BRANDING COLORADO, "AEROSPACE ALLEY"

There are nearly 280 aerospace businesses in Colorado and Colorado's overall private aerospace employment is 30,020, the highest per capita in the country. Next Thursday, industry representatives, education leaders and state officials will officially launch an effort to brand the state, "Aerospace Alley." There will be an online presentation and fundraiser featuring NASA dignitaries, with state and industry leaders. There is a new website, www.coaerospacealley.com to support the effort.

GRAY WOLVES REMOVED FROM ENDANGERED LIST

The U.S. Dept. of Interior Thursday announced that gray wolves are being removed from the endangered species protection list. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said the wolves recovered after more than 45 years under federal protection. Thursday's announcement comes as voters in Colorado are casting ballots on whether to direct state officials to reintroduce wolves into the state west of the Continental Divide. Federal endangered species protection already had been lifted in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. The stripping of federal protection applies only to gray wolves, which number more than 6,000, and not Mexican wolves in New Mexico and Arizona.

U.S. ECONOMY GROWS AT RECORD PACE IN THIRD QUARTER

The Gross Domestic Product, the value of all goods and services produced in the U.S., increased 7.4 percent in the third quarter over the second quarter, an annual rate of 33.1 percent. The increase in growth in the third quarter is the biggest jump in records dating back to 1947.With that growth, the economy recovered about two-thirds of the ground it lost earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The GDP declined 9 percent, quarter-over-quarter, in the second quarter. Forecasters predict the economy will expand more slowly through the fourth quarter and unemployment is expected to remain high this winter.

PITCO COMMISSIONERS: AIRPORT RUNWAY WILL REMAIN WHERE IT IS

The Pitkin County commissioners Thursday took a very significant vote on the future of the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, with a 4-1 decision to accept the recommendation of a community committee and leave the runway where it is. The vote came after years of community meetings and studies of alternatives for the airport. The commissioners postponed any decision on whether to widen the runway by 50 feet, which would allow the airport to accommodate planes with wingspans as wide as 118 feet. Under the plan accepted by the commissioners, the runway would remain in place and the taxiway would move 20 feet closer to the terminal and Highway 82. That would create a separation of 400-feet between the runway center line and the taxiway center line.

ROARING FORK HIGH SCHOOLERS STILL WILL RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM NOV. 4

The Roaring Fork Re-1 School Board held an extensive discussion with parents, students, and teachers at its meeting Wednesday, and decided that unless local public health officials and medical advisers recommend otherwise in the next few days, high school students will return to in-person classes full-time next Wednesday, Nov. 4. There will be two days of staff and teacher preparation on Monday and Tuesday. The Roaring Fork District started a phased return of students with K-3 going back to in-person classes on Oct. 19 and grades 4-8 this week.

TIGHTER RESTRICTIONS BACK IN PLACE IN MESA COUNTY

The Mesa County Public Health Dept. Thursday announced that due to an increase in the community spread of COVID-19, there are now new restrictions in place in Mesa County. The restrictions in place now limit outdoor gatherings to 75 or fewer people, with indoor events limited to 25 or fewer people and personal gatherings to 10 or fewer people from no more than two households. For more information on these restrictions or on the COVID-19 situation in Mesa County, go to: health.mesacounty.us.

LAND PURCHASE COMPLETED TO ALLOW TRAIL CONNECTION

The Colorado West Land Trust has officially purchased a key 20-acre parcel of land located at the intersection of Monument Road and South Camp Road that will allow the continuation of the paved Monument Trail from the Lunch Loop Trailhead to South Camp Road. The purchase was funded via a $156,920 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), along with support from the Colorado West Land Trust and the city of Grand Junction. The connection will create a 10-mile loop of trails that utilize Monument Road, South Camp, Redlands Parkway and the Riverfront Trail.

FARMINGTON REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES ALONG ANIMAS RIVER

The city of Farmington is launching Phase 2 of its Animas River Mitigation Project which will involve crews, contracted through the San Juan Soil & Water Conservation District, removing Russian olive trees and salt cedar on about 30 acres in three locations: west of the Riverside Nature Center, on the north side of the Animas River at Cottonwood Landing and on the north side of the Animas River near All Veterans Memorial Plaza. The crews will chainsaw the trees and use approved herbicide for the removal and after the spraying, crews will be planting native grasses and cottonwood trees to revegetate the area.

REAL ESTATE SALES IN EAGLE COUNTY IN SEPTEMBER: HALF-A-BILLION DOLLARS

September real estate sales in Eagle County topped $515 million. That not only set a record for sales in a month, it shattered the previous record of $418 million, set in 2005. Normally, big sales volume is driven by the sale of a large property, like a hotel or building, in the case of the September number, the sales volume was the result of a large number of transactions, 319, in Eagle County. Sales were driven by buyers coming from the Front Range and out of state. Year-to-date, 51 percent of buyers were from Eagle County. In September, that percentage dropped to 40 percent while 37 percent of buyers were from out of state and 22 percent were from the Front Range.

FOREST SERVICE, EAGLE COUNTY LIFTING FIRE RESTRICTIONS

The Aspen-Sopris, Blanco, Eagle-Holy Cross and Rifle Ranger districts of the White River National Forest and Eagle County lifted fire restrictions at 12.01 a.m. this morning. All the agencies and districts agreed to officially lift the fire bans because of the increased humidity, recent snowfall and cooler overnight temperatures that reduced the current fire danger. Officials still urge caution as conditions remain dry and all areas remain in "extreme" drought, with some parts of Eagle County in "exceptional" drought. The Dillon Ranger District remains under Stage 2 restrictions.