill, SB24-205, the consumer protections for artificial intelligence bill, was introduced earlier this month and passed the senate committee on judiciary yesterday. The bill is an effort to address consumer protections for artificial intelligence, or ai. supporters of the bill say that while ai is beneficial for businesses, there needs to be regulations in place that consider both existing law and best practice. Businesses, developers and entrepreneurs who focus on ai, however, are not on board with the bill. Business owners feel the bill is being rushed and claim that there was no input from the community or from small business owners. The bill would require developers to let consumers know when they are interacting with ai and when content has been produced by AI. The bill now heads to the senate committee of the whole for consideration there.

SLV man sentenced in extortion cases.

Brett Andrew Nelson, a San Luis Valley man with recent ties to Gunnison County, was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in the department of corrections for committing extortion and threatening several judges, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, attorneys and citizens in Gunnison, Montrose and Alamosa counties over a 2 year period. Nelson was found guilty by a jury last month on nearly two dozen counts brought against him in April of 2022. According to the colorado Attorney General's office, state prosecutors said nelson used "sovereign citizen-like tactics" beginning in 2018 to submit numerous fraudulent documents, such as powers of attorney and default judgements, against public officials and individuals involved in criminal and domestic relations cases where he was a defendant.

CO LG declared disaster emergency for US 50 bridge.

Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, acting as governor yesterday, verbally declared a disaster emergency to support the repairs of the U.S. Highway 50 bridge over blue mesa reservoir. The Colorado Department of Transportation closed the bridge at Dillon Pinnacles last week after an inspection revealed cracks in the structure. Primavera's disaster declaration will allow for an interagency, statewide response and will initiate the process for requesting federal funding. The Colorado Transportation commission has approved an emergency request for $10 million in funding for the bridge, according to the state. Primavera was acting as Governor while Governor Jared Polis leads the delegation for the biennial of americas summit taking place currently in Costa Rica.

10th circuit court clears key obstacle for Wolf Creek construction.

The 10th circuit federal appeals court in Denver last Friday cleared a key obstacle to the construction of the village at wolf creek in the Rio Grande national forest. Conservation groups have repeatedly challenged the proposed village, which envisions more than 1,700 housing and hotel units and 221,000 square feet of commercial space in Mineral County near the wolf creek ski resort. The three judge panel on Friday agreed not only that the government's latest process satisfied the legal requirements, but that a trial judge incorrectly told the forest service to "start over" in 2022. Specifically, there was a misunderstanding about whether the faulty first choice of swapping federal land for private land also rendered an access road across federal land faulty too. The judges said it did not.

Rio Grande National forest to conduct several prescribed fires.

An updated map was published yesterday on Colorado Parks and Wildlife's website to continue informing the public on where collared wolves have been in the past month. CPW has also launched a new gray wolf depredation report webpage to inform the public about confirmed livestock depredations by wolves in Colorado. Both webpages can be found by going to CPW's website at cpw.state.co.us.

The Colorado House Transportation, Housing and local government committee yesterday passed SB24-184, the support surface transportation infrastructure development bill, yesterday, meaning that the bill is one step closer to becoming law. The bill proposes to increase rental car fees by up to $3 per day, allowing colorado to collect $50 million to go toward the front range passenger rail system. The $50 million would be just a 20% down payment of the total cost of the project. There is push back against the bill, however, regarding the increased rental car fees and their affect on the tourism industry in Colorado and on Coloradans themselves. The bill has already passed the State Senate.

US Fish Wildlife service confirms first CO Wolf death.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that one of the ten wolves that were introduced into Colorado by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, has died. According to a statement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service: "on April 18th... the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service became aware of a deceased gray wolf in Larimer county... as a federally listed species under the endangered species act, the service is investigating and has sent the carcass for a necropsy to determine the cause of death. Initial evidence suggests that this wolf likely died of natural causes, but a final determination will not be made until the necropsy is completed. This wolf was one of the ten recently released by Colorado Parks and Wildlife in December 2023." The service is working cooperatively with CPW in their investigation. No further details were made available.

One RTN funeral home coowner granted house arrest.

During a federal court hearing in Denver yesterday, Carie Hallford, one of the co-owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, was granted house arrest. Hallford was originally expected to be placed in a halfway house while waiting for her El Paso County jury trial. She will now have court-ordered GPS tracking. Hallford was also granted a $10,000 conditional bond at yesterday's hearing. Carie Hallford, and her husband Jon Hallford, are the co-owners of the Return to Nature funeral home where 189 decomposing bodies were found not properly stored last October. The pair were arrested in Oklahoma in November. Jon Hallford remains in custody.

Costilla County Public Health Director recognized.

