Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Grand Junction

Summer skeeters: New mosquito species, the Aedes aegypti, found in Grand Junction
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Summer skeeters: New mosquito species, the Aedes aegypti, found in Grand Junction

By Timber Schuman | Fox 31 News A new mosquito species was discovered in Grand Junction –the Aedes aegypti. Grand River Mosquito Control District Manager Tim Moore told Nexstar’s WesternSlopeNow that only two of these mosquitoes were found in Grand Junction in 2023, and this June, three Colorado Mesa University students found several more — 12 adults and 150 eggs. Officials are not sure if they’re permanently established. The Aedes aegypti will live its whole two-to-four-week lifespan within 50 feet of where it hatched, unlike the Culex mosquito commonly seen in Mesa County, which will travel miles over its lifetime. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
Invasive, fast-reproducing zebra mussels found in Colorado River near Grand Junction
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Invasive, fast-reproducing zebra mussels found in Colorado River near Grand Junction

By Michael Booth | The Colorado Sun Voracious zebra mussels appear to be spreading into the Colorado River near Grand Junction and infesting the Government Highline canal watering Mesa County farms, less than two years after the invasive species first appeared in a Western Slope lake, wildlife officials said Tuesday.  Western Slope officials called the news “devastating,” and are warning downstream water conservation partners beginning with Utah that the fast-reproducing mussels are likely on the way. Colorado Parks and Wildlife had led the charge to combat zebra mussels after finding the first lake infestation at nearby Highline Lake State Park in September 2022.  The zebra mussels strip plankton from the water en masse, depriving native species of vital food. The ...
Meeting announced to consider interchange plans for I-70 and 29 Road in Mesa County
Approved, Mesa County, Rocky Mountain Voice

Meeting announced to consider interchange plans for I-70 and 29 Road in Mesa County

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff Residents of Mesa County and the City of Grand Junction are invited to a public meeting to discuss an interchange at Interstate 70 and 29 Road, a press statement from Mesa County reads. The community meeting is designed to allow residents to review design options and offer input toward the interchange following presentations. The meeting is from 5-7 p.m. June 4 at Bookcliff Middle School Gym, 540 29 1/4 Road. “An I-70 interchange at 29 Road will improve connectivity, community access and economic opportunity," said Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis. "We hope community members will join us on June 4 to discuss design options and provide valuable input for this project." In 1999, the need for an interchange in northeast Grand Junction was identifie...
Protest of USPS plan to move mail from Grand Junction to Denver may have been successful
Approved, Local, The Craig Press

Protest of USPS plan to move mail from Grand Junction to Denver may have been successful

By Elliott Wenzler  | The Craig Press The U.S. Postal Service will pause a plan to reroute mail from the Western Slope to Denver after dozens of Senators from both parties protested the changes.  “While USPS claims these changes overall will improve service while reducing costs, there is evidence to the contrary in locations where USPS has implemented changes so far,” according to a May 8 letter from 24 senators, including Sen. Michael Bennet. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in response to the senators’ concerns, he will pause implementation of that plan until at least January 2025. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CRAIG PRESS
‘It shouldn’t be free’: In Grand Junction, EV owners will pay at city-owned charging stations
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Western Slope

‘It shouldn’t be free’: In Grand Junction, EV owners will pay at city-owned charging stations

‘The majority of the power is coming from coal,’ City Councilman Cody Kennedy says Electric vehicle operators will no longer have a free ride from the City of Grand Junction. City Council unanimously supported the implementation of a fee structure Wednesday, similar to fees implemented by some other local governments to cover public expenses related to charging stations. “I used one of the EV charging apps and there are 40 some odd places in town where you can charge for free,” said City Councilman Scott Beilfuss, also indicating he didn’t support a free-use structure. The proposed rates are comparable to what a gas or diesel-powered vehicle owner might expect to pay for metered parking, City Manager Greg Caton said. “There is a significant amount of public investment in thi...