life
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6 mountain communities increase lodging taxes, 2 reject the tax hike
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Six mountain communities across Colorado voted on Tuesday to raise their lodging taxes after the state legislature passed a bill allowing counties to triple such taxes and spend the money on a wider range of projects, including public infrastructure, childcare and housing for workers. Lodging tax increases passed in Eagle, Gilpin, Hinsdale, Ouray, Routt and…
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Could this be the next big outdoor destination in Woodland Park?
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Could a golf course be the next great outdoor escape in the “City Above the Clouds” west of Colorado Springs? Advocates in Woodland Park think so. The 18-hole Shining Mountain Golf Course “is such a big parcel, with so much more potential than golf,” said Chris Gonzales, who leads Teller Trail Team, a nonprofit aiming…
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Federal judge advances retaliation-related claims of Castle Rock employee
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A federal judge on Thursday largely declined to dismiss multiple retaliation-related claims from a Castle Rock employee, while cautioning that the discovery of evidence would shed light on the circumstances surrounding the town’s actions. Matthew Gasser, a senior athletics supervisor, alleged Castle Rock learned in summer 2023 that an employee may have manipulated certain receipts…
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Cloning: The latest in black-footed ferret recovery in Colorado and beyond
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For years, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers have driven out to the eastern plains in the middle of the night, a predator’s hunting hours, in hopes of spotting a pair of green, gleaming eyes. Officers are expected to do just that sometime next year, out on a sweeping ranch near Lamar. This is where they…
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Protection or overreach? In western Colorado, national monument proposal ignites controversy
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Sean Pond was around a small town of his native western Colorado when he spotted a man in a blue ball cap. Above the bill were the words at the center of an ongoing controversy: “PROTECT THE DOLORES.” Pond approached the man. “He said someone at REI just gave it to him and he liked…
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New tribal liaison in southern Colorado: ‘You are responsible for learning this history’
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When Jason Herbert is meeting with tribal members on their lands, he prefers not to wear his U.S. Forest Service uniform, despite whatever agency guidelines suggest in the case of official business. “It’s not disrespect to the Forest Service. I’m really proud to work for the Forest Service,” Herbert says. It’s just that he knows…
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New tribal liaison in southern Colorado: ‘You are responsible for learning this history’
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When Jason Herbert is meeting with tribal members on their lands, he prefers not to wear his U.S. Forest Service uniform, despite whatever agency guidelines suggest in the case of official business. “It’s not disrespect to the Forest Service. I’m really proud to work for the Forest Service,” Herbert says. It’s just that he knows…
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Plan calls for more protection of scenic, recreation areas in large swath of Colorado
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The Bureau of Land Management has released a plan to manage a vast mosaic of canyonlands, grasslands and mountains in southern, central and eastern Colorado. In the works for close to a decade, the plan is officially called the Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan. “Eastern” might be deceiving; the focus area spans beyond the plains…
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Goats help Colorado Springs property owners with fire mitigation
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A herd of hungry firefighters is getting antsy in a trailer off Old Ranch Road in northern Colorado Springs. It’s mid-morning, and more than 40 goats are backed up to a 5-acre lot lush with weeds, grass, yucca and scrub oak – a scrumptious buffet for goats, but worrisome fire fuel for homeowners. Kimberly Jones,…
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Free fishing weekend coming soon in Colorado
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No fishing license? For one weekend only in Colorado, no problem. Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be hosting its annual Free Fishing Weekend on June 3 and 4 – two days when residents and visitors are invited to try their hand at the sport. The agency maintains a web page for those interested in participating, with…