Costilla County Public Health Director Paul Wertz was recognized earlier this month by the colorado division of homeland security and emergency management at their annual conference held in Colorado Springs. Wertz was the 2024 San Luis Valley award recipient for his work in Costilla County and with San Luis Valley emergency managers. The colorado division of homeland security and emergency management hosts an access and functional needs conference annually. The conference recognizes outstanding work by emergency managers in each region of the state.

Rio Grande National forest to conduct several prescribed fires.

Fire managers on the Rio Grande National forest plan to conduct several prescribed fires this spring. Burn dates are anticipated to begin in mid-May. Ignitions will only take place if conditions are favorable and the fire will remain within the burn plan parameters. Planned burns include: bighorn/stateline units 4 & 5, 889 acres. Conejos canyon unit 1, 200 acres. Hot creek/Piedrosa, 1,090 acres. And, Laughlin gulch, 205 acres. Updates on the burns will be made on the Rio Grande forest's social media pages.

The Colorado State House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing today to consider a bill that would protect police officers who report the misconduct or illegal actions of fellow officers. HB24-1460, the law enforcement misconduct bill, would create protections for officers who come forward, would give attorneys general authority to audit and subpoena records related to the post-database, would ensure law enforcement agencies investigae criminal misconduct against other officers, and would require agencies to retain reports of all allegations of misconduct in an agency. The bill was brought to state legislators by both active and retired officers who wanted to create a safer and more supportive environment, according to one of the bill's sponsor. The hearing begins at 1:30pm in the old state library.

EPA announces Demolition of RTN Funeral Home complete.

The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday announced that the demolition of the Return To Nature Funeral Home in Penrose is now complete. The EPA says that demolition was completed on Saturday. The foundation was disinfected, demolished and was then taken to the Otero County landfill. The foundation and surrounding area has been replaced with clean soil. The demolition began one week ago today and took just 6 days to complete. The Return to Nature Funeral home came under investigation last October after reports of a foul odor in the area. Investigators found 189 bodies in various states of decomposition inside the building that were not properly stored. Funeral home owners Jon and Carie Hallford were arrested in Oklahoma in November. They were extradited back to Colorado where they are currently awaiting trial.

Suspect arrested in Amber alert case.

The Amber Alert that was issued late Sunday throughout Colorado came about after a car was stolen from a gas station in Aurora. The stolen car was left running in front of the convenience store near the intersection of Iliff and Havana and was stolen around 9pm Sunday. Inside the car, was 6-year-old Aaliyah Chance, hence the amber alert. The stolen, white, 2015 jeep compass, along with Aaliyah, were found by authorities late Sunday in Weld county, about 75 miles from where it was stolen. Police have identified Kirk Abercrombie as the suspect. He was arrested and booked into the Aurora Detention Center yesterday on charges of 2nd-degree kidnapping and felony motor vehicle theft.

Alamosa Police Department to hold prescription drug take back this Saturday.

The Alamosa Police Department will host a national prescription drug take back day this Saturday, April 27th, from 10am to 2pm. The drug take back day will provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs and the community can turn in their unwanted, expired or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances or medications. No liquids of any kind will be accepted, however. Drop offs can be made at the Alamosa Walgreens and City Market locations this Saturday from 10am to 2pm. The program is anonymous and anyone can drop off prescription drugs.

CDOT to performing lane striping operations at Exit 104 in Pueblo.

The Colorado Department of Transportation will be performing lane striping operations requiring the closure of the Interstate 25 north and southbound off-ramps at Drew Dix Parkway and Dillion Drive, Exit 104, in Pueblo for 2 nights this week. Beginning Wednesday at 9pm through Thursday at 6am, the Northbound I-25 off-ramp at Exit 104 will be closed with two detour routes. Then, beginning on Thursday at 9pm through Friday at 6am, the southbound I-25 off-ramp at Exit 104 will be closed with a detour in place. Work will also take place again on Wednesday, May 1st.

The Colorado Department of Transportation announced yesterday that a shorter detour for U.S. Highway 50 is now in place after a bridge over part of blue mesa reservoir was closed last week, closing the highway. The closure came after a crack was discovered on a girder on the highway bridge near the dillon pinnacles. Beginning today, county road 26 will be open for local, essential travel only. Because county road 26 is a high- mounain, unpaved road, travel times will be limited and commercial vehicles exceeding a 16,001 lb gross vehicle weight rating are prohibited. The schedule for piloted travel is 6 to 6:30am and 6 to 6:30pm for westbound travel, and 7 to 7:30am and 7 to 7:30pm for eastbound travel. The road will remain closed at all other times. CDOT says U.S. 50 will remain closed "indefinitely" while bridge engineers continue to conduct safety inspections.

Rocky Ford Fire Department called to scene of active fire on Friday.

The Rocky Ford Fire Department on Friday were on the scene of an active fire burning in the downtown area in a building that reportedly belongs to brewers construction near the intersection of 11th street and railroad avenue. According to police, the fire was impacting 10th street through 12th street and Railroad through Maple Avenue. Flames and thick, heavy black smoke could be seen traveling southwest from the scene. It is not clear if anyone was injured in connection with the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

D60 votes to close Roncalli Stem Academy.

The Pueblo District 60 board of education last week voted 3-2 to close Roncalli Stem Academy at the end of the current school year. The board voted to close the school due to a significant issue with the school's heating and air conditioning system. District 60 says most of the stem offerings at Roncalli will now be offered at Pueblo academy of arts. They also say that other middle schools in Pueblo have enough space and staff to accommodate around 250 Roncalli students. The assignment of Roncalli students will be based on new middle school boundaries, which the board also approved last week. Familes have the option of participating in school choice by visiting the Pueblo District 60 website.

Ride the Rockies cycling event canceled this year.

The 38th year of Ride the Rockies has been canceled, according to the organization that organizes the yearly cycling event in Colorado. This year's tour was expected to take cyclists from Steamboat Springs to Fruita over the course of about a week in the month of June. Organizers say that the 2024 event was canceled due to "limited registration". The future of the event is uncertain at this time. When asked if Ride the Rockies will return, organizers say they are "assessing the best options".

CPW officials reminding public not to feed Wildlife.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are reminding the public to refrain from feeding wildlife. Feeding wildlife is more harmful than helpful because human food is not always healthy for wild animals. And, under Colorado law, feeding big game animals is illegal. Those in violation are subject to fines and could cause the animal to become sick and die. Enjoy wildlife from a safe distance and do not approach, touch or feed wild animals. Keep your dog on a leash on trails. If you find a wild animal that appears sick or injured, leave it alone. Then, call your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office and talk to a trained wildlife officer for guidance.

HB24-1136, a bill that hopes to crack down on excessive social media use by kids has passed the Colorado State Legislature and is on the way to the governor's desk for his signature. The bill would require social media platforms to display pop-up warnings and to create a resource bank for schools, students and families related to the mental health impacts of excessive social media use. The bill requires the department of education to create and maintain the resource bank and to convene a stakeholder group to assist in the creation of the resource bank. The bill also requires the department to expand local student wellness programs to include programs that address the impacts of problematic technology use on the mental and physical well-being of Colorado youth. The bill appropriates $13,974 to the department to implement the bill.

Federal detention and arraignment hearing held for RTN owners yesterday.

Jon and Carie Hallford, the owners of the return to nature funeral home, yesterday, plead not guilty during an arraignment and detention hearing held in federal court in Denver. The husband and wife were arrested on Sunday by FBI agents after they were indicted by a grand jury on felony wire fraud charges. During the hearing Jon Hallford was ordered to be held in custody before trial citing an elevated flight risk. Carie Hallford was ordered released to a halfway house, however, no room is available for her, so she will be held in custody until next Tuesday when she will have a separate hearing. The Hallfords were originally arrested in Oklahoma in November of last year at a house belonging to Jon's parents. They are facing 260 counts in state court, including abuse of a corpse, money laundering, theft and forgery.

Safety closure put in place for US 50 west of Gunnison.

A safety closure has been put in place for a bridge on U.S. Highway 50 located west of Gunnison. The Colorado Department of Transportation has announced that it is closing the bridge as a safety inspection has identified cracks in the bridge yesterday. The closure comes at the behest of the federal highway administration and state bridge engineering experts. The closure is in place between U.S. 50 mile marker 131 (the intersection with Colorado Highway 92) and mile marker 138, near Sapinero. Local traffic will be allowed through the closure point to reach residences. Motorists should plan alternate routes around the closure. The bridge is closed indefinitely. CDOT will continue to assess the safety of the bridge and to quickly determine operations for interim and permanent fixes, and will update the public as soon as more information is available.

CBI announces indictment of 23 people.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced yesterday that 23 people have been indicted by a grand jury on illegal marijuana manufacturing and distribution charges. search warrants executed in Fremont, Pueblo and El Paso counties yielded 1,150 illegal marijuana plants, about 869 pounds of marijuana product, some packaged for distribution, 13 firearms, about 3 grams of methamphetamine, the recovery of stolen heavy equipment, and the recovery of stolen vehicles, stolen trailers and a stolen utv. CBI says 9 of the 23 people named in the indictment have been arrested. Authorities are working to apprehend the remaining suspects.

History Colorado and Fort Garland museum accredited once again.

History Colorado and the Fort Garland museum have once again been accredited by the American alliance of museums. Of the nation's estimated 35,000 museums, just over 1,100 are currently accredited. The accreditation brings national recognition to history colorado for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. History Colorado has been an accredited institution since 1972.